You Really CAN Eat More!!

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bonitacash08
bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know I've seen a few posts and dozens of comments about this topic but I feel like we can't say it enough: You really can eat more than 1200 calories and lose weight.

I started off doing the same thing as most women here; eating 1200 calories and working out like a crazy person. Because I'm short and young it didn't really hit me hard until about 2 and a half months in, but once my body caught up with it, I became irritable (even more so than usual), tired, and lost my desire for.. you know.. Which my boyfriend was NOT pleased about lol. I recently read New Rules of Lifting for Women and used the calculator in the book provided and figured my TDEE to be around 1900 calories. I could eat almost 1600 and still lose! (And I plan to :happy: ).

My point is this: even if you're not hungry (I wasn't), even if yo don't have hair falling out or bags under your eyes (I didn't), there are other pretty bad side effects of not eating enough. Do I think you'll end up in the hospital in a few months on 1200 calories? No. But it could get you there eventually. At best you'll just be miserable.

Have a great day folks and happy eating!
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Replies

  • Gracie1214
    Gracie1214 Posts: 120 Member
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    Amen ! :smile:
  • kaa02c
    kaa02c Posts: 103 Member
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    Girl I feel you, hubby just didn't understand why I just didn't want to you know what! I didn't have the energy to, because it would use what little bit of energy I did consume during the day. Needless to say I upped mine to 1600 as well.
  • jq526
    jq526 Posts: 10 Member
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    1200 just makes me crash and then want to eat like crazy!
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I top 2k calories daily and am proud of it. That won't always be the case of course, as I continue to shrink, but even at my goal weight if I am active enough I think I can swing 16-1800 cals and be fine :)
  • StacieHof
    StacieHof Posts: 97 Member
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    So true!!!!:happy:
  • just_fur_luck
    just_fur_luck Posts: 141 Member
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    Girl I feel you, hubby just didn't understand why I just didn't want to you know what! I didn't have the energy to, because it would use what little bit of energy I did consume during the day. Needless to say I upped mine to 1600 as well.

    Check out this thread. Guaranteed to improve... you know what!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/963088-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    It would also be helpful if people would understand that if they do decide to go the 1200 calorie route, it's not 1200 gross calories; you're supposed to eat back exercise calories as per the MFP method (NEAT method). That in itself would solve a lot of problems. In reality though, a 2 Lb per week weight loss goal should be reserved for the obese. Way too many people here wanting to lose a handful of cosmetic Lbs being way too aggressive.
  • HannahJDiaz25
    HannahJDiaz25 Posts: 329 Member
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    I agree! I recently came to the exact same conclusion. I was tired, wasnt losing fat OR gaining muscle. I was grumpy and never had energy!
    No I eat 1600 and I'm a different person and I am losing fat and gaining muscle! YAY!! I wish I would not have wasted 2 years of "dieting!" Those 400 cal make a HUGE difference.
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
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    It would also be helpful if people would understand that if they do decide to go the 1200 calorie route, it's not 1200 gross calories; you're supposed to eat back exercise calories as per the MFP method (NEAT method). That in itself would solve a lot of problems. In reality though, a 2 Lb per week weight loss goal should be reserved for the obese. Way too many people here wanting to lose a handful of cosmetic Lbs being way too aggressive.

    That's totally true. With the amount of exercising I do I should have eaten more like 1400-1600 calories a day in reality. But I didn't. I only ate 1200 gross because (and this is just my opinion) people who choose the 1200 route when they have less than a certain amount of weight to lose aren't interested in doing it the healthy way. They are interested in doing it the fast way. (***JUST my opinion)
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    Also eating at 1200 is not good for women. You can lose your period and screw up your hormones. Not good.
  • kts3639
    kts3639 Posts: 188 Member
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    Agreed! I eat between 2100 and 2300 calories/day, and I've lost 24 lbs. in about 10 weeks! I don't eat my exercise calories back as I am using the TDEE -20% method. If I were to eat 1200 calories/day, I would be incredibly cranky :/
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
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    Great post. Wonderful that you pointed out that you don't have to have "extreme" symptoms to still need more nuttrients and calories.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    Also why 1200. MFP had my husband and I were supposed to both eat around 1200 calories. Craziness.
  • clareabow
    clareabow Posts: 17 Member
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    Well ive been on 1200 for few weeks ... my last weigh in id put on 2 lb ! So i think wasnt eating enough ! so im now upping to 1500 a day see if this is better for me ! wish me luck !!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I will never understand why people join MFP but then don't follow the plan. MFP does not recommend anyone eat 1200 calories and exercise like crazy.
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
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    Well ive been on 1200 for few weeks ... my last weigh in id put on 2 lb ! So i think wasnt eating enough ! so im now upping to 1500 a day see if this is better for me ! wish me luck !!

    Good Luck :wink:
  • ScottishMrs
    ScottishMrs Posts: 254 Member
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    I will never understand why people join MFP but then don't follow the plan. MFP does not recommend anyone eat 1200 calories and exercise like crazy.

    What they need is an instruction page that people can refer to that tells them that they are to NET the 1200 cals by eating back exercise cals. I don't remember anything ever telling me that at the beginning and then when I asked for help on the forum everyone jumped down my throat telling me I wasn't eating enough and I didn't know that I was supposed to eat them back. I thought it was optional.
  • KtotheD78
    KtotheD78 Posts: 58 Member
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    Yeah, 1200 is no good for me. I workout at least 3 times a week and even though I have a sedentary job and am not hardcore with the workouts, I still need at least 1500 calories per day. At least!
  • lizziebubs
    lizziebubs Posts: 9
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    I was doing this exact same thing...you read about eating more to loss more and it just doesn't make sense...but then you read the posts from people like you saying it's right and to start eating more...i tried to explain this to my boyfriend but he can't get it. thinks its all wrong, which is frustrating for me because I am trying to understand the programme and be better at it to lose but he thinks i'm doing it wrong!!

    However, i'm doing it and he doesn't need to understand it. Slowly increasing my intake!
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
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    I will never understand why people join MFP but then don't follow the plan. MFP does not recommend anyone eat 1200 calories and exercise like crazy.

    What they need is an instruction page that people can refer to that tells them that they are to NET the 1200 cals by eating back exercise cals. I don't remember anything ever telling me that at the beginning and then when I asked for help on the forum everyone jumped down my throat telling me I wasn't eating enough and I didn't know that I was supposed to eat them back. I thought it was optional.

    It's definitely a topic that gets discussed a lot and I think sometimes people who've been on here longer or maybe have some kind of background in nutrition get tired of answering the same questions over and over.

    However, with that being said, I think these forums are here to help everyone with their goals. I see a LOT of posts with people struggling with eating 1200 and not losing weight. I figure if there are still people posting those questions/concerns, there's always room for a post like this. If I can help just one more person, I'll feel good about maybe irritating a few. :laugh:

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