A question for 1200 calories per day consumers

stephaniefiteni · July 2013

Just "food" for thought (pun intended)

I've literally seen hundreds of people who swear to the heavens that 1200 calories is right for them because they're "different" and eating more will not work for them.

People who are 5'9" to 4'11". People who weigh 300lbs to 105lbs. People who are 55 to people who are 16. People who exercise every day to people who never lift a finger.

TDEE calculators give you a calorie recommendation based on your height, weight, age, and activity level.

Why would you be more likely to be "different" like someone who is double your weight, half your height, and ten years younger/older than someone with your exact same data?

^ your pretty much summarizing the fact that everyone is different and some have higher metabolic rate than others - naturally or trained

Matt_Wild · July 2013

Your thoughts on Metabolic Damage and what it is? This is what I see and what I agree with:

OK - this isn't a study as I know any study I post will be picked apart and not seen for what it is.

I start with a chap I consider very highly, he's always to the point and honest. He trains normal every day folk and also IFBB Pro's etc. He has a number of articles that discuss the metabolic damage issue I was trying to discuss. NOT starvation mode. So get that out of your head. That if one takes the time to understand and read my previous posts is not something I personally agree with.

Anyhow, read on...

Discussion of what metabolic damage is:
https://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/metabolic-mind-games/

How to fix:
https://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/faqs/repairing-a-depressed-metabolism/

Radio discussion on the subject:
https://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-fit-bod-radio-show/2011/01/07/episode-2-the-fit-bod-radio-show-1

Its personally something I believe can be very real. Many people on this thread are dieting too hard, for too long, depressing their metabolisms. Whether I'm right, well its up to you believe.

Not with standing other well noted people and their views. Layne Norton here for example (PHD in protein synthesis):

Episode 1 on metabolic damage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

Episode 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY1DsZMNfNw

Episode 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw3kfRkqVWU

Please make your own mind up, but don't be closed off. What is said makes a lot of sense. Just because there isn't study that shows the exact result doesn't make it so (and don't forget a study IS NOT PROOF by very definition. Unlike maths there is no absolutes, just the currently understood hypothesis.

Thanks for reading! smile

55in13 · July 2013

Matt,

You do seem concerned with trying to find the real answer. I do believe metabolic issues exist, but I think they are not very common. When they do the studies like the one Yarwell posted, most people with lots of fat lose mostly fat and don't have a significant change in their metabolic rate. But there is a bell curve and it would suck to be one of the people at the low edge. I do think that the argument made by people who believe in "that mode" is that it is not only common but likely that you will have a significant change in metabolism if you severely restrict calories. Based on personal experience, experience of those I know personally and examination of data, I do not think that is the case. I think if someone wants to try 1200 and their numbers makes sense, they should expect success.

jollyjoe321 · July 2013

I used to eat around 1200 a day and lost my weight without exercising, I spent all day sitting down since I worked in a computer shop.

Phase 2, I put 5 pounds back on over a period of eating cooked breakfasts every day etc, but working out a bit.

Now I'm working out and eating roughly 13-1400 calories a day, I'll start to see results soon.

eric_sg61 · July 2013

What happens when your eating 1200 or less calories a day and your weight loss stalls? Do you go down to 800, 500, -100. The person with the highest metabolic capacity with have the easiest time losing weight since they will have a larger "bank" to take calories from. When you stall on low calories your basically screwed. You'll have to eat more to increase your capacity and during that time you will gain weight. Here is my anecdotal story: When I first started tracking I realized I was only eating 1800 -2000 cals a day and not losing weight. I increased my cals to 2900-3100 for a period of a few weeks and gained about 3 pounds. then I started cutting at about 2400 cals a day. After a few short weeks I could see muscle on my body that I never though I had, my waist shrunk from 37 inches down to 32.

55in13 · July 2013

What happens when your eating 1200 or less calories a day and your weight loss stalls? Do you go down to 800, 500, -100. The person with the highest metabolic capacity with have the easiest time losing weight since they will have a larger "bank" to take calories from. When you stall on low calories your basically screwed. You'll have to eat more to increase your capacity and during that time you will gain weight. Here is my anecdotal story: When I first started tracking I realized I was only eating 1800 -2000 cals a day and not losing weight. I increased my cals to 2900-3100 for a period of a few weeks and gained about 3 pounds. then I started cutting at about 2400 cals a day. After a few short weeks I could see muscle on my body that I never though I had, my waist shrunk from 37 inches down to 32.

I cannot answer this question. Few people can. The slowdown you speak of happens to a very small percentage of people, like < 2%. Most people just claim it does when they get tired of dieting. In clinical studies, it is very rare. It never has happened to me or any of the people I know personally who have done low cal diets.

ETA - Your response doesn't indicate that you have any experience with this either; you extrapolate an experience at a completely different level of eating to this for reasons that escape me.

A question for 1200 calories per day consumers

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