1200, and why it won't work

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  • sassafrascas
    sassafrascas Posts: 191 Member
    bump
  • sasgal
    sasgal Posts: 6
    Very interesting- thank you for posting!
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
    that's really interesting and It makes sense if you are really overweight, but if you only have say 5kg to loose, then 1200 would be OK......

    My thoughts exactly. I only have 7 or 9kg to lose at most. I WAS eating 3,000 calories a day and that's how I gained weight in the first place!
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    I am losing while eating at least 2000 calories a day (with eating back my exercise calories). I tried a net as low as 1300 and I am too active. I think for some women 1200 could work...but these women may be older, with less muscle and lower body weight than I.
    My net is about 1600 with at least 100 gram or protein a day...but again, my lean muscle mass alone is about 135 pounds, and my goal is about 20% BF which would be about 165 pounds. It took me some time to come to grips with the idea that I am never going to be 140 or 150 even. Some women would really beat themselves up over it, but I WANT the muscle mass. As I age it will drop anyway, so why not have some to spare?:wink: I'd rather be fit than skinny any day.
  • petitegreek
    petitegreek Posts: 144 Member
    Awesome post, thanks!
  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
    MFP should make people read this when they sign up! Nice Job!
    I agree!!
  • fitacct
    fitacct Posts: 242 Member
    BUMP to keep!
  • Reerdaber
    Reerdaber Posts: 19 Member
    Thankyou for this post.. Ive had this going through my mind everyday, the fact I "need" to be on a 1200 just makes me starving, and I feel if I dont stick to it im not going to see results.. I feel deprived of everything!
  • SillyFitMe
    SillyFitMe Posts: 130 Member
    I am one of you...
    ...1200 calories a day is a paltry sniff of food. It's a dab of nutrients, and it's almost impossible to follow on a consistent (years) basis....

    The number itself mocks you and makes you feel inadequate....You will live on...yes..but in misery.

    well the thing is, you're not me.
    You look like a rather muscular man, where as I am neither. When you turn into a 45 year old woman, then you'll be one of "me".
    1200 calories a day probably is NOT enough for you, but its fine for me. I'm not starving. most days i'm not even hungry.
    I woh't have to stay at 1200 calories for years, because I will get to my goal weight and eat more to maintain.

    I'm not mocked, and I don't feel inadequate, and i'm not miserable.

    perhaps you should change the thread title to end with "for me", since you can't stand there and tell me what's going to work for me.

    1200 (at least 80% of the time) is the number that has kept me fit for many years.
  • popwill
    popwill Posts: 1
    Very encouraging. Great advice. Thanks so much for taking the time to post this.
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    I am one of you...
    ...1200 calories a day is a paltry sniff of food. It's a dab of nutrients, and it's almost impossible to follow on a consistent (years) basis....

    The number itself mocks you and makes you feel inadequate....You will live on...yes..but in misery.

    well the thing is, you're not me.
    You look like a rather muscular man, where as I am neither. When you turn into a 45 year old woman, then you'll be one of "me".
    1200 calories a day probably is NOT enough for you, but its fine for me. I'm not starving. most days i'm not even hungry.
    I woh't have to stay at 1200 calories for years, because I will get to my goal weight and eat more to maintain.

    I'm not mocked, and I don't feel inadequate, and i'm not miserable.

    perhaps you should change the thread title to end with "for me", since you can't stand there and tell me what's going to work for me.

    yep..
  • Shetchncn1
    Shetchncn1 Posts: 260 Member
    You can do 1200 for a while but your right you can't maintain it. It doesn't matter how little or how much I eat if I don't exercise and get all my water in then nothing happens. Thank you so much for that post. Your exactly right!
  • ShaunnaM
    ShaunnaM Posts: 23 Member
    "Bump"
  • breezedaze
    breezedaze Posts: 357 Member
    I seriously believe that this is one of the best weight loss posts/advice/suggestions/testimonies...heck anything...I have ever read...

    I've been losing at approx. 1700 calories for about 4 weeks...I'm shocked...it's working...I'm not 300lbs but by tracking and not panicking somehow I'm losing...and I feel like 1700 is a LOT of food...

    And I haven't exercised(which is a circumstance I hate but have to live with currently) and so..when i do..I'll eat some more.

    I shall share this all over.

    Thank you :)
  • Mom0819
    Mom0819 Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • bucketbott
    bucketbott Posts: 28 Member
    Thanks so much for the very insightful post! I did the 1200 calorie thing for about 2 weeks. I was miserable! I get really grumpy when I'm hungry, so I was basically grumpy the whole time. During the second week I got really cold and couldn't get warm. Everyone else in the room would be complaining about how hot it was and I would still be freezing. So I upped my calories to 1450, and I don't count them at all once every two weeks. I feel great and I'm still losing weight!
  • gemmaleigh1989
    gemmaleigh1989 Posts: 241 Member
    Well it works for me because I am only 5 foot and weigh 108 pounds....so my tdee (not including additional workouts) is 1500 calories. So if I am to create a deficit, then 1200 it is!!
  • Cariñosita
    Cariñosita Posts: 184 Member
    I loved reading this post. And I'm currently trying to get back to a healthier me, not just a thinner me. I'm going to adjust my calories right now. Thank you so much for writing something that actually helped me understand this better.
  • HeidibooJB
    HeidibooJB Posts: 62 Member
    Very informative, thanks.
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    I am really confused. MFP has me at 1300. I'm 5'2 and weigh 116 right now. I would like to get down to 110 but also tone my body. While I understand what you posted, I'm so confused about what to do about my body and my situation and how many calories I should be taking in.
  • Mom0819
    Mom0819 Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    I can't be the only one haha! :)
  • patsueglenn
    patsueglenn Posts: 5
    I just started 3/1. What is MFP? I know some about calories and weight. No, it doesn't sound right the # of calories you have for intake according to your height and weight. It seems like it should be more.
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    MFP stands for My Fitness Pal :)
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    I'm not really sure where to start. Like let's say I ate 1300 calories for the day, and I also exercised and burned 400 calories. Am I supposed to eat the 400cals that I burned to still keep it at 1300 or does that push me up to 1700? Or do I not eat the 400cals? Ayyyy yi yi!
  • heleine28
    heleine28 Posts: 34
    Focus on meeting your calorie goal by eatting healthy like you are, once you burn calories from excercise- eat those calories back.

    So yes if your goal is 1300 calories and your burning 400 from excercise then your total will indeed be 1700 calories. At the end of the day, don't look at total calories but look at Net Calories. All the weight I have lost has been through eatting my calories back.

    Plust if you net under 1200 which would be the case if you dont eat those calories back then you could put your body in starvation mode and then you for sure won't meet your weight goal.
  • nora1666
    nora1666 Posts: 4 Member
    I am at 1200 and am am much taller and weigh more than you do but I usually meet the calorie goals with exercise and watching what I eat. One surprising thing is how much protein I am consuming, considering I am a vegetarian. I am learning quite a bit since I didn't know which foods were very high in protein (like Greek yogurt, for example).
  • ililexy
    ililexy Posts: 9
    I am also 5,2 and just reached my goal weight today, 104 lbs down from 110. When I was eating less than 1200 I wasn't losing but then I started eating my exercise calories back and to my surprise I started losing!
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    Thank you guys so much, this helps a lot!! I am going to go eat something! lol!
  • Shannon_H
    Shannon_H Posts: 35
    I am at 1200 and am am much taller and weigh more than you do but I usually meet the calorie goals with exercise and watching what I eat. One surprising thing is how much protein I am consuming, considering I am a vegetarian. I am learning quite a bit since I didn't know which foods were very high in protein (like Greek yogurt, for example).

    I noticed that about the protein as well! Also, I'm shocked at how much sugar I'm consuming and didn't even know it!

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