How do you eat on 1200 cals?

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  • lucyricky2
    lucyricky2 Posts: 443 Member
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    I fill out my diary first thing in the morning. I try to get everything in line. I stick to it most of the time and it helps me to know in advance what I eat. I figure in a pure protein bar or a atkins bar which is a treat for me. I try to keep calories, sugar and fat within the range. I have many recipes that I make which I calculate on the recipe tracker. If i am out to far on something I try to readjust my menu. Planning to me is the key.
  • CrackedMojo
    CrackedMojo Posts: 15 Member
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    My base is 1200 calories and I have no problem eating three meals and two snacks. My diary is open if you want to look, but lately I've been over due to exercise. Take a look at May 3rd and 7th for ideas.
  • drm180now
    drm180now Posts: 6
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    Everything is relative. I am 6 weeks post VSG surgery and so eating 1000 calories seems great when for the first 4 weeks I was between 600 - 800 calories per day. I do think a huge key for me is the satiety I feel after very small meals which doesnt permit me to reach beyond my physical capacity limits of my new stomach. The VSG left me with 10% of my original stomach! Consequently, all the prior experience of eating 3000 - 4000 calories per day no longer applies. First, I cannot eat those quantities any longer. Second, my hunger hormones Ghrelin and Leptin have reset so that I dont get the cravings I did when I was 360 lbs. All of you who have had WLS should be getting these advantages too and much of this is adjusting your expectations to your new reality. Instead of my eating a Subway foot long sandwich, I make a whole sandwich and cut it in half. One half satisfies me thru lunch and if it is a good sandwich, I will eat the second half three hours later or for dinner.
  • crazy4fids
    crazy4fids Posts: 173
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    I think the trick to being successful on 1200 calories, is to exercise so you have exercise calories to eat back. When I was on 1200 calories and didn't exercise, I was always hungry and cranky. Now I am up to a goal of 1470 calories, but with exercise, I am eating about 1800 calories a day.

    It seems to be working out well for me. I have been loosing .5-1 pound per week for the past several weeks.
  • irishblonde2011
    irishblonde2011 Posts: 618 Member
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    I would suggest eating more than 1,200 to begin with. Don't forget you will have to lower your cals as you get closer to goal.
    I wish someone had told me this at the start.

    Good luck. :smile:
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
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    Oh and eggs are really good I have found - filling and low cal (66 cals).

    Yes! They're especially good value for calories if you add egg whites to them to bulk them up.

    I can do 1,200 calories/day only by getting in a lot of activity and eating those calories too. Even so, I do better with a calorie range of 1,200-1,500, so I can have a heavier day if I'm really hungry without labeling it a "failure," because if I fail, I'll binge.

    I also try very hard to keep my carbs under 55% and include as many plants and clean foods as possible, which naturally cuts me back on the nutritionally void, processed, sugary foods that I love.

    I hope that helps and wish you every success.
  • nomorebingesgirl2014
    nomorebingesgirl2014 Posts: 378 Member
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    Bump
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    I have done weight watchers, slimming world and 5:2 plan, i seem to do well for a short time then when i near goal i throw it all away and gain all lost weight. Im currantly 11.1st and would like to lose 2st. I am not natural when it comes to exercise but i have said ill start with 3 15min sessions and up these as i get use to the plan. The only thing im unsure of is how to best break down the cals to enable me to still have 3 meals and maybe an eve snack. Then it will be the task of what meals are best to eat etc. Thanks xx:flowerforyou:

    Hiya.

    I lost 2st on 1400 cals - don't go too low or it'll be another diet you break.

    Go for gentle loss and you can sustain it. I'm over a yr into maintenance after a lifetime of feast/famine diets.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    Oh and eggs are really good I have found - filling and low cal (66 cals).

    Eggs are good but cals depend on size, mine are around 80 cals.....sadly!
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
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    Add friends with similar goals and who don't mind you looking at their diaries - that way you can see how others manage their food and exercise - lots of good ideas. Also - i find it easiest to manage if I don't use too much pre-prepared, processed food and read packets etc before it goes into my mouth. Good luck
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Eating 1200 or less is what I did most of my life because i didn't know better when on a diet. No wonder I yoyed for decades. No more.
  • HoneydewLou
    HoneydewLou Posts: 20
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    You don't. 1200 calories is a pathetic amount, neither sustainable or healthy.
  • Siriku
    Siriku Posts: 22 Member
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    Green vegetables. I eat anywhere from 500g-1kg a day. Extremely filling, and low in calories.
  • struggletodiet
    struggletodiet Posts: 149 Member
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    It is about educating yourself to what food that you need, it sounds like a balanced diet is best for you bulk up on fruit and veg should help keep thing going
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    I'm on a goal of 1200 and I must admit I do struggle on the days that I don't exercise. To combat this, I have started exercising every day - yup, every day. I'm doing the Blogilates workouts (blogilates.com) for around 45 mins to an hour every morning. I have to get up at stupid o'clock to do them but actually, I quite like it now. It really gets my day off to a good start and then I know I have a few extra cals in the bank for the rest of the day! I also do a couple of spinning classes per week and try to run or swim at other times too - it sounds like a lot but I have gradually built this up and am only doing so much exercise because I really enjoy it - I'm getting a little bit addicted to spinning actuallY! Exercising every day is definitely improving my strength, fitness and shape too, so bonus!
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    "How do you eat on 1,200 calories a day?" You don't.

    ^^ THIS! You can lose weight that way, but it's not good for your body. It can't get what it fully needs in nutrition. Find out your BMR and your TDEE, TDEE - 20% is pretty good for weight loss. I recommend looking at http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    You can customise your goal calories and macros (carb, protein, fat %).
  • Farhathameed1
    Farhathameed1 Posts: 1
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    hi, I did find it difficult at first but then did an honest diary of all the food I was eating and was shocked at the calories I was consuming from the little things.

    I now find it easier to eliminate these and bring count down. I have looked at the lowest breakfast option I enjoy too which is coffee, porridge, and 2 egg whites and a benecol yogurt drink which is under 200 calories.

    Then salad with protein midday. salad is next to no calories, protein is chicken salmon or prawns which comes to around 100 calories max.This is another 250 calories. Glass of water.

    I'll then eat fruit for snacks which are high in calories but a healthy option and this still leaves me with around 4 or 500 calories for evening meal!! and if you look on the internet there's hundreds of low calorie meals that are really filling.

    I've cut out on drinks. Cant believe I was having 4 or 5 cups of Ribena a day. 500 calories would you believe!!! replace with water. Put sweetener in my coffee. And reduced my potion sizes. I've stopped snacking on chocolate, cakes, biscuits, limited bread.

    I feel full, healthier and have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks!!

    Started off at 9stone 10 pounds and would be happy to lose another half a stone to get rid of baby fat. Am really enjoying being healthier, am motivated by the prospect that ill fit into my skinny jeans again without bulging round the waist, and less stressed because I now know why I wasn't losing weight!!

    Good luck to you all
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
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    "How do you eat on 1,200 calories a day?" You don't.


    hahahaha! My exact first thought :laugh:
  • courttyeliz
    courttyeliz Posts: 1 Member
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    If you work out You earn more calories back. Keep it simple.:happy:
  • JanisMay67
    JanisMay67 Posts: 43
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    I'm finding it quite easy to survive on 1200 cals. Before I began recording everything on MFP I never had breakfast. Now I make myself have a protein shake. I use protein powder, flax seeds, cinnamon, oats, raspberries and water. It fills me up for hours and is under 350 cals.

    I've cut out snacking between meals, as this was my downfall. I've always had healthy meals, and I knew I had to break this habit.

    Lunch is usually a homemade soup. I do a batch at a time, and freeze in portions. Nearly every one I make works out at around 120 cals a portion and is wholesome and filling. It's lucky I love veg - so low in calories, it's easy to fill up on them. With the weather warming up, it will be a huge bowl of salad with a healthy dressing. After, I have a piece of fruit, and perhaps a diet yogurt - sticking to a limit of 350 cals again.

    This leaves 500 cals for evening meal. This is more than enough for any healthy ready meal, or homemade grilled fish/chicken/casserole with heaps of veg. I can even have the odd portion of chips done in the air fryer. There's usually enough cals left for a low cal dessert.

    If by the evening, I have any calories left - then that's treat time whilst watching the TV. Popcorn is my snack saviour, there's some fab flavours now, and they're bagged in good healthy portion size. I also keep some frozen yogurt in the fridge. I prefer it to ice-cream and it's low in fat and calories.

    If eating out, I can only ever manage a main course anyway. Avoiding bread is the key for me, half a bread roll and I would be binging all night. A steak with a salad is a good choice for me. Or if I know I am going somewhere where meals are calorie laden, I save calories up for a couple of days, so I know I can enjoy.

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