struggling with a 1200 calorie allowance

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  • cutiepie9447
    cutiepie9447 Posts: 79 Member
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    bump
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
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    I try to work out before I eat.
    I try to burn at least 500-1000 cals, so that I have more calories that I am allowed to eat back.

    It helps. Loads.
    I love food, this includes "bad" food and junk food.

    This allows me to continue, long as it fits the macros.
  • veredit
    veredit Posts: 29 Member
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    The only way I can cope with 1200 cals is if I exercise and eat the cals back
    This is the way for me too, and I successfully shed more than 3 st of fat this way.
  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
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    I've been on 1200 for about 6 months now and find it easy peasy and just enough :)
  • ItsABadger
    ItsABadger Posts: 23 Member
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    I try to eat 3 meals a day at specific times, usually 7am, 1pm and 6pm, and basically I force myself not to eat in between. If I do, I snack on fruit whenever I'm hungry, and don't count them as calories because we need the vitamins!
  • Autumngolds
    Autumngolds Posts: 30 Member
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    Wow, was just going to post this same question. . . followed by another question. . . what low cal/hi fibre/hi protein snack do other reach for in between meals so you don't have to listen to a grumbling stomach?? I also struggle with the 1200 cal limit. . . and find that when I exercise. . .it makes me hungrier!

    Oaty foods are a great way to fill up quickly. You have to be really careful with the amounts and keep it small, because the calorie count goes up very quickly, but a small amount of oats can keep you full for hours. :) They're also high in fibre.
  • Cirsium
    Cirsium Posts: 41 Member
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    I found 1200 tough for the first couple of weeks - maybe even the first month. I started to make tiny changes each week - stopped taking milk in my coffee one week (except my 2 morning ones!), then the week after that I decided to reduce the amount of alcohol I was drinking (my husband and I used to share a bottle maybe 3 times a week and we've reduced to 1 or none) and I found it was really easy (too easy!) to stick to 1200 so now I am changing something else each week - I've started to take vitamins and next week I'm going to switch to wholemeal bread. I guess I'm just saying I've found tweaking a little something each week has got me there and I'm comfortable with it now. Good luck!!
  • Rebekah718
    Rebekah718 Posts: 134 Member
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    I plan about 1500 but I don't eat back my calorie burn
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    if you can't manage 1200 (which is too low anyway really) exercise and eat you calories back in real food. this has a lot of benefits. its good for your heart but the additional consumprption won't be just energy, it will also contain vitamins minerals and protein etc which your body needs
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
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    Why so low? If you can't stick to it, it won't work.
  • missing75
    missing75 Posts: 26 Member
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    I've been eating 1200 calories for 60 days now... I know many of you think it's not enough calories but it works for me...
    This is my plan (my diary is open, as well): 300 calories for breakfast, only cauccino or so at lunch (this is because i don't have a lunch break at work); always a satisfying snack (cheese, salame or sweets) and lots of veggies for dinners... Of course I exceed 1200 caories once in a while but by planning my meals in advance I can manage 1200 calories.
  • summerbabe65
    summerbabe65 Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm not having too much trouble sticking to it, more like I have trouble actually hitting the 1200 calorie allowance. No matter what I happen to eat throughout the day it barely exceeds 1000 calories. Sorry for not being as helpful but if you're finding 1200 hard to maintain maybe just gradually change little things about what you eat. Say, if you drink tea maybe don't add as much sugar as previously, so on so forth. I suggest having a high protein breakfast because for me at least I've found it'll kept my hunger satisfied until my scheduled lunch meal or snack :)
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    My BMR is already 1800, so 1200 would leave me starving.
    I eat between 2300-2500 on average. I lift weights 3x a week and go running 2-3x a week.
  • 1exercisefreak
    1exercisefreak Posts: 75 Member
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    I am following a 1200 calorie diet ......It works out good...
  • rsteinberg07
    rsteinberg07 Posts: 6
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    1200 Calories isn't too hard. Im a male with more caloric needs and find it simple..


    Breakfast-
    Oatmeal and Coffee

    Lunch-
    PPJ and Baked Chips

    Dinner-
    Talapia and Veggies

    Snacks-
    Klondike Bar

    And im talking a THICK PPJ, and a KLONDIKE.
    Got my protein, alittle more fat than i needed, but this is not a perfect day... but a day that shows you even eating an ice cream bar and i can stay at around 1200.
  • Solar07
    Solar07 Posts: 83 Member
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    I'm doing ok with 1200 but I find myself hungry at 8pm. Trying now to eat a protein 1 hour before I go to bed so that I can sleep through the night. Not to mention I'm horrible with drinking water. So for that I started drinking hot water with lemon, which is supposed to help with digestion. Believe me, I'm not saying I don't go over but I've been walking to try and keep that under control.
  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
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    I did well with 800-1,200 for about 9 months. Then I gained 10 lbs back of the 65 I lost.

    i've found eating above my BMR/slightly below my TDEE to be the best method -- not hangry, but still losing.

    Right now I'm maintaining on 2,100 and planning to cut to 1,900 in a few weeks.

    Use this -->http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ --> to calculate your numbers.
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
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    This is why I don't do 1200. It's hard to stick to because it is so little calories. And also I wouldn't advise it because this is basically the least amount of calories your body can survive on, Do what makes you happy and comfortable. Remember, this is a marathon not a sprint, so no matter if you aim for half a pound a week or not, you will get there in the end and gradual is best. So if you up your cals, don't sweat it.
  • COliver416
    COliver416 Posts: 87 Member
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    Steamed vegetables. This is my ace in the hole. Steamed Broccoli, Steamed Spinach, Steamed Green Beans, Steamed Brussels Sprouts, Steamed anything and everything. So good... tasty, wonderful, and excellent--you can add seasons and really make them good.

    The best part is that a bag of steamed vegetables is 110 to 130 calories, and you get 3.5 to 4 servings. On average I'll eat 16 to 20 servings of vegetables, and that's all under 400 to 600 calories. Then, I'll have 2 to 3 servings of protein, usually chicken breasts or fish filets and that's 2 to 5 hundred calories, which keeps me under a thousand. Then the rest are fruits and easily digestible carbs.

    Hunger is based on nutritional deficiency and the stretch receptors in your stomach that send a signal to the brain that says, I'm full.

    Some other tricks that you can do. Drink one liter of ice cold water right when you wake up before you do anything. It'll naturally curb your appetite. Then, keeping water out of the fridge and drinking a warm bottle of water 30 minutes before a meal will curb your appetite. Another trick is HIIT exercise. High intensity Interval Training, causes a release of hormones that suppress hunger as well.
  • Toniyogafactory
    Toniyogafactory Posts: 13
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    Fill up on fruits and vegetables with low calorie counts and high fiber. Volumize your meals with legumes and raw veggies to help keep you fuller longer. Don't forget your protein either as it will help you work with a 1200 cal budget. If you exercise more, you can eat more!

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