1200 Calories a day, but shoot, I'm hungry!
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Slugsasarus
Posts: 76 Member
Hello wonderful fitness pal people!
So a couple of months ago, I fell off the wagon, and man it hurt. So at about 10 pounds more than I'd like to be I'm trying to start up again, tracking my food, eating my veggies and being a good girl.
However, I am just hungry, nope, ravenous, all of the time. I set my goal to lose 1lb per week, and it has put me at 1200 calories a day. Here's what a normal day looks like for me:
Breakfast: egg whites and a flat out wrap: around 130 calories
Morning Snack: banana and clementine: 140 calories
Lunch: either soup, salad, or sandwhich, usually around 300 calories (sometimes more like 400)
Afternoon snack: greek yogurt: usually about 130 calories
Dinner: veggie burger or canned chicken (which I know sounds pretty gross but is really really good and my cat loves me more when I let her lick the empty can, so it's really a win win) in a wrap, or subway or something. Usually 500 calories.
Obviously this isn't every single day but is a pretty normal day.
Okay so a normal day I'm hitting my 1200 perrrrrfecty. When I work out, I usually do eat my calories back, adding in a protein bar or some whole wheat bread with pb for a snack before working out. So life should be good, right? UM no. I'm hungry alll of the time. like right now, sitting here, guzzeling plain green tea to trick my stomach into feeling happy. I am so wanting to get these stupid ten pounds to rid my midsection but the scale isn't budging, my stomach is a rumblin, and I'm frustrated as all get out!
I've had this same "good" diet before these months of dietary denial, but it didn't seem this hard. And before everyone says "1200 is to little" I'm pretty small (except for my midsection, like all the way around, it's actually a very weird body shape to look at), and according to numerous sites should be my daily intake (without exercise).
Anybody else "getting back into it" and finding it harder than you remember?
Any thoughts/comments/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks all!
So a couple of months ago, I fell off the wagon, and man it hurt. So at about 10 pounds more than I'd like to be I'm trying to start up again, tracking my food, eating my veggies and being a good girl.
However, I am just hungry, nope, ravenous, all of the time. I set my goal to lose 1lb per week, and it has put me at 1200 calories a day. Here's what a normal day looks like for me:
Breakfast: egg whites and a flat out wrap: around 130 calories
Morning Snack: banana and clementine: 140 calories
Lunch: either soup, salad, or sandwhich, usually around 300 calories (sometimes more like 400)
Afternoon snack: greek yogurt: usually about 130 calories
Dinner: veggie burger or canned chicken (which I know sounds pretty gross but is really really good and my cat loves me more when I let her lick the empty can, so it's really a win win) in a wrap, or subway or something. Usually 500 calories.
Obviously this isn't every single day but is a pretty normal day.
Okay so a normal day I'm hitting my 1200 perrrrrfecty. When I work out, I usually do eat my calories back, adding in a protein bar or some whole wheat bread with pb for a snack before working out. So life should be good, right? UM no. I'm hungry alll of the time. like right now, sitting here, guzzeling plain green tea to trick my stomach into feeling happy. I am so wanting to get these stupid ten pounds to rid my midsection but the scale isn't budging, my stomach is a rumblin, and I'm frustrated as all get out!
I've had this same "good" diet before these months of dietary denial, but it didn't seem this hard. And before everyone says "1200 is to little" I'm pretty small (except for my midsection, like all the way around, it's actually a very weird body shape to look at), and according to numerous sites should be my daily intake (without exercise).
Anybody else "getting back into it" and finding it harder than you remember?
Any thoughts/comments/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks all!
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Replies
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It does take a while for your body and stomach to get used to a smaller amount of calories - how long have you been trying this time?
I find fruits make me hungrier - maybe have some light cheese on a cracker instead of your fruit snacks? Or nuts?0 -
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I wouldn't want to be around me if I only ate 1200 a day which is what I'm set at as well. I workout quite a bit, too, and something I found is that muscles are hungry!! the more muscle I build and fat I burn, the more I need to eat. I eat well as well, basically follow a whole foods plant based diet & when I focus on truly clean eating, I average around 1600 cals a day (including grains, fruits, veggies & oil/fats) and maybe a couple extra hundred when I drink wine or other adult beverage. It is hard, as I'm in the 10lb rage as well, but when I focus & truly think about what is best for me & listen to what my body & mind want, I do much better.
Feel free to peek at my profile & add me if you think we can motivate each other :flowerforyou:0 -
I'm not at 1200, I'm at 1450 and I feel that's too little for me! so I feel your pain so I try to do long workouts to maximize the burn so I can eat a little more. Today I burned about 460...so that bumps me to about 1900.
What I try to do on not workout days is eat lean protein during the day. I put several tablespoons of hemp seeds in my smoothies or I do whey protein shakes to hold me down and they usually work.
I found though that it takes me several days to get used to it. In the meantime, don't get discouraged if you go over...esentially you're already eating at 500 deficit at 1200 anyway...so if you eat a couple hundred more...you're still in a deficit. Eventually your body will get used to it.0 -
My fiancee is pretty little and she eats 1600-1700 calories for 3days and 1 day at 2300-2400 calories and then repeats it. She's little at 5' 3".
And before anyone shoots me/her down, she's been doing that since she started training with me when she was little and without her lean muscle.
It is too little.0 -
See this timely post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/908271-when-is-1200-calories-appropriate-hint-almost-never
There's no way I can do 1200 cals/day and not totally rebel after a few weeks or months. I have mine set to 1300 and eat back every single exercise calorie. But then again, I'm not losing--not gaining, but not losing either. Conventional wisdom here says to eat more than 1200 though.0 -
having 10 lbs, you should aim for 0.5 lbs/week
also eat back your exercise calories, make sure you have activity level set right (almost no one is sedentary)0 -
I have found these 100 calorie packs of almonds and walnuts and I find they satisfy me and keep me feeling full longer than my banana did. I was down to 150 and I fell off the wagon hard and gained 30 lb back. It does seem much harder this time to get motivated.0
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Do some exercise and eat back the calories - I find the calories I get give me plenty of extra food and although I'm sometimes peckish I've got a cereal bar AND a weightwatchers chocolate bar in my desk and not had to touch either for some weeks! Are you drinking enough water? Often "hunger" is actually thirst.0
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If you only have 10 lbs to lose, 1 lb per week is too aggressive. Change your settings to 1/2 lb per week. Eat better, succeed.0
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It took me a little while to get used to 1200 calories (net) as well but after I upped it to 1400 after random conflicting pieces of advice on the boards, I found it too difficult to hit 1400 calories per day so I settled for 1300.
Maybe you should consider upping to 1300 calories per day or attempting an exercise routine that burns a higher number of calories to give you more to play around with?
You should listen to your body and if it's hungry (make sure you are drinking 8-10 cups of water a day though because you could be mistaken) then you do need to eat but maybe you should stick to other goals too e.g. eating 5 pieces of fruit/veg per day so if you do snack you can work it so you are snacking healthy to fit in a little side goal you have next to your calorie counting?
Also, I know upping your calories sounds like the last thing you'd want to do and I believe upping up by anymore than 100 calories per day is just not a good idea but if you are hungry then consider taking it to 1300 per day and maybe accepting you lose 0.5lbs per week (according to MFP)? Because surely it's better you make this a lifestyle change than it be a fad diet that's going to leave you starving?
You won't learn good eating habits this way!0 -
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Yeah, that. With only 10 pounds to lose, you should be set to 0.5 pounds a week and eat most of your exercise calories. Alternately, calculate your TDEE to include your average exercise, and eat 10% below that.
I'm a lot older than you, and I lost effortlessly and happily eating 1350-1600 plus exercise calories, or a total of 1800-2000+ total.0 -
1200 is too low for most people. It's most likely below your BMR that's why you're so hungry! Since you don't have a lot to lose I would up you calories. Starvation diets don't work!0
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You're hungry all the time because you're only eating 1200 calories. I get that you're "small" however so am I and MFP defaults to 1200 calories. I'm not bashing on you. I was at 1200 calories about a year or so ago when I wanted to drop some weight for vacation and it was hard to do (meaning I was always over my 1200 calories). I upped my calories to 1530. I don't consciously eat back my exercise calories but lately it seems I'm eating back most of them (half or sometimes all) depending on how hungry I am and if I just plain have the munchies.
For you I'd try to up my calorie intake just a smidge. Maybe try 1400 and see how you feel at that.0 -
I took almost a one year break from here. This time around I'm more serious and logging everything. Before I wasn't logging workouts, but now that I am, I'm seeing the magic that MFP does. LOL. So maybe this time around I'll be more successful.
I use calculators for other sites for my macro ranges. So I don't care if I go over or go into the red zone as long as I'm getting what I need.
Starting back up I realized my eating habits stayed sensible, but my activity came to a stop resulting in fat gain. I'm skinny fat now.
ETA: I love eating so damn skippy I'm going to take advantage and eat some of those calories back.
ETAETA: This is post 666! It's special!!!! Um, per below comment, I'd never, NEVER skimp on my protein! Protein is essential to my personal goals. Remember, I don't want to be skinny-fat!!!!0 -
Are you protein numbers in line with MFP targets? That's where I tended to go over and couldn't lose weight. Once I started keeping protein in line (which is super hard if you eat any meat), I started losing.0
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Hello wonderful fitness pal people!
So a couple of months ago, I fell off the wagon, and man it hurt. So at about 10 pounds more than I'd like to be I'm trying to start up again, tracking my food, eating my veggies and being a good girl.
However, I am just hungry, nope, ravenous, all of the time. I set my goal to lose 1lb per week, and it has put me at 1200 calories a day. Here's what a normal day looks like for me:
Breakfast: egg whites and a flat out wrap: around 130 calories
Morning Snack: banana and clementine: 140 calories
Lunch: either soup, salad, or sandwhich, usually around 300 calories (sometimes more like 400)
Afternoon snack: greek yogurt: usually about 130 calories
Dinner: veggie burger or canned chicken (which I know sounds pretty gross but is really really good and my cat loves me more when I let her lick the empty can, so it's really a win win) in a wrap, or subway or something. Usually 500 calories.
Obviously this isn't every single day but is a pretty normal day.
Okay so a normal day I'm hitting my 1200 perrrrrfecty. When I work out, I usually do eat my calories back, adding in a protein bar or some whole wheat bread with pb for a snack before working out. So life should be good, right? UM no. I'm hungry alll of the time. like right now, sitting here, guzzeling plain green tea to trick my stomach into feeling happy. I am so wanting to get these stupid ten pounds to rid my midsection but the scale isn't budging, my stomach is a rumblin, and I'm frustrated as all get out!
I've had this same "good" diet before these months of dietary denial, but it didn't seem this hard. And before everyone says "1200 is to little" I'm pretty small (except for my midsection, like all the way around, it's actually a very weird body shape to look at), and according to numerous sites should be my daily intake (without exercise).
Anybody else "getting back into it" and finding it harder than you remember?
Any thoughts/comments/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks all!
people eat for a few of reasons... out of boredom, due of social convention, because they need more calories/macros for muscle growth and/or to meet nutritional needs, or because their body is telling them it needs more calories to fuel its metabolic processes. there may be other reasons, but these 4 spring immediately to mind.
it seems to me that you are hungry because your body is telling you it needs more calories. in a case like this, i'd listen to your body and up your intake.
also, is your weight loss goal reasonable? if you are at the low end of the BMI range for normal, you may be asking your body to go to a weight level below where its healthy. is your calorie deficit modest?
on the days where you do exercise and eat back those calories, are you still ravenous?0 -
I'm one of those people eating 1200 a day and I am not hungry..I can fit a lot of great things in for 1200! And I exercise everyday and don't always want to eat those calories. I see a lot of people on here say you shouldn't limit yourself to that. It's been great for me. On Saturdays, I have something of a treat meal. I drink lots of water too...and not much of a snacker. Hope you can figure out what works for you!!0
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I can 'just about' survive on 1300 cals, but i include foods that are FILLING to me....like Wholewheat pasta, Brown Bread and Rice!
If i were to cut down on my carbs, i know for a fact i'd be hungry all the time.
Maybe include some Pasta or a few more Carbs into your mealplan. x0
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