Has anyone met there goal weight eating 1200 calories??

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Replies

  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
    Is it me or is it that a lot of MFPpers have trouble reaching 1200 cal. a day? It seems like I could have 5000 cal./day without any problem (besides weight gaining and metabolic issues and other stuff). What do you guys all eat to be this full?
    real food.

    People think they have to eat diet food. That's the problem.

    You know, chicken.. steaks.. pork.. cheese... almonds... avocado... peanut butter.. bread... etc. Just real food.

    I'm doing low carb high protein and I am finding 1100-1200 calories is right about right. protein and fat are very very filling. I just started the diet so I am waiting a little before I start adding serious exercise in (letting my body adjust to the diet first) but I could see getting used to this and finding myself less hungry as time goes on.

    that's probably all well and good for me though. I am short so my dietary needs will never allow me to take in a lot of calories. When I get back to where I want to be my bmr will be about 1300 equaling about 1500 calories for maintenance.
    Real Whole foods is definitely the way to go though.
  • xabcx
    xabcx Posts: 7
    starvation mode only happens when you have about 0% body fat.
    it is a myth created by people who just want an excuse to eat more.
    also "i need to eat a BIG breakfast to 'kickstart' my metabolism"

    1200 kCal/day is enough. you will not enter "starvation mode".
  • be_patient
    be_patient Posts: 186 Member
    On the way there on 1200 Kcal/day, although I don't beat myself up if I go a wee bit over. I try not to dip too much below the 1200 though. So far 30kg down.

    weow, good job!

    i have about 10 kg to lose, if i average about 1200 cals a day/week, can anyone estimate how long it'll take me to lose 10? thanks :)
  • pattypittman
    pattypittman Posts: 8 Member
    I couldn't eat 1200 calories. I have tried and there is no way. I was always thinking about food and what my next meal was going to be and how many calories was in everything. I was hungry. So I adjusted my goals to lose 1 pound a week rather than the anbicious 2. I eat 5% to 10% carbs 30% protien and the rest fat. I am happy and not hungry, and more importantly, not obsessed with my diet
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    grammar and spelling. can't figure out the question. moving on.

    Really? 5 pages of comments from others who understood the question perfectly. Perhaps you need to work on reading comprehension? Or just move on without insulting the OPs spelling and grammar. Which is against the forum rules, BTW.
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
    I'm getting closer by the day...:wink: Never give up... :glasses: Never Surrender:tongue:
  • YamRector
    YamRector Posts: 74 Member
    [/quote]"That is why she used the word "I". She simply shared her experience. She didn't say that anyone else would lose that much.

    I know that many people get really upset whenever someone loses weight on 1200 cals. They think that them telling people that, will make everyone run out and start eating 1200 calories so they can lose weight too.
    Perhaps I have a bit more faith in the intelligence of the average person, to figure out what calorie level is too low for them. If they are starving and have no energy, then most likely they will up their calories. If they dont, then they have bigger problems than being overweight.

    For myself, I was frustrated for years wondering why other people could eat so much more than me and not gain weight.
    I thought there was something wrong with my body, or I was just weird. I mean, if 2000 calories was the recommended amount, then why did I gain weight on 1800?

    When I joined here, I finally found women around my age,(50) who had figured out how to lose weight and keep it off.
    How did they do it? Mostly eating around 1200 cals a day. But they made those calories count. They also got in some regular moderate exercise. Then as they neared their goal weight, they started slowly upping their calories, a little bit each week, until they reached a level where they maintained their weight.

    Having people call me stupid for eating at 1200, and telling me that I was going to lose all my muscles, hair, and destroy my body did not help me.

    Having people younger and more physically able than I am, bragging to me how they could eat 1800 calories and still lose, and insist that I could do it too, did not help me.

    I mean, seriously, how can a 20 yr old, 6' tall man, who spends 10 hrs a week in the gym, understand the calorie needs of a partially disabled 50 yr old woman?

    Insisting to me that I can lose weight eating 1800 calories a day, does not make that be true for my body. It only frustrates me and pisses me off.

    So if my sharing what works for me, can help another middle aged woman who is desperately trying to lose some unhealthy weight, then I will continue to risk the attacks on the forums, so that that woman doesn't get frustrated and give up altogether.

    I would like for everyone, when they state how many calories they lose weight on, to give their stats along with that number.
    Let us know your age, height, gender, and activity level.
    This way, new members reading these posts can better compare themselves to the others on here, and find people who closely match their situation so that they may have realistic expectations."[/quote]

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
    You are so right....
    I am 57 years old, 5'1, severe Hipo, insulin resistance, taking shocks of vitamin D, so bad it was, knees that are in terrible shape, bad arthrosis in my back, crippling me...my health was so bad and my weight was 122 kilos, something like 260-270 LB, my body couldn't take it anymore....I couldn't even turn on bed without yelling from pain...so I realize that if I can lose weight by myself, the surgery was my only option...start doing the process for it, researches, reading a lot about it and got O SO SO SCARED of the possible complications that I decided to try dieting again with the help of Psychologist and Psychiatrist, Endocrinologist on the same time keeping the option of surgery and keeping the process, in case I fail in my diet ...
    To make it short...I am doing it 3 months, in less than 1200 calories a day and loose 33 pounds, without exercising. Now I have a MRI to do and then see if I can start doing some kind of exercising, despite I started to do Leslie Sansonite walking at home program, being 33 pounds lighter let me do it with reasonable pain.

    So YES! we need to know the facts before judging and even then, everyone is different
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    "That is why she used the word "I". She simply shared her experience. She didn't say that anyone else would lose that much.

    Exactly. In these threads the people (usually women) who eat 1200 usually are not telling OTHERS that they also must eat 1200. They are only reporting that 1200 is what THEY need to consume to lose. But there's always a huge contingent of people who don't listen. No matter how often you say it, this contingent will not accept that 1200 is not even classified as a Very Low Calorie Diet. If I want to lose without exercise I definitely need to be at 1200 or a little under.

    I, too, find frustrating the women who feel the need to pipe up about how they're losing while eating 2,000 calories a day. How very nice for you. Don't you think I would know if I could lose weight eating that much a day on average? They're interested in showing off, not helping. There are plenty of other threads for that.

    Best of luck with your weight loss and exercise goals. Trust your observations, your intuitions, your commonsense, and when in doubt, consult a doctor. It sounds as if you're doing all of the above. That's all you need, along with perseverance. :smile:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    It is not showing off. Most women can lose weight on more than 1200. Unless there is a medical reason to eat that low.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    "That is why she used the word "I". She simply shared her experience. She didn't say that anyone else would lose that much.

    Exactly. In these threads the people (usually women) who eat 1200 usually are not telling OTHERS that they also must eat 1200. They are only reporting that 1200 is what THEY need to consume to lose. But there's always a huge contingent of people who don't listen. No matter how often you say it, this contingent will not accept that 1200 is not even classified as a Very Low Calorie Diet. If I want to lose without exercise I definitely need to be at 1200 or a little under.

    I, too, find frustrating the women who feel the need to pipe up about how they're losing while eating 2,000 calories a day. How very nice for you. Don't you think I would know if I could lose weight eating that much a day on average? They're interested in showing off, not helping. There are plenty of other threads for that.

    Best of luck with your weight loss and exercise goals. Trust your observations, your intuitions, your commonsense, and when in doubt, consult a doctor. It sounds as if you're doing all of the above. That's all you need, along with perseverance. :smile:

    This is such a great reply!

    I am on 1200 calories per day and I fully agree with what you say here. :flowerforyou:
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.
  • wagnesium
    wagnesium Posts: 4
    I have to say that I've lost 67lbs at 55 doing 2100 calories a day, and just walking. I rarely eat all 2100 each day, but I think I've done alright.
  • JudieJudes
    JudieJudes Posts: 174 Member
    grammar and spelling. can't figure out the question. moving on.

    Glass houses and stones come to mind with this post ^ :wink:
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    No I really struggle to have an intake of over 600cals especially after I log in my exercise aswell

    That is just crazy...how did you become overweight and need to lose 30lbs if you can not eat over 600 cals now??
  • cindy326
    cindy326 Posts: 70 Member
    I agree...I was too eating 1200 a day then working out 700+ so my net was 500..My body allowed this for a while, then no weight loss for weeks. I started using google to research and came to the conclusion I was starving my body. I upped my intake and eat back 50% of my exercise calories.
  • ApocalypticFae
    ApocalypticFae Posts: 217 Member
    1300 has been working really well for me. But my goal is a very slim figure with pretty curves, a flat stomach, and sculpted muscle in the right places (think V.S. model-type, but on a 5'1" frame). Over the past 4-5 months, I've been losing slowly every week and am only a few pounds away from my UGW. I'm feeling stronger than ever, mentally and physically.

    I had to experiment with what worked best for me, and still make modifications as I go along.

    Good luck finding your perfect formula for becoming your best self! :flowerforyou:
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    There seems to be an irrelevant amount of butthurt regarding the:
    "That is why she used the word "I". She simply shared her experience. She didn't say that anyone else would lose that much.

    The problem here isn't that the individual was sharing her story. It was that her story didn't apply to the person she was replying to. I get it, to each their own.. all that.. blah blah, yadda yadda...

    but the person that asked was an active 49 year old male.

    So while it's peaches and cream that 1200 worked for her, if you guys would read the rest of the thread, you'd see that it's been pointed out already that the amount wasn't accurate for who she was replying to.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Nope I stalled out pretty quickly. I had to up my calories to start losing again.
  • mrshoneydew
    mrshoneydew Posts: 253
    Yes. I joined MFP in February 2012 at 214 pounds and started with 1,400 cals a day until that summer when I went down to 1,200 cals average. I hit my original goal in November 2012 which was 160 lbs.
    I am now around 148 lbs. I lost this weight (over 60 lbs) and have maintained it in a year and a half which I do not think is unreasonable or excessive. That few amount of calories may not work for everyone, but it works for me. I never ate that much to begin with but I wasn't as active as I am now. When I eat more calories, I gain weight, and I feel content with what I eat so why change it?
    I do try really hard not to go under though and on days where I exercise a lot, I try to eat more.
    If you can eat more and lose weight, that's super awesome. But it doesn't work for me. That's why I try to eat more low cal things in larger quantities so I feel full and content and make my goal.
  • Tldavis3s
    Tldavis3s Posts: 83 Member
    I reached my original goal weight on 1200 cals/day.


    5'3 female. 21 years old. Lightly active while I was doing the 1200/day
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    "That is why she used the word "I". She simply shared her experience. She didn't say that anyone else would lose that much.

    Exactly. In these threads the people (usually women) who eat 1200 usually are not telling OTHERS that they also must eat 1200. They are only reporting that 1200 is what THEY need to consume to lose. But there's always a huge contingent of people who don't listen. No matter how often you say it, this contingent will not accept that 1200 is not even classified as a Very Low Calorie Diet. If I want to lose without exercise I definitely need to be at 1200 or a little under.

    I, too, find frustrating the women who feel the need to pipe up about how they're losing while eating 2,000 calories a day. How very nice for you. Don't you think I would know if I could lose weight eating that much a day on average? They're interested in showing off, not helping. There are plenty of other threads for that.

    Best of luck with your weight loss and exercise goals. Trust your observations, your intuitions, your commonsense, and when in doubt, consult a doctor. It sounds as if you're doing all of the above. That's all you need, along with perseverance. :smile:

    This is such a great reply!

    I am on 1200 calories per day and I fully agree with what you say here. :flowerforyou:

    Thank you. I appreciate it. :smile:
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.

    Isn't the above response juvenile? :smile: Yes, when I was 90-92 pounds at the age of 24 and able to eat literally anything I probably ate 1800 many days too. I didn't need to count calories so I have no idea.

    The key is to figure out how to eat and maintain your weight when you're NO LONGER 24. I know plenty of formerly thin people who didn't change their habits.

    Besides, a lot of the I-eat-1800-calories-a-day folks are overweight and losing (which is good). But if you have such vast self-knowledge and control how did you get overweight to begin with?
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.

    Isn't the above response juvenile? :smile: Yes, when I was 90-92 pounds at the age of 24 and able to eat literally anything I probably ate 1800 many days too. I didn't need to count calories so I have no idea.

    The key is to figure out how to eat and maintain your weight when you're NO LONGER 24. I know plenty of formerly thin people who didn't change their habits.

    Besides, a lot of the I-eat-1800-calories-a-day folks are overweight and losing (which is good). But if you have such vast self-knowledge and control how did you get overweight to begin with?

    I think YOU are juvenile.

    I am an active 24 year old at 5'8 and 170lbs. Am I still technically overweight, yes, but I am the same size that I was at 145lbs and skinny fat because of much healthier body composition currently. I AM NOT OBESE. How did YOU get overweight to begin with if you have SOOOOOO much self control?

    I am not advocating 1800 calories for everyone. I am advocating understanding your true caloric needs and utilizing a moderate rather than drastic caloric deficit, incorporating adequate protein as well as some sort of strength training for its HEALTH BENEFITS as well as moderate cardio. Many people, women especially get to this stupid magical number they have in their head while eating too little and doing it too quickly just to find out that they have WRECKED their lean body mass, potentially harmed their metabolism... oh yeah, and still don't like the way their body looks especially with minimal to no clothes on. If you had any sort of reading comprehension abilities you would've understood this point from my first post.

    For some of us, this is about much more than a stupid number on the scale. It is about sustainability, increasing bone density, minimizing future as well as current health cost, balance of social life with maintaining weight loss or maintenance of our current weight.

    How dare you think that because someone is still overweight they have no idea what self control means. The way to maintain your weight as you age is to maintain your activity level as much as you possibly can... aka get your rear off the couch. I have plenty of female friends reach their mid to upper 40s who strength train and even run marathons. And guess what they all maintain eating at least 2000 calories.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.

    Isn't the above response juvenile? :smile: Yes, when I was 90-92 pounds at the age of 24 and able to eat literally anything I probably ate 1800 many days too. I didn't need to count calories so I have no idea.

    The key is to figure out how to eat and maintain your weight when you're NO LONGER 24. I know plenty of formerly thin people who didn't change their habits.

    Besides, a lot of the I-eat-1800-calories-a-day folks are overweight and losing (which is good). But if you have such vast self-knowledge and control how did you get overweight to begin with?

    yes, that is my impression too :(
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.

    Isn't the above response juvenile? :smile: Yes, when I was 90-92 pounds at the age of 24 and able to eat literally anything I probably ate 1800 many days too. I didn't need to count calories so I have no idea.

    The key is to figure out how to eat and maintain your weight when you're NO LONGER 24. I know plenty of formerly thin people who didn't change their habits.

    Besides, a lot of the I-eat-1800-calories-a-day folks are overweight and losing (which is good). But if you have such vast self-knowledge and control how did you get overweight to begin with?

    yes, that is my impression too :(

    BTW, the OP is 26, please tell me how your over 50, menopausal, I'm no longer 24 so I can't eat anything anecdotal evidence is even applicable?

    Seems like my advice at the age of 24, fairly active, and at a relatively normal to low BF% is probably a little more helpful in this situation. But maybe I'm biased.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm 41, and lose eating between 1800-2200. Because I understand math.

    Funny how someone who's never even shown a photo can criticize others.
  • xMuscles
    xMuscles Posts: 24
    I eat 1800 calories on MY CUTTING PHASE. 1200 is insanely low and not healthy. this stops your metabolism and keeps the weight on you. workout and raise your metabolism so you can eat more, healthily!!!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Just stopping by to rub it in your face that I eat 1800 calories on average per day and still lose weight... tra-la-la-la-la-la...

    Seriously? We do it to show you that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight and in fact, prolonged undereating will cause you to plateau and become unhealthy.

    Sorry we did a little learning and realized how to be healthy and still stay sane.

    Yes, when I was 24 years old as you are, I too, could eat much more. However, now I am 52 and having gone through the menopause, I find 1200 is just right :)

    It is definitely down to the individual on what they want to consume.

    Isn't the above response juvenile? :smile: Yes, when I was 90-92 pounds at the age of 24 and able to eat literally anything I probably ate 1800 many days too. I didn't need to count calories so I have no idea.

    The key is to figure out how to eat and maintain your weight when you're NO LONGER 24. I know plenty of formerly thin people who didn't change their habits.

    Besides, a lot of the I-eat-1800-calories-a-day folks are overweight and losing (which is good). But if you have such vast self-knowledge and control how did you get overweight to begin with?

    I think YOU are juvenile.

    I am an active 24 year old at 5'8 and 170lbs. Am I still technically overweight, yes, but I am the same size that I was at 145lbs and skinny fat because of much healthier body composition currently. I AM NOT OBESE. How did YOU get overweight to begin with if you have SOOOOOO much self control?

    I am not advocating 1800 calories for everyone. I am advocating understanding your true caloric needs and utilizing a moderate rather than drastic caloric deficit, incorporating adequate protein as well as some sort of strength training for its HEALTH BENEFITS as well as moderate cardio. Many people, women especially get to this stupid magical number they have in their head while eating too little and doing it too quickly just to find out that they have WRECKED their lean body mass, potentially harmed their metabolism... oh yeah, and still don't like the way their body looks especially with minimal to no clothes on. If you had any sort of reading comprehension abilities you would've understood this point from my first post.

    For some of us, this is about much more than a stupid number on the scale. It is about sustainability, increasing bone density, minimizing future as well as current health cost, balance of social life with maintaining weight loss or maintenance of our current weight.

    How dare you think that because someone is still overweight they have no idea what self control means. The way to maintain your weight as you age is to maintain your activity level as much as you possibly can... aka get your rear off the couch. I have plenty of female friends reach their mid to upper 40s who strength train and even run marathons. And guess what they all maintain eating at least 2000 calories.
    A-freakin-men!! :drinker: Very well said.

    By the way - I'm a long way from 24, I'm 45 years old, 5'8", currently 137lbs, and I have had my best results with FAT LOSS while eating 1800+ calories a day. I started out trying to lose a few pounds, went the 1200 calorie route for awhile, looking for those high-cal-burning cardio workouts. I

    When I started out, I logged my food to make sure I didn't eat too much. Now I log in order to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH, not just proper calories, but macros as well. And it's working. I look better than I did when I was in my 30's, and I'm likely healthier than I was in my 20's.

    This is my favorite part:
    I am advocating understanding your true caloric needs and utilizing a moderate rather than drastic caloric deficit, incorporating adequate protein as well as some sort of strength training for its HEALTH BENEFITS as well as moderate cardio.
    Food is fuel! Give your body what it needs, use your muscles, drink water and get good rest. I've had my best success since figuring this out.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    I'm 41, and lose eating between 1800-2200. Because I understand math.

    Funny how someone who's never even shown a photo can criticize others.

    Oh snap! :laugh:

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