is anyone else doing a calorie intake of 1200?

I too have the 1200 goal.....I usually have about 250 or so left at the end of my dinner......not hungry to use em up either....some daysI feel I need all 1200. I stopped all fried foods.....limit carbs ......and don't add salt at all. It seems since starting this I am drinking more water and peeing much more.....jesus....to think I was holding all the water in. Plus eating crap.....SO MUCH EASIER to NOT eat right. But I refuse to fall off the wagon....although I feel like the wagon ran me over...then backed up.....and ran me over again....I am sure my bod will adjust to the "shock" of what right is.

I eat all of my exercise calories for the day. the site is still set for you to lose 1 pound a week, without those extra calories, your not eating enough. that's what i understand from reading the posts on here so that is what i do. With exercise in a day, i eat about 1400 calories.

I am guessing the reason you guys are eating 1200 is because you're trying to lose MORE than 1 pound a week?? 1200 is fine every now and then but I think 1400-1500 calories is much better for your health, u need certain nutrients and vitamins and I don't think 1200 is good especially when you factor in exercising? Let's say you burn 300 do you eat 1500 that day since you gained extra calorie points or no?

Nope. It all depends on your height and current weight. I'm only 5 feet tall and am currently at my goal weight (90 pounds).
Yes, you eat those additional 300 cals. MPF puts you in a deficet...you need to eat 1/2 to all of what your burn. You must net at least 1200 cals or your body will go into starvation mode. Banks/SHBoss has a a wonderful explination for this, I can't seem to find a link to it right now. Hopefully he'll chime in and explain this to all the n00bs a bit better than I can.

I am also on the 1200 calories a day and find it hard to eat them all. I also exercise almost daily, usually a walk for 40 minutes with my neighborhood gals. I would like to get back to my early morning walk too, but haven't been able to do that. My downfall is sweets, so I find someone to share them with. Also when I eat out I share my meal with my hubby, or bring half of it home. I put it in a box before I start eating so I am sure not to eat too much. However, If I don't watch myself I eat too many desert foods!
I have lost 5 pounds since starting on December 30th

I'm at 1200. Usually a kim's light bagel (100 cal) with a snack size cottage cheese for breakfast. Arnolds sandwich thins with boars head chicken breast and laughing cow light cheese wedge for lunch. Midafternoon fiberone bar and tea. For dinner a salad or vegetable and a Cooking Light recipe. I love cooking light because they give you a serving size and nutritionals...go to www.myrecipes.com type in whatever and search. or click low cal dinners, etc.

When I set up my MFP, it tells me that I should have 1700 cal a day!!! Yikes I thought that was high. I have never gone over the 1200 range so I think that is more like it. Maybe I am just way bigger that all the rest. IDK

I just checked your profile....you have a pretty active job...that will account for quite a lot of cals. Also, are you taller or have less to lose? That also effects the cal count.

I also have a calorie intake of 1200. I am 5 ft tall and that calorie count lets me lose just over one pound a week, I love good food and evn though I cook healthy, I do find it a challenge to eat for under 12000 calories. I can manage just fine, but sometimes use my workout calories for the day. I cook with lots of fresh vegetables and sometimes make two different versions of the same meal. One normal for the family, for example spaghetti with pasta for the family and a version with less meat in the same sauce served over spaghetti squash for me. I like the challenge of seeing what I can create in meals to keep me under my limit.

I was doing the 1200 calories, based on wanting to lose 2 lbs a week. The calorie part didnt seem difficult (this is only my 2nd day!) but I could not meal plan within the limits of my protein. I felt bad inside when I ended up with a negative number so I set to 1 lb a week, which gives me 1700 calories. I meal plan within all of my limits but go stay within my protein limits. Plus, working out means I need a good amount of protein anyway.

Hope this tip helps!

hey my calorie intake is set @ approx 1400 BUT, i keep it under 1000.. let me tell ya how..lol

Breakfast - kellogg 90 calorie breakfast bar OR Bannana OR 2 boiled eggs

Lunch - 1 Healthy Request soup OR 1 cup of vegies and a small meat!! (pref. grilled chicken).

Dinner - I have gotten some of those Lean Cuisine frozen meals.. or STEAMABLES.. omg..they are so good!!!!

And if i absolutely am starving i'll either drink a Glass of milk OR get some of those 100 calorie snack packs!!! It hasn't been very hard at all.. i just try to keep it mixed up..
For dinner i also get those frozen fish thingys.. w/ talipia or salmon (they're only like $3) and i'll get some of those steamable bags of vegies and pig out!!! a cup of vegies is a lot!!! and then i'll occasionally have like a dinner roll w/ it.

Lemon Pound Cake is also pretty low in calories supprisingly.. so if you have a sweet tooth grab a piece of that or even a cup of Cool Whip!!! or 1/2 a cup of vanilla ice creamm..yummm..

hope this helps

You do realise that you're starving yourself.

I am taking in 1200 daily...you can look at my food diary (through my profile) if you'd like to get ideas of what and how I eat.

Wow! my calorie goal is 1400 and i could eat that for a snack. I don't know who you all are, but really? I have the appetitie of a lumberjack, which is why I'm in the shape I'm in, and I am finding it nearly impossible to stay at 1400 calories every day. In fact, I've probably done it once since I started. Still, I'm eating only healthy foods and trying to limit sugar (not as successfully as I'd like). I would feel verrrrrry hungry at 1200.

The problem with a 1200 calorie diet is it isn't maintainable after you are finished "dieting" It is a diet and not a true lifestyle. I've been there done that. and it sucks.

I like to think of it this way. Eat like the person you want to be. If you want to be a 130 lb person that has little activity then enter the information for that person and see how many calories you would eat...that is how many you should eat for the rest of your life to maintain that weight.

You will lose at first but then slowly lose until you maintain, you won't have to worry about the yo yo or regain.

Eat like the thinner you.

Eating too little jacks your metabolism up and then makes it more and more difficult to lose weight and even maintain it.

Myn also told me to do a calorie intake of 1200-1500. however i usually barely hit 1000. this is what i eat pretty much on a regular basis, and i have been losing a lb a day for a week now. (i started at 172, now 166) so its not just water weight, im actually losing weight that needs to be gone!

breakfast-
two -three slices of jennie-o turkey bacon
one large fried egg ( not butter)
one glass orange juice, sometimes two. but be careful here, oj has a lot of calories
sometimes a yoplait light yogurt

lunch-
boiled chicken breast then browned in a pan with salsa ( salsa has very little calories)
salad consisted of lettuce, cucumbers, croutons ( reese has some that are 25 calories for a serving) then Marzetti's LIGHT ceasar dressing. Marzettis is good even in light. there is only 70 calories for 3 tbsp, and with ceasar that is plenty

dinner-
eathier chicken breast with brown rice or a sandwich with those skinny buns and meat, lettuce, tomato.
or soup. campbells select harvest light has some good ones. Italian style vegetable is my favorite right now. its only 100 calories i believe.. not much more if it is.

snack-
smart food pouch. its popcorn clusters, theres different flavors. they are 100 calorie pouches also.


there are many options to stay low on calories. basically u need to stay away from bread, cheese, fats, red meats. weight watchers meals are great to follow also. If u like fish, white fish is good. There are many options out there. pick up one of the weight watchers magazines and there are lots of recipes in each one. and they are pretty good!!
good luck with your weight loss goal.. u can do it!!

Hey guys, newbie here. I forgot what my calorie intake was during the initial signup of the forum. How do you check it?

Can someone explain this whole concept of calorie intake and how excercising effects it in a dummies format plzzzz