A Success story from someone who eats 1200 calories

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  • Sizethree4Ever
    Sizethree4Ever Posts: 120 Member
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    I make everything from scratch as I have to limit sodium. I just put each ingredient in the food tracker. If I make soup and all ingreds. come to 1200 cals and I have 6 svgs, I know each serving is 200 cals. I can delete my initial entries and add the adjusted measurements.

    I was eating the same food, even though I cook for my family almost every day, because I wasn`t sure how many calories in each serving. I just bought a digital food scale and I will start using the recipe builder. Can`t wait to eat home cooked meals instead of sandwiches and canned soups.
  • goingdown155
    goingdown155 Posts: 4 Member
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    That;'s weird because I find it easier to keep my calorie and nutrition info when I cook at home. I really don't trust a lot of the nutrtion reports from the chains. You can eat a lot of food on 1200 calories if it's the right food. I've been doing it about 3 years now. Of course some days are 1400 and others are 2200! But I'm from 228 to 155. It takes a lot of planning. And less eating out, which I do really enjoy. But seeing myself in the mirror feels better!
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    Okay people, I mean no disrespect to the OP or anyone that has responded, but cant we all just agree that there are people that can lose at 1200 and others at 2000? And what works for you is best for you.

    Unfortunately not, that is too hard for some of the folks on here.
  • joe7880
    joe7880 Posts: 92 Member
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    Congrats on your loss!
    Can you detail how much body fat vs lean muscle lost since you started?
    Do you have progress photos?
    Can we see your progress thru this journey?

    I'm asking because most women "want" weight loss but really "need" fat loss.
    So eating 1200 calories will help you lose "weight" but the end result can sometimes leave one lighter but not really with less fat.
    Do you catch my drift?

    If you do calculations on body fat and you are at goal weight but with 25% or higher BF, you probably should evaluate what your end goal should be and work to fix it now.

    Congrats on your weight loss.

    The scale isn't budging for me much lately but my pants are looser, arms a little bigger (very little), and I feel more nimble. Plus my blood work is just awesome. So there is more than one way to measure success.
  • Shaylyn1986
    Shaylyn1986 Posts: 164 Member
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    I am so glad I got out of the "1200 calorie" mentality. Or the "I don't exercise" mentality.

    Over the past 6 weeks, I have learned that I like to eat good, healthy foods and enjoy regular exercise. And what's more, I love how I feel when I eat good and exercise good. At 1700 calories.

    I would love to eat 1700 calories and spend hours working out a day but I work an IT job 9-5 then come home and do grad school so time is tight. I get in a good 30-45 on the elliptical 3-4 days a week and reduce my calories to make up for the lack of exercise. :D I don't think that 1200 calories for 5'2 is dangerous, wrong, or unhealthy. Just my opinion of 4 years doing it.
  • JenniferMary_9169
    JenniferMary_9169 Posts: 164
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    bump
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    This entire thread pains me. I am a previous 1200-calorie consumer. Yes, 1200 is a great way to lose weight - it's just about fail-proof. However, LONG-TERM thinking, 1200 cals a day is not good. Your body needs more than this just to function if you do anything besides laying in bed all day long.

    State the obvious.

    No one on 1200 calories is intending to eat that much their whole life. Neither would anyone eating 1500, or even 2000. Once you have lost your excess fat, you change your calories so you're no longer at a deficit. I have no idea why people keep assuming that 1200 calories, or any of the other calorie deficit plans, are for LIFE when they are in fact a DIET.

    Where's the eye roll smilie when you need one, eh?
    WOW! Common sense, who woulda thunk it :happy:

    I know, right.

    If someone is going to eat at a calorie deficit their WHOLE LIFE, then surely it doesn't even matter what number of calories they choose, as long as they have a deficit.

    A life-long calorie deficit is extremely dangerous and can be done at any number. Mentioning 1,200 calories is irrelevant.

    That would also be called an eating disorder.

    tumblr_inline_mglpirupXd1ro2d43.gif
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    Observation: OP started account in December 2012. It's April 2013 and the account has been deactivated.

    They probably got bashed. These 1200 calorie threads tend to bring out a lot of hate. :smile:

    If by "bashed", you mean, "questioned", and by "hate", you mean, "disagreement, much of it based on negative personal experience", then yes, I completely agree.



    You might see it as disagreement but "1200" people often see it as bashing.

    Actually, OP made a new account a while ago, and is still doing GREAT.
  • LyndaTay
    LyndaTay Posts: 48 Member
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    Thank you for posting this. I am at 1200 calories a day and it is very hard to achieve that many calories. I am eating healthier, watching portions, eating a LOT of vegetables and still have a hard time eating 1200. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. I do not consume my exercise calories. I started MFP on March 18 and have lost a total of 10 pounds. Prior to this, I would usually eat 1 meal and 1 snack a day. My body has been in starvation mode for YEARS. I don't deny myself anything. What I want, I eat just now within moderation.
  • FITNLUVINIT
    FITNLUVINIT Posts: 119 Member
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    I started out a year ago eating 1400-1500 calories and hit the gym 4 to 5 days a week and as of today I have lost 60lbs. I am 48 almost 49 years old so it can be done. Sometimes I eat back my calories when I work out other days I do not. Really taking it slow so I hopefully be at my goal weight by my birthday. I started out at 249lbs. It can be done but to each his own just have to do what works best for each person.
  • dusksky33
    dusksky33 Posts: 1
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    im at 1200 calories and i have lost 35 lbs in 2 months.....and I am not hungry I make sure all the food i eat is healthy and filling and I also will have a cheat day every wed. I do work a job where i walk a lot and swim,i have only been to the gym a few times. But i will be going to the gym a lot more now to get over my weight loss hump..and then I may adjust to eat more calories just to stay fit :) GREAT JOB EVERYONE!! remember not all our bodies are the same so what works fro you may not work for someone else :)
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Just to put it out there - the OP has deactivated.
  • agulamali
    agulamali Posts: 44 Member
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    Congrats on your weight loss! 1,200 calories will produce a calorie deficit for most people. If you're eating 1,200 calories per day on average, you are bound to lose weight over time. They trick is finding an eating plan to be able to stick with it long enough to see results.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Okay people, I mean no disrespect to the OP or anyone that has responded, but cant we all just agree that there are people that can lose at 1200 and others at 2000? And what works for you is best for you. There's really no need for the 1200 bashing or saying 1200 is best for everyone. Each person has a different lifestyle, different level of activity, etc. I would personally gain at 2000 unless I changed up my activity level a bit, sometimes 1200 will do it for me, and sometimes I feel I'd starve if I didn't eat more than1500- and I'm just one person.

    Congratulations to all who have lost weight and are living healthy, regardless of how many calories. Let's just support each other. If something's not working for you, try something else. We should be here for help and support, not telling people they're wrong when what they're doing is working.

    No, we all have to follow TDEE - 20% or you will be taken to the Gulag!
  • trevvian
    trevvian Posts: 9 Member
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    I started cutting carbs in December, without tracking, in an attempt to FEEL BETTER than the wild blood sugar swings I was having. When I realized I was actually successfully losing weight, I got motivated to start tracking in March. I didn't change my eating habits, but found I rarely exceed 1200 calories. I wouldn't know what else to eat. I have 3 meals & a snack every day, maybe an extra serving of tuna after a strength workout. There's nothing wrong with eating 1200 calories, especially if your TDEE is only 1680, like mine.
  • charliemarie923
    charliemarie923 Posts: 275 Member
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    Ive only read two pages of this thread but....
    MFP told me to eat 1200 cals a day, so did web MD but when i mentioned it in one of my first ever posts i got thrashed!!
    I was told i should eat minimum BMR or 20% less than TDEE.
    My BMR is 1512...thats an extra meal to what MFP told me.
    And my TDEE is 1872

    so...in response i upped my cals to that of my BMR..
    After seeing this thread i am very confused and wondering who to listen to.
    Ive been here less than a week, so cant really tell if the diet is working yet or not.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    This thread scares me
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    All snark aside, I would LOVE to hear from a 1200 weight loser who has kept off their weight for 2-5 years. And how much they have to eat to maintain their overall loss.

    ARE YOU OUT THERE? DO YOU EVEN EXIST?? :flowerforyou: I have a flower for you since a cookie will probably put you over goal (ok that last part was a bit snarky but DID I LIE THO?)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Ive only read two pages of this thread but....
    MFP told me to eat 1200 cals a day, so did web MD but when i mentioned it in one of my first ever posts i got thrashed!!
    I was told i should eat minimum BMR or 20% less than TDEE.
    My BMR is 1512...thats an extra meal to what MFP told me.
    And my TDEE is 1872

    so...in response i upped my cals to that of my BMR..
    After seeing this thread i am very confused and wondering who to listen to.
    Ive been here less than a week, so cant really tell if the diet is working yet or not.

    find what works for you and stick to it..some people use TDEE - whatever percent and do well and some people do 1200 and do well on that ..

    whatever you choose stick with it for four to six weeks and see what the results are..I think the problem is that people bounce from program to program with no real understanding of what they are doing and then never get results because they do not stick with one program for long enough...
  • kellyjkaylor
    kellyjkaylor Posts: 30
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    i started 6.5 months ago on 1360, I am now down to 1250 and have lost 55 lbs, very few days am I hungry, my body has adjusted and I feel so much better!

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