Anyone successfully lose weight eating 1200 cal or less?

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  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
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    yes...as of last monday i have lost 103 .. eating 1200 cals... occationally i do go above and some times less but mostly 1200. and it is healthy.
  • CymruBiology
    CymruBiology Posts: 39
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    I think the title should read: Anyone successfully lose muscle eating 1200 cal or less? ;) I know what the answer will be. Have fun starving yourselves.

    You can maintain muscle mass at 800 calories....

    Evidence: http://www.jacn.org/content/18/2/115.full
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
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    1200 IS NOT A MAGIC NUMBER!!!
  • thisisiamj
    thisisiamj Posts: 145 Member
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    Do you mean net 1200 or 1200 total. By the end of the week (I eat lots more during the weekends than the weekdays usually), I usually net around around 1100-1500, and have been losing.
  • tania2287
    tania2287 Posts: 236 Member
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    I eat 1200 cals or less per day and have lose 57lbs in 10 months so far and l don't eat back my exercise cals ever. Occasionally I will go above on some days but mostly 1200 cals.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
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    The first time I lost weight, I got all the way down to 118 lbs, my lowest weight ever. I was eating about 1000-1200 calories a day give or take. I now eat 800-1600 calories a day. I try to keep it in the 1000-1300 calorie range but some days I am doing well with only 800 calories and other days I am super hungry and eat 1600 calories. I am steadily losing about 0.5-2 lbs a week. I am down 8 lbs from my heaviest.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    That's pretty much it! :)

    It really depends on your RMR. This is too low for taller/bigger people with a higher RMR.

    It also depends on your ability to handle a deeper calorie deficit. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others and this is not right or wrong. Some people have emotional eating disorders and it comes into play. Even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such and everyone is different. The more stress you have the more your hunger hormones are turned on so this factors into your ability to stay in control. Binges are a clue that you are not in control and the deficit you are on is not working well for you. You can always notch up then notch back down when you are have less stress.

    I was able to handle a pretty deep calorie deficit because I'm very disciplined and eat healthy (good fuel for the body so I can perform well at the gym) and I do not have emotional eating issues. I have a very low RMR so my doctor said I could go lower than 1200.

    To tell everyone eat more is wrong.

    To tell everyone to eat less is wrong.

    To find the exact amount of calories for you to be in a sustainable calorie deficit is correct. Calorie estimate tools are just a starting point. You can always notch up or down according to your own needs.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
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    Please eat more. Sustain your body don't starve it. Be healthy. 1200 calories a day is not acceptable for organisms as large as humans.

    Actually it is. You can get all the necessary macro and micronutrients with 1100 calories per day. There even may be some evidence that if you got your maintenance level down to 1100-1200, you could live for a while longer than other human beings who eat at the average 2000-2500.

    What research do you know of? I have heard of the group called the skinnies that live longer lives on high nutrient low calorie diets.
  • CymruBiology
    CymruBiology Posts: 39
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    Please eat more. Sustain your body don't starve it. Be healthy. 1200 calories a day is not acceptable for organisms as large as humans.

    Actually it is. You can get all the necessary macro and micronutrients with 1100 calories per day. There even may be some evidence that if you got your maintenance level down to 1100-1200, you could live for a while longer than other human beings who eat at the average 2000-2500.

    What research do you know of? I have heard of the group called the skinnies that live longer lives on high nutrient low calorie diets.

    It was from a BBC documentary called "Eat, fast and live longer", people who followed the CRON(calorie restriction optimum nutrition) their diets they showed improvements in life span and other fitness tests. It probably was the same thing as this 'skinnies' group..it was an American pioneered study.
  • Tdk4685
    Tdk4685 Posts: 293 Member
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    Yes, I lost 30 lbs in 6 months on a 1200 cal diet, plus exercise.
  • FiercelyBeautiful
    FiercelyBeautiful Posts: 590 Member
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    yep
  • dkiger85
    dkiger85 Posts: 16 Member
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    It has been working for me. I've only been doing it 2 months now.

    GREAT JOB!!!! :) Gives me hope
  • Michellereducf
    Michellereducf Posts: 168 Member
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    I have, but I'm 5'3" and a desk jockey. I honestly haven't been exercising that much so it has worked for me.
  • CALABRESE3
    CALABRESE3 Posts: 86 Member
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    Certainly worked for me, I cant complain!
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Simple answer is yes, people have lost weight eating 1200 calories.

    Much better answer is no, you won't healthfully lose weight loose weight eating that few calories.

    This. Plus, you're more likely to gain back all the weight once you start eating your BMR/maintenance level if you lose on a low-calorie diet.

    Says who? Most Doctors recommend that for women. I guess you both know more than they do. Congratulations on being so smart.

    1200 is perfectly fine for women. Ask a doctor but then they are apparently not the right choice for medical opinions like MFP anonymous posters are.
  • straydog22
    straydog22 Posts: 4
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    It depends on how fast you want to lose weight .. Anything around 1400 usually works for me, but it comes off much faster at 1200 and under.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    of course people will lose weight doing that! - & of course you will get the "Lectures" dont eat 1200 or less, thats too low, blah blah blah..... i eat less than a 1,000 & am doing just fine!

    Yet your profile says "healthy living", go figure? :flowerforyou:
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Simple answer is yes, people have lost weight eating 1200 calories.

    Much better answer is no, you won't healthfully lose weight loose weight eating that few calories.

    This. Plus, you're more likely to gain back all the weight once you start eating your BMR/maintenance level if you lose on a low-calorie diet.

    Says who? Most Doctors recommend that for women. I guess you both know more than they do. Congratulations on being so smart.

    1200 is perfectly fine for women. Ask a doctor but then they are apparently not the right choice for medical opinions like MFP anonymous posters are.

    Slightly rude, thou dost protest too much. Most doctors would be the first to admit they have the minimum training in nutrition, my nurse suggested 800 calories, I'd rather be healthy
  • Zangpakto
    Zangpakto Posts: 336 Member
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    Simple answer is yes, people have lost weight eating 1200 calories.

    Much better answer is no, you won't healthfully lose weight loose weight eating that few calories.

    This. Plus, you're more likely to gain back all the weight once you start eating your BMR/maintenance level if you lose on a low-calorie diet.

    Says who? Most Doctors recommend that for women. I guess you both know more than they do. Congratulations on being so smart.

    1200 is perfectly fine for women. Ask a doctor but then they are apparently not the right choice for medical opinions like MFP anonymous posters are.

    Slightly rude, thou dost protest too much. Most doctors would be the first to admit they have the minimum training in nutrition, my nurse suggested 800 calories, I'd rather be healthy

    No your not likely to gain it back if you do it correctly. By changing your dietary habits which causes the issue in the first place.
    Also even though doctors have little training, they do have far more training than most here and try see the medical implications of changing, whereas a fully qualified dietician does not nor will not have access to the same information and tools a doctor will have. When last has a dietician used a bilology testing facility to watch blood markers and other signs of health? They don't.. They get taught by what is learnt in those labs and sometimes the training will not change even if a breakthrough occurs.
    CRON is a perfect example. 800c ? Yes you can be healthy and live longer eating that low. It is how you eat.

    Calories are not the be all end all of dieting. Nutrition should be primary focus however to manage everything hadly anyone has the need nor the time and skill to do so hence 1200 will in general provide all the nutrition we need without the managing needed when going to low levels of calorie dense foods but rather nutrient dense and low calories. It requires lots of planning but can work.
  • ecjc1117
    ecjc1117 Posts: 1
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    I have been eating 1200 calories for a month and working out 6 days a week...3 days of Zumba and 3 days of fitness boxing. I had previously lost 65 pounds on weight watchers than gained 20 back and I'm working hard to lose the 20...but I haven't lost a single ounce!! I know I am gaining muscle but I should be losing something! :(

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