Is 1200 too much?

ScouseNerd
ScouseNerd Posts: 119 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Not what it sounds like, I don't WANT to go lower, but it's been going very slowly and it seems like even when I push myself to be good and work out several times a week, I have the same results as when I eat half a pizza one day. I've been losing 1lb a week so far, and it's slowing from that now. I know I know - the slower it comes off, the longer it lasts - but it's hard to keep my motivation up when I know that this time last year I lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks and now I'm praying for a pound a week. Just wondering if maybe 1200 is too much even for me? I've calculated my TDEE and it's much higher than that though. Anyone else have this problem?

EDIT: As an FYI, I exercise 5 times a week with both strength and cardio

Replies

  • natmadc
    natmadc Posts: 116 Member
    I started out at 1200 lost a little than it stopped I end up calculating my TDEE-15%( at first I did - 20% but I like to eat) and upped my calories and what do you know I started losing again, And I can actually eat! But that was just my experience.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    15lbs in 6 weeks is more than 2lbs per week. That's not sustainable for most people, certainly not if they want to be healthy while they do it, and especially if they are already at a somewhat normal/reasonable weight.

    Adjust your expectations.
  • tonytoo
    tonytoo Posts: 307
    If you think you're eating low enough calories already then the only option left is burning calories. Exercise!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You're only 11 pounds from your goal. It SHOULD be slow at this point. Ideally, you should set your goals to lose a half pound a week.

    Ignore the scale and track your progress through measurements, photos and how clothes fit.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    What's happening is normal and expected...adjust your thinking. You shouldn't be eating less than 1200...you should probably be eating a bit more, in fact. Weight loss isn't a linear occurance....x-y doesn't always equal z right away.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    What's happening is normal and expected...adjust your thinking. You shouldn't be eating less than 1200...you should probably be eating a bit more, in fact. Weight loss isn't a linear occurance....x-y doesn't always equal z right away.
  • ScouseNerd
    ScouseNerd Posts: 119 Member
    Thanks everyone! I may toy around with loosening up the calories a bit but thanks for the reality check. I guess I should be taking it as a good sign at this point.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    It's too much for lunch. Too much for me anyway. It would be a bit on the low side for dinner, though.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    No, it's too little.
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
    What's your height, weight, activity level, body fat%? You said you calculated TDEE, so I assume you've already run your numbers to get a pretty accurate estimate. Take a 10-15% cut from that and eat that amount every day.

    I eat 1,200 in one sitting for dinner! Nom....nom....nom......
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    15lbs in 6 weeks is more than 2lbs per week. That's not sustainable for most people, certainly not if they want to be healthy while they do it, and especially if they are already at a somewhat normal/reasonable weight.

    Adjust your expectations.

    Exactly. You've done wonderfully so far, but you'd be better off actually eating MORE and focusing more on measurements versus what the scale says at this point. You have to not only adjust your expectations, but your APPROACH at this point.
  • Salt_Sand_Sun
    Salt_Sand_Sun Posts: 415 Member
    You're only 11 pounds from your goal. It SHOULD be slow at this point. Ideally, you should set your goals to lose a half pound a week.

    Ignore the scale and track your progress through measurements, photos and how clothes fit.

    ^^ THIS!!!!

    You need to be eating at least BMR as well!! 1200 is too low!!!
  • dolcegl25
    dolcegl25 Posts: 7 Member
    i been eating the same , and i loss like 1 kg for week, i try to eat 1200 the days that i dont do excersice and 1400 - 1500 the days that i do excersice, i think slow but secure is better that nothing, when you try to do ir really fast you can be un healthy or force your body , i think you are doing fine, just have a little patienceor push a little harder whit the excersice ( sorry if my english is not perfect)
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    1200 too much.. Really? Really?
  • crose0056
    crose0056 Posts: 105 Member
    A cal diet of 1200 works for me, but I am 56 years old, and sedentary. Steadily I have lost in almost a 3 month period. I know it's not for everyone but it works for me and isn't that what it's all about.
  • BoomstickChick
    BoomstickChick Posts: 428 Member
    How can one be so unhappy with losing 1 lb a week? Are you joking?
  • Charity2001
    Charity2001 Posts: 24
    What's happening is normal and expected...adjust your thinking. You shouldn't be eating less than 1200...you should probably be eating a bit more, in fact. Weight loss isn't a linear occurance....x-y doesn't always equal z right away.

    This!! I upped my calories from 1200 to 1500 and now shoot for 55% carbs at every meal, lo & behold my weight loss kick started again.
  • kju52
    kju52 Posts: 45 Member
    sometimes upping the calories and eating more often helps a lot more than decreasing further
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    How can one be so unhappy with losing 1 lb a week? Are you joking?
    I know...I'm ecstatic if I get dead on 1lb loss a week.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    no 1200 is not enough
  • channoncascio
    channoncascio Posts: 1 Member
    I think it all depends on your height, weight, and other factors. I get told I eat to little all the time, but I am 4' 10" and 110 pounds (very athletic build). I usually do not eat the full 1200 calories, but I get close with 1100-1150. I talked to a couple of people trained in nutrition and athletic training and found the right number for me to lose at an average to .5-1 pound a week of course the weight loss was a lot faster when I first started. Also, make sure you are lifting weights and doing other things at the gym than just cardio.

    Hope this helps.. and remember it is all based off of your body!
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    If you think you're eating low enough calories already then the only option left is burning calories. Exercise!

    NO - worst advise I've seen today...(or this week).
    Eat more - you only have a little to lose - 1 pound a week is fine....You will probably get a huge surprize at the end of two weeks of upping your calories and see a bigger loss - but as another poster said - do not expect to lose 2lbs a week if you don't have much to lose...
    And I will pass out before lunch if I have to eat 1200 cals and exercise that much...Your body needs fuel in order to work - feed it!
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
    I would absolutely KILL to lose 1 pound a week! Gah! I am losing an average of 2 pounds a month. (yet, I've still lost almost 70 pounds)

    Eating less will NOT necessarily increase the speed your weight loss, but it will make you hungry, set yourself up for binges because you are eating so little and it will not give your body enough fuel to function properly.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    You're only 11 pounds from your goal. It SHOULD be slow at this point. Ideally, you should set your goals to lose a half pound a week.

    Ignore the scale and track your progress through measurements, photos and how clothes fit.

    This. And before you do anything, do an audit of your foods, really weigh and measure everything. Especially at the lower goals, it's really easy to think you're under and really be over. I found an extra 150 calories when I actually measured how much cereal and milk I was actually pouring into the bowl.
  • joellemorin
    joellemorin Posts: 12 Member
    If we dont eat enough calories, our metabolism will shut down and go into "starvation" mode...which will cause the body to try to NOT lose any more weight! So do eat those 1200 :)


    From my own experience, the more I diet, the more it's harder to lose weight. The first time I ever dieted (back in 2003), losing weight was easy! But now, 10 years and 10 different diets after, it's a total different story :/
  • Mario_Az
    Mario_Az Posts: 1,331 Member
    always start with as much calories you can get away with so when you hit sticking points you have something to work with increase your calories by 100 calorie increments and see if that helps basically a reverse diet so you are at 1200 next week do 1300 and so on and so on till you see a change in the scale then from there you can play with your numbers


    this video might give you more info


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8v6kHIRt_8
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    You're only 11 pounds from your goal. It SHOULD be slow at this point. Ideally, you should set your goals to lose a half pound a week.

    Ignore the scale and track your progress through measurements, photos and how clothes fit.

    Yes. For having such a small amount of weight to lose, 1lb a week is fantastic. I'd be happy with .5lb a week if I were you. Trying to make it go faster is going to be counterproductive.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    When I first started MFP in July 2011, I ate 1200 calories a day and lost a pound a week. After doing lots of reading on the forums, I decided that was too little (I was hungry a lot!). I increased my calories to 1500 to 1700 a day (depending on how active I was) and consistently lost 1.5 pounds a week.
  • ArieMc88
    ArieMc88 Posts: 18
    From a personal experience... I was eating at the most 1200 cals a day in hopes of loosing weight FAST. But the scale would not budge like i desired :angry: so I upped my calories and ate more GOOD food and now the weight is flying off. Up your calories and you will see a change
  • jenniferfiedler
    jenniferfiedler Posts: 86 Member
    You're only 11 pounds from your goal. It SHOULD be slow at this point. Ideally, you should set your goals to lose a half pound a week.

    Ignore the scale and track your progress through measurements, photos and how clothes fit.

    This. And before you do anything, do an audit of your foods, really weigh and measure everything. Especially at the lower goals, it's really easy to think you're under and really be over. I found an extra 150 calories when I actually measured how much cereal and milk I was actually pouring into the bowl.

    ^^This

    I found I ate a lot of extra calories when I didn't measure everything. Give it a try. :) Good luck with the last 11 pounds.

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