Anyone find it hard to eat at least 1200 cals a day?
emma155
Posts: 152 Member
I need to net 1200 cals a day and have been doing so for 7 weeks now and have seen an average of 1lb a week loss.
(I wanted to lose 16lb in 16 weeks so am on track I guess)
Somedays, especially if I exercise I find it difficult to actually eat enough. For instance I eat 1000 cals then burn 200 cals doing cardio which should mean I need to eat another 400 cals by the end of the day but I feel really satisfied and it feels a bit strange to need to eat more.
SO I have decided to do this but the day after I have not eaten enough I shall eat back the calories then. I fiqured that eating different amounts on different days would be good for my metabolism?
Eg ill net 900 cals one day and 1400 the next????
What do people think of this?
(I wanted to lose 16lb in 16 weeks so am on track I guess)
Somedays, especially if I exercise I find it difficult to actually eat enough. For instance I eat 1000 cals then burn 200 cals doing cardio which should mean I need to eat another 400 cals by the end of the day but I feel really satisfied and it feels a bit strange to need to eat more.
SO I have decided to do this but the day after I have not eaten enough I shall eat back the calories then. I fiqured that eating different amounts on different days would be good for my metabolism?
Eg ill net 900 cals one day and 1400 the next????
What do people think of this?
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Replies
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I hope you meant 900 calories, not 9000. And I don't think our metabolisms work on a 24 hour clock, like in "everything I ate yesterday has either been burned or stored", so if you make up for a deficit or surplus the next day it should be fine.0
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I hope you meant 900 calories, not 9000. And I don't think our metabolisms work on a 24 hour clock, like in "everything I ate yesterday has either been burned or stored", so if you make up for a deficit or surplus the next day it should be fine.
Sorry meant 900
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Doing that is supposed to be good for your metabolism and work. Google the "alternate fasting diet", it explains it all 0
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I think you're not eating enough. :flowerforyou:
"Listening to your body" is not always the best idea when working out how much to eat. People say "eat when you're hungry" but hunger is not always an accurate way of deciding how much energy your body needs. It's very common for people who are consistently under-eating to find that their appetite reduces and they stop feeling hungry. This does not mean that the body does not need more food, it just means that it's not producing as much of the hormones that tell the brain that it needs more food. Equally, lots of people feel hungry when they are over-eating.
With only about 9 lbs to lose (and especially if that profile picture is recent) then you just don't have the fat stores needed to support a very low calorie diet. Losing at a rate of 1 lb a week is not a realistic goal when you are fairly lean already. Depending on your stats, there is a very good chance that you should be eating more than 1200 calories, so dropping down to 900 on some days is not a good idea. Your body can only lose so much fat at once, and if you have too large of a calorie deficit, then you risk losing more lean mass than you need to. There is nothing wrong with calorie-cycling (eating more some days than others) but what you're describing would be too few calories overall. (editing to add: 900 one day then 1400 the next would average out to 1100, which is very likely too low for you. I'm more concerned that if you can't get to 1200 now, would you really manage to hit 1400? Or would you end up eating less on those days too?)
As for eating - it's not uncommon for people to struggle to meet their goal. Usually this is because:
a) they have been restricting calories so much that their hunger signals have completely disappeared
b) in order to lose weight they have decided that they can only eat "healthy food", and have decided that "healthy food" means low calories.
c) there are psychological reasons that they don't think they should eat the recommended amount
If you eat more for a few days, you should find that your appetite returns. You don't have to increase the volume of what you eat, so that you feel uncomfortably full, you can just increase the calories by eating more calorie-dense foods. If you don't mind what kind of foods you like, just aim for high-fat things. If you are trying to eat things that seem more like "health foods", go for things like avocados, cheese, nuts, seeds, nut butters, oil (an extra teaspoon or two in salads or cooking) etc. You can drink your calories in milk, nut milks, protein shakes and smoothies. If you currently eat a lot of food that is labelled "low fat" or "lite", then switch to the full-fat versions. Fat is not bad, and it doesn't make you fat (unless you eat so much that you exceed your calorie expenditure).0 -
I think you're not eating enough. :flowerforyou:
"Listening to your body" is not always the best idea when working out how much to eat. People say "eat when you're hungry" but hunger is not always an accurate way of deciding how much energy your body needs. It's very common for people who are consistently under-eating to find that their appetite reduces and they stop feeling hungry. This does not mean that the body does not need more food, it just means that it's not producing as much of the hormones that tell the brain that it needs more food. Equally, lots of people feel hungry when they are over-eating.
With only about 9 lbs to lose (and especially if that profile picture is recent) then you just don't have the fat stores needed to support a very low calorie diet. Losing at a rate of 1 lb a week is not a realistic goal when you are fairly lean already. Depending on your stats, there is a very good chance that you should be eating more than 1200 calories, so dropping down to 900 on some days is not a good idea. Your body can only lose so much fat at once, and if you have too large of a calorie deficit, then you risk losing more lean mass than you need to. There is nothing wrong with calorie-cycling (eating more some days than others) but what you're describing would be too few calories overall. (editing to add: 900 one day then 1400 the next would average out to 1100, which is very likely too low for you. I'm more concerned that if you can't get to 1200 now, would you really manage to hit 1400? Or would you end up eating less on those days too?)
As for eating - it's not uncommon for people to struggle to meet their goal. Usually this is because:
a) they have been restricting calories so much that their hunger signals have completely disappeared
b) in order to lose weight they have decided that they can only eat "healthy food", and have decided that "healthy food" means low calories.
c) there are psychological reasons that they don't think they should eat the recommended amount
If you eat more for a few days, you should find that your appetite returns. You don't have to increase the volume of what you eat, so that you feel uncomfortably full, you can just increase the calories by eating more calorie-dense foods. If you don't mind what kind of foods you like, just aim for high-fat things. If you are trying to eat things that seem more like "health foods", go for things like avocados, cheese, nuts, seeds, nut butters, oil (an extra teaspoon or two in salads or cooking) etc. You can drink your calories in milk, nut milks, protein shakes and smoothies. If you currently eat a lot of food that is labelled "low fat" or "lite", then switch to the full-fat versions. Fat is not bad, and it doesn't make you fat (unless you eat so much that you exceed your calorie expenditure).
Jester---with all due respect, I really don't think your answer pllies in this case. It is 100% true tht in terms of weight loss advice 4 me, what worked for you when you lost 85 pounds does not apply to someone with a total of 10-15 lbs 2 lose. She has never been in that category and is likely small, short and rather tiny. Females with s very small amount to lose, that have never been truly obese can't "up" their calories unless they are healthy enough to add a lot of strength training....and stick with it.
At 9 months preggy, my top weight was 120---now to stay at that weight, I have to fight and I. Am never hungry--it is a fight that I win!0 -
this never ceases to amaze me. people who are trying to lose weight struggling to eat enough to lose weight properly.
how did they get overweight in the first place? it can be done without eating junk. a big spoonful of peanut butter can easily contain 400 calories.0 -
It is easier to avoid this problem by just eating more calorie dense foods, or toppings on the less dense foods that you enjoy. Most of my intake is fresh produce, which can make me feel like I am eating tons to reach a minimum.0
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seriously? i could eat 1200 by breakfast if i wasn't careful i usually eat 1200 by about 1pm!! i usually eat 1600-2000 daily or more if I exercise more and I'm losing weight and only about 10 pounds off my goal weight. check out my diary and profile 0
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seriously? i could eat 1200 by breakfast if i wasn't careful i usually eat 1200 by about 1pm!! i usually eat 1600-2000 daily or more if I exercise more and I'm losing weight and only about 10 pounds off my goal weight. check out my diary and profile
Its more that I either eat well and net way too low or eat bad and net way too high,0 -
Im not that over weight I have put the 10lb i need on over a period of years!
Its more that I either eat well and net wat too low or eat bad and net way too high,0 -
You are too lean for a 1lb loss per week.
Please read this forum before continuing your journey.
It will answer all your questions and hopefully explain why 1200 probably isnt right for you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
PS: If you understand the term "skinny-fat" and you are okay weighing less but having a higher body fat% then continue what you are doing.0 -
I'd look at it more in terms of a weekly target (1,200 x 7) than a daily target. The 1,200 is an estimate for weight loss so if you AVERAGE 1,200 a day long-term, you will lose weight. I think calorie cycling is fine and actually beneficial because it allows you to have some larger, more satisfying meals as part of your week which will help boost your metabolism and leptin levels. Trying to stick to a fixed, lower number every single day is more difficult and frustrating, at least for me.0
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this never ceases to amaze me. people who are trying to lose weight struggling to eat enough to lose weight properly.
how did they get overweight in the first place? it can be done without eating junk. a big spoonful of peanut butter can easily contain 400 calories.
That's a HUGE spoonful of peanut butter. I can't even imagine gumming through that much at once. 2 tablespoons are generally right 180-200 calories max depending on the brand.
I ended up overweight and I struggle to eat enough. Thing is, when I got involved, I ate socially when I wasn't hungry. I ate the wrong things. I'm just trying to find my balance back to the right foods. When I weighed even MORE previously, it was from stress eating. These days, I stress undereat, since I get nauseous when I'm stressed.0 -
You are too lean for a 1lb loss per week.
Please read this forum before continuing your journey.
It will answer all your questions and hopefully explain why 1200 probably isnt right for you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
PS: If you understand the term "skinny-fat" and you are okay weighing less but having a higher body fat% then continue what you are doing.
This x 1000. And you can eat MORE and still eat WELL. I eat 2000+ and its not junk! You don't have to limit yourself to fruit and veggies; there's plenty of other calorie dense food out there that is healthy!0 -
I think that sounds reasonable.0
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seriously? i could eat 1200 by breakfast if i wasn't careful i usually eat 1200 by about 1pm!! i usually eat 1600-2000 daily or more if I exercise more and I'm losing weight and only about 10 pounds off my goal weight. check out my diary and profile
brilliant0 -
IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND!!!!I hope you meant 900 calories, not 9000. And I don't think our metabolisms work on a 24 hour clock, like in "everything I ate yesterday has either been burned or stored", so if you make up for a deficit or surplus the next day it should be fine.
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You are too lean for a 1lb loss per week.
Please read this forum before continuing your journey.
It will answer all your questions and hopefully explain why 1200 probably isnt right for you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
PS: If you understand the term "skinny-fat" and you are okay weighing less but having a higher body fat% then continue what you are doing.
Listen to him! I am almost 52, short at 5 ft and am dropping about 5 lbs. I eat 1500-1800 calories and am losing about .4 a week. Yes, it is slow, but I am getting there. I exercise 2-3 times per week (pilates and walking). You don't have to destroy your muscle or metabolism to trim down. I know there are tons of threads "I'm stuff, so it's working for me" on MFP. If you insist on such a low intake, ok. To each his own. But if I can lose weight, save my muscle and eat more, why wouldn't I?0 -
Agreed. Maybe aim for fat loss/recomp of -30% TDEE on cardio/rest days and +10% TDEE on lifting days.You are too lean for a 1lb loss per week.
Please read this forum before continuing your journey.
It will answer all your questions and hopefully explain why 1200 probably isnt right for you.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
PS: If you understand the term "skinny-fat" and you are okay weighing less but having a higher body fat% then continue what you are doing.0 -
IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND!!!!I hope you meant 900 calories, not 9000. And I don't think our metabolisms work on a 24 hour clock, like in "everything I ate yesterday has either been burned or stored", so if you make up for a deficit or surplus the next day it should be fine.
sorry...wiping coffee from my monitor.....0 -
Yes but peanut butter contains good fats which break down the bad saturated fat and actually help you lose weight. Has omega oils in it and all the necessary minerals such as zinc, magnesium, etc.. Read "The Food Doctor"0
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I see posts like this all the time, & it's like...how?? How do you "struggle" to make only 1200 a day? Not just a "oh, you must be so hungry!" thing, but ya know, it's not that hard to get up to 1200 even eating well.
I don't mean to pick on the OP, it's just mind-boggling to me. To the OP---I think your plan on eating back all your calories on some days, & not on others, is okay. I also have around 10 pounds to lose, so do you mind if I friend you 0 -
Ugh! I wish I had your issues! I would like to see your food diary. Are you eating the recommended ratios of fat, carb, and proteins?0
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I see posts like this all the time, & it's like...how?? How do you "struggle" to make only 1200 a day? Not just a "oh, you must be so hungry!" thing, but ya know, it's not that hard to get up to 1200 even eating well.
I don't mean to pick on the OP, it's just mind-boggling to me. To the OP---I think your plan on eating back all your calories on some days, & not on others, is okay. I also have around 10 pounds to lose, so do you mind if I friend you
I think the struggle is how to do it healthfully. While eating nothing but Big Macs & french fries may not be the healthiest way to go, you don't have to exist on fish and salad with low fat dressing either. I eat salads, vegetables and fruits, but I also eat hamburgers, pork chops, bacon, and sweets like cookies. I think if more people understood HOW to eat their favorite foods while incorporating nutrient dense foods like fruits & veggies, they'd be a lot happier and more successful. It's that whole moderation thing. It doesn't come easy for everyone.0 -
I see posts like this all the time, & it's like...how?? How do you "struggle" to make only 1200 a day? Not just a "oh, you must be so hungry!" thing, but ya know, it's not that hard to get up to 1200 even eating well.
I don't mean to pick on the OP, it's just mind-boggling to me. To the OP---I think your plan on eating back all your calories on some days, & not on others, is okay. I also have around 10 pounds to lose, so do you mind if I friend you
I think the struggle is how to do it healthfully. While eating nothing but Big Macs & french fries may not be the healthiest way to go, you don't have to exist on fish and salad with low fat dressing either. I eat salads, vegetables and fruits, but I also eat hamburgers, pork chops, bacon, and sweets like cookies. I think if more people understood HOW to eat their favorite foods while incorporating nutrient dense foods like fruits & veggies, they'd be a lot happier and more successful. It's that whole moderation thing. It doesn't come easy for everyone.
Totally agree, its difficult for some people to eat thing in modiration, for instance its a bit like allowing yourself 1 square of chocolate a day! AS IF I WOULD STOP AT ONE PIECE! lol0 -
I have the same problem. I've recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure so I have gone on a low sodium diet. In order to maintain a low sodium diet I've had to cut out all processed foods. I mainly eat raw fruits, veggies and lean protein. I made some changes last week to my diet trying to add more grains and it shot my BP up. By the end of the day I'm very full so I'm trying to find ways to add more protein and calories. I've changed up my breakfast this morning to see if that works. I had a 2 egg cheese omelet and added some guac and sour cream. I think if you find ways to add good toppings to the meals you are already eating, you will find it easier than adding more foods.0
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I found it hard to eat 1800 at first, so I kind of get the op. I have found that I am getting better at it and am actually hungry for the good stuff. I could eat a lot cleaner, but I am so much better than last year. And yep it's easy to gain weight not eating enough and then getting mccdonalds, or eating a whole bag of dorritos. I have learnt that a burger, or a serve of dorritos can help with the numbers. I just have one serve of dorritos and a burger from maccas once a week. So just try looking at where you can add a little of something to your day. A little goes a long way.0
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I struggle to eat under 2200 a day.0
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I find it extremely hard to eat enough in a day, as I am now making healthier choices, therefore staying full longer. It helps me to plan my day out before hand. At night I usually fill up my food log for the next day, so I know how much and how little I can eat. Thats hard, sometimes because I don't always know what I'm going to eat, but if I have a general idea, I tend to eat my necessary calories easier.0
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In my opinion, with so little to lose, it is even more important that she doesn't go too low on calories. No, of course you can't "up" calories indefinitely, and I wasn't suggesting that. She will certainly have a lower TDEE than a 6ft 5" man who weighs 250 lb. That doesn't mean that 900 calories a day is appropriate or healthy. I may have lost 85 lbs, but I wasn't obese for all of that time. I had to have a different approach when I got closer to my goal than I did when I was obese. so I do understand that things work differently when you are leaner. That was pretty much the point of my post.Jester---with all due respect, I really don't think your answer pllies in this case. It is 100% true tht in terms of weight loss advice 4 me, what worked for you when you lost 85 pounds does not apply to someone with a total of 10-15 lbs 2 lose. She has never been in that category and is likely small, short and rather tiny. Females with s very small amount to lose, that have never been truly obese can't "up" their calories unless they are healthy enough to add a lot of strength training....and stick with it.
At 9 months preggy, my top weight was 120---now to stay at that weight, I have to fight and I. Am never hungry--it is a fight that I win!0
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