Worried about 1200 cal diet?

So, not to bring my own problems into it at all or anything, but I'm on a DAWL program and, according to what I'm reading here, it is bad for me. I couldn't imagine a doctor doing something on a regular basis that is bad for people's health; however, this post has made me call my PCP for a second opinion.

The DAWL has me limited to a 700 cal/day diet. I've been on it for just under two weeks and have lost ~16 lbs already. I don't do HEAVY exercise; however, I do light cardio and once per week I play non-competitive volleyball for about 2.5-3 hours. I don't ALWAYS COMPLETELY eat back my exercise cals but do eat at least a portion of them back.

My advise, if it is warranted in this situation, is to go with how you feel, and do as much research and doctor calling as you feel is enough to settle your mind. If you feel ok with a 1200 cal/day diet (physically) and can do that along with eating back a majority of your exercise cals, I would consider that acceptable; however, I am not a doctor and am just going off of my limited experience.

By the way, my stats:
SW 328lbs CW 312.2lbs 5'10"

Again, I'm not trying to bring my own issues into the mix, just going off of what I've experienced thus far.

Hope things go well for you in your endeavors though, OP.

My understanding is that everything you can do at home is an extremely inaccurate way to measure BF%. The scale is giving same results, though I don't look at that as often. What would you recommend?

Scales use the same math.

Hydrostatic is really the only way to "accurately" measure. You could caliper at home, but that isn't really all that accurate either.

At my best shape ever, the tape had me at almost 20%.

I would recommend eating more than 1200 calories a day, just because it is easier to stick to and you feel less deprived. Also, don't worry about the protein suggestions on mfp, as they are a bit low, if you aim to eat more protein you will feel more full and there is less chance of muscle wastage

1200 is starvation. You will lose weight sure, but you are losing muscle, organ tissue, and bone mass as well as fat. This is also not sustainable so when you eventually crash your metabolism, you will gain all the weight back plus more and you will have a weakened metabolism and less muscle and a much unhealthier body. The scoobyworkshop calculator online is the best I've seen for calculating your target. MFP numbers only work if you are putting in all of your exercise (including walking and housework, etc.) and then eating back those calories. A deficit of 20-30% of TDEE is a good goal for someone quite overweight. Not only will a 1200 calorie diet be hard to follow, you will experience greater amounts of bad side effects such as lack of sexual desire, extreme hunger, metabolic slow down, mood swings, extreme fatigue, etc. It's just not worth it.

I'm 5-10 and SW was 209, and I'm 45. My original goal was to lose 1.5 lbs/week and I believe that MFP had me at about 1500 cal/day. I don't exercise all that much--just walk the dog kind of stuff, but I am a teacher and so I'm on my feet all day. I entered my lifestyle as "lightly active." Now my CW is 178 and my goal is to lose 1 lb. per week and MFP has me at 1320 cal/day.

I do weigh myself everyday, and I find that this all averages out as MFP suggests. I might not lose any weight for more than a week, but then lose more than two pounds the next week, which, of course, averages to one lb/week.

In any case, it would have been extremely difficult for me to start out on 1200 calories a day. I know I would have been hungry all of the time and probably would have given up. Making the small calorie changes was much more manageable.

I am in the same boat as you are, with only 1200 cal/day, I am always hungry. I have resorted to doing 2 protien shakes a day and only real meal and have not lost a pound. Getting extremely frustrated.

If you're hungry, up your calories. I promise you'll still lose weight. I promise.

1200 is starvation. You will lose weight sure, but you are losing muscle, organ tissue, and bone mass as well as fat. This is also not sustainable so when you eventually crash your metabolism, you will gain all the weight back plus more and you will have a weakened metabolism and less muscle and a much unhealthier body. The scoobyworkshop calculator online is the best I've seen for calculating your target. MFP numbers only work if you are putting in all of your exercise (including walking and housework, etc.) and then eating back those calories. A deficit of 20-30% of TDEE is a good goal for someone quite overweight. Not only will a 1200 calorie diet be hard to follow, you will experience greater amounts of bad side effects such as lack of sexual desire, extreme hunger, metabolic slow down, mood swings, extreme fatigue, etc. It's just not worth it.

What a load of utter rubbish! 1200 may very well be too low for the OP and others but what you are quoting as side effects is incorrect. With my GP's blessing, I have been following a 1200 cal per day level for most of this year, it is NOT hard to follow. I get all the balance I need. I eat back 50% of my exercise calories (again with my GP's approval). I have lost 39lbs of the 60lbs I need to lose and I have certainly NOT suffered any of the side effects you are quoting. Where is your evidence? I have NOT 'crashed my metabolism' and in fact I am healthier than I have been for a long time.

Everyone is different - it's not a 'one size fits all' - so generalisation like this and quoting these supposed 'facts' is inaccurate and unhelpful.

I have been doing 1200 since I joind MFP in May(ish). I didn't have any trouble staying at this amount and rarely ate back my exercise calories. For a while, I lost 1-2 lbs a week pretty consistently and then I hit a wall.

A two month long wall.

So, I decided it was time to re-assess. I changed my goal to a much more realistic 1 lb loss per week. That gave me a few extra calories to play with. I became much more reasonable about my exercise regime i.e. I stopped working out as much and switched it up a lot more. I started eating back about half of my exercise calories too. And then I started to lose again.

Since I became more reasonable and less unrealistic, I have posted consistent losses. So I wouldn't say eating 1200 doesn't work, but it might not necessarily be sustainable or it might lead to a verrrry frustrating wall that is very difficult to move past. There is nothing worse than working hard, eating right and posting no weight loss whatsoever.

So find what works for you. Experiment and pay attention to your body and how it is responding. But most of all, be reasonable about losing weight.

I have a similar story. I ate 1200 calories & worked out a lot & lost about 2lbs a week for 3 months then hit a plateau for 4 weeks. Now I'm eating about 1350-1450 & doing HIIT 20mins daily instead of cardio equipment & have been losing 1-2lbs a week. Honestly, I don't regret eating 1200 calories because it did work.

So my question is this: I am 41, 222 lbs, 5'5 and sedentary because of health issues. I am learning what type of workouts that I can do but because of physical limitations can only do a few different things - all of which burn around 160 calories. I am on a 1200 calorie diet and am eating back my calories - most of the time. Sometimes I am just not hungry enough.

Because of my situation, should I be eating more calories in general? I can't work out a bunch and I can't work out every day. I have lost 3 lbs since starting MFP 3 weeks ago. I sometimes find 1200 calories a little low but only because I am lazy and not wanting to be creative with my meals lol

1200 is starvation. You will lose weight sure, but you are losing muscle, organ tissue, and bone mass as well as fat. This is also not sustainable so when you eventually crash your metabolism, you will gain all the weight back plus more and you will have a weakened metabolism and less muscle and a much unhealthier body. The scoobyworkshop calculator online is the best I've seen for calculating your target. MFP numbers only work if you are putting in all of your exercise (including walking and housework, etc.) and then eating back those calories. A deficit of 20-30% of TDEE is a good goal for someone quite overweight. Not only will a 1200 calorie diet be hard to follow, you will experience greater amounts of bad side effects such as lack of sexual desire, extreme hunger, metabolic slow down, mood swings, extreme fatigue, etc. It's just not worth it.

What a load of utter rubbish! 1200 may very well be too low for the OP and others but what you are quoting as side effects is incorrect. With my GP's blessing, I have been following a 1200 cal per day level for most of this year, it is NOT hard to follow. I get all the balance I need. I eat back 50% of my exercise calories (again with my GP's approval). I have lost 39lbs of the 60lbs I need to lose and I have certainly NOT suffered any of the side effects you are quoting. Where is your evidence? I have NOT 'crashed my metabolism' and in fact I am healthier than I have been for a long time.

Everyone is different - it's not a 'one size fits all' - so generalisation like this and quoting these supposed 'facts' is inaccurate and unhelpful.

Agree, that's complete rubbish.

I ate at 1200 for a long time, lost weight and muscle, and now I'm eating more and strength training to try and get some of that muscle back. I'm less focused on the rate I lose weight now and more focused on how healthy and strong my body is getting.

I am older and did the 1200 or so calories for the last 2 months. I lost 2 plus pounds a week. I noticed my body is not as toned :-( I just raised my calories to lose 1.5lbs a week and that gives me 1330 and I eat some of my exercise calories. Like you, I have to get my muscles back, I am getting skinny/fat. More strength training for me.

I'd stick to the 1200 a day diet. Keep in mind though that MFP is usually putting you at about a 600 cal defeceit, so you can eat a little more and you'll just lose a little less.

But everyone's metabolism is different. As soon as I start exercising and eating 1,200 cal a day, I start dropping weight pretty quickly. You may find that with exercise and diet that you lose over 2lbs a week. You could also lose less. One of the downfalls of MFP is that it is a very generalized goal system, and it's impossible to tweak it to your specific metabolism and other things that factor into weight loss.

1,200 cal a day is sometimes a nightmare for me since I have a pretty big appetite and am prone to "emotional eating". However, I find that in this case it's best to eat fruits and vegetables, as you can eat a lot of them at a fraction of the calorie costs of normal snack foods. And you're getting actual nutrition! It's great!

1200 is starvation. You will lose weight sure, but you are losing muscle, organ tissue, and bone mass as well as fat. This is also not sustainable so when you eventually crash your metabolism, you will gain all the weight back plus more and you will have a weakened metabolism and less muscle and a much unhealthier body. The scoobyworkshop calculator online is the best I've seen for calculating your target. MFP numbers only work if you are putting in all of your exercise (including walking and housework, etc.) and then eating back those calories. A deficit of 20-30% of TDEE is a good goal for someone quite overweight. Not only will a 1200 calorie diet be hard to follow, you will experience greater amounts of bad side effects such as lack of sexual desire, extreme hunger, metabolic slow down, mood swings, extreme fatigue, etc. It's just not worth it.

Ok first of all (Im using the above quote as an example, but there was a few) 1200 is NOT starvation mode, to clear that up, maybe a few people should read this: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

Secondly, I did clearly put on my post that everyone is different and the OP would find out the best method for them. WHY OH WHY do people on here feel the need to bash other people and say "this doesn't work" "that wont work" etc etc? If someone (me for example) has done something a certain way, and lost, and kept off the weight, then clearly.... it works! Yes it may not work for you, or the OP or Joe Bloggs, but it works for some people!!! Just in the same way your method may not work for me!!

I've been on MFP over 3 years now, and slowly but surely this place is getting worse for people's 'opinions'. I have studied and studied what the best way around it is for me, and this is it. I have been on the wagon (well, on and off :laugh: ) for over 3 years now and have lost lost lost. Instead of people being mean, why not throw some facts around? Like i keep saying everyone is different and is entitled to their opinion and own way of doing things. It really is amazing if you can consistently lose whilst eating 1500-2000 calories a day, I wish I could!! But I cant, iv tried it, didn't work at all for me!!

EACH TO THEIR OWN! I WAS SIMPLY OFFERING MY STORY!

I'd stick to the 1200 a day diet. Keep in mind though that MFP is usually putting you at about a 600 cal defeceit, so you can eat a little more and you'll just lose a little less.

If you choose "I want to lose 1 pound a week", your deficit is 500 calories. If you choose 1.5 pounds, it is 750. If you choose 2 pounds, it is 1,000.

I suggest you search the forum posts for "1200 calories." This is probably one of the most-discussed topics on MFP. Many people have asked the same question you did...