Eating 1200 calories a day?

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Replies

  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Before I started eating over 1500 calories a day, I didn't loose any weight.

    Just look at things like nuts, which are in high in calories and other good nutrients.

    Good luck :3
    There is no difference between a handful of nuts and a chocolate bar.

    One is alot tastier then the other ;D
    Then eat the chocolate bar. People assume nuts are healthy... they assume.
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
    I would talk to a doctor, you do have all the symptoms of disordered eating.
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
    Honestly, yes, you may gain weight for a little while as your body reacts to the change. It'll be holding on to everything it can as storage because it thinks it's not going to keep getting that. But once your body adjusts to the new calorie intake everything should level out and go back to normal. I understand hating things about your body (I am fat) but instead of focusing on all the things you hate about it ask yourself what you like about it and why. But I also second what others have been saying. You seem to have disordered thinking towards food which is a step towards an eating disorder. You need to talk to a dr and have your health checked and to a proper dietician who can give you all the info you need on what that amount of cals will do to you and what you need for optimal nutrition. We can give you advice and offer opinions but we're not professionals. Please talk to someone. Good luck.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    It's likely that you either do have an eating disorder and body dismorphia or it could be that you are all muscle. I'm doubting the second. Post a picture. Prove us wrong.
    Even if you have not been diagnosed and have never fainted eating that little day in day out is going to have a big impact on your health. You know ths, you posted the question.
  • Okay, I am living proof that you can eat less than 1200 calories and still be obese. I weight 175. I just ate one huge meal from wendys a day, every day at 1000 calories or so and I thought I was good. It wasn't until I started tracking that I realized that I wasn't eating 1200 cals. I always assumed I was eating way too much food. Now that I eat three meals a day, I'm doing much better. I was just really busy and so I only ate after I got home from work or school, and then was so exhausted that I went straight to sleep. I wasn't trying to restrict or anything, I'd get a large order of fries, dr.pepper, medium frosty,baconator and I still wasn't at 12,000. And after that I just basically fell asleep because of tiredness so I didn't eat anything else.
    It was hard for me to get to the point where I was eating healthy meals multiple times a day. I had to really put effort into it and remind myself to eat at multiple times, or else I'll fall back into that unhealthy pattern. I didn't realize I wasn't eating enough calories (although I was over on fat and sugar) so, not everyone has a disorder if they eat under 1200. Sometimes your lifestyle just makes things difficult. I have to really try hard to eat over 1200. It's just not a pattern that I'm used to.
  • Aww dear :( Try eating more calorie dense foods, like pasta, bread, peanut butter, things like that.

    It sounds to me like you have disordered eating habits and fear of weight gain. Those are huge signs of people developing an eating disorder. I think you should talk to someone about it and get help before this goes too far. Trust me, I'm recovering from bulimia and it's done damage to my body. I still have urges to go back to my old ways everyday. Please, please get help. <3
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    @stacy

    Baconator is 970 calories
    Fries is 430 calories
    Dr pepper 230 calories
    Frosty 650 calories

    This is well above 1200.

    At 2200 calories you are not even close to the OP!
  • butterflymarks
    butterflymarks Posts: 97 Member
    I'm currently recovering from an eating disorder, anorexia, and let me tell you. This is where I started. I skipped breakfast because I was lazy. I skipped lunch at school because it was gross. Then I ate a decent amount at home. I slimmed down to 106lbs at 5'7. I realized I started liking the way I looked, I had always been self conscious like you. So I decided I would keep going with it until I only ate about 100calories a day. And you know what, your body stops sending "I'm hungry" signals (like growling stomach and such) because there's no point. You're not feeding it. It was super hard to bump up my calories to 1800 (and it still is) like I should be eating. Mentally and physically, I really was used to eating so little.

    I bumped up my calories slowly, added 100 every week or so and eventually I kick started my metabolism and now I'm hyper-metabolic. I can eat over 2000 calories and not gain weight right now.

    Anyways, a little off track, all I'm saying.. Is get help now, while you can.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Okay, I am living proof that you can eat less than 1200 calories and still be obese. I weight 175. I just ate one huge meal from wendys a day, every day at 1000 calories or so and I thought I was good. It wasn't until I started tracking that I realized that I wasn't eating 1200 cals. I always assumed I was eating way too much food. Now that I eat three meals a day, I'm doing much better. I was just really busy and so I only ate after I got home from work or school, and then was so exhausted that I went straight to sleep. I wasn't trying to restrict or anything, I'd get a large order of fries, dr.pepper, medium frosty,baconator and I still wasn't at 12,000. And after that I just basically fell asleep because of tiredness so I didn't eat anything else.
    It was hard for me to get to the point where I was eating healthy meals multiple times a day. I had to really put effort into it and remind myself to eat at multiple times, or else I'll fall back into that unhealthy pattern. I didn't realize I wasn't eating enough calories (although I was over on fat and sugar) so, not everyone has a disorder if they eat under 1200. Sometimes your lifestyle just makes things difficult. I have to really try hard to eat over 1200. It's just not a pattern that I'm used to.
    I doubt this.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    I'm currently recovering from an eating disorder, anorexia, and let me tell you. This is where I started. I skipped breakfast because I was lazy. I skipped lunch at school because it was gross. Then I ate a decent amount at home. I slimmed down to 106lbs at 5'7. I realized I started liking the way I looked, I had always been self conscious like you. So I decided I would keep going with it until I only ate about 100calories a day. And you know what, your body stops sending "I'm hungry" signals (like growling stomach and such) because there's no point. You're not feeding it. It was super hard to bump up my calories to 1800 (and it still is) like I should be eating. Mentally and physically, I really was used to eating so little.

    I bumped up my calories slowly, added 100 every week or so and eventually I kick started my metabolism and now I'm hyper-metabolic. I can eat over 2000 calories and not gain weight right now.

    Anyways, a little off track, all I'm saying.. Is get help now, while you can.
    Fantastic post! Good job on the metabolic rehab.

    I did something similar coming out of contest mode.

    Keep up the good work!
  • dukslayer4051
    dukslayer4051 Posts: 66 Member
    no, dont lose ur legs, man, what a waist to have nice legs and get them all bony...

    so according to your thoughts on losing muscle you will give up your nice muscular legs and still have a flat butt? thats what your talking about...

    start hitting the squats and lunges and hamstring curls and make sure to get a good pinch at the top...its your body, build it dont tear it down.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    the thing is guys, i dont restrict.
    i've posted what i eat, it's a normal amount, i have two full meals a day and snacks during the day and treat myself at weekends.
    yes, i do hate how my body looks and i've tried coming to terms but it isn't happening.
    what i worry is that if my body's used to eating about 700 cals a day, surely eating more than twice that means i'll start gaining weight because at about 1000 i find that i maintain my weight and i have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder, looked slim, fainted through lack of food or anything. i don't suffer from how little i eat, i never have.

    This is why you need to talk to a professional. If you think eating 700 calories is not restricting, you have a lot to learn about nutrition. I hope you find someone to help you.
  • the thing is guys, i dont restrict.
    i've posted what i eat, it's a normal amount, i have two full meals a day and snacks during the day and treat myself at weekends.
    yes, i do hate how my body looks and i've tried coming to terms but it isn't happening.
    what i worry is that if my body's used to eating about 700 cals a day, surely eating more than twice that means i'll start gaining weight because at about 1000 i find that i maintain my weight and i have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder, looked slim, fainted through lack of food or anything. i don't suffer from how little i eat, i never have.
    Eating 700 calories a day is a eating disorder. I would bet my life that there is no visible muscle on your body at all. The comment of you having muscular thighs is comical. At your level of calorie consumption it's impossible.

    I suggest you go seek help regarding your body image and not here asking questions.
    I have not made up the fact I am muscular. I honestly thought I was fat (and still do) until I was diagnosed with BDD years ago and it was explained to me about the fact I have short-twitch muscle fibres meaning my legs are thick and bulky. My bf% has been worked out at 18 and I would post a picture but I'm on my iPod.
    Why do you think I would want to lose muscle if it wasn't visible? If I didn't have have VISIBLE muscle then I would want to get rid of fat, not muscle. Becoming catablic is what I want. I want to look slim and feminine, not muscular.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    Everything you are saying raises red flags. With that being said, I'm not a Dr. All i can say is good luck and I hope you speak with a Dr. about your relationship with food and your body image..
  • Wendy's - Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger , 1 burger (142 g) 400 25 24 21 5 930
    Wendy's - Small French Fries - Nz, 113 g 276 39 11 4 1 159
    Diet Dr. Pepper - 32 oz., 32 oz 0 0 0 0 0 160
    Wendy's - Medium Vanilla Frosty, 285 g 400 65 10 10 56 190
    Add Food Quick Tools 1,076 129 45 35 62 1,439


    ^^^^^
    That's what I ate every day. It turns out the fries weren't large, but that's what I ate. It comes up to 1,076 calories. I tracked it myself. That's under 1200. My sugar and fat were not so great, though. I ate a bunch of crap food. I gained 30 pounds eating this way. I GAINED weight. Now, I'm trying to eat more healthy foods as well as more calories. You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth. It's so redic that people think that if you're eating less than 1200 calories you're going to be stick thin. The exact opposite happened to me, I put on weight. It's hard for me to break out of that pattern, because it was so convenient, but once I tracked and opened my eyes to it, I've been improving my diet and doing better. Now I'm eating three meals and am over 1200. My goal is to eat 5 meals and eat 1400-1500 cals a day, but healthy foods that won't overload my body on sugar and fats and hardly and nutrients.
  • Seriously what kind of food are people eating that they can't get to 1200 calories? Are you like, eating a tomato and calling it a day? An apple alone has about 130, put some food in your mouth! Peanut Butter, nuts, meat, they're all calorific.

    I agree too. If you're only getting 700-800 calories a day (and most of those calories are from sugary tea), chances are you're not getting the protein, energy, vitamins and minerals your body needs. When you become deficient in something like that, you get a range of symptoms and could harm the way your body metabolizes food. Do you follow a "food puramid" or a recommended amount of food groups by your country?
    No, I don't add the tea, I just know it means my sugar allowance is always exceeded.
    I do follow a food pyramid and on the app for MFP it actually provides a pie chart so you can see what kind of nutrients you are meeting and often mine is a little over on fat, a little under on carbs but I always eat the right amount of protein and I also don't suffer from any symptoms of mal-nutrition, apart from feeling cold but it's England and it's winter so thats probably not all due to lack of food.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Wendy's - Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger , 1 burger (142 g) 400 25 24 21 5 930
    Wendy's - Small French Fries - Nz, 113 g 276 39 11 4 1 159
    Diet Dr. Pepper - 32 oz., 32 oz 0 0 0 0 0 160
    Wendy's - Medium Vanilla Frosty, 285 g 400 65 10 10 56 190
    Add Food Quick Tools 1,076 129 45 35 62 1,439


    ^^^^^
    That's what I ate every day. It turns out the fries weren't large, but that's what I ate. It comes up to 1,076 calories. I tracked it myself. That's under 1200. My sugar and fat were not so great, though.

    If a junior burger, small fries and a medium frosty fill you up for the whole day, then your hormones are totally out of whack.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    Presumably you are here to lose weight. So help me understand how you came to be overweight if you cannot possibly get to 1200 calories without trying *very*hard now?

    If you are not overweight, what is your goal that has you eating only a goal of 1200 calories?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    the thing is guys, i dont restrict.
    i've posted what i eat, it's a normal amount, i have two full meals a day and snacks during the day and treat myself at weekends.
    yes, i do hate how my body looks and i've tried coming to terms but it isn't happening.
    what i worry is that if my body's used to eating about 700 cals a day, surely eating more than twice that means i'll start gaining weight because at about 1000 i find that i maintain my weight and i have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder, looked slim, fainted through lack of food or anything. i don't suffer from how little i eat, i never have.

    You say you have not been diagnosed with an eating disorder - have you even gone anywhere to be diagnosed?

    You do not restrict because you are not hungry. You are not hungry because your hormones are effed up. Your hormones are effed up because you have been under-eating.

    ETA: your avi alone raises red flags.
  • QUOTE:

    Wendy's - Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger , 1 burger (142 g) 400 25 24 21 5 930
    Wendy's - Small French Fries - Nz, 113 g 276 39 11 4 1 159
    Diet Dr. Pepper - 32 oz., 32 oz 0 0 0 0 0 160
    Wendy's - Medium Vanilla Frosty, 285 g 400 65 10 10 56 190
    Add Food Quick Tools 1,076 129 45 35 62 1,439


    ^^^^^
    That's what I ate every day. It turns out the fries weren't large, but that's what I ate. It comes up to 1,076 calories. I tracked it myself. That's under 1200. My sugar and fat were not so great, though.


    If a junior burger, small fries and a medium frosty fill you up for the whole day, then your hormones are totally out of whack.

    Sorry, I couldn't figure out the reply thing this time. And I know, they really were. I even talked to my doctor about it, because I was really concerned when I saw that I wasn't eating enough. I seriously thought that I was eating enough. And the jr.baconator isn't too tiny or anything, either. But yeah, I gained a lot of weight from eating that way, and I'm trying to change that. It's super possible to not be a twig when you don't eat enough. That's my whole point. I didn't eat enough and I mean, I knew I wasn't eating healthy foods, but I didn't think that it was too little or anything. I was just really busy all of the time that I wasn't eating enough. Now, I'm really trying to eat more and be healthier. I'm just trying to say, a lot of people have a perception that if you don't eat enough, you'll lose a lot of weight and be skinny. The fact that everyone seems to think that doesn't help people who are seriously disordered. People need to be aware of the effects of the way that they are eating.
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
    i love how honest you are!!! can i plz add you?

    the thing is guys, i dont restrict.
    i've posted what i eat, it's a normal amount, i have two full meals a day and snacks during the day and treat myself at weekends.
    yes, i do hate how my body looks and i've tried coming to terms but it isn't happening.
    what i worry is that if my body's used to eating about 700 cals a day, surely eating more than twice that means i'll start gaining weight because at about 1000 i find that i maintain my weight and i have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder, looked slim, fainted through lack of food or anything. i don't suffer from how little i eat, i never have.
    Eating 700 calories a day is a eating disorder. I would bet my life that there is no visible muscle on your body at all. The comment of you having muscular thighs is comical. At your level of calorie consumption it's impossible.

    I suggest you go seek help regarding your body image and not here asking questions.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    She says she hasn't been diagnosed with an eating disorder. However she also says she has been diagnosed with BDD--body dysmorphic disorder. She mentions the BDD at the same time she is saying she is certain that she has a bunch of not-girly-muscle.

    Here's the deal: BDD means that you cannot trust the messages your brain gives you about your body--whether it is hungry, whether it is fat, whether it is muscular, whether is manly, whether it is slim. You just can't trust it.

    This thread and your answers make it clear that you are deep in your disorder and NEED professional help. I get that you don't want to accept your body. Tough. The answer here is to get the therapy and possibly meds you need to get your head right about your body. And you're probably best off leaving MFP and sites like it.
  • Presumably you are here to lose weight. So help me understand how you came to be overweight if you cannot possibly get to 1200 calories without trying *very*hard now?

    If you are not overweight, what is your goal that has you eating only a goal of 1200 calories?

    In reply to this, I am here to lose weight, but I do have to try to eat healthy. It's hard for me to do that because if I eat the same meal I usually eat, I'd be at 3000 calories. I'm not trying to do that. I never cook or anything, so it's a learning process for me. I'm trying to eat healthier, but also gain more calories. I don't know how it works, but I could post pictures of myself on here for you if you want, I really am 175 pounds, which is technically overweight for me. I don't know the science of it or whatever, but I never worked out before and I ate fatty, sugary foods. I think that has something to do with it. Maybe if I was under 1200 and eating all healthy, it would have been different. And I have a goal of 1200 cals because I want the fat and sugar to adjust to what I eat, so I don't eat more fats and sugars than I should for what I eat. But, eventually I want to get to 1400-1500 calories.
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
    She says she hasn't been diagnosed with an eating disorder. However she also says she has been diagnosed with BDD--body dysmorphic disorder. She mentions the BDD at the same time she is saying she is certain that she has a bunch of not-girly-muscle.

    Here's the deal: BDD means that you cannot trust the messages your brain gives you about your body--whether it is hungry, whether it is fat, whether it is muscular, whether is manly, whether it is slim. You just can't trust it.

    This thread and your answers make it clear that you are deep in your disorder and NEED professional help. I get that you don't want to accept your body. Tough. The answer here is to get the therapy and possibly meds you need to get your head right about your body. And you're probably best off leaving MFP and sites like it.

    Agreed on all counts. A good start, OP, might be with the medical professional that diagnosed you with BDD in the first place.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    Presumably you are here to lose weight. So help me understand how you came to be overweight if you cannot possibly get to 1200 calories without trying *very*hard now?

    If you are not overweight, what is your goal that has you eating only a goal of 1200 calories?

    In reply to this, I am here to lose weight, but I do have to try to eat healthy. It's hard for me to do that because if I eat the same meal I usually eat, I'd be at 3000 calories. I'm not trying to do that. I never cook or anything, so it's a learning process for me. I'm trying to eat healthier, but also gain more calories. I don't know how it works, but I could post pictures of myself on here for you if you want, I really am 175 pounds, which is technically overweight for me. I don't know the science of it or whatever, but I never worked out before and I ate fatty, sugary foods. I think that has something to do with it. Maybe if I was under 1200 and eating all healthy, it would have been different. And I have a goal of 1200 cals because I want the fat and sugar to adjust to what I eat, so I don't eat more fats and sugars than I should for what I eat. But, eventually I want to get to 1400-1500 calories.

    Ummm.... I was directing that at the OP, not at you. And I don't think anyone needs to be surprised that someone who eats fast food every day gained weight. Almost no one logs 100% accurately. If all your food is from fast food or a box or a vending machine, then your regular error is gonna get huge. But for real, you should probably start your very own thread if you want people to have a thread about you. Otherwise this is very confusing to most people. Well, me.
  • The truth is, I did talk to my doctor about it and worked things out with him as soon as I noticed that I wasn't eating enough and the op needs to do the same. My doctor made some really helpful suggestions. I don't want to be necessarily skinny, but I do want to be healthy. My energy levels are down the drain, I feel exhausted all of the time, I weigh 175, I get tired walking up the three flights of stairs it takes to get to my apartment...it's just pathetic. I want to be able to live life in a healthy way. I want to get down to 130, because that's where I was before I started to gain weight when I started this job, and I'm tired of it. Oh, and I hate feeling like I can't stand up for very long amounts of time because even that wears me out.
    But, I am 5'7 and 175, so I do need to lose weight. I at least want to get under 150, but 130 would be perfect, haha.
    The point is, everyone is different, but you should talk to your doctor about your own situations. And, seriously, you can eat under 1200 cals and still gain weight, you can. I'm not saying that's what's going on with the OP, but it's definitely possible.
  • BUMP
  • sorry! I was really confused! A lot of people were talking about the post I made and you said something that made me think that you were talking about me! I can't get the replies figured out for some reason right now, but I thought that was what was happening to you, too. So sorry!
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    sorry! I was really confused! A lot of people were talking about the post I made and you said something that made me think that you were talking about me! I can't get the replies figured out for some reason right now, but I thought that was what was happening to you, too. So sorry!

    Case in point on my previously mentioned inaccuracy with logging. You said you ate a baconator. You log a junior bacon cheeseburger. Those are two ENTIRELY different sandwiches. One would gain weight on the surplus caused by a daily baconator.
  • Okay guys thanks so basically before everyone told me I needed help and that I'm effed up and there's no way I can look how I do eating what I do, my question has been answered :)

    I would just like to say that the reason my calorie intake is low is BECAUSE I eat healthy. For breakfast I have 100kcal toast and a 10kcal spread, then have a 50kcal smoothie for lunch then for dinner I'll have a chicken breast 200-ish kcal, something starchy such as three Maoris piper potatoes mashed or boiled or whatever that's 100kcal and some veggies that are around 50kcal again then that rough daily template comes out at 510kcal.

    No, I'm not having 6 small meals a day consisting of every nutrient I need and yes, I probably do need to go back to getting help about my body but it's only because I'm not eating much that everyone freaks out.

    I'm a UK size 10 and I'm at a normal BMI so it's not like I'm a twig imagining things, I also realise that I am not fat. I know that muscle is the problem and I know that by eating less than my BMR my body will eat muscle and preserve fat. Unlike most, this doesn't bother me. I regularly have to have my BF and BMI tested so when I get above a 25% bf% I can then tone up without the fear that my muscles will make my legs become even bigger.

    ANYWAY, if you all recall, the question was how can I get to 1200 calories, not me asking to be told by some beefcakes that being muscular and not eating much can't happen because I'm the living proof, not something you read online or were told by your gym buddy.

    Thank you very much to the helpful people that have answered my question. I now know that I should eat more healthy fats and invest in some nutty/avocado-ey snacks to eat throughout the day and get my metabolism back up to speed. Now if everyone could please stop telling me I have issues and need help, that'd be great :)
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