1200 and still hungary?

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I am kinda new to this site (about 1 month) and I have read a lot of posts about people saying it is a struggle to eat 1200 calories and no disrespect meant at all to them but I'm wondering if any one else finds they are still hungry (not starving just peakish) after 1200 calories or is it just me?
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Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I'm not surprised, I find that anything under about 1400 net calories (that means eating 1400 cals plus extra when I exercise) leaves me hungry, grumpy and not nice to be around.

    Chances are that you can lose weight very successfully eating much more than 1200 cals.

    First thing - are you eating extra when you exercise? If not, start. That's the way MFP is set up, so unless you are calculating your calories from another site you should be eating more when you exercise.

    Second - if you are STARVING on 1200 cals, then recalulate your goals. You've probably chosen "lose 2 pounds a week" as so many people do - picking a more realistic weight loss goal give you a more realistic calorie allowance.
  • knowwhentoshutup
    knowwhentoshutup Posts: 318 Member
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    This link helped me immensely! (After thinking low calorie = better, for more years than I care to admit.) http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    After I figured out my numbers (BMR - Base Metabolic Rate, and my TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditures) it became much simpler.

    Best of luck on your journey.
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    I can't do 1200 without the urge to gnaw my own arm off at the end of the day.

    As others will surely mention, figure out your TDEE and BMR and eat between those numbers. You will still drop weight.

    Also, be sure you're eating your exercise calories.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Yes - If I ate 1200 cals a day, I'd have quit long ago. Reasonable totals for me are between 1600 - 1800 cals a day, so that I don't turn ravenous.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif

    Win!
  • DexterDarko
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    Try drinking 8 glasses of water a day, and eat around 5 smaller meals throughout the day rather then eating a few big ones. It'll keep you satisfied and your metabolism going.

    You need to create a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose a single pound. A healthy weight loss is about 1-2lbs a week, or that's the recommended, it's different for most people.

    So that's a 500 calorie deficit a day for a single pound a week. Calculate your BMR and subtract 1,200 calories from it and that's your idle calorie deficit per day. As long as you're expending more calories then you're taking in, you're losing weight. But remember, diet alone isn't going to give you the best results and you don't have to starve yourself. Exercise.

    If you're exercising to your max potential and eating 1,200 calories, and you're still hungry, then you should probably eat more. I'm not sure though, depends on a lot of things.

    Ultimately, consult a doctor on what you should do for the best advice IMO.
  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
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    1200 works for me... i sometimes have trouble hitting that.. and some times i do go over a bit depending on what i eat.. but only a month in..yah ur going to be hungry.... ur going to be hungry no matter what for some time since u are forcing a new way of living..and ofcourse its going to be hard..that is why u gain wait and eat a lot and not work out.
  • cma17
    cma17 Posts: 56 Member
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    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif

    :laugh: love it! and yes Hungary is an amazing country! I couldn't work out how to change it when i noticed my spelling
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    I'm not always "starving" when I keep it at 1200, but I'm not happy.

    I love to cook, I love to eat, and I love to drink. So for me staying at 1200 is a lifestyle challenge more than a matter of hunger. Since I really, really want to be successful and have the solutions I find now be those I take with me through the rest of my life, I've incorporated a chunk of exercise into my day-to-day so that I can consume more calories. I think I'll be able to do that from here on out, since it just so happens that I love to exercise (who knew?). I try to burn 500 calories every day so I can up my caloric intake to 1700. That keeps me happy. If I were to "starve" myself, I'd just be pissed off all the time and rebound.
  • OhKelsey1
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    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif

    You beat me to the country joke. Now I have nothing to say.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    Try eating more
  • cma17
    cma17 Posts: 56 Member
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    Thank you all for your advice, and comments on both Hungary and being hungry.
    I'm glad to hear it is not just me:smile:
  • inkandsheep
    inkandsheep Posts: 101 Member
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    It depends on what you eat as well.

    If you eat mostly whole foods (e.g. oats for breakfast, lots of fresh veg and fruit, wholegrains, healthy fats like nuts and avocado) you can eat quite a lot before hitting your calorie goal. These foods also keep you fuller longer than some other things (e.g. are you using up calories by having high calorie drinks?).
  • BeckySBowen
    BeckySBowen Posts: 59 Member
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    1200 works for me, but it took a while to figure out which foods are filling and which ones leave me starving an hour later. :smile:
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
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    First of all, are you over 5.2 feet tall, or under 130 lbs weight? If not, eat more.

    Secondly, what are you eating?

    If you are hungry, eliminating hunger-inducing foods is the first and foremost step. Start with eliminating everything processed and artificial (particularly sweeteners), all added sugar, and all grains. Keep legumes if they rock your boat. Make sure your fat intake is at least 30-40% and comes from non-artificial crappy oils. Make sure you eat at least 100 g of quality proteins - and I mean meats, not Source Yogurts or potatoes. See if it helps.

    If it doesn't, eliminate all non-aged dairy and all tubers.

    If you are still hungry, fruit and nuts gotta go next & increase fat intake to 70-80%.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I seriously thought this was a Sidesteel thread!

    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif

    nxkih3jpg.gif
  • healthynotthin
    healthynotthin Posts: 223 Member
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    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif

    Thank you. I am so glad someone addressed the actual title. :happy:
  • ssteinbring677
    ssteinbring677 Posts: 158 Member
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    My thoughts exactly!! hahaha
    Sometimes being Hungary isn't so tough. It could be worse, you could be Ukraine.

    mhungary.gif
  • jonwv
    jonwv Posts: 362 Member
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    i feel hungry sometimes after 2600 calories a day