THIS is how hard it is to reach 1200 calories

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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Ok, I Hate to stick my head in the lions mouth -

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    Annnnnnd there's really not much chance of me taking the time in the kitchen to prepare that. It's not appetizing for me, I'd rather just bake a chicken breast and steam some broccoli or green beans and force them down, because what I really want is... like, deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and some mustard in the filling, or pasta with a nice white sauce, Popcorn covered in butter, a STAKE, or pork chop.. a nice roast Ham with a honey glaze or scalloped ANYTHING. Mashed potates made with butter and cream with salt and a touch of fresh ground black pepper (even though salt is now OUT for me)

    I guess my question would be, how did all of you come to hunger for the good stuff like what was posted above?

    And what is wrong with the things you want to eat?

    Eggs are good for you....mustard isn't bad, a little mayo won't hurt either.

    Pasta is a great source of carbs. Nothing wrong with some alfredo sauce now and then. I eat popcorn covered in REAL butter almost every day - hasn't hurt my weight loss. Steak and pork chops are a great source of protein, and ham isn't bad for you (just drink extra water to flush the salt). I eat potatoes all the time....110 cals for a filling side? Yes please!

    You need to reevaluate your opinion of "good stuff".
  • mschickiepoo
    mschickiepoo Posts: 91 Member
    bump
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,261 Member
    That's GREAT!

    But not everyone has the metabolism (or the endurance) of a 23 year old....me included. :D

    Now I do usually eat more than 1200 calories but I also have to watch the carbs because of my T2. So unless I just want to eat meat all day, I have to be careful. Even healthy foods have high carbs.

    As for eating like a normal person, I think I am close to doing that now. I wasn't eating like a normal person before I started losing weight. ;)
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Ok, I Hate to stick my head in the lions mouth -

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    Annnnnnd there's really not much chance of me taking the time in the kitchen to prepare that. It's not appetizing for me, I'd rather just bake a chicken breast and steam some broccoli or green beans and force them down, because what I really want is... like, deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and some mustard in the filling, or pasta with a nice white sauce, Popcorn covered in butter, a STAKE, or pork chop.. a nice roast Ham with a honey glaze or scalloped ANYTHING. Mashed potates made with butter and cream with salt and a touch of fresh ground black pepper (even though salt is now OUT for me)

    I guess my question would be, how did all of you come to hunger for the good stuff like what was posted above?

    Not everyone eats like that :) it was just an example.

    I eat pork chops, steak, potatoes, creamy casseroles, tacos, burritos, pizza ..all kinds of stuff. Difference being I make it at home so I know exactly what is going into it and because I choose to eat at least my BMR I don't have to deprive myself of the things I like to eat and I still lose weight.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    Ok, I Hate to stick my head in the lions mouth -

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    Annnnnnd there's really not much chance of me taking the time in the kitchen to prepare that. It's not appetizing for me, I'd rather just bake a chicken breast and steam some broccoli or green beans and force them down, because what I really want is... like, deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and some mustard in the filling, or pasta with a nice white sauce, Popcorn covered in butter, a STAKE, or pork chop.. a nice roast Ham with a honey glaze or scalloped ANYTHING. Mashed potates made with butter and cream with salt and a touch of fresh ground black pepper (even though salt is now OUT for me)

    I guess my question would be, how did all of you come to hunger for the good stuff like what was posted above?

    Now THAT was food porn!! LOL
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    nomnomnom
  • lublue
    lublue Posts: 123 Member
    I used to think that I knew all of the answers for everyone, too

    Then I realized that I'm the only person that lives in my body and that my job was to do what worked/works for me, not cry to the masses what they think they need to do.

    Some people do, in fact, need to eat more.

    Other people, in fact, need to eat less because........they are eating too much for their body.

    Did you find what works for you? Great!! Stick to that!

    Everyone else, however, needsto find what works for them. And that's not really going to be what worked for you.

    Your food looks fantastic though, yum!

    Agreed! :)
  • sandygettingfit
    sandygettingfit Posts: 69 Member
    Great advice! I hate seeing some of my friends' diaries :(
    I started off on 1200 cals and soon realised it was the worst possible thing I could do. I dropped 4 pounds and then plateaued like crazy, and had no motivation or energy. I did some research - now I'm on 1730 but usually eat around 2000 after eating back exercise cals, and I feel so much better for it. Definitely seeing the results I'm after :)

    Great food by the way! Looks delish :)
    I agree - there's nothing worst than looking at friend's diaries who eat 300-1000 calories and the comments "Great job" cause it's really not a great job. I don't say anything - except sometimes I tell them they need to eat more. I'm pretty sure they don't want to hear it. I currently have mine set at 1500 and eat back exercise calories but I don't stress when I go over.
  • _stephanie0
    _stephanie0 Posts: 708 Member
    Again, I'm not saying everyone needs to eat 2000 calories,.. YES some people can eat 1200 calories!! This was for those that claim they have a problem REACHING 1200 calories, and to those that say my food isn't appealing , I would repost the Winnie the Pooh picture posted above if I wasn't on my phone right now.. I'm not saying you need to eat 2000 calories OR that you have to think my food looks good.. Find what works for YOU!!

    Also,. I weighed 126 lbs 2 years ago and did that by doing cardio and eating 1100-1400 cals per day.. I looked gross. Skinny fat and unhealthy,.. I eat more now , weight train and weigh 142 lbs, yet fit the SAME clothes I wore when I was 126... I look a lot better now, IMO... And to the person who said I have a high metabolism, I have been overweight and teased my whole life ( you can see a pic in my profile) so no, I don't have a fast metabolism..


    And to the person that asked about the 0 cal syrup, I order Walden Farms products online (sweetened with aspartame not the healthiest) but good occasionally :)
  • neelia
    neelia Posts: 750 Member
    I love this post.
  • PuggleLover
    PuggleLover Posts: 261 Member
    Food looks yummy!!! I would be starving at night if that's all I ate for dinner though.
  • Nefetete
    Nefetete Posts: 343 Member
    Ok, I Hate to stick my head in the lions mouth -

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    Annnnnnd there's really not much chance of me taking the time in the kitchen to prepare that. It's not appetizing for me, I'd rather just bake a chicken breast and steam some broccoli or green beans and force them down, because what I really want is... like, deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and some mustard in the filling, or pasta with a nice white sauce, Popcorn covered in butter, a STAKE, or pork chop.. a nice roast Ham with a honey glaze or scalloped ANYTHING. Mashed potates made with butter and cream with salt and a touch of fresh ground black pepper (even though salt is now OUT for me)

    I guess my question would be, how did all of you come to hunger for the good stuff like what was posted above?


    What's wrong with the foods you listed they are all good, I would moderate butter & cream but no cut it out completely. 

    No one said healthy food has to taste like cardboard with a glass of water to swallow it.  
  • Car0lynnM
    Car0lynnM Posts: 332 Member
    I'm sorry, but if I ate 2100 calories per day without burning most of it off, I would blow up like a balloon. There ARE petite tiny people out there who can appropriately eat lower amounts (I eat about 1400-1600 calories a day) and be fine. I'm not sure what my maintenance calories will be since I still have a few pounds to lose, but I still don't think it's ever going to be 2100 calories. Yikes.
  • LikeNoOneElse84
    LikeNoOneElse84 Posts: 475 Member
    I agree with eating more, but I have been in that "it's hard to eat 1200 calories" place. I was so terrified of not losing that I literally ate nothing but salad and chicken breast. My intake would top out at 700-800, SOMETIMES 900 calories a day. I did this for months. I lost the weight and all, but I put myself in a bad position. I had headaches all day, every day and I felt awful in any way possible. It felt as if my body was shutting down. I didn't want to die because of losing weight so I started eating again. I did gained a lot of weight back. I'm now at it again, but this time my minimum 1500. I still have a difficult time eating 1500 most days, because I am terrified of gaining again. It's mostly a mind game.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    Me personally I have had the most luck with 1350. I see it as proof that weight loss is 80% diet. I couldn't work out because I was injured. (so no, I wasn't tryin to starve myself and I wasn't "avoiding" exercise) Started at 1200 and had no energy so I bumped it up a little and exercised as I could (usually until I couldn't support my weight anymore) I would usually hit that 1350 dead on and be eating fruits and veggies, and lean proteins. Pretty much just took out all the food with random ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. Some people have a metabolism that runs like crazy, some have a goofy thyroid that barely starts up the metabolism. Some people need more carbs, some need more proteins. It's all about what you find for yourself and sometimes it takes awhile to find the key to it.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I'm sorry, but if I ate 2100 calories per day without burning most of it off, I would blow up like a balloon. There ARE petite tiny people out there who can appropriately eat lower amounts (I eat about 1400-1600 calories a day) and be fine. I'm not sure what my maintenance calories will be since I still have a few pounds to lose, but I still don't think it's ever going to be 2100 calories. Yikes.
    Sure, we're all different, and have to figure out our own BMR and TDEE based on our activity levels and goals - the point she's making is to so many members here who post threads saying they have a difficult time eating to even 1200 a day, and seem to think that to get that many calories they have to pack in some junk food. This thread is showing healthy foods and easily passing the 1200 mark. :bigsmile:

    Personally I have no problems hitting my daily goal of 1800. Love it!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    "Eat more to weigh less" is a philosophy that works well for those who specifically lift heavy weights. "Eat 2200 calories a day" is advice that doesn't work for everyone. I know people who survive very well on 1200-1400 calories a day and amazingly they don't starve to death. I eat about 1400 and have been maintaining my current weight for three years. I am active, eat healthy food, have lots of energy, and on days when I run a triathlon, I do eat more, but I'm not consistently lifting weights and I just can't eat as much as you do. I also don't really want to eat that volume of food.

    Your food looks nutritious I guess, but it's not appetizing to me personally. Not everyone chooses to eat the exact way you do. Congratulations on your success but food is a choice, and if you don't like the way others eat, can you maybe just ignore them?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    To be fair, some people having eating disorders and telling them 'eat more!' is about as unhelpful and potentially harmful as telling someone with depression to 'be happier!'.

    Yes, the truth hurts.
  • _stephanie0
    _stephanie0 Posts: 708 Member
    People are still responding with the fact that they eat less than 2100...

    Giving up
    *face palm*

    Read my above comments lol
  • kejurek
    kejurek Posts: 28 Member
    That stuff looks AMAZING!!!!
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    To be fair, some people having eating disorders and telling them 'eat more!' is about as unhelpful and potentially harmful as telling someone with depression to 'be happier!'.

    ^THIS. Not to mention.. the site of it makes them want to purge.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    People are still responding with the fact that they eat less than 2100...

    Giving up
    *face palm*

    Read my above comments lol

    Yeah I read them
    Your post doesn't bring anything new to the table, so to speak. You belong to the "eat more" camp of people. Yes, we understand that eating under 1200 calories isn't recommended, that's why MFP doesn't automatically set your goal less than this. We get it. Who are you trying to reason with?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I also am on a 1280 diet and I am on my feet for 12 hours at work and I work out twice a day. So no, I am not trying to avoid working out. I have this calorie limit because it is what works best for me.
    And yes, there are days where I go over my calories, depending on how many calories I have burned.

    How do you know that?

    At your activity level and with so little to lose, your energy intake is like that of a short, middle-aged woman who has 100+ pounds to lose and 50% body fat to burn. How do you honestly know that you wouldn't feel better eating a much smaller deficit and losing more slowly?
  • navydentalchic
    navydentalchic Posts: 234 Member
    bump
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I'm sorry, but if I ate 2100 calories per day without burning most of it off, I would blow up like a balloon. There ARE petite tiny people out there who can appropriately eat lower amounts (I eat about 1400-1600 calories a day) and be fine. I'm not sure what my maintenance calories will be since I still have a few pounds to lose, but I still don't think it's ever going to be 2100 calories. Yikes.
    Yeah I read them
    Your post doesn't bring anything new to the table, so to speak. You belong to the "eat more" camp of people. Yes, we understand that eating under 1200 calories isn't recommended, that's why MFP doesn't automatically set your goal less than this. We get it. Who are you trying to reason with?
    The point <


    Your heads <
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Ok, I Hate to stick my head in the lions mouth -

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    Annnnnnd there's really not much chance of me taking the time in the kitchen to prepare that. It's not appetizing for me, I'd rather just bake a chicken breast and steam some broccoli or green beans and force them down, because what I really want is... like, deviled eggs with a dash of paprika and some mustard in the filling, or pasta with a nice white sauce, Popcorn covered in butter, a STAKE, or pork chop.. a nice roast Ham with a honey glaze or scalloped ANYTHING. Mashed potates made with butter and cream with salt and a touch of fresh ground black pepper (even though salt is now OUT for me)

    I guess my question would be, how did all of you come to hunger for the good stuff like what was posted above?

    And what is wrong with the things you want to eat?

    Eggs are good for you....mustard isn't bad, a little mayo won't hurt either.

    Pasta is a great source of carbs. Nothing wrong with some alfredo sauce now and then. I eat popcorn covered in REAL butter almost every day - hasn't hurt my weight loss. Steak and pork chops are a great source of protein, and ham isn't bad for you (just drink extra water to flush the salt). I eat potatoes all the time....110 cals for a filling side? Yes please!

    You need to reevaluate your opinion of "good stuff".

    I agree. Those all sound better to me than the colorful stuff the OP posted, stuff that looks like it belongs in a magazine or something. Gimme my steak and tators! :smokin:
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member

    But none of that really looks appealing. I mean, it has nice rich vibrant colors, it's packed full of nutrients, it's probably got a stunning balance and all the right macros...

    ...because what I really want is... a STAKE

    Well, there's your problem. You prefer eating wood.

    Dang...we were so close to having a mature conversaiton. Maybe tomorrow *shrug*. Later, y'all!

    fqVhf.gif

    You're on fire today, lady! I'm impressed! Go you! :smokin:

    yBwD8.gif
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    The point <


    Your heads <

    Interesting choice of formatting
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    The point of the topic isn't to say that everyone needs to eat more than 1200!

    To quote the OP:
    Again, I'm not saying everyone needs to eat 2000 calories,.. YES some people can eat 1200 calories!! This was for those that claim they have a problem REACHING 1200 calories, and to those that say my food isn't appealing , I would repost the Winnie the Pooh picture posted above if I wasn't on my phone right now.. I'm not saying you need to eat 2000 calories OR that you have to think my food looks good.. Find what works for YOU!!

    Post was made to point out that one can easily reach 1200 and beyond with HEALTHY DELICIOUS FOOD! :tongue: This is a response to all the topics that say "I can't reach my goal of 1200" or "Only at 900 for the day and I'm so full, should I eat junk food to reach 1200?".

    :drinker:
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    Buuuut MFP told me to eat 1200 a day. I also exercise and have been loosing. Am I doing something wrong here?? I eat mostly fruits and veggies throughout the week and on weekends have a healthy breakfast healthy lunch and kind of whatever for dinner. Also exercise a version of HIIT cardio daily and weights at least 3x week.

    eeeeeeop :blushing: just read the rest of the dang post guess it was meant for the non eaters lololololol I have no prob reaching 1200 and sometimes on the weekend specially go over but I exercise the extra lol