1200 is not difficult.

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  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    Glad you can stick with it, but some of us prefer to minimize lean mass losses and would rather lose slower to do so.

    THIS

    Because I am eating more, almost all of my losses have been strictly fat loss and not muscle (according to my monthly bio impedence analysis tests).

    You might be feeling fine and able to do 1200 just fine...but what it is doing to your metabolism and loss of muscle mass the main issue.

    She blatantly doesn't care!! As long as the scale goes down it's all good!! Completely mad, just to say hey i'm losing 2 lbs a week!!

    let me ask you a question. You look very fit in your profile pic btw. anyway, so lets say your neighbor asks you for help losing weight. She's very overweight- say 400lbs. she doesn't really work out and she's in her 50s.
    would you tell her to set her sights on losing .5lbs a week and keeping whatever muscle mass she has (which wasn't much, since she wasn't athletic by any means), or would you tell her to lose 2lbs per week for now, until she gets rid of some of the excess fat?

    Just want to make a point here. Most obese people carry a LOT more lean mass than people of a healthy weight. They just also carry a lot of fat so they don't "look" muscled, and they are untrained. Their body fat to lean mass ratio is very different. To use your example, that 400 lb woman is probably somewhere in the 40-60% BF (body fat) range, which means her LEAN MASS is approximately 160-240 lbs. That's more than most athletes weigh total. People who are morbidly obese have larger organs and usually have larger muscle as well. It takes a LOT of strength to haul around 400 lbs every time you walk. Just because someone isn't an athlete or appears to be doesn't mean they don't have a lot of lean mass.

    Also, yes, everyone should be concerned about preservation of lean mass no matter how large they are. The longer you diet and more lean mass you lose, the lower your BMR gets along the way. After 100+ lbs come off (eating at a very low calorie level and no strength training), you're talking about having a BMR that significantly lower than someone who managed to preserve more lean mass and burn more fat. That makes a huge difference in how much you can eat and maintain your weight long-term. This is why people who crash diet often end up failing at maintenance. The estimates for their BMR can be off up to 40%.

    People with a lot more weight to lose can get away with a VLCD (very low calorie diet) to drop a lot of weight quickly, but it's not intended to be used long-term, and this along with the leptin argument made earlier is why.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    let me ask you a question. You look very fit in your profile pic btw. anyway, so lets say your neighbor asks you for help losing weight. She's very overweight- say 400lbs. she doesn't really work out and she's in her 50s.
    would you tell her to set her sights on losing .5lbs a week and keeping whatever muscle mass she has (which wasn't much, since she wasn't athletic by any means), or would you tell her to lose 2lbs per week for now, until she gets rid of some of the excess fat?

    At 400 lbs, at 5'5, BMR would be over 2500. Add in activity and this person could easy eat a 1000 calories deficit per day for a 2 lb a week weight loss and not be near 1200 calories.
    2lbs a week goal is an appropriate goal with a lot of weight to lose and minimize muscle loss. Once you get under 50 lbs left to lose is when the goal should lower.

    Edited to add - the suggestion for .5 lbs a week is for those with under 20 lbs left to lose

    that's what I would think too. Thanks.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Anyway, this thread has been done to death, you weight loss experts can carry on feeling stuffed to the brim on 1200 and I shall happily carry on eating my 2000 a day and we shall all live happily ever after. :yawn: :yawn: :yawn:
  • LiveLoveHunt
    LiveLoveHunt Posts: 43
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    I am female, 29 y/o, about 5'9"/5'10" and weigh 226. For me, personally, 1200 is much too low for my height/size/weight/gender. i also have about 30% body fat and checking around the web, and for me exercising at least 3x a week, I need about 2100 cals to maintain, 1800 to lose 1lb a week, and 1550 to lose 2lbs a week. So 1200 would not work for me. I have tried and it will work for a few days but if I have high and low days, I tend to go way over on the high days. I would rather lose weight slowly, and slowly build lean muscle mass, than lose it too quick and have my skin hanging on me (not saying that you do). This is just for me PERSONALLY. and for ME, 1200 IS difficult and not healthy FOR ME if I want to lose the weight right.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    Anyway, this thread has been done to death, you weight loss experts can carry on feeling stuffed to the brim on 1200 and I shall happily carry on eating my 2000 a day and we shall all live happily ever after. :yawn: :yawn: :yawn:

    good. as i said in my original post...
    " I'm not saying that a person with less to lose should restrict as much, but for me,... "
    :)
    and there we have it. you're doing a great job!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    1200 calorie diet - you will lose weight fast, along with muscle, bone and maybe some hair as well. You'll mess up your metabolism big time and once you hit that number on the scale you're looking for - it will look nothing like you imagined. Been there done that....I remember thinking why am I still fat when I weigh 130 pounds. Because I still had high body fat % and lost a huge amount of lean muscle mass. Not pretty. Slow and steady is the key!!!! No need to deprive yourself. "But I'm not hungry"......yea I know. Your body has been in such a severe deficit for so long if doesn't recognize hunger.

    DO IT THE HEALTHY, SENSIBLE AND INTELLIGENT WAY!!!!
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    i'm sure its been said 1000 times already in this thread but your calorie needs are based on activity level and body mass composition. 1200 calories will be all one body needs to fuel it self and yet not half enough for another. really pointless to just throw out a number and say 'this is too much' or too little. i eat between 2000-2500 a day and i sometimes feel like i'm not eating enough.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    So i'm just going to throw it out there. I agree that i can eat 1200 cal a day and lose weight. I lost 75lbs doing this 3 years ago. I did gain some back and recently when i went back to this method i couldn't lose. I went to my DR and dietitian and was advised to eat my TDEE also that i'm not just to eat a yogart for breakfast as I usually do as your body needs a combo of foods within one meal in order to be able to process it better. IE a grain, protein and a dairy. so YES i can eat 1200 a day and feel satisifed i hear what your saying but eventually it does back fire and you will have to gain some back inorder to go into mainatance or lose again. I'm eating 1500-1600 cal a day now and am losing more weight then ever (about 2.3 lbs per week). I thought I was good with 1200 but clearly my body needed more and if I can lose more eating at 1600 then 1200 then clearly that is the way to go and I'm now able to hit my nutrition targets.

    ...Not difficult by any means but your not getting all your nutrience

    Exactly this.

    I don't recall anyone saying everyone should eat a set number. Of course we ALL know that our bodies are different but many people here DO need to eat more.

    One can say they are having success eating less than what your brain functions on daily, good for you. But I am living proof and I see it daily here, that you WILL plateau and WILL start to gain back. Once you hit your goal, it will be impossible to maintain.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    i'm sure its been said 1000 times already in this thread but your calorie needs are based on activity level and body mass composition.

    ^ This.

    Educate yourself people. Please for all things holy, educate yourself...
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Anyway, this thread has been done to death, you weight loss experts can carry on feeling stuffed to the brim on 1200 and I shall happily carry on eating my 2000 a day and we shall all live happily ever after. :yawn: :yawn: :yawn:

    I'm with you!!!! I just jump on these 1200 threads once in awhile to try and talk some sense into people. But really.....it's been done to death. Starve yourself if you want. I'm going to go eat a Mrs. Field's White chocolate macadamia cookie........
  • Luvs_Chocolate
    Luvs_Chocolate Posts: 34 Member
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    THIS!
    Glad you can stick with it, but some of us prefer to minimize lean mass losses and would rather lose slower to do so.

    THIS

    Because I am eating more, almost all of my losses have been strictly fat loss and not muscle (according to my monthly bio impedence analysis tests).

    You might be feeling fine and able to do 1200 just fine...but what it is doing to your metabolism and loss of muscle mass the main issue.

    I stick with a 1200 diet plan (as stated in my last message), lift weights daily and feel stronger then ever. As long as people feed their muscles with whey isolate afterwords. It can be done.

    Well you certainly won't be building any new muscle at that kind of deficit, protein shake or not.



    I'm only 5 ft and I don't have a lot of weight to lose so i'm defiantly not depleting my body of anything. I make sure I eat lean protein with every meal. Like I mentioned before, everyone is different. In my case and many others it can be done. if done PROPERLY, End of.

    Didn't say it didn't work for you, or you weren't losing, just that you won't build muscle on a diet of 1200. Sorry if the truth is painful to you!


    The proof is in my pudding, I have gained muscles. I'm not trying to look like a wrestling star. In that case of course I'd have to eat more and adjust my diet etc. I'm sure most women like myself just want to get tonned and lose some lbs and I have accomplished this. To each their own.
  • Safati
    Safati Posts: 20 Member
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    I started a month ago, but not able to lose more that one pound. It really frustrating specialy for this week end I won't be able to work out and today I got 1400 for Lunch at Milestones restaurent with my team.
    If you have any advice ?????
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    The proof is in my pudding, I have gained muscles. I'm not trying to look like a wrestling star. In that case of course I'd have to eat more and adjust my diet etc. I'm sure most women like myself just want to get tonned and lose some lbs and I have accomplished this. To each their own.

    Unless you got a body scan before and after to prove it, you did NOT gain any muscle on a calorie deficit, especially at 1200 calories per day. Strength gains are not muscle gains. Muscle appearing "firmer" is not muscle gains either. That's the muscle tissue retaining more water for repair.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    The proof is in my pudding, I have gained muscles. I'm not trying to look like a wrestling star. In that case of course I'd have to eat more and adjust my diet etc. I'm sure most women like myself just want to get tonned and lose some lbs and I have accomplished this. To each their own.

    Unless you got a body scan before and after to prove it, you did NOT gain any muscle on a calorie deficit, especially at 1200 calories per day. Strength gains are not muscle gains. Muscle appearing "firmer" is not muscle gains either. That's the muscle tissue retaining more water for repair.

    I :heart: you. You say what I want to only so much better.
  • msacurrie
    msacurrie Posts: 144 Member
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    Every person is different - every body, workout, diet, life situation, etc. is different. For those who have trouble meeting 1,200 calories - below or above - let's give them encouragement, support, love, and advice.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Anyway, this thread has been done to death, you weight loss experts can carry on feeling stuffed to the brim on 1200 and I shall happily carry on eating my 2000 a day and we shall all live happily ever after. :yawn: :yawn: :yawn:

    I'm with you!!!! I just jump on these 1200 threads once in awhile to try and talk some sense into people. But really.....it's been done to death. Starve yourself if you want. I'm going to go eat a Mrs. Field's White chocolate macadamia cookie........

    There are 38g of carbs in one of those cookies. I am only allowed 45 total in an entire meal and only 15 per snack. So do enjoy your cookie because those of us that are T2 have to be a bit more sensible.

    There are exceptions to every POV.
  • Serenstar75
    Serenstar75 Posts: 258 Member
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    Glad you can stick with it, but some of us prefer to minimize lean mass losses and would rather lose slower to do so.

    Some of us actually have a hard time affording food and also eating that much food. What I find works for me so far is making healthier -choices- with my food. Those who say it's not that expensive to eat healthy must have better places to shop. I also lose slow, not fast.

    I also feel like there are so many different types of diets and even nutritionist backed plans, new research all the time, that we all -think- we know exactly what is best, but I'm sure next year or so we'll learn that what we thought was best wasn't. It's constantly changing and I've seen so many different ideas about what is right and healthy just on this board.
  • paulaviki
    paulaviki Posts: 678 Member
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    I'm losing weight on 1450 a day (and it was 1480 but I've reduced it a bit now I've lost 18lbs). And most days I go over that my 100 cals. I was hungry on 1200 net when I tried that at the start!

    Plus I'm not doing this as a diet. Over the last 4 1/2 months I've seriously changed my eating habits so I don't put this weight back on. I don't know how anyone can eat 1200 or less for good!
  • Luvs_Chocolate
    Luvs_Chocolate Posts: 34 Member
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    I started a month ago, but not able to lose more that one pound. It really frustrating specialy for this week end I won't be able to work out and today I got 1400 for Lunch at Milestones restaurent with my team.
    If you have any advice ?????

    I'd let people know at work that you're on a diet and perhaps next time they can pick a healthier place to eat. Check out the restaurants nutritional info online before you go and try to pick the healthiest option on the menu. Have a glass of water before you eat so you'll feel fuller, and if you order salad ask for the dressing on the side. I was amazed at how many cals were in my last salad I ordered out because of the dressing and it was a low fat one to boot. Good Luck
  • justlistening
    justlistening Posts: 249 Member
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    >>Strength gains are not muscle gains. Muscle appearing "firmer" is not muscle gains either. That's the muscle tissue retaining >>more water for repair.

    So if I am able to squat or curl more weight it does not mean that I gained muscle?

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