Seeing a lot of rude comments about 1200/cal....
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I'm also on 1200 calories and I've been making progress. It's not hard to stick to it. Just gotta learn portion control.0
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Hi cj, looks like we joined in the same month. I've noticed the comments also and have wondered why ppl think that's too low a goal. Something they don't understand is when we're short (I'm 5'3") we naturally need less calories.
Not trying to sound rude but this is actually not true AT ALL. It's a HUGE misconception. I'm 5'2" and eat 1500 calories a day and lose. I would starve if I ate 1200 a day. Some days I eat 1700..still lose..has nothing to do with your height. If you train your metabolism to work PROPERLY and you fuel your body every 3 hours you can eat way more than 1200 and lose. That being said, do what you need to do or what works for you.
Me too. I'm 5'1 and started at 1200 but just wanted to kill people. Then I read Dans Roadmap - and low and behold I now eat 1500 (but quite often go over) and I am losing about 1lb per week without wanting to commit murder.
Yes 1200 works for some people - BUT why eat so low if you don't have to, work through the roadmap and see if the numbers change anything for you. This is a lifestyle change for me and I can't do it where I cut out everything I love to lose weight quickly as I'll put it all back on again when I start eating more once I've lost the weight. I have no intention on living of chicken and veg for the rest of my life. Smaller changes make for longer lasting goals IMHO.
Good luck with your weight loss in the end you can only do what works for you.
Oh and people against 1200 aren't haters - we just want to help people make life long changes instead of getting stuck on the rollercoster of yo yo dieting.
sorry just to add with the breastfeeding I do think 1200 is far to low and you should be on 1500 minimum. Just due to the extra milk you need to produce to keep your baby happy. But honestly read the roadmap and go from there. :flowerforyou:
According to my Dr., my metabolism is JUST FINE, THANK YOU. That being said, there are many, many factors that affect weight loss. For example, in order to me to up my calories, I would need to eat a lot more processed food, which I am NOT willing to do. I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, and find them filling, probably because of the fibre and water in them. However, these foods are packed with nutrients. Which is exactly what I want. I am under a Dr's care because of an illness, and if it wasn't healthy for me, I would be the first to know.
If you can eat more than 1200 and still lose, then good for you. Perhaps you're more active than I? Perhaps we are just different people and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Generally though, if you are small, you won't need as many calories unless you're running marathons or something. It's common sense.
Is this thread snarky? Noooo....not at all.0 -
but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...
I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.
(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)0 -
For me, it wasn't the people who agree with everything I believed that helped me the most, it was the ones who challenged my way of thinking. That's what makes having the community such a great thing, because if we keep doing what we've always done, we're going to keep getting the same results as we've always gotten.
I always believed that losing weight meant dieting, and dieting meant eating a lot less than I was before and being hungry and uncomfortable. Heck, by the time I joined here, I didn't believe it was even possible for me to lose weight, because it was SOOOOO DAMN HARD! My weight loss was painfully slow in the past, and I thought the only way to keep losing would be to keep cutting off more and more calories, until I was eating well under 1000 a day. I got to the point where I said, "F this! If it's this hard to lose, I'd rather be heavier!"
Fast forward five years, and I joined here not believing I could lose weight, but for some reason gave it a shot. Tried 1200 at first, like everyone else, but that lasted all of one month, until I realized that the only way I could lose 2 pounds a week was if I caught a stomach flu. So I switched to a more appropriate one pound a week... and the world changed.
The clouds were fluffier, the sun shone brighter, and rainbows had more color.
Well, not quite, but it made everything easier. Then easier still when I switched up my macros to allow for more protein. And easier still when I started strength training. All the things that people are so reluctant to try... made things easier!
So I lost the bulk of my weight eating 1800-2000 calories a day total, currently still trying to figure out how much I can eat to maintain which seems to be about 2300. I'm 40 years old, 5'5 and about 132 pounds.
And that's another point. If I takes 2300 to maintain my weight, why would I have to eat HALF of that to lose?! Like most people, when I gained weight, I gained it slowly. I was probably only eating 100 calories over my TDEE when I was gaining. I wasn't being a gluttonous pig. I was just eating a little too much, and exercising a little too little. So why cut my calorie intake in half when just cutting a couple hundred off would do this job?!
Listen to this smart lady. Her transformation has been completely amazing and I'm sure she's learned quite a bit along the way too! Very well written, LorinaLynn, you are an inspiration to me :drinker:0 -
this is one where people are never going to agree...
just because it didnt work for one person doesnt mean its not going to work for another... my calories are currently set to 1300 why ? because mfp set them... but it works for me... it did put me to 1200 when i entered my ultimate goal... when split to my goal by Christmas it upped them... interesting i thought... but the 1300 works for me on a normal day i wont go over or be drastically over (today not counting i had crisps...)
personally im not so sure we should focus on calories... if we just focus on eating healthy lots of fruit and veg and nice meat - the calories will sort themselves out... one of those "look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves" kind of things
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but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...
I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.
(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)
The comment about protein/healthy fats and vegetables is not accurate. Sorry.0 -
but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...
I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.
(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)
The comment about protein/healthy fats and vegetables is not accurate. Sorry.
So how much protein is in a garden salad?0 -
i'm on the 1200 too but i find that the calories on MFP seem to be lower then what you actually eat if you count them yourself(maybe logging wrong don't know) so if it says 1200 that what i try to stick around0
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but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...
I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.
(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)
The comment about protein/healthy fats and vegetables is not accurate. Sorry.
So how much protein is in a garden salad?0 -
I persoanlly would starve at 1200 cal a day. I have to eat several hundred more than that.And even more on day's I go to the gym. I know everybody is different, so I say do what works. But just be sure you get everything your body needs out of what your eating.0
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but if I eat fresh veggies and fruit all day and IM FULL...
I don't mean to pick on you, and your diary is private so I obviously have no clue what your'e eating, but this is something I see a lot... 1200 (or less) calories of fruit and vegetables isn't exactly a healthy diet. Sure you can eat a LOT of them, but you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables.
(Some veg can provide really good fats, but they tend to be really high in calories, so the under 1200 club tend to avoid them.)
The comment about protein/healthy fats and vegetables is not accurate. Sorry.
So how much protein is in a garden salad?
Who is eating a garden salad? .... and honestly the makings of a basic garden salad are not the only vegetables in the world...and that wouldn't be the only meal of the day. A statement like "You're not getting healthy fats and proteins eating fruits and veggies" is inaccurate.0 -
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
^^^ true story.0 -
Who is eating a garden salad? .... and honestly the makings of a basic garden salad are not the only vegetables in the world...and that wouldn't be the only meal of the day. A statement like "You're not getting healthy fats and proteins eating fruits and veggies" is inaccurate.
I've seen a lot of diaries from people who "can't possibly eat another bite" because they're "full of fruit and vegetables," and most of them have been woefully lacking in fats and proteins. But they think they're eating well because they're eating fresh natural foods, but since they're only paying attention to calories, they're not getting balanced nutrition. That's all I'm saying.
CAN someone get a balanced diet eating mostly fruits and veg? Sure. But it takes a lot of careful planning.0 -
Who is eating a garden salad? .... and honestly the makings of a basic garden salad are not the only vegetables in the world...and that wouldn't be the only meal of the day. A statement like "You're not getting healthy fats and proteins eating fruits and veggies" is inaccurate.
Actually the statement was "you're not getting healthy fats and protein from a pile of vegetables" which IS mostly accurate. Let's think of the most common vegetables people eat: squash, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, carrots, etc. You can't tell me that those are high in healthy fats or protein. Vegetables are great for you, but not in those particular areas. I realize that there are exceptions, but most people aren't eating those exceptional veggies.0 -
This topic is so interesting! I'm also on a 1200cal goal a day, and I have to say I've stick to it and still loosing the weight. About feeling full or not: I think it depends on your activity level on that day, some days I'm satisfied (don't want to say full because after eating I really don't need to open up my pants to breath!), but some other days I get hungry.
I've read fitness books and many comments here and from friends & family and the experiences vary a lot.
My conclusion is: LISTEN TO YOUR OWN BODY! and GIVE IT SOME TIME. As anything else in life this is a learning process so just be patient and stick to it - you'll have good days and bad days, the important thing is that you come back every time...doesn't matter what happened.
I'm 5'3" with 1200cal goal, when I first started I noticed I was eating a lot less calories (of course, without my weekly dose of chocolate and Oreos) than what I was supposed to. With some jogging I was able to lose close to 30lbs during the first 3 months (my first 10lbs was before my MFP days), then it all stopped! I was exercising, dieting harder than ever and nothing happened for almost 2 months!!!! How frustrating is that?! I read a blog from one of my MFP friends that I need to calculate my weight, height and BMI (gave me an entire page of equations) to come up with my ideal calorie goal.......it came up to 1450 calories!..........Hey!! I can barely do 1200 and not losing? how am I going to eat 1450 without junk food?!!! Well, during my push to up my calories put me right into the 1200cal a day and surprinsingly I started losing again!! It's much slower than before but I am losing and that's what's important to me now.
Make sure you exercise and not eat your exercise calories, and as far as your calorie intake a day...just play with it, try to do wholesome foods like fruits and veggies but also fish, chicken and meat, I love to snack on hummus with pita bread but I know even though is healthy, hummus contains a lot of calories (a 1/4 cup or 2tbs has close to 150cal), so I do this one once or twice a week and sometimes replace the pita bread for celery sticks; I got oatmeal, protein bars, eggs........sure you'll get to your goal, you'll see.
Set small goals that work for you: every 5 or 10lbs loss....it becomes much easier when you think you "only" need 10lbs to reward yourself.
Hope this helped you and best of luck!0 -
12,000 calories
Im jealous
LOL0 -
My question to all of those who offer medical or nutrition advice is, where did you earn your degree? If you have not earned one in one of these fields... SHUT YOUR MOUTHS! Everyone is different, different stroked for different folks... no need to criticize because what works for someone else is different than what you know to work for you... get over yourselves... I don't know who would join a group like this if all they want to do is criticize... I joined for support and to support others... if you have other intentions you should probably take your bullying and all knowing selves somewhere else!0
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The other thing to think about is... there will be plateaus. What was working usually stops working. At that point, you are already at minimum calories, you can't cut them any further. When you get down to your last 10-15 pounds you need to lose, you can't cut another 200 calories a day. So then what? You will be forever stuck just out of reach of your goal? No, you have to learn a new way. For some people that day is still quite a ways off so they don't worry about it now. But when you get frustrated because you are stuck, think about it.0
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Well I am very sorry that you have had some bad experiences here. I am also rather new and went to see a nutritionist about my unhealthy eating habits. She started me on 1200 cal a day. I agree with many of the posts that say you are going to get conflicting advice from many sources. Make sure you are eating in a healthful way. You could lose weight eating ice cream every day, but is that really the healthiest way? Make sure you are getting your protein, fats, carbs and eat those fruits and veggies! Good luck and I certainly hope that the positive experiences outweigh (no pun intented) the negative ones. Feel free to add me as a friend if you wish. If you really are concerned, talk to your doctor.0
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