success stories from 1200 calorie dieters wanted

But pretty please, with sugar on top, don't go into a thread from a much younger, much more active person who's struggling to lose weight and suggest that "1200 is just fine" because it's fine for you. Please at least state your stats to that person, so they have some kind of perspective.

Lorina, I have never done this, nor have I really ever seen anyone else do this. I will defend a person's right to eat at a calorie level that is right for them, and is working for them. Whatever that level is. I would never tell you that you are eating too much, because what you are doing is working for YOU.

Thank you for the compliments. :flowerforyou:

But I have seen women do that. There's been a number of times I've seen, "My TDEE-20% is 1000 calories," and you go into the profile to see that they're something like 101 pounds and 60-some years old. Well, sure someone older and tiny is going to have a lower calorie requirement, but they also shouldn't be eating at a 20% cut at 101 pounds.

I totally agree with you that advice should be customized to the individuals needs. However, recent changes to this site in the name of "privacy" have made that more difficult. (Can't search posts from users with private profiles.) Personally, I think it would be a great thing if we could have some basic stats, like starting weight,current weight, goal weight, age, height, etc. as part of the side bar under our avatar and username. Lots of people used to have that kind of info in their sig line, but then some also had three screen-scrolls worth of animated gifs and tickers, and it got nutty.

I like helping people avoid mistakes I've made. Maybe sometimes I'm too vague, and if that's the case, I should be more specific. I think that's a trap a lot of us fall into when we've been here a while. We see the same things and post the same things so many times that we tend to gloss over a lot. I think if someone finds what I have to say interesting, they'll click my profile and see everything laid out that they could ever possibly want to know.

Personally, no, I didn't have much weight to lose. But my whole family had battled obesity, with varying degrees of success. I'm lucky not only in that I nipped my weight gain in the bud, but I also was able to see, through my family, what's worked and what hasn't. The ones who did extreme diets to lose always gained it back. The ones who accept regular exercise and moderation in diet as part of their life have more or less kept it off. There might be some fluctuation, but within the normal range. And two of us have come to enjoy regular exercise and can't live without it. I never, ever thought that would be me. :laugh: I was the girl who almost didn't graduate high school because I skipped so much gym class! For me, of all people, to not only exercise regularly but ENJOY it is a miracle of miracles.

I know not everyone can do what I can do. But everyone can strive to do just a little bit more than they were doing. It's worth it.

I, too, don't always understand the criticism associated with 1,200 calorie/day diets. I think it makes sense for many women, especially those who are on the short side, like me. At the beginning of my weight loss journey, I ate roughly 1200 calories a day for several months and more recently since this past January had bumped it up to around 1300. I decided to bring it back down to 1200 today due to experiencing a plateau for a couple of months. I still eat around 1200-1300 every day but the ultimate # depends on many factors. I listen to my body. If I am hungry and my body is telling me it needs nourishment, I will eat. If I am satisfied after having 1200 calories that day, I stop. Similarly, if I exercise a lot that day and burn more calories, I will eat more. I think 1200 works for some people and if you recognize it does not work for you, then by all means bump up the calories. It all varies person to person. I don't think it is fair for some people to react wildly to those who choose to follow a 1200 calorie diet.

I have lost 98 pounds since January 2012 and I feel that I have done it in a very healthy way. Feel free to add me!

175lbs


150lbs

Have lost another 15lbs since on 1200 cals a day plus exercise cals am now working on weights to tone up and do not want to get to a lower weight

if anyone can work out the photo links lol!

Good job and you look great, but I would prefer more muscle definition. Not sure you can get that at 1200 calories.
Thoughts?

This is quite possibly the rudest comment I have ever read (not the first sentence-the second). Perhaps YOU would prefer to see more muscle definition, perhaps others would too. More muscle definition aligns with YOUR goals. This person posted pics of their success as defined by them and their goals. Just because they don't necessarily align with your goals doesn't make their success invalid. I know she said she's started working with weights to tone. It just makes me angry that someone has put pics of what they consider success and have someone respond with - eh, that's not what I consider success.

Not even addressing the whole notion that people "doing" 1200 must post pics or there's no value or credibility in their success.

We all have different goals, we all are in different places towards reaching those goals. I started out morbidly obese looking fairly similar to the Michelen Man. I now look like my profile pic. I am not "done", but I'm no longer morbidly obese and run 25-30 miles a week. That's success to me and I don't care if that's how you define success. I net 1200 (actually a little under that).

This thread makes me sad.

been working fine for me. i was 246 pounds just this past september.

Have you noticed lose skin? Do you care?

I'm on 1200 calories and have lost 17lbs so far after 3 months. My goal is for weight loss and muscle tone. I'm also 5'2" and maybe a medium frame. The amount of calories someone requires a day is dependent on their activity level and overall body makeup. When I started on MFP I was completely sedentary so my calorie requirements were already low to just sustain my current weight. I never read any of the posts knocking the 1200 calorie plan because calorie count is a very personal thing. Mine life and abilities are different from yours and anyone elses. This site is here to motivate and support those that are trying to hit a health goal. Strings attacking an individual plan does not accomplish that at all.

The biggest Loser Diet calls for 7 calories per pound of current body weight until you reach your target weight. For example I am 207 pounds x 7 = 1,449 calories per day that I should eat. Also, if your current weigh less than 150 pounds. 12 calories per pound will maintain your target body weight. Well, I hope this information can help anyone.

Better than arbitrarily plugging in 1200, i suppose.

Not so much...using that formula I would have to eat less than 1000 calories. I'm just fine with an arbitrary 1200.

My skin hasnt sagged like those pictures thus far with the 20lbs I lost the first time and now the additional 31 I lost this time when I restarted my weight loss...sooo a total of 51lbs and my skin does not look that way.bbuuuuuuttttt I must state there was 2 years or so between thefirst 20 I lost and rrestarting this time for the 31...so maybe that is why I didnt do that but as I said in my previous post I also didnt get bad stretch marks or any saggy skin from pregnancy either...so I may just be a freak of nature lol...however my friend who did the 1200 calories did look like this. I think it depends on the person...how their skin elasticity it...and whatnot...as I said befor 1200 worked for me...I kept off the first 20 no problem and dont feel this 31 will be any different.... it truly depends on the individual and while im having success with this method I understand I am a rarity and would NOT recommend that someone just jump on this path...I had already tried the eating more thing for 3 or so years with no true success (lost maybe 5lbs and hardly no inches yet wasnt feeling stronger either..just felt tired and heavy) before I slowly started decreasing calries to find where I was able to be more ssuccessful. So I would always suggest that people try other methods first before trying something low like 1200 cals...but yes for me it has given good and lasting results...AGAIN I am a freak of nature

It's LOOSE skin, at least get it right before you go around indirectly insulting people.

THE ONLY REASON YOU SEE SO MANY AT 1200, IS BECAUSE THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE FOR WOMEN IN REGARDS TO DAILY CALORIE NEEDS. There is nothing wrong with 1200 cals a day, especially if you are making good choices. I am actually shocked sometimes at the amount of food I can eat in 1 day, and still stay within my calorie limits.

The biggest Loser Diet calls for 7 calories per pound of current body weight until you reach your target weight. For example I am 207 pounds x 7 = 1,449 calories per day that I should eat. Also, if your current weigh less than 150 pounds. 12 calories per pound will maintain your target body weight. Well, I hope this information can help anyone.

Better than arbitrarily plugging in 1200, i suppose.

Not so much...using that formula I would have to eat less than 1000 calories. I'm just fine with an arbitrary 1200.

touche` I guess figuring out your TDEE, and doing a little research on your own nutrition would be ideal then.

If I feel hungry after my calorie goal for the day, I will eat. and hopefully I make the right decisions and eat healthy. Also stop eating after supper. Eating before bedtime adds pounds.

Eating before bedtime adds pounds.

*headdesk*

been working fine for me. i was 246 pounds just this past september.

Have you noticed lose skin? Do you care?

actually no, and im quite surprised. after 5 pregnancies and child births, i really thought id have hanging belly skin. i can actually wear underwear with no "hangage" anymore. i eat 1200 cals a day, have 2 binge days a month, and strength train 3-5 days a week. i went from a size 20 in september to a size 12 currently. my husband was prepared to pay for a mommy make-over, (boob job, tummy tuck, and possibly arms) when i reach goal weight, however, now, being about 25 pounds from my goal weight (im 5 foot 10, 180 pounds, goal is 155) i dont think i will need a tummy tuck, since the "hangage" has diseapeared with the fat. the boobs will need to still be fixed, because i breastfed 5 kids, and they just dont look like i want them to look. other than that, im very happy with my results thus far. you seem very hostile towards women and thier bodies, and i think if you took a step back, and maybe consider the fact that many of us have had children, and our bodies have been through much more than a mans, maybe you would have a little more respect for womens bodies, regardless of if they have a little extra skin or not.

Why do you need to binge if 1200 calories works for you?? Just wondering....

for many reasons. my main reason is because i want to. i want to go out every now and then and eat whatever i want. i want to take my 5 kids to disneyland, and have a big juicy 1500 calorie burger, and 800 calories order of fries, and a 1200 calorie malt for lunch. so, i have 2 days a month, every other saturday infact, that my kids make the plans, and i go where they want to go, and i plurge. because i want to, because it fits my lifestyle. because its working fine for me.

just because im eating at a deficit to lose weight, doesnt mean i like it. i have found a way to eat at a deficit, and still have 2 days a month where i can go over board like a crazy lady, and still lose an average of 8 pounds a month. if it works for me, why question why i do it?

Why do you need to binge if 1200 calories works for you?? Just wondering....

1200 works for everyone, so does starving. If you can have results eating more why don't you. I've lost 80lbs in a year eating between 2200-3000.

175lbs


150lbs

Have lost another 15lbs since on 1200 cals a day plus exercise cals am now working on weights to tone up and do not want to get to a lower weight

if anyone can work out the photo links lol!

Good job and you look great, but I would prefer more muscle definition. Not sure you can get that at 1200 calories.
Thoughts?

This is quite possibly the rudest comment I have ever read (not the first sentence-the second). Perhaps YOU would prefer to see more muscle definition, perhaps others would too. More muscle definition aligns with YOUR goals. This person posted pics of their success as defined by them and their goals. Just because they don't necessarily align with your goals doesn't make their success invalid. I know she said she's started working with weights to tone. It just makes me angry that someone has put pics of what they consider success and have someone respond with - eh, that's not what I consider success.

Not even addressing the whole notion that people "doing" 1200 must post pics or there's no value or credibility in their success.

We all have different goals, we all are in different places towards reaching those goals. I started out morbidly obese looking fairly similar to the Michelen Man. I now look like my profile pic. I am not "done", but I'm no longer morbidly obese and run 25-30 miles a week. That's success to me and I don't care if that's how you define success. I net 1200 (actually a little under that).

This thread makes me sad.

Um, wow! This seems a bit of an over-reaction to me. The responder said the poster in the pics looked great. And they mentioned that they had a different body preference for themselves. How is that rude?

I've gotten this same reaction when I say I don't want as much definition as some women, even if I give them compliments on meeting their own personal goals.

In either instance, why is rude to have a different goal?