How to stay at 1260 calories?

AngelaBianco82
AngelaBianco82 Posts: 91 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm finding everyday a challenge to stay within my 1260. I'm sick so I can't work out at all and I'm always over. I'm not a perfect dieter but geez i dont know how people do it.

I just changed my goals ti 2 pounds a week. this month has been horrible because i was sick three weeks ago for three weeks so i haven't been losing anything.I'm sick again and it's been a week

Suggestions on low calorie meals and snacks
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Replies

  • bootsiejayne
    bootsiejayne Posts: 151 Member
    im at 1260 and it is challenging... my diary is open if you want to add me and take a look.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    you don't have to stay at 1260.
  • mallen404
    mallen404 Posts: 266 Member
    i'm at 1200 and it's not challenging. Add me as a friend to see my diary.

    I have been working out more lately so I usually eat back my exercise calories.

    Protein balls- 100 calories, two for breakfast with a banana (100 calories)= total 300 calories

    lunch- pita with deli meat and veggies

    dinner- whole grain rice, chicken and veggies

    Snacks- fruit or almonds
  • TIDDYBEAR
    TIDDYBEAR Posts: 63 Member
    Maybe 1260 is unrealistic. I have my goal set at my BMR. Figure out what that is. Maybe it is more "doable"/
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    When I was eating 1200 the key was finding the foods that kept you full. I found popcorn 100 calories bags helped me a lot
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    Don't. Refer to this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Well unless you weigh less than 120.. u can eat a little more and still lose weight. So, I'd eat more. But, go for lean meats, lots of veggies, some fruit, and stay clear of high fats, breads, and starches. fat has 9 calories per gram, proteins and carbs have 4. choosing veggies will increase your fiber intake making you feel fuller longer. Lean meats obviously have less fat so less calories. Choose low glycemic carbs and get rid of anything processed.

    Best of luck. Still tho, I'd eat about 1500 if i were you.
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    Looking at your ticker and how much weight you have to lose I would say your calorie goal is unrealistic. Why eat bare minimum? You can eat more and lose weight and adjust calories as you become smaller. Please refer to the link I previously posted.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • rmcminn89
    rmcminn89 Posts: 37
    fruits & veggies keep my calorie intake low. You'll find out if your diet includes a lot of fruits & veggies you won't be very hungry because the amount you can eat is a lot larger than if you were to eat a serving of chips or anything else!
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    It may be useful to start yourself higher and then slowly work your way down to 1260 - if you're really glued to that number. The trick is identifying what your body needs and what works for you. So, maybe start 1500, and get used to what you eat there, and then start looking for less fat/calorie alternatives.

    The biggest thing is VEGGIES and LEAN meats to keep calories low. And, making sure you have lots of protein will help keep your energy up.
  • dani_1977
    dani_1977 Posts: 557 Member
    Well IMO

    1260 is low. And if you are sick and are having problems sticking with it. then you should up. Why make it more stressful that it already is.

    Change it to 1 lb a week.

    Im 199 lbs 5' 9 35yo female. I can eat 1590 per day and still lose.
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    That's too little. Ive seen alot of people struggle with calorie goals beneath ~1400
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    i'm at 1200 and its not very hard if you figure out what to eat - my diary is open, add me and check it out. Things I eat almost daily are yogurt, grapefruit, hard boiled egg whites, avocadoes, etc.
  • katekross
    katekross Posts: 463 Member
    That's too little. Ive seen alot of people struggle with calorie goals beneath ~1400

    My dietician suggested that I only have 1300 calories. I'm 5 feet 10 in and 200 pounds. Its gotta go!
  • KateRunsColorado
    KateRunsColorado Posts: 407 Member
    Mine is at 1200, and it is definitely challenging...which makes me more motivated to work out!

    However, if you can't work out, swaping out high calorie items (like chips, desserts, and breads) with Fruits and Veggies has been helping me a lot! It's tough at first, but once you get in the hang of it not so bad...and it helps to prep them and make them easy to get to!
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    Don't. Refer to this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map


    ^^^^^This All Day LONG , it is what works
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    Fruits, vegetables, almonds, nuts, string cheese, there are a lot of 100 calorie healthy snacks on google.com

    air popped corn with light butter ( just don't put to much on it) its packed with fats.


    the most important don't stress. just take the attitude tomorrow is another day. I had to do that to me yesterday when I went to my folks celebration and ate a lobster pizza.

    remember the only time you fail is if you fail to try.
  • Montana_jim
    Montana_jim Posts: 2 Member
    My calorie goal is 1930. I can stay below this quite easily and I loose .2 to .4 lbs a day. (No exercise) I tried lower, was always hungry. This seems to work for me. Point is - you may need to adjust your goal for what works best for you. - Good Luck and best wishes
  • smb0506
    smb0506 Posts: 10
    When I was eating 1200 the key was finding the foods that kept you full. I found popcorn 100 calories bags helped me a lot

    100 calorie popcorn bags are my favorite! There is nearly 6 cups of deliciousness in each bag. The 100 calorie dessert ones are great to satisfy a sweet tooth. :)
  • keepitcroosh
    keepitcroosh Posts: 301 Member
    Prep your meals! One protein, one veg one carb (brown rice, sweet potato etc). Basically cook it in bulk. A lot of body builders will do this once a week. I dont even think about what to eat anymore. I always have veggies, brown rice, protein around the house. I make my lunches in advanced and for my breakky, i have a box of oatmeal at work. Its quick oats so it takes literally 1 minute to cook. Easy and quick!
  • calibriintx
    calibriintx Posts: 1,741 Member
    You're not eating enough. If you want to lose weight without starving yourself, check out this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    I started at 1200 and was starving, exhausted and grouchy. Then I found the link above and increased my calories to close to 1800. I've been doing it a month now and I'm down almost 10 lbs. Stop dieting and start eating in a way you can sustain.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    I just looked through your food diary... I'm going to be harsh, you are eating crap. (my food diary is open too and I am well aware I am not perfect).

    If it's just about losing weight for you, you will gain it all back. And I'm guessing that it is because of the choices that you're making while 'trying to hit 1260 calories'. Fruit, veggies, lean protein, that will get you healthy on the inside and the outside, it will fill you up, and you will hit the 1260 mark. However, given the amoutn of weight you are desiring to lose and assuming you have that on you to lose, you could be eating much more, likely 1500-1600 calories and potentially more if you exercise.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Ok I checked out your diary and it looks like the problem is that you are eating a lot of unhealthy foods - lots of chocolate, bagels, big portions of nuts, bread. Find substitutions for these things - instead of Wonder bread eat some high fiber low cal breads or flatbreads. Mini multigrain bagels. A small piece of dark chocolate, less nuts, etc. Its all about making better choices - obviously you can't lose weight/get healthy if you keep eating like you always have. Its difficult to change how you eat entirely, but you will get the hang of it!
  • smb0506
    smb0506 Posts: 10
    If you pre-portion your foods and plan snacks it gets easier to stay with that number. Don't forget to exercise! The more you work out, the more calories you can eat, and the better your metabolism gets. Even just taking 1 quick walk around the block will help those memory muscles going. Good luck!
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    You are not meant to starve yourself to lose weight. Just eat at a sensible deficit and you will be more likely to succeed.


    Check this link out:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/885586-how-to-stay-at-1260-calories
  • mrfrodogetdown
    mrfrodogetdown Posts: 54 Member
    Stop eating out, and stop eating prepackaged foods. Have healthy snacks on hand and it'll be easier to snack healthy than to get a donut.

    You pay in calories for convenience.

    I've always just eaten what I felt like, and just these last few days I think I've figured it out. Get the crap out of the house, and meal plan!

    e.g. Tonight I'm having grilled pork chop with mango salsa, 1/2c mashed potatoes, and 1c steamed green beans. Thats roughly 473cal and a lot more satisfying than going out and getting, I dunno, a McDouble and small fries.

    Lots of fruit and veggies!

    All I can really recommend is making your own food.
  • nataliescalories
    nataliescalories Posts: 292 Member
    I'm also on a 1200-calorie diet and my diary is open to friends , so add me if you like. I feel satiated. I think it takes a little macro tweaking before it fits your needs, just like any caloric intake.

    You're inevitably also going to get a lot of comments that 1) 1260 may be too low for your or that 2) you should net 1260, meaning you would eat all of your exercise back. I'll just preempt those posts and any negativity by saying that if you're sure 1260 is where you should be, then please do proceed and do see the diaries of other 1200-calorie folk who make it work very well.

    If you're using the default MFP settings and really don't feel happy with 1260, even after experimenting a bit, check out these calculators (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools) to get your body fat %, Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). It's far from perfect.

    Again, feel free to friend me or ask any questions. Don't feel discouraged or like you're doing anything wrong!
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    You're not eating enough. If you want to lose weight without starving yourself, check out this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    I started at 1200 and was starving, exhausted and grouchy. Then I found the link above and increased my calories to close to 1800. I've been doing it a month now and I'm down almost 10 lbs. Stop dieting and start eating in a way you can sustain.

    OP: If the 1200 way isn't working for you then try the road map posted. The 1200 thing works for some, not for others. I started on the 1200 calorie day, eating back exercise calories but the yo-yoing for someone like me made me grouchy, and mad, and I just couldn't do it. So I eat 1800 every day...whether I work out or not, and I have one cheat day a week where I go over the 1800, but stay below my TDEE. It is working wonders for me...I lost 2 pounds last week and I am only planing for 1 pound.

    Do what works for you. If the 1260 thing isn't working then try the TDEE method for a month or two and see if that way is better for you. What works for one might not work for another...that is why MFP has a manual input.

    Good luck!
  • lelaspeaks
    lelaspeaks Posts: 163 Member
    You're at a 1,000 calories deficit right now, even if you go over 500 calories, you're still on track to lose a pound a day.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Honestly, just replacing something like the Lindt chocolate balls for 420 calories would give you the room for a satisfying meal.

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