Will 1200 Calories really sabotage me?

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Aurialou
Aurialou Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been doing 1200-1400 calories for about 2-3 weeks now. Most of the time is closer to 1200. I've been losing a lot of weight, and I feel good. I am nervous about being so low, but I feel full since I am actually eating a lot of food. I do feel it is sustainable, and when I am hungry, I eat more. This can't be bad, can it? I've been reading some posts that say 1200 is too low, but that must be if you're not eating right, right? I have been trying to lose weight for 3 years almost. I've learned a LOT, but am still learning. This time I feel like I've got it down, but... I'm tired of gaining weight back again. Should I just keep doing what I'm doing? I'm motivated enough.. Oh yeah, I am turning 30 in June, female, 5'4. My weight is 143 and my goal is 120. I am doing Jillian's 30 day shred, which is 20 min, otherwise, I pretty much sit around.

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  • mrsfyredude
    mrsfyredude Posts: 177 Member
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    I would kill ( and some days after barbell class I think I am dying, but I digress) to be 143. I'm 5'4" also and you're AT my GOAL weight. Why not just maintain and tone? Just saying, it's your body and you have to feel good in it, but if and when I get down to 143 I'm gonna party! :)

    I know I was no help, sorry. But good luck with whatever you decide.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
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    I lost my first 20 lbs by just eating at 1200 calories and walking. I've had to up it to 1400 now that I'm working out almost every day. Eating between 1200-1400 calories hasn't caused any problems for me, and I've been doing it since July. We're pretty much at the same weight and have the same goal. :)
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    I could write a lengthy post to asnwer your question, but would you please read these instead?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1088600-dear-mean-people-of-mfp
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/310489-the-reason-why-starving-yourself-will-not-work
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    It won't sabotage you if when you decide that it is too low you switch your calorie count to something a bit higher and stick with it. It will sabotage you if you then throw up your hands and binge. Not everyone will do the latter, but a good number do. Long story short, for your weight and height you may want to bump up your calories a bit. You really shouldn't be losing more than about 1 pound a week.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    It won't sabotage you if when you decide that it is too low you switch your calorie count to something a bit higher and stick with it. It will sabotage you if you then throw up your hands and binge. Not everyone will do the latter, but a good number do. Long story short, for your weight and height you may want to bump up your calories a bit. You really shouldn't be losing more than about 1 pound a week.

    ^^^^
    This. If you can sustain it, then it's fine. If you feel it's too hard bump up your calories a little and lose it slower. I did 1200 for about 9 months and 1300 for the last 4.
  • gimpygramma
    gimpygramma Posts: 383 Member
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    I too am 5'4" and quite sedentary. I don't work out but I do walk regularly. I started MFP in August 2012 weighing 146lbs. I stuck with 1200 calories a day for the first 5 months and in that time lost 23 lbs. (About one pound a week.) I did not eat back my exercise calories because according to MFP's calculations I would only have lost about one pound a month otherwise and I was too impatient for that. I have maintained my weight at 123 for a year now by upping my intake to 1300 a day and eating back my exercise calories.
    The figures provided by the site here have worked out almost perfectly for me. (Gained 4 pounds over Christmas this year so went back to not eating my exercise calories and have got rid of most of that.)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    if it is working and you can sustain it then keep doing it …

    At some point though you might want to change up your body composition and that will require eating more and what not ..

    but if it aint broke….
  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
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    as long as you go no lower than 1200 and feel healthy its fine :)
  • gimpygramma
    gimpygramma Posts: 383 Member
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    ndj...should maybe have mentioned that I am a few months off my 70th birthday. I don't see heavy lifting or body resculpting iin my immediate future.:tongue:
  • antiant777
    antiant777 Posts: 16 Member
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    I think everyone's body is different. I would take a vitamin pill every morning though. If it's working for you then stick to it. Thats about what i'm also.
    If your concerned about the whole starvation myth, this may relax your mind on it,.
    http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/
  • wertgirlfor
    wertgirlfor Posts: 161 Member
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    It won't sabotage you if you think you can maintain it. I'm 5"4' and 138 lbs, and I eat 1700 calories a day and am losing .5 a pound a week. My goal is around 130 lbs. I started out at 1200 cal and I absolutely hated it because I felt hungry all the time. But if it works for you, then do it.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    I go through cycles actually. There will be weeks when I am not very hungry and 1200 is mountains and then there are weeks when 1500 a day leaves me starving. I used to make myself eat when I am not hungry, because I thought that would stop the weeks when I am starving, but I tracked it and it doesn't. So I have come to the conclusion to stop worrying and just eat what I feel like and monitor my weekly and monthly deficits. It is working as it all averages out in the end to something about 1350 or so a day. My TDEE is around 1500, so it's all good :-)
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
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    I agree with some of the other posters in saying that if it's sustainable then go for it. I am a little under 5'5" and when I started MFP I was 143 pounds. I tried 1200 calories a day and lost some but I was so grouchy and hungry. Several people recommended to me that I try the TDEE method. After calculating my BMR I upped my calories to 1500 a day and now I'm eating over 1800 and I'm still losing (I do run 5-6 miles a day so I can eat a bit more.). I would be a raving lunatic if I only ate 1200 calories a day but if it works for you then that's great!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I've been doing 1200-1400 calories for about 2-3 weeks now... female, 5'4. My weight is 143 and my goal is 120.

    Sure looks like the right ballpark for your size and goals. Unless you manage to eat truly whacked macro ratios, there's no concern about "metabolic damage" or anything like that.

    Good luck!
  • Aurialou
    Aurialou Posts: 5 Member
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    Okay, thanks everyone. Actually, I've tried it before and it didn't work at all. I was grouchy and hungry all the time. The reason I feel like it is going to work this time is because I am not hungry all the time. I think because I am eating so many veggies and whole foods, which I think is the key. It is great to know that there are people with similar stats that are doing the same thing as me. I do hit my macro's. I get all of the recommended of everything. I had read something yesterday about damaging the metabolism and I got kind of concerned about that. Maybe I'll do that calorie cycling thing. 1200, 1500, 1200, 1500. That maybe will ease my mind a bit.

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