5'3" ladies and 1200 calories

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  • steviekrumm
    steviekrumm Posts: 1
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    I'm 5'3" and I'm on day 4 of the 1200 calorie diet. I'm freaking starving! Of course after only 4 days I haven't seen results, but I have been so cranky and tired all 4 days. This isn't going to work for me, a busy mom of 2 kids. I can feel my body going into starvation mode. My stomach has never growled louder! I'm thinking that I'll have to work out more so that I can eat more...
  • tutti777
    tutti777 Posts: 72
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    I am rather new to this site. I too am 5' 3 1/2". Due to chronic pain issues, my exercising is limited to walking and 3 lb. weights. I just had surgery on both knees so I am slowly building my walks back up to an hour at least 5 days a week. MRP also states I should take in 1200 calories per day but I have yet to get in all my calories and I feel I am eating adequate food. Since my exercising is limited, I think it might be best I stay a little below the 1200...I guess time will tell. It has always been difficult for me to lose weight. I need to lose 30 lbs. In the past, I've done extreme things, eating and exercise, to lose weight but I refuse to do that again. I am only walking 40-45 minutes at this time so I am not adding back those calories until I can walk at a faster pace. Thanks for your question, I was wondering myself. Good luck!
  • Lilnewfiegurl13
    Lilnewfiegurl13 Posts: 10 Member
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    im 5'1" and i have a 1200 calorie diet. and its actually not that difficult as long as u avoid the take out and make sure to cook at home. and as long as u plan a head and watch what u eat u normally wont have to exercise much, ive lost 22lbs with like almost NO exercise just by watching what i eat. good luck
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and started MFP back in mid September 2012 doing 1200 cals. I was always hungry, so I upped it to 1350 and ate back half my exercise cals. No more hunger, and I'm still losing steadily!
  • underthecherrytree
    underthecherrytree Posts: 531 Member
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    I am! I eat between 1200-1600 calories but lean more towards the 1200 calories...
  • aakokopelli7
    aakokopelli7 Posts: 196 Member
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    I'm 5'4'' and on the 1200 calorie intake. I do exerciser and usually eat them back. One reason I do eat them back is because before, I was consuming god knows how many more calories than that daily. The fact is, it's a calorie deficit and that alone is enough to shed pounds, however the workouts help this go a bit faster. Eat them back if you are hungry, don't starve yourself.
  • kimberliiw
    kimberliiw Posts: 242 Member
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    Jillian Michaels was on Dr. Oz and she recommended 1200 for women and 1600 for men.

    She recommended a minimum of 1200 and no lower, you can definitely go higher. I'm 5'2" and am having success with 1350 and eating back about half of my calories.
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
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    I am close to 5'3'' (5'4'' here), and 1200 is a little too low for me. On days I do not exercise whatsoever, I stick to around 1350-1400, but most days I am very active, so I eat even more to get back the calories I have burned from cardio. I am not trying to lose any weight now, but when I was (and I didn't need to lose a lot to begin with), 1200 and lower seemed to make my weight loss stagnate and nothing really changed. I don't want to tell you how much you should be eating, but just from personal experience, it wasn't until I started doing more cardio, mixing it with weight/resistance training, and eating more (to make up burned calories) did I start seeing differences in my body shape. :)
  • Hellaine
    Hellaine Posts: 79 Member
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    I'm this height and eat about 1700 a day and lose currently. I think about 10 pounds on MFP and 15 before, so 25 in 2012. I don't eat back my workout calories, IF I work out, which I don't do enough of haha. I did 1200 cals for awhile and could just never stick to it consistently and felt cruddy. I did lose weight but it wasn't maintainable for me long term. So I lose weight if I eat 1200... lose weight if I eat 1600-1700... You can guess which I chose, haha.
  • mscrumbyy
    mscrumbyy Posts: 116
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    I'm 5'2" and always found that sticking to 1200 only ever works for me if I'm being really strict about what I'm actually eating (as opposed to just literally eating whatever as long as it comes under my goals). I'm only recently back on here but while I was away I was aiming for a minimum of 1500 a day on big exercise days, and let myself fall just under that on days where I was only doing my yoga/not exercising at all for whatever reason. It's coming off now, slowly but surely and I'm much happier not being grouchy/peckish all the time.
  • kirk1115
    kirk1115 Posts: 100 Member
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    Thank you to everyone for your comments, it has helped so much!
  • Alar777
    Alar777 Posts: 3
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    I just joined and the 1200 calories does seem to be low. I keep going over, even with eating healthly foods. Logging my food seems like it will really help to curb some of the unneccessary calories I was happily consuming, though...
  • csandrago
    csandrago Posts: 1 Member
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    I am not really at the point of any achievement, but I have been to a lot of WW meetings and do know what to do. My issue is my stress level...so I have not been sucessful.

    BUT if you are eating your 1200, moving and drinking all your fluids, and not losing....you should try increasing your calories....you body may be haning onto everything because it feels starved. When people plateau or generally don't have sucess normally when they increase they see a loss. The extra food fuels the metabolism and gets it working faster.

    I know it sounds odd but eat back your exercise cals and see what happens. Also, I know when you eat 5-6 meals that works best too. Like having a little fire in you.....keep adding kidling and it keeps burning faster. Give it a try. I am not sure if you have ever noticed....being good for a week, then having a bad day then you loose 2 pounds. That is why the higher calories in boosted your metabolism and burned more.

    I have started my journey again, I have to loose close to 100. I have been really good since starting and don't have scale in the house so I am going to just weight in at ww each week and see how I do. I use myfitness pal to track everything using the scanner and then at the end of the day or as I go I convert all my food over to my points.

    Again, I am not speaking from sucess right now, but with years of trying I have learned a fair bit....just have to get the emotional side working, the brain. :)

    Anyways give it a whirl I think you will see a difference, especially with water.
  • no1mommatn
    no1mommatn Posts: 1 Member
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    Howdy! I am 5'3" and keep a firm calorie limit of 1200 calories. I have done this now for about a year and lost a total of 47 lbs. I had a spinal fusion in July that put me down for a while. I started actually working out about 4 weeks ago and have since lost 12 lbs! I am doing The Biggest Loser Bootcamp paired with their Weightloss Yoga every day. I switch up between Cardio Max and the Boot Camp. I have no problem staying under my goal and just recently got under 200 lbs. If you know how to eat cleanly, without the use of processed food (for most food, not all) you will find that 1200 calories is actually a lot of food. I don't usually eat back any of the calories burned and only use it as a cushion for those few calories over I may have from miscalculations. Good Luck on your weight loss goals and feel free to peek @ my diary to see what meals I make!
  • IWantToo
    IWantToo Posts: 162
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    This anything over 1800 I wont lose, I think my amount is about 1500 only thing is its so hard to eat such a small amount of calories... im really struggling with my cals right now...
    Am 5'3.5 and I eat around 1600 calories day. I do not eat back my workout calories, but if I have large burn, then I may eat about 100 calories or so. I started at 1200 calories and I did lose 30 pounds at first, but then my weight loss eventually slowed down. I tried eating about 1800-1900 when people told me I should eat more, but I GAINED so much weight that I jumped off that train, lol.

    It took me a while, but it seems that 1600 calories is the best calorie level for me. I have been losing weight when I increased to 1600. The thing is that everyone is very different and what works for one may not work for others. Therefore, you may have to play around with your calories to see what works for you. Good luck.
  • Michellelmt
    Michellelmt Posts: 68 Member
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    I'm 5'2 & I've lost 45 pounds on 1200 calories a day. I eat very healthy food. Lots of protein, fruits & veggies. And,I drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. I did light exercise until recently when I hired a trainer & nutritionist. Good luck!
  • MidWestMissy
    MidWestMissy Posts: 32 Member
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    I started MFP last Feb. It set my calories at 1200. I am 5'2. I wasnt aware you could change the amount MFP sets. When I first started 1200 was hard. But I lost weight quickly. Now slow moving weight off. Maybe I should try to up the calories. Problem is I am forcing self to now even eat the 1200. Usually 200-300 short.
  • princesselle1
    princesselle1 Posts: 107 Member
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    Hi I'm 5ft 2 on 1200 calories. It's been 4months I have lost 9 lbs. I dnt understand where I am going wrong. I eat sensibly 40/35/25 P/c/f. Any advice?? The 9lbs was at the beginning in 2 months I have lost 1 lbs.
    height 5ft 2
    Weight 145 lbs
    Goal 120 lbs
  • mjswalters
    mjswalters Posts: 38 Member
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    Calculate your BMR and TDEE. I am able to eat about 1550 cals a day and still lose at a good pace. I exercise 4 times a week and typically don't eat my calories back, although if I'm particularly hungry I will eat some of them back.
  • Starfish1125
    Starfish1125 Posts: 169 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and 161lbs and this is my first week back on MFP. I haven't exercised this week because I'm focusing on correcting my eating habits.

    Right now I'm struggling to keep at 1200 calories, but once I start adding exercise to the mix, I will up my caloric intake to about 1400, but I will keep that mostly protein.

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