1200 Calories??? Are you kidding me...lol

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  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
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    If you were eating that much before... I would start with 1500-1700....

    I ate around 1700 before, so 1200... Not so bad haha.
  • misssiri
    misssiri Posts: 335 Member
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    You have little to lose, your goal should be 1 lb per week or less. Also, if you exercise you can eat more. So you probably can eat 1500-2200 depending on your activity level.
    Eat more! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12


    Once again because it works. This
  • ssvierck1020
    ssvierck1020 Posts: 13
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    lol..yes it is for a sedentary person like myself. I plan on adding exercise but I haven't yet.
  • ssvierck1020
    ssvierck1020 Posts: 13
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    Thank you for the information
  • lovelyMYlovely
    lovelyMYlovely Posts: 1,066 Member
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    at first i COULDNT BELIEVE that they told me to eat 1200 calories... but i dont have a job where im active and i also dont really exercise much... i was a junk food addict and i would eat 2000+ calories a day

    now i almost dont make it to 1200 calories a day.... sometimes i do go over many times im under... and it has grown on me..... i still eat all the foods i want but in little portions...

    oh yes at first i did have hunger pains and it took about 1 week to get adjusted to it... and yes many times when i first started i over ate.... but keep in mind im 5'2 and 105 pounds to begin with so if ur any bigger i would change the calories to 1500 a day ESPECIALLY if u exercise.. but always stay under 1500 even when u earn more calories after u exercise... :)
  • allisonlane61
    allisonlane61 Posts: 187 Member
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    What I've discovered, for myself, is 1200 calories is satisfactory WHEN I eat the right foods. You get a lot of leafy greens and fruits for 1200 calories. I am also not starving when I get home, so that tells me during the day you may not be eating what's satisfactory to your body. For instance, to start my day, I make a green smoothie of no less than two cups of a leafy green, at least an apple in it (I stay away from bananas), ground flaxseed, matcha green tea--and I have tons of varieties I make. I drink a cup of that, eat a pear, and nurse the remainder of the smoothie until a, say, grapefruit snack. Lunch is another two cups of a leafy green with either a can of tuna or some blue cheese, almonds (sometimes), grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and fat free dressing (still 50 cal for 2 TBSP though). Sometimes I have more fruit, sometimes I don't. Sometimes it's chicken breast, sometimes tuna, sometimes salmon...the trick is variety. I even go the Whole Foods stuffed grape leaves route sometimes in lieu of something else, although it's a bit higher in fat from the oil (and I also try to avoid soy and dairy, except that danged blue cheese).

    What I find is I still have darned near 500-600 calories left for dinner. I eat a lot of raw vegetables and fruits, and these take up much more space than a handful of chips or pretzels. Cutting out processed carbs and cutting out processed sugars were critical for me.

    So I'd really look again at what it is your eating during the day. Also, sometimes I go over the 1200 by a few cal, sometimes I go below, but it pretty much evens out. I also have 30 pounds to lose.
  • sociologywoman
    sociologywoman Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm also on a 1200 cal a day program, however, because I have a really restrictive eating philospohy...ie: Paleo with a more strick twist....you'd be surprised how much you can eat from fresh fruits and veggies!! Just think 3 cups of steamed veggies is about 100-120 calories depending on what you add.....and 3 cups is quite a bit of food lol...

    You just have to find smarter things to eat that are less calorie dense...ie veggies, vs. nuts....for only like 1/4 cup (maybe fits in the palm of your hand) nuts have around 200 calories....I know that 1/4 of nuts is NOT enough for me, and for most people...hence most people end up eating more..

    Good Luck!!!
  • ssvierck1020
    ssvierck1020 Posts: 13
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    Thank you everyone for your post. I wish we had a like button just like FB...lol
    Now, in response to making breakfast at home, I get up at 4:30 AM and do not have time to make breakfast at home so I bring it to work at I usually eat about 6:30. I cant use a blender at work even though a smoothie is a great idea. I usually stick to oatmeal, malto meal or English muffins. with honey and yogurt spread. I eat my snack around 9:30 which is usually fruit. I eat lunch between 11-11:30 which is a healthy choice meal as it is easier to heat up at work. Then If I am hungry I eat my afternoon snack between 1:30-2:00 which is my vegetable juice, or fresh veggies or if I am craving a sweet I eat a 100 calorie pack of chocolate covered pretzels, and then I head off to school. I usually get home around 5:00 and I start dinner... that's when I am starving for food. I like the idea of keeping almonds in my car for the drive home, or even a high in protein bar to eat before I actually get home to tie me over. I think I will try that. I also like the whole foods idea. I love veggies and will eat allot of them but then I tend to get very gassy...lol

    I do not eat allot of carbs. as they make me crave more carbs. I don't eat allot of white flour, breads etc. I would rather eat meat and veggies...
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
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    If you make your own food you'd be surprised how much 1200 can really be. You could just workout really hard and probably add another ~400+ to your daily. I could easily live off of sub 1200, but it effects my energy levels at the gym.

    ^^This. Eat whole foods as much as possible, and prepare your meals fresh. 1200 calories of whole foods has much more volume than 2,000-3,000 calories of overprocessed junk.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/377891-eating-healthy-vs-junk-food/

    and if it's below the OP's BMR, it won't make a difference.

    I understand that. I was responding to the fact that the OP was concerned that she was going to be hungry all the time. My point was that you get much larger portion sizes when you eat low calorie, nutrient dense, whole foods. Therefore, fewer calories doesn't necessarily mean more hunger (whether it be 1200 calories, or 1800 calories, or whatever her BMR numbers say she should be eating).
  • allisonlane61
    allisonlane61 Posts: 187 Member
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    I don't know what would work for others, but for myself, the Healthy Choice meals, Lean Cuisines, all that stuff, never was enough for me. I actually need more "volume." Also, I wouldn't be able to cut a bowl of oatmeal or an English muffin for breakfast, for the same reason--I need more "volume." I do know others who are fine though with what you've been eating. Maybe if you think you'd like the Smoothie, you could make it the night before and store it in a mason jar. They usually maintain their nutritional value for a day or two, so you should be okay on storing it from the night before.

    Upping your caloric intake is reasonable because you started out on so many calories, so 1200 just might feel like "culture shock" to you right now and your body is protesting. It's a drastic cut for you.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    i too eat only 1200 calories a day, it takes a bit to adjust, what helps me is to remember why im doing what im doing, and to ALWAYS keep a handful of almonds in the car. ( helps with defeating the urge to smoke in the car, i quit smoking 13 mnths ago) if i eat one serving of almonds on my way home from work, my body doesnt freak out and tell me i need to eat everything in my fridge when i start cooking dinner. also: WATER! (i hate water, i mean HATE it.) but make tea or add lemon and drink everytime you think you are hungry, if the hunger doesnt leave then eat something small and healthy.

    If you have been eating 1200 calories a day and been doing that since Novemeber and your ticker is correct and have only lost 4 lbs, you probably want to consider moving that number up.

    It was not until I started eating 1400 a day that I started losing weight. I am a small girl at 5'3 and 44 years old.
  • actingnurse1
    actingnurse1 Posts: 153 Member
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    I had to do a liquid diet prior to surgery and well... I didnt stick to it but I did restrict my calories. One thing I'd do is hit up subway and get a footlong oven roasted chicken breast - no mayo and no cheese... that's only around 650 calories for the whole footlong. I'd have a protein shake for breakfast and then eat sensibly at dinner... Lost 6 pounds the week prior to surgery and stayed 1200 cals or less.
  • jerseyjenus
    jerseyjenus Posts: 103 Member
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    Do This: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    lol..yes it is for a sedentary person like myself. I plan on adding exercise but I haven't yet.
    are you talking about 1200 calories being enough? Have you checked any of the threads folks have posted about the roadmap? Calculated your BMR?
  • CHELLET31
    CHELLET31 Posts: 13 Member
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    good questions hunni maybe i should do that when i get urges to binge or give up feel free to add me should u wish to aybe we can help each other
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    good questions hunni maybe i should do that when i get urges to binge or give up feel free to add me should u wish to aybe we can help each other

    Hi, welcome to MFP. Get started on the right foot and do this:
    Do This: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    that. follow that link.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    I still eat enough to not feel hungry I just try to eat healthier foods and when I go over I excercise more to make up for it. Its surprising how many calories you get and how much more you can eat when you work out longer. I think it took awhile for my stomach to shrink down with the fewer calories for it to feel less hungry At first I felt like I was completely starving. I try to drink more when I'm hungry instead of eating too between meals. I will go for a diet fuze iced tea or mio water or coffee. Something with less sugar than caffeinated pops like I used to always drink. Still every now and then I really crave a Big Red Soda, then I just tell myself I gotta work out longer.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
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    1200 calories is not a lot of junk food, that's true. But it's a buttload of celery! Just saying, it depends on the choices you make whether it's a little food or a lot.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    Broth based soups are really good to fill you up too. Things like Hamburger and Cabbage Soup or Chili are pretty filling and not so many calories.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    1200 calories is not a lot of junk food, that's true. But it's a buttload of celery! Just saying, it depends on the choices you make whether it's a little food or a lot.

    and if the OP's BMR is 1700... and they're still eating 1200 calories of celery, nutella, or bacon, it still isn't enough.

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