Is anyone on a 1,200 calorie diet

I have mine set for 1900, I dont always eat that many but somed days I do. sw was 238 im down almost 8 lbs in 2 months, slow and steady and most days I only eat 1600-1800 calories, but set at 1900 there is wiggle room. When i tried 1200 i was starving all the time even after eatting back exercise calories.

Being on a 1200 calorie diet requires wise choices - bump up lean protein, healthy fat/any fat, lower the carbs, bump up water and reduce sugar.

A typical day is:
- Fruit flavoured porridge
- Wrap/sandwich/salad/soup lunch
- Crisps and chocolate snacks - these can fit it if you make wise choices. I used to eat chocolate bars with 250+ cals, now I have different things, lower cal.
- Protein/meat, veg and a carb for dinner.

I by no means eat healthy and staying under 1200 on no exercise days is HARD, make no mistake - it's not easy. But it's all about wise choices and how much you want it. I've had a major wobble recently in terms of willpower and extra snacking, but I'm getting back on track now.

The initial fast weight loss was water weight.

Remember, it takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a TRUE lb.

Don't worry about your sugar intake unless you have a medical issue where sugar plays a factor. It will not help nor hurt in weight loss. How many G of carbs are you taking in a day?

Pop is a good idea to cut out, I rarely have it anymore just because it bloats you out SO BAD and makes you hold on to a ton of water weight.

A good low fat dinner option is anything that is ... lean. Beef, chicken, turkey, egg whites, veggies, salads, fish.

Remember to keep a higher protein in your diet, I'm not recommending low carb, but, protein and veggies WILL keep you fuller longer.

I work out about 6 days a week so I have my calories at about 1500. If you work out, 1200 may just be too low, dont starve yourself its bad for your muscles.
I rarely actually hit the 1500 mark, but I make sure that I never feel hungry. I always listen to my body, it tells me what I need. I've also realized that by doing this my stomach has shrunk, I just cant eat as much as I used to.

Now I cant coach much on what you should eat because I'm a vegetarian paleo/keto hybrid, but stay away from the processed foods. If it has ingredients you cant pronounce then you probably shouldnt be eating it.

Yes, I do mostly protein and veggies. It works really well for me. I do apples or oranges if I want something sweet.

I started a diet on feb 3 2 days after my 30th birthday i lost 10 lbs pretty quickly like 5 days. But then i got sick lost more weight then a week later gained it back so now i am still at the 10 loss mark i am eating 1,200 calories a day. I still am going over on my carbs and sugar so i am tryna work with that but i am upping my water intake and taking the icky soda away which i have drastically cut since Feb 3rd. i am searching online for healthy low fat ideas etc cause otherwise i never know what too cook LOL. So i was just wondering if anyone else is on this diet i am currently 266 i started at 276 which was snot my highest .

How did you decide that you should be eating 1200?

Darling, I don't think you should eat that few calories. i am 5'4 132 and i started at 194. i found recently that even i should not eat that little. try to google for a calorie calculator, find out how many calories your body really needs to live, and only subtract 500 from that per day for 2 pounds a week, or 250 a day for 1 pound per week. If you eat too little then your body begins to think you are going to keep it that way and starts to store fat to protect itself. try watching the documentary, "hungry for change" and also see the girl on youtube "go fruit yourself" this chick is TINY and eats over 3000 calories a day with just a short, but consistant exercise every day. I am not saying eat only fruit, but mainly i am saying your body needs calories and nutrients to do its job. Also, make sure the food you eat is of quality, meaning nutrient rich so that you are not hungry for nutrients, ie. wont have nearly as many cravings.

Be true to your body, research how many calories it truely needs and go no more than 500 below. I lost alot of weight on a 1200 calorie diet, but now i have little muscle compared to what i used to and i am "skinny fat", meaning weigh less but not much "tone", if you do it right from the beginning then this will not happen to you. If you give your body the right amount of calories and protein, and the right kind of calories, you can keep your muscle and your body will be healthy in the long run.

I have done alot of research as well on clean eatting and have been clean eatting for two weeks, an i upped my calories because i have researched what my body truely needs. Also don't be afraid of weights, it will not bulk you, it is impossible for women to bulk with out years of work and suplements, the more muscle you have/keep the better your metabolism is at rest.

check out www.muffin-topless.com, she lifts heavy weights and eats clean and eats way more than 1200 calories. your body needs fuel.

the body is like an engine, and an engine without oil will shut down, proper "oil" for the body helps the body run as it is supposed to, and it can take care of itself.

Please look up how many calories your body needs, and measure not just with a scale but measuring tapes too!!!

Also, do not be afraid of carbs, i have started, since clean eatting, eating whole grain oats and an egg or two every morning, and my energy levels sky-rocketed, complex carbs are great!!! keep you from being hungry and keep your energy levels stable because it takes longer to process than the crappy simple carbs that are man made.

I did 1200 calories for 7 weeks and last week it caught up with me. I had no problems, never felt hungry, and steadily lost at 1200. Last week I crashed and burned... was starved, shaky, and weak. I upped my calories to 1400 and we'll see how that goes. I weigh in on Monday. I do feel much better though. No shaking or starved feelings.

If it's working for you, keep on truckin'... but if you start to feel crappy, might be time to re-evaluate. Good luck!

Copied from the other 1,200 cal thread running right now:

Regarding 1200 cal diets:

You'll drop a bunch of weight fast, then you'll stall out and stop losing, which is what causes many of the 1200 cal dieters to give up and gain it all back because "what else can I do!?"

If you choose to follow this advice just make sure that when you do stall out you start eating more AND increase your level of activity. Now, it's probably more sustainable and safer to not cut your calories so drastically and to just eat at a 500 cal deficit and exercise. The results will be slower but they'll create habits that will sustain you for the rest of your life instead of being a quick fix.

Up to you.

I am on a 1200 calorie diet, and on days I don't work it, is next to impossible to stay at 1200. So I try to work out 6 days a week. I try to eat a lot of fruits and beans, lots of beans! However, if you look at my food diary, I pretty much eat anything. Which is no wonder why I am stuck at my current weight of 191. I started off at 220 and looking to go down to 175. My best advice, work out and when you do eat, eat a fruit or something natural. Better to go over your calories by eating whole foods than Pop tarts ( Which I absolutely love, by the way.) Best of luck and remember, Hard work always pays off!