Have you lost eating 1200 calories?

Kath1391

my net goal is 1290 but because I exercise I usually eat around 1,310-1400 which works perfect for me.I haven't weighed myself yet but I never feel hungry and I actually feel alot better since joining this side..1200 seems rather low but it works for different people

cm196250

If you extercise you can gain back more calories for example i have earn today, an extra 840 calories to go along with my 1200 calories a day ,that being said I am not starving all the time,which really motivates me to extercise at the gym.i do not eat any processed foods or sugar items no sodas or even diet drinks.i am losing quick.
I only stick to 1200 a day when i am unable to extercise. but It will work hang in there.

quirkytizzy

I lost at 1,200 but had to bump it up to 1,400. I was too hungry all the time. I eat every exercise calorie back. Curiously enough, I am losing weight at the same (if not slightly faster) rate.

BrunetteRunner87

I lost 15 lbs in 8 weeks - that got me into a healthy (not overweight) range. After that I couldn't do it any more mentally because I like food too much, so I just exercise a lot and try not to overindulge. So over the past year since I've started doing that I've lost 10-15 more.

wvtrap

I eat ~1200 calories a day and have lost almost 42lbs since Thanksgiving.

are you serious?

Absolutely. I started at 299lbs. I lost 31lbs in the first 30days. It been a pleasant surprise.

trophywife24

I did and lost about 25 pounds doing so. I upped it for myself for no other reason than I got to be a bit hungry after a while and lost just the same on 1400 or so.

wvtrap

I eat ~1200 calories a day and have lost almost 42lbs since Thanksgiving.

are you serious?

Heavier folks can lose more weight faster than someone smaller.

^ This exactly.

Fr3shStrt

Two years ago I lost weight pretty quickly on a 1200 cals per day plan, but then I gained it back. Now I am using TDEE - 20% to calculate my calories which puts me at 1600 - 1800 cals/day (varies based on whether or not I work out), I may not lose as fast this time, but I'm hoping when I lose it it stays lost

Whatever you decide, give it time, don't give up. Keep adjusting until you find what works for you.

Good luck!

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I eat ~1200 calories a day and have lost almost 42lbs since Thanksgiving.

are you serious?

Heavier folks can lose more weight faster than someone smaller.

^ This exactly.

MY shock was coming from the fact that a 300 pound man can eat 1200 calories and I feel like a ravenous monster when I try to cut my calories that low (I'm a 4'11 female btw).

rose313

I started in August 2011 at 1200 calories. I ate that or below and lost only like 2 pounds for months. I then started lifting weights and eating 1600 cals a day and lost 5 pounds in a month. Then I started eating 1200 again and my body stopped. 1200 is not enough fuel for my body to work properly, but if you are short and sedentary it could be fine for you. You just have to find your sweet spot.

debrapeterson

I'm at around 1200 but also add back my exercise calories. Have lost 45lbs of 60 in exactly 1 year. This is the best tool ever. If you are patience and utilize it to it's fullest. That means exercise, water and nutrition. I don't do well at all on the water, and I have been straying alot lately since the holidays. But I force myself to go to the gym and continue to get back to the 1200. You can do it, it just depends on how bad you want it. Good Luck

kingofcrunk

I lost 80lbs since end of May 2012

xprettyreckless

Ummm well I am on 1200cals a day and I've lost around 10 pounds so far (been on here for about six weeks)...

BUT, I exercise almost daily and eat back most of my exercise calories usually, cause I fail miserably at trying to stick to 1200.

lisab0864

Nope...........started out eating in the 1400s range (lost 25 pounds in 10 weeks) and then upped my cals into the 1700-1800 range to lose the remaining 25 pounds (in 6 1/2 months). Currently maintaining (almost 2 years) 136-140 pounds on over 2300 cals.

MoreBean13

I've lost 30+lbs eating 1200 calories. But, then I go over that by around 800 a day, every day. It took me 6 months.

VeinsAndBones

I'm eating pretty close to 1200 calories a day (sometimes a little under) but I've been losing pretty consistantly for about 2 weeks now, about 7lbs so far ^_^

scrapper001

Usually I eat a little less than 1200 and I walk 4.0 for 30 minutes most day and I am going down but slow lost 5 pounds since Christmas

bluefox9er

That's it! Just want to know who has lost eating 1200 calories and how long has it taken you to lose following this calorie allotment! THANKSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Yes, and I was NETTING less than 500 calories a day after aggressive cardio. sure, the weight dropped off, 70 lbs plus in around 6 months, but it made me MISERABLE as hell and also made me look as if I was a recovering crack addict.

I adjusted my calories to lose 1lb a week instead of 2 and started eating 1,700 calories a day...and my exercise calories and have lost weight in a far more efficient and enjoyable way.

serious, don't go down the 1,200 calorie route.

sofielein

"MY shock was coming from the fact that a 300 pound man can eat 1200 calories and I feel like a ravenous monster when I try to cut my calories that low (I'm a 4'11 female btw). "

I was always wondering this! How do people who are 200+ pounds and are used to eating 3-4-5000 kcal a day are all of a sudden capable of eating 1200 while their TDEE is obviously much higher? Or is it about sitting on the couch trying not to move all day in order not to get hungry? (what I do sometimes)

DebbieLyn63

I am 49, 5'6" and started here at the end of Aug at 228. I have stayed around 1200, and don't eat back my exercise cals. I lost around 2 pounds a week for the first 3 months or so, then around 1- 1.5 pounds a week after then. 31 pounds so far, with 42 left to go.

sphira

I'm on 1200 a day, generally under, but I'm not really losing anything (lost 1lb in 10 days) I'm exercising too. Do I need to up my calories? (finding it difficult to go over 1200 unless I eat lots of the bad stuff), tend to only eat if I'm hungry. How do I increase my loss?

Please read this! Full of great information!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

tvanhooser

I am about 80 lbs. down shooting for around 1200ish -- 56 of that since I really started applying myself and exercising back in May 2012 -- generally around 200-400 calories in a day, more during the summer when I could get out more. And it's coming off in healthy small increments so not worried about the naysayers who say I can't do this. Sometimes a little more, sometimes less. My BMR is only 1290 and I am a writer so fairly sedentary so if I stuck to the 1200 "gospel" magic number, I wouldn't be getting the deficit I need for weight loss. I do what I've found works for me sustainably and I'm sticking with it.

ApexLeader

I started 1200 cal a day and am down 30 lbs since November 12th. I'm trying to get 1400 now because I was concerned my body would go into starvation mode.

you probably don't need to worry too much about starvation mode until your body is in the ideal weight range. the subjects in the Minnesota Starvation Experiment in the 40s were all at their ideal weight (or very close) before given 6 months of 1560 calories a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment#Goals_and_methods

Itzli

When I first started, MFP said I should eat only 1200 and I lost weight. Then it plateaued. For 6 weeks. As I did more research, both here on the boards and other exercise sites, I found a calculator that was more accurate and helpful in losing weight based upon my TDEE and goals set and realized I needed to eat more to lose. Since then I'm losing again...slower than before, but that's because I'm only 7lbs from my goal weight. Long term, I don't recommend a 1200 calorie diet.

Do you have a link? I wanna know!

MoreBean13

I started 1200 cal a day and am down 30 lbs since November 12th. I'm trying to get 1400 now because I was concerned my body would go into starvation mode.

you probably don't need to worry too much about starvation mode until your body is in the ideal weight range. the subjects in the Minnesota Starvation Experiment in the 40s were all at their ideal weight (or very close) before given 6 months of 1560 calories a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment#Goals_and_methods

JessMySize

I TRY to do 1,200, but it feels like I am starving myself, I learned that it's okay to go a little over though. )

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I started 1200 cal a day and am down 30 lbs since November 12th. I'm trying to get 1400 now because I was concerned my body would go into starvation mode.

you probably don't need to worry too much about starvation mode until your body is in the ideal weight range. the subjects in the Minnesota Starvation Experiment in the 40s were all at their ideal weight (or very close) before given 6 months of 1560 calories a day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment#Goals_and_methods

That! ^^^

Qskim

Lost 30lbs just by switching to better choices...then found MFP app (2011)and sat on 1200 because thankfully wasn't aware of all the BS on forums (not that it's wrong it's just the attitude)...learnt portion control, read a tonne about nutrition, ate cleaner, discovered I had an allergy to wheat, discovered at 43 my body different to an 18 yo, discovered I could predominately live without stopping at a drive thru, learnt that I could survive hunger long enough to get home and eat a decent sustaining, substantial meal, understood that when I get off MFP that the only exercise I'll sustain is walking cos I enjoy it as well as training with my PT cos she keeps it interesting, I learnt I can have high days and survive and get back on track, understood that key to success is being organised, learnt that I prefered to look at calorie level over a week rather than day to day, I eat only when I'm hungry and that can mean I go into the red somedays but I don't care cos I know I have leeway and yes this means now that I'm closer to goal I am eating more most days but not stressed about it. Things chop and change sometimes. I have lost 86lbs in total...50 something on MFP. 9 months of that was pregnancy and no I didn't do that on 1200 cals, ate for nutrition and with the support of trainer and doctors who showed me research on BMI and pregnancy..I had best pregnancy out of five and gained apporpriately for the health of baby but lost pregnancy weight within days and I hadn't started counting cals then either.

Find a way to make whatever you do work for you..plenty of options on here but key too is to educate yourself. Read everything you can so you don't just blindly follow something..you understand why it works for u on every level. How can u set yourself up to sustain it for life?

gettingfitnana303

Oh, I am on the 1200 calories limit and I am losing. In fact a little faster than I wanted.

AzaleaNicole38

I'm suppose to eat 1200 a day. I eat more like 1500-1600 because I exercise and eat back the calories. I don't log my whole exercise time because I know MFP over calculates calories burned. While I have seen myself tone up, I haven't lost any weight.