on my 1200 calorie diet +exercise is this safe?
itsskyhigh
Posts: 33
So im on a 1200 calorie diet sometimes I go a bit over but its fine because I exercise4-5 timesa week, doing intense cardio workouts. I lost 3lb in my first week, im female 5'3 young lol and weigh 164lbs
Please no rudeness
Also looking for friends to help me lose at least 30 more pounds!
Please no rudeness
Also looking for friends to help me lose at least 30 more pounds!
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Replies
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I'm 5'0 -- started at 163 and lost almost 40 pounds on a 1200 calorie diet with exercise. I didn't eat my calories back most of the time -- but didn't sweat a higher calorie day once a week (1800 or so, not totally crazy). I went from a size 14+ to size 8 pants and am very happy in maintenance in the 123-128 range. 123 is hard to stay at so I'm shooting to stay under 128. People will tell you that 1200 is not safe but for a short 50 year old woman, that's the way my TDEE-20% computed0
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It's said not to do too much, but barely able to eat 1200 myself, while burning what the treadmill says is 600 (highly doubt, figured more like 400). yes, not safe, better to stick to 1200-1300 calories max a day. Better to be safe eating a healthy amount you know you want ot consume that won't bring the weight back, and go from there. Because once you go off 1200 and back to a calorie range you used to do ... it'll just come back. Me ... I just eat usually a LOT of raw veggies. Fills you up, not a lot of calories. Yes, I plan to stick with this. I eat food as fuel rather than pleasure, and I don't eat many calorie-laden foods except my protein source at each meal, and oil I sometimes have with salads.0
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Are you eating 1200 even with the exercise, or 1200 plus exercise cals?
My opinion is that 1200 is really really low and most of the time completely unnecessary for anyone unless you're <5ft, slim already and sedentary. However, many people still choose to stick to it for whatever reason, they obviously feel it works.
1200 when you exercise that often (and don't eat back calories) is a recipe for disaster tbh. It's far too low, there are reasons why this site has the concept of exercise cals, please use them. You may lose quickly at first on such low net intake, but it's very hard to get all that your body needs and weight loss will likely plataue at some point. Binges are more likely than something which is more sustainable, and it's a lot harder to stick to. Also, you can do a lot of damage to your body when you exercise so often but don't give your body enough fuel to get through it all.
It's normal to lose a lot in the first week or 2, most people do as the majority can be water weight. However, afterwards I would be (for a 30lb weight loss) aiming for approx 1-1.5lbs a week when you start, less as you get closer (0.5-1lb a week)0 -
Honestly, when you are petite, even with your TDEE, we do not need to eat beyond 1500-2000 calories a day (I'm a hair over 5'3").0
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Hey! I'm 5ft 3.5/ 4, 170lbs and I try to eat 1200 to 1400 a day (usually closer to 1400). I don't get a lot of exercise in but when I stick to this calorie range consistently I lose weight. When I do incorporate exercise I try to walk lightly jog for about 30-40 minutes. Nothing too vigorous!
Hope this helps!0 -
You are too young to be eating that little. Definitively, you're too young and you need more calories. I did the 1200-calorie diet at 18 and it spiraled, badly. I have since done a lot of reading on nutrition and weight loss and realized that eating a very low calorie diet was a big mistake.
MFP calculates your caloric needs based on a person that is over 35, who has a significantly slower metabolism than you do now. Even if you are inactive, you need to use a higher activity multiplier to get a true number due to your age. You'll set yourself up for some real weight gain down the road if you don't. Since you DO exercise 4-5 times a week, set your activity multiplier to moderately active, then eat back your exercise calories anyway. This is exactly what I do (except my goal is maintenance) and it is working. I'm eating over 2000 calories every day and I'm 5'4" and 135lbs.0 -
Have you done a TDEE calculation? You are very young and typically you should be quite able to consume more calories and still lose weight. That is, unless you have some unusual circumstance - medical condition, for example. I would say that you should at least eat back your exercise calories - meaning 1200 + whatever number of cals you've burned.
If you are feeling energetic and focused eating a HEALTHY 1200 calorie diet... then maybe that's just you and it works. You might consider taking a mulit-vitamin just to ensure your young body is getting the minimum basic nutrients it needs.
On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling tired throughout the day, finding it hard to complete your workouts, maybe not sleeping well, not able to focus on brain-tasks (school work or whatever), then I'd def suggest upping your calorie intake to see if your energy level and focus improve! This actually did happen to me in my 20s. I didn't intentionally eat a super-low calorie diet, but I started counting calories to figure out if that could be adding to my complete lack of energy (I also tend to have lower blood pressure). Only time in my life I have been able to eat more and not gain weight! It was awesome... I felt better, too! :happy:
Best of luck!0 -
I eat 1200 + about 50% of my exercise cals. Working for me - if I didn't eat back those cals 'earned' I feel I would resort to eating the chair legs - I get so hungry if I exercise a lot0
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That depends on whether a person exercises and the intensity of their exercise. I am 5ft 4, exercise 6-7 hours a week, which includes heavy weight lifting and cardio, and by base calories are 1840. On exercise days, I eat around 2100-2200 calories. I am supposed to be in maintenance but I am still slowly losing.Honestly, when you are petite, even with your TDEE, we do not need to eat beyond 1500-2000 calories a day (I'm a hair over 5'3").
There are really many factors to take into account.
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I hate to break it to you, but chair legs are not the best nutrition out there......:bigsmile: :laugh:I eat 1200 + about 50% of my exercise cals. Working for me - if I didn't eat back those cals 'earned' I feel I would resort to eating the chair legs - I get so hungry if I exercise a lot0 -
Have you done a TDEE calculation? You are very young and typically you should be quite able to consume more calories and still lose weight. That is, unless you have some unusual circumstance - medical condition, for example. I would say that you should at least eat back your exercise calories - meaning 1200 + whatever number of cals you've burned.
If you are feeling energetic and focused eating a HEALTHY 1200 calorie diet... then maybe that's just you and it works. You might consider taking a mulit-vitamin just to ensure your young body is getting the minimum basic nutrients it needs.
On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling tired throughout the day, finding it hard to complete your workouts, maybe not sleeping well, not able to focus on brain-tasks (school work or whatever), then I'd def suggest upping your calorie intake to see if your energy level and focus improve! This actually did happen to me in my 20s. I didn't intentionally eat a super-low calorie diet, but I started counting calories to figure out if that could be adding to my complete lack of energy (I also tend to have lower blood pressure). Only time in my life I have been able to eat more and not gain weight! It was awesome... I felt better, too! :happy:
Best of luck!
Vitamins are a good idea.i cant eat over 1200 - 1300
I start to feel sick. 0 -
Have you done a TDEE calculation? You are very young and typically you should be quite able to consume more calories and still lose weight. That is, unless you have some unusual circumstance - medical condition, for example. I would say that you should at least eat back your exercise calories - meaning 1200 + whatever number of cals you've burned.
If you are feeling energetic and focused eating a HEALTHY 1200 calorie diet... then maybe that's just you and it works. You might consider taking a mulit-vitamin just to ensure your young body is getting the minimum basic nutrients it needs.
On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling tired throughout the day, finding it hard to complete your workouts, maybe not sleeping well, not able to focus on brain-tasks (school work or whatever), then I'd def suggest upping your calorie intake to see if your energy level and focus improve! This actually did happen to me in my 20s. I didn't intentionally eat a super-low calorie diet, but I started counting calories to figure out if that could be adding to my complete lack of energy (I also tend to have lower blood pressure). Only time in my life I have been able to eat more and not gain weight! It was awesome... I felt better, too! :happy:
Best of luck!
Vitamins are a good idea.i cant eat over 1200 - 1300 I start to feel sick.
You can definitely eat more than that if you eat the right types of foods. It's hard to provide suggestions since your diary isn't open. Is it ok to eat 1200 calories while exercising and being young... no. There are many issues with low calorie diets.. metabolic adaption (especially when dieting for long periods of time) and muscle loss. If you want a lean body, you want muscle. So preserving your muscle mass is a critical part of dieting. Even with a high protein diet and weight training, it would be very difficult to preserve that mass, especially the more lean you get. Someone your stats should probably be eating 1800-2100 calories during weight loss. So if you minimize your deficit, you eat adequate protein and do resistance training, you will reach your goal faster, you will help maintain your metabolism and reduce the amount of lean body mass (tissue, bone density, muscle, etc.).
So i ask, do you want to be skinny or fit?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506349-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day0 -
Honestly I dont really care which I am...lol like I think fit is nice looking and thin is to. So either way im happy0
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While I am eating only 1200 + 50% of my exercise I am 58 years old ! At your age I think you should be eating more.0
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I would see how much you can eat and still lose weight. Why train your body's metabolism to slow down by only eating the bare minimum? If you are doing "intense" cardio, as you say, you probably could add at least 200 more calories per day on workout days and still lose. In fact, you might end up losing more quickly if you don't cut your calories so much that your metabolism slows down. Everyone is different though. For me, I lost 5 lbs. in the first week and then it's been s l o w because I was working out 5 days a week (heavy lifting and cardio) and only eating 1250 plus maybe 100 more calories. This wasn't enough and it slowed by weight loss to .5 lbs. or less per week. I just started eating more and I lost 1 pound after weeks of slow or no loss.0
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I would see how much you can eat and still lose weight. Why train your body's metabolism to slow down by only eating the bare minimum? If you are doing "intense" cardio, as you say, you probably could add at least 200 more calories per day on workout days and still lose. In fact, you might end up losing more quickly if you don't cut your calories so much that your metabolism slows down. Everyone is different though. For me, I lost 5 lbs. in the first week and then it's been s l o w because I was working out 5 days a week (heavy lifting and cardio) and only eating 1250 plus maybe 100 more calories. This wasn't enough and it slowed by weight loss to .5 lbs. or less per week. I just started eating more and I lost 1 pound after weeks of slow or no loss.
I agree with lula!! See how much you can eat and still lose, rather than going so low if you don't need to. 1200 is for us old folks who sit all day. But a youngster like you who is working out intensely, surely you can eat more and still lose. Don't waste your metabolism!0 -
I dont think that you are eating enough to be healthy. Im not a doctor or a "dietician" just a dieter who has been down the 1200 cal road and been impressed with the initial high losses and then flatlined because I had ruined my metabolism trying to eat a low amount of calories and maintain an active lifestyle. Your body is a machine and you need to fuel it adequately to function. Set your MFP to lose .5 - 1lb a week and eat back your exercise calories.0
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I'm a 25 male - 5'11". Starting weight 237 pounds and i'm on a 1300 calorie intake a day with exercise 3 times a week.
I've lost 29 pounds in 8 weeks and feel so much better for it.
Do what you feel is right and if you feel that you are not getting the correct nutrition then up your intake and exercise for longer. At that calorie level, it is hard to maintain the correct nutrition levels, but if you can manage this, then your on to a winner.0 -
A @Trogalicious quote:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
So true. I lost an inch in height somewhere along the line and all my weight loss goals are messed up. I',m even afraid 1200 cals will be too much. I'm 5'1 and weigh 1360
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Honestly I dont really care which I am...lol like I think fit is nice looking and thin is to. So either way im happy
If you want to maximize your health benefits and limit your metabolic adaptation and muscle loss I would eat more... like 600 calories more. I would also adjust macros to add protein and fats. I usually suggest 40% carbs, 30 % protein and 30% fats.I would also suggest drop two days of cardio and replacing it with resistance training. This will give a leaner body. Also make sure you use a food scale for accurate tracking.0 -
No. /Thread0
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I have my calories set at 1200, but my FitBit adjusts it depending on how my day goes. Either way, you can friend me. 0
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You can definitely eat more than that if you eat the right types of foods. It's hard to provide suggestions since your diary isn't open. Is it ok to eat 1200 calories while exercising and being young... no. There are many issues with low calorie diets.. metabolic adaption (especially when dieting for long periods of time) and muscle loss. If you want a lean body, you want muscle. So preserving your muscle mass is a critical part of dieting. Even with a high protein diet and weight training, it would be very difficult to preserve that mass, especially the more lean you get. Someone your stats should probably be eating 1800-2100 calories during weight loss. So if you minimize your deficit, you eat adequate protein and do resistance training, you will reach your goal faster, you will help maintain your metabolism and reduce the amount of lean body mass (tissue, bone density, muscle, etc.).
So i ask, do you want to be skinny or fit?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506349-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day
Listen to this. I wish someone had explained this to me 15 years ago and I would have saved myself a lot of time.0 -
Have you done a TDEE calculation? You are very young and typically you should be quite able to consume more calories and still lose weight. That is, unless you have some unusual circumstance - medical condition, for example. I would say that you should at least eat back your exercise calories - meaning 1200 + whatever number of cals you've burned.
If you are feeling energetic and focused eating a HEALTHY 1200 calorie diet... then maybe that's just you and it works. You might consider taking a mulit-vitamin just to ensure your young body is getting the minimum basic nutrients it needs.
On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling tired throughout the day, finding it hard to complete your workouts, maybe not sleeping well, not able to focus on brain-tasks (school work or whatever), then I'd def suggest upping your calorie intake to see if your energy level and focus improve! This actually did happen to me in my 20s. I didn't intentionally eat a super-low calorie diet, but I started counting calories to figure out if that could be adding to my complete lack of energy (I also tend to have lower blood pressure). Only time in my life I have been able to eat more and not gain weight! It was awesome... I felt better, too! :happy:
Best of luck!
Vitamins are a good idea.i cant eat over 1200 - 1300 I start to feel sick.
What are eating that is making you feel sick? 1200 -1300 calories should be very easy to hit if your macros are balanced.0
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