A Success story from someone who eats 1200 calories

dusksky33

im at 1200 calories and i have lost 35 lbs in 2 months.....and I am not hungry I make sure all the food i eat is healthy and filling and I also will have a cheat day every wed. I do work a job where i walk a lot and swim,i have only been to the gym a few times. But i will be going to the gym a lot more now to get over my weight loss hump..and then I may adjust to eat more calories just to stay fit GREAT JOB EVERYONE!! remember not all our bodies are the same so what works fro you may not work for someone else

PikaKnight

Just to put it out there - the OP has deactivated.

agulamali

Congrats on your weight loss! 1,200 calories will produce a calorie deficit for most people. If you're eating 1,200 calories per day on average, you are bound to lose weight over time. They trick is finding an eating plan to be able to stick with it long enough to see results.

ndj1979

Okay people, I mean no disrespect to the OP or anyone that has responded, but cant we all just agree that there are people that can lose at 1200 and others at 2000? And what works for you is best for you. There's really no need for the 1200 bashing or saying 1200 is best for everyone. Each person has a different lifestyle, different level of activity, etc. I would personally gain at 2000 unless I changed up my activity level a bit, sometimes 1200 will do it for me, and sometimes I feel I'd starve if I didn't eat more than1500- and I'm just one person.

Congratulations to all who have lost weight and are living healthy, regardless of how many calories. Let's just support each other. If something's not working for you, try something else. We should be here for help and support, not telling people they're wrong when what they're doing is working.

No, we all have to follow TDEE - 20% or you will be taken to the Gulag!

trevvian

I started cutting carbs in December, without tracking, in an attempt to FEEL BETTER than the wild blood sugar swings I was having. When I realized I was actually successfully losing weight, I got motivated to start tracking in March. I didn't change my eating habits, but found I rarely exceed 1200 calories. I wouldn't know what else to eat. I have 3 meals & a snack every day, maybe an extra serving of tuna after a strength workout. There's nothing wrong with eating 1200 calories, especially if your TDEE is only 1680, like mine.

charliemarie923

Ive only read two pages of this thread but....
MFP told me to eat 1200 cals a day, so did web MD but when i mentioned it in one of my first ever posts i got thrashed!!
I was told i should eat minimum BMR or 20% less than TDEE.
My BMR is 1512...thats an extra meal to what MFP told me.
And my TDEE is 1872

so...in response i upped my cals to that of my BMR..
After seeing this thread i am very confused and wondering who to listen to.
Ive been here less than a week, so cant really tell if the diet is working yet or not.

dixiewhiskey

This thread scares me

Natihilator

All snark aside, I would LOVE to hear from a 1200 weight loser who has kept off their weight for 2-5 years. And how much they have to eat to maintain their overall loss.

ARE YOU OUT THERE? DO YOU EVEN EXIST?? :flowerforyou: I have a flower for you since a cookie will probably put you over goal (ok that last part was a bit snarky but DID I LIE THO?)

ndj1979

Ive only read two pages of this thread but....
MFP told me to eat 1200 cals a day, so did web MD but when i mentioned it in one of my first ever posts i got thrashed!!
I was told i should eat minimum BMR or 20% less than TDEE.
My BMR is 1512...thats an extra meal to what MFP told me.
And my TDEE is 1872

so...in response i upped my cals to that of my BMR..
After seeing this thread i am very confused and wondering who to listen to.
Ive been here less than a week, so cant really tell if the diet is working yet or not.

find what works for you and stick to it..some people use TDEE - whatever percent and do well and some people do 1200 and do well on that ..

whatever you choose stick with it for four to six weeks and see what the results are..I think the problem is that people bounce from program to program with no real understanding of what they are doing and then never get results because they do not stick with one program for long enough...

kellyjkaylor

i started 6.5 months ago on 1360, I am now down to 1250 and have lost 55 lbs, very few days am I hungry, my body has adjusted and I feel so much better!

CristinaL1983

All snark aside, I would LOVE to hear from a 1200 weight loser who has kept off their weight for 2-5 years. And how much they have to eat to maintain their overall loss.

ARE YOU OUT THERE? DO YOU EVEN EXIST?? :flowerforyou: I have a flower for you since a cookie will probably put you over goal (ok that last part was a bit snarky but DID I LIE THO?)

After a couple ankle surgeries and a pregnancy, I lost 50 lbs eating 1200 cal/day. I maintained that loss for over 4 years. When I got divorced, changed careers, and moved halfway across the country I gained back 10 lbs. I am currently losing from my initial goal +the ten pounds I gained to my ultimate goal. I am also currently eating at 1200 calories. To maintain, I ate around 2100 calories/day which is my TDEE.

I eat a cookie, ice cream, candy or something some days (just one or in a small portion) about 150 cal or below. I usually hit my macros by about 1000 calories by choosing nutritious foods and can use the extra for a treat if I feel like it.

ETA: I haven't lost any LBM (measured twice so far by DeXA) and all my blood work looks good. All markers of health are excellent for me, I'm in a healthy body fat range, just want to get to my ideal.

Italiano7

congratulations!!:drinker:

FindingMyself24

there has been a lot of bashing about people who eat 1200 calories. I thought I would post my success story about it.

I started out at 250 pounds when I began this journey which incidently I was eating the 1600-1800 calories in eating

I then began to reduce my calories and dropped to 220 pounds last January and am now to 179 pounds.

so all total so far I lost 71 pounds and none of it has been gained back at all. I keep on going down.

Thats awesome!! Good job! I only eat 1200 calories myself. I have been very successful in the past with the method im using. Now after my second pregnancy I am doing it again. Before MFP I was 216 after I gave birth to my daughter. When I joined MFP (This past Jan.) I was 190.8 and now Im 179.2. I eat 1200 to 1300 calories a day. I eat VERY often (every 2 hours) to keep my metabolism boosted. I also try not to eat after 7 pm. This is whats been working for me. I tried to increase my calories and all I did was gain weight (weird). I wasnt eating unhealthy either. I guess it just depends on the person's body. Everybody is different.

FindingMyself24

State the obvious.

No one on 1200 calories is intending to eat that much their whole life. Neither would anyone eating 1500, or even 2000. Once you have lost your excess fat, you change your calories so you're no longer at a deficit. I have no idea why people keep assuming that 1200 calories, or any of the other calorie deficit plans, are for LIFE when they are in fact a DIET.

Where's the eye roll smilie when you need one, eh?

Sooo agree!! Very Well said!

jmcraigs

I also want to let people know about my experience with the app. As background, I am 50 and have been active most of my life but always carried some extra weight. Over the last couple of years I have had a more sedentary job and gained a few extra pounds. When I crossed the 200 lb mark at 5'9", I heard about he app and decided to give it a try. I believed that it was something that I could just monitor my food nutritional value and see where I ended up. When I entered the data into the app, I was given a suggested intake calorie limit of 1340. Like others, I thought that was very low.

Over he first couple of weeks I went over the suggested calories a few days, especially when I didn't exercise. But I set a moderate goal of 2 lbs per week. As I got used to how the app worked and saw what foods were high fat or in calories, I adjusted in small ways and saw big results. I know am better informed as to what I can eat and stay within the calorie limit easily. If I decide to have a night where I eat more, I can exercise to gain additional credits or just make it up over the rest of the week. It is very motivating to try and keep the bar in he green and that alone has a big psychological impact for me. It motivates me to exercise more and once I saw the weight coming off with little change or additional effort, I was a convert. I have been doing this since November of 2012 and have lost 19 lbs. the majority was in the first two months and now I maintain or slowly drop a few more.. It has been very easy and I like the results.

Great product. Anyone can see the same results.

ihateroses

I have only ever "hated" on a person eating 1200 calories, doing HOURS of cardio, and not eating back the calories.

If you are netting 1200 successfully and not starving then more power to ya!

dirtyd89

I eat 1,200-1,300 calories a day.
The smaller your body gets the less food your body needs to function.
That's always been the case for me.
Also the human body adapts just like any other animal would.
Whatever you do to your body it'll adapt to whatever you do to it.

ihateroses

I eat 1,200-1,300 calories a day.
The smaller your body gets the less food your body needs to function.
That's always been the case for me.
Also the human body adapts just like any other animal would.
Whatever you do to your body it'll adapt to whatever you do to it.

So you are planning on eating at a deficit your whole life?

Natihilator

All snark aside, I would LOVE to hear from a 1200 weight loser who has kept off their weight for 2-5 years. And how much they have to eat to maintain their overall loss.

ARE YOU OUT THERE? DO YOU EVEN EXIST?? :flowerforyou: I have a flower for you since a cookie will probably put you over goal (ok that last part was a bit snarky but DID I LIE THO?)

After a couple ankle surgeries and a pregnancy, I lost 50 lbs eating 1200 cal/day. I maintained that loss for over 4 years. When I got divorced, changed careers, and moved halfway across the country I gained back 10 lbs. I am currently losing from my initial goal +the ten pounds I gained to my ultimate goal. I am also currently eating at 1200 calories. To maintain, I ate around 2100 calories/day which is my TDEE.

I eat a cookie, ice cream, candy or something some days (just one or in a small portion) about 150 cal or below. I usually hit my macros by about 1000 calories by choosing nutritious foods and can use the extra for a treat if I feel like it.

ETA: I haven't lost any LBM (measured twice so far by DeXA) and all my blood work looks good. All markers of health are excellent for me, I'm in a healthy body fat range, just want to get to my ideal.

Thanks for replying. So would you attribute your being able to maintain on 2100 due to the amount and/or type of exercise you did throughout your weight loss and maintenance? (and did that change during the course of losing and maintaining?) I assume if you haven't lost any LBM it's because you are dilligently meeting your macros and preserving through exercise?

Maribabewhich

there has been a lot of bashing about people who eat 1200 calories. I thought I would post my success story about it.

I started out at 250 pounds when I began this journey which incidently I was eating the 1600-1800 calories in eating

I then began to reduce my calories and dropped to 220 pounds last January and am now to 179 pounds.

so all total so far I lost 71 pounds and none of it has been gained back at all. I keep on going down.

I don't bash people who eat the calories they need, in proportion to the exercise they take in.

I eat more, in the 1600 to 1800 range and I've lost over 50 lbs by now. But I exercise nearly every day, and my job is pretty active, I would be starving hungry at 1200.

Btw, congratulations... losing that much weight is awesome. If this works for you, then go for it. As long as its nutritionally complete, that is all that matters.
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Congrats. Is 1600 - 1800 after exercise or before

penelope1985

Hello from Germany!

I have a long experience with the 1200 calories plan so I think I can be useful.

In 2010 I started a plan to become thin for the first time in my life. I was eating 4-5 times a day, very small portions of healthy food, mostly lean meat, veggies, cheese and fruit. I went in roughly 6 months from 77kgs to 55 kgs. In the next 6 months I shed another 3 kilos. Back then I was exercising 365 days per year, doing cardio for at least 30 mins per day, but also piltes and yoga.

The 1200 calories plan is okay, but I am not sure it works forever. There comes a day in a dieter's life when they have to decide that they'r done with diet and they have to mentain a weight. And thsi is not possible when you have been used to eating 1200 calories.

It is always a struggle of nurture vs education, because when you are thin you always think "Maybe one junk thing will not hurt me" But it does in the long term. So maintaining this structure in the long term takes a lot of effort.

In 2011, I moved to Germany and gained 9 kilos in roughly 3 months. My schedule changed , I was very anxious of all the changes and could not control food. Food ws a stable in a world where everything had changed.

In 2012, and after having moved again into another country, I pushed myself really hard and went from 69 to 60 kilos in 4 months, again eating 1300 - 1400 a day and exrcising every day.

In the winter of 2012, gradually i reached 66 again, without eating but rather by havin a very sedentary life. And now I find myself again trying to reach the 60 kilos mark which for me signifies healthy thin, whereas 55 is almost skinny.

My point with this is that it is very difficult to psh yourself all the time to eat the same, drink the same, exercise etc. The body will always push back.

So it is not that 1200 calories does not work, it does and very well at that... it is just maybe in long term there has to be a transition to more calorie intake, in terms of a balanced living.

bridafronda

Is this really true? I doubt if it really works for long. Anyway, thanks for sharing this success story of yours. Inspiring! By the way, have you heard about foods or activities that are Threats to Memory and Brain Power?

NikinCilla

Congrats on the weight loss!!! You know whats good for you & what works for you. Keep smiling & do what you do!!!

MinimalistShoeAddict

Thank you for sharing your inspiring results. Congratulations!

SerenaFisher

I didn't read all the replies since there are so many. I am sure everyone has put their two cents in and what I am about to say has already been said one way it another but... here goes.

I TOO am a success story of 1200 calories.

Guess what? I am also a FAILURE

I lost to 128lbs with 1200 calories. My body was eating itself and yeah I was HOT. I had muscle definition, and I was very thin. I should post the pics. Guess what? It doesn't last.

The moment I stopped star in myself and actually ate normal to feed my body I gained all the weight back AND more. So what good is losing the weight if you do it with a number of cals that isn't healthy to maintain? Its called anorexia... works real good at being skinny til you wake up sick.

I have lost to 130lbs by eating 1600 calories a day OR more. It took me longer, but I looked 100% better and I wasn't starving.

KANGOOJUMPS

i agree, its easy and can be done, good for you,

Unknown

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penelope1985

I agree with the above. Losing the wight iis the easy part, maintaining it is the problem...

JackiePenner

That's great! Thanks. Good job too!

Shaylyn1986

All snark aside, I would LOVE to hear from a 1200 weight loser who has kept off their weight for 2-5 years. And how much they have to eat to maintain their overall loss.

ARE YOU OUT THERE? DO YOU EVEN EXIST?? :flowerforyou: I have a flower for you since a cookie will probably put you over goal (ok that last part was a bit snarky but DID I LIE THO?)

I'm 5'2 and I ate 900-1000 calories a day doing weight watchers to lose the first 30lbs . This took 5-6months with little to no exercise (and got to keep the boobs).

Upped myself to 1200 calories a day and lost the last 10lbs gradually over a year.

Been 138lbs for 4 years in maintenance mode still eating 1200 calories a day. I work an IT job 9-5 and then I have grad school afterwards so exercise is limited to 30min on the elliptical when possible. Results:





Feel free to add me for low cal tips from my diary. :]