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

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.

ruperthumphrey

I love 1/3 cup of oatmeal done in the microwave, sometimes with a sliced up apple and a pinch of cinnamon....that is very healthy and stays in the stomach for a long time!

vvanm

I started out eating anything I usually ate but half of the portion I was used to. So, have your bagel with cream cheese but only one half with tea or coffee. My goal was manageable hunger. You don't ever want to feel starved or deprived. Instead of trying to "fill up" on lower calorie options, I ate just enough to stave off hunger. I think trying to fill up keeps the stomach stretched out and you revert to bad choices eventually. My snack list used too many calories so I reduced it to 2 small snacks @100 cals daily, 1,000 cals nutritious. If I ate all my calories by 2:00 p.m. I stopped eating, so I soon learned that I could shave calories off Breakfast and Lunch so there would be some left. I'm good with a turkey burger, thin sliced cheese, lots of lettuce, tomato, onions, mushrooms, etc. using half a bun if I need those 100 cals for later, for example. A chicken breast can last 2 days if shredded and combined with beans for a burrito. You still get the taste of what you like without going over calories.

Christine1110

I do.....no problem!

Debbe2

I do.....no problem!

I do too!

candygyrrl2002

I think you should try under 1500 Calories. Feel free to add me. I was told to stay under 2100 Calories. I thought that was too much. 1500 is actually not that bad at all. Try to keep busy and remember, You can do it.

day10949

1200 is a really hard place to start! I was supposed to start at 1600, and I found that to be hard. So I tried 1800 for several weeks which was good. Then it seemed that my body adjusted and I wasn't hungry; then when I went down to 1600 it was much easier. At that point I also had a much better idea of what/how much I should be eating and could make much better food choices. If you are used to 2000-2500+ calories a day, going straight to 1200 would a serious shock to your system!

slywon

I have no problem staying at 1200. My advice, no matter how many calories you are set at, is to log your food before you eat. YOu can see how much it is and avoid that surprise after.

Ditto! I try to enter tomorrow the night before. Breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, evening. 2-3 cups of water with snacks lunch and dinner. So that is 8-12 cups of water and a cup of Tea in the evening. Bang for your buck foods! Whole grain cereal, Almond milk, yogurt, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, almonds, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, soups, chicken breast. Cut out the breads, sauces, spreads, juices.

jenniferc1515

I"m surviving on 1200 calories by keeping carbs less then 30%. and REALLY pushing water (keeps you feeling full) and protein, protein and protein. most diet meals are carb based (esp w/ rice). I don't eat sandwiches, I just eat the lunch meat (and of course skip Mayo). every meal is thought out of how I am playing the percentages of carbs vs proteins.

I also work out everyday and am not hereditary in my job. its all about consuming water and protein.

good luck =]

RetiredAndLovingIt

bump

Heavycopper

Hello All,

I am not so different from many of the others on this site being that i know what I have to do, but everytime I enter in my food I feel like a looser, like OMG I only have that small number of calories showing on the screen and it's not even dinner time yet! Fresh veggies -check, water check, bagel uhoh, cream cheese - oh my you get the picture.

i think that my choices are ok until I track them and realize I am in the negative for the day...and HUNGRY.

Frustrated and feeling very blah. If you have any advise for what I am experiencing I would appreciate the help..thanking you in advance

tj

Dear TJ,

Calling yourself a "loser" is the very first battle you must tackle before taking your weight loss seriously. It all begins with love and self motivation. You are NOT a loser! Look at yourself in the mirror and say that you ARE a winner! Take a big look around you and point at all the negative things in your life and tell each thing that this is it! Im a winner and I am beautiful, and I love myself, and it's time to work on me! I can do this!

Take things slow. Everyone has great advice here, there's a ton of support. Dont follow your 1200 calorie diet right away but instead, start off slow with 1800 and work your way down. In time, your stomach will get used to smaller portions.

Just remember tj, losing weight is a pschological game. Try to love yourself and become a winner. The very first pound you lose will show you that and youll feel on top of the world. Good luck!