Anyone successfully lose weight eating 1200 cal or less?

MariaAkeroyd

Yes. Sometimes I am under.... sometimes I go over.
LOVE IT!!

lyndalpn

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.

This.

Why does everyone have to be so black and white about this? We all have different requiremenbts depending on body size, muscle mass, age, gender, activity, etc etc etc My medical team are thrilled with my progress, and my calculated needs by them are actually less than 1200 (Im short, female and over 40). I aim 1,000-1,200 a day, feel great, always have enough to eat and am now running, boxing, feeling fit and strong. I have gone from 225 lbs (102kg) to 152 lbs (69kg) in the past 6 months and still losing. Many posters are saying "but you will put it all back on when you stop eating like that"... but why would I stop eating like this? I'm quite happy with my new lifestyle!

Carlabarla23

My fitness plan told me to eat 1200 calories..it's hard though! I usually eat about 1500 calories a day...1200 seems too little..mfp told me to though?!

apriltrainer

I have but I am cycling it. I will have 3 days in the week I'll do 1200, sometimes less but not by much(today I was 3 cals shy of 1200) , 3 days I'll go up to 1600 and then one day I do 2000. Works and I feel really good.

I have tried to do all 7 days and it just didn't work but 3 days? I'm fine and I put those on my off days or light workout days.

I also do leangains style eating so instead of dividing 12 meals into 5-6 meals, I divvy it up into 2-3 so I feel like I am getting ALOT.

shelbykesner

did you have to exercize too to lose that much weight?

crazytreelady

Yup, lost and kept the weight off from my first goal over a year and a half ago...
Now doing my second wlg...

nicleed

Yes - lost weight, but was hungry and tired and *****y and stabby.

Upped cals, and still lost weight around 1500-1700/day

stormynytes4ever

Simple answer is yes, people have lost weight eating 1200 calories.

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

I have to politely disagree, I seem to be managing just fine with it. As long as your body gets the propper nutrients and a healthy serving of good fats every day, you can still lose weight healthfully when staying at or just below 1200. No nasty side effects or surprises, lots of energy and better sleep. BUT you have to keep a good eye on your nutrients vs calorie intake.

Doberdawn

In my personal experience, it depends how much you have to lose and how long you will be on it. Originally, I did 1200 a day and I lost tons for several months.... and then it STOPPED. It's been a war to lose more. Maybe 1 pound a month average and I work out and fight for it. The way I finally started to move the weight loss again was to raise calories, cycle calories and taking a maintenance level break (though apparently after reading some more informative publishing on the subject, I probably should have gone longer at maintenance before resuming deficit). If you want to read about taking maintenance level breaks, check out this article: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

In any event, if you have a lot to lose, it will give you a nice kick start. If you don't have a long time to go losing, maybe then you won't crash your metabolism and slow down like I did. But, if you've got a lot to lose and you're in it for the long haul, be forewarned. It may stall you out and then it is hard to jump start your metabolism again... and I *am* speaking from experience.

lexiemorganti

I'm on a 1,200 calorie diet I just started Monday weighing 124 now in 119 that's 5 pounds in 1 week

1flowergirl

Been eating around 1200 since april 2012,down 82 pounds,nice and slow loss,I have a hard time hitting 1200 calories as I eat lots of veggies,big bang for your calorie buck,I also had 130lbs to lose when I started this ,if you are not obeese i would not eat that low.

kestrels

hi. first time on the forum. im nearly 60 .I look young and fit. im 5ft 1 and weigh 132lbs, previous years ive been under eating and weighed 125lbs I didnt realize I was under eating, then I started putting on weight and stayed at 126- 127 for awhile, I read on here I wasnt ezting enough calories, anyway to cut along story short I started to up my calories to near 1300 calories, this I have been doing for a few months, althoughmy hips look more toned I have gone up to 132 and dont know why, I have no underlying medical problems, im quite active, housework, gardening etc.I really want to get down to 128lbs and lose an inch off my waist and hipswhich have gone up.

donyellemoniquex3

Eating less that 1300 is stupid.

happieharpie

I have a lot of weight on a very small frame, a less active life style than I'd prefer, and eat a very well planned menu of highly nutrient dense foods. i very rarely break 1100 calories and seem to be doing fine. Feel great, too.

MariaHammer750

Yes, very successful. I started out eating between 1400 - 1500 but as I lost weight, I lowered it and increased exercise by a bit at a time. Now I have been at 1200 and some times below it (slightly) for the past few months. I went from 319 lbs to 242. Still have 52 lbs to go and I plan on continuing eating 1200 calories. I am supervised by my doctor who is a great doctor (nothing quacky about her) and sees nothing wrong with it because (listen here please) I eat very very healthy and I eat a lot of food. If you look at my diary you will see breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks a day. No (added) sugars, and very little junk so lots of food can go into that 1200 calories so I am not starving and I am not in starvation mode. I have very few food cravings because I stopped eating added sugars and artificial sweeteners. That does not mean I do not eat carbs; I do...a potato once in a while, whole grain organic waffles, an english muffin now and then, a bagel here and there, my special carrot, pineapple, bran muffins that have less than 1/4 cup of sugar for the whole recipe and even my special homemade vegetable pizza, but no table sugar, no desserts, no chocolate. That is the kind of stuff that makes me crave sugar and other foods. I just had a full metobolic panel done. I am healthier than I have ever been. Unbelievable improvements! Glucose levels are now normal, triglycerides dropped to 55, cholesterol is 102. I had an enlarged liver, now normal size. Most definitely 1200 is not for everyone but its not always what people on here make it out to be either. It's like whenever 1200 calories is mentioned everyone starts screaming STARVATION and you get 20 pages of posts (and I just added another LOL)

kestrels

what does it mean "eating back your calories". my BMR is 1227 I assume that is what I burn by just sitting, if I do housework, shopping, general moving around most of the day, how many calories should I be eating to lose half a pound a week. I get different results, I use this site ,so would like to stick to it as I find it good.

helenrosemay

I've been eating on or around 1200 cals for the last 2 month and lost 20lbs. (I'll just add that during this time I was visiting the Doctor and had blood tests/was weighed & everything came back normal) I have been hungry on exercise days so have eaten more and on non exercise days I ate 1200. Just listen to your body.