any 1200 calorie success stories?

olyabe

I lost about 70 lb in my early 20s on 1000-1200 diet over the course of a year and a half. I did work out a lot, so it was probably 700 net. I would not recommend it because it did temporarily negatively affect my health (some skin problems, loss of period, gall bladder stones). Note I did not even become real skinny - I was size 6, and BMI of 21-22 at the end of it. Yes, ultra low cal diets definitely work - I kept it most of it off for some 6 years. But now I know there is some wisdom to 1200 net minimum, plus multivitamin.

It is "calories in, calories out", and the weight loss comes from a deficit. The bigger the deficit, the faster you lose, but the correlation is not direct. At very high calorie deficit you lose slower (for the same amount of deficit) because your metabolism slows down, but you still lose. (If starvation theory was correct, truly starving people would never turn into skin and bones state that you see in the news from impoverished countries).

At calorie surplus you don't lose... simple as that. 1200 net (1200 + eating exercise calories) works for most females, except very tall ones, pregnant ones, or breast feeding ones... But it is not the amount of food that *most* females, even short ones, consider 'plenty' of food. It is quite manageable if you don't eat out and cook at home most of the time. It is also just eating to live, not eating for pleasure and enjoyment of food. If you do want an occasional ice-cream or 16 oz ribeye, it has to come out of exercise.

My doctor told me 1200 net this time (I am 5'2' and 36). I said I was too hungry on that, she said - ok, eat 1300 . Working ok so far - almost 9 lb in 2 months, one size down. Eating out big once a week, exercising it off the next day. Calories in, calories out.... not much more to it

DebbieLyn63

What it boils down to is having a calorie deficit that works for you. If your TDEE is 3000 cals a day and you eat at 2000 to lose 2 pounds a week and are good with that, go for it. If you are happy with losing one pound a week, then eat 2500 cals per day.

But if your TDEE is only 1700, then 1200 is a 500 cal deficit= 1 pound per week loss. If you are getting in the proper amount of proteins and fat, and are healthy and energetic, not starving or losing your hair, then why do so many people freak out about it?

I saw a rather rude man posting earlier, that eats 2500-3000 cals per day, and I get more protein in my 1200 cal diet than he does. Yet he declares that we are all stupid and unhealthy? Would stuffing another 1000 calories of french fries and beer down my throat, suddenly make my diet healthier?

For someone who is morbidly obese, they have plenty of fat stores to fuel their body and can have a much higher calorie deficit than someone who is closer to goal weight.

For females, who are short, or older, or are obese, and do not have a high activity level, if they are losing weight and are doing fine with lower calories, then leave them alone and let them do what they need to do.

I don't understand why men, (or women for that matter) feel the need to come into a thread asking for SUCCESS stories of people on 1200 calories, and decide that they must insult everyone on this thread.

If you don't fit the title of the thread, then move on to another thread that you do fit into.

No, not everyone needs to eat at 1200 calories. If you can lose at a rate you are happy with, at a higher calorie level, then great.

If you are trying to eat 1200, but are miserable, then by all means eat some more, or try changing the foods that you are eating. Or exercise and earn some more calories. No one says that you HAVE to eat at that level.

And BTW, people who have had GBP surgery do not eat 500-800 calories because they HAVE to, they eat at that level because they CAN, now that their stomach is smaller and their appetite is less. This large deficit gives the drastic weight loss that most of them need because of the severe medical risks of morbid obesity. They are getting the same nutrition from their food as someone who is eating at that level without having had the surgery. Both patients need to be taking supplements and be under the care of a physician if they are eating at those levels. That level is not any more or less safe for someone who has had surgery than someone who hasn't.

Trilby16

Oh stop it. We're all grown ups here, for crying out loud. I just find your defensiveness pretty telling. And the eye roll? That was at the "you are giving me a headache, thanks bunches for that" portion of your ranty little comment up there. Maybe it's time to walk away... maybe go get some fresh air... if a bunch of people who disagree with you are giving you a headache.

Are you trying to gaslight this poor woman?

"you seem hangry" is a snarky comment clearly intended to provoke. It's not a simple difference of opinion.

"and YOU, yes.. YOU, your diary scares me.." is also provocative and personal.

"you are giving me a headache," did not take this conversation anywhere new.

We may all be grown ups here but few of us are acting that way.

Well said. You are a voice of reason.

Trilby16

You know, this is not one of those threads where some newbie says I eat 1200 cals per day and I've stopped losing weight. What am I doing wrong?

NOPE. Nobody asked for advice here. The OP asked for 1200 calories success stories, and there are plenty. But here come the eat-more people, budding in where no one asked for their advice, yet again. Mind your own @#$%^ business. At least wait till you're asked for your invaluable advice!

temple_n

I started with netting 1200 calories. That is I tried to stay right around 1200 calories but sometimes if I exercise more I allowed a little more for the day. The big trick for me is to look at the whole week. Allow for some flexibility on certain days just keep the week under or at your net calorie goal. I've lost 18 lbs that way. Now that I'm so close to my goal weight I've reset my allowance for 1320 this week and will come up some again in two weeks. That way I don't just start eating 1700 calories and freak my body out. Also, I'm 5'3'' and small-ish. I weigh 128 lbs now. So just be sure that your not too far from your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or you could hit some hard plateaus. Good luck! I hope this helps!

vfaulk45

I just started & Im Doing the 1200 calories & some days I don't consume 1200 others I may be over a tad but it works for me if you eat the right foods 1200 is fine. Only thing is if you plan on doing a major workout you may need to up your calorie intake. I walk my pooch daily & I've dropped 5 lbs in 2weeks. Good luck!!!!

FlaxMilk

Hi OP,

I did very well on 1200 calories, as it was the right amount for me. I'm short, not overweight, and didn't get a huge amount of exercise or have a very active job. In the time I ate 1200, I was lifting weights and progressing. I lost weight without stalling, and I usually felt fine. I treated exercise calories as a bank--I ate them if I felt I needed them or wanted them and didn't worry about it otherwise because of days when life happens and I ate more than planned or went out with friends. (MFP calculated that I would lose no more than .7 lbs a week on this, so it wasn't a result of my settings. Even setting myself to the construction worker level of activity only gave me 1330 calories.)

Now, my focus has shifted. I am not really counting calories much at all, but I'm working out more consistently and am more interested in fitness. I weigh a bit more from not counting, and I would like to trim back down, but I'm going to continue focusing on the fitness and exercise for awhile and see where I end up. If I need to, I'll probably implement some kind of calorie cycling based on my workout schedule to do this.

1200 is enough for some and not enough for others. My advice to people who ask is to follow MFP as it is designed, including eating exercise calories for the most part. (If you aren't losing, try eating less than the full amount back to account for miscalculation.) The roadmap has been great for some but to me doesn't seem that different than MFP's program. (The roadmap has me eating less calories than I would if I consistently ate the 1200 MFP gives me + exercise calories.) This isn't to bash anyone, but using this site as it is designed is perfectly appropriate. Follow the guidelines and adjust as needed for your individual needs (hunger, energy, satisfaction, enjoyment of life.)

Angela_BB40

I'm at 1200 and do 30 day shred every day. I also own a cleaning business and clean from 4 to 6 hours 3 to 4 days a week. I can eat 1200 a day and feel great. Usually though, I am over but that is due to my activity level. I have to eat to keep this machine fed. I've lost lots of inches, but have not weighed myself since 3/10 in order to see what pounds I have lost. Probably won't weigh in for awhile as I'll take the inches over the pounds any day. Good luck with your journey. You can always talk to a nutritionist to find out wht is right for you.

lithezebra

1200 calories worked for me, and honestly, when I got a handle on what foods make me feel full, it wasn't all that terrible. I only wanted to lose 5 pounds, and I'm petite.

stella1314

i am happy with my 1200 too,and wount go for more. may be for some people it works, for me it doesnt....

lyndabraczynski

I think there is a big difference between male and female metabloism....Being a female in my later 40's I have to stay at around 1200 calories and work out to lose anything at all...I am envious of those of you who can eat more and still lose but it doesn't work that way for me...I havr quite a few friends who are regulars 5-6 dyas a week at the gym who say the same thing they of course are also women in their forties and fifties.

bostonwolf

Hi, I keep reading so many negative comments about sticking to 1200 calories. This is the amount I was planning to eat but am now confused! Anyone have any positive stories please?

I'll say this. Do what works for you, but if you start working out and feel really tired make sure you realize that this is probably related to your calorie intake and that you need to increase it.

Working out should leave you feeling a bit tired but energized, not so tired that once you get home you can't move for an hour.

tigerblue

You can eat that much, but I seem to be losing more weight by eating more, including treats. I don't know if it's just my body. I'm doing the 30 day shred too which has helped a lot. Find out your TDEE and eat 20% less. It's working for me! Sometimes, I eat more than it, and I lose inches or weight. Weird, huh?

Basically, TDEE -20% is pretty close to 1200 plus exercise for me. (About 20 cals for me). I guess that's why netting 1200 , while making sure to log and eat back exercise worked for me.

Tonyswoman

I have a hard time on most days to get to 1200 on a healthy living diet; I am way too full and overeat, basically feeling ill..

Give me crap to eat and I'm good to go!

lithezebra

Ya know, if I calculate my TDEE and subtract 20% of it, as recommended by so many people, I come up with a number slightly under 1200 calories a day. So it's no big surprise that 1200 worked for me.

concordancia

I have a hard time on most days to get to 1200 on a healthy living diet; I am way too full and overeat, basically feeling ill..

Give me crap to eat and I'm good to go!

Eat real PB and don't toss out the egg yolks.

Tonyswoman

I have a hard time on most days to get to 1200 on a healthy living diet; I am way too full and overeat, basically feeling ill..

Give me crap to eat and I'm good to go!

Eat real PB and don't toss out the egg yolks.

I will probably be doing this! I think it'll help a little

khall86790

I lost at least 10lbs at 1200 calories. The only reason I have upped mine is because I hit a plateau and I upped my exercise so I figured I'd see if upping would make any difference and by upping it to 1300 cals I began losing again. This happens sometimes.
HOWEVER. I was still successful at 1200 calories for at least 2.5 months, so there is no reason why you can't stick at 1200 cals if it works for you.
It's different for everyone.

Timshel_

Some days I do only 900 net calories, some days upwards of 2400 net calories. I tend to feel best around 1600-1800 myself, but I still lose weight at the upper end of the calories too. I lose more weight faster at the lower end but still felt hungry many of the days.

Do whatever works for you.

CJ_Holmes

Depends on how you define "success." Plenty of people lose weight on 1200 calories, but I would probably listen to people who have successfully kept it off for a long period of time and who are content and happy with their fitness and food intake.