Anyone on 1200kcals a day?

marynmarty

I think it's different for everybody and how their bodies work. What I do is I try to eat a 1200 calorie diet. It was really hard in the beginning but now it's hard to even reach the 1200 which scares me a lot because I'm afraid to go into starvation mode. Here is what I do. I eat around 1000-1200 a day with at least an hour of exercise a day. I don't eat my exercise calories as I just leave them behind. I heard not to do that as it doesn't help BUT I have been averaging a weight loss of 1.5-3 pounds a week.....Now when I get closer to my goal it might not still work like that. On the other hand I know people who have done this exact thing and they gain weight because they aren't eating enough. I think you have to keep trying different things until you see which one your body reacts to....then go for it :-) Good Luck!!!

teresadutton

I am on 1200 a day and I usually only eat around 700 to 800 a day. I am not excersizing per say. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. I have not had a problem at all doing this and sometimes have a hard time eatting over 700 cal a day. I am being very strict with myself at this point though.I am sure I will have to ajust everything at some point.

nick3478

We are on 1200kcal. Weight has come off consistently every week, yes to eating back but that is my choice and it has worked. Diary is open to see.

janey1306

I eat 1200 calories a day, and i try to keep as close to it as i possbly can without going over my fat and carb limit. I do 1 or 2 classes a day, or 1 class and strengh training (i wouldnt say lift heavy yet) 3 or 4 times a day. I try to stick to the 1200 calories on those days too, but if im hungry ill eat a little bit more, and i do mean a little bit. Ive been losing steadily 2 lbs a week. ive also lost a few inches bust, waist and thighs.

Healthystarter

Thanks everyone for your replies, these all great pieces of advices. I'm going to focus on 1500cals and if I go under, so what! I exercise and still have a glass of red wine occasionally. So with 20kgs to loose it will be a long haul, but I'm pumped and motivated to do this - logged my food diary today and put in my exercise plan too. Bit hard when it's all in miles and pounds though. Anyway thanks again and see ya later.:flowerforyou:

DterMined2012

I'm on 1200 but I exercise every weekday for 40 mins - 1 hr. I don't think I'd be able to do it without my exercise as I need those exercise calories to not feel hungry.

I find weekends really difficult as that's when my boyfriend comes over so I don't have time to exercise and end up going out for dinner and going over my calories. I've asked him if he'd like to go on dates to the gym at weekends but he's surprisingly never very enthusiastic...

This is me minus the boyfriend add hubby with hubby waiting on me to complete my exercise routine so we can commence to partake of a few "drinks" :drinker: and there goes my calories

I had to go to 1200 per day in order to lose. I exercise 6 days/week but I quit eating my exercise calories and am finally losing. I have devised a plan that I plan to initiate this weekend in which I will allow myself 1600 calories/day on either fri sat or sat sun or fri sun....but only for 2 days....I am doing this because I usually blow all my hard work during the week by consumming WAY too many calories on the weekend. So I figured if I give myself some extra then I won't feel deprived :happy:

Good luck to you :flowerforyou:

DterMined2012

Oh yeah and I have to REALLY watch my sodium....or I can gain 5 lbs over night!!!:sad:

Healthystarter

That's actually a great idea!

Warley_x

What foods do you find the most sodium in? I havent heard of watching this before so maybe it's something I can look in to.

Oh yeah and I have to REALLY watch my sodium....or I can gain 5 lbs over night!!!:sad:

FR89

hey.. im on 1200cals a day... i havnt done any exercise for some time and havent lost any weight at 1200 cals.. when i going gym before 3-4times a week i lost weight at the same cals and sometimes ate some back too.. im trying to get back into the gym routine and hopefully will start losing again.. for me the food alone doesnt work as much.. i have to exercize.. i've lost 5kg so far and have 8-10kg to go.. and im 5''8.. xx

impyimpyaj

What foods do you find the most sodium in? I havent heard of watching this before so maybe it's something I can look in to.

Oh yeah and I have to REALLY watch my sodium....or I can gain 5 lbs over night!!!:sad:

Any weight you gain from sodium will be water, and not fat. It's really not a big deal. Just drink plenty of water to keep it flushed out, and if you notice a large gain from one day to the next, realize that it can't possibly be fat, and just don't stress over it.

graysmom2005

I am on 1200 a day and I usually only eat around 700 to 800 a day. I am not excersizing per say. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. I have not had a problem at all doing this and sometimes have a hard time eatting over 700 cal a day. I am being very strict with myself at this point though.I am sure I will have to ajust everything at some point.

Honey you are killing your metabolism. You eat that low and you will be part of the 90% who gains it all back. I'm not saying that to be discouraging. I want you to succeed. You don't have to eat that little to get to your goal weight. Not even close. You'll lose and then you'll plateau as your metabolism will have slowed down massively and you'll be losing muscle.

SPNLuver83

I have my cals sent on 1200, but I also eat back my exercise cals, so I average between 1700-1900 a day. Except Sundays. I usually eat around 2500.

graysmom2005

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

futuremalestripper

I'm close. I do 1400 a day and then burn another 600. So according to MFP I'm at 800 because I don't eat back my exercise calories. First couple of days it sucked, but now it's fine. I incorporate foods I like, such as Nutella, into my diet and that way I don't feel deprived. If it's an unusually long day and I feel tired, I might eat an extra 100 calories, but otherwise I feel great.

jodycoady

I've been on here since Dec, and was on the 1200...I lost 19 lbs, but since April I stopped losing altogether, I even gained 4 lbs back...I have upped my intake to 1380 and changed my workout routine...still no loss..(no gain either)..If you wanna lose, do the 1200 for a few months...If you are like me, you will see results, but hopefully you'll find a solution to the plateauing, b/c I haven't. Good luck!

hallie_b

I am also a shorty (5'1") and I have a little trouble hitting 1200 a day but, still eating healthy. I am trying to go from 137 to 110-115 by the end of July. I usually use healthy snacks to up the calories. I have just started at the gym and burn about 400 calories each time I go (4-5 days a week).
I have always been confused by the "eat back" thing. I tried reading about it on the forums but still end up confused because people tend to come across very bias either for or against it and the science of either method gets lost in the mix. I have a nutritionist who gave me a 1200 cal limit and told me watch my carbs, protien (because I don't get enough as a vegetarian) and sodium intakes so I guess I am just going to stick with that for now.

Ali_TSO

Anyone who gives you any strong, immediate opinions on this - is probably just uninformed.

My opinions:

(1) it is all in the kitchen. don't even bother about exercise. you're now in "advanced" weight loss for your last few kilos, so it's all in the kitchen

Whatever you do, DO NOT " ' eat back your exercise calories ' " if you exercise. At your stage of weight loss it is inconceivable you could take that approach (unless you're a marathon runner), so forget that. Read the book, get actual science on your side.

(MFP laughably includes the concept of "eating back your exercise calories" - just ignore it. They'll remove this feature in future versions.)

Didn't you do just that? Perhaps not the uninformed part, but a large part of your immediate opinions are something that most of us would disagree with.

Telling her that she doesn't need to bother with exercise is a little off balance. Exercise is something that most people really need to PUSH with to reach their final goal when they're getting close. Especially for someone who doesn't CURRENTLY exercise, that might be just the boost she needs.

Also, imo, if you need to eat back your exercise cals bc you're particularly hungry, then do it. It's not going to hurt you. I know lots of people close to their goal weights who are still losing while eating their exercise cals.

OP, I think you're right when you said you need to figure out both your carbs and protein, but please consider starting to exercise. It will help you get there! Good luck!

Warley_x

What kind of exercise do you do and how long for each day? Wow for Sundays! If I ate that much i'd be the size of a baby seal!

I have my cals sent on 1200, but I also eat back my exercise cals, so I average between 1700-1900 a day. Except Sundays. I usually eat around 2500.

MissTattoo

I ate 1200 for lunch yesterday.