1200 CAN'T be enough

Options
245

Replies

  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
    Options
    It can be enough if you plan your meals and get your body used to a new regimen.

    I plan my meals ahead of time so I know exactly what I am eating and when. Obsessed? Maybe just a little but it helps.

    Go for lean meats and veggies and reduce your carb intake, go for 30/40/30 (carbs/protein/fat) and you will see that 1200 is enough.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
    Options
    it is enough

    then why am I starving?

    I don't think you are starving. If you are hungry, eat. Up your calories if you feel the need. You are free to make adjustments to your plan...nothing here is written in stone. Just make sure you are really hungry not just feeling that you want to put something in your mouth.
  • mmarlow61
    mmarlow61 Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    I agree, many days I STRUGGLE to get to 1200. make sure you are eating lots of green veggies, more volume for the calories
  • MrsSky11
    MrsSky11 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    I am also on 1200 calories a day.....2 things.

    1. At first you feel like you're completely starved. Even after you do it for awhile - you'll still have days where you're really hungry for some reason. Try not to indulge in the bad stuff - grab some fruit or veggies to fill the void. Easier said than done, I know! Trust me!

    2. Adjust your carbs vs protein intake. I've recently been making a conscious effort to eat more lean protein (tuna, fish, chicken, tofu, etc) - and it REALLY helps to make you feel full!!

    Ok 3 things, I lied...

    3! More than likely you will never be dead on with your carbs/protein/fat percentages. In my opinion it's impossible to get enough carbs and protein on a 1200 calorie diet - but some how there is ALWAYS enough fat to go around.

    Overall my main advice is to really amp up your protein intake to make you feel full, and choose *good* carbs to give you some energy. Your body will get used to the adjustment eventually :) Good luck!
  • mahak14
    mahak14 Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    It might be hard initially but if you eat the right kind of food you wont starve..
    if you eat the wrong kind of food obviously ur calories will increase
    but if u r more hungry u can eat n make it up by exercise

    I am also 20 with same height n my weight is was quite near yours when i started i was 154
    and now with proper eating i am 141
    it takes time
    look me months i used to be so irregular but when you get used to it .. you dint even need this site tell you whats bad and good for you without being a calorie freak.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    Options
    You'll get loads of responses all different. It is enough if you're trying to lose weight. If you're overweight you got there by over eating... for whatever reason... your stomach is bigger and you're used to stuffing yourself or eatign stodgy crap.

    If you were eating 3000kCal a day and switched to less than half that at 1200kCal, it'll be a shock so you'll just have to get exerct will power to get over it.The alternative for a life long approach is to eat at the maintenance calories for your goal weight ...and do that forever...adjusting your goal weight calories for age and activity level for ever....

    Choose high fibre foods as they'll fill you up where possible and drink enough but not too much, water. Earn some extra calories by doing more exercise and make it good quality exercise.
  • RenaHope
    RenaHope Posts: 80
    Options
    I agree with everyone else. My problem has always been that I tend to eat when I'm bored. I think of how great some cheese fries taste, and I think I'm hungry, when I really am not. SO! Getting over that battle, I found that 1250 actually WAS enough for me... it was simply psychologically getting over the calorie gap.
    My tip to you is to just exercise every day, even if for a little bit. Anything else. Most of all, when your tummy is GROWLING, eat!
    Also, once you start exercising regularly, you can start eating back those calories. Despite what people tend to say, you WILL continue to lose weight. I generally eat about half of my exercise calories back, and I am doing just fine on my journey. Don't force yourself to be hungry. A granola bar or a handful of peanuts/almonds when you start feeling hungry or when you get a headache will help. And it probably sounds like a broken record, but drinking lots of water will help you adjust. I used to hate water. Hated it. Now I actually am in love with it.

    Tummy growling = EAT!
    Tastebuds growling = CAUTION!

    Hope that helped a little bit, good luck with your journey. And I love your icon! Anne Hathaway is great.
  • sarah6336
    sarah6336 Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    I'm on a 1200 calorie diet and about your height and weight. Depending on your activity level, you may need more. I find I feel better on 1200. One thing I noticed is that if I don't eat refined sugars, I don't feel like I am starving. Try to eat well rounded meals, drink water, and get some exercise.
  • amselby81
    amselby81 Posts: 150 Member
    Options
    My calorie limit is 1,510 and I struggle some days. If I mess up just a little, I go over my calories. Some days I do alright. Anyway, I can't imagine only having 1,200 calories. I have friends who have their calories set to 1,200 and they are skipping meals and/or drinking lemon water in the place of meals. That can't be healthy. I think that once I get down to only having 1.200, if I can't exercise enough to give me extra calories and I feel like I'm starving, I will change my weight loss goals to a half a pound a week just to give me extra calories.
  • MrsSherrill
    MrsSherrill Posts: 58
    Options
    bumb..
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Options
    5'3 150 lbs. I set it to 1 lb per week.

    1200 is low if you've been eating let's say 2000cals so far. Your basal metabolic rate is around 1500 calories or so says the formulae, normally that's the minimum calories your body needs to function and most people wouldn't want to go below that.

    If you try to restrain your calories low like today, you will feel tired and depressed because of continuous hunger. As a start, stick to 1500 calories like today. If you need to, lower gradually.

    What you need to do, though, is to make good food choices. You need the kind of food that will keep you full.

    Adjust your macronutrient goals through My Home > Goals > Change Goals > Custom. Set a higher protein goal and decrease your carbs a bit. Normally MFP sets the carbohydrates high and without complex carbohydrates like whole grains, you won't feel satiated.

    Eat more lean meats, eggs, good dairy high in protein like greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Get your carbohydrates from good sources like vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils. Have a handful of nuts everyday for good fat intake, as well as olive oil, coconut oil or alike.

    More protein will most probably help with the hunger issues.

    Oh, and drink water.

    Next is to start on some exercise. Walk, run, look up for bodyweight exercises on youtube and spare 30 minutes a day for your exercise.

    great advice. I'd eat 1500, exercise and just eat back the exercise calories your hungry for... not the rest. lots of protein, water and FIBER will keep you full. eat as much as you can frown scratch. just seems to help my loss and all the fiber in natural foods keeps you really full. watch sugar too, if you keep spiking sugar levels you'll be hungry when they drop! x
  • littlehedgy
    littlehedgy Posts: 192 Member
    Options
    Volumetrics baby! The idea is to eat as much food for the lowest calories. For example I stay away from dried fruit unless I'm working out strenuously. The reason being is with the water content in the undried fruit you will feel fuller. Whats more satisfying 1 cup of grapes for 62 calories or 40 raisins for about the same amount? I could have 2 cups of mashed cauliflower with butter for around the same calorie count as one slice of wheat bread.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    Options
    Do 1500 for a few weeks and see how it feels and see if you are losing. If you are, great. If you can do this without feeling starving all the time then why put yourself through that?

    This and eat back all your exercise calories! DO IT!
  • travelgirl96
    travelgirl96 Posts: 68
    Options
    I am at the same caloric goal. try eatting more protein and find exercises that you enjoy. good luck - you can do this!
  • patroleumjam
    patroleumjam Posts: 23
    Options
    here's the thing. I eat protein with every meal and veggies. I'm not bored right now I'm seriously hungry.
  • sharpeoplepc
    sharpeoplepc Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    I can't do 1200 calories! I am also 5'3". I exercise at least 2 hours a day, 5 days a week and that gives me more food to eat. I consume about 1700 calories a day. I eat 40% Carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. I focus on eating foods that have high nutritional value and I limit my processed foods. My weight is coming off slowly but I am already a healthy weight (133lbs). I am 39 years old.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Options
    There are enough people on here, losing weight on higher calories, to suggest that it is simply not necessary to eat that low to lose weight, and imo, makes it harder to make the change into maintenance. I suggest you stick with 1500 for now, there is no need to be walking around feeling starving hungry and a big difference between overeating enough to gain the weight in the first place, and starving to lose it. There is a middle ground somewhere there.
  • mahak14
    mahak14 Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    What you could do is do it slowly stick to 1500 and slowly make it lesser and lesser 50 calories lesser per week if you can
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    Options
    Try calculating your calorie needs on a website other than MFP. You are not like that overweight btw so maybe adjust your weight loss rate to 1/2 lb per week.

    Also I eat 2000 calories a day and I'm losing weight. If you feel like you're starving you should eat more. Never deny true physiological hunger.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    Options
    Another advocate for the Scooby Workshop Calorie Calculator here. I factor in my exercise and chose a 15% cut. Close to goal now so may drop it to 10. 1200 is not enough for you it seems.

Categories