Results with 1200 Calories

keem88

Some people are mentioning maintaining goal weight after being on 1200 cals. I look at it this way - if the person goes back to eating the way they were before losing the weight, of course they'll gain. Likely the way they were eating before was over their maintenance calories, after all that's how they got overweight in the first place. Even going to your maintenance cals suddenly might cause some gain initially. When I get to goal weight I plan to go up to my new maintenance cals gradually, increasing by 100 cal increments over a period of time. Shouldn't balloon up that way.

that's what i did when recovering from an eating disorder so i would not become triggered and gain a lot of weight fast. if course you will gain at first but a lot of times it is just water weight and after your body is used to it, a few of those pounds should come off and you will be maintaining

Ashwee87

@_@ Wow...

KerryMorrow

Beginning on 17 December and after a Doctor's visit on turning 50 the results were extremely distressing. I was borderline diabetic, obese, and with high cholesterol. In that moment I figured...hell I abused myself for 50 years that I could at least suck it up and live the remainder of my life much more health conscious. At 5'4" and tipping the scales at 202 I decided to log all of my food intake, begin walking for an hour every day and set my caloric limit at 1200.

As of this entry I have lost 54 lbs! While I may be hungry at times I find that eating a little.. a lot more frequently help keep the hunger pangs away and while 1200 calories was my goal I rarely find that I go up much more than 900-1000 calories.

Every Saturday are my weigh ins and I certainly take the opportunity after weigh in...and only on that day to celebrate with one fattening food product (hey...it's worth it).

So yes....1200 calories do work. Keep the faith!

FlaxMilk

Why are people so willing to credit/blame MFP for why they eat 1200 daily...("...because that's what MFP said to do")...but then don't eat back exercise calories? In case people don't know, eating back exercise calories is what MFP says to do too. (Yes, I realize there are other approaches where you wouldn't (such as a TDEE - X%), but those would almost certainly/very likely have you eating more than 1200.)

TL;DR - Cherry-picking pieces of the plan is *not* following the plan.

This is a fair point, and I know my individual reason won't apply for all, but this is why I was flexible with mine: the highest activity level at .5 lbs a week put me at 1330 calories. Moderate activity put me at 1200. So I guess I was doing a TDEE approach but without the language. Since MFP bottoms out at 1200 no matter the goals/stats, I believe it is different for me to not eat the exercise calories as my deficit wasn't quite as great anyway. (It's been awhile, so I may have some numbers wrong, but I think MFP estimated me to lose .3 - .7 lbs a week on the various activity settings.)

The other point I wanted to respond to that someone else made is the "Never starve again." I paid much more attention to my diet and health at 1200 than I admittedly do now, and I didn't go hungry or starve. The days I was hungrier for whatever reason, I ate more. I agree 100% that if someone *is* starving on 1200 calories, it is not the plan for that person to be following.

bglory83

I started at Figure Weight Loss at the end of March 2013 and the dr put me on a 1200 calorie diet and adipex, however I couldn't continue with the medication do to the fact it made my blood pressure go through the roof and it wasnt taking the food cravings away. But I have been maintaining the 1200 calories sometimes lower/higher depending on how hungry I am. I have been doing some cardio and crunches etc with it at least every other day and with in approx. 2 months I am down about 25 pounds or more and have went down 2 pants sizes.
I think it really depends on the person you can try the 1200 calorie and if youre still hungry eat a little more but make sure you exercise also.

FlaxMilk

I have actually found that it is difficult for me to maintain 1200 calories a day, not because it's not enough, but because it is too much. I have trouble meeting that goal every day, and if I do get to it I am super full and don't feel like eating breakfast the next morning. I am also only 4'11", so that could have something to do with it. But I think everyone should find what works for them and work it! Everybody is different, so what works for one person may not work for another.

This is actually probably a sign that you should try to sneak a bit more food in. You may have thrown some of your hunger mechanisms off. I haven't checked your diary, but if you are eating lots of "diet" foods or just a lot of vegetables, try adding some healthy fats into the foods you are already eating. (I'm barely taller than you, and being this height is not really a reason to have a smaller appetite.) I did look at your profile and assume you must be busy. You may be getting so tired that you don't experience the hunger. Maybe try bringing even a single serving of almonds or cashews to munch on while out and about.

ThoseRabbits

Let me tell you my story...

I started dieting after my son was born in 2003, I figured diet was simply "stop eating so much" and 1000 calories sounded like a good reasonable number to go by. I lost all of my baby weight, became weight fixated, and lost more weight. I went from the 1000 calories to anorexia (this doesn't happen to everyone, but let's face it eating 1200 calories is border line anorexia. After all 1000 calories is only 200 less!) I was super skinny, I had never been so skinny, 5'8" 115lbs. Eventually I ate normal again, because you know life is a good feeling, being alive and all that jazz.

2006 I decided at 5'8" 150lbs I needed to get my eating habits under control. I set my goal at 1200, and lost to 129lbs in a few months. I was constantly crabby, I had no energy, I was so ravenous that if I didn't get to eat my scheduled meal I would start biting heads off. I was a real peach to be around. However, I was super skinny!!! YAY! Guess what? Eventually I got sick of starving and ate normal again, and balooned to 150lbs in about a month.

2008 I started working out, still not eating enough but better 1400 calories with a good work out. I lost the weight pretty fast still, but always felt hungry! (I wonder why? I was burning all of my calories with daily calorie useage, and then I was working out and burning even more.) I eventually made my goal weight, and body fat, and I was very fit! However again, STARVING, again I ATE NORMAL again I GOT BACK TO 150lbs without blinking an eye.

This time? I am eating normal, feeding my metabolism, making smarter choices, working out like a champion. I would reach my "goal weight" in a few months with 1200 calories, have the worst attitude ever, and be starving 24/7. This time? I am eating 1700 to 2200 calories, the weight is coming off slow, my muscles are beautiful. I am not a complete *kitten* to be around, and am enjoying my work outs. I can eat whatever I want and not have my butt go up three sizes.

MY SUGGESTION? FEED YOUR BODY. WORK HARD. Or you can ruin your metabolism, and eat 1200 calories the rest of your life, or do it the other way. Oh yes, and lift heavy things up and down, you will not get bulky and your body will thank you for it.

1200 iz NOT ''border line anorexia''. what r u even talking about?

ThoseRabbits

Some people are mentioning maintaining goal weight after being on 1200 cals. I look at it this way - if the person goes back to eating the way they were before losing the weight, of course they'll gain. Likely the way they were eating before was over their maintenance calories, after all that's how they got overweight in the first place. Even going to your maintenance cals suddenly might cause some gain initially. When I get to goal weight I plan to go up to my new maintenance cals gradually, increasing by 100 cal increments over a period of time. Shouldn't balloon up that way.

exactly! people alwayz gain there weight back because they go back to stuffing there facez. if u go up gradually it shouldnt be problem an ur body will get used to it. im so sick of people saying i have an eating disorder jus cuz i eat little. my lifestyle isnt tha same as their's. >_____>

ninababie2

I'm not a RD but I've taken nutrition courses. 2000 is recommended for a woman. Although yes, each individual's TDEE is different. I'm a 150lb 5' 5" 24 year old lightly active girl and mine is 1900.

Maintaining at 1350 is very difficult to be healthy unless you have no discretionary calories. I would talk to your doctor or a nutritionist.

Wow. Lots of post saying the same thing here but I need to reiterate.

I've lost weight 3 times eating 1200 calories...what does that tell you? Sure it works. But you can't eat 1200 calories forever. It screws your metabolism and puts you on an unhealthy yoyo dieting cycle.

You feel full after a long time eating 1200 calories because your body adapts to it, but it isn't actually getting what it needs. The RDA is based on 2000 calories because that is how much we need to eat to get all our essential nutrients.

No. The RDA is based on (a) men, who are used as the 'norm' even though there are large gender differences involved and (b) represent an "average" height/weight/age - meaning there's a normal distribution around that number. Nutritional requirements scale with size, age, etc. I'm 55-pushing-56, 5' 1/2", and my goal really is about 1200 calories (1250) to lose, but only 1350 or so to maintain.

Mlkmaid

OK, I'm kind of over this. I'm tired of all these folks who think they're diet and fitness experts! Let's face it - if we were experts we wouldn't be here! LOL. There is no magic bullet. There is no magic formula. You just have to do your best. The REAL litmus test is what happens once you reach your goal. Hopefully by then good habits will have been formed, bad habits shelved, lifestyles will have been modified to include food education and exercise and voila!! = long-term success.

DalekBrittany

Some people are mentioning maintaining goal weight after being on 1200 cals. I look at it this way - if the person goes back to eating the way they were before losing the weight, of course they'll gain. Likely the way they were eating before was over their maintenance calories, after all that's how they got overweight in the first place. Even going to your maintenance cals suddenly might cause some gain initially. When I get to goal weight I plan to go up to my new maintenance cals gradually, increasing by 100 cal increments over a period of time. Shouldn't balloon up that way.

exactly! people alwayz gain there weight back because they go back to stuffing there facez. if u go up gradually it shouldnt be problem an ur body will get used to it. im so sick of people saying i have an eating disorder jus cuz i eat little. my lifestyle isnt tha same as their's. >_____>

...are you ThoseLittleCats but with a new username? If so, I would like to point out that wanting to be 68 pounds at 19 years old is VERY indicative of having an eating disorder, unless you are about 3 feet tall.

Mlkmaid

And regarding the whole "loose skin" slam from earlier on this thread - you don't avoid loose skin because you're eating more, you don't get it because you're young! Duh.

jessicajayejudd

I have lost 20 lbs in the last 3 months using the 1200 calorie method. I very rarely went to the gym, have a seditary lifestyle (I like movies ok!) and still saw a loss usually of at least a lbd a week. I recently started dropping to 900 calories, apparently I had done the impossible and "lost my appetite" (I really wish I could of done that 40 lbds ago), the result was a 3lbd weight GAIN! The myth that you will go into starvation mode and store weight if you don't eat your allotted calories turns out not to be a myth! Check out my blog if you would like to see in more detail what I have been doing and the results I have had......
BUT IT DOES WORK, I PROMISE

Mock_Turtle

bink

ThoseRabbits

Some people are mentioning maintaining goal weight after being on 1200 cals. I look at it this way - if the person goes back to eating the way they were before losing the weight, of course they'll gain. Likely the way they were eating before was over their maintenance calories, after all that's how they got overweight in the first place. Even going to your maintenance cals suddenly might cause some gain initially. When I get to goal weight I plan to go up to my new maintenance cals gradually, increasing by 100 cal increments over a period of time. Shouldn't balloon up that way.

exactly! people alwayz gain there weight back because they go back to stuffing there facez. if u go up gradually it shouldnt be problem an ur body will get used to it. im so sick of people saying i have an eating disorder jus cuz i eat little. my lifestyle isnt tha same as their's. >_____>

...are you ThoseLittleCats but with a new username? If so, I would like to point out that wanting to be 68 pounds at 19 years old is VERY indicative of having an eating disorder, unless you are about 3 feet tall.

u can think wat u want, not true though

Mock_Turtle

UUURRRGG here we go...'you're starving at 1200'. What a load of cr**. I have tons of energy, I'm losing weight, my periods haven't stopped, I've not suddenly gained weight and you know what, I enjoy not eating f*** loads of food.

I'll see you at the finish line (I'll be there before you)!

I actually didn't say you were going to lose your period, and you obviously have a bad relationship with food if you thinking eating what your body NEEDS to simply maintain it's functioning level is "loads of food." Also it is starving yourself, the average body needs at least 1700 calories to function every day, anything less than that is starving it.

Do you expect your car to run without gas? Do you use your cell phone without charging it? Stop thinking of your body as a number on a scale, and start thinking of it as a machine that needs energy to function. The bottom line is losing weight at 1200 calories is not healthy because a) you aren't feeding it properly b) it's not ideal to live on 1200 calories for the rest of your life. The damage it does to your metabolism, and yes the potential harm it can do if your body goes into starvation mode and starts to consume it's own muscle. (Also your period doesn't need to stop for your body to be doing this, I was anorexic and my period never stopped not even when I was 115lbs so that's a mute point.) Also talking about muscle and starvation, guess what's a muscle in your body? YOUR HEART

you had me until you said starvation mode...sorry but you can't be eating 1200 cals a day and be in starvation mode. Your body will not start to consume muscle for energy unless you eat nothing for three days and even then, the effects of starvation mode are minimal...

Yes well they may be minimal if you do it now and again. However the effects of starvation mode for prolonged periods of time are proven to eventually kill you , And yes cause heart failure.

Also 1200 is starving, it may not make your body consume your heart but it (as was said by another poster and myself) messes with your metabolism and is not a goal to aim for (for most!).

Perhaps another word would be better but "starving" pretty much sums up my experience with 1200 calories. That or "ravenous" and "b%tchy"

This is way too much of a generalization.

Surely you're not going to claim that a sedentary 5'4 120lb female who does maybe 2-3 workouts/week (at best) of some light aerobics is going to be "starving" if they eat 1200 cal/day are you?

This arbitrary 1200 red line is pretty useless when it's not tied into someones TDEE

DalekBrittany

Some people are mentioning maintaining goal weight after being on 1200 cals. I look at it this way - if the person goes back to eating the way they were before losing the weight, of course they'll gain. Likely the way they were eating before was over their maintenance calories, after all that's how they got overweight in the first place. Even going to your maintenance cals suddenly might cause some gain initially. When I get to goal weight I plan to go up to my new maintenance cals gradually, increasing by 100 cal increments over a period of time. Shouldn't balloon up that way.

exactly! people alwayz gain there weight back because they go back to stuffing there facez. if u go up gradually it shouldnt be problem an ur body will get used to it. im so sick of people saying i have an eating disorder jus cuz i eat little. my lifestyle isnt tha same as their's. >_____>

...are you ThoseLittleCats but with a new username? If so, I would like to point out that wanting to be 68 pounds at 19 years old is VERY indicative of having an eating disorder, unless you are about 3 feet tall.

u can think wat u want, not true though

And you can think what you want, it will literally kill you though.

SerenaFisher

UUURRRGG here we go...'you're starving at 1200'. What a load of cr**. I have tons of energy, I'm losing weight, my periods haven't stopped, I've not suddenly gained weight and you know what, I enjoy not eating f*** loads of food.

I'll see you at the finish line (I'll be there before you)!

I actually didn't say you were going to lose your period, and you obviously have a bad relationship with food if you thinking eating what your body NEEDS to simply maintain it's functioning level is "loads of food." Also it is starving yourself, the average body needs at least 1700 calories to function every day, anything less than that is starving it.

Do you expect your car to run without gas? Do you use your cell phone without charging it? Stop thinking of your body as a number on a scale, and start thinking of it as a machine that needs energy to function. The bottom line is losing weight at 1200 calories is not healthy because a) you aren't feeding it properly b) it's not ideal to live on 1200 calories for the rest of your life. The damage it does to your metabolism, and yes the potential harm it can do if your body goes into starvation mode and starts to consume it's own muscle. (Also your period doesn't need to stop for your body to be doing this, I was anorexic and my period never stopped not even when I was 115lbs so that's a mute point.) Also talking about muscle and starvation, guess what's a muscle in your body? YOUR HEART

According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the average person needs 1800 to maintain their weight so no, eating 1200 to lose weight isn't starving yourself.

"1800 to maintain" but 1200 isn't starving? You yourself just said the average is 1800 and I am not a math major but 1200 isn't 1800. Like I said spend your life eat in 1200 or eat normal and work out. Muscle is beautiful skinny with saggy skin not so much. Ravenous and b&tchy also not attractive... but it is your body.

Wanting2BSkinny

bump for later

SerenaFisher

Let me tell you my story...

I started dieting after my son was born in 2003, I figured diet was simply "stop eating so much" and 1000 calories sounded like a good reasonable number to go by. I lost all of my baby weight, became weight fixated, and lost more weight. I went from the 1000 calories to anorexia (this doesn't happen to everyone, but let's face it eating 1200 calories is border line anorexia. After all 1000 calories is only 200 less!) I was super skinny, I had never been so skinny, 5'8" 115lbs. Eventually I ate normal again, because you know life is a good feeling, being alive and all that jazz.

2006 I decided at 5'8" 150lbs I needed to get my eating habits under control. I set my goal at 1200, and lost to 129lbs in a few months. I was constantly crabby, I had no energy, I was so ravenous that if I didn't get to eat my scheduled meal I would start biting heads off. I was a real peach to be around. However, I was super skinny!!! YAY! Guess what? Eventually I got sick of starving and ate normal again, and balooned to 150lbs in about a month.

2008 I started working out, still not eating enough but better 1400 calories with a good work out. I lost the weight pretty fast still, but always felt hungry! (I wonder why? I was burning all of my calories with daily calorie useage, and then I was working out and burning even more.) I eventually made my goal weight, and body fat, and I was very fit! However again, STARVING, again I ATE NORMAL again I GOT BACK TO 150lbs without blinking an eye.

This time? I am eating normal, feeding my metabolism, making smarter choices, working out like a champion. I would reach my "goal weight" in a few months with 1200 calories, have the worst attitude ever, and be starving 24/7. This time? I am eating 1700 to 2200 calories, the weight is coming off slow, my muscles are beautiful. I am not a complete *kitten* to be around, and am enjoying my work outs. I can eat whatever I want and not have my butt go up three sizes.

MY SUGGESTION? FEED YOUR BODY. WORK HARD. Or you can ruin your metabolism, and eat 1200 calories the rest of your life, or do it the other way. Oh yes, and lift heavy things up and down, you will not get bulky and your body will thank you for it.

1200 iz NOT ''border line anorexia''. what r u even talking about?

My body. And it is for me. At 1200 calories my body could not maintain its functions, and the fixation on food led me to anorexia. Did you not read the post? By the way my BMR to just have my body "function" at a sedentary level is 1990 ...certainly isn't 1200. Starving is starving. Why eat 1200 when I can give my body what it actually needs 1990 or more!