if eating under 1200cals is so bad.......
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With all due honesty, I dont associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200.. it is not a healthy management of weight loss or health. Yes, there are people who willingly do that, but I personally find it to be self-destructive... Id rather lose the weight gradually and do it the right way...
Not all of us who eat under 1200 are doing it on purpose. Some people have a reason and are trying their hardest to take steps to fix it. (Obviously myself included in this lol)
I was put on some medication by my doctor for PCOS and it totally destroyed my appetite. I fell into eating way too low even though i knew it wasn't healthy. I literally had to force-feed myself most days. I've taken myself off of those now because of this and am trying to eat higher and get my appetite back to normal but its not easy. Its easy to generalize....
Sorry, just sayin...0 -
This topic has some horrible advice, you should be netting above 1200 calories (Or even to your BMR which is probably MORE than 1200 calories) in order to sustain a healthy eating lifestyle (healthy and eating together.. your just wrong!)..
Sure people eating under 1200 will see weight loss, I could tell you to lose weight go have shakes for meals and eat lettuce, you will lose weight.. you won't keep it off but you will lose for a bit, then plateau and be stuck.. If you have alot of weight to lose you can do it for a certain amount of time.
If your netting under 1200 calories and your working out and losing weight, you can't tell me your not losing muscle even if your eating chicken on a stick all day.. your still losing lean mass cause your not getting nutrition you need. If your losing more than 2 lbs a week, ya good luck keeping that off when you decide to eat again.
Everyone is different and its all about what you consume, back in the old days people caught there food and harvest there vegetables and fruits, we didnt have all this processed rubbish that weighs us down. Not to mention all the energy exerted from doing so.
i am a paleo, I net in the negatives at times and at most net 900 cal a day. i burn more then i consume most days and im not starving my self i always feel satisfied. I kept 50 lbs off for going on 2 years. And I'm pretty muscular for a girl and have defined calve muscles and arm muscles but do have more weight to lose.0 -
Of course it's easy to lose weight when you're starving yourself. Kids in the most poverty-stricken parts of the world can tell these people exactly how to get so skinny. So no, they won't hear you no matter how helpful and truthful your advice is.
But when their hair starts falling out, and their nails break, and their skin gets flaky and loses its luster, and they have no energy, and they wonder why out loud on one of these boards, perhaps that's the time to try again... And that's the motivation for me to not try their method. Why destroy my body in the quest to weigh less than 110 pounds? It's just ridiculous!
Strong is the new skinny.0 -
The people you mention who are eating rubbish and losing fast....how much do they need to lose? If they're quite big then dropping to below 1200 calories will make them lose fast, however they're eating those calories. I don't think you can maintain good loss while eating like that though.
Exactly. I lost 145 pounds eating below 1200 calories. I got very sick; my hair started falling out, my heart rate dropped to 45 bpm, my skin was gray and yellow. I was completely miserable, and I gained 50 pounds back. Now I'm eating 1700-2000 calories a day, and I feel great -- plus I'm starting to drop the weight again!
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As one of those individuals, I can honestly say that 1200 calories for me is A LOT! I don't always eat below that, and sometimes I touch into my exercise calories. I can squeeze a lot of food into few calories just by the choices I make. I lost roughly 12 pounds last month by staying at or slightly under my goal. And my weight loss goal isnt huge-was 20-30 pounds. Im not ashamed of it...it's what works for me!0
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As far how many calories I should be eating, I've gone to 3 different sites and have gotten 3 different answers. It's very frustrating! Neither my weight nor my inches have changed in the last 2-3 weeks. I joined a gym yesterday and I have an appointment with the personal trainer tomorrow evening. I'm going to settle this once and for all. DANG IT!0
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They're dropping it the bad way... especially if it's 800 calories of rubbish as you say. They may be losing muscle, bone mass, etc. Possibly some fat too, but their bodies are going to think anything and everything put in the mouth needs to be stored as fat cells. So they are not doing it very healthy. Now, if the person is like, 5'0" tall, weighing 120 and wanting to go down to 110, then maybe that 800 calories is fine for them. But don't do it UNLESS you go to a nutrionist and your doctor and they recommend that for you.0
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As one of those individuals, I can honestly say that 1200 calories for me is A LOT! I don't always eat below that, and sometimes I touch into my exercise calories. I can squeeze a lot of food into few calories just by the choices I make. I lost roughly 12 pounds last month by staying at or slightly under my goal. And my weight loss goal isnt huge-was 20-30 pounds. Im not ashamed of it...it's what works for me!
I can totally relate. 0 -
why do i see people getting such good results doing it argh!!!
i have never gone under 1200cals and i eat back most exercise cals too. i havent been logging for ages now though but have been maintaining as i dont usually try new things so i have a rough idea on my cals. i eat around 1600cals and when i exercise i log that and usually eat more so around 1900-2300cals a day. i havent lost any weight in ages infact iv gained about 8lbs since i started doing insanity last month!!!
yet i have friends on here who fill there diary in daily and eat pretty rubbish but under 1200 some only 800cals of pure rubbish! and still seem to be losing weight at a fast pace!
i really dont understand this, i do delete these people but havent in afew weeks, its just really off putting i dont get fast results any more yet it seems eating afew ready meals, mugshots or processed crap is making these people lose up to 2lb a week!!
i think it depends on what they're eating, really, to be healthy and losing. 1200cals on a whole foods approach is plenty of food, without high-cal things like bread, pasta or rice every day. i also think it really depends on how heavy you are in the first place. as you get smaller, your body needs more fuel to burn (because you don't have it in storage), so it's going to be different for each person.0 -
Careful though.. I think the 1200 is a importaant number becase if you eat 1200 cals you get most of all the other vitamins and minerals you need. I was eating 900 for about three months.Lost a ton of weight. But i did not realize all the good that left with it. Hair looked rough nails.. teeth. Got back right but took a little while.
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter0 -
I think you need to focus on what works for you and what you are comfortable with and let go of what other people on MFP are doing and experiencing.
^^^Agree!0 -
why do i see people getting such good results doing it argh!!!
i have never gone under 1200cals and i eat back most exercise cals too. i havent been logging for ages now though but have been maintaining as i dont usually try new things so i have a rough idea on my cals. i eat around 1600cals and when i exercise i log that and usually eat more so around 1900-2300cals a day. i havent lost any weight in ages infact iv gained about 8lbs since i started doing insanity last month!!!
yet i have friends on here who fill there diary in daily and eat pretty rubbish but under 1200 some only 800cals of pure rubbish! and still seem to be losing weight at a fast pace!
i really dont understand this, i do delete these people but havent in afew weeks, its just really off putting i dont get fast results any more yet it seems eating afew ready meals, mugshots or processed crap is making these people lose up to 2lb a week!!
You said you aren't logging, so you don't now 100% sure that you are staying within those calorie amounts. Plus, I cannot say to those people eating under 1200.... they may be short, with tiny frames and don't need as many cals as others do, however if they are losing fast then (and this is again, unless they have lots to lose, which makes the loss easier anyway) it is obviously unhealthy. They are not just losing fat, but muscle. I'm certain you do not want to lose muscle .........and in the end they will fail because they are not feeding their bodies correctly. Let them fail, it's their own stupidity.
I would say try logging regularly again, try cycling your calories. Eat one or two days at 1200 cals then up it to your max for a few days. Change it up. Or if you are really worried, cycle up to maintenance for a month or so then drop back down again to restart your body.
I can understand your frustration, but seriously you can't compare yourself to others. You need to get back on track, if nothing is happening maybe take a look at what YOU are doing.
Good luck!0 -
As one of those individuals, I can honestly say that 1200 calories for me is A LOT! I don't always eat below that, and sometimes I touch into my exercise calories. I can squeeze a lot of food into few calories just by the choices I make. I lost roughly 12 pounds last month by staying at or slightly under my goal. And my weight loss goal isnt huge-was 20-30 pounds. Im not ashamed of it...it's what works for me!
I can totally relate. 0 -
Let them eat their rubbish. They'll only lose weight for so long, and then their metabolisms will shoot into starvation mode. And they clearly aren't worried about being healthy, only losing pounds. You may have gained a few pounds, but what kinds of changes are you seeing in your body? Do you look leaner or can you see where you've gained? Maybe now is the time to start logging again and see if you're eating more calories than you think. Good luck figuring it out, but leave the rubbish to your MFP friends.0
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Taking daily vitamins added to your diet can be beneficial as well! Specially to those who are paleo/have gluten intolerance as myself and eat under 1200 calories daily.0
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The people you mention who are eating rubbish and losing fast....how much do they need to lose? If they're quite big then dropping to below 1200 calories will make them lose fast, however they're eating those calories. I don't think you can maintain good loss while eating like that though.
Exactly. I lost 145 pounds eating below 1200 calories. I got very sick; my hair started falling out, my heart rate dropped to 45 bpm, my skin was gray and yellow. I was completely miserable, and I gained 50 pounds back. Now I'm eating 1700-2000 calories a day, and I feel great -- plus I'm starting to drop the weight again!
if you had 145 lbs to lose then i doubt 1200 was ever the MFP recommended number to begin with so you netting under 1200 is much different than some one who is supposed to net 1200. i'm not saying netting way under 1200 is good, BUT if your BMR is 1300 and you net 1100 calories, its way less dangerous than if your BMR 1900 and you are netting 1100.0 -
No, you should not be doing LOTS of cardio. First of all, the 1200 net is not tailored to you as an individual. One must find out what their true TDEE is by logging in their food and exercise first before they even consider changing dietary and exercise habits. This way, you know exactly how many calories need to be consumed to maintain present weight and what type of deficit you need to establish as a result. As for as the cardio goes, exercise should only be a fraction of the deficit - eating less is recommended to be the largest component. The more cardio you do, the more lean body mass drops. When your lean body mass drops, so does your Resting Metabolic Rate which slows down the rate at which calories from fat are used.just stick with it...i dont always net 1200 but i usually come pretty close. the weight hasnt been melting off me, i've been working on it since feb, but i'm finally almost at my goal. i weigh in once a month and usually lose 3-5 lbs a month. just stick with it the healthy way.
edit-make sure you're doing LOTS of cardio! burn at least 500 calories (about 50 mins according to my HRM).0 -
I suppose the difference is whether you want to lose weight and keep it off or just gain it back. The people who eat too little to lose weight quickly, usually gain it all back (and often more) when they start eating normally again. Or, if they continue to eat too little, they can make themselves seriously sick including weakening their heart which can lead to heart attack and even death.... just saying.
Regarding gaining 8 pounds - Keep in mind that when you don't have much to lose, if you are doing everything right it is possible to gain weight because you're building muscle. It depends upon what exercises you are doing. Your clothes are a better measure of whether or not you're losing. Maybe you should be tracking your inches lost instead of your pounds lost, since inches can be a better indicator.
Personally, I net between 1300 and 1400 calories a day and am losing about 1 - 1.5 pounds per week. Regarding "eating back exercise calories", according to my doctor - you're supposed to, because it's NET calories (intake - burn off) that counts, not gross. You just want to make sure that you're eating the right mix of foods and getting the right nutrients - there is a BIG difference between eating 100 calories of potato chips and eating 100 calories of cottage cheese! (Personally, I prefer the cottage cheese, but that's just me.)
Good luck with your journey.... but remember - it's a lifestyle change and likewise it's a process. 0 -
No, you should not be doing LOTS of cardio. First of all, the 1200 net is not tailored to you as an individual. One must find out what their true TDEE is by logging in their food and exercise first before they even consider changing dietary and exercise habits. This way, you know exactly how many calories need to be consumed to maintain present weight and what type of deficit you need to establish as a result. As for as the cardio goes, exercise should only be a fraction of the deficit - eating less is recommended to be the largest component. The more cardio you do, the more lean body mass drops. When your lean body mass drops, so does your Resting Metabolic Rate which slows down the rate at which calories from fat are used.just stick with it...i dont always net 1200 but i usually come pretty close. the weight hasnt been melting off me, i've been working on it since feb, but i'm finally almost at my goal. i weigh in once a month and usually lose 3-5 lbs a month. just stick with it the healthy way.
edit-make sure you're doing LOTS of cardio! burn at least 500 calories (about 50 mins according to my HRM).
eh...cardio works for me. i did crossfit for a year and never lost any weight and no i didnt gain muscle either. dont get me wrong, i still lift and work with the weights, but i dedicate 1 hour of my time at the gym to cardio and i work out about 5 times a week. i love the way my body looks and the elliptical and stairmaster have made my butt and legs look awesome and the muscle tone is looking really good.0 -
Serious jealousy here? you don't associate because they eat vlcd and lose faster than you....wow smh...FYI if you're fat it is more than ok to eat less than 1200..only in western countries do people claim its not for fat people...try being vegan you'll be under 1200 calories and still full/ healthier than those that eat 1200 and the weight falls off. Don't be so narrow-minded and judgmental of others...Since I eat under 1200, we can't be friends hmmm, seems dumb...With all due honesty, I dont associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200.. it is not a healthy management of weight loss or health. Yes, there are people who willingly do that, but I personally find it to be self-destructive... Id rather lose the weight gradually and do it the right way...
i agree it just really annoys me when i try to give good advice but its as though im just talking rubbish as they lose easy anyway and they arent big at all! average weight!
If the advice is asked, then the receiver really should take it to heart. When its unprompted, that is when all hell breaks loose to be honest.
I simply wont associate with anyone who does this. I dont comment on anyone's intake but I wont keep them around if they willingly make those bad choices... I dont want to be associated with that.0 -
I eat around 1200- 1250 a day of high quality food. I work out at 6 days a week hard cardio and light weights. I started weigh 222 and I have lost 16.5 lbs since Aug 1 some may say to fast but I am eating the hole 1200- 1300 depending on my weight sweating tons and I do not eat much of them back. My goal weight is not crazy about 160 which I am sure some index will still say I am over weight but I will look how I want to at that. I am just really focused and driven right now with the time. I will go into maintance when I reach and be happy eating more too. you need to figure out your motivation and rthym and do what is right for you. If they are making you unhappy eating less than that do not you do it do what you want. You can make other mfp and support those you wish to and not be as active on commenting on other folks.0
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Serious jealousy here? you don't associate because they eat vlcd and lose faster than you....wow smh...FYI if you're fat it is more than ok to eat less than 1200..only in western countries do people claim its not for fat people...try being vegan you'll be under 1200 calories and still full/ healthier than those that eat 1200 and the weight falls off. Don't be so narrow-minded and judgmental of others...Since I eat under 1200, we can't be friends hmmm, seems dumb...
Although I do not profess to be a vegan I have previously eaten a vegan diet and can still obtain way more than 1200 calories a day. Yes you are eating healthier foods which fill you up more but it is still easy to make 1200 calories. And for those people that say because they are eating healthily under 1200 they are still getting all the nutrients they need clearly they are not. You may be getting significantly more 'micronutrients' i.e vitamins and minerals than someone eating 1200 cals of rubbish but you still won't be getting enough 'macronutrients' i.e calories.
As said early eating consistently under your BMR will slow your metabolic rate over time. Then when you do come to eat more you will inevitably gain weight leading you to cut calories again. As you say on your profile you are a yo-yo dieter so maybe this is something to take into consideration.0 -
Just out of curiousity - what would all of the NO LESS THAN 1200 calorie supporters suggest for me? I'm 5'2" and would like to be in the middle of my BMI. which means I'd like to weigh 120. According to this site, my BMR is currently 1209 calories a day. (I'm 138 right now)
So how many net calories do you suggest?0 -
Taking daily vitamins added to your diet can be beneficial as well! Specially to those who are paleo/have gluten intolerance as myself and eat under 1200 calories daily.
Vitamins .....seriously? Vitamins will not help you retain healthy muscle mass, that's what eating1200 Net calories is about.
I exercise to keep muscle mass and I eat those calories to FUEL my workouts. By netting under 1200 calories regularly, you risk burning healthy muscle tissue.0 -
Just out of curiousity - what would all of the NO LESS THAN 1200 calorie supporters suggest for me? I'm 5'2" and would like to be in the middle of my BMI. which means I'd like to weigh 120. According to this site, my BMR is currently 1209 calories a day. (I'm 138 right now)
So how many net calories do you suggest?
It depends on your activity level. I am 5'4" and 117lbs and as I said in my earlier post I aim for 1800 calories a day as this falls between my BMR 1337 and my TDEE 2072 leaving me a calorie deficit of 250 a day. This is based on choosing 'moderate activity' when calculating my TDEE as I workout 6 days a week but I would class three of these as .heavy workouts (weight training) and the others as light cardio.
Without knowing what your activity levels and type is it is difficult to advise but don't think you would be going far wrong with about 1400 cals unless you are very active0 -
Taking daily vitamins added to your diet can be beneficial as well! Specially to those who are paleo/have gluten intolerance as myself and eat under 1200 calories daily.
Vitamins .....seriously? Vitamins will not help you retain healthy muscle mass, that's what eating1200 Net calories is about.
I exercise to keep muscle mass and I eat those calories to FUEL my workouts. By netting under 1200 calories regularly, you risk burning healthy muscle tissue.
^ This
There is a massive difference between micronutrients which are needed in extremely small amounts (mg or mcg) and macronutrients which translate to calories. You may be able to get some of your micronutrients from vitamin supplements but they won't give your body the energy to function at its best.0 -
Find out what your actual TDEE is to know how many calories you need to eat to maintain present weight. Do this by logging what you eat and typical exercise for a few weeks to see if you're able to maintain weight. Once you establish your actual TDEE range, then you can assume a deficit of 20-25%, but not greater, since you have only 18 lbs you wish to lose - the less body fat you have, the less true fat you can lose in a week. For example, if you exercise between 3-5 days a week, your predicted TDEE would be around 1875 calories to maintain weight - a 25% deficit would then be a net of 1405 calories, or 470 less than predicted 1875. You can eat a total of 1575 calories and do 170 calories of total exercise (primarily weight training with optional cardio).Just out of curiousity - what would all of the NO LESS THAN 1200 calorie supporters suggest for me? I'm 5'2" and would like to be in the middle of my BMI. which means I'd like to weigh 120. According to this site, my BMR is currently 1209 calories a day. (I'm 138 right now)
So how many net calories do you suggest?0 -
Because when you are really overweight and just starting out on here, your body is not used to eating 1200 so even if you are eating 1200 a day of rubbish you will still lose weight rapidly. Your body goes into shock first from the drastic cut in calories. This happend to me. I NEVER went over 1200 and I was eating cake, cookies, pizza and junk and losing up to 10lbs a months. I realized it wasnt healthy so I started to eat clean and a mix of vegan and vegetarian for a while. I was able to eat more food this way but never going over 1200. But unfortunalty, the more weight you lose, the harder it becomes to continue losing. You body becomes smaller so it doesnt use as much energy as it did when it was bigger so you lose weight slower. This is happening to me now. I have been stuggling to lose my last 15 lbs and it doesnt matter how healthy I eat or how much exercise I do, my body has adapted to this healthy lifestyle and it will now take longer. THose people who eat rubbish will learn soon that they have to change sooner or later because their weightloss will too stall.0
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With all due honesty, I dont associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200.. it is not a healthy management of weight loss or health. Yes, there are people who willingly do that, but I personally find it to be self-destructive... Id rather lose the weight gradually and do it the right way...
Not all of us who eat under 1200 are doing it on purpose. Some people have a reason and are trying their hardest to take steps to fix it. (Obviously myself included in this lol)
I was put on some medication by my doctor for PCOS and it totally destroyed my appetite. I fell into eating way too low even though i knew it wasn't healthy. I literally had to force-feed myself most days. I've taken myself off of those now because of this and am trying to eat higher and get my appetite back to normal but its not easy. Its easy to generalize....
Sorry, just sayin...
you really need to read my post again... I did not say "all of them are doing it on purpose".....0 -
Serious jealousy here? you don't associate because they eat vlcd and lose faster than you....wow smh...FYI if you're fat it is more than ok to eat less than 1200..only in western countries do people claim its not for fat people...try being vegan you'll be under 1200 calories and still full/ healthier than those that eat 1200 and the weight falls off. Don't be so narrow-minded and judgmental of others...Since I eat under 1200, we can't be friends hmmm, seems dumb...With all due honesty, I dont associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200.. it is not a healthy management of weight loss or health. Yes, there are people who willingly do that, but I personally find it to be self-destructive... Id rather lose the weight gradually and do it the right way...
i agree it just really annoys me when i try to give good advice but its as though im just talking rubbish as they lose easy anyway and they arent big at all! average weight!
If the advice is asked, then the receiver really should take it to heart. When its unprompted, that is when all hell breaks loose to be honest.
I simply wont associate with anyone who does this. I dont comment on anyone's intake but I wont keep them around if they willingly make those bad choices... I dont want to be associated with that.
Its not judgemental at all... which is why I only stick with like-minded individuals... those who make realistic decisions that are not counterproductive.0
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