A Success story from someone who eats 1200 calories

fightininggirl

I would aim for 1300-1400 calories to start. see how you do

MaraDiaz

Well said. What works for one might not work for everyone. Won't, in fact.

I eat 1200 and right now, horror of horrors, I don't even eat all my exercise calories back. Because if I did it would take me a year or more to lose this last piddling bit of weight. No damn thank you. I've been in a deficit long enough and I really don't want to go to jail for murder and mayhem. So yeah, I'm going to stick this last little bit out at 1200 total most days rather than drag this out for unendurable months on end.

I know people don't like that. They'll get over it. I'm not even employed. If I were, I'd take those calories into account and if I had an active job I'd definitely add more. But I'm not. Aside from the gym or my runs and walks I get no exercise. So 1200 works for me.

k8blujay2

Good Job OP!!!

Rubyayn

Perhaps I am niaive, but I did not realise there was such an issue with 1200 cals. Isn't this the whole point of this app. To work out how many cals our bodies need on a daily basis for basic functioning, by our statistics (age, weight, height, activity) and make sure we are in a deficite?? Hence weight loss. This is the whole point of using it, surely?

The problem with this app is everyone is gungho for 2lbs a week when they really need .5-1lb lost a weeks etting.
Also i'm finding a lot of people dont eat back calories.

So the average human burns between 2k-2600cals per day.
Simply finding TDEE and cutting 20% will give appx 1lb lost per week.
Thats 1600-2k a day.
So why go thru RMR reduction from under eating, giving the body a reason to maintain fat as best it can for energy?

Even learning simple physiology of fat will tell you that this diet isnt the smartest if gross doesnt hit a sustainable amount of calories.

1 more point then i'm out:
The 4 major biological functions of fat tissue are
(1) energy storage
(2) toxin storage
(3) protection against insulin resistance, and
(4) protection against estrogen decline in women.
Eliminate the functions of fat tissue also eliminates the reasons for its existence.

So if you have excess fat....why?

Are you eating too little?
Do you have hormonal issues?
Do you eat too much?
Are you not moving like a human and picking things up?

MFPs default 2lb/week setting wants you eating back exercise calories.
If you were to delete the workout side of the custom settings menu, 1200 goes bye bye.
Do it right folks.

Yeah.... Dan once again nails it right on the head.... :-)
I'm real happy eating my weekly average of 1700 cals. And I lost 2.2 lbs in the last three weeks.
OP, once again, congrats on ure weight loss. But I sure as hell cant imagine eating so little forever.....not to mention the fact that the older we get the less calories we need. Imagine where you'll end up if u dont exercise ure butt off every day to be able to eat more then.
It wont hurt trying it Dan's way (loads of people do and has amazing success).... But of course its ure choice in the end.
All the best to you. :flowerforyou:

This and congrats on your weight lost, OP.

darcyinmo

you seem a little dueschy

A little?

Why do nasty comments come from users with NO picture of themselves and no open diary? Just an observations. I got slammed by someone like that once....I feel sorry for them. My diary is open for everyone and I have a pic. Judge me all you want on what I eat and how much I eat, but this is for ME! This is how I'M doing it and it works for ME!

Love and Hugs!

Sballard418

So for the people who don't get full on the 1200 calorie. I do get full, does it just depend on what you're eating? I have stayed away from bread dairy pasta and all that and have been eating very clean. I too have a hard time (sometimes) filling in my calories. But then again I never used to eat breakfast and would only eat one meal a day....dinner. I never realized why I was so fat, that's what my mom told me to do to lose weigh :P I was in starvation mode so now that I am spreading out the 1200 calories I'm doing a lot better.

Congrats on your weight loss that is the real reason we should all be commenting on this thread. Hats off to you, I can't wait to lost 50lbs!

Momf3boys

FTR, I eat over 3000 cals. Just sayin'. There's more than one way to skin a cat. And one of us will still look like this in two years. Can you guess which one?

you seem a little dueschy

FTR, I lost 130 pounds by eating 1,200 calories a day and I kept it off for 4 years and then I got pregnant...you don't know about that though...

dueschy...LOL...I love it!

Good for you...you can do it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Stay positive and keep on going!!!

mauswood

I lost over 40 pounds eating 1200 calories a day.
When you make healthy choices, sometimes it's hard to even get to 1200.. healthy food can be very low calorie and filling.

Totally agree - sometimes I would make myself eat just a little bit more to get to 1,200 - I have the problem a lot of the time where I'm not eating enough just because I've filled up on super low calorie foods.

sflurbo

Congratulations and keep going!! I want to be your story so bad, my will power isn't all that great though. I just started MFP yesterday and I too am on 1200 calorie per day. Keep up the awesome work, how better you must feel!!

prettymorbidity

i feel ya girl! i found that if i eat really good for me stuff all day like raw fruits and vegetable and nuts and "graze" as youd say, that even eating a great burger with a fried egg on it for dinner doesn't put me over the 1200 calories! if you were eating 1600 or more maybe try 1300 calories to start then go down. my hardest problem has been my stomach shrinking! its so painful! but its just as painful to overeat ive found.... they both suck......finding a happy medium is hard but ive found that its easier to get that happy medium if my breakfast and lunch are all healthy raw things, then i can still enjoy my homemade cooking at night. good luck! dont worry about just a few calories if you go over, just try your best! keep it up!

perfectingpatti

A little?

Why do nasty comments come from users with NO picture of themselves and no open diary? Just an observations. I got slammed by someone like that once....I feel sorry for them. My diary is open for everyone and I have a pic. Judge me all you want on what I eat and how much I eat, but this is for ME! This is how I'M doing it and it works for ME!

You quoted me, but your comment makes me think you're not following the thread. My comment about that guy being "a little" dueschy was because of his nasty comment to the OP. It's HER success thread, so I don't see a need for him to insult her here.

I'm not sure why not having an actual picture of my face matters at all, though. I also don't see why you need to see my diary.

4_Lisa

eatng more is what got me to 250 pounds. and put me at a size 26W. thanks runmeNC very kind. I lost 5 more pounds today weighing 174 pounds. I weigh once a week also.

First off, Is that 5lbs a week average? If you are losing that much every week then you NEED to up your calories, anything over 1-2 lbs per week is muscle tissue your losing.

I am at the 1390 mark right now and work out HARD 3 times a week and only lose average 2 lbs a week and gaining muscle. And no I don't ever eat back my calories burned unless my body tells me I'm hungary which normally it doesn't because of careful meal planning and lots of good fuel.

bcattoes

FTR, I eat over 3000 cals. Just sayin'. There's more than one way to skin a cat. And one of us will still look like this in two years. Can you guess which one?

I'm guess that you will still look the same in 2 years. I base that only on the fact that you've lost 0 of your 32lb weight loss goal and Fightininggirl has lost 71 lbs so far and losing more and more every week. Definitely feel she will look much different in 2 years. Contrats to you fightininggirl, you are an inspiration.

:flowerforyou: Nicely put!

MaraDiaz

One thing I've noticed lately because people are so judgmental and cranky is that I've segregated myself into little sub forums. I'm in several low carb forum because of the low carb bashing, I joined a binge eater forum because some posters cannot fathom that moderation doesn't work for everyone, and now I've joined a 1200 calorie a day forum because people bash on that.

Really reminds me why I dislike humanity.

Is there a misanthrope forum I can join?

tabinmaine

Since there are many that believe eating 1200 calories works and you look great...... post some pics... let us see your results...

Yolanda4160

I lost over 40 pounds eating 1200 calories a day.
When you make healthy choices, sometimes it's hard to even get to 1200.. healthy food can be very low calorie and filling.

Totally agree here! I've lost so far, and notice when I don't eat as healthy or clean I'm left hungry. The days I eat clean I feel stuffed and struggle to get calories in and am often low on calories those days, but full of energy, sleep better too!

Same here! The cleaner I eat, I struggle to hit my 1200. Congrats on your loss!!!! and good luck in your future success

Book_wormie22

hey! saw your post, did you know you can create meals in this program? you just enter all the ingredients, then how many servings it makes, and then you can get how many calories are in each -

lmclellan68

This entire thread pains me. I am a previous 1200-calorie consumer. Yes, 1200 is a great way to lose weight - it's just about fail-proof. However, LONG-TERM thinking, 1200 cals a day is not good. Your body needs more than this just to function if you do anything besides laying in bed all day long.

Do the math....if you burn 50 cals an hour...which most people do at rest...thats 1200 calories seriously lying in bed all day. If you walk around, do a workout, you're looking at burning about 1500 calories at least per day. If you're only fueling your body on 1200 calories, yes you might lose weight, but I bet your body is eating your muscle to get that 300 calories a day you're not providing it. You might keep this up for 1, 2, 3 years, but looking 5 years, 10 years, 15 years down the road, something is bound to happen.
1) Your body will give out
2) You will seriously plateau
3) You're in maintenance and start eating above 1200 and gain it all back.

It's so much easier than this...Figure out your BMR (mine is 1375). Eat at least that - (I eat 1500). Burn 500 more than you eat. (I burn 2000+ a day). I've lost 16 pounds in 12 weeks. And I started out at 139 so it's not like I have a ton of weight to lose. Yet the scale still moves.

Yes, again, 1200 cals works, no one is saying it doesn't - but you don't have to do it that way. I used to be of this mindset and yes when you increase your calorie intake, you will be puffy and bloated and maybe gain a pound or 2 for a few days while your body readjusts, but it doesn't stay that way. It WILL adjust!!

The number on the scale is so much less important than optimal health. I hope this benefits someone.

^^^^^
I am going to try this! I've been stuck at the same weight since summer. I have lost 50 pounds eating the 1200 a day, but have been stuck. I work out 5-6 days a week (mostly circuit training/boot camp and running) and my TDEE is 1710 so maybe I am not eating enough especially with the exercise! It will be hard to get in the extra calories, but I'm going to do my best! Thanks for the advice!!! I just want to get the scale moving downward again!

msacurrie

Everyone's story is different. I started out doing the 1200 calories a day thing, but the more I worked out, the more I needed to raise my calories or I was SO HUNGRY and TIRED and getting SICK and my workouts weren't doing much. Now I work a more active job, as well, so I raised my calories even more. I eat about 1,640 calories a day now and I am still losing - slowly, but steadily. Once I get back to the gym, hopefully I will lose more. It really depends on how active you are, how dedicated you are, your physical make up, your diet, your health concerns, your age, gender, history, etc. etc. etc. No one plan works for everyone.

Momf3boys

Wow...there are some serious haters...what works for one may not work for another...why be so rude? Disregard all of the negativity and you keep doing what works for you!!!!!