1200 Calories
smpalumbo4
Posts: 9 Member
Is anyone else on here limited to 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'9" 159 lbs and trying to get down to 135 lbs. I am having a difficult time keeping it at 1,200! I used to be one of those people who could literally eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound.
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
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Replies
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Is anyone else on here limited to 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'9" 159 lbs and trying to get down to 135 lbs. I am having a difficult time keeping it at 1,200! I used to be one of those people who could literally eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound.
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
you set your weekly weight loss goal to be too extreme. relax it. you should not eat at 1200 calories. very, very few people will do well at that level. almost everyone else will ultimately sabotage their efforts at that level. the MFP calculations don't sanity check your CW and your GW to make sure your desired weight loss rate is appropriate. if you want to lose 24lbs and set your rate at 2lbs per week, then that's too aggressive. try 1lb per week.
also, if you're always hungry even after resetting your goals, you can do more exercise and eat back those calories.0 -
Is anyone else on here limited to 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'9" 159 lbs and trying to get down to 135 lbs. I am having a difficult time keeping it at 1,200! I used to be one of those people who could literally eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound.
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
you set your weekly weight loss goal to be too extreme. relax it. you should not eat at 1200 calories. very, very few people will do well at that level. almost everyone else will ultimately sabotage their efforts at that level. the MFP calculations don't sanity check your CW and your GW to make sure your desired weight loss rate is appropriate. if you want to lose 24lbs and set your rate at 2lbs per week, then that's too aggressive. try 1lb per week or perhaps 1.25lbs per week.
also, if you're always hungry even after resetting your goals, you can do more exercise and eat back those calories.
exactly this.
I'm willing to bet that 95% of MFP users sign on and immediately set their goal at 2 pounds per week, regardless of how much they have to lose. They get stuck with lower levels, fizzle out, and quit.
Set it to a more realistic goal depending on what you have to lose and take your time with it.0 -
Thanks! I will try that.0
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Is anyone else on here limited to 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'9" 159 lbs and trying to get down to 135 lbs. I am having a difficult time keeping it at 1,200! I used to be one of those people who could literally eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound.
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
1200 is the NET after exercise, and even then, if you're NOT exercising, its too low. Eat more. If you're hungry eat more.0 -
Is anyone else on here limited to 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'9" 159 lbs and trying to get down to 135 lbs. I am having a difficult time keeping it at 1,200! I used to be one of those people who could literally eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound.
What are some of your favorite foods that keep you at your goal? What do you avoid at all costs? Once the snow melts I plan to start hiking again so I imagine I will be able to eat more calories, but for now this sucks!
you set your weekly weight loss goal to be too extreme. relax it. you should not eat at 1200 calories. very, very few people will do well at that level. almost everyone else will ultimately sabotage their efforts at that level. the MFP calculations don't sanity check your CW and your GW to make sure your desired weight loss rate is appropriate. if you want to lose 24lbs and set your rate at 2lbs per week, then that's too aggressive. try 1lb per week.
also, if you're always hungry even after resetting your goals, you can do more exercise and eat back those calories.
This. You're not sedentary, and you shouldn't be aiming for more than 1lb lost per week.0 -
I just adjusted to 1 lb per week and it changed my intake to 1,400 calories. What do you mean by NET after exercise? I am slow at this stuff.0
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I just adjusted to 1 lb per week and it changed my intake to 1,400 calories. What do you mean by NET after exercise? I am slow at this stuff.
I was gonna ask the same question0 -
I just adjusted to 1 lb per week and it changed my intake to 1,400 calories. What do you mean by NET after exercise? I am slow at this stuff.
1400 is what you should be hitting on rest days. On days you workout you should be eating more so that when you factor in cals burned you're still hitting 1400.
i.e...
rest day: you eat 1400, you burn 0, so you net 1400
workout day: you eat 1400, you burn 400, so you net 1000. You need to eat an additional 400 cals to make up for the 400 you burned.0 -
The figure MFP gives you IS net, after exercise.0
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Most of the people "limited" to 1200 calories are limited due to a self-imposed limitation. For most, it's too low of an intake to create a sustainable change.0
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Here we go again.........0
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Most of the people "limited" to 1200 calories are limited due to a self-imposed limitation. For most, it's too low of an intake to create a sustainable change.
Agreed.0 -
The figure MFP gives you IS net, after exercise.
Only if you include your exercise in your activity level.0 -
sustainable change.
This is a big factor. A diet you don't like is one you'll drop at the first excuse. It's better to lose at a slower rate while following a plan you can stick with than to lose quickly with a plan that makes you dream of the day you're done "dieting".0 -
You're over the top, getting down to 135Lbs =9stn 6lbs at 5ft 9ins is too light, far too much weight loss! Consult your Dr!0
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I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.0 -
I eat 1200 calories a day. When I started my weight loss journey in April 2010 I had never heard of MFP so I used Weight Watchers' point system to determine my ideal daily caloric intake and, at that time, it was 1500. For every10 pounds I lost, I would reduce by 50 calories per day. I stopped reducing when I hit 1200, I think anything less is just not enough. When I signed up for MFP and input my info it put me at 1200 calories a day. I don't have a problem with this - I space out healthy meals throughout the day including a little dessert (my food diary is open if you want to see what that looks like).0
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I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
i'm pretty sure 1200 is too low for you.
did you calculate your BMR? do you know your Harris-Benedict activity level? how much exercise are you doing?0 -
You're over the top, getting down to 135Lbs =9stn 6lbs at 5ft 9ins is too light, far too much weight loss! Consult your Dr!
I have a small frame. At my lightest I was 120 lbs (all throughout college) and was very healthy. Personally I think I looked waaay too skinny so I think 135 is a good spot to be.0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
Wine, YES! I don't even count it. Ugh!0 -
MFP has set my calorie intake to 1200 and aiming for 1lb loss per week. I'm at the end of week 2 and haven;t lost a thing. I have stuck to my calorie intake with plenty of fresh veg and water.
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I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
i'm pretty sure 1200 is too low for you.
did you calculate your BMR? do you know your Harris-Benedict activity level? how much exercise are you doing?
Thanks for jumping in here! My BMR is 1415.45, but I don't know what Harris Benedict is. Is there a calculator online? For the past two weeks I've been going to CrossFit three times a week. I plan on keeping to that schedule (went today, hoorah!).0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day. I avoid beef, pork and dairy products (milk & cheese) at all costs.
I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. So far, I've lost 40 lbs and I still have 40lbs more to go.
Good luck!:flowerforyou:0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
i'm pretty sure 1200 is too low for you.
did you calculate your BMR? do you know your Harris-Benedict activity level? how much exercise are you doing?
Thanks for jumping in here! My BMR is 1415.45, but I don't know what Harris Benedict is. Is there a calculator online? For the past two weeks I've been going to CrossFit three times a week. I plan on keeping to that schedule (went today, hoorah!).
If BMR is 1415, then 1200 is clearly too low, no? Am I missing something?0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
Wine, YES! I don't even count it. Ugh!
I try to make myself count it, but sometimes it's just too embarrassing.0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day. I avoid beef, pork and dairy products (milk & cheese) at all costs.
I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. So far, I've lost 40 lbs and I still have 40lbs more to go.
Good luck!:flowerforyou:
Curious what your protein goal is and how hard or easy it is for you to hit.0 -
MFP has set my calorie intake to 1200 and aiming for 1lb loss per week. I'm at the end of week 2 and haven;t lost a thing. I have stuck to my calorie intake with plenty of fresh veg and water.
as a rough guideline, if you are trying to lose these amounts, you should choose these weight loss rates:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week0 -
If BMR is 1415, then 1200 is clearly too low, no? Am I missing something?
I never really did a deep dive into how to calculate accurately. I just trusted MFP. I did re-allocate my micros to include more protein. That's about all of the customization I've done.0 -
I'm at 1200 calories a day and set my goal to a pound and a half a week. It hasn't been working too well (although I did drop 7 pounds gained while traveling very fast). Admittedly, I'm not a stickler to it every day, I prefer to look at the whole week and see where I fall at the end. I also just started getting back into exercising regularly (CrossFit) and I'm starving so I eat back most of my exercise calories.
On days I don't work out, 1200 isn't too hard for me food wise. Wine kills me. But, I stay pretty full by eating cut veggies throughout the day, drinking water, having a snack around 4 and dinner around 6.
I'm always open to tips from others.
i'm pretty sure 1200 is too low for you.
did you calculate your BMR? do you know your Harris-Benedict activity level? how much exercise are you doing?
Thanks for jumping in here! My BMR is 1415.45, but I don't know what Harris Benedict is. Is there a calculator online? For the past two weeks I've been going to CrossFit three times a week. I plan on keeping to that schedule (went today, hoorah!).
here's the way i think about it:
BMR is a measure of what your body needs to function normally without external energy demands. alot of people call this "being in a coma" or "sleeping all day"
however, most of us go about our daily lives and that burns calories too. it's nearly impossible to quantify what those energy demands are, so we use an estimate. these include things like making coffee, brushing your teeth, checking the mailbox, etc. everything that you do during the day that is not specific exercise designed to burn calories, should be accounted for using this estimate. this estimate it provided by the Harris-Benedict equation. for sedentary/office workers, this is a x 1.2 multiplier. for lightly active, this is 1.375. etc.
additional exercise that you do every day specifically to burn calories (or for fun, like a game of pickup basketball) is treated as additional calorie burn for that specific day. these are the amounts you are logging with the MFP exercise diary.
use all of these to determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)
TDEE = BMR x Harris-Benedict multiplier + exercise for the day
then, subtract your desired calorie deficit from your TDEE.
daily calorie goal = TDEE - desired calorie deficit
for example.,
for a person whose BMR = 1650, is sedentary normally, wants to lose 1lb per week (i.e., a 500 calorie per day deficit), and has burned 650 calorie playing racquetball today.
TDEE = 1650 x 1.2 +650 = 2630
daily calorie goal = 2630 - 500 = 2130
therefore on this day, this person should eat 2130 calories to meet their goal.0 -
I am 5'10" and 164 lbs right now, so very similar to you and I have been losing about 1 pound per week (a little more) on 1750 cals/day, plus exercise calories that I always eat back. I would be starving and grumpy at 1200 calories! In fact, I recently upped my goal to 2000 just to see what happens and if I continue to lose.0
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