I seem can't meet 1200 calories a day

This "problem" has been addressed in many, many threads that you can easily search for. Short answer, eat more.
At some point you knew how to get to 1200 calories and even higher, right?

it might sound backwards but actually when you don't eat enough you start to feel nauseous which kind of dulls your appetite. So you end up not eating enough but feeling like you don't need to eat more because you feel queasy. Also eating more might help your mood problems as would cutting down on caffeine maybe. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant.
As for eating more.... maybe try for less foods that are more calorie dense? Sometimes eating loads of things just to increase calories feels like too much effort. For example having flapjack bars for a snack on the go for lunch, or having porridge with milk for breakfast rather than cornflakes. This is what most people who need to increase their calories for whatever reason (such as E.D. recovery) do. Olive oil is good for you and adds calories, a tbsp (that is, a measuring tbsp so a couple of spoonsful) of olive oil added to your meat and veg would add 120 calories. Or try getting more liquid calories, adding a glass of of fruit juice or smoothie with breakfast and dinner (you can get pretty cheap supermarket own brand 100% fruit juices).
But I do think having a big cup of coffee might be the culprit to why you don't feel hungry for a long time after breakfast

1200 for dinner that sounds about right.

Eat a bigger breakfast. You can easily get in 1200 calories. It isn't hard. I don't believe that a bowl of cereal holds you all day. What the hell kind of cereal is it?

2 hard boiled eggs = 140 calories
1 whole grain english muffin = 120 calories
2 tbsp peanut butter = 200 calories
1 banana = 105 calories
1 cup strawberry halves = 55 calories

TOTAL = 620 calories

Filling, and gets you half of your target in one meal.

Of course, you could eat 500 for breakfast, 500 for dinner and one 200 calorie snack. A banana with 1 tbsp of peanut butter is about 200 calories. Delicious, easy and quick.

I see these ridiculous posts and it infuriates me! 1200 cals is not enough for any human to live long term on! Everyone has an off day and might not each much- but to say you cant eat 1200 cals on a long term basis- please.

Do some research- learn how to take care of your body whether you can cook or heat up the oven!

Please try to start eating more. There was a day recently where you only ate a little over 600 calories. This is not enough. Eat peanut butter, nuts, some dark chocolate, something. I think 1200 is so low to begin with but when you aren't even reaching that, you need to work on getting there first.

I am not trying to assume but is this a mind over matter thing? Are you telling yourself you are not hungry? Because no one should be able to eat only 600 calories a day, work out and still not be hungry.

How heavy are you?
If you are heavy..you couldn't have had trouble eating enough calories in the first place?

Say hello to my little friends - the jar of peanut butter and a spoon.

This! :blushing:

I agree! I have some natural PB that I keep handy for when I do a late workout and should be eating but don't feel like it. Rare occasion, but it happens!

You are barely eating. Tea is not a snack. A malteser bar is not lunch. Add some real food, preferably food with some nutritional value, lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains, fruit.
I know you want to lose weight bu it will be very difficult to maintain weight loss and keep it off if you wreck yor metabolism in the meantime.
Hungar is not a reliable cue. People who starve themselves, literally, often don't feel hunger. Make an effort to eat several meals (however many you chose, 3,4, 6) and make an effort to make them balanced meals. You'll find it easier to reach your goal.

bring some seeds or nuts with you to eat during or in between classes, or fruit with pb. start making lunches even if it is just a sandwich or a salad with added protein, and some full fat cottage cheese or yogurt on the side. bring hard boiled eggs with you too. you just have to get used to eating again

By the way, if you can drink juice during the day, you can drink water too.

I drink around two glasses of cordial (that's what I meant by juice) a day if I'm thirsty because I don't like the taste of water. (I know people will say 'water doesn't taste of anything' but it does, it tastes like water.) But not every day.
I now feel like I need to sit back and actually look at what I'm doing wrong; I'm wondering if I'm ignoring what my body's saying, because I've just come over all thirsty (Still not hungry though).

They make plenty of non-sugar additive, low-cal drink mixes that you can put into your water to make it taste like something. I normally drink water, but have tried a ton of the "energy" branded powders you mix with water to replace my former soda addiction. I started with sugar and caffeine ones, but found out there are plenty out there that are more vitamin based with no sugar or caffeine... maybe that could be your answer for drinking more water?

as for consuming more calories, its been said a few times, but Peanut Butter. Put it on a spoon, put it on bread, put it with some dark chocolate, whatever! Some additional good snacks could include granola, nuts, dried fruits, healthy (low sugar) granola bars, baked or popped chips, whole grain bread products, yogurt...

I think your relationship with food is also very negative which is a mental hurdle for your eating. Think of food as fuel. You need to eat that calorie number to fuel your body... To allow you to be sharp mentally, to be able to exercise... It doesn't matter when you eat the calories, spreading them out through smaller meals spaced 3-4 hours apart might be easier than trying to eat a huge breakfast, feel miserable, and then try and eat another big dinner... But its fuel, count your calories and force yourself to eat if you aren't getting there.

Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey, it is ultimately extremely rewarding.

Make shakes for breakfast. Mine this morning was 412 calories. Even without the added protein, it still would have been close to 300 and I got 2 servings of fruit and 1 of vegetables. As has already been suggested, carry around single servings of nuts, peanut butter and a spoon, avocado, cheese. Eat something for lunch. Even if you aren't hungry. Another shake. A sandwich. A bag of carrots. 1200 calories isn't enough for anyone. Especially someone who is working out regularly. You are killing your metabolism and burning muscle when you work out. You have obviously spent several years training your body to not be hungry during the day. Now you need to take the time to reverse that. I know it can be done because I did it. I realize you are busy and on a schedule. I know that makes it difficult. I'm a single mom raising three kids, working two jobs and going to school. If I can find the time and money to eat, you can.

I'm a university student which means I have live cheaply and don't have any cooking skills whatsoever (I get stressed cooking a frozen pizza), so making big meals with lots of ingredients just doesn't happen.
I always thought I'd been going way over my calorie limit when I tried calculating it myself throughout the day but then I started putting the stuff I eat on here and I realised I'd been adding at least 50 calories to the things I was eating just to be safe. This left me with well over 200 uneaten calories by the end of the day.
The easiest thing to do would be to have lunch, but I'm never hungry in the afternoon; I have cereal and coffee for breakfast and that's me full until around 5pm and then I can only just make it to 500 calories for that meal.
I also aim to burn 500 calories a day through exercise (I took a break yesterday because a new type of exercise killed my calves) so I really do need to reach 1200 calories.
Is there a way to make yourself hungry or add a few hundred calories without eating much? (this sounds like a stupid question but I can't even bring myself to have a drink of water never mind eat something after breakfast until I'm really really hungry in the evening).

If 1200 calories is what MFP gives you before exercise and you burn 500 calories from exercise then if you follow MFP you should eat 1200 calories (which is already at a deficit to lose) plus your exercise calories which means you should be eating closer to 1700 calories total. 1200 rec. Before exercise minus 500 from exercise leave you with a net of 700 calories. In this case you will still be under eating.

If you can't or won't feed your body enough to even function properly please don't add exercise on top of that. You won't be doing yourself any favors.

It makes no sense to me when people claim they can't properly fuel their body. If you aren't eating enough then eat more. If you are seriously stuffed on 600 calories you should probably see your doctor because it isn't normal and it isn't healthy.

I grab those kellogs cereal bars that give a lot of nutrition. Another thing to do is grab some orange juice, juice or some that you can travel with easily. You have to try and eat. I know its hard but you will feel better in the long run.