How does one survive on 1200 calories per day anyway??

MelisMusing

Up your calorie target a little.

Pre log if at all possible, this way, you know the facts before you take a bite

Plan. Plan, Plan. Make sure you have healthy snacks on hand, and do the research on healthy alternatives to your faves.

YOU CAN DO THIS

77tes

I lasted exactly one day at 1200. :noway: Most of my weightloss was at 1350, and I always eat back my exercise calories. If you are hungry, you will not stick with this LIFESTYLE not DIET. That said, you DO need to make good choices and get lots of protein. Feel free to check out my diary (but not this week -- I'm being very naughty this week).

Good luck.:flowerforyou:

californiagirl2012

Hi! I'm short (5'2") so my calories are on the low side. You can send me friend request if you'd like to look through my diary for what I eat.

It's an adjustment, but I've found a way to eat healthy and a lot of what I want.

1200 is such a stupid number to get stuck on. What you need to eat for a deficit is relative to your RMR. If you are short you really don't have much room for up compared to the 1200. If you are taller you will have a higher RMR and can go up or down and still be in a deficit (way above 1200) so you can lose no matter what. All that matters is a calorie deficit.

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. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others. 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.

You just need to find the correct calories for YOU to be healthy and sustainable and still lose weight. It might require some experimentation and tremendous patience. You can always notch up and down by 100 until you find what is sustainable and still allows you to lose weight.

If you have emotional eating issues than you are not going to be able to handle such a deep deficit and if you eat to low it will backfire. A better strategy is to eat at a shallower deficit, and sometimes give yourself a break from the deficit and eat at maintenance. This is not going backwards, but eating to low and then binging because you can't sustain it is going backwards. It's better to stay forwards even if it is slower. The tortoise wins this race in the end.

Your BMR could be lower than you think. You could go to a lab and have this tested. It's the only way to know for sure.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

Terrymichelle

A trick I tend to use is logging before I eat it. I come into work and log my entire day before I even eat the food. That way if their is something I HAVE to have I make sure it fits through the rest of my day. I try and figure breakfast, lunch and dinner out. Sometimes I have no clue on dinner so I eat light throughout the day so dinner is kinda a surprise and I get to eat some more of the things I love... like potatoes, oh potatoes are my weakness

Plan your day in full and you will probably be more likely to stick to what you have planned.

Also, veggies are an amazing thing. You can eat a lot of them without a ton of calories I wish you luck!

rml_16

I haven't updated my diary in a while for various reasons, but I can be quite full and satisfied on pretty low calories. I eat whole foods with a good mix of protein, fiber and fat and that keeps me from being hungry. I usually get between 1,000 and 1,500 calories on a normal day.

vcaisse

Hi there!! I am feeling the same way. I have found that walking or doing yoga helps. If you walk for an hour, you earn more calories to eat. Same with yoga. Stick with it & good luck!!

gaylynn35

Eat lots of veggies and lots of fruit. Use almond milk or something like it (only 30 calories for the unsweetened one). Eat lean meat such as chicken.

lstrachan

Truly it is the choices that you make. The best thing that you are doing is logging your foods, which allows you to "see" exactly that amount of calories that the bagels & cream cheese has. Another great way to "get more calories" is to burn calories. The more calories you burn, the more "additional" calories your are allowed to eat. You will be amazed how many calories a 15 minute walk can burn!

MichelleLaree13

3 fruit servings (strawberries, melon, apples, oranges) about 200
5 servings veggies (greenbeans, carrots, bell peppers) about 200
2 cup almond milk 60
3 servings protein (beans 110, cheese sticks 80, plain greek yogurt 120, lentils 100, 100 calorie pack nuts/seeds, eggs 70) 350
4 servings whole grains (1/3 cup rolled oats 100, slice of whole grain bread, whole grain dried cereals) 400
Drink lots of water and tea
That is about 1200

laurenmcallister

I aim for 1350 per day. This gives me a little more room to eat "normally" or have an extra half-cup of rice at dinner or OJ in the morning if I really want it. And really, the difference weekly is pretty negligable if you add in extra lifestyle changes (e.g. I started walking to the farther bus stop - add 10 min per day each way that I don't log).

It IS hard. There is no way around it. If it's worth doing, it's hard. But log EVERYTHING (even the days you are over - so what?), and try and log it BEFORE you start to prepare your food. I've found tons of ways to kill calories here - if I'm over for a meal target, I might remove half a banana from my usual smoothie (50 cal!), or half my rice with dinner (50 cal!), or choose to have herbal tea rather than black tea with milk and sugar (up to 60 cal!).

This worked great for me last night. Really wanted a Tim Horton's cookie with my tea last night, and I entered it all in. Saw cookie was 280 calories and I broke it in half and told my BF to eat it immediately (he has an active job so I never feel guilty for doing this :P). 140, no problem fits in as dessert

I don't really recommend logging the night before though, just because then you don't get to eat what you "feel like" that day! Sometimes, I just don't WANT egg whites in the morning, and I DON'T CARE how low cal they are!! Other days, love them. Don't feel like you "have to" eat something because you entered it the night before.

It DOES get easier. Soon you'll be adept at food combinations that work for you

BeckySue1977

I don't really have anything new to add here, just reaffirming what many have already said.
I tried the 1200 calorie setting and really really struggled. I think I tried to push too hard too soon by going straight from old eating habbits down to strict 1200 cal/day.
One of the things that saved me from constantly being over limit was exercise calories.

I've since changed my settings and feel much more content with a higher calorie limit. I'm really ok with losing slowly in a way that I can and will succeed, rather than losing a lot fast and then gaining it all back.

Also, even with the higher calorie limits I find it still helps me to log BEFORE it goes into my mouth! That helps me choose portion sizes and actually helps me choose whether I want to even take one bite of it!
Example: my mom recently picked up a pack of muffins which did not have calories listed on the package. She plugged the item into MFP and found out each muffin contains 690 calories!! For ONE muffin!! OMG those muffins will NEVER come near my lips!

leejayem

I'm 5ft & on 1200 a day as per my doctors instructions - trying to avoid becoming diabetic & a strict low calorie diet has been proven to reverse diabetes. So far so good, I've lost 10kg. I alternate between walking & running about 5 days a week & that's the extent of my exercise - apart from the busyness of having 4 young kids which includes chasing my 2 year old son around constantly!!

As you will see, there are MANY varied opinions on here - some will say 1200 a day is unhealthy & won't achieve weight loss but for others (like me) it is working just fine! I have found that logging my food in BEFORE I eat it helps immensely. I tend to "save" calories so I'm not kicking myself later - for example I don't have a big breakfast (generally 200-300cals) & my son often helps me eat it anyway!! My specialist has advised me, & I see his wisdom, not to rely on exercise to burn off calories but to focus on what I put in my mouth - a cheeseburger for example is nearly 300 calories & I am lucky to burn that much if I run solidly for half an hour. In my mind, what a waste of effort!!! So now each time I go to eat something I decide first whether it's worth it. Bagels will do you no favors whatsoever. Let's be honest, losing weight IS an effort, there ARE lots of sacrifices - if it were an easy or simple process none of us would be overweight!!!

I'd get a doctor's opinion or maybe a nutritionist, but in the end I believe you will find what works for you. Good luck!!

9JANE

I have read the advice you have been getting and this what I would like to tell you, You need to firgure out how manycalories you need and then decide if you can live on those. You can eat what ever you want to just be careful how much , and how often 1200 is just a number and you can use it as a guide. I hate to tell you this but I never get 1200 carlories I normally get about 900 calories a day and I have lost about 88 lbs. but that is me and no two people are the same just keep using the program and it will help yourealize how manycalories you are getting in a day.:happy:

Melo1966

Many days I have to be creative to get up to 1200 because I do not want to be under. The main key is low cal proteins and changes like bagel and crem cheese to bagle thins and strawberry jam probably only 1/3 of the calories wth great taste and no guilt Send me a friend request then you will get more ideas from my diary. I even drink alchol within 1200 and get 20-30g fiber and 50-70g protein 150g carbs. It is all in small changes in foods. I do go over 1200 on days that I workout more.

want2belean

I understand I am 5'1 and only allowed 1200, add me as a friend and you can look at my diary. You just have to be creative and spit your meals into 5 or 6 instead of 3.

tekwriter

I try to bulk up on vegetables, and I am learning to be more aware of what something is going to cost me. The other thing I have done is set my loss for only 1 pound a week until after the holidays. I am enjoying the extra calories when I need them but most days come in around 1400 calories. I love the support on the site and the ideas I am getting. Please add me to your friend list also. Good Luck!

casasruby

Hi! I struggled with that in the begining, but I have a way that is working for me. First I figured how many calories does it take daily to maintain my weight (sedentary). It turned out to be about 1900. I raised my calorie intake to 1300 a day. Then I discovered that by lowering my carbs, I will help shed the stored fat. I now eat slightly high fat, and high fiber, about 100 grams of carbs (mostly from veggies and fruits) I don't go over 1300 calories. I did tons of research and now eat less bread, rice and potatos. I am losing my belly fat faster than I have ever lost it and I am in my thirties. It may not be for everyone, but its working for me. I end up having unused extra calories at the end of the day and I'm not hungry. Its very difficult at first, but after a couple of weeks it gets easier. I started with 1/2 a cup of rice a day, and now Its zero. You slowly dip into it.

My weight loss below is from a month ago. I only update after I have been to my endochronologist.

NVgal

I'm 54, 5'2' and I have been doing 1200 a day since starting MFP amd I am rarely hungry. I make the absolute most of those calories. I will eat back my exercise calories, though. The rest of the time I am fairly sedentary so that, and my age, are probably what works for me. Also drinking 8 glasses of water if very filling. Now if I was hitting the gym everyday that would be a whole other matter.

xoTalim

I've been eating around 1200 a day just fine. Just eat small low calorie meals every few hours and you'll do fine. One "big" meal a day that averages 400-600 calories and then save the rest for small frequent snacks.

cebreisch

i'm going to say be mindful of your carbs. They're definitely a case of "choose your doom". If you focus on lean, healthy proteins, the fats and carbs will take care of themselves. Don't necessarily worry about going over so much...especially if you're over on protein or fiber. If when you're hungry you choose something protein or something fiber, it'll go a longer way than something carb-ish.

vmekash

I have low cal breakfast and lunch and may or may not have a snack (banana, apple or just a spoon-full of peanut butter). This way, I am basically saving the bulk of my calorie allowance for dinner and evening snacking.

At the end of ea. day, I'm usually w/in 50-100 calories of my goal (under or over).

Next day, rinse and repeat.

SkyVetis

1200 is easy for me at least. I dont like a lot of rich foods with sauces/creams so tends to be meat, potatoes and tinned peas or beans with malt type cereal and if i have lunch it'll be a tuna sandwich on wholemeal bread - just tuna, butter and bread.

mrhumbleperth

well the way to do that I have learned is to eat a salad a day it can be as big as you want. ( i eat a 2 cup salad) Also watch the salad dressing that can really ad a big number of calories to your dailly calorie count. Add a piece of grilled chicken( not large, Maybe a chicken tenderloin or 2?) to to hold you over along with the salad. and walk for 30 minutes and that will carve out at least another 200 calories and you don't have to walk all 30 minutes at once you can walk in 10 minute intervals as long as you can walk 30 minutes a day. With that alone you will be able to have a few more calories

Amoniker72

I am pretty new to this but so far I agree with what the others have said, by entering in my thoughts about what I might like to eat that day I make better choices and juggle things around and if I know I am going for dinner where I will go over I am motivated to exercise earlier on so I can enjoy myself and not worry. It is all about planning and making informed choices which is what MFP is helping me do. I like being able to work out what foods are going to give me the most nutritional value for my calorie "dollar".

shannonreeh

I, too, am restricted to 1200 calories a day while working with a registered dietitian. The key to not being hungry is to eat about 100 grams of protein a day. You can track this in MFP. What you end up eating is a lot of protein, vegetables, and fruit, and a little bit of carbs each day. The days I eat more pasta, bread, etc. I am definitely more hungry. Try the low carb protein "shakes" at the supermarket ...EAS makes a good one, as does Muscle Milk Light (150 cals....the 100 cal version doesn't taste as good). These are great to up your protein intake and keep you full. Good luck!

kellystr8

When I started this program (last Wednesday), it defaulted may caloric intake to 1200 calories as well. I think it's because I want to keep losing 2lbs a week. Well, I learned pretty quickly (last Friday) that it's WAY too low! So I changed to 1400 calories and I don't feel like I'm starving or about to faint. I try to work out at least 5 days a week sometimes 6 and I think my metabolism is finally speeding up again because of it. I also started to put in my foods for the day in advance so that I know I should not eat more than I entered, trust me, it takes discipline but it's worked so far.
Good luck with your journey, and you should probably increase your intake another 100-200 calories, try to exercise as much as possible drink lots of water( at least 9 cups or 72 oz. a day) and make healthy choices for the foods you eat. You'll see results for sure

ElizabethMKE

I can relate. I'm 5'7'', but I'm only allowed 1500, and according to my dietitian, this is not enough. I think that fruits and veggies shouldn't really be considered in the caloric intake...maybe this helps. And certain fruits, like bananas, have more calories than, say, apples or grapes. And same with veggies.

DangerLV

I hardly ever meet the 1200cal a day goal. I'm usually not hungry at all. I admit i have a rather boring eating plan, most of the same foods everyday. I rarely use dressings, sauces or anything to add to my food. I eat a lot of mustards as "sauces" for veggies and sandwiches. Never use mayo, cheese is now also off my food list. I also avoid sugar. I don't eat dairy (yogurts or milk) I eat bagels, which can be calorie dense, so sometimes I just use a high fiber bread instead. Sometimes my dinner consists of a whole bag of frozen veggies with some kind of mustard, and believe me, that much food will fill your stomach almost uncomfortably. Drink lots of water, tea, diet soda (I know, diet soda=bad). If I get "snacky" I will measure out a half cup of jalepeno slices and eat them....that will kill your appetite! Veggie soup is another fave of mine...just veggies, though...none of the noodles or rice. IDK....1200 seems like so much to me. days I eat over that amount I feel "hungover" the next day. ok. thats my two cents.

obsidianwings

I don't have time to read the whole thread, so this has probably been mentioned, but you can probably eat quite a bit more than 1200. Also if you are having trouble figuring out whats healthy and fits in your cals/macros and what doesn't try logging in advance for a while.
Good luck

obsidianwings

I hardly ever meet the 1200cal a day goal. I'm usually not hungry at all. I admit i have a rather boring eating plan, most of the same foods everyday. I rarely use dressings, sauces or anything to add to my food. I eat a lot of mustards as "sauces" for veggies and sandwiches. Never use mayo, cheese is now also off my food list. I also avoid sugar. I don't eat dairy (yogurts or milk) I eat bagels, which can be calorie dense, so sometimes I just use a high fiber bread instead. Sometimes my dinner consists of a whole bag of frozen veggies with some kind of mustard, and believe me, that much food will fill your stomach almost uncomfortably. Drink lots of water, tea, diet soda (I know, diet soda=bad). If I get "snacky" I will measure out a half cup of jalepeno slices and eat them....that will kill your appetite! Veggie soup is another fave of mine...just veggies, though...none of the noodles or rice. IDK....1200 seems like so much to me. days I eat over that amount I feel "hungover" the next day. ok. thats my two cents.

I am curious how much protein you are getting? From what you have listed there it doesn't sound like it would be much?