1200 calorie friends?

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  • maribelmacedo
    maribelmacedo Posts: 3
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    Add me
  • originalcookiemonster
    originalcookiemonster Posts: 278
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    I'm currently at 2500 calories, recently decreased from 3000. My diary is open. Fellow 2500 people, feel free to add me.

    Huh?

    Whoops, wrong thread. Sorry about that.

    *leaves quickly*

    Alright!!! I am 5'3 and started at 140 lbs, and ate at 1900 to lose weight and now I can eat 2150 and still not gain....oh hang on...

    Oh wait..... sorry... Man I did it again.

    I LOVE that I can actually eat more than a squirrel, that's the BEST part! :bigsmile:

    And if you were 50 pounds overweight and wanted to lose 2 pounds per week, you could eat 1150 per day and do that!


    "Could", yes...but I think the question is, "should" you?

    Why not? Completely safe by all medical standards. She may not WANT to, but that would be her choice.

    Its never a good idea to eat below your BMR. You "could", but that indeed is the question, "should you", and the truth is, too many people jump to 1200 when more effort is required to determine how much you should eat to attain the goals you want the BEST way possible. Sure, you could stick to the ol' 1200 way, but you'd reach your goals at what cost? We are also not saying that 1200 calories isn't unsafe for everyone. We are saying that its not practical for every single person. We read these threads, believe it or not to try to help others, but its hard when its so fiercely rejected. I am 5'3" and I had around 30 lbs to lose and I was able to do it eating more than 1200 calories. The CDC and other websites you quoted do not provide all the information for those stats they quoted you. You are fed your BMR in a coma in the hospital to keep your vital organs functioning. All I, and others most likely, are trying to say is that there is a way to eat more and still lose weight and enjoy the process so much more.

    This link is so very helpful. So many people have been helped by understanding a little more how to reach goals in more of a tailored way than just slapping on a 1200 calorie diet. I encourage you all to read it, it changed my outlook on nutrition and fat loss.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Also...snarky? HAHA.
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
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    What is your goal by consuming only 1200 calories per day?

    Did you know that eating too-few of calories can actually cause our bodies enter starvation mode? The thyroid hormones needed to fuel your metabolism can’t be produced and our metabolism starts slowing down. Our bodies start clinging to fat stores as a source of energy and we become sluggish.

    The ideal caloric intake is based off an equation that first calculates your BMR to include your height, weight, age, gender.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    Once this number is established, the next step adds in your activity level in the Harris Benedict equation.


    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

    This final number is what you should be consuming on a daily basis. The ideal plan for your body is 40/40/20, meaning 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fat. This keeps your body in fat-burning mode while allowing the gain of lean muscle. It also allows your body to maintain a higher energy level and feel full longer!

    I hope this helps, feel free to add me :)
    ^^^^^^
    very smart thinking and obviously did your research...
  • sakthorp
    sakthorp Posts: 13 Member
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    MFP recommended 1200 for me too, if you want to add me that would be great!
  • CrackedMojo
    CrackedMojo Posts: 15 Member
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    Been doing 1200 calories a day for a few months now. Feel free to browse my menu, diary, add me, etc.

    Wait a minute, maybe there be a 1200 calorie group?
  • aponia
    aponia Posts: 28
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    1200 calories is NOT too low - it is the lowest recommended calorie limit if your intention is to lose weight. I've had several doctors tell me this. Anything below 1200 is considered too low and I've been told by a doctor to increase my daily calorie limit to 1200. So don't believe anyone who says that's too low - it's reasonable if your goal is weight loss. To maintain weight, you must eat around 2000. Of course, this varies a bit from person to person, but you get the generalized idea.
  • JBott84
    JBott84 Posts: 268 Member
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    I am 5'2" and have 30-40 lbs to lose. I was NETTING (< that is an important word here) 1200 for about 4/5 months and lost 26lbs. Hit a plateau, upped my calorie intake and switched up my exercise like I read to do on here...did that for 4 months...didn't work for me.

    I am going back to NETTING 1200 and starting the 30 Day Shred as well as walking 1 hr. 2-3 times a week. Which is what I was doing before. Hoping to go back to losing like before.

    Everyone is different. It worked for me and I didn't feel like I was super hungry either. So to each their own. Eat more eat less, whatever WORKS for you. But no one is wrong for netting 1200 a day and no one is wrong for netting more...Why does everyone act like they know strangers bodies better than the person themselves?


    You certainly have the right to your opinion. And my opinion, based on medical research, is that a 5'3" woman who is 50 pounds overweight could safely lose weight eating at 1200 cals per day, if she ate a balanced diet of protein, healthy fats, and high fiber carbs.
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
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    very smart thinking and obviously did your research...

    ya think? i think she's just parroting back the same info i've read from the eat more police all over this forum. not that smart and her opinion wasn't asked for by the o.p. who just asked for friends who are eating 1200 calories.

    i think starvation mode just by eating under 1200 calories is bull****.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    I'm currently at 2500 calories, recently decreased from 3000. My diary is open. Fellow 2500 people, feel free to add me.

    Huh?

    Whoops, wrong thread. Sorry about that.

    *leaves quickly*

    Alright!!! I am 5'3 and started at 140 lbs, and ate at 1900 to lose weight and now I can eat 2150 and still not gain....oh hang on...

    Oh wait..... sorry... Man I did it again.

    I LOVE that I can actually eat more than a squirrel, that's the BEST part! :bigsmile:

    And if you were 50 pounds overweight and wanted to lose 2 pounds per week, you could eat 1150 per day and do that!


    "Could", yes...but I think the question is, "should" you?

    Why not? Completely safe by all medical standards. She may not WANT to, but that would be her choice.

    Why not? Because I believe there are differing levels of "healthiness" in restricting calories to 1200 vs. restricting calories to, say, 2000. Is it possible to eat "healthily" at only 1200 calories? I suppose. But it's more difficult and unlikely to happen by accident. And I'm not talking about "I eat whole grains and lean meats so my diet is healthy." I believe sufficient micronutrients are important, and again, difficult to get with only 1200 calories.

    I also believe that, even ignoring the whole micronutrient argument, that it may be healthier to lose weight at a higher amount of calories...physical, mental, and emotional.

    I also believe that research supports that a higher calorie diet...(read: slower weight loss)...is more likely to be sustained (but admit that I haven't researched these last two paragraphs and am relying on some second hand info...so I'll state those as my own personal opinion and not absolute fact.

    It's just something to consider...especially for those who are on a repeat run at restricting themselves to 1200 calories believing that it is the *only* way.

    ETA: And just so we're clear, (since even one of my own friends seemed confused about this earlier today), I am not proposing to take away anyone's choice for their own dietary approach. I'm just sharing my opinion.

    You certainly have the right to your opinion. And my opinion, based on medical research, is that a 5'3" woman who is 50 pounds overweight could safely lose weight eating at 1200 cals per day, if she ate a balanced diet of protein, healthy fats, and high fiber carbs.

    I am sure that everyone understands that they can eat more calories and lose at a slower rate. For those with not much to lose, this might be perfectly acceptable for them, but for those who need to lose a considerable amount of weight, 1-2 pounds per week is widely acceptable as a safe rate of weight loss.

    What is confusing for many people is they keep hearing that they can eat more calories and lose the same weight, but no one tells them that it is at a slower rate, or that they will need to exercise a whole lot more. And many of them are told they will go into starvation mode and start gaining weight if they eat at a lower level and don't eat all their exercise calories back. Then after 2-3 months of not losing anything, they get frustrated and quit altogether.

    I am not saying that 1200 is appropriate for EVERYONE, but it is indeed appropriate for MANY people, and it is safe and sustainable for many people. There are SO MANY success stories on here of people who have done it successfully and are keeping it off.

    So far, no one has ever provided any medical evidence that 1200 calories is unhealthy for everyone.
    The Sports Medicine people state 1200 as the safe minimum, and the CDC states 800 for women and 900 for men is the safe minimum.

    It is certainly not appropriate or even desirable for some people, but it is so for some, and we are tired of all the snarky comments and blanket statements that show up every time someone starts a thread looking for others who are on 1200 cals.

    When the title of the thread is "1200 calorie friends" Why do you even read the thread? There are no urinals on the wall!


    Best of luck to you on your journey.
  • jillian4316
    jillian4316 Posts: 14 Member
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    im at 1220 a day, add me!
  • Nikki_8415_2
    Nikki_8415_2 Posts: 16
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    Im a 1200 girl too!!
  • engen201023
    engen201023 Posts: 4
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    I'm on a 1200 calorie a day! I'd love some support!
  • kaylaannmarie93
    kaylaannmarie93 Posts: 15 Member
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    That's my calorie goal, anybody on here can feel free to send me a request. :)
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
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    1200 - 1300 a day with or without exercise..it's been working for me since July.
  • PHXBlondie
    PHXBlondie Posts: 26 Member
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    I'm at 1200 per day and I often eat back my exercise calories. On the days when I do, it certainly slows my losses. For me, that's acceptable, but I know I would lose on a more steady scale if I didn't eat back the exercise calories. It's more like keeping me maintaining and not gaining when I do that on a regular basis.
  • mfpseven
    mfpseven Posts: 421 Member
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    What is your goal by consuming only 1200 calories per day?

    Did you know that eating too-few of calories can actually cause our bodies enter starvation mode? The thyroid hormones needed to fuel your metabolism can’t be produced and our metabolism starts slowing down. Our bodies start clinging to fat stores as a source of energy and we become sluggish.

    The ideal caloric intake is based off an equation that first calculates your BMR to include your height, weight, age, gender.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    Once this number is established, the next step adds in your activity level in the Harris Benedict equation.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

    This final number is what you should be consuming on a daily basis. The ideal plan for your body is 40/40/20, meaning 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fat. This keeps your body in fat-burning mode while allowing the gain of lean muscle. It also allows your body to maintain a higher energy level and feel full longer!

    I hope this helps, feel free to add me :)



    Based on those Calculators you added, at 5'2" 133 pounds 28 year old female, my BMR = 1393.35 x 1.2 (sedentary (little or no exercise) = 1672.02

    1672 mnus 500 cals per day to loose 1 lb per week = 1172 cals per day. I still stick to 1200 though.

    Haha I find it funny people automatically assume 1200 is too little when their own argument against it is actually evidence to the contrary, Bodies are different, we need to accept that.
  • wavedancer123
    wavedancer123 Posts: 47 Member
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    I am on Lighter Life Lite 800-1200 cals. This is a meal replacement way of eating, approved by my Doctor and Doctor Hillary from the telly. You can't do it unless you have the ok from your Doctors signed by him/her.
    I have 3 meal replacement packets ( porridge, soup, bar) then real food for either lunch or dinner. It works very well for me, but I am dedicated to it and started it in June on Total which was 4 packets a day and 3-4 litres of water. I did that part for 2 weeks 600 cals.
    Then have been on Light since July. It works for me, I have lost most weeks or stayed the same, but have never gained which for me is brilliant. My diary is open. I went form a size 16 to size 12 although feel I may be a size 10. I buy clothes that I like now not because they fit!
    So you can add me
  • DankiStar
    DankiStar Posts: 34
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    I eat about 1200 but purely by accident! Just cos that's what I eat...
  • nadiakwd
    nadiakwd Posts: 7
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    hi guys, I'm at 1200. also if there are any runners on here or exercise oriented people please add me! I need some motivation to run during wintertime, ha.
  • selinekane
    selinekane Posts: 4
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    Hi there! I'm still pretty new to mfp but finding a great help. Im aiming for 1200 too . Feel free to add. We all could do with the encouragement :-)

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