How do you eat on 1200 cals?

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Replies

  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Eating 1200 or less is what I did most of my life because i didn't know better when on a diet. No wonder I yoyed for decades. No more.
  • HoneydewLou
    HoneydewLou Posts: 20
    You don't. 1200 calories is a pathetic amount, neither sustainable or healthy.
  • Siriku
    Siriku Posts: 22 Member
    Green vegetables. I eat anywhere from 500g-1kg a day. Extremely filling, and low in calories.
  • struggletodiet
    struggletodiet Posts: 149 Member
    It is about educating yourself to what food that you need, it sounds like a balanced diet is best for you bulk up on fruit and veg should help keep thing going
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    I'm on a goal of 1200 and I must admit I do struggle on the days that I don't exercise. To combat this, I have started exercising every day - yup, every day. I'm doing the Blogilates workouts (blogilates.com) for around 45 mins to an hour every morning. I have to get up at stupid o'clock to do them but actually, I quite like it now. It really gets my day off to a good start and then I know I have a few extra cals in the bank for the rest of the day! I also do a couple of spinning classes per week and try to run or swim at other times too - it sounds like a lot but I have gradually built this up and am only doing so much exercise because I really enjoy it - I'm getting a little bit addicted to spinning actuallY! Exercising every day is definitely improving my strength, fitness and shape too, so bonus!
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
    "How do you eat on 1,200 calories a day?" You don't.

    ^^ THIS! You can lose weight that way, but it's not good for your body. It can't get what it fully needs in nutrition. Find out your BMR and your TDEE, TDEE - 20% is pretty good for weight loss. I recommend looking at http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    You can customise your goal calories and macros (carb, protein, fat %).
  • Farhathameed1
    Farhathameed1 Posts: 1
    hi, I did find it difficult at first but then did an honest diary of all the food I was eating and was shocked at the calories I was consuming from the little things.

    I now find it easier to eliminate these and bring count down. I have looked at the lowest breakfast option I enjoy too which is coffee, porridge, and 2 egg whites and a benecol yogurt drink which is under 200 calories.

    Then salad with protein midday. salad is next to no calories, protein is chicken salmon or prawns which comes to around 100 calories max.This is another 250 calories. Glass of water.

    I'll then eat fruit for snacks which are high in calories but a healthy option and this still leaves me with around 4 or 500 calories for evening meal!! and if you look on the internet there's hundreds of low calorie meals that are really filling.

    I've cut out on drinks. Cant believe I was having 4 or 5 cups of Ribena a day. 500 calories would you believe!!! replace with water. Put sweetener in my coffee. And reduced my potion sizes. I've stopped snacking on chocolate, cakes, biscuits, limited bread.

    I feel full, healthier and have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks!!

    Started off at 9stone 10 pounds and would be happy to lose another half a stone to get rid of baby fat. Am really enjoying being healthier, am motivated by the prospect that ill fit into my skinny jeans again without bulging round the waist, and less stressed because I now know why I wasn't losing weight!!

    Good luck to you all
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    "How do you eat on 1,200 calories a day?" You don't.


    hahahaha! My exact first thought :laugh:
  • courttyeliz
    courttyeliz Posts: 1 Member
    If you work out You earn more calories back. Keep it simple.:happy:
  • JanisMay67
    JanisMay67 Posts: 43
    I'm finding it quite easy to survive on 1200 cals. Before I began recording everything on MFP I never had breakfast. Now I make myself have a protein shake. I use protein powder, flax seeds, cinnamon, oats, raspberries and water. It fills me up for hours and is under 350 cals.

    I've cut out snacking between meals, as this was my downfall. I've always had healthy meals, and I knew I had to break this habit.

    Lunch is usually a homemade soup. I do a batch at a time, and freeze in portions. Nearly every one I make works out at around 120 cals a portion and is wholesome and filling. It's lucky I love veg - so low in calories, it's easy to fill up on them. With the weather warming up, it will be a huge bowl of salad with a healthy dressing. After, I have a piece of fruit, and perhaps a diet yogurt - sticking to a limit of 350 cals again.

    This leaves 500 cals for evening meal. This is more than enough for any healthy ready meal, or homemade grilled fish/chicken/casserole with heaps of veg. I can even have the odd portion of chips done in the air fryer. There's usually enough cals left for a low cal dessert.

    If by the evening, I have any calories left - then that's treat time whilst watching the TV. Popcorn is my snack saviour, there's some fab flavours now, and they're bagged in good healthy portion size. I also keep some frozen yogurt in the fridge. I prefer it to ice-cream and it's low in fat and calories.

    If eating out, I can only ever manage a main course anyway. Avoiding bread is the key for me, half a bread roll and I would be binging all night. A steak with a salad is a good choice for me. Or if I know I am going somewhere where meals are calorie laden, I save calories up for a couple of days, so I know I can enjoy.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    This is no doubt because you opted to lose 2lb a week.

    Try 0.5lb or 1lb and then you can eat more, lose it slower and healthier, and it's more likely to stay off.

    I've just changed mine to 0.5lb a week which gives 1480, but that's because I'm down as sedentary and haven't had a gym membership for 3 weeks. I am joining a new gym today after my old contract ended and I had to wait due to money.

    Or what you may want to do is select to lose 0lb a week, eat that number it gives you, and use your exercise as a deficit rather than cut back on food.

    All you need is a calorie deficit, doesn't matter how you get that.
  • noorali9026040
    noorali9026040 Posts: 4 Member
    hi all
    nice to me you ...
    and see your fabulous achievement
    this is my first week also
    in the three days i ate only 450 cal for each day ...
    and i feel very comfortable and not feeling hungry at all even after or during exercise
    i don't know if its normal or no !!!
    or if its a good way to complete my goal !!?
  • greypilgrimess
    greypilgrimess Posts: 353 Member
    hi all
    nice to me you ...
    and see your fabulous achievement
    this is my first week also
    in the three days i ate only 450 cal for each day ...
    and i feel very comfortable and not feeling hungry at all even after or during exercise
    i don't know if its normal or no !!!
    or if its a good way to complete my goal !!?

    450 a day is not healthy. Eat more. Your body needs a lot more fuel to sustain itself or you will get very ill. Particularly if you are exercising. You probably need to try and hit a baseline of at least 1200 a day.
  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
    I do 1300-1400 per day which I would recommend instead of 1200. I tried doing 1200 and hit a road block fast. I talked to my trainer at the gym and he said to up my calories. Did so and the weight started falling off.

    I do 200 or less for breakfast, 200 or less for lunch. I do 100-150 calories for my morning snacks + 100-150 for evening and the rest I use up with dinner, protein drinks and desert. I reward myself at the end of the day with chocolate.

    It is possible to eat low calorie and still enjoy food. You just have to be selective and watch your portions.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    Its hard to stick to 1200 a day...I have really upped my veggies and other then that I eat a ton of turkey and chicken to get my protein in order to feel full..i was eating all my exercise calories back for the last 9 months, however I have not lost any weight doing that...I am just now doing 1200 and not eating my exercise back and I must admit I am hungry....drinking more water and eating cucumbers...etc....I think getting the last 10/15pounds off is tough...hang in there!:flowerforyou:
  • noorali9026040
    noorali9026040 Posts: 4 Member

    450 a day is not healthy. Eat more. Your body needs a lot more fuel to sustain itself or you will get very ill. Particularly if you are exercising. You probably need to try and hit a baseline of at least 1200 a day.

    thanks for ur replying
    i feel scared if i eat more than that ...
  • divvyh
    divvyh Posts: 32 Member
    How do you eat on 1200 cals?

    I can only do it if I don't eat out. Even restaurants one would consider healthy put me over the calorie count.
  • ainokea8
    ainokea8 Posts: 95
    I eat about 1300 calories a day.

    Cutting out the carbs at dinner really cuts back the calories. Like just having a 6 oz chicken breast with steamed veggies on the side equals up to about 300 calories. Substituting squash spaghetti instead of actual spaghetti can also cut down the calories insanely.

    Breakfast also tends to be around 200 calories since I'm never really hungry in the morning so I tend to have a light breakfast so that leaves 800 calories. I can either have a huge lunch or have a moderate lunch (400-500 calories) and still have 300 left over to snack on whatever I want.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    Below is less then 600 calories...ignore the numbers after ..its the protein, carb and other counts....This is a large b-fast/ lunch and snack...A TON OF PROTEIN with the turkey(8 ounces!), shrimp and greek yogurt....my food for the day!

    Generic Raw - Sweet Bell Pepper (Red, Yellow, Green), 50 g 17 8 0 1 3 5 
    Mccormick - Garlic Salt, 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) 0 0 0 0 0 490 
    Miracle Noodles - Angel Hair (Corrected), 6 oz (85g) 0 0 0 0 0 0 
    Butterball - Turkey Breast Filet Extra Lean, 8 oz 240 0 1 56 0 110 
    Marketside - Broccoli Slaw (Net Carbs), 5 c (85g) 100 8 0 8 12 100 
    Wal-mart - Large Shrimp (41-60), Cooked, Tail On, Peeled, Devained (Correct), 2 oz 70 1 1 13 0 535 
    Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise Dressing (Correct - Mayo, 1 TBSP 35 1 4 0 0 125 
    Broccoli - Raw, 50 g 17 3 0 1 1 17 
    Great Value - Greek Nonfat Yogurt Plain, 0.5 cup 60 5 0 12 0 58 
    Hershey's Coca Natural Unsweetened - Chocolate Baking Powder, 1 TBSP (5G) 10 3 1 1 2 0 
    Lettuce - Iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw, 1 cup shredded 10 2 0 1 1 7 
    Bella Vita - Low Carb Pasta Sauce, Meat Flavored (Net Carbs), 1/4 cup (125g) 35 2 3 1 1 295 

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