My personal quest on 1200 calories

lizblizz2012

OP you are my hero.

nz_deevaa

score for the eat more police. i'll stick to 1200 calories and haven't lost my lovely hair yet.

Nice attitude. A little cranky?

Hungry + Angry = Hangry?

Michellerawrrr

This is an excellent post! I fell into the 1200 calorie trap last year when I started on here and I felt like death warmed over for months. Now I fuel my body with ALL the foods and I kick *kitten* in the gym. The number on the scale doesn't even matter anymore! Your lifting stats are inspiring OP and you should be oh so PROUD of where you are at! :flowerforyou:

MariaChele85

Thank you for posting this!! There are so many people who need to see it. I was miserable eating 1300 calories/day. Sometimes going to bed with my tummy grumbling (some nights so bad I couldn't sleep). Workouts were WEAK and sluggish.

Now I eat around 1800.

When I was on 1200 cal, I couldnt push myself because the whole time I was hungry, weak, and all I kept thinking about was food.

melnikdanil1

Love it!Thank you for great info!I am stuck with my weight at 1200 calories diet and feel hungry often!I am reseting my goals!!!

MariaChele85

Have you only been lifting for 4 weeks? It says you gained 10# in 4 weeks, but you can deadlift 225?! I've been doing weight training for about 6 weeks and thought I was kicking *kitten* doing 105# deadlifts today! I'm such a wuss :laugh:

I did body pump for over a year, but with the heavy lifting I started about 12 weeks ago or so...
When I decided to stop with the barbie weights, I increased the calories and the weights and gained about 10lbs, after your body adjust to the extra calories and protien, my body started to slowly lose that 10lbs, inches started to come off too, slowly of course.

Ahh ok. I was really thinking I needed to amp up the weights if you had progressed that much in just 4 weeks. But by the last rep of my last set I'm ready to put the weights down, lol so I'll keep plugging along at my pokey pace. It's so much more than I used to be able to do anyway so I'm happy

No, start with low weights until you get the form down right. Slowly increase the weights. I do 10 reps and by the 8,9, Im feeling like I want to quit. 10 I feel like a superhero! lol

melnikdanil1

I am agree with you!we should feel beautiful and full of energy -that is what really matters!!!

MariaChele85

Thanks for sharing this. How did you transition from the 1200 cal diet and how did you begin lifting?

In about 3 months I got off the 1200 cal crap, and gained 20lbs back. I just couldnt do it anymore. 1200 was not enough for me. I didnt want to live like that for the rest of my life. I unfortunately made the mistake of just diving into eating more, and thats how I gained 20lbs.....I should've slowly increased the calories....
The very first thing I did was start Body Pump classes at my local gym. They were great. But I felt like it wasn't enough for me. I am very fortunate to have a weight lifting competitor as a friend, and he's helped me out. But when he was unavailable or we had different schedules, I would youtube how to videos, read posts, research on the internet etc.... I found Dan, and recalculated my calorie numbers. I have never felt better.

MariaChele85

1200-1500 calories works for me. Not everyone has the same goals in mind as you but congrats on your success, anyways! It's always a nice feeling to find something that works for your needs and gives you the results you want. : )

Yes I agree, we all have different goals. 1200 cal worked for me too, but it was time to let go of it. Much success to you

AntWrig

Yeah, reverse dieting from 1200 to 1900 would have kept most of those pounds off.

MariaChele85

I think I love you. And I don't throw that around lightly. You rock. And I am SUPER jealous of your squat. BADA$$!

Thank you!

MariaChele85

Are you my twin?

For the record my hair started falling out after my first 18 or so kilos.

I'm still trying to get my calories right, but my squat is chasing yours!!

Nice!!!

MariaChele85

this is my first time reading or even replying to anything on the message boards, btw! i just wanted to say that you are a badass! rock on!!

I feel honored

Oishii

I love your story, Momo.

I've gone from preaching how easy 1200 was to never wanting to go back to it. In my case, I slowly upped my calories because I was losing way too fast (over 2lb a week when mfp thought I should be losing just 1lb), but the damage had already been done. I started getting hot flushes every time I ate a large meal, and when my bloods were done, I was anaemic for the first time in my life. It may be coincidental, but I'm not going back to make sure!

I'm trying to not gain/lose a tiny bit now, so eating a little less. Result? I just sleep more! Our bodies aren't stupid, and if we under-fuel them they just find sneaky ways to conserve energy, like letting your hair fall apart.

feistyhorsegal

I never did 1200 but on 1500 I never felt weak, or feinted, or didn't feel strong. I felt great. But sounds like higher calories work for you. I'm now on 2200 a day for maintenance and still feel good.

red_road

love this post! good for you girl. back in the day when i used to exercise daily i still felt really strong from cycling and had nice muscle tone but i was also eating alot of protein so i dont know if that had anything to do with it and then fact that i was just a much more active person. I want to start weight lifting im hearing so many great things about it, i just dont know where to start. if you dont have free weights can you substitute another item for it?

Infauna

1200-1500 calories works for me. Not everyone has the same goals in mind as you but congrats on your success, anyways! It's always a nice feeling to find something that works for your needs and gives you the results you want. : )

Yes I agree, we all have different goals. 1200 cal worked for me too, but it was time to let go of it. Much success to you

Thanks! :flowerforyou:

MariaChele85

love this post! good for you girl. back in the day when i used to exercise daily i still felt really strong from cycling and had nice muscle tone but i was also eating alot of protein so i dont know if that had anything to do with it and then fact that i was just a much more active person. I want to start weight lifting im hearing so many great things about it, i just dont know where to start. if you dont have free weights can you substitute another item for it?

If your gym offers classes start there. I started on Body Pump because that's all I knew. Machines and cables are great for beginners too. I still use cable machines till this day. But remember, the best free weight is your own body weight. Planks, push ups, squats, tricep dips..
BTW I love cycling!!!

briannadunn

This last month I was eating 1600 plus and exercising and maintained 232 pounds and gain some.. I totally believe in yoyoing and eating foods that your body likes. For me I eat more on days I lift and less on days I don't. It works for me, I also increase calories the more active I become and the closer I get to goal. For instance by the time I reached 160 pounds the first time I was eating 1800 calories a day and running 5 to 6 days a week on my treadmill. You are doing awesome and keep doing what works for you.

Nerdy_Rose

OP: I love your story. You kick lots of *kitten*, and are very brave for positing in here when a lot of people will fight to defend the 1,200 calorie diet. I hope your thread genuinely helps someone who's eating too little. I gave up trying to help a while ago, for fear of getting strikes.

Italiano7

thank you for posting!! love it.:drinker:

finshstrong

wow that is terrific... I am currently on 1200 calories but I am gaining muscle and losing fat. I started on 1400 then as I lost weight the MFP brought me down to 1200 which I have been currently on for two weeks. I weight train three times a week, ride 14 miles on the bike every other day, and take Zumba. I have lost 19 pounds in about two months. I have lost three sizes and quite a few inches. I am totally happy. I only get dizzy when I don't eat or drink b/4 my workouts. Now that I am eating healthy, I feel great and have a lot more energy. I guess every body type and system is different. I am so happy for you though that you found your niche in your calorie count and hve been consistently losing weight and gaining endurance.. I am doing the same. but 100 jumping jacks (the dreaded jumping jacks)..... I cannot do that for sure. good for you!

I find I am doing really well.

Keep it up...

LorinaLynn

I eat about 1000-1200 calories a day... for dinner alone. :flowerforyou:

I'm 40 years old, maintaining at about 2300 a day and used to think I had to eat under 1000 a day to lose because I was middle aged and had a slow metabolism.

MariaChele85

I eat about 1000-1200 calories a day... for dinner alone. :flowerforyou:

I'm 40 years old, maintaining at about 2300 a day and used to think I had to eat under 1000 a day to lose because I was middle aged and had a slow metabolism.

Yea I think I'm about 1100 cal by the end of lunch....

kimosabe1

great post girl.....

boogie17

i eat 1200 calories a day, run 6miles a day and lift, and that works for me. my dr has had me on 1200 cals for awhile now. didn't care at first now i do. started running and now that is helping me lose more weight.

fit_spired_vicky

I... I... I love your post. Thank you. :flowerforyou:

annams76

My goal is 1200 calories a day right now until I get to the wieght I want to be at. Granted I workout so much that I tend to eat close to 1800 calories a day. I just find it hard to get that many calories in when I am eating healthier. Thank you for your story and advise.

ninakir88

Everyone is different and everyone has different goals.
Not everyone is interested in lifting a lot of weight either.
My eating ranges 1200-1500 calories, and I am very content with that. It works for me and I don't feel like I'm starving, lol.
But good that you found something that works for you.

MariaChele85

i eat 1200 calories a day, run 6miles a day and lift, and that works for me. my dr has had me on 1200 cals for awhile now. didn't care at first now i do. started running and now that is helping me lose more weight.

If your doctor has you on 1200, then deff stick to it. Much success to you.