Anyone successfully lose weight eating 1200 cal or less?

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  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    i don't count cals, just carbs.. but my cals are anywhere from 800 to 1600 and i lose.
  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 16,554 Member
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    yes i have. and i was having a hard time reaching to eat 1200. now that i'm at my goal weight and recalculated, mfp is saying i should eat 1890 cal. it's really hard to eat that.
  • faithchange
    faithchange Posts: 311 Member
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    Also it really depends mostly on your height. I'm short 5'1" so I need less calories than a taller girl. Taller girls would have a harder time with this unless they have a lot of fat reserves to draw from.

    Agree here. I'm 5'8 and I tried 1200-1500 and was starving literally. When I came here, I had to up at least to 1700, but now eating more than that. I'm having success and my body's much happier too.

    I believe its all in the food moderation and decision.
  • sarah6336
    sarah6336 Posts: 108 Member
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    I'm on 1200 and have lost at least one pound a week since I started. I'm really petite, though.
  • lovinmyselfagain
    lovinmyselfagain Posts: 307 Member
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    Yes, on the days with no exercise I eat right around 1200 calories. And with exercise I eat a little bit more, probably around 200 calories more, but I net ~1200 calories for the day. I've lost 40 lbs since mid April. And no, I don't feel like I'm starving all day :).
  • dallen388
    dallen388 Posts: 22
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    Yes but the more " fit" you become u will have to adjust accordingly to continue to recieve results. Anything below is asking for trouble IMO...makes room for more temptations if u r always hungry.
  • BondBomb
    BondBomb Posts: 1,781 Member
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    Thats too low!
    Depends on the person. I am small and close to goal. My bmr is only 1301.My maintenance calories are only around 1400.

    Don't you want to eat more than your BMR? That can't be healthy if your eating BMR....
    My maintenance calories are around 1490. That means if I eat 1490 calories plus exercise cals i won't lose anything. I actually eat at 1350 and I am only losing about .5 lb every 2 weeks.I also eat back my exercise calories. I do think 1200 is too low for most people though. I know if I couldn't eat back those exercise calories I would be starving!
  • Buffdrita
    Buffdrita Posts: 7
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    I've just started really trying to lose weight. It has been maybe 6 weeks or so. I'm doing the 1200 cal & it seems to be working fine. I am not hungry. 1200 calories seems to be enough food for me. Though I have always eaten pretty healthfully, I must have been eaing too much healthy food to lose weight!

    I should add I am not an emotional eater or a snack-a-holic. I've gained about 20lbs over the past 20 years.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Please eat more. Sustain your body don't starve it. Be healthy. 1200 calories a day is not acceptable for organisms as large as humans.
  • LCgymnast
    LCgymnast Posts: 258
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    Yep. However I stopped eating after 8 to help with my digestive tract. Plus with more exercise involved the lbs literally melted away!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 4,995 Member
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    I have been eating around 1200 cals for the last 2 yrs have lost 105 lbs and maintained for the last 4 mths, now I am trying to lose another 10lbs. Anyway it works for me but everyone is different find what works for you, my food diary is open if you want to get some ideas
  • Lmdaniels
    Lmdaniels Posts: 91 Member
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    I have. I find that I'm generally pretty satisfied if the calories are from good foods because it takes a lot of them to make 1200 Cal. Of course, before I made this change, I was going all day without eating and feeling like my 2000 Cal meal at mcdonalds or pasta house was ok. Apparently not. Feel much better at 1200 throughout the day.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    I have but its because my medication suppresses my appetite. I eat 1200 just to make the minimum but I do try to make my calories.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I do 1200 and eat back my exercise calories. I've been doing pretty well. If I really feel that I need to eat a little more that day, I do. Simple. =)
  • Aventuria
    Aventuria Posts: 151
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    I've been eating 1200 cal for 4 weeks now. From tomorrow it'll be 1500/1600 cal. :drinker:

    As I understand you shouldn't eat just 1200 cal in long-term. :ohwell:
    But that's the individual's decision.:wink:
  • TrangTL
    TrangTL Posts: 1
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    Yes for me. I didn't know it was a no-no until i started poking around in the forum. i am not starving and i also exercise on top of sticking to the 1200 limit and i've lost 15 lbs since June. i am also just 5'4 so maybe it has something to do with it...?
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    the question you ought to ask, is "has anyone successfully maintained their weight loss after having used a 1200 calorie diet?"
  • MommyToCutie
    MommyToCutie Posts: 31 Member
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    It's not working for me right now! I ate only 1200 calories today and I'm starving. 1200 calories seems very low for anyone of any height (I'm 5'3"). On days I don't exercise I think I'll eat around 1400 instead so I won't be so miserable. I'll just have fewer non-exercise days :smile:
  • subcult
    subcult Posts: 262 Member
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    I did for about a month then started upping and still lost weight. So now I eat a lot more.
  • katiejarr
    katiejarr Posts: 251 Member
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    Ive lost 40 pounds and I eat 1200 calories a day and Im very satisfied. I always feel full, I eat fruit and veggies and protein and also have my chocolate craving satisfied. It works for me!

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