Trouble hitting 1200 cals

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  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
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    I have had the same problem as the OP, that is, getting to 1200 net calories.

    Here's the thing: for the last 3 years I have been basically eating at maintenance for 199 pounds. Sometimes I would eat very healthily for long stretches, sometimes I would eat three cupcakes when someone brought a tray to work, and I was pretty much in love with cheese quesadillas. However, my weight fluctuated by only about 3 pounds during most of this time so basically I was averaging maintenance, which would be about 1700-1800 calories per day since I was very sedentary. So, I would say it was true that I "didn't eat that much," yet I was overweight. Of course I must have had some periods of eating more over the years, long-term, to get to that size in the first place, but you don't have to eat THAT much too much to gain 3-5 pounds a year, especially when exercise is not part of your lifestyle.

    So - now I started exercising like crazy when I joined MFP. The program gave me a net goal of 1200 calories. If I burn 1000 calories, I should eat 2200, which really is more than I am used to. I was eating from 1400-1700 and netting about 500-900, and hit a long plateau. I did the road map thing and actually upped my goal a few hundred calories, but there is just no way I could get 2500 or 2700 calories and stay with healthy food and not feel uncomfortably full (and there's a psychological element, too, that's true). I lowered my net goal back to 1200 but I plan to always hit it now, even if it means standing at the fridge force feeding myself spoonfuls of hummus and walnuts before bed (which I literally have been doing the last couple of days).

    So for people who are mystified when an overweight person can't eat 1200 calories, it makes perfect sense to me. I like food and I can EAT, but eating more than you are used to takes a lot of adjustment.
  • Allyson1985
    Allyson1985 Posts: 148
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    Try bites of peanut butter. Lot of calories and protein, and heart healthy fats!
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
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    I think some people switch from eating without thinking about it to eating all vegetables because that's all they can think of as a "healthy diet." Try picking up some healthy cooking magazines, etc. to get ideas of what a "healthy diet" looks like, then start looking at people's journals who have reached your goals and see what they eat. Eating 1200 calories a day is not hard, but if you aren't sure what you should be eating, you might get stuck and just eat really low cal "diet" food. This is not a sustainable long term plan, but it's fine for a few days as you transition.

    Agreed...I also think a lot of people become food-aphobic and develop an unhealthy relationship with food...they blame the food and not not their own bad eating habits and overeating. Food gets classified as good/bad...food groups essential to a healthy diet get eliminated and suddenly 1200 calories becomes some monumental mountain to get to.

    Personally, I think 1200 calories is for the birds...literally...only birds should be eating that little. Humans were not meant to live off of 1200 calories for any sustained period of time.

    To the OP...personally, I think you should up it by a couple hundred calories and go get yourself a burger and fries.

    Good advice, especially if you are already measuring your food and logging it all. My other advice is to be sure to eat ALL your exercise calories. I have my activity level set low, and I log all other than normal activity, and I definately eat! I've been maintaining over a year. The biggest problem I have in losing is when I don't eat enough, or drink water. It goes to my gut and my metabolism slows down, plus I retain water when I eat junk. Don't cut out food groups. Unless it's processed food groups. I keep the fruit sugar and don't mind it, as long as I'm not just juicing my fruits i'm getting good stuff.
  • horseplaypen
    horseplaypen Posts: 442 Member
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    I have had the same problem as the OP, that is, getting to 1200 net calories.

    Here's the thing: for the last 3 years I have been basically eating at maintenance for 199 pounds. Sometimes I would eat very healthily for long stretches, sometimes I would eat three cupcakes when someone brought a tray to work, and I was pretty much in love with cheese quesadillas. However, my weight fluctuated by only about 3 pounds during most of this time so basically I was averaging maintenance, which would be about 1700-1800 calories per day since I was very sedentary. So, I would say it was true that I "didn't eat that much," yet I was overweight. Of course I must have had some periods of eating more over the years, long-term, to get to that size in the first place, but you don't have to eat THAT much too much to gain 3-5 pounds a year, especially when exercise is not part of your lifestyle.

    So - now I started exercising like crazy when I joined MFP. The program gave me a net goal of 1200 calories. If I burn 1000 calories, I should eat 2200, which really is more than I am used to. I was eating from 1400-1700 and netting about 500-900, and hit a long plateau. I did the road map thing and actually upped my goal a few hundred calories, but there is just no way I could get 2500 or 2700 calories and stay with healthy food and not feel uncomfortably full (and there's a psychological element, too, that's true). I lowered my net goal back to 1200 but I plan to always hit it now, even if it means standing at the fridge force feeding myself spoonfuls of hummus and walnuts before bed (which I literally have been doing the last couple of days).

    So for people who are mystified when an overweight person can't eat 1200 calories, it makes perfect sense to me. I like food and I can EAT, but eating more than you are used to takes a lot of adjustment.


    This was really interesting to read. I have the total opposite problem, but I appreciate reading about other perspectives. Thanks for sharing this!
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
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    I'm having a hard time hitting my 1200 cal limit. I'm always left with a large amont of calorie intake (500-900 depending on the day). I have a very small appetite and I eat pretty healthy foods and exercize. Any tips or suggestions on helping me reach my calorie intake goal that won't make me gain weight?

    Before i started my MFP journey, i ate 1 time a day and i was lucky if it was 1200 cals. Part of this journey has taught me to eat meals at regular times and plan out my meals. When i fill out my diary a day ahead it helps me to eat because i look at the diary and im like " oh i still need to eat XYZ". I dont always eat Breakfast when it says Breakfast but i do eat whats on there.

    I would try it. Plan out 1 day and just eat it. You could aim for 300cals a meal and then 3-100cal snacks. thats pretty easy really.


    So, again, how did you get overweight? If you only ate once a day adn it was a 1200 calorie meal, why and how did you get in a position that you need to lose weight?

    because before i ate 1 meal a day, i ate multiple crappy meals a day after i lost our child in pregnancy. I would eat crap and drink crap and didnt care. When i ate 1 meal a day, it was because id sleep the rest or just not eat.
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
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    Check out this other thread. There are ideas for meals.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804985-this-is-how-hard-it-is-to-reach-1200-calories
  • babyblooz
    babyblooz Posts: 220 Member
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    I'm having a hard time hitting my 1200 cal limit. I'm always left with a large amont of calorie intake (500-900 depending on the day). I have a very small appetite and I eat pretty healthy foods and exercize. Any tips or suggestions on helping me reach my calorie intake goal that won't make me gain weight?

    Pffffft. Send ME your extra calories. I'm fairly certain I could make use of them! :wink:
  • UmMasud
    UmMasud Posts: 18 Member
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    So many people experience this, that I am continuously surprised by the people who ask "how did you get overweight, if you cant even eat 1200 calories a day?"
    It's not surprising at all. Something that may be very obvious in your mind may not be as obvious to someone else. Remember that people who post on the forums are at various stages in their weight loss journey and not everyone has read this question being posted here and answered so please, do cut some slack to those who do ask obvious questions and let them answer. There's nothing strange about the question itself; if we are told that anything between 1800 and 2500 is maintenance and then someone who is trying to lose weight says 'I can hardly eat 1200' then that's sure to confuse those of us who are not as knowledgeable as yourself.
    it's simple:
    it's easy to eat 3000+ calories worth of crap, but switch out the crap and go instead for lean proteins and tons of veggies, and all of a sudden, damn, it's a challenge to eat 1200 calories worth of food that is actually nutritious, UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW
    Well, when you explain it like that, it sure does make sense. See, a simple question required a simple answer. There was no need to be patronising.
    because before i ate 1 meal a day, i ate multiple crappy meals a day after i lost our child in pregnancy. I would eat crap and drink crap and didnt care. When i ate 1 meal a day, it was because id sleep the rest or just not eat.

    You put on the weight BEFORE you were eating one meal of 1200 a day. Okay, fair enough. That explains it.
  • nikkijade13
    nikkijade13 Posts: 27 Member
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    Okay it's clear I didn't explain myself very well in the OP. right now I'm 175 trying to get to 145, the proper weight for my height/size. I'm over weight due to eating nothing bit craptastic food(I.e. fast food, junk food, soda) and I've been an emotional eater since childhood because of bullying. As I got into my teens my appetite changed drastically, that's when my lack of appetite kicked in and when I did eat it would be something really unhealthy a loaded up the *kitten* in calories and other crap. I cut a hell of a lot of that out to start eating healthier. And I do log every little thing I put into my body on my diary. As far as meats go I only eat beef and chicken which I'll be cutting out soon because they make me sick. I've been doing my best in trying to make myself meals that are healthier and have high cal count. Thanks for the advice though everyone (extra thanks to those who didn't give me crap about it)
  • heatherz104
    heatherz104 Posts: 70 Member
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    Well, start by continuing to track everything you eat and try to make it where your get good numbers for your protein and not too much fat. I would start there. Some good foods that have nutritional value and are rather calorically dense would be nuts, peanut butter, avocado, beans, whole grains. Also make sure you eat plenty of fruits and veggies especially greens, they are so nourishing to your body and will make you feel better. Remember eating fruits is better than drinking juice (although I suppose if you juiced them yourself it would be just as good. You can make green smoothies too if you'd like to find a way to easily get in extra nutrients. Salads are great light meals and hummus with veggies is a great snack as well. Try some new soups and veggie chili, I'm sure you'll find something you like and want to have again:) Make your goal to be to eat at least 1200 a day at first and try to think to yourself about what your really about to take in before you eat it to make sure its something that is going to help you nutritionallly and not just junk food. Hope that helps!
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
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    You may want to talk to someone who can offer you therapeutic counseling in a professional capacity about your relationship with food.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
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    You may want to talk to someone who can offer you therapeutic counseling in a professional capacity about your relationship with food.

    ^^^^^^^^^^Yep, this...I didn't want to be the one saying the same old thing again...*sigh*
  • darisey
    darisey Posts: 228 Member
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    Do you honestly think that eating 300 calories in a whole day is healthier than fast food? :[
    You need to find a balance. If you like burgers and want to cut out beef, learn how to make bean burgers. You can have one with bun and topings for about 250 calories. You can even eat two or make fries if you are doing three 400 calorie meals.
    You can make soups, stews, chili's which are low in calories but a good way to get the vitamins your body needs to keep running.
    Make some smoothies packed with vitamins and protein if you have a hard time eating your calories. It's easier to drink them sometimes.
    Food is healthy only if it helps you meet your macro and vitamin goals.

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