1200, and why it won't work

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  • valeriewxy
    valeriewxy Posts: 418 Member
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    Really interesting post :) Couldn't stop till I got to the end! ^^

    I started last October at 1200 cals for about 2 months, and lost 20 lbs. Since Jan (after my Xmas & New Year holiday madness), I've been eat at 1300 cals and considering upping it a bit more. Oddly enough, I seem to be going about it in the opposite direction - upping cals instead of going down over time!

    I'm 25, 5'4" and started at 181lbs. I'm now 154 lbs ^^
  • August_1958
    August_1958 Posts: 110 Member
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    bump
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    Nice post! I want to blame MFP for this "magic" 1200 cals. You sign up and of course you select the most aggressive loss of 2 lbs/ week and next thing you know MFP has set you to 1200. Unless you really read up on stuff, most are going to assume the site knows best :(


    ABSOLUTELY!! This is what I've learned from reading this post!! I DID think that the myfitnesspal site knew best!! Now, I've read the information on this page: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/ and have come to realize that I am not eating enough! And I AM MISERABLE alot of the days that I'm sticking with this plan! I just fell off my diet for 6 days in a row because I got tired of being hungry. I'm wondering now if my scale isn't moving down on a regular basis "because" I'm not eating enough........... I also exercise my butt off just so I can 'earn' some extra calories so I can not be hungry that day. I will definitely be rethinking my weight loss plan now!
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    I just wanted to say " THANK YOU SO MUCH!!" for sharing your knowledge in this post!! I have read the entire post and also the site http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/ and now understand that I am not eating enough!! I have been so hungry that I exercise my butt off just so I can have a snack in the evening and I've also just fell off my plan for a 6 day binge because I got tired of being hungry! I think my scale isn't moving much because I am actually not eating enough! I never understood this before!! So again, Thank You!! I am going to friend you on here as soon as I post this :)
  • OneDimSim
    OneDimSim Posts: 188 Member
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    save
  • sofiawantstolose
    sofiawantstolose Posts: 46 Member
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    Your post was really interesting, despite the leght. I think you are totally right when you say that weightloss is a progression. But I have one question for you. I'm a super active girl. I'm 18, 5'6, I weigh 69 kg. 20% body fat. I play volleyball, and we train really hard, two hours and a half three days a week; plus, I'm going to the gym and doing cardio.
    When I started using MFP it was kind of scary, because I didn't think that the 1200 calorie thing was actually good. Still, I needed to eat around 1300 calories a day. But the problem is that I never overeat, and I eat right and clean. I never drink soda, always water, and I never log the exact amout of water I drink, because It's way over 8 cups and It's not worth it. I exercise a lot, and I eat. I mean, I actually eat. But I haven't lost weight in the last two weeks, so I think I'll be a little more accurate when I fluctuate the calorie intake.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I just wanted to say " THANK YOU SO MUCH!!" for sharing your knowledge in this post!! I have read the entire post and also the site http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/ and now understand that I am not eating enough!! I have been so hungry that I exercise my butt off just so I can have a snack in the evening and I've also just fell off my plan for a 6 day binge because I got tired of being hungry! I think my scale isn't moving much because I am actually not eating enough! I never understood this before!! So again, Thank You!! I am going to friend you on here as soon as I post this :)

    Yep. It's important to remember that military docs who treated POWs when they were released understood that they way to make their patients gain weight was by restricting their calories severely one day a week and then allowing them to eat ad lib for the rest of the week. The calorie restriction would slow down their metabolism so that the calories they ate in the days following would go toward weight gain. They didn't start exercising them until they had gained sufficient weight to withstand the calorie deficit that came from exercise.
  • nikkionwine
    nikkionwine Posts: 49
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    Great post. 1200 calories is for the birds :) I'm 5'7, 128 and never eat less than 1600 per day. I'd say I eat anywhere from 1600-2600 on any given day, and I have steadily lost weight :) I exercise too though.
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    "Yep. It's important to remember that military docs who treated POWs when they were released understood that they way to make their patients gain weight was by restricting their calories severely one day a week and then allowing them to eat ad lib for the rest of the week. The calorie restriction would slow down their metabolism so that the calories they ate in the days following would go toward weight gain. They didn't start exercising them until they had gained sufficient weight to withstand the calorie deficit that came from exercise. "



    Thanks! That is a Very Good Point you made!! And I think alot of my problem over the years......... also not eating often enough all day long and then eating a really large dinner. I'm excited to make the changes I need now! :)
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    Okay, Can ANYONE tell me?? Since I have to do my own mathmatical equation to figure out my TDEE and then the calories I should be eating per day for a more successful and less hungry weight loss.......... HOW DO I CHANGE MY CALORIE ALLOWANCE IN MYFITNESSPAL??? I went to settings and I didn't see anything except where they figure it out for you. If your not able to change that then how is MFP benefitting your calorie tracking? thanks :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Click on "my home" then "goals" and at the bottom "change goals" and then choose "custom" to set up your own goals.
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    Click on "my home" then "goals" and at the bottom "change goals" and then choose "custom" to set up your own goals.


    THANKS MUCH!! :)
  • Ampedette
    Ampedette Posts: 35 Member
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    Bump
  • volume77
    volume77 Posts: 670 Member
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    will u be my personal trainer????????????????
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
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    It sounds like your intentions are good but I believe morbid obesity is not something to play around with. Having someone only losing one pound per week when they have 150 pounds of fat to lose would be a three year time frame. There is a chance they could be dead by then. I would agree with you more if it were someone with a smaller amount to lose with less health risks involved. And your comment about over weight people not having self control, well it sounds a little condesending. I would venture to guess that you have never been 150 pounds over weight yourself but I could be wrong. Just like lower calorie diets are not always the right thing so also higher calorie diets are not always the right thing.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Bump to save for later
  • amy_wills
    amy_wills Posts: 37 Member
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    This is such a great post!!! I love how you broke it down for everyone and used a real life example. I am a big proponent on eating more than 1200 calories a day! Women just dont get it...when trying to lose weight they starve themselves and that JUST WONT WORK. Im going to read your post again because I find it very inspiring and informative.

    thanks again!
  • Chipmunk222
    Chipmunk222 Posts: 240 Member
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    bump for later :)
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,775 Member
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    Quite an interesting post, especially from someone here on MFP for 3 months with no weight loss progress posted or daily food log.
  • Brianna716
    Brianna716 Posts: 303 Member
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    I wonder why it's working for me then... I guess we're not all the same after all!

    I'm 5'3" and I only had 28 pounds to lose... MFP started me off on 1,260/day and when I reached 140 pounds it put me on 1,200 a day. I'm not eating 400 calorie "snacks". My plate full of food is 445 calories! That's for 4 oz pork, 3/4 cup mashed potatoes + 2 TBSP sour cream and 1/2 cup corn.

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