**Controversial** Eating 1,200 Calories or Less

I think people & society in general are focusing too much emphasis on just the numbers more than reality. We can perfectly survive & function on a low calorie diet. 200 years ago people didnt worry about calories, they got up in the morning and went about their day, they were much more physically active than we are today, and were overall much more slender than the average person today. They didnt have to jog, eat salads all the time in order to lose weight, or be haunted by that bag of potato chips thats hiding in the pantry. They were already slender because of a much more active lifestyle. Back then if there were any fat people, it was the rich or wealthy... Today is all backwards where a head of lettuce costs more than a .99 cent double cheeseburger.

The best thing is to focus on a healthy lifestyle, such as eating food, real food that is low in calories yet very healthy, such as fruit and vegetables and lean meats and just becoming more active. The result is weight that that you can live with and maintain for a very long time... Stop worrying about the numbers and eat sensibly folks....

Except that its rubbish.

I used to work a hard, manual job outside (was fish-farming) used to live on the farm, miles from town so couldn't pop in for junk food. I lived on wholesome, home cooked meals with plenty of veg etc. Problem was I ate a shedload cos working in the cold makes you HUNGRY. Guess what? I ended up at 17st. I still eat relativeley little junk food, but I now 'pay attention to the numbers' and am now 12 and a half stone.

THANK YOU! For being a perfect example of why eating "healthy foods" and not monitoring calories doesn't work. I genuinely mean that. I wish more people understood that a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight loss.

And if you read his response, he admitted what his problem was.... and I quote ....." Problem was I ate a shedload" ............. There ya go, stop eating a "shedload" and you'll lose the weight....

Which can be done eating "non-real" food too, right?

That was the point. You can overeat and gain with "real" food too.

You can also lose eating "non-real" food.

"Burn, baby, burn..."
If I was a flame baiter and started this I'd be SOOO happy. :smokin:

Some people just want you to achieve your weight goal healthily, and if you eat under a certain amount of calories per day, that's at risk.

I personally find it hard to eat more than 1000 or 1100 some days. Some days it takes a lot of effort. But I know it shouldn't.

I dont know how?

For example, when I was in high school I was in the 160's, played football & was on the track team. I would have a bowl of cereal, CaptN' crunch or Frosted flakes, and walk to school. For the most part I packed my lunches, PB&J sandwich with a small bag of chips & a soda. Walk home from school and go about my thing until dinner time... Normal average home cooked meals that included meat & vegetables of some sort. I was slender, healthy and very active... up until I got my drivers license and first job.... then instead of walking or bike riding I was driving, instead of having home meals I was spending my money eating out w/my dates, next thing ya know I was putting on the weight... got up to 211 at my heaviest .....connection?

I see absolutely no problems eating 3 small meals a day, I've done it, Im sure a lot of you out there have grown up with days similar to mine back then.... so whats the issue? Society is focusing too much on calories...forget the calories people, there are no calories!!! .... lol.... But guess what? Today I had a bowl of cereal, had a PB&J sandwich, and tonight Im having chicken with mixed vegetables and I also would like to add that Im fortunate enough to be able to walk to & from work.... weighed myself this morning at 169.6lbs.... Enough said.

<--This girl was told by MFP to only eat 1200 calories a day to lose 1.5 pounds a week. After a few hours of thinking, I've decided that I like food way to much and will be sticking to the original 1500 net. :drinker:

Controversial: Didn't you know that everybody on this webpage knows everything there is to know about weight loss and health?

... and we'll see you at the "what am I doing wrong/what's wrong with me, why can't I lose weight" thread. :flowerforyou:

This..........just THIS!!!!

Thank u :drinker:

Some people just want you to achieve your weight goal healthily, and if you eat under a certain amount of calories per day, that's at risk.

I personally find it hard to eat more than 1000 or 1100 some days. Some days it takes a lot of effort. But I know it shouldn't.

I dont know how?

For example, when I was in high school I was in the 160's, played football & was on the track team. I would have a bowl of cereal, CaptN' crunch or Frosted flakes, and walk to school. For the most part I packed my lunches, PB&J sandwich with a small bag of chips & a soda. Walk home from school and go about my thing until dinner time... Normal average home cooked meals that included meat & vegetables of some sort. I was slender, healthy and very active... up until I got my drivers license and first job.... then instead of walking or bike riding I was driving, instead of having home meals I was spending my money eating out w/my dates, next thing ya know I was putting on the weight... got up to 211 at my heaviest .....connection?

I see absolutely no problems eating 3 small meals a day, I've done it, Im sure a lot of you out there have grown up with days similar to mine back then.... so whats the issue? Society is focusing too much on calories...forget the calories people, there are no calories!!! .... lol.... But guess what? Today I had a bowl of cereal, had a PB&J sandwich, and tonight Im having chicken with mixed vegetables and I also would like to add that Im fortunate enough to be able to walk to & from work.... weighed myself this morning at 169.6lbs.... Enough said.

WAT

Just read it again............. why do some people have an issue with food? I eat to live folks......not live to eat...

No one should be getting angry at what another person chooses to eat or not - that's just silly.

This ^

it's the 'that's just silly' bit...

- Because people don't know how to use MFP and don't understand that its 1200 NET calories...a far cry different than 1200 gross calories.

- Because people take the most aggressive approach whether they have 5 Lbs to lose or 200 lbs to lose and don't know the difference.

- Because there are an *kitten* load of young girls on this site who don't even need to lose weight who are netting well below 1000 calories...this is called an eating disorder.

- Because some of us actually care as much or more about actual NUTRITION than just losing a few Lbs...it is next to impossible to actually meet your body's requisite fat, protein, and vitamin and mineral needs when you're eating 1200 calories and exercising 800 of those off.

- Because some of us understand that when you do this for a prolonged period of time you destroy LBM which is very difficult to get back

- Because some of us have been around the block a few times and have been here awhile...and we get to see posts of 1200 calorie "success stories" turning into, "why is my hair falling out" and "why don't I have a period anymore" posts.

I could give you more but you don't really care anyway so why bother...enjoy your awesome and amazing "journey"

Exactly but go ahead with your 1200 cals. I am going to enjoy my 1800 cals woohoo and still losing!!!

I am amazed with all the diet & nutrition experts out here on the forums.... Im so fortunate to be surround by such expertise. I feel so.............happy

because we live in a world where everyone has forgot how to mind their own business.....facebook...twitter...everyone has the need to publicize and scrutinize everyone for something that they don't feel is right...however, I don't see many people who have such harsh opinions on people here who constantly binge and go over their calories times three...that is acceptable I guess

So really what it comes down to is not about how much calories you are eating, but are you getting your nutritional needs met. If your body is fine on all it's levels then it shouldn't matter how many calories you eat! Calories are just you to express how much energy a certain food is going to provide the body. Some might need more, some might need less.

Society is focusing too much on calories...forget the calories people, there are no calories!!! .... lol....

If you are new and reading this thread - Please do not listen to this advice.

It is potentially dangerous and almost assuredly harmful to your weight loss efforts.

Many people eating less than 1,200 will be getting insufficient nutrients
and worse will slow their metabolism down
BUT
it is a generalisation

like many things in life - its not that simple

age, exercise, what you are actually eating, current weight etc etc all play a factor too

I'm losing weight on over 1800 calories a day, and enjoying it !

but do take care not to go too low as you will find your weight loss stalling .........

So really what it comes down to is not about how much calories you are eating, but are you getting your nutritional needs met. If your body is fine on all it's levels then it shouldn't matter how many calories you eat! Calories are just you to express how much energy a certain food is going to provide the body. Some might need more, some might need less.

Society is focusing too much on calories...forget the calories people, there are no calories!!! .... lol....

If you are new and reading this thread - Please do not listen to this advice.

It is potentially dangerous and almost assuredly harmful to your weight loss efforts.

^this

SOMEBODY will argue about anything you post.

"Look, if I *argue* with you, I must take up a contrary position!"
"Yes but it isn't just saying 'no it isn't'."
"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"
"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"
"Yes it is!"
"No it ISN'T! Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says."
"It is NOT!"
"It is!"
"Not at all!"
"It is!"
*ding*
"Thank you, that's it."

Some people just want you to achieve your weight goal healthily, and if you eat under a certain amount of calories per day, that's at risk.

I personally find it hard to eat more than 1000 or 1100 some days. Some days it takes a lot of effort. But I know it shouldn't.

I dont know how?

For example, when I was in high school I was in the 160's, played football & was on the track team. I would have a bowl of cereal, CaptN' crunch or Frosted flakes, and walk to school. For the most part I packed my lunches, PB&J sandwich with a small bag of chips & a soda. Walk home from school and go about my thing until dinner time... Normal average home cooked meals that included meat & vegetables of some sort. I was slender, healthy and very active... up until I got my drivers license and first job.... then instead of walking or bike riding I was driving, instead of having home meals I was spending my money eating out w/my dates, next thing ya know I was putting on the weight... got up to 211 at my heaviest .....connection?

I see absolutely no problems eating 3 small meals a day, I've done it, Im sure a lot of you out there have grown up with days similar to mine back then.... so whats the issue? Society is focusing too much on calories...forget the calories people, there are no calories!!! .... lol.... But guess what? Today I had a bowl of cereal, had a PB&J sandwich, and tonight Im having chicken with mixed vegetables and I also would like to add that Im fortunate enough to be able to walk to & from work.... weighed myself this morning at 169.6lbs.... Enough said.

This explains absolutely nothing. And why shouldn't society focus on calories?