1200 is not difficult.

Some may hate me for it, but generally, if you're a petite female, 1200 is perfectly fine. 10-11 calories per POUND of body weight for sedentary individuals is a healthy amount. Granted, this is of course such a diet has sufficient EFAs, micronutrients, and protein. 1200 calories of just fats/carbs and no fiber/micros/protein IS unhealthy.

well said.

This can sum up this whole thread.

But the OP isn't a petite female. She's 220lbs (ish) or 100kgs.

She is also 45. Her metabolism is a lot lower than a 20 year old.

I looked at her diary, she doesnt exercise.. If you dont exercise its easier to eat less, I eat about 1250-1400 calories a day. 1200 is not doable if you are exercisely intensly.

She posted earlier that she has physical problems such as a bad back. And being sedentary is one attribute for 1200 calories diets.

I have a nutritionist and she recommends to me that I am to eat
2000-2200 calories on a normally day with no work and no exercise
And up to 2700 calories on a normal day with work and one training session.
And she insists ill lose the weight I need to and still be able to be able to compete with mu sport while receiving. Full nutritional intake.

Everyone is different with different levels of expenditure at work and every day life. Its getting a good balance.
Good luck guys

Thanks! I got my body fat measured yesterday so that should help me with seeing progress that way. I know I need to add in more protein. I guess it's just trying to figure it all out and what works best for me. I read all this stuff on here and there is so much variation it's hard to grasp sometimes.

Something I find very interesting is that many of the 1200 calorie eaters say things like "everyone is different, I'm fine on 1200", "eating more might work for you, but it doesn't work for me". However they are ALL eating the magical 1200 number.

Others that have calculated their specific calorie needs are all eating different numbers that pertain to them. If 1200 is the value that you have calculated as a small deficit for you, then fantastic - you should be able to head down the weightloss path hopefully retaining as much LBM as possible. If not, how can you be so sure that you are doing what's healthiest for your body?

You are all different ages, sizes, physiques, etc, yet you are all eating 1200 calories but still trying to argue how suitable it is for you.

I think to each their own. Just because it is easy for you to commit to 1200 right now does not mean that it will always be easy. I was on a low calorie vegetarian diet that helped be lose 30lbs in 2.5 months but afte losing an additional 10lbs I was HUNGRY! No amount of veggies and lite bread crisps would do it. Id be lucky to have a 1600 calorie day. Since the OP does have alot of weight to lose, she might want to anticipate this smooth sailing being tested tremendously as she's within 20lbs of her medically ideal weight.

To the poster who said that she didn't lose weight in 5 weeks, have you had your hormones checked?

I come from atkins so I always have a bias to eat protein and fat before carbs now regardless of whether or not I'm counting calories. The most accessable and cheapest low calorie options are often simple carbs in which you WONT derive satisfaction once your done eating. On top of that each macronutrient (carb, fat, protein) have PROFOUND effects on our hormones and our ability to lose FAT.

Also, just because you are lowering your calories doesn not mean your body is burning fat, you could very well be hoarding fat and burning muscle. It's ridiculous but many humans will find that their bodies will prefer to waste muscle instead of burning the maximum amount of fat (we don't really need alot of our muscle like we think we do in modern times). Fat burning is seen as an absolute last resort under the wrong conditions (stress, diet, disorders, diseases, intoxications, etc.)

On the flip side, I recently committed to 1200 cal a day and to be truthful, high quality low carb fat-free Greek yogart has been a meal for me. It just happened however. If I would have told myself ahead of time that I would only had yogart then I would not have given it a chance to satisfy me.

I tried going the "plentiful veggies" route again and it turned out that veggies for me right now are a waste of time, calories, and effort if I don't like them. I'll be hungry after an hour. I eat what gives me satisfaction/fullness (protein) while remaining low on carbs even if it is sweet. Eating mainly protein with small amounts of SOLID fat (not oil) will help keep you fuller longer and as long as you measure your fat and keep it low, you will be able to lower your calories more successfully regardless if you are struggling to get down to 1200 or 1500.

Something I find very interesting is that many of the 1200 calorie eaters say things like "everyone is different, I'm fine on 1200", "eating more might work for you, but it doesn't work for me". However they are ALL eating the magical 1200 number.

Well, I guess it's something to take up with MFP. Because they have me on 1200 for .5 lbs a week or 2 lbs a week. The only way they don't is if I put myself in as a construction worker, which I am not, and even then, I only get a bit over 1300 calories a week. If I were following the same math as everyone, and if MFP didn't have 1200 as the bottom, I'd actually eat lower than 1200, but I don't feel that's healthy for micros/macros.

Nothing magical about it. I'm not attached to 1200 because it has mystical powers.

hehehe

I posted yesterday about how hungry I was, even pushing things up to 1500 was leaving me cranky and miserable - mostly because I still believed 1200 to be the holy grail. My weight loss was also non-existent. Someone kindly pointed me to helloitsdan's post he made a while ago, I've book marked it now because it was so useful and made me realise where I was going wrong.

My BMR is OVER 1200, no wonder I felt so awful! I had put in the wrong activity level for me and hadn't realised that fact until I read more and more. I'm basically a munchkin at 4'10" but with a big house, big dog and big family and caring for my Mum I never stop flitting about doing stuff, I hadn't factored that in at all.

I'm small but stocky too, I develop muscle quick - none of that I had factored in either. At 1200 and eating back all exercise calories I was still eating below what I should have and below what I can cope with.

So - I did exactly what he recommended, I found out my measurements, my activity level, my BF level and put that all in the link he provided to come up with the number I needed to maintain...and then knocked 20% of off that. The result was much higher than MFP put for me and it said on that I would lose 0.4lbs a week. I am really interested to see what a weeks loss really is.

However, 0.4lbs a week I'm cool with if it means I can function, work-out, run with the kids and the dog, do my mums housework, sling myself about my living room in full boogie mode and eat well and....BE HAPPY.

1200 works for some, but it was making me feel bloomin' depressed...and tired...and I was shedding a ton of hair (?)...and hungry enough to feel like I'm shaking...and resenting other people eating normally....etc. I'm happier going slower I think.

1200 for me is over what I normally do. I thought I had to stay above 1,000 when I started dieting until I came on here. When I track my foods it always says I'm under and that I should be eating 1600 (YEAH RIGHT!) I always try and eat 1000 or less.

I'm sure you've heard this a million times but I feel like I'm morally obligated to tell you that never, ever under any circumstances is this healthy for you. You are are doing your body serious damage. Even if you weigh 100 pounds, which few do, that is still dangerous territory. Your organs, including your brain, need more than that to function. You can shut your body down by doing this for a prolonged period of time. Please think of your health and be safe.