is it just me?

I have a difficult time most days meeting the 1200 count. I'm usually way under even without exercise.

you can't tell me your not hungry because if you weren't then you would need myfitnesspal to lose weight....it's like going drastic measures from one extreme to the next....you eat whatever you want and then gain weight, then when you decide to lose it you have to make your calories so low and say I'm not hungry......fat ppl don't get fat cause there hungry it's because we make bad choices......I believe whatever works for you just do it.....but losing weight is more to me about being healthy....good luck

I have days when I get busy and forget to grab something to eat every two hours (which is what I am for - to keep the hunger at bay and my energy going...) and sometimes have days when I'm "down and out" 'n just don't feel like eating... Those days I will sometimes not meet my 1200 NET calories.... BUT I keep Greek Yogurt, Nuts, Chocolate Peanut Butter flavored Protein mix, Apples and Bananas at home all the time... Near the end of my day, if I'm not within 100 calories or so of my NET calorie goal, I will eat whatever combination of the above foods (or something else, if desired - but those are my "go to" staples haha) to bring my NET at least near my goal... I've lost almost 80 since early January, so it seems to be working... and I am almost never "starving" like a lot of my friends are...

you can't tell me your not hungry because if you weren't then you would need myfitnesspal to lose weight....it's like going drastic measures from one extreme to the next....you eat whatever you want and then gain weight, then when you decide to lose it you have to make your calories so low and say I'm not hungry......fat ppl don't get fat cause there hungry it's because we make bad choices......I believe whatever works for you just do it.....but losing weight is more to me about being healthy....good luck

Um, that's rather rude. Not everyone has to eat and eat and eat to be overweight. There are such things as slow metabolism, or having a condition that makes it hard to actually lose weight even when you eat what a "normal" person eats. Please think before posting, because you really can hurt someone with those kinds of words.

UMMMMM no. Because I have common sense

Wow, a little judgmental? This is a common phenomenon with people who are losing weight, especially those who have lost it before and gained it back. (I have been down and up and down and up through two pregnancies, and every year that passes it gets harder for me...) You see your success and are so afraid to lose it that you start to eat less and less.

And for the woman who said above, "don't say you aren't hungry," well how do you know how she feels? Eating more protein and complex carbs DOES make you less hungry. I personally gained weight from eating blindly, regardless of hunger, so once again it comes down to psychology. People don't overeat and get fat because they feel so good about it, and nobody is ever so hungry that they need to eat double or triple what their bodies require to get through the day. If we only ate to satiate hunger, NOBODY would be fat - it happens in spite of ourselves, and there is a lot of personal baggage that comes into it.

Now, to the person who said to sneak in a small handfull of nuts or whatever (I add olive oil to my veggies when I come in low), that was excellent advice.

I have the same issue but it is generally due to that amount of training that I do. Someone suggested some skim milk or a handful of nuts to bring that up a bit. I second that. When I first started to drop pounds I had to be careful not to way under eat.

Good luck and stay strong.

UMMMMM no. Because I have common sense

Wow, a little judgmental? This is a common phenomenon with people who are losing weight, especially those who have lost it before and gained it back. (I have been down and up and down and up through two pregnancies, and every year that passes it gets harder for me...) You see your success and are so afraid to lose it that you start to eat less and less.

I guess I am, but it's true. Why would you purposely eat that little and expect to keep the weight off? it's just silly! I have been pregnant, I have kids, I have a thyroid disorder, I don't make excuses. I am becoming more HEALTHY and when the weight comes off, it comes off. Main point, I'm not rushing it and this is about being healthy, not getting weight off ASAP. I am in this for the long haul, not looking for a quick fix. Sorry if you find that judgmental, but to me, it's truth.

There are some days I'm not as good about it as others. Before I started my 90-Day Challenge I wasn't getting the best and most nutrient-dense food I could for the calories ingested. Now, I know what I need to fuel my body and I don't even have the slightest desire for the sugary, empty-calorie foods I used to. I actually crave raw apples or celery (with a little PB) or pretzels or wheat crackers with some neufchantal cheese. I have my protein-based nutrition shakes for breakfast and lunch, a delicious supper, and good snacks in between each and I don't have to focus my day on counting calories. My body is figuring out what works best. I seem to do better when I make sure that my snacks have a little fiber and protein and I have at least a couple cups of water or a glass of milk. I hope you have better luck getting the calorie thing under control. I've heard and experienced a bit of that "starvation mode" because of not having enough to keep my metabolism up. You'll get it!

Thank you to those who were NOT rude to me and helping me. No I don't eat and eat and eat! I never have. I just didn't eat healthy. I'm kicking butt not eating that much. But was just curious if other people were in the same boat. I joined on here because I heard people were actually nice and supportive. Guess I was wrong! Again thank you to the people that actually do care and have a heart!

You are going to get heated responses because this site is about being "healthy" first, friendly second. Telling everyone you are on a 600 cal per day diet doesn't fall in line with the "healthy" practices this site preaches. In fact, this site has specific guidelines prohibiting extreme low-cal diets.

There are thousands of people on here who ALSO started out overweight, and managed to lose significant weight eating above 1200 calories... a safe number most studies agree with. Sorry if you are sensitive to tough love, but what you are promoting is it healthy, especially if you are trying to exercise. Your body needs fuel. If you were ever overweight before, then you were at one time capable of eating an excess of calories. It shouldn't be so hard to sneak in an extra 500+ calories per day in the name of good health.

But you're an adult. Do as you wish. Just don't expect the people who did it the healthy way to support your extreme plan.

I have days when I get busy and forget to grab something to eat every two hours (which is what I am for - to keep the hunger at bay and my energy going...) and sometimes have days when I'm "down and out" 'n just don't feel like eating... Those days I will sometimes not meet my 1200 NET calories.... BUT I keep Greek Yogurt, Nuts, Chocolate Peanut Butter flavored Protein mix, Apples and Bananas at home all the time... Near the end of my day, if I'm not within 100 calories or so of my NET calorie goal, I will eat whatever combination of the above foods (or something else, if desired - but those are my "go to" staples haha) to bring my NET at least near my goal... I've lost almost 80 since early January, so it seems to be working... and I am almost never "starving" like a lot of my friends are...

^This! Me too! Rasins are good too if your carbs are still in check!

I hope you find the combinations that work for you. Nobody really wants to (and many don't have the time to) always think about what to eat every 2-3 hours. It does take a little planning for some. I try to do it first thing in the morning. I will try to plan to have healthy snacks available to me and my family the week in advance, but sometimes my kids show no restraint or consideration for others in the house. LOL!
Best wishes for the days and weeks a head!

I wish that some people would lighten up a little. It is like when someone mentions 1200 calories or under around here, people get highly opinionated and suddenly all full of knowledge.


I find it very hard to eat the 1200 cal per day. I feel much better eating about 700. People are all the time telling me that I need to eat more. When they do, it really messes with my head and I go over board and eat bad for a few days in a row---eating too much food...almonds, peanut butter & bread....ugg. I'm at the end of one of these food times now and am really looking forward to getting back to eating how I want to eat. I am so unhappy, depressed, upset, and more when I go through the phase of trying to eat more for a few days. I'm really so tired of people judging me and telling me how to eat. They aren't a RD or anything. I go to a Dr and I will be going back and seeing the RD that I see in November. I sure don't go around trying to tell anyone else how they should eat. I don't feel that I'm qualified to do that. I studied other things in college. So, I have nothing to say but, to be supportive of my friends and those that I come across here on MFP.