1200 Calories

Hi, I understand your issue, but the truth is, yes, it is bad for you. Your body won't function on less calories just coz you don't feel hungry, especially if you have a work out routine thats quite intense. It will eventually catch up to you and will cause more harm in the long run. I suggest you find something helathy to add to your diet that will increase your calories. Smoothies maybe? They are healthy, delish and high in calories. Good luck

Of course, I'm not a doctor or anything close, but you sound like you're being perfectly healthy to me

nope

Some people will say yes. They drive me crazy. They say that without knowing your lifestyle or stats. My nutritionist advised me it is just fine for my medical conditions and my age. Don't let people discourage you. If you want reassurance then I would check with your doctor. So many people bashed me for the 1200 calories I went to get peace of mind. I wish you the best of luck.

i eat fruit, veg and fish but the calories are just not much in what i eat. I find it hard to eat over 1200 sometimes I will have a treat though only rare. If I'm not hungry does this matter too much? If i get hungry i will make sure i grab something small to eat.

I'm not going to tell you to eat if you are truly not hungry, but its very easy to add calories that are still healthy and 1200 really should be your minimum. Nuts are a calorie dense food that also delivers healthy fats, which you need. 25 pistachio nuts is a little under 100 calories of delicious healthy goodness with some protein. Add some avocado to a salad, also good fats, and yummyyy. Eating well and trying to lose weight doesn't mean cutting out everything that has calories and fat. You WANT fats. you WANT some calorie dense foods. Yes, LOTS of lean proteins and veggies... but don't cut things out just because they aren't low-cal/fat/carb. We need that stuff too.

Hey guys,

I've been eating 1200 calories for a few months now. Lost quite a bit. I joined the gym too so it's sped up my loss but I think I am building some muscle now as i do weights aswell as cardio. My Issue is the fact i'm not eating enough or does it not matter? I don't feel hungry, i eat fruit, veg and fish but the calories are just not much in what i eat. I find it hard to eat over 1200 sometimes I will have a treat though only rare. If I'm not hungry does this matter too much? If i get hungry i will make sure i grab something small to eat.

I used to eat pizza, drink coke and eat anything bad for me but now i will just look away I have strong willpower but I feel good for it. I tend to not eat back my exercise calories as i'm not that hungry as I said though I wont starve myself as I wish to be healthy.

3 questions

1 - Do you know what your Maintenance calories are? (TDEE)
2 - Why/how did you pick 1200?
3 - how much protein are you eating?

I am building some muscle now as i do weights aswell as cardio

FYI to grow muscles sensibly you need a fuel surplus. When you're on a calorie deficit the point of working out the muscles is to get stronger and preserve what you have. You don't hulk on a bunch of muscle. Though a lot of people think they do because as they lose fat and size they get more defined. If you keep long term measurements you'll find the trend is you're getting smaller and your muscles are not getting larger because with weight loss you lose fat and muscle, you don't grow either. Mass gains are usually temporary and water related while your body repairs you from exercise etc.

And I try to hover far above the evil 1200 calorie minimum but that's just me. I tried it and started losing hair and nails even though I felt fine and never hungry for the longest while...but cold. Pretty sure it was more of a survival mechanism more then anything based on the studies I've read. Not to mention I lost the same amount when I upped my calories. Also a lot of people think they're eating 1200 calories but when they measure things in grams they find they're eating allot more. The other thing to think about on such a large calorie deficit is injuries. When you don't fuel your body with enough energy to repair your muscles, the chance you will become injured becomes much higher. Be careful. The choice is up to you but there are alternatives.

This thread might be of interest to you. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/920094-success-stories-from-1200-calorie-dieters-wanted

It's a collection of MFP members who've had success at 1200 calories, and you'll notice that the majority of them are about twice your age or more.

Enjoy the benefits of youth and the metabolism of an Energizer Bunny. You can eat - should eat - significantly more than someone twice your age. Your body needs it to fuel your workouts.

I have lost 20 pounds i started at 195 lb now i'm at 176lb and seem to be dropping fast I'm also 5'5 in height.

With a moderate activity level, your TDEE is roughly 2506, based on this website, http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html. At that level, you are functioning on a 1300 calorie deficit. That is fine in the short term, but in the long term, your body will see that 1300 calorie deficit as a potential risk to starvation. As a result, the body will produce hormones to make you feel hungrier and to make your body perform exercise more efficiently. It could lead to a plateau. Make certain you are getting a sufficient amount of unsaturated fats in your diet.

No one can really tell you what is best for you. All we can do is share our knowledge and allow you to make the most appropriate decision for yourself. However, based off of what you shared, I do not believe you are eating enough calories to sustain your weight loss in the long term. I would recommend making an adjustment to your calorie goal.

3 questions

1 - Do you know what your Maintenance calories are? (TDEE)
2 - Why/how did you pick 1200?
3 - how much protein are you eating?

I echo these questions.

Secondly, never eat based on hunger cues when assuming a chronic calorie deficit since leptin values drop and the receptors become less reliable in noticing adjustments. Eat based on known energy needs + deficit.

Lastly, eat the kinds of foods you want to eat during maintenance. You need not make radical changes to reduce fat mass; in fact, people who do are usually ones who do not handle the mental stress of restriction all that well which causes poor compliance.

This! Don't let the hunger gremlin get you...I mean hunger ghrelin...Seriously google scholar the hormone ghrelin. It's an interesting creature. If you don't produce this, you don't feel hungry, even if you're starving to death.