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

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  • love_
    love_ Posts: 25
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    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
    IDWIW Posts: 2 Member
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    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
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    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
    Emersonkl Posts: 1
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    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
    kellystr8 Posts: 22 Member
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    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 :smile:
  • juliepoe208
    juliepoe208 Posts: 22 Member
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    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
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
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    By eating real food.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    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
    LeisureRunner Posts: 185
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    I could never make it on 1200 calories a day. I need 1500 minimum...more if I work out hard that day.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
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    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
    LoveAlwaysAlisa Posts: 111 Member
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    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. :smile:
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    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
    PicklePlum Posts: 192 Member
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    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
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    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
    SunnyAndrsn Posts: 369 Member
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    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 :smile:

    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
    mabernier Posts: 62 Member
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    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
    harrietlg Posts: 239
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    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
    Specializedbkh Posts: 22 Member
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    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. :wink:

    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
    petiteLady89 Posts: 198 Member
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    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
    susiemou Posts: 47 Member
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    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.

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