Results with 1200 Calories

I'm currently on 1200 calories a day, I think it's working for me, only been on it 2 weeks but I'm amazed to say that I'm not hungry. Like other people have said as long as you're eating lots of fruit, veg, protein and good fats you shouldn't go hungry. Also because I work out 5x a week I do eat back my calories (not all of them at times) so that can help fit in my little treats.

At the weekend I go over 1200 calories (not a huge amount as I'm more conscious of what I'm putting in my body) but I don't feel overly guilty about it, I just make sure I'm back to clean eating and gym on Monday

Works for me but may not work for others - everyone is different

I lost about 50lbs fairly quickly when I start here at 1200 calories.

It took less time to gain back almost all of that.

I am eating between 1900-2200 a day now and losing FAT.

Umm it's always easier to gain than lose, that's no mystery. Great that you're losing fat but why put it in caps? Are you implying those at 1200 are not losing FAT lol

I was on 1200 for a while and found it to be fine but when i stalled i switched to 5:2 which works better for me. I defiantly don't agree about the whole "1200 cals is practically anorexic". And frankly eating 1200 calories a day was much healthier for me then eating 3500 calories a day, but there will always be a debate about it. In terms of dieting the 1200 calories vs more is all about how fast you want to lose the weight, for the average person on here 1200 is set for 2lbs a week, on my 5:2 diet the average loss is 1lb a week, it all depends on what pace you are comfortable with. Its all about personal preference and your journey and many doctors are fine with 1200cals a day because it is safer then staying at your current weight. I know this is a sensitive topic and i dont want to get flamed on the forums but most diets work if you work them, and in terms of the comment about gaining everything back after, yes if you go back to pigging out as soon as you lose weight you will rapidly gain it back...or you could just spend 5min online to find out your tdee and eat at that. Just a suggestion.

Let me tell you my story...

I started dieting after my son was born in 2003, I figured diet was simply "stop eating so much" and 1000 calories sounded like a good reasonable number to go by. I lost all of my baby weight, became weight fixated, and lost more weight. I went from the 1000 calories to anorexia (this doesn't happen to everyone, but let's face it eating 1200 calories is border line anorexia. After all 1000 calories is only 200 less!) I was super skinny, I had never been so skinny, 5'8" 115lbs. Eventually I ate normal again, because you know life is a good feeling, being alive and all that jazz.

2006 I decided at 5'8" 150lbs I needed to get my eating habits under control. I set my goal at 1200, and lost to 129lbs in a few months. I was constantly crabby, I had no energy, I was so ravenous that if I didn't get to eat my scheduled meal I would start biting heads off. I was a real peach to be around. However, I was super skinny!!! YAY! Guess what? Eventually I got sick of starving and ate normal again, and balooned to 150lbs in about a month.

2008 I started working out, still not eating enough but better 1400 calories with a good work out. I lost the weight pretty fast still, but always felt hungry! (I wonder why? I was burning all of my calories with daily calorie useage, and then I was working out and burning even more.) I eventually made my goal weight, and body fat, and I was very fit! However again, STARVING, again I ATE NORMAL again I GOT BACK TO 150lbs without blinking an eye.

This time? I am eating normal, feeding my metabolism, making smarter choices, working out like a champion. I would reach my "goal weight" in a few months with 1200 calories, have the worst attitude ever, and be starving 24/7. This time? I am eating 1700 to 2200 calories, the weight is coming off slow, my muscles are beautiful. I am not a complete *kitten* to be around, and am enjoying my work outs. I can eat whatever I want and not have my butt go up three sizes.

MY SUGGESTION? FEED YOUR BODY. WORK HARD. Or you can ruin your metabolism, and eat 1200 calories the rest of your life, or do it the other way. Oh yes, and lift heavy things up and down, you will not get bulky and your body will thank you for it.

i'm doing a six month internship as a part of my masters program in occupational therapy and am working on a traumatic brain injury unit at a rehab hospital right now. my patients in coma levels I-IV get fed 1400 calories/day at a minimum. not one patient on the unit is fed less than that. i fully respect that eating 1200 calories a day has worked and is working for some of you and i fully congratulate you on your success but i know that for me, since i'm not in a coma, i need to eat more than my coma patients do in order to function and thrive.

Yes they are fed with 14,00 and no less but that is to maintain their weight - not to loose it. Those patients no doubt need specialized nutrition to combat muscle atrophy and skin breakdown r/t immobility. We are healthy, active people, and if we are overweight, we need to eat at a deficit - not maintain - otherwise how will our body ever have the impetus to use up all the stored fat and loose some weight? Just my opinion....

UUURRRGG here we go...'you're starving at 1200'. What a load of cr**. I have tons of energy, I'm losing weight, my periods haven't stopped, I've not suddenly gained weight and you know what, I enjoy not eating f*** loads of food.

I'll see you at the finish line (I'll be there before you)!

I actually didn't say you were going to lose your period, and you obviously have a bad relationship with food if you thinking eating what your body NEEDS to simply maintain it's functioning level is "loads of food." Also it is starving yourself, the average body needs at least 1700 calories to function every day, anything less than that is starving it.

Do you expect your car to run without gas? Do you use your cell phone without charging it? Stop thinking of your body as a number on a scale, and start thinking of it as a machine that needs energy to function. The bottom line is losing weight at 1200 calories is not healthy because a) you aren't feeding it properly b) it's not ideal to live on 1200 calories for the rest of your life. The damage it does to your metabolism, and yes the potential harm it can do if your body goes into starvation mode and starts to consume it's own muscle. (Also your period doesn't need to stop for your body to be doing this, I was anorexic and my period never stopped not even when I was 115lbs so that's a mute point.) Also talking about muscle and starvation, guess what's a muscle in your body? YOUR HEART

i'm doing a six month internship as a part of my masters program in occupational therapy and am working on a traumatic brain injury unit at a rehab hospital right now. my patients in coma levels I-IV get fed 1400 calories/day at a minimum. not one patient on the unit is fed less than that. i fully respect that eating 1200 calories a day has worked and is working for some of you and i fully congratulate you on your success but i know that for me, since i'm not in a coma, i need to eat more than my coma patients do in order to function and thrive.

Yes they are fed with 14,00 and no less but that is to maintain their weight - not to loose it. Those patients no doubt need specialized nutrition to combat muscle atrophy and skin breakdown r/t immobility. We are healthy, active people, and if we are overweight, we need to eat at a deficit - not maintain - otherwise how will our body ever have the impetus to use up all the stored fat and loose some weight? Just my opinion....