1200 CALORIE PEOPLE

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13

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  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    I usually stay around 1200-- it's easy to have a very small breakfast for me since I'm never hungry when I wake up. I usually have some oatmeal and maybe some berries. I tend to eat lots of fish and a fair bit of chicken (I don't care for red meat, but if you like red meat, look for lean cuts and trim off excess fat) along with a crap ton of vegetables and leafy greens. I also add in breads and rice because I like my carbs. If you like cooking, there are lots of recipes online and lots of cheap cookbooks around.
  • cherryd69
    cherryd69 Posts: 340
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    Yesterday for me... hardly starving.





    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    Jif Peanut Butter - Ex Crunchy Teaspoon Size, 1 tsp 32 0 3 1 22 0
    Morrisons - Seeded Granary Bread, 2 slice 200 0 4 0 0 0

    232 0 7 1 22 0
    Lunch
    Fruit - Banana - Peeled, 100 g 89 24 0 1 1 3

    89 24 0 1 1 3
    Dinner
    Homemade - Egg Fried Rice, 40 g 72 0 0 0 0 0
    Tesco - Eat Fresh Spinach, 40 g 12 1 0 1 40 1
    Fresh - Flat Mushroom, 65 g (1 mushroom) 8 0 0 1 0 1
    Tesco - Le Roule With Garlic & Herbs, 10 g 30 0 3 1 0 0
    Generic - Chicken Leg With Skin Cooked, 6 oz 348 0 18 44 130 0

    470 1 21 47 170 2
    Snacks
    Fruit - Banana, 100 g 90 23 0 1 0 2
    Carte Dor - Vanilla Ice Cream , 50 g 105 14 5 2 40 0
    Generic - Individual Fresh Strawberries 100 g, 100 g 32 8 0 1 1 2
    Tesco - Blackberries, 50 g 13 3 0 0 0 2
    Tesco - Raspberries, 50 g 14 2 0 1 0 1

    254 50 5 5 41 7

    Totals 1,045 75 33 54 234 12
    Your Daily Goal 1,443 197 48 53 2,500 17
    Remaining 398 122 15 -1 2,266 5
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    *You've earned 153 extra calories from exercise today



    Sorry if it goes all wrong
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    When I see peeps asking about 1,200 calories I want to shake them... no offence.

    I did it in the beginning and got NO WHERE FAST!

    I checked my TDEE in February and have been eating according to that (1,850 instead of my 1,480) and I've lost 9lbs.

    If you want to do 1,200, go ahead, but check the forums for people where that little food has worked.

    Good luck!

    Wow - 9 lbs! It does work to eat more and lose slowly and I am happy for you, but if you notice most posters in this thread are reporting substantial weight loss with lower calories.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    Hey!:) I manage it because I don't eat breakfast, & I just have a small lunch. I have porridge for lunch & big dinners that are 800+ calories. That alone plus my big cups of tea usually make up 1200 calories, so if I want a snack I have to earn more food by exercising. If you have healthier dinners than me you will more than manage it!
    not eating breakfast is BAD advice you MUST eat breakfast well not so much breakfast but at least something from 3hours after you have woken up. Eating that midday meal is the most importaint meal of the day. It's what gets your metabolism srarted and helps you burn off all day long. Not eating breakfast will cause weight gain and metabolic issues. If you eat 2 large meals a day youre doing harm. Try to break up the meals into 4-6 small 200-300cal meals if youre doing 1200cals as that will keep you full all day

    You can believe that or you can believe science, which does not back that up. Lots of studies have been done with the recent popularity of IF. There are specific medical issues which can make regular small meals a better choice but for the vast majority of us, it really doesn't matter when during the day you get your calories.
  • sugaree1202
    sugaree1202 Posts: 184 Member
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    Lots of fresh fruits and veggies (2 cups of watermelon is 66 calories, 12 leaves of romaine lettuce is 58) lots of water and logging what I eat. If i want a treat, I look it up in the tracker before I eat it - It's a lot easier for me to not eat something unhealthy when I see how much of my daily allowance it takes up or how long I have to work out to earn it, sometimes I'll have it anyway but only eat half a serving. I don't cut out everything I enjoy like my coffe - I hate the fat & sugar free french vanilla creamer so I use the regular stuff and make adjustments other places. When I'm hungry, I eat. When I start to feel full, I stop and find something else to do not near food. After a few days of sticking to 1200 calories, my body adjusted to smaller portions and some days it's hard to eat 1200 calories.

    If I'm on point with my diet, it looks like this:
    Wake-up: Coffee w/flavored creamer
    Mid-morning: 1.5 serving frosted mini wheats with 1 cup 2% milk
    Mid-afternoon: Romaine lettuce, grilled bbq chicken, 1/4 cup of shredded cheese
    Early Evening: Fresh fruit or diet shake or fruit & nut bar or fresh veggies
    Late Evening: 1 cup of milk or 1/4 cup of fruit sherbet and fresh fruit
    8-10 8oz glasses of water throughout the day
  • AniaSi
    AniaSi Posts: 3
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    If you want to do 1200 cal and stick to it, plan your day out ahead of time, either while having your morning coffee or the evening before. It helps a lot! Quite frankly that's the only way it works for me.

    For example, if I know I'll be meeting a friend for lunch or dinner, I will find that restaurants menu, find the item I'll like and the calorie count. Keeping in mind that's what i will have, I plan my other meals around it. For example if i'll eat 500-600 cals while out, I know to either eat very light the rest of that day, or exercise to still keep myself within the calories allowed. Same with drinks... If i'll know i'll have a drink that evening, I will eat as healthy as possible all day, just to allow myself a bigger meal and few drinks later on.

    If you don't go out or have any plans to get in your usual way of the day, map the day out anyway. I usually go by 300cals a meal - with three meals, and leave the final 300cals as my "wiggle room", designated for snacks, or if one of my meals exceeds the planned 300.

    Finally find stuff you like to eat, or you want to eat/drink each day, then try to figure out the healthiest/low cal version of it. For example i use to drink monster drink mid day to keep me going, and that was 200cals alone, but i tried different "diet" ones out (some were less than ok), and found one that has zero cals and I still like the flavor, I noticed a lot of my calories came from beverages, so i cut all those out, and drink only water, tea, coffee and drinks that are zero calories. Made things a lot easier.
    I also healthy-fied a lot of my regular dishes. I figured out healthy version of mashed potatoes and love it (I added the recipe on here - under healthy mashed potatoes - only about 65cal per serving! and tastes great!). So play around with your recipes, you may come across something you will really enjoy.

    Another great trick for me is pre-eating. I am one of those people that can't eat slow. I tried and promised myself I would, but it never works. So now I make it a point to eat a little something before the meal, usually as I prep it. I trick my brain. I noticed that if, for example I will eat a slice of deli meat, few carrots, vegetables or a fruit about 15min or so before I sit down to eat I am full a lot faster with a lot less.

    My final trick is chicken broth that I make from chicken breast, veggies and spices (no salt) only, . For those days when I just feel constantly hungry and there is no consoling me. I will usually use the meat in other recipes, but the broth works great for curbing hunger, I will put it in a bowl and eat with small spoon, somehow by the time I am done I don't feel hungry any more, at least for a while.. and given the low cal on it, I can have few of those when I have a vacuum kind-a day.

    Also, if you want to lower your sodium intake, i highly recommend Lovage - the herb isn't the easiest to find, but it is reasonably priced and makes the dishes taste like they have salt in them. I tried all the salt substitutes and this is the only one that my taste buds can't tell apart from the real thing!

    I hope this helps and the best of luck!!!
  • liddienicole
    liddienicole Posts: 45 Member
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    Hey!:) I manage it because I don't eat breakfast, & I just have a small lunch. I have porridge for lunch & big dinners that are 800+ calories. That alone plus my big cups of tea usually make up 1200 calories, so if I want a snack I have to earn more food by exercising. If you have healthier dinners than me you will more than manage it!
    not eating breakfast is BAD advice you MUST eat breakfast well not so much breakfast but at least something from 3hours after you have woken up. Eating that midday meal is the most importaint meal of the day. It's what gets your metabolism srarted and helps you burn off all day long. Not eating breakfast will cause weight gain and metabolic issues. If you eat 2 large meals a day youre doing harm. Try to break up the meals into 4-6 small 200-300cal meals if youre doing 1200cals as that will keep you full all day

    You can believe that or you can believe science, which does not back that up. Lots of studies have been done with the recent popularity of IF. There are specific medical issues which can make regular small meals a better choice but for the vast majority of us, it really doesn't matter when during the day you get your calories.

    I hate it when people say this when I say I don't eat breakfast. I wasn't advising her not to have breakfast, I just don't have it. I wake up in the morning and I'm not hungry. Why should I eat if I'm not hungry? & if I force myself to eat in the morning, it creates havok with my digestive system all day and I end up poorly because of it. If I wait a few hours, until I'm hungry and my digestive system has woken up (so it will be lunchtime) I can eat and feel fine. So this is why I don't eat breakfast and it has never caused problems with me, I lose weight fine. I've never been overweight either, and I know a lot of people who don't eat breakfast and they are all slim healthy people.
  • sugaree1202
    sugaree1202 Posts: 184 Member
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    When I see peeps asking about 1,200 calories I want to shake them... no offence.

    I did it in the beginning and got NO WHERE FAST!

    I checked my TDEE in February and have been eating according to that (1,850 instead of my 1,480) and I've lost 9lbs.

    If you want to do 1,200, go ahead, but check the forums for people where that little food has worked.

    Good luck!

    It's great that you found the right calorie range for your body. Everybody is different - if I ate 1,850 calories a day even when working out, I'd gain weight. I've worked out for months straight while eating 1,500 - 1,700 calories a day a the scale didn't go anywhere but up until I dropped my caloric intake. For my body, lifestyle and goals, I see the best results when I eat 1200 calories a day. It's more about having an appropriate calorie deficit based on several factors than how many calories a person eats.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
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    Don't forget salad! A great filler-upper. Just be careful what dressing you use.
  • Roll_Tide_Meg
    Roll_Tide_Meg Posts: 255 Member
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    Yesterday for me... hardly starving.





    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    Jif Peanut Butter - Ex Crunchy Teaspoon Size, 1 tsp 32 0 3 1 22 0
    Morrisons - Seeded Granary Bread, 2 slice 200 0 4 0 0 0

    232 0 7 1 22 0
    Lunch
    Fruit - Banana - Peeled, 100 g 89 24 0 1 1 3

    89 24 0 1 1 3
    Dinner
    Homemade - Egg Fried Rice, 40 g 72 0 0 0 0 0
    Tesco - Eat Fresh Spinach, 40 g 12 1 0 1 40 1
    Fresh - Flat Mushroom, 65 g (1 mushroom) 8 0 0 1 0 1
    Tesco - Le Roule With Garlic & Herbs, 10 g 30 0 3 1 0 0
    Generic - Chicken Leg With Skin Cooked, 6 oz 348 0 18 44 130 0

    470 1 21 47 170 2
    Snacks
    Fruit - Banana, 100 g 90 23 0 1 0 2
    Carte Dor - Vanilla Ice Cream , 50 g 105 14 5 2 40 0
    Generic - Individual Fresh Strawberries 100 g, 100 g 32 8 0 1 1 2
    Tesco - Blackberries, 50 g 13 3 0 0 0 2
    Tesco - Raspberries, 50 g 14 2 0 1 0 1

    254 50 5 5 41 7

    Totals 1,045 75 33 54 234 12
    Your Daily Goal 1,443 197 48 53 2,500 17
    Remaining 398 122 15 -1 2,266 5
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    *You've earned 153 extra calories from exercise today



    Sorry if it goes all wrong


    SMH! :( A banana for lunch...bless you child.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    I hate it when people say this when I say I don't eat breakfast. I wasn't advising her not to have breakfast, I just don't have it. I wake up in the morning and I'm not hungry. Why should I eat if I'm not hungry? & if I force myself to eat in the morning, it creates havok with my digestive system all day and I end up poorly because of it. If I wait a few hours, until I'm hungry and my digestive system has woken up (so it will be lunchtime) I can eat and feel fine. So this is why I don't eat breakfast and it has never caused problems with me, I lose weight fine. I've never been overweight either, and I know a lot of people who don't eat breakfast and they are all slim healthy people.

    I almost didn't reply to this thread because so many people rail against what is working for some of us. I talked to my doctor not long ago at a visit about my rate of loss and she agreed that it is more than is normally recommended but said I am a whole lot better off than I was and I should continue doing what is working until I get at least to my current goal (which will put me barely under 25 on BMI). Yes, 1200 is a lot less than I burn and most people my size that are this active should eat more. The OP wants to know what is working for people that are getting it done at this level. Skipping what is normally a meal time or having a really light substitute for one and allowing myself one pretty normal meal a day works for me.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    not eating breakfast is BAD advice

    For most people, so is eating only 1200 calories.
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
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    In for the bloodbath brewing...
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
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    thank you all so much!! I was at 15 but I am very short and just for my body i have noticed it is NOT doing much for me anymore. SO i will try this, if it doesnt work ill try something else. I really appreciate everyone who replied! AND i got quite a few wonderful ideas!! Thank you!!
  • geekette411
    geekette411 Posts: 154 Member
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    Hi! I find that with only having 1200 calories it helps to eat smaller and more frequent "meals". I am terrible about writing down my last meal of the day, so my diary will not be much help. However here is what a typical day looks like for me.

    Breakfast: Oatmeal or Cereal - Between 150 and 200 cal
    Snack: Apple slices, Cutie orange, sm banana - between 50 and 100 cal depending on breakfast
    Lunch: Some sort of frozen ready made meal or soup - 300 cal or less
    Snack: Usually greek yogurt, fresh veggies like carrot sticks or cumcumber slices - 100 cal or less
    Dinner: Something like Chicken Breast with steamed veggies - 500 cal or less
    Snack: If I have any calories left (I usually do), then I have a late snack like 100 cal popcorn or a 50 cal cheese stick

    Basically I don't feel like I am missing out because I am eating all day long! :tongue:

    I'm very similar to this^^^^^
    Me too!
  • liznsmith
    liznsmith Posts: 240 Member
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    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
    Simply Orange Juice - Original Pulp Free Single Serving 13.5oz, 13.5 oz. 190 45 0 3 0 41

    Lunch
    Wishbone - Italian Dressing, 2 tbsp 80 4 7 0 340 4
    Spinach - Raw, 0.5 cup 3 1 0 0 12 0
    Kale - Raw, 0.5 cup, chopped 17 3 0 1 14 0

    Dinner
    Generic - Potato Roasted, 0.5 cup 62 14 0 2 9 1
    Fresh - Broccoli, Steamed, Without Salt, 1 Cup 31 6 0 2 36 1
    Homemade - Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts, 3 oz (84g) 140 4 1 26 n/a 4


    Snack
    Pistachio Nuts - Pistachios, 0.5 oz. 79 5 6 3 0 1
    Oranges - Tangerines, 2 small 74 18 0 2 0 16

    Totals 676 100 14 39 926 68
    Your Daily Goal 2,344 323 77 89 2,500 56
    Remaining 1,668 223 63 50 1,574 -12

    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
    *You've earned 1,344 extra calories from exercise today

    Feel free to check out my diary.
  • cherryd69
    cherryd69 Posts: 340
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    Yesterday for me... hardly starving.





    Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    Jif Peanut Butter - Ex Crunchy Teaspoon Size, 1 tsp 32 0 3 1 22 0
    Morrisons - Seeded Granary Bread, 2 slice 200 0 4 0 0 0

    232 0 7 1 22 0
    Lunch
    Fruit - Banana - Peeled, 100 g 89 24 0 1 1 3

    89 24 0 1 1 3
    Dinner
    Homemade - Egg Fried Rice, 40 g 72 0 0 0 0 0
    Tesco - Eat Fresh Spinach, 40 g 12 1 0 1 40 1
    Fresh - Flat Mushroom, 65 g (1 mushroom) 8 0 0 1 0 1
    Tesco - Le Roule With Garlic & Herbs, 10 g 30 0 3 1 0 0
    Generic - Chicken Leg With Skin Cooked, 6 oz 348 0 18 44 130 0

    470 1 21 47 170 2
    Snacks
    Fruit - Banana, 100 g 90 23 0 1 0 2
    Carte Dor - Vanilla Ice Cream , 50 g 105 14 5 2 40 0
    Generic - Individual Fresh Strawberries 100 g, 100 g 32 8 0 1 1 2
    Tesco - Blackberries, 50 g 13 3 0 0 0 2
    Tesco - Raspberries, 50 g 14 2 0 1 0 1

    254 50 5 5 41 7

    Totals 1,045 75 33 54 234 12
    Your Daily Goal 1,443 197 48 53 2,500 17
    Remaining 398 122 15 -1 2,266 5
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber
    *You've earned 153 extra calories from exercise today



    Sorry if it goes all wrong


    SMH! :( A banana for lunch...bless you child.

    Child? Ok ill ignore that.

    The reason i have mostly only a banana at lunch is because when im at work, i rarely get time to eat, i have one 15 min break, in that i have to go outside as im a smoker. You will see from my previous posts, im a care assistant, for some reason our company thinks that staff dont really need time out for a break as we can have a drink as and when we need to.
    I find having a banana fills me enough till after my work out after work, then i prepare my evening meal.

    So again, what exactly is your point of highlighting that bit with a patronising comment, instead of saying 'hey i noticed you have a banana for your lunch here, how come?' or i dont know... maybe take a look back over a few more days and see that i quite often have a banana for my lunch. That way maybe someone like yourself might figure out theres a reason for that.


    Sorry, realised i cant ignore the child comment... annoys the *kitten* out of me.


    Oh an today was my day off, so i had some couscous..... again only 100g... omg kill me now.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    thank you all so much!! I was at 15 but I am very short and just for my body i have noticed it is NOT doing much for me anymore. SO i will try this, if it doesnt work ill try something else. I really appreciate everyone who replied! AND i got quite a few wonderful ideas!! Thank you!!

    You now have less than 30 pounds to lose. You should adjust your calorie goal to lose 1 - 1.5 pounds per week, for your current weight. This will actually give you more to eat, not less.
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
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    actually MFP told me to eat 1200 at the begining and i tried but couldnt do it at first so i started at 1500, which is no longer really working for me at the pace i want. SO that is why i am wanting to do 1200.
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
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    iam also 5'1 and 1/2 inches tall and sit at a desk all day. i dont need a lot of food i am just used to bigger portions and eating very frequently so i wanted to know how others balanced it

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