1200 Calories??? Are you kidding me...lol

13

Replies

  • Cinflo58
    Cinflo58 Posts: 326 Member
    I think they assign that 1200 calories to every woman. I FINALLY did my TDEE after mumbling to myself for months, "I don't need no stinking TDEE" and my calorie needs are 1640 calories - to maintain my weight. So if I do any exercise I should lose and I am alot older than you - 54!! Also, how could these teenagers and 20 year olds need 1200 caalories. It ain't so!

    Anyway, if you eat less and exercise more you will lose. Tracking food makes you aware of how much you eat and it also helps if you weigh and measure your food because I really thought I was eating less than my real portions.
  • Beloreana
    Beloreana Posts: 1 Member
    Normally I almost always watch my calories and 1200 can be alot if you fill it with the right bulk like high fiber foods and such.

    But here is what really works for me: answering my body's cravings. If I feel like breaking my diet for a day and indulging in what I am craving, I do it. I have found that over time, I am less likely to overeat if I simply give my body what it is asking for.

    So if I feel like sushi I have sushi. If I feel like a burger I have a burger or two. We often overestimate how much food we need when we don't answer our body's requests. In the past I have often found myself binge eating when I ignored what I really craved and settled for the "healthy" option. These days, I find that when I honor what my body is craving I actually order more food than I can eat.

    I know this sounds counter intuitive, because in our consumer culture we're so used to being told what we want. I've found that if I take the time to really listen to what my body needs, I am more likely to eat healthy and follow caloric restrictions. And so far it has worked for me very well, better than a straight 1200 calorie diet where I completely cut out foods I love.
  • Does anyone know how to change the calorie requirement that it gives on here manually? After doing a bit of research I definitely should be eating around 1600 but this system puts in your calories for you by asking questions of current weight, goal weight, height, and exercise activity which is actually very silly.
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    I have always struggled with that eating a meal while preparing the meal I am going to eat. I have found that if I chew gum or munch on celery while cooking it helps a lot. And be sure to have a drink handy while cooking.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Does anyone know how to change the calorie requirement that it gives on here manually? After doing a bit of research I definitely should be eating around 1600 but this system puts in your calories for you by asking questions of current weight, goal weight, height, and exercise activity which is actually very silly.
    1.My Home
    2. Goals
    3. Change Goals
    4. Custom
  • Thank you, I figured out how to increase my calories. By changing them to 1500 instead of the 1200 I was actually under that so Im a bit happier. Today I am going to try to incorporate yoga and see if I can get myself to like exercising. I hated gym class as a kid and I was never into sports. I do however like swimming so maybe I should check out local gyms for a pool.
  • im
    11weeks
    preg
    and i still only need 1400cals and i feel full and havnt gained during these3 months i think 1200 fine for someone dedicated to loosing as long as your eting good healthy 1200 cal can be filling
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    im
    11weeks
    preg
    and i still only need 1400cals and i feel full and havnt gained during these3 months i think 1200 fine for someone dedicated to loosing as long as your eting good healthy 1200 cal can be filling
    you're pregnant and only eating 1400 calories? No. Please talk to your doctors about what the baby inside you needs.
  • I chose to increase my calories to 1400. I was ok on 1200 for a few weeks, then I found that I was way too tired and had very little strength.

    The easiest way to make the most out of your calories is (IMO) to eat 'clean' for example, fresh meat and veg for lunch and dinner. You get a lot more food for your calorie allowance that way.

    Keep trying, change your figures if it's too hard. It's better to lose weight more slowly and stick at it than to try and lose quickly and find it impossible to continue xxx


    New to this site how do you change your figures, I cant find it anywhere? X
  • porky44
    porky44 Posts: 34
    I quit somking August 31, 2012! Congrats to you for putting them down also. I feel 100% better since I did. I will be 45 yrs in exactly 30 days. This site calculated 1200 cal for me too. I tried it and my family, friends and co-workers all suffered because of it!!! I was very grumpy. I tweaked it a little and made my cal daily goal just under 1400 cal/day and i always end up being under. It is much better than the pissy hungry woman I was with fewer cals.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    New to this site how do you change your figures, I cant find it anywhere? X
    My Home > Goals > Change Goals > Custom.
  • jriehl08
    jriehl08 Posts: 157 Member
    1200 really isn't hard at all. I usually have a hard time getting to the 1200 min that MFP wants me to eat so my body doesn't go into starvation mode. 90 cal snack bars are your friend. I eat the great value strawberry ones and love them. Plus they really fill me up once I eat one.

    The sunday before I started my life changing choice of starting MFP and exercising my lunch alone was 1300 calories breakfast was 700 and dinner was 1500 no including the 1000 calories for the thing of popcorn I ate or the 3-20 oz cokes I drank.

    I really think its more finding good things that fill you up over just finding things in the calories you can eat. I eat a turkey wrap for lunch at work and I'm stuffed when Im done eating it and its only 180 calories total.

    Good luck on your goals and keep a positive outlook on things. It will get easier after some time.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    Also, by what you said, that would be the same as eating 1800, and then burn 300 and not eating them back.
    No way I'm eating 1800 calories - that just seems insane to me.
  • Fr3shStrt
    Fr3shStrt Posts: 349 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    to build muscle, look good, be strong, be healthy, live long, enjoy life, etc
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    to build muscle, look good, be strong, be healthy, live long, enjoy life, etc
    Ok, there are plenty of good looking, strong and healthy people who don't work out.
  • jraines1973
    jraines1973 Posts: 231 Member
    I’m also eating only 1200 calories. I find that I get the hungriest around 3:00. I don’t get home from work until 5:00 or after so by then I feel like eating everything I can get my hands on. What works for me is blueberries. There is only 15 calories for one serving (¼ cup) and they are great for you. I’ll put two servings in a baggie and keep it with me from 3:00pm until dinner.
  • karaharrison2012
    karaharrison2012 Posts: 32 Member
    I thought the exact same way as you in the beginning. If you stop the sodas and sweetened drinks (empty calories) its not hard at all. At first its hard, but I promise if you stick to it, you will begin seeing results on the scale within days, at least I did, that is what gave me the will to keep it up. I am 5'5 and started out at 185lbs in June 2012 its Feb 2013 and now I am 144. Went from a size almost 18 to a 8. I never thought I could do it. Still have a few lbs to go. But 1200 calories gets the job done quick, but one thing you must remember, its a lifestyle change, you go back to old habits you will gain it all back and then some. So stick in there, add me as a friend if you like, my diary is open.
  • Fr3shStrt
    Fr3shStrt Posts: 349 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    to build muscle, look good, be strong, be healthy, live long, enjoy life, etc
    Ok, there are plenty of good looking, strong and healthy people who don't work out.

    I guess that depends on your definition of strong and healthy.
  • Tips to avoid pre dinner eating and after dinner smoking. Have a high protein snack around 4 p.m. When you get home immediatly change into exercise clothes and pour yourself a big glass of water and then set a snack bowl on the counter with baby carrots, apple slices or celery to munch on while you cook. Try to drink at least 16 oz. of water too. As soon as you are done eating brush your teeth andgo for a short walk or get in at least 10-15 min of other exercise. I quit smoking 12 years ago and I still maintain this routine. You are doing an amazing thing for yourself!!!
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I’m also eating only 1200 calories. I find that I get the hungriest around 3:00. I don’t get home from work until 5:00 or after so by then I feel like eating everything I can get my hands on. What works for me is blueberries. There is only 15 calories for one serving (¼ cup) and they are great for you. I’ll put two servings in a baggie and keep it with me from 3:00pm until dinner.
    I usually get hungry at 3pm too. I've actually started trying to eat something every 2 hrs or so.
    So I have my coffee at 8:30, then I have my breakfast around 10:30, lunch around 12:30 or 1. Snack around 3pm, then dinner around 5:30 or 6. Snack again around 8pm. It seems to work best for me.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    to build muscle, look good, be strong, be healthy, live long, enjoy life, etc
    Ok, there are plenty of good looking, strong and healthy people who don't work out.

    I guess that depends on your definition of strong and healthy.

    I guess so..
    BTW - Love Never Ending Story!
  • shellsy1st
    shellsy1st Posts: 1 Member
    I quit smoking nearly 2 years ago and without me realizing it i replaced smoking with eating, every time i had a coffee i would normally have a cigarette so instead i would have a cake or biscuits and before i knew it i was 73kgs almost 13kgs overweight and for almost 2 years i'd been blinded by the fact that i was overweight.

    It took me to start keeping a food journal before i finally realized how much i was eating, some of it was just out of habit not hunger and its a hard habit to break especially if its a replacement for cigarettes.

    I found this site & now im on my way to a healthy lifestyle and weight loss, i did find the 1200 calories hard to stick to at first but it is a lifestyle change you have to make changes to the things you eat and absolutely no junk food, i find that if i exercise i really don't want to eat rubbish as its just undoing the hard work im putting in.

    I bought Gillian Michael Master your Metabolism cookbook which i find has loads of great food to eat that keeps you with in your 1200 calorie limit.
  • Fr3shStrt
    Fr3shStrt Posts: 349 Member

    BTW - Love Never Ending Story!

    :smile:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    this might be a dumb question... but
    Is it better to eat, for example 1500 calories, and then burn off 300 with exercise, to net 1200.. or just eat 1200 with no exercise? Or are they basically the same thing, since you are still netting 1200??

    This is why I'm asking... I'm currently eating 1200, no exercise.
    I should be eating around 1500.. but if I eat 1500 and then burn 300 with exercise, I will still net 1200.. so is that pointless to do?
    I don't want to eat back the exercise calories.

    Let me further clarify - if I did exercise, it would strictly be cardio. But if I'm going to have the same result either way, I'd obviously prefer eating 1200 with no exercise.

    it's better to eat 1500, burn 300 and then eat back 300 calories like we suggested in your thread, lol.

    Ok, but I don't want to eat them back, I feel like that is pointless, because I worked out to burn calories and then I'm going to eat them. I just can't wrap my head around doing that.
    If I'm going to net 1500 either way, either by eating them back or not working out, I'd rather just not work out. I don't see the point.

    to build muscle, look good, be strong, be healthy, live long, enjoy life, etc
    Ok, there are plenty of good looking, strong and healthy people who don't work out.

    If what you think actually worked then you would have created several post asking about this stuff. I am not trying to be rude but stating facts. Every women i know who is successful is eating 1700-2100 calories a day. If you want to be fit and lean, you need to fuel your body. Its that simple.
  • Siege_Tank
    Siege_Tank Posts: 781 Member
    If what you think actually worked then you would have created several post asking about this stuff. I am not trying to be rude but stating facts. Every women i know who is successful is eating 1700-2100 calories a day. If you want to be fit and lean, you need to fuel your body. Its that simple.

    Ignorance is bliss.

    Yes you can stick to your lower eating values instead of eating 1500, then burning 300, because it IS pointless. Cardio does just that, it improves your stamina, cardiovascular performance, conditioning, and helps with your agility, and is a great tool for fat loss, if you find it hard to eat at a significant cut.

    It should be noted that a calorie cut without exercise can slow your metabolism slightly, but only by a small amount (8-12%). Adjusting back to maintenance once you reach your goal will take several weeks of slowly upping your calories.

    Personally, I think that if you consume enough protein, and make a head nod towards some kind of strength or light resistance training in your regimen, maintaining a cut like that is fine. If you don't care about looking rounded and muscular in places, then don't follow a regimen that will give you size and strength.

    Although I would be one of the men in the camp who think that jessica biel's rock hard *kitten* is the stuff that dreams are made of...
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    If what you think actually worked then you would have created several post asking about this stuff. I am not trying to be rude but stating facts. Every women i know who is successful is eating 1700-2100 calories a day. If you want to be fit and lean, you need to fuel your body. Its that simple.

    Ignorance is bliss.

    Yes you can stick to your lower eating values instead of eating 1500, then burning 300, because it IS pointless. Cardio does just that, it improves your stamina, cardiovascular performance, conditioning, and helps with your agility, and is a great tool for fat loss, if you find it hard to eat at a significant cut.

    It should be noted that a calorie cut without exercise can slow your metabolism slightly, but only by a small amount (8-12%). Adjusting back to maintenance once you reach your goal will take several weeks of slowly upping your calories.

    Personally, I think that if you consume enough protein, and make a head nod towards some kind of strength or light resistance training in your regimen, maintaining a cut like that is fine. If you don't care about looking rounded and muscular in places, then don't follow a regimen that will give you size and strength.

    Although I would be one of the men in the camp who think that jessica biel's rock hard *kitten* is the stuff that dreams are made of...

    +1 for Biel's *kitten*, and +1 for having a badass mfp username.

    I have been in a 700+ calorie deficit for months (started at 245 lbs., now at 210) and my lifts have been increasing, losing inches in all of the right places, and I have seen a fair amount of increase in muscle size. Since I started as a total blimp, I had plenty of fat stores to run on while jumping in strength. It also probably helps that almost 60% of my daily calories come from protein.
  • babyblooz
    babyblooz Posts: 220 Member

    It's like Captain Kirk is pissed off that the OP is eating so little. :laugh:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    If what you think actually worked then you would have created several post asking about this stuff. I am not trying to be rude but stating facts. Every women i know who is successful is eating 1700-2100 calories a day. If you want to be fit and lean, you need to fuel your body. Its that simple.

    Ignorance is bliss.

    Yes you can stick to your lower eating values instead of eating 1500, then burning 300, because it IS pointless. Cardio does just that, it improves your stamina, cardiovascular performance, conditioning, and helps with your agility, and is a great tool for fat loss, if you find it hard to eat at a significant cut.

    It should be noted that a calorie cut without exercise can slow your metabolism slightly, but only by a small amount (8-12%). Adjusting back to maintenance once you reach your goal will take several weeks of slowly upping your calories.

    Personally, I think that if you consume enough protein, and make a head nod towards some kind of strength or light resistance training in your regimen, maintaining a cut like that is fine. If you don't care about looking rounded and muscular in places, then don't follow a regimen that will give you size and strength.

    Although I would be one of the men in the camp who think that jessica biel's rock hard *kitten* is the stuff that dreams are made of...

    Even with strength training, if its in conjunction with a lower calorie diet you will lose lean body mass.. only the obese can get away with a lcd. She is no where close to obese. Body needs fuel, if it doesnt have enough glycogen store it will go to the amino acids in muscle to create energy.