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

love_

More protein girly! Those carbs have a nasty habit of making us feel empty and needing more calories. Bagels and cream cheese are addictive! lol I try to stay away from foods that move me more away from a discipline and that only entice me to eat more in the end. I allow and off day on the weekend and I've still maintained weight loss. Hope this helps! Don't be discouraged either. We all hit some of these bumps along the way. Keep a close circle of ladies who uplift and motivate you to be your best!

IDWIW

I have been following this since August and lost 20 pounds. I think a key to success is exercising while you are on a a limited calorie intake. So on the days I am running 3 miles I can actually eat 1600 calories because I burn 400 running. On days I do not run or lift weights, I eat the same breakfast each day and eat the WW Smart Ones for lunch and dinner. Modest mid-AM and mid-PM snacks keep me from feeling starved.

donyellemoniquex3

When I first started on here, I was given 1280. When I ate that I was very lathargic and cold... ALL THE TIME. Like I get that I'm 21 years old and have menopause but that's wrong ! I bumped it up a few times before sticking with 1400 and finally lost some weight. Also it took me 7 months to lose 6lbs 0_0

Emersonkl

Exercise is keeping me there. Remember to log "cleaning" and "walking", drink water and eat things with high calories less frequently. No bagel every day. Planning helps too. Scrambling to figure out what is under 300 calories while starving is not the answer. I could eat 300 calories while deciding what was for dinner in a heartbeat. Good luck :happy:

kellystr8

I try to plan all my food at least one day ahead and I pre-log everything the night before so I know exactly how many calories I'll be eating and how well I've hit my macros.

Of course sometimes things change or I'll add something during the day, but pre logging really helps me with portion control and I never accidentally go over my calories.

I totally agree with this

juliepoe208

Hey, I was just put on an 1100 calorie diet by my doc 3 weeks ago and thought the same. But if you get some calorie burning in (pretty much every day activities burns calories), then you will have some leeway to work with your 1200. Now mind you I cannot stay at 1100 cause there is just no way, but I do manage to stay between 1200 and 1300 calories and if you do that, you will be fine. Let MFP set your goals and you still log in, plan ahead, and work towards keeping within that 1200 to 1300, you won't feel so frustrated. If you want to, I will request you as a friend so we can stay in touch and keep each other motivated. I hope this helps. :-)
Julie

ejohndrow

By eating real food.

HypersonicFitNess

If you're trying to do 1200 calories a day here's how:

Min Max
Breakfast 275 325
Snack - AM 75 120
Lunch 350 375
Snack - PM 75 120
Dinner 350 375
Total 1125 1315

Do a combination of minimums and maximums through the day to get to ~ 1200 calories. Plan ahead and pre-log your meals/snacks.

EDIT: Eat fresh vegetables, fruits (make sure to incorporate some raw veg/fruit into each day), whole grains, extra lean meats, low fat cheeses and limited nuts/seeds/extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil or hemp seed oil (you still need you good fats)

LeisureRunner

I could never make it on 1200 calories a day. I need 1500 minimum...more if I work out hard that day.

needamulligan

Not impossible but you have to eat back some/all of your exercise calories. And, yes, you can lose 2 lbs/week eating your exercise calories.

LoveAlwaysAlisa

That was the recommended calorie limit set for me too by the site but I knew from experience ( i lost 40 lbs 3 years ago and ate 1800 calories daily plus I was a runner and I lost all the weight between May and August 2009) that it was not enough for me. I adjusted it myself and bumped it up to 1600 instead. Remember these limits set my the site are just recommendations.

Sarauk2sf

If you are having a real struggle to keep to the calorie allowance then maybe its too low. I am sorry but I did not go through the whole thread so this may have been answered, but what did you set your target weekly weight loss to be and do you eat your exercise calories back?

PicklePlum

A lot of clean and fresh foods and very little grain carbs and white potatoes make it more manageable. It does take some getting used to.

Planning ahead most certainly helps.

Feel free to add, my diary is open to friends.:)

Contrarian

If you are feeling hungry at 1200 calories, adjust your settings. There is no reason to eat so little that you feel hungry all the time.

SunnyAndrsn

I try to plan all my food at least one day ahead and I pre-log everything the night before so I know exactly how many calories I'll be eating and how well I've hit my macros.

Of course sometimes things change or I'll add something during the day, but pre logging really helps me with portion control and I never accidentally go over my calories.

I totally agree with this

I also do this for work. It really helps. Pre-log, plan meals for a week, stock your pantry and freezer for success.

Rome wasn't built in a day, so keep plugging away and figure out what works best for you. Finally, don't diet. Make life long changes and the weight WILL drop.

mabernier

How did you decide on the 1200 calories a day? Did you evaluate based on your current weight, height, bmi and activity level? If so and that is appropriate for where you are trying to go, not just arbitrarily selecting 1200 calores, then decide how you want to break it up and plan first....before I eat anything that I am not familiar with or decide that I am going to eat something I come on to the site and check it out first...I pull the food up in the database and check not only the calories, but also carbs, protein and fat...I let myself go over on protein on any given day, but try not to on calories, carbs and fat. Lately I have been finding that I am undereating and not being satisfied, getting hungry and tempted...so the planning part now for me is key. Just now, I wanted some ice cream, went on to the site, looked up where I was at and pulled up Kemp's ice cream and decided that a half a cup would do it for me and still stay within my plan. Start looking for ideas on things you can do for those calories...for me, shrimp and chicken work well...shrimp you can have a ton of (if cooked right) and not have too many calories...chicken depends on how it is cooked...more calories for roasted and such. but sit down and look for ideas...then you'll be prepared and have some standards that you know will work calorie wise and appetite wise and satisfaction wise...do you like things like hardboiled eggs, beans of any kind (black beans, refried beans, garbanzo beans, etc)....some of those things will stay with you longer and you will not be hungry. Good luck and let us know how you are doing. Friend me if you like and we'll keep in touch.

harrietlg

i eat small meals everyday to get to 1400, i basically don't eat many carbs, i eat through out the day so I can deal with just having a chicken salad with a bit of goats cheese for dinner i'm going down to 1300-1250 though because i'm trying to fit into a dress but will also eat my exercise cals ! exercise more? you will have more calories to eat when you burn more x

Specializedbkh

Very easily.....I eat 1200 calories a day - eating 6 small meals / breakfast/am snack/lunch/pm snack/supper and a late pm snack

I exercise 5-6 times a week and don't eat back my calories

Works for me

I have to agree! I'm on the 1200 cal plan as well, but I work out 5 times a week. With that said, if I have had a really really good work out that day (I usually burn between 500cals to 1000cals daily), then I'll go over my 1200 limit. But of course I don't eat too much over 1200 cals. I'm working towards 40lbs lost since May.

It takes motivation and devotion, but I strongly believe that if you want this bad enough, you'll eat right and exercise as often as you can. It really evens itself out!

Good luck to you~ :drinker:

petiteLady89

when I first started mfp four months ago I only ate 1200 calories and did not eat my exercise calories back. I was a zombie everyday! very cranky. Then, I started eating my exercise calories. So I was about 1400 calories most days. After a few months I started building muscle, plus my metabolism started getting better due to the exercising, and 1400 calories was just not enough for me. I've been averaging between 1500-2000 and still losing weight. I started losing more weight as I upped my calories. I'm only 4'10". So if I can eat that many calories and still lose weight, you definitely can, too! No sense in starving your self. Start eating at your maintenance level and see what happens.

susiemou

I've been on 1200 for a few months now and don't find it hard to stick to anymore ( although th first two weeks were awful)
But I feel the need to up my calories now, as im working out more, so am aiming for 1450. Adding friends in the same boat so you can see what they eat will help. When I want to eat something that's not too healthy I try to only have half, then you don't feel deprived. I gave up biscuits, chocolate and crisps (chips) completely, and never drink carbonated drinks of any kind, but I still have room for some treats now and then. It's all trial and error.
Feel free to add me.

Rebturner6250

I eat 1200 calories a day. I had to learn what to eat and not to eat. what proteins to eat when, and what good carbs to eat when. It took me awhile, but i finally got it. I do plan mine out ahead of time also, and log in early sometimes too and stick to that. I eat alot of the same stuff also. It is hard but it seems to be working for me. I do exercise 4-5 days a week, and 3 days with a trainer right now. You can friend me and look at my diary if you need to. Keep up the good work and never quit quitting!

shelbylaura

As weird as this sounds, it is kind of a mind game. Do stuff like to make you think that you are fuller than you actually are, especially because sometime the feeling of hungre is just boredom.
Drink ice water or tea (with 0 calorie sweetener) when you are feeling hungry, chew some gum, spread out low-calories snacks (each about 100 calories), when you have meals for some of them serve yourself only half of the serving size, so you can go back and get "seconds". Eat slowly because you will feel fuller with less food than you would if you eat quickly and over-eat and then go over in calories later because you are hungry again. Find ways to preoccupy yourself when you do feel hungry to know for sure if it is hunger or bordom.

Otterluv

Ick, on my days that I don't exercise, I only get 1280 calories. It's no fun. But, I only have 1 day a week that I have to deal with it. There is no way that I can maintain the level of activity that I am now without eating more than that. Running, weight lifting, aerobics classes, you get the picture. When I don't eat enough, my exercise performance suffers, my hair starts to fall out, and I am cranky. Nope, no 1200 calorie restrictions for this girl.

That said, it can be done. Follow what others have suggested: fill up on fruits and veggies, water, and low calorie high protein foods.

jetscreaminagain

One wants to thrive, not merely survive, which is why 1200 for an extended period of time is a bad idea.

Please do a forum search for In Place of a Road Map 2.0 and follow that. 1200 is lower than BMR for most people (the calories required to be alive and unconscious). It is a very bad idea to eat below your BMR for any length of time.

I did 1200 when I was new. It didn't work so hot for me. I didn't lose all that quickly and I was pretty miserable: which is a sign that what you're doing is a bad idea.

I used online calculators and later a BodyMediaFit and learned that I burn more than 2000 calories on a regular basis. So a 1200 calorie diet was very nearly a 50% deficit. Not good.

I went and had a bod pod done several weeks ago. I was amazed that my BMR was over 1400 and my TDEE (BMR with activity adjustment) was over 2000. This was based on a pretty accurate estimate of my body fat. I'm 5'4". You don't have to be very tall to need more food.

So find out a good estimation of what your maintenance calories are (TDEE at what you do) and then do a 20% deficit from there. Tweak a little one way or the other.

Don't do the 1200 calorie thing that's making you miserable. No need for it.

LordBear

i can live on 1200 a day.. and that is exactly what i am doing..some days less..and occationally a little over..all depends on what you eat.. you can pig out on salads and vegies. and if ur use to over eating and eating the wrong crap...then you are going to be hungry untill ur body gets use to it.

prettylolita

I tend to get lower calorie options, this doesn't seem to hurt me. I have been eating around 1200 calorie for months now and It doesn't bother me. I feel good and have lots of energy.

darleyschroeder

1) You know you can eat your exercise calories back right? If you feel weird about eating them, but are still really hungry, then try eating half. I bet you're still going to lose weight.

2) Fill up on non starchy veggies and protein. Veggies run so little on calories. You can have 3 cups of broccoli for 90 calories. That's a lot of food! Protein will help keep you fuller. Eggs are a great way to do this. Do 2 whites and 1 whole egg.

3) Berries/Fruits-A medium apple is only 80 calories. You can dice it, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake. It's really good. 1 cup sliced strawberries is 50 calories. Get creative. Add it to sugar free jello, which is extremely low calorie or some light cool whip, or yogurt.

4) Plan ahead if you need to and drink plenty of water.

gothicfires

Before you decide to live on 1200 calories you should consider how many calories your body needs per day just to maintain your weight.

I use the mayo clinic calorie calculator and I need 1600 calories if i sat on my but all day. So eating a 1200 calorie diet isn't going to shock my body too much. If you needed 2000 calories at rest, then 1200 calories would be a different story.

I set my goal to be between 1200 and 1400 a day. I eat 5 times a day, normally 3 hours a part. small meals and rarely to I feel hungry.

mystikfairy61

I have been on 1200 a day and at times it was hard. But since I started doing Zumba at home 4-5 days a week and put Mio in my water so I am able to drink more (guess you can tell I don't like plain water), it has been easier because as others have said, it gives me a little more wiggle room with my calories. Another thing I have found helpful. If a particular food is a problem for you, if you don't buy it and have it readily available, you are less likely to want to run to the store to get it. Just don't buy it, and that solves the problem. Good luck and add me if you like.

clover5

I had to exercise to "earn" enough calories to satisfy my hunger. And a little planning helps. If I know I'm having pizza for dinner, then I need to have a low calorie lunch and save my calories for later.