1200, and why it won't work

Options
12357…26

Replies

  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Options
    Holy wall of text! :yawn:
  • hamonk
    hamonk Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    *
  • 4summer38
    4summer38 Posts: 25
    Options
    Thanks for your feedback. I'm doing a lot of searching and reading through things right now. I like the eating more concept because it makes a lot of sense to me. I'm just one of the scaredy cats.
  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    So are there any rules of thumb to guesstimate the calories to start with? I don't know what I was eating before MFP and I don't seem to be able to log and not pay any attention to portion size. While I'm still eating the same things as I was eating before (will improve this at some point, but working on increase exercise to at least 4 times a week from 3), I suspect that some days I was having a few hundred more calories while other days I was eating even less. At 1300-1400, I get a little bit of the "want" munchies, but not "need more food."
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Options
    So what happened when she reached her weight loss goal. Did she eventually go down to 1200 and does she remain there?

    I'm actually so happy you asked. Actually, she got down to 140s just eating 2000. her body adjusted as I thought it might. Plus, when you start losing that much weight, you become naturally very curious about upping exercise. She did that, and now she squats 185!..granted she's 40 now and still going strong. Just recently, she emailed me about some contest prep dieting ideas, and I was so pleasantly surprised about how much she knew. I guess she was always very hungry for knowledge, just life throws curve balls and one minute you're partying in college and the next with 3 kids and 300 lb.

    Thanks for the compassionate understanding of the struggle that obese people face. What they need is information like you supply---not censure.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Options
    Pinging to read later.
  • WAHMto5
    WAHMto5 Posts: 375 Member
    Options
    Great info......thanks!
  • runwmeNC
    runwmeNC Posts: 612 Member
    Options
    Though I don't doubt it a bit, still hard for me to wrap my head around this concept.
  • Ozzie68
    Ozzie68 Posts: 2
    Options
    I assume this will shock my body into realizing it doesn't need to be in "starvation mode"? How long would you suggest I stay at 1200? Sometimes I don't think it's sufficient, especially 2 days a week where I do 2.5 hour sessions (60 min circuit training followed by 1.5 hours of MMA).
  • Athena125
    Athena125 Posts: 102 Member
    Options
    Thanks for posting this. I have no idea how people eat 1200 calories. I can *net* 1200 if i workout & burn 300-600 calories. On days when I'm supposed to be eating only 1200 and can't workout, I always go over.

    I wish I knew how much to eat. I literally have no idea how much I should be eating. Every website calculates it differently. Do you know a good site to go to to figure it out?

    I'm losing 1/2 to 1 pound a week right now. I usually eat 1200-1700 calories a day and workout 5x a week burning 300-600 calories each time. I'm actually starting to get used to eating less but am worried my metabolism is going to slow down. I want to build muscle so I feel that extreme dieting would get in the way of this. It is so frustrating!

    I wish that when I started this diet, I would have just eaten regulary for a week or two to see what my starting point was, then went down slowly to see how much less I needed to eat to lose weight.
  • badzoe
    badzoe Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    Thank you so much!
  • terijoestoes
    terijoestoes Posts: 205 Member
    Options
    Bump read again
  • kirstie3281
    kirstie3281 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Couldn't agree more! Thanks for this post.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    Options
    <---1200 cals, for a full year. Not miserable, not starving. Happy and energetic, and lost over 30 lbs. (Please see ticker below.) 1200 cals won't work for everyone, but it is pretty silly to put the blanket statement "it won't work, ever, for anyone", like what you're alluding to, over it.

    You have some very interesting points, but it would be nice if you would only speak for yourself, as I am living proof that 1200 CAN and DOES work, even if just for a small group of people.
  • NZhellkat
    NZhellkat Posts: 355 Member
    Options
    Loved the simplicity of your post.
  • ldbuster0
    ldbuster0 Posts: 207
    Options
    bump for later reading
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Options
    Love this post. I need to bookmark this and come back to it occasionally as a reminder. Thank you for taking the time to make it simple for us.
  • emills1970
    emills1970 Posts: 118 Member
    Options
    Thanks for posting!
  • panano
    panano Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Hi all
    I'm 4'10", 132 pounds. The reason I put on the weight in the first place was because of sexual abuse from my uncle when I was 10 years old. I felt like if I gained weight, it'd never happen again. I was never ever "overweight" until that point, and even then, it's taken me 6 years to gain the weight that I have. The abuse led to severe depression, and eating disorders (anorexia with bulimic tendencies) and some other issues I won't mention.
    Sounds like a sob story but here's the point - for someone like me who used to scrape along eating 200 a day or so, the number 1200 feels IMPOSSIBLE to consume every day. Not because it's too small but because I have to keep reminding myself to actually eat.
    I honestly think the 1200 depends on the height, and frame of the person. Of course, if you're 5'8 that's suicide. But for someone like me it works out just fine. I'm losing weight, I have ONE cheat day, and I've stuck with the program for 2 months...I'm not giving up! I exercise about 30-40 minutes a day depending on how I'm feeling...

    Once I lose the weight I'm going to have to reevaluate and figure out how to maintain. I can't keep eating only 1200 because I'll just keep losing...
    It's really about finding the happy medium.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    Options
    First, if people would STOP looking for a fast weight loss, stop putting in that they want to lose 2 pounds per week and that they are sedentary, MFP wouldn't advise 1200 calories. When information is put in to that degree, that is how MFP will tailor the calorie deficit. However, when most people start a weight loss journey, they start an exercise routine as well. Then when the activity/exercise is logged into MFP, the calorie goal changes and then in turn increases....and for a REASON!!! Individuals should learn the reason.

    Figuring out what works for you, getting educated and having the proper information is key to a lifetime of success!

    To the OP, your post was not offensive in the least and the people who are sending negativity will be the first ones to post in a forum of "I am eating 1200 calories a day but I am not losing weight! Why?!" Then we will all have to explain this again with hopes that due to their frustration they will then listen or drop the defensiveness!

Categories