1200-1400 Calorie Range. Are you hungry?

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Allup2Me78
Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just wanted to know if you are in the calorie range of 1200-1400 daily, do you try to get more protein to keep you full? Also, when you workout, do you eat back exercise calories or no? When you first started that calorie range, did you have headaches or feel hungry and then your body just adjust to it? Please advise. Just seeking info.
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Replies

  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
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    I just recently dropped from 1,500 to about 1,400 and I do get hungry and still have crazy cravings but I've just been using baby carrots and any other super low cal snacks I can eat when I start feeling the hunger to keep from going over in calories.
  • MrsBrosco
    MrsBrosco Posts: 295
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    Yes- the more protein the better. I eat back about 1/2 of them at 1200 calories. And yes, I always have headaches when I start being "strict" no matter what calorie range i'm at, but for me it's due to the sugar crash/fast food withdrawl.

    How have you lost your first 36lbs?

    Good luck!
  • SkinnyMarni3
    SkinnyMarni3 Posts: 73 Member
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    Hey, I did first start in that calories range, starting at 1200-1300. That was last summer and I didn't go to class so I had a lot of time to spend planning healthy meals. I had a lot of chicken/fish and vegetables, so it did keep me pretty full :) I would also only eat wholewheat rice/pasta/bread. It can happen though, that when you start, your stomach is all streched out from having very big portions, then you will feel it "shrink" (not sure it actually shrinks but you get used to eating less)
    I later upped my calories to 1500 and I would still lose weight. I never eat back my exercise calories on purpose :p

    My biggest problem, to be honest is not the hunger, but wanting to eat these high calories foods like chocolate and candy... I'll eat them, not because I'm hungry, but because I want them...
  • Kitty7814
    Kitty7814 Posts: 52
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    I have been at 1,200 for a while. I don't really focus on eating protein to keep me full, though I eat a lot of it otherwise. Yes, I eat back calories. I use a body media armband to track and always eat back calories for the week, though not necessarily daily, and usually end up over for the week. I did get headaches, but I had been consuming way too much soda, and believe this was due to caffeine withdraw and not being hungry.

    If I ever felt hungry, I ate, so no. What I did have to realize was the difference between being hungry and habit. Generally "hungry" was wanting food that I shouldn't be having. If it happens often enough, and I think about it and really want it I work out to get as close to the calories as possible, and then have it anyway. The main thing for me was breaking the habit and making low calorie meals more readily available than bad ones.

    What I would highly recommend is drinking the recommended amount of water. Should keep away headaches as well as help keep you feeling full. I bought a 24 oz water bottle when I started and carry that thing around with me constantly.
  • rachaelruth3
    rachaelruth3 Posts: 27 Member
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    I started eating only 1200 calories in July. I'm 20 (19 then) and weighed 305. The first few days were horrible and painful. I was starving and the only thing I could think about was food constantly during those few days. At the time I still drank pop so I cut down to one cup at dinner which was also very hard. My day usually consisted of a bagel with weight watchers cream cheese and a banana for breakfast, salad and dressing for lunch and dinner would consist of something healthy less than 500 calories (usually chicken) and if I had calories left over I would get a small snack. I counted and measured everything. I walked almost everyday which really helped in the beginning because I didn't want to loose that hard work I just put in by eating something bad. After about four days I was really into it. I had so much more energy since I was actually moving around and eating healthy and I cut out pop for good. I stopped starving and felt full. I started school back up in early September and weighed and now weigh 285. I started eating out again and stopped counting. I'm trying to get back into it. I know I will feel better and happy again when I do. The first few days are really tough and I've been messing up about every afternoon wanting to go back to 1200 or even just eating health period.

    Edit: I also drank lots of water to help with hunger. I drank about 5 regular size water bottles a day.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    I'm at 1,410 right now. I am not hungry. The biggest challenge for me was when I went down to 1,500 after starting MFP around 1,700. I do eat a considerable amount of protein, usually at my MFP-assigned amount, although I eat primarily pescetarian. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find this to be a difficult calorie level at all and even work quite a few "bad" foods and treats into it.

    I underlog my exercise but then I do eat back the calories, most of the time. For example if I am walking at a zoo, pretty briskly, for 3 solid hours I will log it as 60 min 2.5 mph walking and 20 min 3.0 mph walking. If I clean house all evening on a Thursday, from 5-8 pm or longer, I will log it as 30 min light cleaning and 15 min heavy duty cleaning. No real rhyme or reason to my logging "system" hehe but it seems to work well for me. The numbers scare me when I log exact times, it seems nutty and I KNOW I am not burning that many calories...
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
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    Has taken more over a year and 2 mnths to get it off and I don't lose steady and never have..Just here and there and I am just trying to find what calories my body needs. I dnt workout hardcore and am 192.5 lbs still at 4ft 10 so I really feel I need less calories especially since I dnt burn like 500 or more calories per workout..More like 170-225 each workout
    Yes- the more protein the better. I eat back about 1/2 of them at 1200 calories. And yes, I always have headaches when I start being "strict" no matter what calorie range i'm at, but for me it's due to the sugar crash/fast food withdrawl.

    How have you lost your first 36lbs?

    Good luck!
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
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    Same here-I want those bad foods & when I have a higher calorie goal it allows me to fit all that stuff in which to me is nooo good!
    Hey, I did first start in that calories range, starting at 1200-1300. That was last summer and I didn't go to class so I had a lot of time to spend planning healthy meals. I had a lot of chicken/fish and vegetables, so it did keep me pretty full :) I would also only eat wholewheat rice/pasta/bread. It can happen though, that when you start, your stomach is all streched out from having very big portions, then you will feel it "shrink" (not sure it actually shrinks but you get used to eating less)
    I later upped my calories to 1500 and I would still lose weight. I never eat back my exercise calories on purpose :p

    My biggest problem, to be honest is not the hunger, but wanting to eat these high calories foods like chocolate and candy... I'll eat them, not because I'm hungry, but because I want them...
  • ldula88
    ldula88 Posts: 169 Member
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    I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day, my macros are 15% carbs, 35% protein, and 50% fat. I honestly am almost never hungry, or at least not hungry the way I used to get all the time before I switched to Paleo. Now, after a couple of hours, my stomach might make an occasional noise, but I never feel myself getting physically hungry. Upping my water intake helped as well, I'm sure :)
  • goodnamegone
    goodnamegone Posts: 237
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    I was hungry around the 1400 mark so took it up to around the 1600 mark and feel a lot better, I'm losing more weight too. I increased my fitness activities, had more energy to do that.
  • rosemaryspanos
    rosemaryspanos Posts: 3
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    my calories are 1230 per day. I am not really hungry, but I hate to eat out thinking I will go over. My daughter feels 1230 is to low and my body will go into starvation mode. I exercise with yoga, palates and a boot caamp. I do 5 days a week of exercise, but not much on he weekends. I am 68 yeas old, so does anyone have a thought. I am lost in this department of calories counting. My weight is 144.5. Thanks for any advice.
  • Mommybug2
    Mommybug2 Posts: 149 Member
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    I added protein and fiber, both are filling and help manage things like headaches and hunger. I like to keep the 90 calorie fiber one bars at my desk because there are still some days where I am just hungrier then others. I listen to my body and if I need a little extra snack I eat one of those and it settles me right back down. I found replacing empty calories (pop-tart) with more filling calories (oatmeal) made it way more bearable and I was shocked how often the more filling thing had way less calories and yet still kept me full longer.

    It is worth some trial and error to find out what works for you. It may take a month or so to get your groove but trust me once you do it is sooo worth it. That is when it becomes a lifestyle and you realize it doesn't take as much effort as it did in the beginning. Now I don't even consider this a "diet" it is simply how I eat :)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    I'm not hungry per se at that level but I make sure I get a lot of satiety bang for my calorie buck. Foods that are full of fiber, protein, water and meals that have some fat are best for keeping you full. Read Volumetrics by Barbara Rolls for the science.
  • Makoce
    Makoce Posts: 938 Member
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    Yes. And it doesnt help that my maintenance is 1463 & BMR is 1219
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
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    My goal is 1380 and I eat under that with or without exercise calories. I'm pretty satisfied with my intake and I do not eat back most of my exercise calories.
  • Kelin
    Kelin Posts: 49 Member
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    I'm at 1380. I was hungry the first week or so, but after that I wasn't. Been at it over 50 days now and haven't felt really hungry for several weeks. I do healthy snacks throughout the day and eat back some of my workout calories.
  • hopsgirl74
    hopsgirl74 Posts: 9
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    My goal is 1200 calories. I'm never hungry. In fact, I usually near the end of my day, realizing I didn't eat enough and need to have another meal. When I exercise, I make sure I eat those calories as well.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
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    I have recently joined MFP and am not eating enough and then working out is burning even more. I am not hungry though, which is weird. i've never been a big eater. I just ate the wrong things. I've always been heavy. My problem is carbs because I don't really like meat or veggies. Now, I have to figure out how to eat more! It's weird. I'm the type of person who doesn't eat all day (which is bad, I know). Now, I'm forcing myself to eat three meals a day and then after dinner, I allow myself a snack. But I guess I'm still not taking in enough calories. So, I don't know. Today, I gained a pound even though for the last three days, I've worked out 1.5 hours each and burned off over 600 calories. I think maybe my body is in starvation mode? I feel full though. I feel I'm eating enough. I am hoping for advice from others here. I'm doing something wrong! I've lost 8 lbs, but now gained one, so I'm at 7 lbs. Maddening!
  • SchroederNJ
    SchroederNJ Posts: 208 Member
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    I don't usually eat back all of my exercise calories because I believe that it's over estimated --- however, MFP lists me at 1210 for my daily goal - however, as long as I stay under 1500, I'm happy (even if I don't go for a run that day)
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    i had no problem on 1200 cals a dfay... but your one of my friends, so i dont have to go into detail... good luck :)

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