1200 Calories A Day??????

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  • sdbec
    sdbec Posts: 3
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    I have been trying to budge the scale for yrs yes yrs... My thyroid went 6 yrs ago i gained 20 lbs i have lost 5 in 6 yrs..
    1200 calories exercise zumba light wts.... water you name it... I think maybe its time to just quit for a little :{
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    You *can* get all your vital nutrients from a 1200 calorie diet. The only catch is that you need to be very picky about what you eat. If you feel that you can maintain that intake, have a go at it. If you try it and feel tired, dizzy, or just overall bad, then you'll need to up your calories. Play around and adjust your calories to fit what feels best and is most effective for you.
  • Sarahnade42x
    Sarahnade42x Posts: 308 Member
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    When I set my MFP loss as 2lb/week, My limit was 1270 calories per day. And because it's a challenge to get close to the goal without going over, I would usually end up eating around 1000-1100 cals a day. Way too little. It made me super tired, lethargic and uninspired during workouts, even when I took vitamins and ate balanced healthy foods. At one point my weight totally plateaued for weeks, too, and actually didn't start going down again until I raised my goal to 1450 (1.5lb/wk).
  • victoriahunt93
    victoriahunt93 Posts: 18 Member
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    I get everything I need with 900 - 1000 calories a day. It all depends on WHAT you're eating. A 1200 calorie day could be a bowl of cereal, a sandwich, pasta, and a candy bar. OR a 1200 calorie day could be yogurt, a granola bar, crackers, string cheese, a huge salad, a bowl of soup, a banana, carrots, haddock, green beans, and jell-o. If you're eating low calorie foods (like veggies, fruit, etc.), you can eat A LOT of food and you can eat often throughout the day. That's what I do and my body has never felt weak, deprived, or 'starved' at 900 - 1000 calories.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    Im starving at 1300 alone!
  • nessayessa
    nessayessa Posts: 8 Member
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    I think there is no one size fits all magical calorie limit. The important thing is you track, become aware of what you eat, how many calories are in your food, and start to make better decisions about how you eat. Notice how you feel, are you eating 1400 calories and starving all the time? Eating 1200 and full all the time? Have energy and clear mind? You CAN do this, but its a choice you have to make every day. There will be weeks, maybe month's that you don't see the scale go down. Thats ok. When you get discouraged, look for those non-scale victories. I went almost of the 45 day's I've been tracking without losing weight. But I could walk faster, farther, had ton's more energy and exercised a lot more. I consoled myself that I was eating well, eating healthy foods in healthy portions, and making a lifestyle change. My *kitten* didn't grow this big overnight, its not going to shrink overnight either. You have the power to make this happen, or to not make this happen. How you make it happen will likely look differently than how others make it happen.
  • victoriahunt93
    victoriahunt93 Posts: 18 Member
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    You *can* get all your vital nutrients from a 1200 calorie diet. The only catch is that you need to be very picky about what you eat. If you feel that you can maintain that intake, have a go at it. If you try it and feel tired, dizzy, or just overall bad, then you'll need to up your calories. Play around and adjust your calories to fit what feels best and is most effective for you.

    ^^^ Amen.
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
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    It was a struggle for me when I started at 1200 calories...and the calories were consumed quickly. I couldn't maintain that deficit for very long.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TheEffort/view/fat-to-skinny-with-a-touch-of-psychosis-571278

    Take a hard look at your fitness goals and determine if its worth it to start your deficit there.

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  • healthy4life4mykids
    healthy4life4mykids Posts: 84
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    They can't. Figure out your BMR and TDEE: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Good luck.


    Yes. New to mfp but have lost 13 lbs doing tdee - 20% AND I AM NOT HUNGRY! Use the Scooby, its easy.
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
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    Okay. I am pretty new to counting calories. I didn't want to do it, so I didn't. Now, however, I FINALLY feel serious about losing weight. My question is, how can a person possibly get everything they are supposed to eat in a day nutrition wise in 1200 calories?

    It's possible if you eat plenty of fruit, veg and lean meats.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,012 Member
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    Find what works for you. I have stuck to 1200 cals most days for 3 yrs and have lost 115 lbs, you can look st my diary to get ideas, 1200 cals works for some, some eat back exercise cals some do not.1200 cals is doable but not a hard fast rule and some people find it too restrictive,, good luck
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,012 Member
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    I think there is no one size fits all magical calorie limit. The important thing is you track, become aware of what you eat, how many calories are in your food, and start to make better decisions about how you eat. Notice how you feel, are you eating 1400 calories and starving all the time? Eating 1200 and full all the time? Have energy and clear mind? You CAN do this, but its a choice you have to make every day. There will be weeks, maybe month's that you don't see the scale go down. Thats ok. When you get discouraged, look for those non-scale victories. I went almost of the 45 day's I've been tracking without losing weight. But I could walk faster, farther, had ton's more energy and exercised a lot more. I consoled myself that I was eating well, eating healthy foods in healthy portions, and making a lifestyle change. My *kitten* didn't grow this big overnight, its not going to shrink overnight either. You have the power to make this happen, or to not make this happen. How you make it happen will likely look differently than how others make it happen.

    This
  • scratch_pad
    scratch_pad Posts: 2
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    Do more exercise and record it in myfitnesspal for the day.
    I foun it hard to eat 1200 of the right foods a day.
    1other thing I was able to do which really helped was using the nutritional info as I ate through out the day so I could adjust what better food choices would be. Once I started doing these I lost 2lbs in a week. Hope this info helps.
  • ngressman
    ngressman Posts: 229 Member
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    I am short and very inactive. So 1200 calories is what is recommended for my weight loss. However when I exercise I make sure to eat my calories back. It works for me. I just can't eat junk food. Every calorie must count and be nutrient dense. Lots of veggies, fruit and lean protein. Otherwise I am hungry.
  • sjanejack
    sjanejack Posts: 158
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    It had reccomended for me to eat 1200 calories a day, and I decided to make it so that I have more calories per day. It works better that way, for me, but right now it's at 1300 calories, which isn't much different.
  • diadia1
    diadia1 Posts: 223 Member
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    [/quote]
    The only way to do it is to become OCD and plan every little thing. As for me, I'd rather be patient and eat at 2000 calories, giving myself leeway and never having to plan anything. I just log what I eat.
    [/quote]

    agree. I set up mine for 1700 cal,. but i always eat more (1800-2200) depending if i'm hungry,exercise or if i have a big craving that i eat to satisfied and i don't feel guilty about it. I just go back on tracknext day. The healthy way to losing weight is actually to go slowly. This way you don't need like it is dieting or feeling deprived of something.

    But if you want a qick fix and feeling hungry then i guess 1200 cal works. But it is not a way of healthy living.

    Whatever you decide be sure to properly and get at the nutrients ,vitamins, fiber your body needs.
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
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    1200 calories a day works pretty good for me! It takes a little discipline and planning, but it works if you work it!
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Well, I don't think I'm going to try to stick to 1200, especially since I am used to years and years of eating what I want, when I want, and how much I want! I did the other body fat calculator, and came out with 27.3% this time. Very different from the first one that had me at 43% I expect I am someplace in the middle. Either way, the one for how many calories I should eat in a day shows over 1500. So I think I will strive for that.

    Thank you all so much for your comments and encouragement!
  • haylsquish
    haylsquish Posts: 19 Member
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    I've been eating 1200 calories for weeks now, and it's incredibly easy to get everything you need in, nutrition wise.
    Just make sure everything that it going into your mouth is going to benefit you in some way.

    Egg white omelettes with spinach and mushrooms and sliced chicken are great breakfasts.
    Salads packed with spinach, rocket, tomatoes, lean meats, cucumbers and a couple of tablespoons of brown rice are good lunches.
    Feel free to add me to look at my diary.

    I'm 5"4 currently weighing 203. I've lost around 20lb so far, and i've come from being completely inactive and eating complete crap.
    If I can do anyone can.

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    http://thediaryofacheesecakefanatic.blogspot.co.uk/
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    I want to make sure I don't lose too fast, since I'm SO afraid of the sagging skin thing. Especially at my age.

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