How to meet 1200 calories?

tabinmaine

because unless she is 4"9 or less..... 1200 is not enough calories for anyone

Elleinnz

quinoa, grilled salmon fillet, steamed broccoli, raw spinach (280 cals)


There is no way your #'s are correct..... just the salmon alone would be that

Salmon- 240 calories for 4 oz ( size of a deck of cards)
Quinoa- 172 calories for 1/4c dry ( about 1/2c cooked)
Broccoli and Spinach @ 1/2c each...about 80 calories....

I was thinking the same thing - my piece of salmon alone last night was 396 calories, so you are either eating portions that is way too small - or not measuring / logging correctly.....

My diary is open - and will give you a good idea how to eat 2000 to 2300 calories a day......

meredith1123

Hello everyone,

I'm fairly new at this, so would really appreciate the advice of you seasoned professionals

The app says I should be aiming for 1200 calories a day. This morning, I burned approximately 360 calories at the gym.

For breakfast: homemade smoothie, with Greek nonfat yogurt, 1/2 banana, apple juice and frozen strawberries (203 cals)
For lunch: chicken, sliced carrot, lettuce, lite Italian dressing, 1/2 banana (404 cals)
Plans for dinner: quinoa, grilled salmon fillet, steamed broccoli, raw spinach (280 cals)

This puts me at 888 calories for the day, and having done my workout, the app is telling me I have 695 calories remaining.

The trouble is, I'm not sure how to go about doing this. I suppose I could add a hard-boiled egg, maybe another yogurt, but I'm just surprised that I've got what I thought seemed like a reasonable meal plan - the kind of stuff I'm used to seeing recommended, and yet it puts me unhealthily low for calorie intake.

I certainly don't want to go into starvation mode, but how do I reasonably and healthily add the necessary calories? Is there something important I'm missing from my meals? Should I be snacking more?

Thanks so much!

eat a spoonful of peanut butter later, or maybe a serving of almonds. that'll bump ya up. What about a yogurt cup and some almonds. yummy.

Erica262

Wine.

SRH7

Instead of this..

For breakfast: homemade smoothie, with Greek nonfat yogurt, 1/2 banana, apple juice and frozen strawberries (203 cals)
For lunch: chicken, sliced carrot, lettuce, lite Italian dressing, 1/2 banana (404 cals)
Plans for dinner: quinoa, grilled salmon fillet, steamed broccoli, raw spinach (280 cals)

Total : 890

Do this...

For breakfast: homemade smoothie, with fullfat Greek yogurt, whole banana, apple juice and frozen strawberries (approx 400 calories)
For lunch: chicken, sliced carrot, lettuce, regular Italian dressing, whole banana (500 cals)
Snack: Cottage cheese with pineapple (200 cals)
Plans for dinner: quinoa, grilled salmon fillet, steamed broccoli, raw spinach (280 cals)
Snack: 20 Almonds (140 cals)

Total : 1520

Easy

:flowerforyou: Now that is a menu! Who says we need to eat like we are on a diet? Lovely meal ideas with real food!

newjourney2015

Wine.

:drinker:

SRH7

because unless she is 4"9 or less..... 1200 is not enough calories for anyone

:flowerforyou: You don't get a figure like Tabinmaine's and amazing arms and shoulders like that without fuelling your body.

SRH7

Wine.

:drinker: And frothy coffee is great too - I drink a pint every morning made up with half milk, half water (either full fat or 4% fat milk - whatever is in the fridge). Great post-run for a protein kick. I just make sure I log it in and include it in my daily calorie intake (for me that is TDEE-20%).

da1128

I am a retired Physician's Assistant and I can't help but smile as I remember the medical diet sheets we used to hand out to patients who needed to lose weight. One of the most popular ones was the 1,000 calorie diet as recommended by the AMA. I used to read the 'allowed foods' and cringe, thinking, "How can this be considered healthy?" The foods were outright boring.

Of course, back then a "normal" cholesterol number was 320. If I had that cholesterol number today, my doctor would probably take me out back and shoot me.

And then I can't help but remember the MANY elderly patients I had in their 80's and 90's who grew up eating foods fried in lard, red meat by the ton, and all sorts of decadent goodies and were still healthy, active, and definitely not overweight. Many smoked like chimneys and snorted booze on a regular basis and they could run circles around people half their age.

Kind of makes you wonder what they did to ward off all the ills we have today? How could they consume all that grease, fat, and calories and still remain disease free? What did they do 'then' that we don't do now?

Who knows? Maybe it's the additives in food today. Perhaps they indulged in more physical activity?

As for the 1200 calorie diet, I seldom get there even though I don't skip meals and I eat my fair share of snacks. I do come close on "Pizza Night."

In any event, I have decided to stop worrying about it. I eat healthy, good foods I like. When it comes to treats, I use moderation. MFP might tell me I'm in "starvation mode," but I'm never 'starving." I'm 5' 3" tall and I weigh 123 pounds and I've maintained this weight for a long time. My cholesterol and trigylcerides are well within normal range and I feel better now than I did 20 years ago. I work out every day and I'm 62 years old...and yes, that is a current pic on my profile. (No, scratch that...I did have a foot and a half of my hair cut off last month and donated to Locks of Love.)

BflSaberfan

Hello everyone,

I'm fairly new at this, so would really appreciate the advice of you seasoned professionals

The app says I should be aiming for 1200 calories a day. This morning, I burned approximately 360 calories at the gym.

For breakfast: homemade smoothie, with Greek nonfat yogurt, 1/2 banana, apple juice and frozen strawberries (203 cals)
For lunch: chicken, sliced carrot, lettuce, lite Italian dressing, 1/2 banana (404 cals)
Plans for dinner: quinoa, grilled salmon fillet, steamed broccoli, raw spinach (280 cals)

This puts me at 888 calories for the day, and having done my workout, the app is telling me I have 695 calories remaining.

The trouble is, I'm not sure how to go about doing this. I suppose I could add a hard-boiled egg, maybe another yogurt, but I'm just surprised that I've got what I thought seemed like a reasonable meal plan - the kind of stuff I'm used to seeing recommended, and yet it puts me unhealthily low for calorie intake.

I certainly don't want to go into starvation mode, but how do I reasonably and healthily add the necessary calories? Is there something important I'm missing from my meals? Should I be snacking more?

Thanks so much!

1200 is not enough. You need to find your TDEE (google) and reduce that by 20%....you're probably more like 1600-1800 calories per day

I am curious how you are able to determine thisis not enough? I did not see exercise routine or any other info about the OP in the post, yet you have somehow divined what the OP's calorie intake should be?

Unless she is a small child she is not eating enough if she is eating 1200 calories a day. That is WAY below almost any adults BMR. Also, she did state "I burned approximately 360 calories at the gym. "

tabinmaine

because unless she is 4"9 or less..... 1200 is not enough calories for anyone

:flowerforyou: You don't get a figure like Tabinmaine's and amazing arms and shoulders like that without fuelling your body.

:blushing: why thank you girl !!

ndj1979

well I will just say to that that TDEE - whatever does not work for everyone and some people do quite well on 1200....just saying..

I do TDEE myself combined with IF but that does not make it a panacea for everyone...

happydaze71

I eat 1200, you are more than welcome to add me and look at my food diary. As long as you are eating healthily you shouldnt be missing out on anything

tabinmaine

I eat 1200, you are more than welcome to add me and look at my food diary. As long as you are eating healthily you shouldnt be missing out on anything

Except for food, and lack of hunger pains, and strength and happiness and not ever regaining the weight back and being really toned, beautiful hair and nails and skin...... ya, you are right, she is not missing out on anything...