1200 calories?

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xNouvelleVie
xNouvelleVie Posts: 21
in Food and Nutrition
I think pretty much everyone has heard that if you don't get 1200 calories a day your body will go into starvation mode or whatnot. The question is how accurate is this really? Honestly, there are some days where I am just under 1200 and then I eat a snack to make it go over. However, like today I was under and I'm full. I honestly feel like I am getting plenty of food throughout the day and am not really hungry. So what is so "horrible" about staying under 1200? If you are constantly fueling your body with low calorie things is that such a bad thing? I feel like it would be dumb to force myself to eat the extra calories, every time it's under, esp when not hungry. I mean I suppose I could eat things with a little higher calories, but I feel fine throughout the day. And also when you exercise are you really supposed to eat them back as well? Like it always says you earned x amount of calories from exercise.
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Replies

  • ThinEdielynne
    ThinEdielynne Posts: 36
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    Your body is probably getting full with less calories because it's not trying to store a lot of energy anymore. It's burning fat and understands that it's 'ok' to use the energy it's stored up already and be thin! Yay! I say eat until your satisfied and then stop. If you are not feeling hungry or sick or worn out its fine to eat less than 1200.
  • tessaainge
    tessaainge Posts: 8 Member
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    i eat 1000 calories a day on a diet but i have too otherwise the weight wont shift, People tell me i should eat more all the time but its frustrating as i have in the past and the scales won't budge. I know my own body though, do what you think and if your losing weight thats great x x
  • Roaringgael
    Roaringgael Posts: 339 Member
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    I'm eating 1300 cals a day and occasionally am slightly under.
    Like you've mentioned some days I feel full.
    Other days I don't.
    I think in the long run low cals are harder to sustain - people who have succeeded on here talk about things in the long term. I'm on this amount because I have an injury and can't exercise at the moment.
    When I can commence some exercise I probably will try eating back some of the calories only because I'm on the low end anyway.
    A MFP friend who has had a big loss and has been at it for more than a year recently found she needed to eat slightly more to lose weight - but that was after a long period of time.
    As long as you pay attention to your nutrition that is, try and eat healthy, nutritious foods I think you can eat at 1200 for a long time without it damaging your health. I think its important to be flexible and be prepared to try different things, rather than give up.
  • tnsumner
    tnsumner Posts: 283 Member
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    I've been "successfully" using this app for over a year. Most days I eat right under 1000 calories. Today, I actually hit 1200. I don't have the usual eating schedule that other people do because I work 3rd shift. To me, it just doesn't sound healthy to eat just to have met a calorie goal that day. Even when the app tells me to recalculate my calorie goals, I rarely do. I know that if I'm allowed 1500 calories per day, I will not make smart choices past a certain point. I'll just say, "Oh I have 300 calories left to eat... WHERE IS THAT CAKE?!!!?!?!?!" Better to eat less with smart choices.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    Starvation mode is a myth.

    1200 calories is roughly the basal metabolic rate of a small, inactive woman. Basal meaning the very least that person should be consuming.

    You should be eating more than that... simply because, if you continue to eat too few calories for a prolonged period of time, you will do more harm than good to your body's natural process. Hormones, including ones that regulate your metabolism, will eventually be all out of whack (amongst other things).

    If your calorie allowance is "too much food" for you at the moment, feel free to consume more calorie dense foods to reach it.
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
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    Starvation mode is a myth.

    1200 calories is roughly the basal metabolic rate of a small, inactive woman. Basal meaning the very least that person should be consuming.

    You should be eating more than that... simply because, if you continue to eat too few calories for a prolonged period of time, you will do more harm than good to your body's natural process. Hormones, including ones that regulate your metabolism, will eventually be all out of whack (amongst other things).

    If your calorie allowance is "too much food" for you at the moment, feel free to consume more calorie dense foods to reach it.

    ^^ This. When I was younger I ate 1000 or less and exercised an hour or more a day thinking that low calories where the answer to losing weight. I became anorexic... lost hair, muscle mass, had cramps in my calves, passed out.... etc (it took two + years of this to realize the effects and as soon as I started eating normal again I gained it all back anyway). I may not be a doctor? But through personal experience 1000 calories are not enough for grown person, if you learn to eat for your body (500 under your daily calorie needs) you'll lose weight and not have to starve or damage yourself.

    Lots of people on here can show you how to determine that...
  • janupshaw
    janupshaw Posts: 205 Member
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    I wouldn't worry about being slightly under 1200 calories if it's just occasionally, but I wouldn't make a habit of it. I would definitely eat back exercise calories if I was only getting 1200 calories per day.
  • Ciniharts
    Ciniharts Posts: 60
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    I'll just say, "Oh I have 300 calories left to eat... WHERE IS THAT CAKE?!!!?!?!?!" Better to eat less with smart choices.

    Hahaha I love that! Thank goodness there are other people who eat like me!
  • moveyourself
    moveyourself Posts: 40
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    When I'm dieting, my ideal range is 1200 or 1300- I don't think you're doing anything wrong. If you feel satisfied eating the way you are eating, don't bother changing anything just because a bunch of fitness freaks are telling you you need to bump up your calorie intake.
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
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    I look at it as eating as much as I can and still lose. It is so much easier to start at a higher kcal allowance and adjust down than to start with the bare minimum and have no room to adjust. Being obese does give some leeway with the low number, but I'd rather stay close to my goal maintenance now and just be used to eating how I'm supposed to be eating when I get there.

    You should check out some very helpful threads.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • DriRose
    DriRose Posts: 28 Member
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    I've read a ton of articles debunking "starvation mode". Although the authors do acknowledge that having a low-calorie diet can effect your health and metabolism negatively, most agree it will take about a year. For me, being 5'2 and 130lbs and a sedentary lifestyle, according to MFP my resting calorie burn is 1,650. Many people will agree that to lose weight you need a calorie deficit of about 500.

    MFP set my deficit as 480, making my daily calorie intake 1,170. Because it is pretty low, I often do eat most of my exercise calories back, but I also have binge eating problems so that's mostly me taking advantage of it so I can eat super unhealthy and not feel guilty - which I usually do anyway, haha oops!

    When I don't exercise though I usually make it to just about 1,000 calories and I do feel full and if I do eat any more than that, its literally just out of boredom.

    Everyone is DEFINITELY different when it comes to this because people will say "You HAVE to eat more to lose weight" "You HAVE to eat your exercise calories back" and, well, you get it. If you feel full and happy at 1000 calories, then I say don't worry about it!

    Do what works for you :drinker:
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    It never ceases to amaze me how many "anomalies" seem to congregate together in one place.

    The wonders of the internet, I suppose...

    sigh
  • danny12224
    danny12224 Posts: 5 Member
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    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    This is offensive, non-constructive and innapropriate. Either give advice to people, share your opinions constructively or get off the site?
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    I did give advice. Constructive advice.

    What's inappropriate is telling somebody it's perfectly OK to live on 1000 calories or less, when all conventional wisdom points to the opposite.

    Whilst, for some people, this may be possible it isn't helpful for the vast majority of people and implying that it is, is actually detrimental to someone's health in the long run.
  • danny12224
    danny12224 Posts: 5 Member
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    .
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
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    This is offensive, non-constructive and innapropriate. Either give advice to people, share your opinions constructively or get off the site?

    Ah, I see. New.
  • tessaainge
    tessaainge Posts: 8 Member
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    Yes but you also have to understan that every person is different and what works for one may not work for someone else. I eat a 1000 calories to lose weight but to maintain i do eat alot more. At the end end of the day it is what works for you, and being negative doesn't help anybody.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    If you eat "a lot more" than 1000 calories to maintain your weight, you should know it's wholly unnecessary to eat 1000 or less to lose weight.

    Whilst, yes, you may lose mass very quickly on such a drastic caloric restriction it's important to remember that you're losing mass which includes lean mass and body fat. Nobody should be aiming for that amount of muscular atrophy just to see a "pleasing" number on the scale, not least because it's much less healthy than simply achieving that number would imply.
  • Angel03744
    Angel03744 Posts: 74 Member
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    WOW!
    I eat 1980 Cals Dailey, But I'm also a Runner and I lift weights, My head would be spinning if I ate 1000 /1200cals every day.
    So far I've lost 4 stone in weight and 4 dress sizes - So must be doing something right!

    What works for one, Does not necessarily fit the life style of another. If I did not Run Dailey and Lift, and Just stuck to the recommended 10k steps and light workout, maybe I could eat as little as 1400, But I'm guessing I would probably not lose much weight with such a low intake

    You have to Fuel a workout!
  • TheGoodEmu
    TheGoodEmu Posts: 31 Member
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    I've read a ton of articles debunking "starvation mode". Although the authors do acknowledge that having a low-calorie diet can effect your health and metabolism negatively, most agree it will take about a year. For me, being 5'2 and 130lbs and a sedentary lifestyle, according to MFP my resting calorie burn is 1,650. Many people will agree that to lose weight you need a calorie deficit of about 500.

    ^
    This, definitely this. And also this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761810-the-starvation-mode-myth-again

    Say it with me... SCIENCE!!!

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