1200 is not difficult.

zebisis

Glad you can stick with it, but some of us prefer to minimize lean mass losses and would rather lose slower to do so.

If your profile pic is current, you clearly don't have as much fat to lose as I do.
I have noticed that often when someone posts about eating 1200 cals a day, people are quick to jump in to say it's not enough, but slow to ask how much they have to lose.

When I get closer to a healthier weight, I will slowly increase my calories, but for now, 1200 is working, and not difficult.
and I'm not in a coma.

I know- it makes people really MAD doesn't it?? :sad:



:laugh:

FlaxMilk

Well there you go.... You cannot say that 1200 is a good goal for anyone taller its that easy...Your tiny so yes 1200 is probably good maybe a bit more but ....there is 100s of people on this site eating 1200 at 5ft8 5ft10 and thats stupid.

Like i said 1200 should not be a common goal everyone should find what they need and most are much higher......I mean that one guy 4 pages back was 210lbs and eating 1400 calories what the hell is that?...

Yup, I'm not in favor of anyone and everyone eating that. I actually usually suggest to people that unless they medically need to lose weight quickly, they may not want to go that low because as they lose weight, they will have caused some metabolic slowdown (not starvation mode) and will have nowhere to decrease their calories to except to an unhealthy amount. I am all in favor of eating as much as you can. I wouldn't even participate on 1200 calorie threads if it wasn't for how many people get unnecessarily ridiculed for it. I would love to eat 2000 calories a day--bonus if I could lose weight on it but I'd take maintenance. :laugh:

And yes, I can't think of many reasons a guy needs 1400 calories but maybe he'll tell us?

gabriellejayde

I'm not looking to be a bikini model, but if I suddenly find myself without any leg muscles because of the rapid loss, I'll just make more.

Catch 22 though, as you'll need to significantly increase your calories to "make more". I'm assuming you're talking about gaining lean muscle mass?

Why would you want to lose it and have to gain it back again when you could simply increase your calories to a reasonable level now, lose slower and have a better chance or retaining muscle?

I have a lot (a lot is relative of course, but I need to lose at least 65 more).
I could do it slowly, and get discouraged at the slow loss, and either give up, or get to my goal in another year or 2. Or I could do it quicker and remain motivated, and incorporate muscle building when I get closer to my goal.
FOR ME, the answer is easy.

on a side note, as I've said earlier I've lost a lot of weight before, very quickly. I was not without muscletone at the end. in fact, I looked great and was quite strong (I benched 250 after gaining back 20lbs... so either I only gained muscle, or I was already fairly strong and hadn't really lost much muscle at all)

YOU BENCHED 250LBS?!?!?!

Yes. Just once. Won a trophy.

FlaxMilk

Because only people who eat 1200 calories to lose weight gain it back. Everyone else makes a lifestyle change by virtue of eating 500 more calories a day, even if proportionately that's the exact same factoring in height and weight. They then never gain their weight back and don't have to worry about eating at maintenance.

Generalize much?

I assumed it was a joke.

Thank you. I was starting to get a complex that my sarcasm is not sarcasm enough.

smnmltn

I ate some (sum) pie...Sorry, I'm the crazy math teacher and a reformed foodie. Can't pass up a food/math pun.

schell81

OP, on another thread you mentioned that you lost something like 100 pounds very quickly doing this before. Do you consider it working if you can't keep the weight off?

AngryDiet

I ate some (sum) pie...Sorry, I'm the crazy math teacher and a reformed foodie. Can't pass up a food/math pun.

What's purple and commutes?

And abelian grape!

MoreBean13

I'm not looking to be a bikini model, but if I suddenly find myself without any leg muscles because of the rapid loss, I'll just make more.

Catch 22 though, as you'll need to significantly increase your calories to "make more". I'm assuming you're talking about gaining lean muscle mass?

Why would you want to lose it and have to gain it back again when you could simply increase your calories to a reasonable level now, lose slower and have a better chance or retaining muscle?

I have a lot (a lot is relative of course, but I need to lose at least 65 more).
I could do it slowly, and get discouraged at the slow loss, and either give up, or get to my goal in another year or 2. Or I could do it quicker and remain motivated, and incorporate muscle building when I get closer to my goal.
FOR ME, the answer is easy.

on a side note, as I've said earlier I've lost a lot of weight before, very quickly. I was not without muscletone at the end. in fact, I looked great and was quite strong (I benched 250 after gaining back 20lbs... so either I only gained muscle, or I was already fairly strong and hadn't really lost much muscle at all)

YOU BENCHED 250LBS?!?!?!

Yes. Just once. Won a trophy.

How much can you cling and press?!?! Like, 1300?

Edit: Women's world records range from 206-430lbs in different weight classes. I redact the Olympics comment. Stand by the cling and press question.

kdeaux1959

1200 cal may not be difficult for you but it may not be wise either. Then again, it may be; I personally believe it is pretty much a factor of your height. If you are 5'0 or so, 1200 calories may well be just fine; on the other hand if you are 5'7" or so, it would clearly be too little. Personally, I work toward about 2200 cals net... sometimes more... sometimes less. Results? Down 111 lbs in about 9 months... Not too bad; then again, I am a 6'3" male who does some weight training as well... You are right though, if you eat a lot of vegetables and such while maintaining good protein stores, 1200 calories is certainly possible... Just make sure you get adequate nutrition for your height and activity level.

LisaLouisiana

You and I eat a lot alike. 1200 is easy when you eat healthy.....and it's healthier for you, too, than if you were trying to restrict a fast food diet to this level.

I hope you don't have a thin skin. There are so many people on here that are thoroughly convinced that you'll put yourself into the so called starvation mode, have your brain stop working on you and then have your body wither away into something that resembles a shed snake skin. I think they're wrong. I'm as healthy as can be and I have not died yet.

PrettyGirlPayton

1200 is not hard for her to maintain. She feels like it is not difficult. She has an opinion just like everyone else does. I don't think she was trying to attack anybody. Maybe people who can agree to disagree should have made a reply. Personally I would starve at the rate. But it is possible. Just hard. I think that's all this lady meant. At least to me. Congratulations on your weight loss.

gabriellejayde

OP, on another thread you mentioned that you lost something like 100 pounds very quickly doing this before. Do you consider it working if you can't keep the weight off?

i kept most of it off for 8 years or so. I was competing (powerlifting) so I gained a little muscle, as well as having trouble balancing the muscle gain/workouts with eating right.
dieting didn't change my psychological reasons for over eating, how I deal with stress, or the fact that I take after my overweight, short grandfather and not the size 2s in the rest of my family.

So in the last few years, I gained a lot back - I completely stopped watching what I ate and ate anything I wanted, at any time.

yes, I'd consider my last big loss successful. I didn't address the underlying reason why I tend to be overweight, but I think i'm dealing with that well now.

sjeannot

I am starting to realize that now. I never thought I could be satisfied with just yogurt for the rest of the day but lately, I have been holding it down and I love my transformation. Problem is, I am eating less than 1200 sometimes because I am not as hungry as I used to be anymore.

gabriellejayde

I'm not looking to be a bikini model, but if I suddenly find myself without any leg muscles because of the rapid loss, I'll just make more.

Catch 22 though, as you'll need to significantly increase your calories to "make more". I'm assuming you're talking about gaining lean muscle mass?

Why would you want to lose it and have to gain it back again when you could simply increase your calories to a reasonable level now, lose slower and have a better chance or retaining muscle?

I have a lot (a lot is relative of course, but I need to lose at least 65 more).
I could do it slowly, and get discouraged at the slow loss, and either give up, or get to my goal in another year or 2. Or I could do it quicker and remain motivated, and incorporate muscle building when I get closer to my goal.
FOR ME, the answer is easy.

on a side note, as I've said earlier I've lost a lot of weight before, very quickly. I was not without muscletone at the end. in fact, I looked great and was quite strong (I benched 250 after gaining back 20lbs... so either I only gained muscle, or I was already fairly strong and hadn't really lost much muscle at all)

YOU BENCHED 250LBS?!?!?!

Yes. Just once. Won a trophy.

Was it at the Olympics? How much can you cling and press?!?! Like, 1300?

clean and presses are olympic lifts. Bench pressing is a power lift - different competitions.
Powerlifters bench, squat, and deadlift. My highest squat and deadlift were 300 I think. that was about a year or two after I lost the 100 lbs.

Proudmommiewife1

My calorie intake is 1200, I have been under that, which I am so glad. I just eat as much as I can before. Now, I watch what I eat, drink plenty of water, and exercise...So, I agree with you! Good luck!!

MoreBean13

I'm not looking to be a bikini model, but if I suddenly find myself without any leg muscles because of the rapid loss, I'll just make more.

Catch 22 though, as you'll need to significantly increase your calories to "make more". I'm assuming you're talking about gaining lean muscle mass?

Why would you want to lose it and have to gain it back again when you could simply increase your calories to a reasonable level now, lose slower and have a better chance or retaining muscle?

I have a lot (a lot is relative of course, but I need to lose at least 65 more).
I could do it slowly, and get discouraged at the slow loss, and either give up, or get to my goal in another year or 2. Or I could do it quicker and remain motivated, and incorporate muscle building when I get closer to my goal.
FOR ME, the answer is easy.

on a side note, as I've said earlier I've lost a lot of weight before, very quickly. I was not without muscletone at the end. in fact, I looked great and was quite strong (I benched 250 after gaining back 20lbs... so either I only gained muscle, or I was already fairly strong and hadn't really lost much muscle at all)

YOU BENCHED 250LBS?!?!?!

Yes. Just once. Won a trophy.

Was it at the Olympics? How much can you cling and press?!?! Like, 1300?

clean and presses are olympic lifts. Bench pressing is a power lift - different competitions.
Powerlifters bench, squat, and deadlift. My highest squat and deadlift were 300 I think. that was about a year or two after I lost the 100 lbs.

I'm sorry I called you out for that. I was wrong. I'm very jealous of that number! :flowerforyou:

nz_deevaa

I lost my first 20kgs on 1200cals. It was OK for the first 8mths or so.

Then my hair started falling out, so I decided it was time to up my calories. I'm much happier now, much stronger and my hair isn't falling out.... also, all of my most impressive NSV's have happened since upping my calories.

bub_snig

I've been reading the forums tonight and have read around 10 different posts from people saying that 1200 is impossible, or that unless they workout, there's no calories left for dinner, or that 1200 calories a day translates to starving yourself or living on only salads.

My diary is open- I eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. If you eat healthy, real food, 1200 calories is not difficult and I'm not starving. make good choices and avoid garbage - then if you go over, it's not a big deal. sometimes I'm under 1200 - I get busy and don't want to eat at 10pm just to get calories in.

Btw, I started at 255, 2 months ago and have lost 29lbs and feel good. I'm not saying that a person with less to lose should restrict as much, but for me, and a lot of other people, losing the weight fast is more motivating to stick to their plan than being allowed to eat more but only losing .5 lbs a week.

I totally agree. I find it hard to reach 1200 a day. I eat manily fresh veggies, fruit and lean meats which obviously have very few calories. I have even started eating an extra snack just to get to 1200 calories. My diary is alos open for those who do not believe me. it kinda annoys me seeing people who blow all their calories in one meal then starve for the rest of the day. Thats doing more harm than good. but I guess each to their own. Eating protein based meals also really helps with feeling full too!

gabriellejayde

YOU BENCHED 250LBS?!?!?!

Yes. Just once. Won a trophy.

Was it at the Olympics? How much can you cling and press?!?! Like, 1300?

clean and presses are olympic lifts. Bench pressing is a power lift - different competitions.
Powerlifters bench, squat, and deadlift. My highest squat and deadlift were 300 I think. that was about a year or two after I lost the 100 lbs.
[/quote]

I'm sorry I called you out for that. I was wrong. I'm very jealous of that number! :flowerforyou:
[/quote]

no problem. I don't get offended easily. I don't talk about it much because the timeline gets complicated (lost 100lbs, gained back 20, competed in powerlifting events, stopped due to back injury. Fast forward 8 years... gained 80lbs), plus it feels silly to mention it since it's in the past. The only time I ever really bring it up is when someone implies that I'll lose all my lean mass. I picture a skinny me walking around on jello legs and unable to hold up my own arms, but the truth is what someone else said- for NOW, losing fat is more important for me. I can always gain the muscle later.

samanthaspears

Have you ever considered that perhaps the bodies of other people work differently from yours?