Seeing a lot of rude comments about 1200/cal....

Faith2Bfit

but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...

I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.

(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)

I love when people take a snippet of what someone says and turns it around to be something for their gain....... I eat meat. I eat beans I eat a wide verity of things. I eat junk every now and then... BUT MY POINT WAS!!!!!! That if you are eating things that are good for you and NOT bad things.... Who cares what the calories are!!!!! No all of us want to BULK up like a body builder and some people are vegetarians... Are you saying they are unhealthy???

yoovie

So I'm kinda new here. I made a profile, and filled out my information, and MFP came up with 1200/cal day as my goal. Now I had no idea if that what considered very low, or average, or whatever. But I have been trying to stick with it. And I'm actually finding that I need to make myself eat MORE that I want to just to get to 1200. And I have seen several nasty comments from people on here about "those 1200 calorie people". Why? I have lost 5 pounds so far and I feel really good about my progress. What am I missing? I feel like I'm missing the joke.

Most people are trying to follow that 1200 calorie rule to a strict T but dont bother to note that once they input their exercise for the day- its not a 1200 limit anymore. Even MFP knows to adjust with any rise in daily activity level. So they go hard core on 1200 and think of it as scripture, but that is the ONLY part of the MFP program they stick to. If they can take the 1200 as scripture, but ignore when MFP tells them to eat this many remaining calories for the day- the inconsistence is a big old confusing mess of a not funny joke, especially when they screeeeeeeeeeeeam about how they refuse to alter their course from MFP's suggestion.

*shakes mannequin*

gimpygramma

I think the general wisdom is that you are unlikely to be able to get the necessary nutrition at much less than 1200 a day. But even if you use that as a start line, do you want to stay that low? It depends on who you are...how old, how heavy. Check your BMR. At 140 pounds and 68 years of age, my basal metabolism rate is 1,139. On a 1,200 calorie diet I am likely to lose a pound every two weeks...I am sedentry but do try to burn about 400 calories a day in exercise.
If I were the same size but thirty years younger my BMR would be between 1,300 and 1,400.
If I were 35 and weighed 200 pounds, it would be over 1,500.

fancy55

Let me put you to rest . 1200 calorie intake is great for losing weight. My doctor told me 1200 calorie is what i needed to lose weight. And as long as i stay at that. You do lose weight. Safely!!!!!!!!!!!

Chipmaniac

I stayed around 1200 to 1400 everyday for a year lost 60 lbs...didnt go into "starvation mode"....only did cardio for that year and my muscles didnt dissinegrate ...according to 80% of people on here i shuda died and been left with no muscle after that year...after lifting again for past 4 mo im bigger and stronger now than i was in college when i did power lifting meets...just do wat works and use common sense

Me too, except that I did eat most of my exercise calories. Being able to eat the extra food help me stick with it, since I was working out nearly every day. Now I am on maintenance and my basal calories is around 2200 plus exercise calories.

The mistake a lot of people make is assuming that a person that is eating 1200 to lose weight is going to try to continue to eat 1200 once they reach their goal weight. At goal weight you don't need the deficit and can eat your TDEE. So no, 1200 is not maintainable for most people long term, but it doesn't have to be. Eventually people reach their goal weight and can up the calories to whatever their TDEE is at that point.

jesz124

I just don't understand why you want or feel the need to eat 1200 cals a day? I'm 5 ft 4, usually eat between 1700-1900 a day, work out 3 times a week (lifting) and loose steadily. Why deprive yourself? Does it make you feel like your working harder or putting in more effort ?I 'm pretty sure my body isn't unique or special in anyway, if I can loose fat at my intake anyone can, but hey if eating less suits you, crack on....

wfte

I stayed around 1200 to 1400 everyday for a year lost 60 lbs...didnt go into "starvation mode"....only did cardio for that year and my muscles didnt dissinegrate ...according to 80% of people on here i shuda died and been left with no muscle after that year...after lifting again for past 4 mo im bigger and stronger now than i was in college when i did power lifting meets...just do wat works and use common sense

Me too, except that I did eat most of my exercise calories. Being able to eat the extra food help me stick with it, since I was working out nearly every day. Now I am on maintenance and my basal calories is around 2200 plus exercise calories.

The mistake a lot of people make is assuming that a person that is eating 1200 to lose weight is going to try to continue to eat 1200 once they reach their goal weight. At goal weight you don't need the deficit and can eat your TDEE. So no, 1200 is not maintainable for most people long term, but it doesn't have to be. Eventually people reach their goal weight and can up the calories to whatever their TDEE is at that point.

That's the problem, most of the time they can't. Eating at 1200 cals for that long will, more than likely, cause them to put weight back on once they try to return to what their TDEE "should" be.

chanixxx

So I'm kinda new here. I made a profile, and filled out my information, and MFP came up with 1200/cal day as my goal. Now I had no idea if that what considered very low, or average, or whatever. But I have been trying to stick with it. And I'm actually finding that I need to make myself eat MORE that I want to just to get to 1200. And I have seen several nasty comments from people on here about "those 1200 calorie people". Why? I have lost 5 pounds so far and I feel really good about my progress. What am I missing? I feel like I'm missing the joke.

I have no idea. I can barely make 1000, and net is usually in the negative. I feel ok and get plenty of vitamins so pfft whatever. Love the haters cos you need someone to make fun of :smooched:

HeatherSLosinIt

The thing is that 1200 calories too low for most people, but MFP kind of uses it as the "default" for women who want to lose weight. MFP won't let you set your goals to any lower than 1200, but in reality, the limit should probably be even higher than that. I suggest you go to this website to find out your BMR (basal metabolic rate): http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

Your BMR is the amount of calories it takes your body every day just to stay alive. You'll notice it's probably more than 1200. Therefore, you should probably be eating more than 1200; your body needs it!

Congrats on your progress so far! I lost some weight eating at 1200 at first too, before I found out about BMR and stuff. Read around the forums; there's a LOT of information available. After I got educated I started eating more like 1400-1500 calories a day, I lost weight just as fast and was much happier. Good luck!

After reading your comment, I decided to go check out your link. Unfortunately, I believe that site is highly unreliable. For goal weight, it didn't ask my height or anything, just age gender and current weight, it said my goal weight should be 176lbs.... I am 5'1.... 176lbs is definitely NOT an accurate goal weight for me.

Further, it says I should be eating 1900 calories to survive at my current weight.... I have NEVER eaten that many calories in a day. I haven't changed my eating at all yet, and the highest I've ever gotten is 1380 or so. If their info was correct, I technically NEVER should have ended up at this size. 1675 is what they say I should be eating to get to 130lbs. They also go on to say that if i were to eat 1675/day for the rest of my life, I would reach my goal weight of 130 and stay there, never needing to do anything more, because eating as a thinner me........blah

Again, I've never gone beyond 1380 eating normally, not dieting..... that site is flat wrong. No, I am not in starvation mode, either. Just wanted to point those things out so anyone else trying your link could be fair warned.

CariBgood

Eating under 1200 calories is a travesty. I am a large person height and weight. I could never sustain on 1200 calories. If you aren't eating at least 1200 calories a day you are probably either not measuring correctly OR you are starving yourself. I think a lot of the people like myself are looking for a LIFE change. Eating under 1200 hundred calories will change your life right now, but later if you don't include a healthier lifestyle you will not keep it off. If you are honestly prepared to eat less than 1200 calories a day for the rest of your life to stay thin then more power to you. Rest assured as soon as you go back to eating "normally" you will gain back the 5lbs. I really do not want to yo-yo anymore. So I choose to eat more balanced and have integrated exercise into my new life. Good luck!

sobriquet84

i did not read through all 11 pages of comments, but incase it hasn't been mentioned:

1200 is the lowest mfp will recommend. many people want to lose 2 pounds per week, which equates for a 1,000 calorie deficit per day. many people's (especially women or sedentary lifestyles) will not have a tdee of 2,200. for example, your tdee is 1900, but you set your goals at losing 2 pounds per week, mfp will default your daily calorie allowance at 1200 because 900 is too low.

that's why you see so many people who have 1200 as their goal. its not a coincidence. its people having unrealistic weight loss goals.

birdieaz

I stayed around 1200 to 1400 everyday for a year lost 60 lbs...didnt go into "starvation mode"....only did cardio for that year and my muscles didnt dissinegrate ...according to 80% of people on here i shuda died and been left with no muscle after that year...after lifting again for past 4 mo im bigger and stronger now than i was in college when i did power lifting meets...just do wat works and use common sense

Me too, except that I did eat most of my exercise calories. Being able to eat the extra food help me stick with it, since I was working out nearly every day. Now I am on maintenance and my basal calories is around 2200 plus exercise calories.

The mistake a lot of people make is assuming that a person that is eating 1200 to lose weight is going to try to continue to eat 1200 once they reach their goal weight. At goal weight you don't need the deficit and can eat your TDEE. So no, 1200 is not maintainable for most people long term, but it doesn't have to be. Eventually people reach their goal weight and can up the calories to whatever their TDEE is at that point.

It's not that simple. Your body will adapt to VLC and it will gain when you start eating at a normal level. The gains might continue for a long time depending on how long you did VLC. Most people will freak out when they see the scale going up and will then cut back to 1200. It's a vicious cycle.

I see for you it worked out great...however most of the time, what I see is people posting and complaining they have gained as soon as they upped their calories. Don't see what's wrong with simply eating at a reasonable deficit and avoid the 1200 cal drama.

Chipmaniac

I stayed around 1200 to 1400 everyday for a year lost 60 lbs...didnt go into "starvation mode"....only did cardio for that year and my muscles didnt dissinegrate ...according to 80% of people on here i shuda died and been left with no muscle after that year...after lifting again for past 4 mo im bigger and stronger now than i was in college when i did power lifting meets...just do wat works and use common sense

Me too, except that I did eat most of my exercise calories. Being able to eat the extra food help me stick with it, since I was working out nearly every day. Now I am on maintenance and my basal calories is around 2200 plus exercise calories.

The mistake a lot of people make is assuming that a person that is eating 1200 to lose weight is going to try to continue to eat 1200 once they reach their goal weight. At goal weight you don't need the deficit and can eat your TDEE. So no, 1200 is not maintainable for most people long term, but it doesn't have to be. Eventually people reach their goal weight and can up the calories to whatever their TDEE is at that point.

That's the problem, most of the time they can't. Eating at 1200 cals for that long will, more than likely, cause them to put weight back on once they try to return to what their TDEE "should" be.

Only if they calculate it wrong, log incorrectly, or stop logging altogether. Even so-called starvation mode only suppresses the metabolic rate by 20% at most and that is under the most extreme conditions. It's overblown and overhyped.

If the "common wisdom" was as universal as people pretend it is, I would have killed my metabolism and gained weight when I went on maintenance. In fact, I've continued to lose, probably due to my erring on the side of fewer calories in case my exercise calculation is off. I'm currently 10 pounds under goal and feel great. That's why I try to stay away from the nutrition debates anymore because the BS is sometimes so thick you can't walk through it. I just know what worked for me.

makeoverpm

just ignore it.it's pure ignorance if it's working.......go for it!!!

p_s_a

12,000 is the amount of calories I'm on too--Today I went way over, but generally it is a good number. As you said, more food than you would "normally" eat. I guess what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all, but since what you're doing is working, I would sure keep it up if I were you!

This woman has it figured out. 12,000 calories!

Krizzle4Rizzle

Lifecycle of an MFPer

1. Start out at 1200 calories
2. Complain about how you're "stuffed" at 1200 calories and don't understand why everyone wants you to eat more
3. Make a post calling out the mean people
4. Gradually up your calorie goals when you grow tired of being "stuffed" on asparagus spears
5. Realize that you're still losing weight and feeling much better
6. Try to help 1200 calorie people
7. Get called an arrogant ahole one too many times
8. Retreat to chit-chat forum more or less permanently, only occasionally emerging to lay down a burn

Story of my life.

TrailRunner61

anything under 1200 cals a day is considered starvation mode. food for thought.

That is not true if you're a sedentary, 51 year old woman who is 5ft 3 and small framed. My maintenance cals for my age, height and weight will be under 1200. Something like 1148. Calculate it.

Chipmaniac

I stayed around 1200 to 1400 everyday for a year lost 60 lbs...didnt go into "starvation mode"....only did cardio for that year and my muscles didnt dissinegrate ...according to 80% of people on here i shuda died and been left with no muscle after that year...after lifting again for past 4 mo im bigger and stronger now than i was in college when i did power lifting meets...just do wat works and use common sense

Me too, except that I did eat most of my exercise calories. Being able to eat the extra food help me stick with it, since I was working out nearly every day. Now I am on maintenance and my basal calories is around 2200 plus exercise calories.

The mistake a lot of people make is assuming that a person that is eating 1200 to lose weight is going to try to continue to eat 1200 once they reach their goal weight. At goal weight you don't need the deficit and can eat your TDEE. So no, 1200 is not maintainable for most people long term, but it doesn't have to be. Eventually people reach their goal weight and can up the calories to whatever their TDEE is at that point.

It's not that simple. Your get your body used to VLC and it will gain when you start eating at a normal level. There is no way around that. The gains might continue for a long time depending on how long you did VLC. Most people will freak out when they see the scale going up and will then cut back to 1200. It's a vicious cycle.

Uh. No. Did you miss the part where I said that it never happened to me? I ate 2700 calories yesterday. I haven't gained an ounce since going on maintenance. In fact, I've lost another 10 pounds.

itgeekwoman

anything under 1200 cals a day is considered starvation mode. food for thought.

People who are never hungry rarely lose weight. Also food for thought.

Total load of Poo there!

I typically eat 1200, have for the last 8 months. My weight loss speaks for itself and it is managed using a certified sports nutritionist that is ensuring that I have a balanced diet. Not hungry and my metabolism is running rampant. Food don't have to be calorie ridden. The key is understanding everyone is different. What works for me won't necessarily work for you, but to make blanket statements like this is just false.

yoovie

anything under 1200 cals a day is considered starvation mode. food for thought.

People who are never hungry rarely lose weight. Also food for thought.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard all day. I'm never hungry, and I've lost 18 pounds in three months.

I second the dumbest thing ive heard all day and I even checked my plenty of fish mail.

The only time Im hungry is when Im about to eat and ive lost the equivalent of Justin Beiber.