Still think your 1200 or less diet is a good idea?

Love this...TIA!

I just really don't understand what is wrong with 1200 calories a day. If you are 5'1 and a female and weigh 120 then 1200 is perfect even with workouts. If you are eating correctly then you can eat more food than most ppl bc there is very little calories in veggies and fruits. A whole head of cauliflower is something like under 60 calories.

If you are a man 6'4 and play basketball 5 nights a week then 1200 is not good for you.

This thread is assuming that EVERYONE is the same body type, body weight and has the same goals. If you want to lose then you make a deficit and if 1200 calories is what calculates to work for you then that is what works for you.


I wanted to lose weight for a trip to Jamaica so I ate 1,000 to 1100 a day and lost 20 lbs. I worked out daily.

last night half of you here were arguing that it is about calories in and calories out in the "is bread fattening thread". What happened to that theory? If you aren't burning, you need to cut what you eat and reduce calories.

More so though it is about WHAT you eat vs how much. So many do not understand that concept though. So many mislead people.

I'm shorter and lighter than you mentioned--eating 2000 (minimum) and certain that I'd die on 1200 calories given my activity level. If you're working out effectively then it is absolutely false that "If you are 5'1 and a female and weigh 120 then 1200 is perfect even with workouts." Perfect? For what goal exactly? To lose all of your muscle mass? Develop an eating disorder? Become a binge eater? Lose your periods? What would be the ultimate outcome of this 120 pound 5'1 female eating 1200 calories while working out?

There are MANY factors, which is my point. It works for some, but not for others. If you are lifting heavy, you best up your calories - 2000 sounds good to me. My point was that it is IMPOSSIBLE for OP or any of you to get on here and assume 1200 is too low for every single person on the planet. That is what I find to be very silly to say or assume.

I adjust my calories according to what I am doing. If I want to maintain I am shooting for one calorie intake goal.

If I want to lose, it is another intake caloric goal.

If I am lifting it is another.

If I am pregnant, it is another.

If I am bed ridden it is another.

When I was 20, it was another.

Now that I am in my 40s, it is another.



I eat so many fruits and veggies that I eat a table full of food and can barely get past 700 calories and am stuffed. I am now having to eat more meat and nuts to get up to 1200. Dang weight keeps falling off on this plan too. And being that I need to lose 54 more lbs. I can't stop shooting for 1200 calories bc it effing WORKS for me. And I have so much energy that I have never experienced this before or rather not in over a decade. What t am I doing wrong?

I'm 5'8, male, 43 years old.

I'm somewhat athletic in that I work out 60 minutes or more 3-4 times a week, at least one of those workouts is around 2 hours.

I also strength train 3 times a week.

I eat very only a limited amount of dairy products - yogurt mostly, sometimes a little milk.

I eat red meat only once a week; Fish twice a week and lots of chicken. I'm even known to eat vegetarian meals several times a week.

Common snacks include fresh vegetables, peanuts, fruit. I try to eat more vegetables than pasta, rice or bread.

In other words, my diet is increased protein, low sugar, reduced carbs, fairly clean.

I eat back all of my exercise calories - all of them, not half. In general, I pre-fuel. That is, I know when and what my workouts will be and eat the necessary calories to fuel the work beforehand.

I've been on MFP for about a year and a half, logging almost that entire time.

My current BMI is 22.8 & my body fat is probably about 14-15%.

As a triathlete, I am really working to get rid of my small remaining gut and "love handles" because that 5-10 lbs can make a serious difference on long distance races.

MFP says I should be eating 1940 NET calories a day.

The last time I was on maintenance, I followed that and gained 2 lbs a week until I figured out that didn't work for me so I started paying attention to the numbers and experimenting.

From that experience, I have discovered that 1500 NET is the intake I need in order to maintain. At 1750, I gain a pound a week.

So, Mr. Smart-Man, what do you suggest I do if I want to lose that last 5-10 lbs?

What t am I doing wrong?

Nothing, Sunny, nothing.

You are listening to your body and not the statistical norms spouted by others.

Thank you!

Bump

oh, speaking of bikini girls on 1200 cals.

its been a while since CaliforniaGirl has posted, but she's been an advocate for a good long while.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/californiagirl2012

Thanks for posting this. I had not been active on MFP for months and when I returned I did not see Bobbie posting. I am 43 and the tiniest of frames, so I liked seeing someone of similar build get rocked like that. Maybe in 10 yrs I can be there. lol

I just really don't understand what is wrong with 1200 calories a day. If you are 5'1 and a female and weigh 120 then 1200 is perfect even with workouts. If you are eating correctly then you can eat more food than most ppl bc there is very little calories in veggies and fruits. A whole head of cauliflower is something like under 60 calories.

If you are a man 6'4 and play basketball 5 nights a week then 1200 is not good for you.

This thread is assuming that EVERYONE is the same body type, body weight and has the same goals. If you want to lose then you make a deficit and if 1200 calories is what calculates to work for you then that is what works for you.


I wanted to lose weight for a trip to Jamaica so I ate 1,000 to 1100 a day and lost 20 lbs. I worked out daily.

last night half of you here were arguing that it is about calories in and calories out in the "is bread fattening thread". What happened to that theory? If you aren't burning, you need to cut what you eat and reduce calories.

More so though it is about WHAT you eat vs how much. So many do not understand that concept though. So many mislead people.

I'm shorter and lighter than you mentioned--eating 2000 (minimum) and certain that I'd die on 1200 calories given my activity level. If you're working out effectively then it is absolutely false that "If you are 5'1 and a female and weigh 120 then 1200 is perfect even with workouts." Perfect? For what goal exactly? To lose all of your muscle mass? Develop an eating disorder? Become a binge eater? Lose your periods? What would be the ultimate outcome of this 120 pound 5'1 female eating 1200 calories while working out?

There are MANY factors, which is my point. It works for some, but not for others. If you are lifting heavy, you best up your calories - 2000 sounds good to me. My point was that it is IMPOSSIBLE for OP or any of you to get on here and assume 1200 is too low for every single person on the planet. That is what I find to be very silly to say or assume.

I adjust my calories according to what I am doing. If I want to maintain I am shooting for one calorie intake goal.

If I want to lose, it is another intake caloric goal.

If I am lifting it is another.

If I am pregnant, it is another.

If I am bed ridden it is another.

When I was 20, it was another.

Now that I am in my 40s, it is another.



I eat so many fruits and veggies that I eat a table full of food and can barely get past 700 calories and am stuffed. I am now having to eat more meat and nuts to get up to 1200. Dang weight keeps falling off on this plan too. And being that I need to lose 54 more lbs. I can't stop shooting for 1200 calories bc it effing WORKS for me. And I have so much energy that I have never experienced this before or rather not in over a decade. What t am I doing wrong?

you said that 1200 is "perfect" even if exercising--I simply said that's just not true. It's not PERFECT for more people than not--especially those who exercise. So, you've contradicted yourself by bringing weight lifting into the equation--you said perfect EVEN IF exercising. Thank you for changing your perspective, it makes much more sense now. So, maybe IT'S PERFECT if bedridden, I'll give you that.

I've actually been doing quite well with this calorie amount. I lost 2.5 lbs in the first week! It really depends on the individual. I'm not sure why you care how many calories other people eat to be successful at weight loss?

yep. that's normal. eventually the loss will plateau.

If that happens I will adjust accordingly, but right now I am sticking to what is working for me.

So.... I read ten pages of this last night, went to bed, slept for 8 hours, went for a run, came back and you guys are still banging on about this? Quit trolling and go lift heavy **** or whatever it is that you do when you're not arguing with random people on the internet.

My summary

1.Some people who are slim, short, old, have medical problems or other exceptional circumstances may need to eat 1200 a day to lose weight, are doing so and are doing fine. (I am one of these people FWIW)
2.Some people who are none of those things (and some who are) COULD be eating heaps more, lifiting heavy, losing weight and doing fine. And many are.
3. Lots of people are lost in the middle - probably should be doing what the second group say but instead are doing what the first group do despite 400,000 threads telling them to rethink their decision, this has degenrated into 20 pages of argument about why each group is wrong? Is that it?

Have fun klds. I'm going to pack my lunch and go to work