Ending 1200 Calorie Bashing: Respecting Your Peers

I do appreciate the 1200 calorie cutoff noted here or the 1300 one suggested by my doctor, which opened up the realization that sometimes I would mindlessly snack on three tortillas or four slices of cheese, not to mention the occasional cheese burger with fries and soda or the jumbo hotdog, although not the more noticeable candy all that much. I still do all of these things, but far more seldom. But with this general awareness and if real food is all you eat, I'd say you don't need a cutoff. If you eat oranges, you may stop at the fifth, but if you squeeze the juice from ten, you can drink it in one gulp and ask, what's next. Not that I consider such juice processed, but staying within a healthy minimum and maximum without a ruler is so much easier once you know these things.

OP, have you considered Joel Fuhrman's readings?

How to live, for life, Success Stories
http://www.drfuhrman.com/success/SuccessStory.aspx?id=559

The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes
http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Diabetes-Prevent-Reverse/dp/0062219979/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1359413670&sr=1-2

I applaud the sentiment that we can always strive to be a bit more considerate and thoughtful in our discussions.

But I also want to say that I started MFP six months ago believing that I could only eat 1200, gross, because I have PCOS. I lost weight. What I have learned by listening to the voices that may sound a bit abrasive at times, but really are only frustrated, is that I was pretty much destined to gain it back when I "hit goal" and tried to eat a little more normally on a much slowed metabolism. Maybe 1200 is sustainable for some people; it isn't for me.

So I decided to throw caution to the wind, follow the advice of well-informed MFP vets, including some who also have PCOS, and start eating 1800 calories a day, gross, with some wiggle room. I have continued losing weight, and not much more slowly than before. But this weight loss is sustainable, because I am eating close to maintenance. I also eat the same amount of carbs as is recommended for the general population, and I don't shy away from those with a high glycemic index.

Yes, women with PCOS may tend to have a slower metabolism and be more sensitive to starchy carbs. But you know what is guaranteed to slow that metabolism *even further*? Not eating enough food. And not having enough food to fuel your workouts - there can be no argument that exercise has been proven FANTASTIC for women with PCOS.

I'm certainly not trying to quibble with the diet that OP is eating under her doctor's guidance; but considering the traffic this is getting, I want PCOSers to know that it may not be the only route to success for you. Take the time to eat at maintenance, find the maintenance sweet spot for yourself, and then give yourself a healthy deficit from there.

Kudos to you! I also find the evidence supporting the health benefits of a low calorie diet compelling enough to keep up with: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120830085114.htm

Facepalm. Darling, that is really not the same thing. And VLCDs for longevity are usually under 1200 (around 800 I think) and not about weight loss. At all.

And really, would you want your life to be longer if you were constantly starved and never allowed to eat chocolate again? I think not.

I was simply expressing a curiosity toward the benefits of lower calories, as evidenced by science, not in direct regard to weight loss but in regard to health, which I assume many of us here are also interested in.

I am not a regular participant in message boards and your post points up the very reasons why.

My facts: I've been on a roughly 1200 calorie plan since last April (with a few ups and downs) and have lost 61 pounds. For me, that was perfect and it worked. I didn't care what anyone else said. Those people were not me. I was not starving. And even more importantly, just because I was fat didn't mean I was stupid, and really, unless I asked for an opinion, I didn't want it. Apparently, I didn't need anyone's opinion --except for my doctor-- because I accomplished what I wanted: to get to a healthy weight and STAY there.

My opinion (ha ha!) -- If you want to participate more on the boards, do so and get what you need to continue YOUR path. Simply ignore those who are not giving you what you need. My two cents.

great post.

If your happy with your choices then why bother about others opinions? I'm pretty sure the 1200 crowd have their own groups they can converse in without fear of being 'bashed'. Not sure this huge post was needed. It will only provoke the inevitable arguements. You do it you're way, your happy, it's cool. No need to shout at the rest of the world eating more than 1200 cals. We're happy that your happy :flowerforyou:

I think that it was needed because lately I have seen lots of post saying "why 1200 will not work," or "eat more than 1200 calories people," etc. and since this is an equal opportunity website, Natalie has the write to post her own opinion.

So well done, and thank you Natalie!

Very interesting and informative post. Have to reread to fully understand, good luck! :flowerforyou: