I eat 1200 calorie, why is that bad?

Options
2»

Replies

  • nikkylyn
    nikkylyn Posts: 325 Member
    Options
    I do something similar sometimes ill eat closer to 1200 to.save up.for big calorie.days.

    Who cares.what other ppl.think as long as u arent starving urself.dont worry about it
  • stefaniemazz
    stefaniemazz Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    I really want a toned body, I don't want to be "skinny fat", is there any advice on achieving that? I am losing the weight right now but I want to have a toned, healthy body.
    start a weight lifting program. focus more on lifting than on cardio. that will build muscle and the more muscle you have, the more calories you will naturally burn. plus lifting gives you a HOT body ;-) you will ,eventually, have to net more than 1200 calories a day though. i currently eat around 1800-2000 calories a day and lift 3x a week and i am still losing inches every week. :)
    Once I start lifting can I continue doing what I'm doing now? Eat 1200 during the week and eat more on the weekend? I prefer to do it this way but if its not the right way then let me know :)

    yes you can continue doing what you are doing now, just know that eventually you are going to reach a plateau and won't see any gains until you up your caloric intake. if you stay the way you are now, you will begin strengthening the muscle you already have, but unless you are eating more calories you will not build any muscle, which is what you are looking to do. :)

    feel free to add and/or message if you want more info! i was doing the same thing as you a few months back and asked the same question, i was eating like 1300 calories a day and didn't want to be skinny fat and wasn't really losing and just doing tons of cardo. i started the strong lifts 5x5 program and upped my calories to around 1800 a day and the inches started melting off and the hot body shape started to emerge! it was and continues to be glorious :)

    So how would I fit a cheat day into that if I were eating 1800 calories a day?
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    I really want a toned body, I don't want to be "skinny fat", is there any advice on achieving that? I am losing the weight right now but I want to have a toned, healthy body.
    start a weight lifting program. focus more on lifting than on cardio. that will build muscle and the more muscle you have, the more calories you will naturally burn. plus lifting gives you a HOT body ;-) you will ,eventually, have to net more than 1200 calories a day though. i currently eat around 1800-2000 calories a day and lift 3x a week and i am still losing inches every week. :)
    Once I start lifting can I continue doing what I'm doing now? Eat 1200 during the week and eat more on the weekend? I prefer to do it this way but if its not the right way then let me know :)

    yes you can continue doing what you are doing now, just know that eventually you are going to reach a plateau and won't see any gains until you up your caloric intake. if you stay the way you are now, you will begin strengthening the muscle you already have, but unless you are eating more calories you will not build any muscle, which is what you are looking to do. :)

    feel free to add and/or message if you want more info! i was doing the same thing as you a few months back and asked the same question, i was eating like 1300 calories a day and didn't want to be skinny fat and wasn't really losing and just doing tons of cardo. i started the strong lifts 5x5 program and upped my calories to around 1800 a day and the inches started melting off and the hot body shape started to emerge! it was and continues to be glorious :)

    So how would I fit a cheat day into that if I were eating 1800 calories a day?

    what do you mean exactly when you say "cheat day"? you know that you have to eat 3500 calories ABOVE whatever your maintenance is to gain 1 lb right? if you overeat a bit 1 day a week, it definitely isn't going to ruin anything. when you have your "cheat day" do you eat an excess of 3500 calories? if not, i wouldn't worry about it :)
  • ErinMLB
    ErinMLB Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    As far as cheat days go, I try to just have a cheat meal a week. That way I don't go over significantly, I also usually make sure to exercise that day. I just don't do full on cheat days because I know myself and I would it ALL the food, and it would really cut into the progress I had made throughout the week.
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    Options
    You're fine. That is how I lost 74lbs. I am slightly concerned you say its all junk though, I hope thats an exsageration.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Options
    I am one of those people who don't do "cheat days" because I eat whatever I want whenever I want within my calorie limit. Once in awhile I go over my calorie goal, most times I don't.

    I viewed your diary and if you are accurately logging, you are eating more than 1,200 calories a day. I see you didn't log a few days and another day you logged about 500 some odd calories.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,164 Member
    Options
    I don't think anyone answered the "why is 1200 calories bad?" question. It isn't that it is bad, but many people here only eat 1200 calories or less regardless of how much activity they do. Then they exercise 6-7 days a week for an hour or more each time. That is unhealthy. As I noted earlier if you eat 1200 a day with that big cheat day once a week, you come out not at 1200 calores, but at 1500-1600 calories a day. I don't know if you see the difference, but you are not really eating 1200 calories in the way that people say is not very healthy.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
    Options
    Firstly I want to say I agree that doing what you say in your first post is fine.
    But if you want to not be skinny fat then start lifting. What I would do in your situation is lift, and have a cheat meal rather than day (can be a big meal don't worry :P, more of a binge) about once a week, directly after a heavy workout. I was doing this during my last cut and worked for me. Added bonus, a day or two after your cheat you will look lean as hell :)
  • stefaniemazz
    stefaniemazz Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    You're fine. That is how I lost 74lbs. I am slightly concerned you say its all junk though, I hope thats an exsageration.

    Nope, its all junk.

    Morning-Donut
    Snack-Share a bag of chips with my boyfriend
    Lunch-Some sort of Fast Food meal
    Supper-Going out to eat

    Its' been working for me though
  • ultraconvoy
    ultraconvoy Posts: 21
    Options
    My lunch is almost 1200 cal lol
  • callie006
    callie006 Posts: 151 Member
    Options
    As others have said, your weekly average is probably right in a good range if you really are eating around 4000 calories on that one day.

    I've always had more success working on a weekly average vs a daily limit. If I have to eat 1500 calories every day, sometimes I just eat things to make the goal and other times I feel deprived. With trying to hit a weekly average of 1450-1550, I can eat what I want and arrange my meals in a way that works better for my life.

Categories