1200 calorie a day people

I started about 3-4 weeks ago and have lost 7lbs so far. I am on a 1200 calorie a day. At first I really didn't think it would work but would help me journal what I ate. After I started logging and keeping track of what I ate and how many calories I was consuming I was astounded at how many calories I was actually eating. I really don't use this as a diet, I still have times I go over but not by much and not as often. I actually think about what I eat now instead of just eating it. This has helped me become more aware of what I am eating. I started at 230 and have a goal of 140, only 83 more pounds to go!!!

OP, you mean net calories, right? MFP has me on 1260 per day. I eat back my exercise most of the time, sticking to around 1200 net. I've been on almost a month and have lost 8 pounds, but I don't know how much of that is just those beginner water pounds. I have definitely had to rethink the size of a normal meal- it is a lot smaller than it used to be! Like the other posters, if I eat really good food, it feels like enough, but I take extra long walks in the evening so I can have my red wine!

I just started last week on a 1,200 calorie diet and i lost 3 lbs in the first week. I'm just trying to watch what i eat and i walk about 45 minutes a day for my exercise. I find that i rarely eat all 1,2000 calories even though i really try to and i have light snacks throughout the day. I also noticed that i consistently go over my sugar count. Does anyone else have this problem?

Me too on the sugars- I don't even have a sweet tooth! I find if I eat 2 pieces of fruit in a day, I go over on sugars! Eggplant did it one day.

Me and I understand. I am really short and only weight 106 (goal of 105) as of this morning so my BMR is really low and my TDEE is as well. A lot of people dog me too for only eating 1000-1100 calories however my TDEE is 1501 and if I eat 500 less then that it is 1001 calories a day. I am half the size or a third of the size of some people on this board yet they are saying I am starving myself. No, I am just eating for my own height and weight.

I also don’t really eat back my exercise calories or if I do I only eat back 1/2 at the most and that is on a hard workout day or long day. I lost all my baby weight from baby number 2 however want to get really toned and trim and ready before I get pregnant again for number 3. I didn't gain a lot with baby number 2 however would like to be as fit as possible this time around so I will have less to loose. Did the same thing the last time too I am more toned and fit though with this one…. Trying to work off my genetically larger thighs in proportioned to my body, heheh. First thing that goes is my boobs and tummy, heheh.

Eating 1200 calories or less really depends on what your height and weight are. However, if your doctor okayed that then it is hopefully is fine. Do not listen to the crazies on here… Opinions are like butts…. Everyone has one and most of them stink!

I started at 1200 and was losing. I hit a plateau and stopped counting for awhile. I came back and read about the eat more to lose weight and I’ve been at 1350 for the last few months and havent lost. I was thinking of going back to 1200 and see what happens then reevaluate.

It's a classic "different strokes for different folks" thing. I did 1200 for 2 days before giving up and eating more. 1200 does NOT work for me. Does that mean it doesn't work at all? No! It just means I have different dietary needs. My TDEE is 2400. I'm eating between 1700 and 1900 a day on non workout days and am loosing just over a pound a week.

If you feel good, are loosing at a slow, healthy pace and aren't hungry all the time, then do what is right for you.

Me and I understand. I am really short and only weight 106 (goal of 105) as of this morning so my BMR is really low and my TDEE is as well. A lot of people dog me too for only eating 1000-1100 calories however my TDEE is 1501 and if I eat 500 less then that it is 1001 calories a day. I am half the size or a third of the size of some people on this board yet they are saying I am starving myself. No, I am just eating for my own height and weight.

I also don’t really eat back my exercise calories or if I do I only eat back 1/2 at the most and that is on a hard workout day or long day. I lost all my baby weight from baby number 2 however want to get really toned and trim and ready before I get pregnant again for number 3. I didn't gain a lot with baby number 2 however would like to be as fit as possible this time around so I will have less to loose. Did the same thing the last time too I am more toned and fit though with this one…. Trying to work off my genetically larger thighs in proportioned to my body, heheh. First thing that goes is my boobs and tummy, heheh.

Eating 1200 calories or less really depends on what your height and weight are. However, if your doctor okayed that then it is hopefully is fine. Do not listen to the crazies on here… Opinions are like butts…. Everyone has one and most of them stink!

If you are very lean, as you are now, a 500 calorie deficit may be a bit unnecessary. At this point, you'd be lucky to lose .25 lbs of true fat per week. Also, that 500 deficit assumes the entire deficit is from food (TDEE of 1500 down to 1000). If you are exercising on top of that, then your deficit is in fact greater than 500. So if you are consuming 1000 calories of food, down from 1500, and exercising at 300 calories a day, that's a sum deficit of 800. 800/1500 is a massive 53% deficit and will not benefit one as lean as yourself.

I usually sit at between 1200-1275 calories a day on average. I got serious about my weight loss mid June and I am down 15 lbs. 16 more pounds to go and I will hit my weightless goal. I find it easier to eat lighter during the day and then eat my bigger meal for dinner (we eat about 5:30 and go to bed around midnight). That way I am not snacking in the evenings and if I need to I will normally grab a piece of fruit. I have been doing good not eating sweets which is normally the hard part for me. I did buy salt water taffy when I went to the coast last Friday. I discovered it is really low on calories and it does help when I get a craving for something sweet but I do not want to go overboard.

I am 5"10 inches. Started at 181 lbs and I weighed in at 165 lbs today. 150 lbs is my goal. If I hit it, may try for 140 (new goal) but we shall see what I look like.

I just started last week on a 1,200 calorie diet and i lost 3 lbs in the first week. I'm just trying to watch what i eat and i walk about 45 minutes a day for my exercise. I find that i rarely eat all 1,2000 calories even though i really try to and i have light snacks throughout the day. I also noticed that i consistently go over my sugar count. Does anyone else have this problem?

I just posted about how I'm always over on carbs. It doesn't seem to be really hurting me any, but I hate seeing those red numbers pop up when I look at my daily totals. It's like it's screaming at me "Can't you do ANYTHING right???" I'm sorry MFP! I'll try harder tomorrow!

I started 1200 calorie diet 3 weeks ago. first week lost 5 and last 2 weeks only 1 each week. A few days I ate some of workout calories but going to try to stick to 1200 and see whats happens. Hopefully next week will be more than 1 lbs.....any suggestions?

I lost 150 lbs!!! The only reason I gained it back was because I got pregnant with my daughter.

Did you give birth to a teenager?

Seriously, you can't blame the baby for gaining 150 pounds. I gained 30 with one and 25 with the other. Most of it was gone by the time I left the hospital.
Pregnancy and the baby are NOT responsible for any more than 20 extra pounds or so....eating way too much while pregnant and using it as an excuse, instead of eating healthy and exercising gently are what caused it.

Me! I've noticed if I eat back my workout calories I don't lose so I try to stick to 1200 as much as possible.

I have this same issue.

Only eat 1200 calories. That s what my doctor told me to eat.

If 1200 calories work for you and your Dr. approves then stick with that. I do 1310 per day and sometimes have problems hitting that mark if I am eating "diet" food.

I also do 1,200 calories net (overall) after I've taken both diet and exercise into account. The night before last, I was slacking off with entering my data and I was actually UNDER 1,200 (my actual amount was 1,177). The website warned me that I wasn't eating enough calories. That's only the first time, though, and I've been on track since.