When is 1200 calories appropriate? (hint: almost never)

SkimFlatWhite68

I really don't think that one size fits all and I do happen to think that we are all special snowflakes.

What works is following the mental and physical strategies of someone who has already succeeded at what you set out to achieve and then tweaking it to suit yourself. For some people this may in fact be 1200 calories, but I think that what the calories are made up of is the important part. It depends what your goals are - straight weight loss OR fat loss.

heybales

Ok, confused now, I to was set to 1200 cals a day, and was working through the summer for me, losing about 2 pounds a week. But I ate my 1200-ish, going over slightly sometimes, and I would work off sometimes over that. Farm work, and workouts. Now I've been stalled for months. The last 5-10 won't come off. So what I'm reading is say I worked off 1300 cals, would I then need to eat 2500 cals in that one day, eating back what I worked off too?

2 lbs of what? Only fat? Water weight? Muscle mass?

Correct on principle, didn't you wonder why when you added exercise it increased your eating goal?

Are you aware that the 1200 was already less than what you burn daily - not even including exercise?

If you literally ate only 1200 or slightly above, total, no extra on exercise days, then you likely burned off a decent amount of muscle mass.
Now your metabolism has been shot down for that reason, compared to what it could be anyway.

In addition to that, it's probably been suppressed an additional amount - studies have shown upwards of 20%, which may never come back. Happy lowered eating levels forever.

So for farm work, did you select an activity level that was NOT sedentary, as farm work is hardly sedentary?
Probably Active or Very Active would have been honest. Then you don't log those kinds of activities, it's included already.

Also, with last 5-10 to lose, you should be selecting the goal loss of 1/2 lb weekly.

Also, any sloppiness with logging food eaten correctly can still show results when you have a lot to lose, you probably were eating more than you thought, and still are. Probably not enough to prevent muscle loss, but more.

Now with so little to lose, you have less room for error to still see results.
Need very accurate logging, especially following recommendation to eat more to keep the deficit reasonable for the amount you have to lose now.

Ang108

if you are a sedentary 38-year old woman, who is 4'10" and weighs 115lbs and does not exercise, then your TDEE-20% would be approximately 1200 calories.

if you are:

more active than that...
and/or younger than that...
and/or male...
and/or taller than that...
and/or weigh more than that...
and/or engage in cardiovascular exercise, then

you should almost certainly be eating MORE than 1200 calories per day.

i would hazard to guess that 99+% of the people on MFP are in the category that should be eating more than 1200 calories. 1200 calories per day is almost certainly too low for almost everyone who does not have an unusual medical condition requiring a low calorie intake, in which case that person would have to be under medical supervision.

if you are new here or are trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie diet because you heard that's what you need to do to lose weight, i would urge you to read through Dan's Roadmap:

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

when you are done, join the Eat, Train, Progress group run by 2 knowledgeable members who are trying to provide a safe harbor where accurate, scientifically sound health, nutrition, and fitness advice can be given without all of the background noise occasionally found in the public forums.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

please do yourself a favor and find out the right calorie goal for yourself that allows you to change your body in a healthy and satisfying way. you don't need to starve yourself and you don't need to suffer the side effects of a 1200 calorie diet.

I would like to thank you for saying " almost never ", because there are a certain % of people here in MFP who are sick and tired of having to explain that yes there are people who should eat 1200 calories or even less and that the statement " no one should ever eat 1200 calories or they will starve " is just not true.
Some of us just don't need more calories , because we are really short ( in my case just under 5 feet ) or older ( also my case:66 ). If I would want to lose more than a pound a week I would have to eat 815 calories and I am not going to do that. I am set to lose .5 pounds on 1200 calories and am happy that I lost 45 pounds in just under 9 month, probably because I had 90 pounds to lose. I expect that things will slow down as I am exactly at halfway point.
Just wanted to thank you, for taking into consideration that indeed there is a group here who does need to eat 1200 calories a day and that we are not all uninformed idiots who don't know any better. It goes without saying that I agree with you.
Thanx.....

tinakowalik

Ok, confused now, I to was set to 1200 cals a day, and was working through the summer for me, losing about 2 pounds a week. But I ate my 1200-ish, going over slightly sometimes, and I would work off sometimes over that. Farm work, and workouts. Now I've been stalled for months. The last 5-10 won't come off. So what I'm reading is say I worked off 1300 cals, would I then need to eat 2500 cals in that one day, eating back what I worked off too?

2 lbs of what? Only fat? Water weight? Muscle mass?

Correct on principle, didn't you wonder why when you added exercise it increased your eating goal?

Are you aware that the 1200 was already less than what you burn daily - not even including exercise?

If you literally ate only 1200 or slightly above, total, no extra on exercise days, then you likely burned off a decent amount of muscle mass.
Now your metabolism has been shot down for that reason, compared to what it could be anyway.

In addition to that, it's probably been suppressed an additional amount - studies have shown upwards of 20%, which may never come back. Happy lowered eating levels forever.

So for farm work, did you select an activity level that was NOT sedentary, as farm work is hardly sedentary?
Probably Active or Very Active would have been honest. Then you don't log those kinds of activities, it's included already.

Also, with last 5-10 to lose, you should be selecting the goal loss of 1/2 lb weekly.

Also, any sloppiness with logging food eaten correctly can still show results when you have a lot to lose, you probably were eating more than you thought, and still are. Probably not enough to prevent muscle loss, but more.

Now with so little to lose, you have less room for error to still see results.
Need very accurate logging, especially following recommendation to eat more to keep the deficit reasonable for the amount you have to lose now.

red_road

a lot of people brag about eating more than 1200 but their net is often just as low. that annoys me

tinakowalik

I'm sure I selected active, as I am. I never really looked at what was happening as I logged. But am not sure what I have lost, maybe some of all, fat muscle and water. It was a loss of 22 pounds. My clothes fit smaller. I did notice gain in muscle in my legs and arms, and starting to form in abs area. I think if I was unsure of this then how many are there out there not knowing this. It's a learning process. Thought I did enough research...*facepalm*

tinakowalik

Thanks for the help....I actually didn't realize!

shaunap3

I keep telling my friends this and they just keep ignoring me and getting angry. Le sigh.

Ang108

a lot of people brag about eating more than 1200 but their net is often just as low. that annoys me

I agree. However I am even more annoyed by those who are 25, eat 3000 calories in doughnuts alone and live at the gym lifting heavy and then make fun of those who do not have the same lifestyle or eat the way they do as if they were doing something wrong by practicing moderation.

DeterminedToLoseIt02

I'm 5'3, I don't exercise (one change at a time for me) and I weigh around 160. My TDEE alone is 1800 when I don't do any light exercises, so I think 1,200 is ok for me. When I add exercise I will definitely up the cals.

samlynn89

:flowerforyou:

We need to do our utmost to keep this thread at the top of the forums for as long as possible!

And when is MFP going to listen to common sense and stop advising everyone to eat 1200?!!

I lost and gained the same 7lbs for 12 months eating 1200. Now, in a fraction of that time, I have lost 9lbs following the Roadmap (eating around 1600 calories a day plus exercise calories). And the weight is continuining to drop off. I'm not as grouchy, I drink alcohol, I have the energy to run and lift weights, my skin is better, I'm less hungry and far happier.

'Nough said!

I agree completely, I haven't had a chance to look at the Roadmap thing but I started out at 1200 when I first started on MFP but it was so hard to stick to it because you honestly feel like you can't eat anything and half way through the day I was exhausted. I'm 5'9 and walk a lot (have a desk job but try to get up and move as much as possible) so 1200 was not enough and I was totally oblivious. Then I stopped using the app for almost 6 months- a year because I was to discouraged by the fact that I was going over my limit, even when I was eating (mostly) healthy. I still liked to have a snack or a treat from time to time but that didn't let me do that. Now that I've returned (after being fed up with gaining weight because I was buying food and overeating) I've switched to 1600 calories a day and feel so much better, especially when I'm still in the green after a good cardio workout.

anaconda469

if you are new here or are trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie diet because you heard that's what you need to do to lose weight, i would urge you to read through Dan's Roadmap:

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

So where is Dan's Roadmap? I click this link and it goes nowhere.

Ninkyou

if you are new here or are trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie diet because you heard that's what you need to do to lose weight, i would urge you to read through Dan's Roadmap:

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

So where is Dan's Roadmap? I click this link and it goes nowhere.

Newer edition from this year...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

jofjltncb6

if you are new here or are trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie diet because you heard that's what you need to do to lose weight, i would urge you to read through Dan's Roadmap:

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

So where is Dan's Roadmap? I click this link and it goes nowhere.

Newer edition from this year...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

I'm confused. I thought Pu_ wrote version 3.

:ohwell:

heybales

I'm confused. I thought Pu_ wrote version 3.

:ohwell:

He wrote a short and sweet version. Like condensed milk.

heybales

I'm sure I selected active, as I am. I never really looked at what was happening as I logged. But am not sure what I have lost, maybe some of all, fat muscle and water. It was a loss of 22 pounds. My clothes fit smaller. I did notice gain in muscle in my legs and arms, and starting to form in abs area. I think if I was unsure of this then how many are there out there not knowing this. It's a learning process. Thought I did enough research...*facepalm*

Good job on choice of activity level.

Read the forums enough of those that stalled for long periods of time, and you'll many times hear comments selecting sedentary "just to be on the safe side" though their job is on their feet all day.
And they don't eat back exercise calories - to help the loss.
And overestimate food, to be on the safe side.

So even muscle takes up space, and when lost you lose inches with the weight, especially since muscle stores glucose and water together.

So yep, you lost all 3 then, but in losing fat you are exposing your working muscle. Ya, you didn't gain any eating that much of a deficit. I doubt your body had the needed energy for keeping the metabolism up, let alone making new muscle that would require even more energy demands.

There are a ton out there not knowing - the diet industry counts on them buying their products, and coming back again and again and again, each time they lose and gain it back.

smoofinator

Is this still a reliable calculator to determine intake??

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Reliable as MFP is since you are selecting the options.

You gonna be honest with daily activity and exercise added together?
You gonna take a reasonable deficit selection for amount to lose?

Is 1 hr of walking the same as 1 hr of lifting as 1 hr of running?

Spreadsheet on my profile page can help - stick on Simple Setup tab for all the same stats you'd provide anywhere. Except more detail on your activity.

Thanks for taking the time to put the spreadsheet together. I think a lot of people can benefit from this if they actually take the time to put their information in and follow the output.

Thanks again!

Daniglam91

Well, Im 5'3" and I try to stick to 1200 becuase I am a big eater and once I go over I will start eating junk. But by doing this I do have to meat more through out the day...smaller meals...but every 3 hours until a few hours before bed. I used to have the same problem just just trying to eat 2 big meals. I would get so hungry that I would say "F this diet" and pig out

ChickenLittle1121

My apologies. I haven't read the entire thread, but I wanted to get my thoughts out before I forget them.

When I first joined MFP, my little beginners survey thing told me that my goal should be 1200 calories per day. It was incredibly difficult to make that, mainly because I love sweets, but I did my best to meet that goal for two months, while also eating back my exercise calories. One thing I noticed that sort of scared me into doing more research was that I would never get hungry, I would get terribly sick. I never felt hunger pains, but I would become dizzy, shaky and nauseated - so much so that while I was cooking dinner, I would often have to take a break and lay down or sit, otherwise I would throw up. Once I upped my calorie goal, I started to feel better, got hungry again (rather than sick) and started to see more progress with my exercise routine.

I'm not a medical expert - or versed in any of this health stuff beyond what I've tried - but based on my experience alone, I would definitely be concerned for someone trying to meet this particular calorie goal.

CharChary

this.