1200-1500 calorie eaters...serious question...

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  • dlpoisson
    dlpoisson Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm 5' 3", lost 10 lbs this year and flucuate between 140 and 142. I typically aveage 2000 calories a day. I would be hungry on 1200 calories per day.

    Yesterday, I preplanned my daytime breakfast/lunch/snacks at 1315 calories for the day, with about 600 still to go for dinner. I had to eat more than the 1315 as I was still hungry.

    I am into eating maintly healthy & clean foods, eating a few not so healthy foods in moderation. I do not want to live my life with either under eating or over eating or depriving myself.
  • XtyAnn17
    XtyAnn17 Posts: 632 Member
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    I eat 1200-1300 and im 5'7" and i just get normal hungry like if its an hour before eating time, i eat about 5 times a day some days im not hungry at all
  • WeekndOVOXO
    WeekndOVOXO Posts: 779 Member
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    5"8, 179lbs 1540cals, but I usually eat 1300-1400. I average about 120g of protein a day. I don't get hungry. I eat a lot, sometimes too much.

    Last night for example I had 2 eggs, 1 egg white, beans, chicken bacon, and chocolate milk for breakfast. Turkey slices and a protein shake for a snack. 2 cups of chili with cheddar cheese for dinner. And for my 2nd snack I had banana with PB.

    I missed out on lunch because my shift interferes with my eating schedule and by the time I get home it's a couple hours away from dinner time.
  • niath7
    niath7 Posts: 5
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    I height 169CM and weight 80Kg (started at 110Kg). I'm a very active person of ~900-1000 calories/day. I take a good amount of calories in morning and then I split my meals to every 3 hours. Most of my calories are from supplements plus I workout a lot at gym. Mostly I'm not hungry at night but if I get hungry won't be serious, I'll grab one cracker (49 calories) and I'll be fine. It's been almost 3 months I'm doing this for extreme fat-loss. With the supplements I get high carbs and protein for working out and the average fat intake is 10gr/day. I've started on 40% fat and now is 30% (3 months workout).
  • amytag
    amytag Posts: 206 Member
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    I eat about 1400 NET calories. This works well for me, and there are days when I'm starving and days when I barely feel like eating 1200, but I try to always net around 1400. I exercise about 300-400 calories per day, so my actual consumption can be as high as 1800.

    Breakfast: always protein - usually a protein bar, coffee, and some fruit
    Morning snack: beef jerky (this satisfies me but I need to find a lower sodium alternative)
    Lunch: cottage cheese and veggies, or a turkey sandwich and pretzels with a banana
    Afternoon snack: granola bar or banana, and lots of hot tea most days
    Dinner - Usually my highest calorie meal since I cook for my family - chicken, ground turkey, etc with plenty of veggies. I usually have 3 servings of veggies.

    I'm in my later 30's and my metabolism isn't that of a 20-something anymore, plus I work a desk job and do all my exercise at night. Hence the reason that I usually eat 700 calories at dinner. If I have calories left over, I'll have peanut butter or an indulgence, like gingersnaps and coffee.

    I started out on MFP eating around 1500 calories, then as I lost weight, it took me down to 1200. I readjusted my goals because 1200 was awful for me, but 1400 seems about right.
  • ericadawn92
    ericadawn92 Posts: 346 Member
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    I'm 5'10", 159lbs right now...and in general, I don't really get hungry. Granted, I try to do cardio every day and so I net between 1200-1500 cal a day, but I eat more than that (depending on how much I burned working out).

    I just make sure that when I do eat, I make it count. I try to eat things that I know will be filling...stuff with lots of protein for instance. I always make sure I have a good breakfast. I drink a lot of water (fills you up when you're not ACTUALLY hungry, just craving something), I don't eat huge meals but try to keep them small and then have small snacks throughout the day to keep me going.

    A huge part of it has been really realizing that sometimes when I think I'm hungry, I'm actually just craving something. And eating slowly. It takes your body a while to realize you're full, so if you eat more slowly, you'll realize when you're full and then be able to stop eating before you overeat. Same kind of thing with small meals: if I eat a really small meal, I may think at first that I'm still hungry/didn't eat enough, but then if I wait 20 minutes, I realize I'm totally satisfied.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    Im 42 yo female, 5'4" currently 135 (10+ that I am usually, I think due to a back injury and little excersize), im not hungry on a 1200 cal/day diet and am still gaining. i plan to up the cals hoping it may be "starvation mode" I am gaining ~2-4 lbs a week... Doc say thyroid is fine..
  • Kimberleebennett
    Kimberleebennett Posts: 21 Member
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    I'm 5'2 and 82 kg. I struggled at first but you soon learn which (healthy) foods keep you feeling fuller. Try googling veges that make you feel full. I find raw carrots and broccoli dipped in hummous as a snack usually fill me up so much I can't eat for hours. I have no idea but I wonder if raw hard veges like that take longer to digest therefore you stay feeling full? I'm a big fan of raw foods, you can eat sooooo much before you hit 1200!

    Look for Dr Sandra Cabbots liver cleansing Diet recipies. The diet itself might not be for you but her book has so many great low cal meals that fill you up. Sometimes now I don't even make it to 1200, and I feel completely satisfied and because of the foods I'm choosing I know i'm still getting enough nutrients.
  • srpm
    srpm Posts: 275 Member
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    I"m 5'5 and when I am actually tracking my food and eating like I should I am between 1300 and 1500 most days. I don't get hungry when I do it right but I do tend to get really cranky/hungry around 5:30-6 if my dinner is delayed for whatever reason. I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and make sure to have things like baby carrots with me I also usually limit myself to 1/2 a serving if I am eating something that is high calorie for a snack for example I'll eat 14 Almonds instead of 28 then if I'm still hungry later I'll eat 14 more. I also eat back my exercise calories 90% of the time.
  • underwater77
    underwater77 Posts: 331 Member
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    5'4 138 lbs

    I certainly get hungry, but I try to eat snacks throughout the day which I definitely find helps. I eat around 1400/day and I try not to eat back exercise calories, but that definitely depends on the day.

    I try not to consume calories through beverages, though I love beer and wine on occasion; i just try to make sure it fits into the day.

    I used to feel starved, but now I figure 250 cals at breakfast, 300ish at lunch, and about 500 at dinner and that leaves me enough for cottage cheese or cheese or yogurt or something throughout the day.

    Trust me, I like food way too much to deprive myself of things I want or like. I just make other sacrifices to make up for them. I go to spin 6 days a week and swim others on top of it - those are the days when I have whatever the hell I feel like eating.
  • TKRV
    TKRV Posts: 165 Member
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    I'm 5'2" and am maintaining at 1520 calories a day. For the record, I didn't get on here to lose a lot of weight. I just wanted to let go of those last few pounds and maintain my weight and healthy lifestyle. I weight 110-115 and am happy being anywhere in that range. I don't really get hungry, but that's because I've used MFP to check my fiber and protein intake.

    For me, the difference between hungry and full is in the type of food I eat, not the calorie count.

    I'm going to start a weight lifting program soon and plan to up my calorie intake to accommodate for that. Without vigorous work outs, 1500 is fine with me. I image if I were taller, though, I would need to eat more.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    1) 5'3" and about 125-130 (haven't weighted in awhile)

    2) Not really.. if I am ever to the point of feeling that hungry, I just eat something (I always try to stick with healthy, but that doesn't always happen). I'm not 100% strict about my calorie count; I also believe in listening to what my body tells me.

    3) I eat a lot of lean meats, vegetables, and a decent amount of protein. Adding things like Greek yogurt and Luna bars to my diet (I know some people don't like energy bars, but they've been great for me) has really helped me feel more full.

    My goal is 1340 calories per day, but I eat back my exercise calories... so I eat up to 2000-2500 on some days (I play a lot of hockey and am generally quite active). For me, ~1340 seems to be enough for me to eat on rest days. As long as I cook my own meals, I find it's not too difficult to stay around my goal. If I eat out, all cards are off the table!
  • alli4350
    alli4350 Posts: 38
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    I'm 5'3" and weigh 128lbs. I usually eat between 1200-1500 calories per day during the week. I eat a litte more on the weekends, but my average usually settles between 1300 and 1400 per day.

    I get a little hungry before lunch and dinner, but I'm never starving. I think it's because I eat every couple of hours.

    My usual meals:
    Breakfast (9am): greek yogurt or granola bar and coffee
    Morning snack (11am): banana
    Lunch (1pm): large salad or homemade chicken salad wrap with a side of grapes and string cheese
    Afternoon snack (4pm): veggies and hummus
    Dinner (7pm): grilled fish or chicken, vegetables
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
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    Would an easier question not have been "Why are you torturing yourself?"

    That is assuming that EVERYONE finds it torturous--and that isn't true. So it would have been presumptuous and not have answered my ACTUAL underlying question.

    thank you... I was just about to ask her why she would still assume it's torture for everyone, after so many people say they aren't really hungry at 1200-1500 cals.

    i think some people believe whatever they do and feel, should be the global standard. :)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    OP, why do you assume that someone would feel like "death" eating that much/little? The way you phrased that sounds very presumptious and judgmental. I'm sure you didn't mean it to sound like that.

    Because it's a tiny amount of food, even if it's all "clean." Most children eat more calories than that. No judgement, just generalizations.
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    Would an easier question not have been "Why are you torturing yourself?"

    That is assuming that EVERYONE finds it torturous--and that isn't true. So it would have been presumptuous and not have answered my ACTUAL underlying question.

    thank you... I was just about to ask her why she would still assume it's torture for everyone, after so many people say they aren't really hungry at 1200-1500 cals.

    i think some people believe whatever they do and feel, should be the global standard. :)

    I think you hit the nail on the head with the last there.
  • shayyyface
    shayyyface Posts: 66
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    I have a few questions for you...

    1. What's your height/ weight?

    2. Do you get REALLY REALLY hungry during the day? If not, was there an adjustment period?

    3. What do you eat to prevent feeling like death (if you answered that you're not hungry)?

    That is all. It's always puzzled me that at only 4'11 and pretty petite I feel like DEATH if I eat under 1800 calories (to lose weight). I just cannot understand how people adhere to less than that and not cave after 12-16 hours. I think I'd become a binge eater overnight (and I'm being 100% serious). Maybe it's just that I don't have that kind of will power--or maybe it's an adjustment that's hard for everyone in the beginning stages.

    In any case, my main point in posting this is that I'm really curious if you are actually HUNGRY and you just resist or if you're fine with your intake.

    ***I'm not attempting a 1200-1500 calorie diet...I am just curious.***

    1. 5'5--- 129lbs
    2. Sometimes....when I do I eat though, so i never stay hungry. The adjustment period for me was a little different. I went from eating 300-800 cals a day to 1400...so it was harder just because I would be so full.
    3. whatever I want to eat. Occasional cookie, chocolate bar, candy, chips, etc. but i keep it in moderation. if im having a particularly hard week i'll munch on something sweet every day.


    Its probably that you're body is still getting used to the deficit. Give it a month or so. If your still starving all the time you might have a some what speedy metabolism and might want to allow yourself an extra 200-300 calories. Try eating foods taht fill you up to. If i eat nothing but junk all day I'm always hungry. If I fill up on salad i'll be fine for hours.
  • gingerveg
    gingerveg Posts: 748 Member
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    OP, why do you assume that someone would feel like "death" eating that much/little? The way you phrased that sounds very presumptious and judgmental. I'm sure you didn't mean it to sound like that.

    Because it's a tiny amount of food, even if it's all "clean." Most children eat more calories than that. No judgement, just generalizations.

    Children are very active and they are also growing. For adults it is right in line with losing for some of us. Granted 1200 net is the lowest I think anyone should probably go (but I'm not going to criticize someone who is doing it under a doctor's care that is their business). My BMR is about 1200. But I think anything over 1200 net is reasonable for a small woman. I've lost weight doing it and I am almost exactly where fat-to-fit calculator put me. I'm at 1400 net now because I am really close to my goal and I plan on inching my way up to 1700 (TDEE). But honestly, it is rare that I want to eat more. I usually get most of my nutritional needs with the diverse foods I eat. once I get more calories I'll likely just use them for junk food anyway. More m+ms, more wine, so not exactly healthier --lol. Anyway, I'm always surprised how people think we are starving ourselves. I am perfectly happy and it's actually not really hard at all. I eat 3 meals, 2 snacks some days I go a little under some days a little over. I don't care because it's working and stress makes you gain weight. :)
  • Carmensadie
    Carmensadie Posts: 2
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    1. What's your height/ weight?

    5'7" and 159 lbs

    2. Do you get REALLY REALLY hungry during the day? If not, was there an adjustment period?

    I don't very often. I eat 3 small meals and 2 snacks a day and always come in under the 1200 calorie mark. It's really about the choices you make, because I find lots of low calorie foods to be delicious!

    3. What do you eat to prevent feeling like death (if you answered that you're not hungry)?

    If I get hungry at all, I chop up tomato and cucumber and sprinkle some salt, or put low fat cheese and pickle on a Finn crisp. And I drink LOTS of water.
  • 223730
    223730 Posts: 55
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    I have had trouble lately, but that is because a lot of my calories were drinking soda. So I pretty much wasted food calories for sweet yummy soda. Because of that, I DO get hungry. And binge eating is a huge obstacle when you are hungry! I would go home to eat some wheat thins and cheddar and eat two servings or more at a time. Trading out soda for food makes a big difference for me. If I drink water and eat oatmeal instead of having a mt dew, problem solved! At least for me!

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