I dont understand why I need to eat 1200 calories when Im fi

eating only 900 calories will slow your metabolism down. Your body thinks you need to reserve the fats etc... because 900 calories isn't enough for it to survive on. If you up to about 1200 that is enough for your body to be happy and keep the metabolism going. your body is a machine and wants to survive, to do so it will slow down burning calories if it thinks it has to reserve food.

It's a fact that you will lose weight if you drop to 900 or less for a week or so and then your body will react and your metabolism will slow down.. I've tried it myself and it's great when you see the scales moving downwards for the first few days, but then as the above post says.. your body starts to grab and store the calories ready for the 'famine'.. It's always best to eat a little bit more and keep your body healthy whilst you lose the weight in a controlled and slow rate anyway.

I eat 800 to 1000 per day and lose steadily. There's some good material online (written by peer reviewed nutritionists) who explain away the myth of starvation mode. If you don't eat, your body will burn fat. Eating more will not make you lose more weight. Eating more often could, in theory, keep your metabolism active while it is digesting food. But, it would be neglible in effect.

I see by your post that you are fairly new to the MFP forum. You are losing now, but it may not continue. And if it does, good for you, but what about when you want to stop losing and start maintaining? If your metabolism is so slow, you will gain weight like crazy on a small amount of calories.

If you have web sites about the nutritionists, please post them so we can review them. Otherwise, everything I have found to read suggests that starvation mode is real. It may not happen instantly, or may not be apparent until you want to increase your calorie count again, but it does happen.

I agree.. it will almost certainly happen... no-one can sustain a diet of 800 - 100 calories without it having some sort of negative effect of your metabolism.. I've done it.. and thought I was doing great.. then I plateaued for nearly 3 months.. and started to gain weight as well...

There are special diets that allow a very low calorie intake.. like Lighter Life.. but these are strictly monitored and your body gets all the nutrients it needs from the meal replacements.. but on the whole just eating small portions with no control will almost certainly result in your body going into starvation mode.

Where are your calories coming from? If you are getting 800 - 900 calories from nutrient dense sources (clean, organic) then you should be getting enough nutrition - especially if you're just not hungry. I am doing a very low calorie diet along with hcg. I am eating 500 caloires a day and every one of those calories is power packed nutrition. If I had to double - or almost triple my caloric intake with the same kind of nutritious food that I'm getting now, I don't know how I would be able to eat it all.

It's easy to eat 1200 calories when you're splurging on a slice of pizza or pasta or a take out burger. My feeling is it's not how many calories - it's where they come from. My problem is that I got away from clean eating and now I'm paying for it.

I've never had an easy time with the magic 1200 number. Eat lots of small meals, this way you can eat more if you want. On the days when you feel hungry grab more lean protein.

Don't stress over it.

I don't understand where people come up with some of this stuff?

it's virtually impossible to reach your micro nutrient needs on 800 to 900 calories a day unless you are eating some kind of super food that I'm unaware of. And supplements don't cut it, they don't digest the same way in the body and much of the nutrients are flushed out of the body. Show me a diet of 800 calories for a normal adult that is over 5 feet that satisfies both caloric needs and micro nutrient needs and I'll be quite, but you won't be able to.

You can't go on hunger, the human body will adjust to any caloric level because it HAS to in order to survive. Just because you aren't hungry doesn't mean you're eating enough. the body produces hormones to stimulate the "hunger" sensation, after a prolonged period of starvation mode, your body reduces this hormone production, therefore someone eating less than they should consistently may not feel hungry, but they still need the extra calories.

STARVATION MODE IS NOT A MYTH. It's a proven medical condition. Some people perceive starvation mode wrong, and many of the beliefs associated with it are myths, but starvation mode (also called the famine response) is not a myth. Nor is it the same thing as starvation or a starvation diet (3 totally separate things having their own meanings).

Want to read more on it? go to ajcn.org and keyword search starvation mode, you'll find some interesting studies done.

Nutritionists are NOT dietitians. I could, today, post a sign on my door saying I am a nutritionist and be perfectly legal, just because you call yourself a nutritionist doesn't mean you are all knowing about food. Dietitians are required to be certified and maintain certification, they require accreditation and internship. Check the credentials before you follow their advice.

1200 calories is quite low. it's the number the World Health Organization came up with in the 80's after doing a WORLD wide study. It's also for FEMALES only. It is the number of calories on average, needed by women to stave off micro nutrient based malnutrition. NOTE this is the MINIMUM AVERAGE needed. Some very small women can get away with slightly less, but most can't , and if you can help it, nobody should be trying to get below it. It also assumes a relatively balanced diet that satisfies all the micro nutrient needs.

if 1200 calories and exercise calories is confusing, go to the general message board, there are some sticky posts in there that you should read, they will explain things in more detail.

listen.. 1200 is already a deficit! ur body needs more than that just to survive.....
1200 in the minimum u can put ur body thru tho.
i was in the saaaaame case as u a couple of months ago. and when i worked out i refused to eat my exercise cals.
so i was like "what do i have to lose?!"
i listened to MFP and ate my calories for a week.
ive been losing consistently ever since!!!! =]

i used to eat 3 times a day... no i eat 5-6.
still, stick to clean, healthy foods but up ur calories and ull see the difference!

I can do better than this, but I just have time for something quick. Here's a nutrient dense plan. I use no butter or oil when I cook. Only organic spices that have no calories. I drink water, iced tea or something natural with no calories.
This is just a basic idea of "how" someone can live on 900 calories a day. I know this will be picked apart andsomeone will say, well chat about bread or ketchup or whatever. Those are personal choices. You can easily add organic, whole grain bread and up it by another 100 calories or so, but that still keeps you below the 1,200 mark.

Don't want to spark a debate, but I just don't think everyone "needs" a magic number of calories. We all need to do what we feel is best and support each other.

Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Fiber Sodium
Spinach - Raw, 0.5 cup 3 1 0 0 0 12
Fresh Fruit - Strawberry, 0.5 cup sliced 27 6 0 1 2 1
Eggland's Best - Vegetarian Fed Hens - Eggs - Large- 100 Mg Omega 3 Pe Egg, 1 egg 70 0 4 6 0 60
Crystal Farms - All Whites Liquid Egg Whites, 1/4 cup 30 1 0 6 0 95
Add Food | Remember Meal 130 8 4 13 2 168
Snack
Chobani - Non-Fat Greek Yogurt, Plain, 6 oz (170g) 100 7 0 18 0 70
Add Food | Remember Meal 100 7 0 18 0 70
Lunch
Generic - Broccoli Rabe, 1 cup 30 3 0 3 2 45
Beef - Round, top, lean only, prime, raw (London Broil, Minute Steak, Round Steak), 4 oz 173 0 7 26 0 59
Add Food | Remember Meal 203 3 7 29 2 104
Snack
Pear - Anjou Pear, 1 Pear 100 25 1 1 5 0
Polly O - String Cheese 2%, 1 stick 70 1 4 8 0 220
Add Food | Remember Meal 170 26 5 9 5 220
Dinner
Asparagus - Raw, 200 g 40 8 0 4 4 4
Chicken - Breast, Boneless, Skinless, Broiled, 1 serving (3 oz.) 130 0 2 28 0 25
Add Food | Remember Meal 170 8 2 32 4 29
Snack
Fresh Fruit - Medium Orange, 1 whole 60 21 0 2 4 0
Alessi - Thin Breadsticks, 9 breadsticks 110 22 2 3 1 280
Add Food | Remember Meal 170 43 2 5 5 280

Totals 943 calories 95 carb 20 fat 106 protein 18 fiber 871 sodium

this is WELL below on many micro nutrients, but let's stick to what you have listed so you don't feel picked apart. 871 sodium is far below recommended for an adult unless you have high blood pressure, and fiber is also well below recommended for a normal person. I am at work and can't really dig into this but after 2 minutes I found this. Besides, this doesn't satisfy caloric needs.

I learned a lot reading everyone post very interesting.

I don't understand where people come up with some of this stuff?

it's virtually impossible to reach your micro nutrient needs on 800 to 900 calories a day unless you are eating some kind of super food that I'm unaware of. And supplements don't cut it, they don't digest the same way in the body and much of the nutrients are flushed out of the body. Show me a diet of 800 calories for a normal adult that is over 5 feet that satisfies both caloric needs and micro nutrient needs and I'll be quite, but you won't be able to.

You can't go on hunger, the human body will adjust to any caloric level because it HAS to in order to survive. Just because you aren't hungry doesn't mean you're eating enough. the body produces hormones to stimulate the "hunger" sensation, after a prolonged period of starvation mode, your body reduces this hormone production, therefore someone eating less than they should consistently may not feel hungry, but they still need the extra calories.

STARVATION MODE IS NOT A MYTH. It's a proven medical condition. Some people perceive starvation mode wrong, and many of the beliefs associated with it are myths, but starvation mode (also called the famine response) is not a myth. Nor is it the same thing as starvation or a starvation diet (3 totally separate things having their own meanings).

Want to read more on it? go to ajcn.org and keyword search starvation mode, you'll find some interesting studies done.

Nutritionists are NOT dietitians. I could, today, post a sign on my door saying I am a nutritionist and be perfectly legal, just because you call yourself a nutritionist doesn't mean you are all knowing about food. Dietitians are required to be certified and maintain certification, they require accreditation and internship. Check the credentials before you follow their advice.

1200 calories is quite low. it's the number the World Health Organization came up with in the 80's after doing a WORLD wide study. It's also for FEMALES only. It is the number of calories on average, needed by women to stave off micro nutrient based malnutrition. NOTE this is the MINIMUM AVERAGE needed. Some very small women can get away with slightly less, but most can't , and if you can help it, nobody should be trying to get below it. It also assumes a relatively balanced diet that satisfies all the micro nutrient needs.

if 1200 calories and exercise calories is confusing, go to the general message board, there are some sticky posts in there that you should read, they will explain things in more detail.

BRavo well said!!!!!!!!!!!