How do people cope on 1200 calories p/d?!

Options
1…6781012

Replies

  • danithegirl89
    danithegirl89 Posts: 203 Member
    Options
    More protein and fiber :) And I feel like I'm starving if I waste any on soda, sugary coffee, etc. I have to eat them all so I stick to black coffee, water, and unsweetened iced tea. I used to have soda on a daily basis and that was a hard habit to break but now I RARELY even crave it :)
  • mfoutch86
    mfoutch86 Posts: 87
    Options
    Now that I have cut out most carbs, like bread, potatoes, rice ect. I have very hard time getting up to 1200! I have a filling, wonderful salad for lunch that is romaine, mesclun mix, chopped chx. breast, balsamic vinegar, a chopped tomato with salt and pepper. Its 166 ish calories, and really tasty. I'm not doing a " low carb" diet per se, I have just found that really limiting my carb intake makes it a lot easier to have plenty to eat. I still watch my fat and sodium, so this isn't a bacon-egg-cheese fest.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    Options
    I was on 1450. I feel like I am starving to death. There doesn't seem to be enough choices to fit into 1450 a day. I've just bumped them up to 1550. Sigh. It sure gets harder the closer you get, huh? I'm about ready to give up. Seriously.

    it depends on what you're eating, you know? there's no way to do it with packaged or pre-processed foods... even if you could do it, it wouldn't be very much fun.

    better is to try very low calorie/ fiber-rich or protein-rich foods in the closest-to-natural-state possible. i'm on a 1400, roughly, but i usually only get in abotu 1200 and i really do feel like i eat plenty, all day. even sometimes i can sneak in a cookie!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    Options
    Now that I have cut out most carbs, like bread, potatoes, rice ect. I have very hard time getting up to 1200! I have a filling, wonderful salad for lunch that is romaine, mesclun mix, chopped chx. breast, balsamic vinegar, a chopped tomato with salt and pepper. Its 166 ish calories, and really tasty. I'm not doing a " low carb" diet per se, I have just found that really limiting my carb intake makes it a lot easier to have plenty to eat. I still watch my fat and sodium, so this isn't a bacon-egg-cheese fest.

    i couldn't agree more. i haven't cut refined carbs 100%, but i like to avoid them as much as possible. it makes an enormous difference.
  • catchjax1202
    catchjax1202 Posts: 1
    Options
    I started out slow with 1450 for two weeks. Then I dropped it to 1350 for another two weeks. It takes a while for your body to adjust, but you ended up making wiser choices. Think of it as a bank account, if you are running low, you dont spend. If you gain calories from a work out, you get to eat that amount gained. Just take it one day at a time.
  • kornmaiden
    kornmaiden Posts: 109
    Options
    I am still losing @ 1800 calories a day btw, so you don't HAVE to eat 1200 to lose =)

    That is not true - each individual is different. You may have a higher activity level. My resting metabolic rate is only 11 something, I can eat around 1200 most days and 1375 on days when I work out, If I (and a lot of other folks) regularly ate 1800 we would gain.
  • mattsdad1961
    mattsdad1961 Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    I haven't read thru all the many responses...however, 1200 cals is probably your suggested base. Your exercise should add cals to that the more you execercise, the more cals you have to consume. Best to try to eat all your cals, I've heard, to maintain proper nutrion and metabolic function.

    So...if you do absolutely nothing but respirate all day - 1200 cals is your goal. Your goal cals are determined, I believe, by you. What rate of loss are you targeting per week? Be sure to set realistic long term goals. this stuff is a marathon, not a sprint. I've found alot of info on this topic in many posts on this site.

    Good luck. Wishing you all the success you deserve!
  • simplesamplespace
    simplesamplespace Posts: 6
    Options
    i usually go on less and feel fine.
  • kornmaiden
    kornmaiden Posts: 109
    Options
    I am on slightly less than 1200, I pretty much gave up having toast or breakfast meat with my breakfast. Any bread is light 45 calorie bread. I eat lots of fruits, veggies and salads, limit starchy things like potatoes and pasta. I am not generally hungry. On workout days I can eat more. Workout more so you can eat more and just keep your net at the 1200. See if you still lose at the 1500 and maybe you can keep it at that. Your body will tell you the right calorie intake better than anything. You might also consider getting your resting metabolic rate done to tell you where you are at. I had mine done at my gym using a device called a Body Gem, 39 bux and well worth it.
  • Josette89
    Josette89 Posts: 244
    Options
    I do 1300 right now and I feel fine, I'm never hungry because I eat small meals throughout the day. I tried to do 1400, but there was just never enough time in a day for it.
  • CandyAshes
    CandyAshes Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    I try to get the exact amount of calories that i need per day (1360) but I usually end up over or just under the count. But it seems to be working for me because I've lost 5lbs so far since I started :) Im sure our bodies will eventually get used to having smaller amounts of food... we'll adapt :) good luck
  • Mogwai1985
    Mogwai1985 Posts: 31
    Options
    1200 calories is not enough. The body requires a MINIMUM of 700 calories to pump blood and breathe and that is if you are dormant (IV fluids/ diet). For a normal person, 1200 is not enough to survive. Yes you can lose weight by only eating 1200 but your body will enter starvation mode and then you will gain weight. If you workout you need to replace the calories that are burned.
  • sap_basis
    sap_basis Posts: 5
    Options
    The only way to cope is to exercise which will allow you to increase your food intake. Really we don't need that much food and we can select foods that are healthy rather than calorie low. What I mean is, eating 200 calories of fruit is better than eating 200 calories of chips!
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Options
    I do fine on it but I'm close to my goal and since I'm a short, older person, my maint. calories will be just under 1200.
    If I exercise however, I have to eat some or all of my exercise calories or I'm starving. When I do eat exercise calories, I don't go out and have a Snickers Blizzard either! I try to have something healthy like a smoothie, fruit bar, nuts or a fiber bar instead.Also if you make sure you balance some protein in with each meal and eat whole grains and plenty of veggies, you stay full longer.
    When I first started MFP I was hungry for a few weeks until I tweaked my diet. I ended up boiling eggs and just eating the whites for the extra protein to curb the hunger. They only have 17 cals in one, they are cheap and easy to make. Eventually I wasn't as hungry. It gets better!
    Good luck.
  • ShreddedTweet
    ShreddedTweet Posts: 1,326 Member
    Options
    Zucchini is Aubergine!

    The purple vegetable, right?

    How does it taste?

    And what a cool alternative name!

    ETA: Doh, veggie, not fruit.


    nope. eggplant is the purple veggie. Zuccini is kinda like a cucumber. its green and long.But healthy!


    Oh, then I've definitely never had one!!!

    Edit: Oh, right courgette!!!... I always get those two mixed up!!!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Options
    I don't know how y'all do it either... I'm half the size of most folks on here and I was grumpy at that amount LOL. I still managed to lose weight and inches by setting myself to 1600 and just keeping active. Eating at 1200 or below sucks balls and is not a sustainable lifestyle, no matter what size you are. Eat, folks! You'll still lose if you eat more! Doesn't mean you have to pig out, but you sure as hell don't need to starve yourself!
  • myrnaa1
    myrnaa1 Posts: 3
    Options
    You gotta starve to lose or exercise 3 hours a day, no way around it. XD
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
    Options
    portion control, and lots of healthy choices
    also, only water to drink
    if u are drinking soda all day, you are drinking away all ur calorie intake
  • nixism
    nixism Posts: 258 Member
    Options
    I was allocated just over 1200 and was starving, really hungry. I am now on 1400, and doing well.
  • EowyntheFair88
    EowyntheFair88 Posts: 8
    Options
    Honestly, just fill up on better things. I can make it on about 900. Find low-calorie and low sugar/carb food (if you eat sugar and carbs in the morning it will make you hungrier!) and eat a lot of that, with snacks of string cheese or almonds in between. If you eat a bunch of green beans with light smart balance (butter substitute) and a smaller amount of meat and potato, the green beans will fill you up and the meat and potatoes will help your taste buds be satisfied. :) Especially if it's a healthier sweet potato!

    Also read the South Beach diet book, it has a lot of information on how to eat healthy food daily and how food affects your body. The creator was a cardiologist so it isn't simply fad diet type of info. Hope that helps!

Categories