curious...whos doing 1200 cal a day??

13

Replies

  • WhyLime113
    WhyLime113 Posts: 104 Member
    "Christian Wife" - I'm glad you can eat more and lose weight. I can't! Thanks for rubbing it in!
    She's not rubbing it in. Most people lose less weight eating that little. You will probably lose more fat if you eat your BMR--most people, just to perform cellular functions while not doing a thing, need around 1300-1400. If you only eat 1200, you probably aren't giving your body enough energy to function! So you'll lose weight faster if your eat more.
    Honestly, the only reason you should be eating less than BMR is at the recommendation of a couple doctors and nutritionists who can *kitten* your health and needs.
  • mxmkenney
    mxmkenney Posts: 486 Member
    I do. Actually I put it to 1100 to have some margin for errors. Today I went for a long powerwalk and ate back the calories - otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it...

    For me, the only way is no alcohol, no potatoes, bread or pasta, no sweets or fast food. I eat vegetables with every meal (brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli), with a little bit of cheese and some lean meat or fish.

    It's definitely a bit challenging, but cutting carbs was easier than I thought. Only problem is that I'm slightly hungry before bed.

    :sad: Too many "Nos"!
    I try to eat between 1250 - 1500 (but I'm 5'9") and exercise more to create the deficit I need to lose 2 pounds a week. For me, too much restricting eventually leads to a binge...
  • 1991court
    1991court Posts: 230 Member
    I am will carrying 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter in a baggie, and like 5 or 6 crackers. The protein keeps me full!
  • Docpremie
    Docpremie Posts: 228 Member
    This thread is all kinds of SAD!!! So much misinformation, which will lead to lean body mass (i.e. muscle) loss, decreased calorie burns, plateaus & eventual failure. You can't sustain this kind of diet for life, which means when you increase your calories post weight loss, you will regain weight quickly! For you doubters, I'm a 54 y.o. female, who is 5'-8" & weighs 156 pounds. I eat 1860 calories/day, shoot for >120 grams of protein & have lost 61 pounds! You DON"T need to eat so low to lose weight! In fact, it is not advisable to do so!!!
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
    I'm on 1280 calories a day ever since I've lost 25pounds

    but when I just started on mfp I was on 1200 kcals(I was a fan of losing weight fast. lol but glad I still lose my weight slowly and healthily)


    I still eat the same foods. Here in my country(asia),

    Our breakfast usually consist of noodles, if not noodles then fried sunny side up egg.

    For mid morning snack, I just drink water or take 2 candies.

    Lunch, white rice with a side dish of meat, say beef steak, or pork stew with tomatoes, potatoes and boiled veggies(chopsuey)

    Snack either junk food(potato chips) or softdrinks and 2 slices of white bread with 1 tbsp of peanut butter or fineti chocolate and white chocolate milkspread


    Dinner, white rice and another side dish too. (During my time of the month I usually go on high calorie foods going over my intake but then I up my workouts or either just have my rest day for tomorrow is another day to make healthy choices.)


    So yeah, I don't pretty much eat clean but still I lost weight. I still eat the same foods as long as I can fit em into my calorie goals.
    And I am on sedentary lifestyle. I find myself getting more hungry when I workout more. So whenever I do exercises. I keep em light
  • I am eating 1200 as a target, but sometimes go to 1500. Good macros, high protein. And I am walking ~10 miles a day, although sometimes I fall off of that when I have a big project due.

    I know people will say I should be eating more (5'6", male, 183lbs) but I tried to eat what the charts say is my BMR; tried eating back calories—lost nothing to speak of.

    But this is working, and I feel fine. Pants that were too small for me are falling off of me now. So I can't argue with that.
  • susanrechter
    susanrechter Posts: 386 Member
    1200 cals here...sometimes I go over
  • br1twaslyke
    br1twaslyke Posts: 41 Member
    I started "dieting" almost one month ago and maintained 1200 calories throughout this time. I started off in the 200's so I lost 20 pounds within the first 2 and a half weeks, with this experience I would advise you NOT to eat 1200 a day! I thought I was satisfied but recently within the last week I've been getting the biggest cravings and for the past 3 days I have eaten close to 2000 calories a day. I'm not sure if this was just loss of self control or my body wanting food after eating so low, but all I know is that cutting my calories so drastically and so quickly hasn't worked. I plan on starting fresh and I will try to maintain 1400-1500 calories a day. I think this will be much more satisfying and still promote weight loss. I do not exercise and am sedentary, yet the 1200 just still didn't cut it for me, as much as I thought it was working. Hoping that I don't gain weight or plateau now that I messed things up with eating 1200 for almost a month..
  • LydiaKO
    LydiaKO Posts: 40 Member
    I eat 1200 cals a day, but I'm also 4'11 1/2. I eat 3 good sized meals with light snacking in between. I eat at the same Times every day or around the same Times and drink tea 3 Times a day. It helps curve your hunger and fill you up more.
  • gettingsexy94
    gettingsexy94 Posts: 156 Member
    I eat about 1300-1500, sometimes even more :P
    But, I exercise and lower my calories back to 1200.
    Also, whenever I feel hungry I grab some almonds or carrot sticks :D
    Sometimes, I drink green tea to curb the hunger.
    Anyway, I suggest eating as much as you want and balancing it out with exercise :)
    It works for me, so I guess it should work for you too.

    :)xx
  • Froody2
    Froody2 Posts: 338 Member
    I couldn't imagine eating 1200 calories a day. The only way I'd lose weight is by chewing an arm off. *Nods*.



    .
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I did my first six months or so at 1200, then the last six at 1300. I am not a big exerciser though, mostly walking.
  • I have done 1200 cals during the holidays as I was not working so I didn't as much cal intake. Yes it did work, very well actually. Was losing weight and also in measurements. I was eating mostly oatmeal for breakfast, homemade veggie pizza for lunch, and brown rice and some kind of protein for dinner. It wasn't really hard, didn't really get hungry between meals. Now that I've increased my cal a bit, it's harder to eat more I guess as I am so used to eating 1200.
  • I've tried it many times and always fail and end up gaining at the end from bingeing.

    The longest I kept it up was 1 week but I looked flabby and tired.

    1650 cals, losing way more weight :)
  • tiggsnanny
    tiggsnanny Posts: 366 Member
    I'm on 1200 cals per day, I struggle with the carbs though :ohwell: I will get there slowly :smile:
  • So anyone doing 1200 cal daily an exercise an losing weight? If so how much on a weekly basis... what type of foods n snacks are you eating?:)

    1200 calories per day will lower your metabolism and you may actually gain weight. Most fat people do not eat nearly enough. If you eat real food, you can stuff yourself constantly and you will lose a great deal of weight during the course of a year or two. I eat about 2400 calories per day and am losing about one pound per day. The weight is literally melting off me and I cannot eat any more because I am so stuffed. My favourite snacks are peanuts, apples, oranges, carrots, broccoli, spoon sized shredded wheat, protein shakes, oatmeal, bread made without flour, chocolate soy milk, fish sticks, salmon fillets, chile con carne, beef stew, barbecued chicken, bacon and eggs.
  • Zilla100
    Zilla100 Posts: 139 Member
    I've been doing fine on 1200 calories. Most of the time I am just under it. My diary is open.

    My breakfast is usually the same, a packet of plain oatmeal and a 0% fat Chobani Greek yogurt, with some ground flaxseed sprinkled in each. It holds me over pretty well till my next meal.

    For snacks, I'll usually either do some air-popped popcorn, which is pretty filling, a 200 calorie pack of raw almonds, or a couple of pieces of the mini Baby Belle Light cheese (50 calories a piece) and I drink a lot of green tea, I try to drink it with breakfast and when I get home at night instead of snacking after dinner.

    Alternating at the moment between 30 Day Shred and treadmill/elliptical workouts.
  • I AM DOING THE 1200 I EAT MOSTLY FRUIT AND VEGS ND 100 CALORIE SNACKS AND EATING LOTS OF TUNA I LOVE TUNA FISH AND SALADS BC IT FILLS U UP AND ALL THAT IS HEALTHY FOR YOU SOUP IS ALSO GOOD AND I DRINK BROTH WHEN I GET A LIL HUNGARY BC NOST OF THE TIME ITS UR BODY TELLING U R THRISTY AND BROTH IS GOOD FOR YA. ANYONE CAN ADD ME IM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW FRIENDS AND SUPPORT.
  • Zilla100
    Zilla100 Posts: 139 Member
    Yeah, warm liquid (low or no sodium) like broth or tea is good for filling you up when you are in between meals or it is late and you don't want to go crazy snacking.
  • Move more, and eat more. I stick to 1500 on normal days (mind today, it was pizza day if you peek in my diary), and eat a diet high in veggies, fruits, and lean meats (protein powder supplements, too). Just stick to foods closest to their natural state. Don't buy into the gimmicky "diet" food.
  • valente347
    valente347 Posts: 201 Member
    I try to net around 1600. I eat back most of my exercise calories. I've lost about 11 pounds in 5 weeks, so it's working! I try to see every day as practice for maintenance.
  • fairygirlpie9
    fairygirlpie9 Posts: 288 Member
    I tried for a week and it made me feel so sad, I could barely have any nice things and had little energy to do workouts. I've bumped up my cals to 1500. I still lose a pound a week and by the time I exercise my net often ends up being around the 1200 mark anyway and my exercise makes me stronger and improves my overall appearance. I'm also now making sure I get 90 grams worth of protein in a day - without shakes/supplements.
  • TLondon24
    TLondon24 Posts: 4 Member
    I do not find 1200 a day too hard (I tend to have muesli for breakfast, soup for lunch and something like a mackerel salad or baked salmon with brown rice for dinner) but don't kick myself if I go over! I understand that 1200 is not sustainable long term. I am 5'8" and have been losing since mid-December and working out three times a week since New Year. I find weekends quite difficult because I am very sociable go out a lot. It is hard to log when out! If I drink I try to drink only vodka soda with lime.

    My target weight is approx 10.5stone as this would give me a healthy BMI. I am currently at 13.9. Are there any Brits out there who have been on similar journeys / does anyone have any general tips?
  • Kentuckygirl61
    Kentuckygirl61 Posts: 31 Member
    I have been doing 1200/day for awhile now, its not difficult for me. I was not loosing weight, at first. I realized I losing and still losing inches. To me it is better b/c I know I am gaining muscle. Plus, my incentives are my old belt and my Dr. keeps me accountable. Its not so much the food intake for me, its the out the door exercise I desperately needed. I was an over the road truck driver. I never have eaten much in a days time, but now learned WHAT to eat.
  • jessad215
    jessad215 Posts: 14 Member
    My MFP goals are set at 1200 a day, but I exercise most days, so when I go over, I don't stress it. Some days, I come in a good bit under 1200, other days more like 1300 or 1400 (but with exercise, i still net around 1200). Knowing people lose weight happily at higher calories helps keep my stress low. I plan my meals to be satisfying and filling, full of flavor and nutrients--and if occasionally that takes me over my goals, I know it isn't the end of the world (even though I do aim for 1200).
    I eat almost entirely whole foods, I do most of my own cooking, I eat lots of vegetables and relatively few grains. I try to focus on lean protein and whole grains when I do eat them. To me, this feels right for my body, I'm losing weight and inches, and I have lots of energy for workouts and life. My goal (again, with lots of flexibility) is to eat about 200 calories of breakfast (usually eggs or egg whites and vegetables), about 400 calories for lunch (if i eat a hearty salad, i often come in at least a little under here) and 400 for dinner, which leaves about 200 calories for snacks (if lunch is under, there is more room for things like nuts or peanut butter in my snacks). I try to eat at least 7 servings of vegetables and 1-2 of fruit a day. I remind myself that it is okay to sometimes feel like I am cutting back--I am trying to lose weight, so minimizing indulgences (not cutting them out completely) is part of the deal. But that has to be tempered with enjoying the processes of cooking, eating, and moving. I also still drink alcohol, though I try to be mindful of how much and what kinds, because that is a part of my social life that I don't think would be sustainable to give up entirely (for me, at this point).
    It's far from a perfect system, but I encourage you to be a bit gentle with yourself if you aim for 1200 calories. There is room to occasionally go over in favor of nutrients and flavor, but I try to maximize the quality of the calories that push me over my daily limit--not just junk. For me at least, sustainability seems to be about minimizing the stress and unpleasantness of the process.
  • arios952013
    arios952013 Posts: 201 Member
    I forgot to say what I had for snacks - Kale chips with seasoning and raw walnuts or almonds - only about 9 nuts (handful). or cucumbers slided and dipped in humus.

    My Naturopath prescribed I read Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live book, watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Forks over Knives, Food Matter, The Future of Food. This is not health advice - just sharing....

    If you were add up the calories she suggested I would guess it would be under 1200 calories - but never put a calorie on it....

    My Nutrition Plan was:
    Rarely/Never consume sweets (cookies, candy, cake, pie, donuts, etc.) Avoid all added sugars and avoid corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup.

    Minimize caffine - it causes endocrine system stress. (I'm hypothyroid)

    For weight loss, insulin resistance, diabetes, yeast over growth, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia:
    Eliminate starches (corn, potatoes, bread, noodles, cereals, grains) until condition is cured.
    Though nutritious winter squashes and yams are also to be avoided until weight loss is achieved.

    My carbohydrate sources will be vegetables (cooked and uncooked) and legumes (beans and lentils).

    I am also to stay away from dairy.

    Drink 3/4 galon of purified water daily or more.

    Eat plenty of fiber through fruit - 40 grams of more of fiber per day.

    Eat 1 lb (6 cups if not 3 cups) leafy green veggies per day such as dandelion, mustard, collard, kale, chard beet greens, bock choy, watercress.

    Eat a minimum of 3 cups of Sulphur rich veges per day:
    Asparagus - 4g fiber, Artichoke 6.4g, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards cooked, dandelion greens, kale, kolrabi, leeks, lettuce, argula, endive, rapini, romaine, mustard greens, onions, parsley, spinach (raw).

    Eat 1 lb (3-6 cups) of colorful veggies and fruit per day: Beets, bell pepper, carrots, celery, chayote, chicory, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, summer squash zucchini.

    Whenever possible buy organic and foods that are no genetically modified.

    If non-diabetic eat a variety of unlimited fruits - they make great snacks. Use pea protein to add to your vegetable smoothies.

    Consume three 1/2 cup servings of cooked legumes daily (pinto, kidney, black, Colorado, garbanzo, great northern beans, lentils, lima, black-eyed peas, etc. Legumes have 6-9 grams of fiber per cup. It is important ot have three servings spread throughout the day. The frequency is the key in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides through the elimination of bile.

    Beans make a healthy snack in forms of humus, bean dips. White beans mixes with coco powder, stevia and vanilla make a great dip for apples. Bean brownies are another healthy alternative.

    If you are not used to a high-fiber diet, you may need to start slowly on the legumes and work up to the recommended amount. Suddently introducing high fiber can cause cgas, intestinal cramping and diarrhea.

    Consume 1-2 grams of omega 3 fatty acid rich foods daily:

    Healthy sources of omega fats are:
    -Walnuts
    -Soybeans
    -Flax seed
    -EPA (fish oil) supplement 2-4 capsules, 1 gram

    Recommended to consume no more than 12 ounces of animal protein per week:

    Preferred animal protein is fish. However fish have become polluted. Fish may place consumers at high risk for cancer, mercury toxicity and other toxins thta may cause brain damage or affect the immune system. Choose wild atlantic fish and Never purchased farmed fish which are high in PCBs (plastic estrogen mimickers).

    Seafood choices that are best and lowest in mercury include: Cod, anchovies, butterfish, Atlantic Croker, Flounder (PCB), Atlantic Haddock (PCB), Hake, Herring, Atlantic Mackerel, Ocean Perch, Pollock, Wild Salmon, Sardines, Scallops (PCB), Sole, Squid, Tilapia, Trout, Whitefish and Whiting.

    If you choose to intake animal protein choose organic, free range and wild varieties free of hormones and antibiotics.
    Animal protein sources include:
    Organic Eggs (often inflammatory in autoimmune, allergies, eczema, psoriasis and chronic disease conditions)
    Free range/organic lean meat - Try Bison

    Recipe Ideas: http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/2009/11/daniel-fast-juicing.html
    http://fatfreevegan.com - click on the category labeled Eat to Live

    Dirty Dozen: ewg.org
    Rate Cosmetic Safety: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep
    Non-GMO shopping guide: www.responsibletechnology.org
  • momma2kas
    momma2kas Posts: 19 Member
    I'm doing 1200 calories a day and working out for about 30 min 4 days a week. I lose 2lbs every week. It would probably be more if some of those calories weren't crappy calories (spirits, snacks)
  • Keep on keeping on haha. Think of it as snack of the week!! :-D
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    About to toggle back down to it for an event I have coming up in a few months. I am going to miss my junk food :sad:
  • johhunt47
    johhunt47 Posts: 30 Member
    Now that I've hit a weight I want to maintain, I try to average around 1,200 cals per day, but mainly focus on fat, carb and protein intake. My job is sedentary, but I maintain a very active workout schedule (2.5-3+ hrs. 3-4 times per week) with a daily mix of cardio and lifting.

    Remember quality of calories over quantity. If I go over 1,200 eating specific types of foods/calories (chicken, peanut butter, nuts, fruits), I don't concern myself with that because of the additional benefits from those types of calories.