Is 1200 too low?
Lecy96
Posts: 12 Member
I'm doing 25 minutes of cardio daily and consume 1200 calories a day including my exercise calories. Is this too little? Don't want to have the reverse effect and slow down my metabolism...but also want to see results.
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That's the absolute lowest. That's survival mode. I was explained that the more you eat, the more you lose. NOT WITHOUT EXERCISE THOUGH. You have to know what your body puts out compared to what goes in. Calories out-Calories in. Meaning, if you eat 1200, and you burn 1,200 you're starving your body and it's in survival mode so it starts storing fat for later. Your metabolism slows down. I drink a protein shake to help with calories. (Right now I'm on the soy, but thinking about going over to Whey)0
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You should eat more if you're exercising. 1200 is minimum.0
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I lost 27 pounds by eating 1200 calories and am now down to 113 pounds. I never went into "starvation mode". Depends on the person.0
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u could eat 2000 calories, exercise and still lose weight0
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I lost 27 pounds by eating 1200 calories and am now down to 113 pounds. I never went into "starvation mode". Depends on the person.
Ditto--although it was 18 pounds here. However, I don't think that anyone can really answer the "is 1200 calories too low" question without knowing more about the individual. The answer will be different if you are a 4'11" small-boned female or a large-boned 5'10" female.0 -
u could eat 2000 calories, exercise and still lose weight
Knowing nothing about the original poster's age, height, weight or activity level--I can't possibly imagine how you would know this.0 -
It's basically what you eat vs what you burn. You can eat 1200 cals, but you burn them to lose weight, but then you're going to feel pretty sickly. I did that. Now I'm 228lbs 5'1" and I'm a bigger girl. I don't think I'd look right being too skinny. I have my goal weight as 180 because I think at 180 I can still look healthy. It's all about what works for your body. I tried eating 1200 cals and I felt really sick. I had a headache for about 3 days and didn't have energy for anything, EVEN after my protein shake. So it's all about the person really.0
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Oops. forgot the info- I'm 5'6, 155 lbs...29 yrs old.
Thanks for the feedback so far...I'm not starving myself and rarely feel hungry also.0 -
In my late teens I lost 15 pounds in a little over a month once eating 800 calories, no exercise and hardly any carbs. But that didn't last long. In fact it came to a screeching halt and my body didn't look that great, just slightly "smaller".
So if you're eating 1200 and say, burning 400... you're basically consuming 800 calories.
1200 calories and no additional exercise might work for you. But it will get old pretty fast. Your body is pretty much going to snicker at you for trying to survive on that forever. Add in exercise and it will just shut down the fat loss process.
Because what happens when you want to maintain? Are you going to eat 1200 forever? Don't let it get used to running on so little. Net your bmr if you exercise or eat your bmr if you skip exercise.
If you burn 200 calories in those 25 minutes you should eat 1400-1500 in total (going by a baseline of 1200).0 -
u could eat 2000 calories, exercise and still lose weight
Knowing nothing about the original poster's age, height, weight or activity level--I can't possibly imagine how you would know this.
regardless of her statistics this is possible - I mean the excercies level wasnt quantified - if she worked out for 4 hours a day and ate 2000 calories, Im sure she would lose weight.
In realistic terms probably not going to happen like that though
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u could eat 2000 calories, exercise and still lose weight
Knowing nothing about the original poster's age, height, weight or activity level--I can't possibly imagine how you would know this.
regardless of her statistics this is possible - I mean the excercies level wasnt quantified - if she worked out for 4 hours a day and ate 2000 calories, Im sure she would lose weight.
In realistic terms probably not going to happen like that though
she said she does 25 minutes of cardio a day in her opening post, not 4 hours.0 -
Because what happens when you want to maintain? Are you going to eat 1200 forever? Don't let it get used to running on so little. Net your bmr if you exercise or eat your bmr if you skip exercise.
If I eat 1200 calories forever, I'm pretty sure I'll continue to lose. I have to up my calories now to stop the freefall. I don't think this is true at all.0 -
yes0
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I'm a similar size and to cut weight my allowance is 1650 and I eat all my exercise calories on top of that. I think it's too low.0
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Wait, did i read this right? you are eating 1200 a day + your exercise calories...so you are eating more then 1200?0
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If you were to look at the MFP guidelines...and really stay on top of entering your correct calories for activities(MFP counts are sometimes off as most of us have found)...you will probably need to eat more...just of the right foods. Best of luck to you!0
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Yea it's a little too low when you're doing cardio almost everyday. When I started with my weightloss goals, I was eating a small number of calories (like around 1250 to 1300). Sure I dropped super fast and many thought I was sick, but I wasn't feeling good about my self. I was sluggish and didn't have energy at all. I started to eat better (like 1500 to 1600) and it was so much better. I could workout longer and had tons more energy to get things done during the day. Added plus was the weight literally melted off and I looked much better and healthier. Hope this helps you out with your decision.0
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I'm Male, 37 (look 23, which is why I'm doing my dieting - if I can be almost 40 and still look half my age, I'm going to have the best body possible), 5'11", and currently 175.
I'm limiting myself to 1200 calories a day, if that. Like today - I had a hot dog, slice of pizza and a chocolate candy bar, and tons of water and tea. Not the healthiest meal, no, but I've only consumed 825 calories, and I feel FULL. I don't plan on eating anything else for the day. In fact, when I get home, I'll grab the dog, and go for a run. It just rained today, and my dog loves the smell of the park after it rained.
I've lost 7 pounds already, and I'm sure the reason I haven't lost more (it's been about 2-3 weeks since I've started this program again), is because I've cheated a few days.
So no, everyone talking about starvation mode I think are just worrying too much. For most people, half the battle is re-programming one's self to not use food as a filler when bored, or for coping, or for emotional reasons. It's alright to have a love affair with good food - I do! I love a great steak, and I love pasta, but I am in the middle of teaching myself food is not the answer for a day when I'm depressed, and conversely, food should not be the answer when I need to celebrate.
I don't mean to ramble or digress too far. The point is, 1200 is not too low.
In my humble opinion.
Eric0 -
I usually eat under 1200 calories and I am steadily losing weight going on 18 months of low carb diet and exercise. As you can see by my progress, it DOES work for some people. I do workout a lot and that's because I have a ton of energy! Send me a friend request and you can take a peek at my food & exercise logs. BTW....your body will not go into starvation mode if you have excess fat stores. It will use the fat as energy and your metabolism will not slow down. That is a popular myth.0
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Despite what others may tell you, it depends on what you eat. A 1,200 calorie standard American diet will help you lose weight, but you won't be able to sustain that eating pattern. You will ultimately succumb to your biology and will satisfy your biological need by either binging, or "falling off the wagon", or giving up. It's just not enough volume of food to satisfy your stomach receptors, leading to cravings and distress.
What is interesting is if you tried a whole foods, plant-based diet, you can eat as much volume of food as you want. Literally, the sky is the limit. This diet features nutrient rich foods, and avoids calorie dense foods. Calorie dense foods do not satisfy your hunger, they will not provide satiety. Calorie dense foods are animal based foods and oil; meat, fish, cheese, chicken, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. A tablespoon of olive oil has the same calories as a handful of black beans. Choose the black beans.
Watch Forks Over Knives on Netflix.0 -
Despite what others may tell you, it depends on what you eat. A 1,200 calorie standard American diet will help you lose weight, but you won't be able to sustain that eating pattern. You will ultimately succumb to your biology and will satisfy your biological need by either binging, or "falling off the wagon", or giving up. It's just not enough volume of food to satisfy your stomach receptors, leading to cravings and distress.
What is interesting is if you tried a whole foods, plant-based diet, you can eat as much volume of food as you want. Literally, the sky is the limit. This diet features nutrient rich foods, and avoids calorie dense foods. Calorie dense foods do not satisfy your hunger, they will not provide satiety. Calorie dense foods are animal based foods and oil; meat, fish, cheese, chicken, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. A tablespoon of olive oil has the same calories as a handful of black beans. Choose the black beans.
Watch Forks Over Knives on Netflix.
This person is so right! Listen to them.
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Watch Forks Over Knives on Netflix.
No.
When in doubt, ask your doctor.0 -
OK, here is what I have learnt the hard way. Your metabolism will naturally slow down as you get older...do you really want to give it a boost by not fueling it while you are young? Do you want to eat 1200 forever? Do you want to lose lean body mass as you lose fat? Do you want to increase your chances of osteoporosis after menopause? Do you want to get to 70 years old and get puffed walking up a couple of stairs?
If the answer to any of this is "No", then you need to fuel your body properly and mix some strength training into you cardio routine...
Your heart is a muscle as well.......and, unless you are morbidly obese, which you aren't - if you eat below BMR you are not fueling ANY basic bodily functions.
(Edited to add that 1200 is not too low for weightloss, but it may be too low for your long-term health AND, at your height, weight and age you can likely eat more and still lose weight, albeit more slowly)0 -
Despite what others may tell you, it depends on what you eat. A 1,200 calorie standard American diet will help you lose weight, but you won't be able to sustain that eating pattern. You will ultimately succumb to your biology and will satisfy your biological need by either binging, or "falling off the wagon", or giving up. It's just not enough volume of food to satisfy your stomach receptors, leading to cravings and distress.
What is interesting is if you tried a whole foods, plant-based diet, you can eat as much volume of food as you want. Literally, the sky is the limit. This diet features nutrient rich foods, and avoids calorie dense foods. Calorie dense foods do not satisfy your hunger, they will not provide satiety. Calorie dense foods are animal based foods and oil; meat, fish, cheese, chicken, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. A tablespoon of olive oil has the same calories as a handful of black beans. Choose the black beans.
Watch Forks Over Knives on Netflix.
This person is so right! Listen to them.
I don't think they are exactly right. I ate a combination of animal based foods and increased my vegetable consumption and lost a lot of weight. I think too many carbs set you up for failure, not animal based foods.0 -
man these threads bashing 1200 calorie diets are annoying.0
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I'm doing 25 minutes of cardio daily and consume 1200 calories a day including my exercise calories. Is this too little? Don't want to have the reverse effect and slow down my metabolism...but also want to see results.
Yeah 1200 sounds way low but it all depends on your height and current weight.
Google the harris-benedict formula.
It should lead you to a couple websites that can help you figure out your total daily energy expenditure
and then you can use that information to find out how much you would need to drop weight at a safe rate.
It's based on your weight, height, age and sex.0 -
A interesting read for MFP peeps that are eating under 1200 calories: just read & think about it. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
Good luck.0 -
Because what happens when you want to maintain? Are you going to eat 1200 forever? Don't let it get used to running on so little. Net your bmr if you exercise or eat your bmr if you skip exercise.
If I eat 1200 calories forever, I'm pretty sure I'll continue to lose. I have to up my calories now to stop the freefall. I don't think this is true at all.
I wouldn't really go as far as to say "forever". At some point 1200 will become your maintenance. How long have you been eating 1200?
If you do up your calories after some point, say to 1400, you might gain a bit at first. If you were a skinny kid it might work for longer than usual. But still, to maintain your 'end/goal' weight you're going to have to keep eating 1200. Any little bump will signal a bit of a gain.
For people who have had weight issues for a while, they honestly shouldn't baseline at 1200 every single day. It's unnecessary. I tried that. It doesn't work and it doesn't for some people. If folks are coming to this board and asking "hey, am I doing this right?" most likely they're not having the success they've been hoping for.
And that's the key thing here.
Glad it's working for you though.0 -
Can you quote the "bashing" parts?man these threads bashing 1200 calorie diets are annoying.0 -
man these threads bashing 1200 calorie diets are annoying.
You need to check your interpretation of 'bashing'. You seem to take it PERSONALLY when people respond to the question asked by the OP with answers that call in to question your choices. That does not mean anyone is bashing YOUR diet- do whatever you want. You are an adult (if I remember correctly) in your 30's, and you do not have to apply anything anyone says to yourself. You are choosing to interpret it that way.0
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