I'm being told by people that I'm starving myself on this 12

SunLove8
SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
edited September 22 in Motivation and Support
I'm gettin frusterated because almost everyone I've told about this site and being on a 1200 calorie diet with exercise says I'm starving myself. One friend actually told me that I have a eating disorder. What the heck? I think this diet is ligit. What's your thoughts. Anyone dealing with the same riducule? I have 30-40 pounds to lose by the way...
«1

Replies

  • Chrissun
    Chrissun Posts: 148
    I've been eating much healthier and exercising more since MFP. I thought I was eating healthy before but my portions were crazy!
    Maybe if you explain to your friends that the more you exercise the more calories you get for the day, under 1200 calories is not recommended, they'd feel better about it.

    Sorry you're facing discouraging friends, they might just need more details or to check it out for themselves.
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
    I've been eating much healthier and exercising more since MFP. I thought I was eating healthy before but my portions were crazy!
    Maybe if you explain to your friends that the more you exercise the more calories you get for the day, under 1200 calories is not recommended, they'd feel better about it.

    Sorry you're facing discouraging friends, they might just need more details or to check it out for themselves.

    Agreed.
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    Most people here say you should eat some of your exercise calories. For me I usually end up anywhere from 1200-1500 (about 1/2 exercise calories) dependent upon how hungry I am. I eat small meals often and am not going hungry. Test out what works for you!
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    You're body will start to go into starvation mode if you keep it up. Kinda bas ackwards but you will start to gain weight, lose will power and back peddle in your plan if you keep that up. 1200, if you eat 6 meals a day is 200 calories a meal. Yes it looks great on the scale the first week, but then it slows so you try to even cut more out, but see no difference on the scale again. So you push yourself at the gym to work harder, without the energy and BAM. HELLO WALL.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    Thank you! I've been trying to say that for a few days now, but they don't get it. Oh well, at least I have support on here! :)
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    You're body will start to go into starvation mode if you keep it up. Kinda bas ackwards but you will start to gain weight, lose will power and back peddle in your plan if you keep that up. 1200, if you eat 6 meals a day is 200 calories a meal. Yes it looks great on the scale the first week, but then it slows so you try to even cut more out, but see no difference on the scale again. So you push yourself at the gym to work harder, without the energy and BAM. HELLO WALL.

    How many calories are you on to still lose weight with working out hard?
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    Will do, it's all a learning process. Thank you for the advice.
  • LisaJayne71
    LisaJayne71 Posts: 197 Member
    Everyone is different and you have to do what is right for you...

    I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and if I eat 1200 a day I gain weight so I tend to stick to 1000 cals a day.
    I sometimes go over on a day I've exercised but not by much..
    As long as you're not missing out on lots of fruit, veg and fresh food and you feel satisfied then I don't see the problem.... everyone has to find the right balance for themselves!
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    Everyone is different and you have to do what is right for you...

    I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and if I eat 1200 a day I gain weight so I tend to stick to 1000 cals a day.
    I sometimes go over on a day I've exercised but not by much..
    As long as you're not missing out on lots of fruit, veg and fresh food and you feel satisfied then I don't see the problem.... everyone has to find the right balance for themselves!
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    I'm doing 2200 and eating back my workout calories(so 2400-2600 daily). But I am also 6'4 male, so I need more! I divide my meals into 6 meals; every 3 hours. I try to do 400 calories every three hours so that I can hit my basic life supporting calories. Then I walk almost 2.5 miles during my lunch break at work and then do between 30-60 minutes of cardio and 20-30 minutes of weights at least 6 times a week. My problem that still gets me is the bad calories I eat.. I don't eat chicken, turkey, steak but eat alot of sandwiches (still a bologna and cheese kinda guy) Right there, I'm giving myself TOO much sodium and fat. But again it's a marathon not a sprint.
  • PocketNaomi
    PocketNaomi Posts: 62
    There's nothing inherently wrong with losing 30-40 pounds or with this site's way of doing it, including a 1200-calorie diet (I'm on one myself, though I take a "day off" once a week and go up to 1600-1800, to keep my metabolism from going screwy on me). But you don't say what you weigh now, or on what kind of a height/body type, and so I don't have enough information to be able to tell if it's dangerous for *you* to try to lose 30-40 pounds. There are people for whom trying to lose that kind of weight, and eating 1200-calories a day to do it, *would* indicate an eating disorder, if they were starting at 130 and were 5'9", for instance. You are certainly under no obligation to reveal anything you don't want to, but your friends actually see what you look like and I don't, so I'm wary of just saying they're full of it.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    OOps, I meant to reply to, LisaJayne. I'm so sorry you have Postcystic ovarian syndrom. Losing weight and being healthy is hard enough without having to deal with another issue that is making it hard to lose weight. I feel very inspired, thank you for sharing.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    I weigh 195lbs and am 5' 10 and a half. I always was 155lbs until I turned 29. I'm 34 now and have lost and gained over the years on different diets. My main concern is gaining weight by sticking to 1200 calories and exercising...
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    It's so hard! Have you been losing some weight? I keep telling myself that at least I'm trying and not just sitting here complaining about my weight anymore...
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    Diets don't work, lifestyle changes do. -- food coach at my gym

    I was once an athlete and still ate the way I was when I was 19-20, continued on that lifestyle eating without catching on that I was sitting at a desk for most of my waking hours(instead of on a field or gym) and then came the kids that took away even more time. So I was eating the way of a 19 year old athlete but living the life of a weekend warrior. I would tell people that I was on a diet, and got called out this year at a July 4th party by my girlfriend of 12 years(she said every year I say that at this party) and that's when an old buddy who is now a fitness coach pulled me over and gave me the talk... about living an Al Bundy life. Since then I have taken off over 25 pounds by changing my lifestyle(got rid of sodium, caffiene, candy bars(except for the last 3 days) and started to sleep more.
  • MsLisaB
    MsLisaB Posts: 256
    I weigh 195lbs and am 5' 10 and a half. I always was 155lbs until I turned 29. I'm 34 now and have lost and gained over the years on different diets. My main concern is gaining weight by sticking to 1200 calories and exercising...

    I'm on 1200 cals (as set by MFP). On days I exercise I try to leave at least 300 cals uneaten which generally puts me at 1400 cals, otherwise I eat between 1100 - 1300 on non-exercise days. I've been losing weight quite successfully with this and have noticed that if I let myself slip and overeat by 300+ cals I either plateau or gain. I try to eat as much low GI food as possible and also try to go for less processed options, which I find stops me from feeling hungry between meals.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    welcome
    there is alot of information , encouragement and motivation on this site. Everyone is different and you need to find what works for you. I also stay under 1200 cal a day, I rarely eat back my exercise cals but I typically burn between 200=450 a day. I am not doing strenuous workouts due to having fibromyalgia. I think if you are doing strenuous workouts then you probably need to eat back at least some of the exercise cals. You can do it, we are behind you
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    Diets don't work, lifestyle changes do. -- food coach at my gym

    I was once an athlete and still ate the way I was when I was 19-20, continued on that lifestyle eating without catching on that I was sitting at a desk for most of my waking hours(instead of on a field or gym) and then came the kids that took away even more time. So I was eating the way of a 19 year old athlete but living the life of a weekend warrior. I would tell people that I was on a diet, and got called out this year at a July 4th party by my girlfriend of 12 years(she said every year I say that at this party) and that's when an old buddy who is now a fitness coach pulled me over and gave me the talk... about living an Al Bundy life. Since then I have taken off over 25 pounds by changing my lifestyle(got rid of sodium, caffiene, candy bars(except for the last 3 days) and started to sleep more.

    I love it when people motivate others to be healthy. Can I ask why you cut out caffine? Does it affect weight in any way?
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    welcome
    there is alot of information , encouragement and motivation on this site. Everyone is different and you need to find what works for you. I also stay under 1200 cal a day, I rarely eat back my exercise cals but I typically burn between 200=450 a day. I am not doing strenuous workouts due to having fibromyalgia. I think if you are doing strenuous workouts then you probably need to eat back at least some of the exercise cals. You can do it, we are behind you

    Thank you so much! I'm on board with you all :)
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
    You're eating nutrient dense foods, it's not like you're eating 1,200 calories of ice cream or something.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    I'm on 1200 cals (as set by MFP). On days I exercise I try to leave at least 300 cals uneaten which generally puts me at 1400 cals, otherwise I eat between 1100 - 1300 on non-exercise days. I've been losing weight quite successfully with this and have noticed that if I let myself slip and overeat by 300+ cals I either plateau or gain. I try to eat as much low GI food as possible and also try to go for less processed options, which I find stops me from feeling hungry between meals.
    [/quote]

    Thank you for the advice. That makes sense to me now. I'd hate to gain weight after sticking to the 1200 plan, lol but now I'm starting to see how this works.
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    Caffeine was my drug of choice. I would walk into work every other day with a 6 pack of 20 oz diet pepsi (it's diet right?!). At that was just work. Instead of drinking water or juice or something like that I would just grab a pop(soda for you non-Chicagoans). I would also stay up way to late with it(usually getting 3-4 hours a sleep a night) Which of course would make me run to the coffee pot as well. More sugar, more caffeine in a vicious cycle.
    Caffeine is also a diuretic which makes one use the washroom more to flush out the liquids which would cause me to drink more. So now I have my water bottles, fill it with ice cold water. Slam down about 12-15 liquid oz's a day, especially when I am hungry in my 3 hour tour(sing it!)
  • xfitness
    xfitness Posts: 2 Member
    http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/196#80867624

    Read this post by P90X experts. Saying that we may not be eating enough and jeopardizing our metabolism's process.
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    You're eating nutrient dense foods, it's not like you're eating 1,200 calories of ice cream or something.

    Wait... what? are you serious.....

    You are such a buzz kill. Wait till my best friends Ben and Jerry and my German friend Haagen Daz here about this.
  • Bzbear2
    Bzbear2 Posts: 109
    hehe

    but seriously - if you are on the 1200 calorie plan (what did you set your weekly weight loss to? cause that is very low) you should be careful to eat back your exercise calories, or you will most likely plateau. If you were on a slightly more forgiving plan - say 1 pound a week (which might put you at 1300 calories a day or so) then you would have a little leeway - you could leave about 100 exercise calories uneaten.

    Just follow your numbers, and try to hit 1200 with your net calories!! (that means AFTER exercise!!)
  • cmw72
    cmw72 Posts: 390 Member
    This is a topic of endless debate here. It's a matter of personal preference. I'll say this though, I've been at 1500 calories a day for quite a while now, and I don't make it a habit to eat back my exercise calories ... and I exercise a lot!

    If I feel like eating some back, I'll do so ... but not out of any sense of obligation.

    You have to do what's right for you. This is what's working for me.
  • Teresa652
    Teresa652 Posts: 217 Member
    Doesn't MFP have a defict of 500 calories before you even start everyday?
  • chacaruso
    chacaruso Posts: 261 Member
    I'm a nutritionist. This is a professional and accurate site.
  • Kerilovestherain
    Kerilovestherain Posts: 7
    I've been eating much healthier and exercising more since MFP. I thought I was eating healthy before but my portions were crazy!
    Maybe if you explain to your friends that the more you exercise the more calories you get for the day, under 1200 calories is not recommended, they'd feel better about it.

    Sorry you're facing discouraging friends, they might just need more details or to check it out for themselves.


    Agreed. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you...you're doing great!
  • my2loves04and06
    my2loves04and06 Posts: 312
    I weigh 195lbs and am 5' 10 and a half. I always was 155lbs until I turned 29. I'm 34 now and have lost and gained over the years on different diets. My main concern is gaining weight by sticking to 1200 calories and exercising...

    I'm the same height, but a few lbs heavier than you and MFP has my daily cal goal set at 1330/day (2 lb loss/wk). Even without exercise I've been losing steadily when I stick to my cal goal. I have crazy friends so I don't tell them what my cal goal is for fear that they'll start in on me, LOL!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories