Seeing a lot of rude comments about 1200/cal....
Replies
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If you new and haven't done so already take the time to read and understand this--- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
Under 1200 calories a day is considered starvation mode. If what you're doing works- it works. However you can't "be in starvation mode" for a long time. If you are- your body will start slowing down the weight loss/plateau. Also if you are active and working out regularly- your body needs those extra calories for fuel for those workouts. Congrats on your losses and best of luck to you
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Lifecycle of an MFPer
1. Start out at 1200 calories
2. Complain about how you're "stuffed" at 1200 calories and don't understand why everyone wants you to eat more
3. Make a post calling out the mean people
4. Gradually up your calorie goals when you grow tired of being "stuffed" on asparagus spears
5. Realize that you're still losing weight and feeling much better
6. Try to help 1200 calorie people
7. Get called an arrogant ahole one too many times
8. Retreat to chit-chat forum more or less permanently, only occasionally emerging to lay down a burn
Hmm, I must have it wrong because I only did 1200 calories for two days to make up for a bad day. I actually started out at 1500 calories.0 -
I started out with a 1200 cal goal and figured that was something I should try to stay below. That was easy - I almost never ate that many calories! But... regardless of exercise... my weight wouldn't move. I found out that 1200 is really the minimum, as far as overall is concerned. It's okay if you're lower than that occasionally.
When I started eating right, my appetite grew. It takes way more salad to fill me up than cheeseburgers, naturally. I always ate mostly healthy but still had room to improve. I learned I'm lactose intolerant and cut refined sugar & white flour out of my diet, and everything changed. I ate like a vegan for a few days while getting some workouts and my appetite shot straight up. Now I can manage 1400-1500 calories a day regularly in much more healthy food. I'm also finally losing weight like it's supposed to happen. So is 1200 right for you? Only you will really know that. Your weight responses to food and exercise, your energy levels, your appetite will tell. Give it time though, and if 1200 is right for you, rock it!0 -
I think 1200 is what MFP sets a lot of people at. It set me at 1200 calories and I also struggle some days to eat it. Other days it doesn't feel like enough so I eat more. I base it on how I actually feel. I also try to eat most if not all of my exercise calories back. I'm currently losing weight and gaining muscle and that has made a huge change already in my figure.
My plan is to slowly increase my calories as I lose weight. Once I've lost 10 lbs I plan to increase to 1300 or 1400, but slowly so it doesn't add too much weight gain. At 20 lbs I will increase to 1500 or 1600 and stay with that until I reach my goal as long as I am still losing. Then I will switch to 1700 which is maintenance for me.
This is how I lost 70 lbs after I had my first son, except I really didn't exercise much just some walking. After my second pregnancy I never really lost the baby weight I gained and even though my eating habits are generally good I needed to add in more exercise as I've gotten older. I also ate a lot more fast food as quick lunches in between classes at school. School is over and so are those fast food lunches so I'm changing that. I only have 35 lbs to lose this time and I've just started back at it.
I would say take things people say with a grain of salt and adjust what you are doing so that it works for you. Talk with your doctor to get their opinion on your calorie and activity levels. Check out the links people post and adjust accordingly if need be. The more information you have the better.0 -
Okay, I'm sorry, and I hate to be one of the mean people... but some of the replies to this thread are ridiculous. All of the "haters gonna hate just do what works for you everyone is different stuff" is kind of BS. Yes, everyone is different. However, weight loss is alos a science. We all have this wonderful thing called metabolism that keeps us burning calories. I guarantee that 99% of the people eating 1200 calories, have a metabolism much HIGHER than 1200 calories. Therefore, if you keep eating under 1200, you're going to bring your metabolism down eventually. That's not speculation. That's not "what works for me." That's SCIENCE.
MFP is not the end all be all in weight loss. It is an amazing tool, but it does a simple math forumla to find your goals, which can often be inaccurate. If you say you want to lose 2 pounds a week, and you only have 20 pounds to lose, it's going to tell you to eat 1200 because theoretically that's how much you'd need to eat to lose that fast. However, that doesn't mean it's healthy for your body to have that few calories.
Educate yourselves. Find your BMRs. When you find out that - surprise - your BMR is above 1200 calories, start eating more. And - surprise - you'll keep losing weight. There are some VERY RARE exceptions but this will work for 99% of people out there. All of us mean people are usually trying to help. I know I am. But it also gets tiring seeing people perpetuate the same "just keep eating less" crap every day.
Surprise! My BMR, according to MFP is 894 and according to fit2fat is 1052. So if I net below 1200 calories sometimes, I am still good regardless of which number I believe; and that is how I reached my goal. I didn’t have much to lose and I am very short. So we are all different and we should do what is best for us.
I think the only recurring theme with people who are eating 1200 or less is that they are all very tiny (short) people. I am very tall so my body would definitely go into starvation mode if I ate 1200. Based on my own experiences, I feel faint if I eat anything below 1400.
It is science whether people like it or not, but ultimately it is about your individual body type, the 1200 cal thing is like a generalization that the majority of people fall into.0 -
Don't be broken-hearted if you don't lose 2 pounds each and every week. That's a really aggressive goal to keep up for a long period of time. It's not a bad idea to start off with a bang but perhaps adjust this goal to 1 pound a week once you get enough success to stay motivated. You're going to have weeks where you stay the same. Just keep doing the right things and it will keep coming off at a steady pace.You're not "stuck" unless you have a 3-4 week period where you don't drop.I honestly don't remember what I set my weight loss goal too. I think 2 pounds per week, but I am only 5'3, and have 100lbs to lose. And I'm stuck behind a desk 10 hours a day. Does that make more sense for me to be at 1200?
I don't see anything wrong with 1200 a week given your stats and goal. You'll need to make adjustments to this the closer you get to your goal but you should be able to do fine with this. I think the real issue a lot of women have with 1200 is that they feel super hungry and start binge eating and cheating. Yeah, you people know who you are. For these people it's better to eat a higher amount and lose more slowly than to try to lose quickly and risk not having the will power to see it through.
People will tell you your metabolism will slow down and of course that's correct. If I was carrying around an extra 100 pounds I'd be burning more calories all day long too. No joke it will slow up as your body becomes more fit and more conditioned to do exercise. That's just a "duh" obvious assessment. You will not go into some sort of starvation mode unless you're super thin and eat minimal amounts of food. It doesn't sound like this is an issue here.
I've been following MFP recommendations and it works fantastically well for me. Ignore the haters. Start off doing what MFP suggests and make adjustments from there as you see fit. Everyone is different and we all need to start somewhere. Best of luck.0 -
12,000 is the amount of calories I'm on too--Today I went way over, but generally it is a good number. As you said, more food than you would "normally" eat. I guess what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all, but since what you're doing is working, I would sure keep it up if I were you!
Wish I could eat 12000 calories! haha :P0 -
People who are never hungry rarely lose weight. Also food for thought.
[/quote]
Be careful of blanket statements like this. I'm never hungry.0 -
everyone starts off at 1200 calories
Not true...it depends on your starting weight. I forget what I started at (1700 maybe?) but I'm down to 1590. It totally depends on your weight and how much you want to lose per week.0 -
Some people eat very healthfully and YES eating 1200 calories of mostly fruits and vegetables is hard and you ARE FULL. So yeah.0
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I don't hate people on 1200. If it works for you and you are determined have at it! But one day it might stop working and if that day comes you will probably reassess. Good luck!0
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I would just suggest eating extra if you're exercising.0
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12,000 calories
Im jealous
Me too!
By the way, I'm almost 160cm (approx 5.25') and MFP tells me that I'm supposed to eat only 1200 calories per day if I want to lose <0.5kg per week.
I can't do it, so I exercise to make sure I can eat enough all day to keep me full.
Most days I go over (by up to a few hundred calories) but I still feel great and am losing weight.
If you can eat 1200 and feel full / have enough energy for the day - go you!
Do what works for you. If you plateau, bump up the calories (healthy foods of course) a bit and then drop them back to 1200 calories again when you start noticing a shift.0 -
I get that too even though I am under DR supervision and have lost over 30 pounds. She suggested starting at between 1100 and 1200. MFP showed 1310 for me but I try to stay in the 1100 to 1200 calorie range. I have regular visits with my DR and we go over my MFP food diaries and she sometimes makes suggestions. Those of you who think you know best should keep those thoughts to yourself. What works for you may not work for others and you do not know who may or may not be following DR orders.0
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MFP sets your calorie intake at 1200 NET calories... NET!!! If you look on your home page it shows you your goal, food, exercise, and net. As long as your net is at 1200 calories then you're fine. Remember that any exercise you do brings your calorie intake down, so this means you need to eat more to meet your required 1200.0
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Another thing I took into consideration is the fact that I am still breastfeeding. My dr encouraged me to drop my calories and as long as my milk supply didn't drop, that I was still consuming enough calories.
Breastfeeding complicates things. Are you monitoring your milk supply carefully? I speak as someone who drastically cut calories because I wanted to lose weight and I ended up losing my supply instead. And that was on 1500 cals. Most moms need AT LEAST 1500 cals.
Read guidelines 3-5: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/
And this: http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mom_3565.bc
And this: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/your-nutritional-needs-while-breastfeeding0 -
Okay, I'm sorry, and I hate to be one of the mean people... but some of the replies to this thread are ridiculous. All of the "haters gonna hate just do what works for you everyone is different stuff" is kind of BS. Yes, everyone is different. However, weight loss is alos a science. We all have this wonderful thing called metabolism that keeps us burning calories. I guarantee that 99% of the people eating 1200 calories, have a metabolism much HIGHER than 1200 calories. Therefore, if you keep eating under 1200, you're going to bring your metabolism down eventually. That's not speculation. That's not "what works for me." That's SCIENCE.
MFP is not the end all be all in weight loss. It is an amazing tool, but it does a simple math forumla to find your goals, which can often be inaccurate. If you say you want to lose 2 pounds a week, and you only have 20 pounds to lose, it's going to tell you to eat 1200 because theoretically that's how much you'd need to eat to lose that fast. However, that doesn't mean it's healthy for your body to have that few calories.
Educate yourselves. Find your BMRs. When you find out that - surprise - your BMR is above 1200 calories, start eating more. And - surprise - you'll keep losing weight. There are some VERY RARE exceptions but this will work for 99% of people out there. All of us mean people are usually trying to help. I know I am. But it also gets tiring seeing people perpetuate the same "just keep eating less" crap every day.
Surprise! My BMR, according to MFP is 894 and according to fit2fat is 1052. So if I net below 1200 calories sometimes, I am still good regardless of which number I believe; and that is how I reached my goal. I didn’t have much to lose and I am very short. So we are all different and we should do what is best for us.
You're right, I apologize and I should have mentioned very short people. Generally short people do have much lower BMRs and then it will be different. It's one of those exceptions I mentioned. I agree that we are all different - however, we are different in our BMR numbers; we are NOT different in whether or not the science applies to us. My frustration is more directed at people who clearly do have higher BMRs but refuse to eat above 1200 because "it works for them."0 -
Don't even give a second to those haters. They have nothing better to do except hate themselves and others.
Now, I did do the 1200 cal/day. It was tough on some days. I try not to go over it but 3 out of 7, I do. Not much but I kept beating myself up about it. You have self control that I lack which is why you don't go over the 1200/day limit.
If in the future, you find that the 1200/day is not working anymore, try 1600/day but eat only 70g of carbs. I read it on Woman's World magazine. I've never done Atkins diet before but my cousin said it sounds like atkins. I'm not really sure. I think it's a lesser version of Atkins. You'll lose 10pds in 2weeks.
It works! It really works. I've lost weight on it and once you start watching your carbs intake, everything else falls into place. You'll be amaze at how much carbs on a lot of things. I wouldn't do it for a long period of time. After all, our body does needs carbs too. Complex carbs, that is.
So, good luck and keep going 0 -
It all depends on a person's age, activity level, amount of lean body mass and stature. For some people, like very obese or extremely petite women, 1200 NET is fine. The debate occurs when people see the 2 lb weight loss per week and think they'll lose more fat by electing that option even though they are in a weight category that would not benefit from that strategy over a sustained period. One needs to establish what their actual TDEE is, and most people who go on these 1200 calorie plans do not know their energy expenditure. So it's like tossing a dart in the dark hoping you hit the target.0
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Ok... My 2 cents. I don't think all people are being mean just trying to show low calers there's another way. My daily cals fluctuate but to be honest I net 1200 with exercise. However, I also tend to burn about 2700-3400 calories a day with my job and hard workouts(I have a body media and it tracks it all for me). Some days I eat 2000 others under 1200. I don't think the end number is all that important. I think you should eat so that you don't feel worn down. I also have a metabolism boster day here or there where I eat what ever the heck I want. As confounded as all the information out there is you just need to find some balance that works for you. I know days I'm off work are gonna be higher cal day just because I'm off and have more time to eat, so I eat. I do have to say I enjoy food and think that if there is a better way that dosen't involve me eating chicken and veggies all the time I'm in. I would rather lose weight eating more than eating celery. It doesn't mean I can go eat a dozen donuts but I sure can have a steak if I want it. I would say play with your exercise and calorie intake so you can still enjoy eating a bit. After all none of us would be here if we ate right in the first place.0
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When I was losing weight I was also on 1200. If you feel good, stick with it.
ETA - I was on 1200 net. Often ate much more, but burned it off.0 -
1200 cals works when you work it the right way.
Your personal numbers should be based around your height, weight, age, body fat% and activity factor.
1200cals doesnt work for many people because they dont know how to work it.
Thats why they complain and post topics like "eating 1200 for months and nothing!"
Search it!
Heres a link to my method.
At the end of the week it comes out to about 300cals different from the traditional MFP eat back your calories formula.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-120 -
Seriously, I love Dan's plan and wish I had known about it sooner.0
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I can't speak for others, but for me it was an AHA! moment learning that food is not the enemy, but rather finding the correct nutritional balance for me was important to make this a healthy journey, not only about losing numbers on a scale.
Once I figured out food is fuel, to increase and improve my metabolism it got even simpler.
If you are interested, this is a must read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
Do the math and figure out your BMR and TDEE. Then aim for 20% under your TDEE. I've been losing a pound a week, successfully.
I guess it comes down to this - do you want your weight loss to be maintainable and lasting? While cutting your calories drastically will work, especially at the beginning, you are slowing your metabolism and training your body to expect less. Eventually when you increase calories, you will gain weight. I'd rather lose weight slowly of body fat, knowing what my body needs with my BMR and TDEE.
^^THIS, I've learned a lot from this woman. And Dan was a god send. THIS INFO IS VITAL,0 -
Dan Dan the calorie man strikes again.
Great info Dan! 0 -
1200 cals does work...once you eat back your exercise cals and net 1400-2k.
If you are already lean, men 20% and lower and women 25% and lower, dont even think about it.
It's not for you.
slight deficit is easier to lose the fat at lower levels than high deficit.
If you are 40% body fat then....maybe....
Heres a study http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/250541.php where they took 3 groups.
1 had liquid diet 500cals a day, 1 was at 1200cals and the last was 1500-1800 daily.
The 500cal group over the course of a year lost 14% of their weight.
The 1500-1800 lost 10%.
For a measily 4% you can have 1000-1300 calories more a day and not want to punch babies.0 -
is that true? if your short you need less calories?0
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Research states that if you eat a 1200 calorie diet your body may think that it is going into starvation mode and hold onto fat rather than loose it. I said MAY but so long as u workout and a clean diet you should be fine . If you workout make sure you eat after refuel your body with salmon, veggies, brown rice . MFP gave me a 1290 deficit it works for me and usually I burn off 1200 to 1400 cals in any given workout so I get extra calories and eat more . Do your reasearch I do good luck0
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is that true? if your short you need less calories?
To an extent.
I have people that are 5' tall eating 1500cals.
I have people 5' tall eating 2200cals.
Depends on your age, height, weight, body fat% and activity level.0 -
LOL ... I want to be on 12,000 and lose weight! *giggle* Just playing!12,000 is the amount of calories I'm on too--Today I went way over, but generally it is a good number. As you said, more food than you would "normally" eat. I guess what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all, but since what you're doing is working, I would sure keep it up if I were you!0
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