1200 calories = more likely to have problems?

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  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I wonder if you guys will feel the same about 1200 calorie dieting next time you do this.....

    Good question.


    I wonder why anyone would choose to eat the least amount of food possible instead of the highest amount.

    Another question might be- What would I want to spend 2 years getting to goal weight when I can get there in one year and still not feel like I am starving?

    To each their own.

    Just wanting to clarify something here to get my perspective across. I do not believe in large deficits at all. I also do not think it should be necessary for most people to be on 1,200 calories to lose a reasonable amount (based on the amount they have to lose and their personal circumstances) each week. Heavy deficits can lead to a multitude of possible issues (nutritional, metabolic, hormonal, loss of LBm etc etc) as well as impact energy levels. The lower the energy, the crappier the performance in the gym, the lower your activity, the lower your TDEE, the less you lose - its a viscous cycle. The leaner you are, the more these can impact you so it is preferable to adjust the deficit the leaner you get.

    I do not believe at all in eating the least amount possible because of this. I do believe that the appropriate amount is dependent on individual circumstances.

    Most of the time people end up on 1.200 calories because they pick the highest target loss of 2lb and/or pick a sedentary setting (which unless you literally do not leave the house and do not have kids is usually not an appropriate representation of activity levels) and/or do not eat exercise calories back.

    Using myself as an example. If I set my goal at 1lb a week and picked sedentary, I would get 1,200. I was losing 1lb a week on 1,700 (before exercise). So, if I used this setting I would be at 2 lb a week which I do think is too low both from a speed of loss and from an adherence perspective, not to mention my performance in the gym really suffers if I eat less than 1,700.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    BTW- in order for me to lose 1lb/week, I have to eat 1200. When I work out I get some back.

    to lose .5lb/week I get around 1400. I try to eat between 1200-1400 depending on the day..

    Weight loss isn't easy when you don't have much to lose... =/

    Gosh, I wish more people understood EXACTLY what you said.

    The less you have to lose the HARDER it is!!!!!!!

    NICELY PUT...
    I believe this is generally accepted. You do know that some of people commenting in this thread, actually KNOW what they are talking about.

    Better yet, they have experience on the matter.
  • MKCD123
    MKCD123 Posts: 86 Member
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    I am new to this...but it has me set at 1200 calories...which I am doing, plus exercise. Should I eat more if I am exercising? Is the 1200 with no exercise?
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
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    I eat 1240 a day and I'm not hungry until right before meal time.

    What I can't understand is why anyone gives a crud how many calories I'm eating. I mean, I'm not preaching to anyone else to eat this low, but I'm 43 years old, short and have a sedentary lifestyle. It's Dr. approved to do what I'm doing. So why does it bother people so much?

    Now, if I get on here asking for advice for why I'm hungry and weak and cranky and I eat 1200 calories, I'm kind of opening the door for criticism. Otherwise, you do what works for you, and I'll do what's clearly working for me and everyone's happy. That's part of what I've liked about MFP is we're all doing it our own way, together. If that makes sense.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I am new to this...but it has me set at 1200 calories...which I am doing, plus exercise. Should I eat more if I am exercising? Is the 1200 with no exercise?

    Yes it is. The way MFP is set up, your deficit is included in the base so you are supposed to eat the exercise calories back. I would suggest only eating about 75% of them to take into account inaccuracies.
  • MayonnaiseJane
    MayonnaiseJane Posts: 12 Member
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    Those on 1200 - do you think your muscle mass is maintained on this amount?
    Anyone?
    Sure it is. Once again, I wonder why there's this idea that everyone on 1200 is doing radical dieting. It depends on the size of your frame and on your current weight. I'm mini-sized. Not twiggy skinny. I'm short, narrow shouldered, and I'm only carying 20lbs extra weight, and that's what the thing recommended to me and it hasn't been remotely challenging so I seriously doubt I'm starving myself.
    Oh this doesn't sound like a big deficit AT ALL. In fact, at 1200 calories, you're probably going over your TDEE so muscle would definitely be retained here, I'm actually surprised your not gaining muscle as some of the other magical 1200 calorie eaters are.

    Wizardry FTW!
    I guess I must be magical then, as I am stronger now than I was 3 months ago! And down 26 pounds.
    There's nothing flipping magical about it, sarcasm not needed. I know darn well I'm 400 calories under TDEE, where the computer put me, supposedly loosing at a weight of 0.8 lbs a week. Not everyone who the computer puts at 1200 is at a huge deficit or trying to loose 2lbs a week. Get it thru your heads!
  • Cranktastic
    Cranktastic Posts: 1,517 Member
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    I eat 1240 a day and I'm not hungry until right before meal time.

    What I can't understand is why anyone gives a crud how many calories I'm eating. I mean, I'm not preaching to anyone else to eat this low, but I'm 43 years old, short and have a sedentary lifestyle. It's Dr. approved to do what I'm doing. So why does it bother people so much?

    Now, if I get on here asking for advice for why I'm hungry and weak and cranky and I eat 1200 calories, I'm kind of opening the door for criticism. Otherwise, you do what works for you, and I'll do what's clearly working for me and everyone's happy. That's part of what I've liked about MFP is we're all doing it our own way, together. If that makes sense.

    This is exactly what happens...what am i doing wrong? why am I hungry? why am i not losing weight? why?why?
  • MayonnaiseJane
    MayonnaiseJane Posts: 12 Member
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    What I can't understand is why anyone gives a crud how many calories I'm eating. I mean, I'm not preaching to anyone else to eat this low, but I'm 43 years old, short and have a sedentary lifestyle. It's Dr. approved to do what I'm doing. So why does it bother people so much?

    I can only assume that they are not of a height or build where 1200 is remotely healthy for them, and had to be convinced rather hard that that was not the case for them, and are trying to pay it forward... like a person who has to give up alcohol because they are an alcoholic, but rather than recognizing that there are differences in people, goes on a crusade to "save" anyone else who isn't teatotal already. It's well intentioned but in an annoying high horse kind of way.

    8^/
  • Kahliimah
    Kahliimah Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm actually proud of myself as I eat 1200 a day coming from eating large pizzas every day and I'm not hungry, I guess it's a boredom thing perhaps? I keep myself active and occupied and sometimes nearly forget I need to start cooking!

    You live on pizza? Isn't that boring?

    I USED to live on pizza, now I cook/eat healthy and keep it under 1200.
    I ate pizza a lot, maybe not everyday, but it was more that 3 times a week.
  • Kagami_Taiga
    Kagami_Taiga Posts: 124 Member
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    People who choose 1200 are probably new to the whole thing and think losgin weight it easy so they click 2 pounds a week, the don't have restraint yet.

    Yeah, I'm pretty new. I've only been at it for 4 months. Lost 75lbs, average just over 4lbs per week. Reckon my restraint is bpretty good.
  • Kagami_Taiga
    Kagami_Taiga Posts: 124 Member
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    Also, I can have a footlong subway for lunch nearly everyday and be on 1200.

    I'll stick to a wide variety of healthy foods and a lot more than 1200 measly calories. I

    Variety's good. But I like the foods I'm eating. What kinda stuff do you eat for lunch?
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    People who choose 1200 are probably new to the whole thing and think losgin weight it easy so they click 2 pounds a week, the don't have restraint yet.

    Yeah, I'm pretty new. I've only been at it for 4 months. Lost 75lbs, average just over 4lbs per week. Reckon my restraint is bpretty good.

    losing 4 pounds a week you are most likely losing a significant amount of muscle mass with the fat..... slow down dude. you are gonna want that muscle back when you slim down and it is harder to replace than to lose
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    BTW- in order for me to lose 1lb/week, I have to eat 1200. When I work out I get some back.

    to lose .5lb/week I get around 1400. I try to eat between 1200-1400 depending on the day..

    Weight loss isn't easy when you don't have much to lose... =/

    When you have less than 50 pounds to lose, a half pound per week is ideal.

    No, 1lb a week is fine. You are thinking about the recommendation for when you have less than 10lb to lose.

    I don't recall seeing a breakdown that had ten pounds as a category. But either way, losing a half pound instead of a full pound makes more sense to me.

    I am not sure why. Losing 1lb a week is fine. When you have say 40 lb to lose, 1/2 lb is awfully slow going and would be demotivating to me.

    I guess. Maybe it's just me. It took me 20 years to gain this weight, and I am not trying to take it all off in 6 months. I want to maintain my LBM as well as allow ample time for my skin to adjust.

    ETA: And I like to eat.

    You liking to eat and eat more is fine - that is personal preference. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with losing 1lb a week. Also, with strength training, at a 1lb a week deficit you should maintain as much LBM as with a 1/2 lb deficit. I have not seen anything to indicate otherwise.

    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/HQ01625


    I lost a pound a week for the first 25lb - I have no skin issues - it's all relative.

    Actually a pound a week is where I want to be. I have been losing more than two pounds a week, which is why I just upped my calories to 1900. I lost twenty pounds my first three weeks, which really freaked me out. :laugh:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Seriously. Why is this issue still being argued? Eat at the calorie level that is right for you and quit trying to force your opinions on everyone else.

    You never see threads that say "2500 calories = more likely to get fat?"

    That would be a fun thread. I would post in it. :laugh:
  • Kellyeee2013
    Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
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    I am okay at 1200. It is all about just eating better foods really. I struggled the first two days because I was always hungry! But now I think I have a handle on it.

    Can someone explain how upping calories makes you lose weight though? I do not understand this.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I am okay at 1200. It is all about just eating better foods really. I struggled the first two days because I was always hungry! But now I think I have a handle on it.

    Can someone explain how upping calories makes you lose weight though? I do not understand this.

    if your body senses that you are eating too low, it gets scared that you are stuck in the basement without food so it starts conserving and slows down to do that conserving.

    if you eat more (but less than your tdee) it doesnt get scared and lets you lose weight
  • llpleslie
    llpleslie Posts: 53
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    I don't usually respond to the board, but have just about bitten my tongue off about everyone telling everybody else that you can't live on 1200 calories, it either is bad for you or you are starving yourself. I have never had an issue eating 1200 calories, in fact most days I don't even make to that. Everybody is different, do what works for you!!!
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Once upon a time, long, long ago, mfp gave me the target of 1200kcal. Now I realise that it would give that to anyone asking to lose 2lb a week up to someone who mfp thought should be eating 2200kcal net.

    I lost too fast, so tried dropping my goal loss to 1.5lb a week: still 1200kcal a day. At 1lb a week loss it finally moved up slightly, so I tried that and still lost over 2lb a week. So I must have dropped to .5lb eventually, but consistently lost more, and reached my goal weight rapidly (I was only trying to lose 10lb, having already lost 20lb).

    Did I post much for help during this time? No. Despite the evidence to the contrary, I believed mfp's figures, and being on 1200 or a bit more, like everyone else, was reassuringly normal. I wrote posts about how to live with hunger, or reasoned with people about why it was ok.

    Then I reached maintenance and I posted a lot more. My mum was horrified that my maintenance would be 1750kcal + exercise, because she believed I should be eating 2000kcal because that was what the packets said, and I reassured her that I was below average in weight, so must be below average in calorie requirements.

    But it wasn't right and I kept losing. So I upped my activity level, from lightly active to active, active to very... And I kept losing at 1990, which mfp thought I would need if I was a bike courier...

    This was when I had 'problems'. This is when I posted all the time about my hunger, and looked for answers about why mfp's numbers were completely wrong for me.

    And then I started hot-flushing if I ate over 1000kcal in one sitting. So I went to a Dr and found I was anaemic, which I had never knowingly been before.

    Upping calories manually, I finally stopped losing at around 2450kcal, + exercise. So, on 1200, I was eating half my TDEE.

    So does 1200kcal = more problems? For me in the long term it did.

    Is 1200kcal wrong for everyone? Probably not. Is it a coincidence that so many hunger complaints come from those on 1200? No, because the majority of newbies are on 1200kcal and have yet to tweak their figures in any way, so are in more need of advice.

    I didn't end up eating 2000+kcal because I believed 1200 was wrong, but because experience showed me that it was very wrong for me. If someone posts that they are hungry on 1200kcal, I will tell them to eat more. I try to surround myself with as many 'big eaters' as possible, so I feel less alone. I do tell my story, but I try not to assume that what's right for me is right for everyone.
  • REDI4CHANGE60
    REDI4CHANGE60 Posts: 170
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    Seriously. Why is this issue still being argued? Eat at the calorie level that is right for you and quit trying to force your opinions on everyone else.

    You never see threads that say "2500 calories = more likely to get fat?"

    That would be a fun thread. I would post in it. :laugh:

    THIS!! I tried eating more to lose weight ... it DID NOT WORK for me and all I did was get depressed and finally give up. 1200 calories works for me and for many people out there losing weight.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Seriously. Why is this issue still being argued? Eat at the calorie level that is right for you and quit trying to force your opinions on everyone else.

    You never see threads that say "2500 calories = more likely to get fat?"

    That would be a fun thread. I would post in it. :laugh:

    THIS!! I tried eating more to lose weight ... it DID NOT WORK for me and all I did was get depressed and finally give up. 1200 calories works for me and for many people out there losing weight.

    But you have had gastric bypass. Aren't people that have it SUPPOSED to eat very little?

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