any 1200 calorie success stories?

So_Much_Fab

I started my weight loss journey netting between 1200-1350 calories a day and lost 21 pounds pretty quickly. But I became miserable, I no longer had any energy, and my weight loss stalled for weeks. I was still eating the correct amount of calories (and I have a food scale so I weighed everything), and it was "clean" calories, plus I was working out as usual (but with less intensity because I just didn't have the energy to), but the scale would not budge and I wasn't losing inches either.

I almost gave up, but I decided to look online first and that's when the idea of eating more was introduced. I was very skeptical: why in the world would you eat more to lose weight? It made absolutely no sense. I was terrified: but what if I gain the weight back? But I was at my wits end and willing to try anything short of surgery.

I lost 2 pounds the first week after upping my calories to 1900 a day. Most suggested to do it in small increases, but I'm impatient. That was last week. I only weigh myself once a month, so I won't really know if that was a fluke or not, but the tape measure doesn't lie, I'm also losing inches.

I have WAY more energy, I feel better, my mood is better: trust me, I was the crankiest person ever on 1200 calories. My concentration improved (which is really important for me since I study a lot).

Like seriously, I'm a 23 year old 5'7" fairly active female netting only 1200-1350 calories? My BMR (what I need to eat to maintain my body weight if I was in a coma and not moving at all) is 1730. No wonder I felt horrible.

I eat 1900 calories now, which is ~500 less than my TDEE (2400 at lightly active). And coupled with exercise, I should be losing approximately ~1.5 pounds a week. Which from my first week's result is just about right.

Sure, not everyone* will be able to lose following the TDEE-20%, so do what is best for your body, but I'm willing to bet 90% of people (without health problems) will, it's just human stubbornness that is keeping people from following common sense (math is always common sense).

Getting fit and losing weight doesn't have to be miserable, nor (for me) does it have to happen in a certain amount of time. I'll get there when I get there, but I don't want to spend the next couple of months in agony.

Plus I don't get why there seems to be a sense of "I have more discipline" for eating so little calories. That is eating disorder territory. Being able to eat less calories than you're supposed to doesn't make you better in my opinion. It just makes you quite foolish.

If it works for you, fine, but I'd like to maintain the weight loss for the rest of my life. There's a reason why so many people gain the weight back (and it's not always immediately, sometimes it happens 2+ years later), and I think eating so little calories and expecting your body to be content with it forever is the reason. Our bodies are smarter than we are, and losing weight is not something it likes to do. I don't want to get into the physiology of it, but our bodies have powerful regulators against losing weight. And once you stop eating 1200 calories and eat more for whatever reason (life has a way of doing that), guess what your body will do? That's right, pack on the pounds. Then the cycle starts all over again. I'm totally not for yo-yo dieting.

So did I have success with 1200 calories? Yes I did, I lost 21 pounds. I'm not saying it doesn't work. But I want sustainable weight loss.

Eating 1200 calories for the next (hopefully) 50+ years** of my life? I'll pass.


But even after that long winded speech, it comes down to this: do what you want to do, because at the end of the day, it doesn't affect me personally. But I like to see people succeed and remain successful.

*People with special considerations and health problems. I'm not bashing a VLCD as long as it was recommended by a dietician/physician. There are situations where this is necessary, and I recognize that. I don't think it is for most people.

**Obviously when I become older I'll have to eat less calories. But even as a 65 year old woman with a sedentary lifestyle I'd have to eat 1550 calories to maintain my goal weight. And I don't plan on being sedentary.

I hate to make a quote wall here, but this is 100% spot on, so QFT. :drinker:

ron2e

You're [almost] all a bunch of ****ing idiots.

Try doing some weight training to failure before implementing this moronic 1200cal diet. Then do your stupid diet and watch your strength nose dive.

End of story!

In very few instances its the right answer (obese or old)

This isn't debatable. Weight loss does not = smart diet. Have fun with your poor health, ****ed up hormones, and deleloping eating disorders.

Would you like to provide some medical proof on that? Otherwise it's just your opinion, set out in a very arrogant way. And yes it is debatable whether you like it or not.

louiseshaw88

Why can't people just say "I dont think it'll work because blah blah blah but if you want to try it and it works for you go for it and good luck" My biggest gripe on here is people sat on their high horses dishing out their opinions as gospel !

astronomicals

Lack of hunger means nothing.... The body adapts. In fact, over training often leads to lack of appetite, and when your overtrained is when you really need calories the most... Lack of hunger and feeling sated do not + a healthy diet.

louiseshaw88

You're [almost] all a bunch of ****ing idiots.

Try doing some weight training to failure before implementing this moronic 1200cal diet. Then do your stupid diet and watch your strength nose dive.

End of story!

In very few instances its the right answer (obese or old)

This isn't debatable. Weight loss does not = smart diet. Have fun with your poor health, ****ed up hormones, and deleloping eating disorders.

One more thing.... 1200cal+6 days in the gym?!? Have fun when your weight loss plateaus, and it will... You can either cut more calories and become anorexic or you can up your activity level until you get injured and fail miserably.

I think your the idiot....calm down and take your OPINIONS else where, this is not motivational or supportive it's just rude - did your mother never tell you to keep your mouth shut unless you have nothing nice to say ?

Do you feel like the big man now ? because you've come across like a little brat

prattiger65

I would like to see a thread about 1200 calorie success stories of over, say, 5 years. If you are morbidly obese the health problems associated with the weight probably outweigh the long term effects of under eating. I find that the extreme, arguably unhealthy methods of weight loss have the most dogmatic people in the group. These are the groups where the snowflakes seem to land. They are different and the science doesn't apply. I have determined that in the end, that for whatever reason, they must deny themselves food. Perhaps it's a badge of honor to them to say they only ate 1200 calories. I have serious doubts that anyone sustains it for years, much less for a lifetime. Too much risk for me long term. Slow and steady for me, but I'm not a snowflake.

katiepugh

Short people need fewer calories... if you are a half pint then 1200kcals may be the way to go. I certainly can't eat much more without gaining weight

louiseshaw88

Sugar coated lies or hard truths? I think I know your flavor.

You know nothing about anyone on here so stop acting like a know it all

sitastar2004

I am also doing 1200 calories a day, and I love it. This is my third week. The first few days were kind of hard, bc I wasn't use to counting calories, measuring my food etc, so at first I still felt hungry. I often am under my 1200 calorie goal bc I work out 6 days a week. So, what I'm saying is stick with it!

tmauck4472

I would like to see a thread about 1200 calorie success stories of over, say, 5 years. If you are morbidly obese the health problems associated with the weight probably outweigh the long term effects of under eating. I find that the extreme, arguably unhealthy methods of weight loss have the most dogmatic people in the group. These are the groups where the snowflakes seem to land. They are different and the science doesn't apply. I have determined that in the end, that for whatever reason, they must deny themselves food. Perhaps it's a badge of honor to them to say they only ate 1200 calories. I have serious doubts that anyone sustains it for years, much less for a lifetime. Too much risk for me long term. Slow and steady for me, but I'm not a snowflake.

Sure you are and you seem to be the special special snowflake. What you refuse to see is that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. No matter what is supposed to happen to everyone does NOT happen. If that were the case we'd all have cancer or no one would. We'd all be fat or no one would. We'd all lose weight eating a certain amount or we'd never need to worry about it. Everyone is different and we are all special snowflakes, EVEN YOU. And give us time for the 5 years to get here, we'll show you, maybe not all of us, but in all honesty even you people who eat more than 1200 will fail and go back to enjoying 4000 calories a day. Maybe not all of you but some sure will. Eating 1200 has nothing to do with failing and giving up, it has to do with getting tired of having to watch what you eat day in and day out. It has to do with the person and their ability to maintain so yes even folks from EMTWL group will certainly fail. Maybe even you.

louiseshaw88

I am not disagreeing with you on that point

taliasometimes

I started at 199lbs and 1200 cals a day helped me lose the first 4 stone WITH excersise.
I then did 1000 cals a day with excersise for the last two stone. The excersise (say i burned 500 cals) I could eat an extra 500 cals back on!

now i would eat 1200 cals a day with no excercise to maintain my weight. a bit more if i go to the gym

prattiger65

I would like to see a thread about 1200 calorie success stories of over, say, 5 years. If you are morbidly obese the health problems associated with the weight probably outweigh the long term effects of under eating. I find that the extreme, arguably unhealthy methods of weight loss have the most dogmatic people in the group. These are the groups where the snowflakes seem to land. They are different and the science doesn't apply. I have determined that in the end, that for whatever reason, they must deny themselves food. Perhaps it's a badge of honor to them to say they only ate 1200 calories. I have serious doubts that anyone sustains it for years, much less for a lifetime. Too much risk for me long term. Slow and steady for me, but I'm not a snowflake.

Sure you are and you seem to be the special special snowflake. What you refuse to see is that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. No matter what is supposed to happen to everyone does NOT happen. If that were the case we'd all have cancer or no one would. We'd all be fat or no one would. We'd all lose weight eating a certain amount or we'd never need to worry about it. Everyone is different and we are all special snowflakes, EVEN YOU. And give us time for the 5 years to get here, we'll show you, maybe not all of us, but in all honesty even you people who eat more than 1200 will fail and go back to enjoying 4000 calories a day. Maybe not all of you but some sure will. Eating 1200 has nothing to do with failing and giving up, it has to do with getting tired of having to watch what you eat day in and day out. It has to do with the person and their ability to maintain so yes even folks from EMTWL group will certainly fail. Maybe even you.

No, I am not a snowflake and you probably aren't one either. Science doesn't discriminate. There is a reason you won't find many, if any people who eat 1200 over 5 years, because they are not out there. I may fail, but it won't be because I deluded myself into thinking starving myself was the proper approach or listening to people who lost over a short period of time and called it a success. Osteoporosis is a real scientific condition, and under nourished people are at higher risk for it. You go ahead, I think I will just eat and keep my bone mass.

jazzcat55

Astronomicals, you do have a valid point, but it's buried under a ton of arrogance and rudeness.

You didn't make a "solid suggestion," you called everyone a bunch of ****ing idiots. You can't expect what you say to be taken well when you start off with an insult like that.

mbow1977

Astronomicals, you do have a valid point, but it's buried under a ton of arrogance and rudeness.

You didn't make a "solid suggestion," you called everyone a bunch of ****ing idiots. You can't expect what you say to be taken well when you start off with an insult like that.

^^ This, I agree entirely with his point but theres no point coming on here f'ing and jeffing and expecting people to listen to your point lol

imchicbad

>>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<

tmauck4472

It's so sad that we have this nice thread going and you got the know it all's now up and moving about and come in here getting all nasty and spouting their truths (not nec. the real truth) they ruin a perfectly good thread and now it will be locked because they can't stand that someone may be right about something they believe to be wrong. SMH, I don't understand the need to belittle people, I don't understand the need to push your beliefs onto others when we are all clearly grown adults and have the right to believe the way we want to believe. You believe you are right, I believe I am right, hey I'm living this so I think I know it works for me, but I don't know if it works for you, apparently it doesn't and that's okay. Do what works for you, but please let us do what works for us, without being condecending about our choices. If we fail then we learn, if we succeed then we are all good. I don't intend to fail, I intend to make this my lifestyle. MY LIFESTYLE not YOUR lifestyle. MY LIFE, not YOUR life. MY REASONS for doing things MY WAY.

tmauck4472

>>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<

Got one thanks and it doesn't include your roadmap.

marieautumn

I ate 1200 net cals and i'm almost at my goal weight. I've stuck to it for 1 year, i dont see any problem with it.

marieautumn

I would like to see a thread about 1200 calorie success stories of over, say, 5 years. If you are morbidly obese the health problems associated with the weight probably outweigh the long term effects of under eating. I find that the extreme, arguably unhealthy methods of weight loss have the most dogmatic people in the group. These are the groups where the snowflakes seem to land. They are different and the science doesn't apply. I have determined that in the end, that for whatever reason, they must deny themselves food. Perhaps it's a badge of honor to them to say they only ate 1200 calories. I have serious doubts that anyone sustains it for years, much less for a lifetime. Too much risk for me long term. Slow and steady for me, but I'm not a snowflake.

Sure you are and you seem to be the special special snowflake. What you refuse to see is that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. No matter what is supposed to happen to everyone does NOT happen. If that were the case we'd all have cancer or no one would. We'd all be fat or no one would. We'd all lose weight eating a certain amount or we'd never need to worry about it. Everyone is different and we are all special snowflakes, EVEN YOU. And give us time for the 5 years to get here, we'll show you, maybe not all of us, but in all honesty even you people who eat more than 1200 will fail and go back to enjoying 4000 calories a day. Maybe not all of you but some sure will. Eating 1200 has nothing to do with failing and giving up, it has to do with getting tired of having to watch what you eat day in and day out. It has to do with the person and their ability to maintain so yes even folks from EMTWL group will certainly fail. Maybe even you.

No, I am not a snowflake and you probably aren't one either. Science doesn't discriminate. There is a reason you won't find many, if any people who eat 1200 over 5 years, because they are not out there. I may fail, but it won't be because I deluded myself into thinking starving myself was the proper approach or listening to people who lost over a short period of time and called it a success. Osteoporosis is a real scientific condition, and under nourished people are at higher risk for it. You go ahead, I think I will just eat and keep my bone mass.

you would not need to eat 1200 cals for 5 years. Once you hit your goal weight you no longer need to eat at a deficit because you are no longer trying to lose weight but to maintain. I believe once you hit your goal you would eat around 1700 net cals.