1200 calorie diets?

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fernwehwanderlust
fernwehwanderlust Posts: 26
in Health and Weight Loss
Why are 1200 calorie diets considered to be so terrible and unhealthy?

Since my TDEE is around 1750, and I cut 450 calories a day, I personally am on one. I can't really exercise daily or consistently, because of school, but I try to whenever possible. Anyway, I don't feel too deprived. I mean, I can't have as much chocolate, rice, desserts, or other tasty junk food as often, but you shouldn't have that much junk food to begin with. And I try to eat things that will keep me full for longer, which cut out many of my empty calories, and I almost always eat when I'm hungry. And I've been having more fruits and veggies, like grapefruit, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, lettuce, apples, kiwi, bananas, spinach, celery and carrots

So I'm wondering why most 1200 calorie diets are considered bad. And maybe if what I'm doing is unhealthy, and if I should increase my daily goal by a few calories or keep the way I am. I'm personally okay with my diet, and its fun finding healthier versions of my favorite foods, and I'll love to lose my weight quicker, but I'd take losing pure fat over losing my muscle (which is something I already don't have much of).

I am 5'6 and 140 pounds by the way.
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Replies

  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    Because most people have BMRs that are higher than 1200 calories. Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function without you doing anything but lying around and breathing. Eating below your BMR for an extended period can't be good.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Basically because your body requires a minimum amount of micronutrients to be healthy and it is very difficult to get to that level eating only 1200 calories a day. Your body also requires a certain caloric intake just to keep your brain functioning, your heart beating appropriately and your body and the correct temperature and for most people that value is above 1200.

    In general I think its pretty safe to say you are better off going for a brisk 45 minute walk each day and bumping your calories up to 1500. Is there some part of your regular day you could get to by walking rather than driving or taking a bus?
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    There's also the problem that results from restricting oneself to so few calories.......lots of people end up binging because they're tired of being hungry!
  • Rdlm1001
    Rdlm1001 Posts: 47 Member
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    I generally eat around 1200/1300 with a couple of days a week when I shoot to 1500/1600. I eat lots of protein and veg. No processed and avoid sugar (less than 20gms a day). If you feel ok and aren't eating processed crap, do what feels right. You just want to be able to maintain your food intake so you don't binge later. Living only on 1200 can be hard to maintain. Go get a burger once in awhile or a fancy sushi roll. Make sure your calorie deficit is in the sugar area. Because sugar is deadly!!!
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    Because most people have BMRs that are higher than 1200 calories. Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function without you doing anything but lying around and breathing. Eating below your BMR for an extended period can't be good.

    There is no one who is overweight or obese who has a BMR of 1200, unless they are truly " little people ". I am 4 feet 11.5 inches and past my mid-60's and my BMR is 1463. I am set to lose .5 pounds a week and eat around 1200 calories. But I am a statistical exception.....not a special snow flake..... but belong to a small group of extremely short people.
    I do well on 1200 calories. There is not much margin for low nutrition calories that often come from processed food, which is not a problem in my case. I eat a diet based on whole foods at about 90%. The other 10% are not junk food, but somewhat more processed stuff ( like a bit of mustard and mayo in my potato salad today ) that I cannot easily make at home.
  • mactaffy84
    mactaffy84 Posts: 398 Member
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    Not true. My calculated BMR is 1266 and I'm 5'6".
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with a 1200 calorie diet in and of itself. It is generally accepted to the the minimum a woman needs to consume in order to meet her nutrient requirements, so going below it is generally frowned upon.

    If you entered all your relevant information into MFP and it gave you 1200 to eat and you are not starving, don't sweat it.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    Not true. My calculated BMR is 1266 and I'm 5'6".

    That can only happen if you are not overweight, or only very slightly so.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    Not true. My calculated BMR is 1266 and I'm 5'6".

    Are you sure? Where did you come up with that number? I'm 5'2" and every bmr calculator I've used has set my bmr between 1400-1500.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    OP if 1200 works for you then more power to you ..

    I have a hard enough time cutting on 2100 to 2200 …but that is just me...
  • Cynner2007
    Cynner2007 Posts: 46 Member
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    MFP gave me 1250 daily calories,and yes, I am just 4"11. I found it impossible to stay within that range, I was hungry, tired and generally unfit to live with. I have upped my daily calorie goal to 1400 and feel better.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I ate 1200 calories on Sunday...not on purpose...took me till Wednesday to feel better...get my energy back, stop feeling dizzy, weak and lethargic...no joke.

    I am 5 ft 7, 160lbs, lift 3x a week and eat on average 1700 a day....

    I don't understand how people do it to be frank...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I ate 1200 calories on Sunday...not on purpose...took me till Wednesday to feel better...get my energy back, stop feeling dizzy, weak and lethargic...no joke.

    I am 5 ft 7, 160lbs, lift 3x a week and eat on average 1700 a day....

    I don't understand how people do it to be frank...

    seriously …

    1200 is like dinner for me ...
  • JackieO524
    JackieO524 Posts: 25 Member
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    ditto - some people make you afraid to ask questions
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Make sure your calorie deficit is in the sugar area. Because sugar is deadly!!!

    please tell me you are not serious.

    that doesn't even make sense.
  • kyto7288
    kyto7288 Posts: 13
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    Check out this calculator. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ It will tell you a pretty close number of calories that you need day to day, and then has settings for percentage cuts to calories. I think that it is simpler to understand here than some of the myfitnesspal tools, although myfitnesspal is great for tracking nutrition.

    This site will also help you set up different diet types that you might feel more comfortable with very quickly and pump out numbers for you to see right there. Just try to get your myfitnesspal as close as you can with the percentages in your goals section. If you take the time to educate yourself you can decide on the diet that fits what you enjoy eating the most so that you don't have to tourture yourself.

    Rembmer, calories in less than calories out equals a lower weight, BUT be sure that you are getting the proper macro and micro nutrients so that you can stay healthy.

    If you have any questions I can try to help you figure out the diet plan along with myfitnesspal.
  • vermillionlove
    vermillionlove Posts: 37 Member
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    This seems like it may be a good place to ask...
    I average around 1200-1400 a day. over the winter I was purely sedentary but since it's been warming up a little, I've been getting daily exercise burning 100-250 cals. I'm 22 F, 5'2", 167ish lbs. am I eating too little? I do feel hungry sometimes, but snacking helps. I don't have any problems with wanting to binge on everything in sight. But I don't want to be depriving myself. I am still barely in the "obese" catagory, so going under my BMR doesn't seem so bad. I still want to lose another 20-40lbs possibly.
    According to IIFYM, my BMR is 1472 with no exercise, TDEE 1767 (I treat TDEE as a number that is okay to reach, but to expect a little gain if I surpass)
    With exercise 3x week my TDEE jumps to 2024. every day, it goes up again to 2411. But I don't know if my exercise is hardy enough to fit the "exercise" they may be calculating for. I just got for walks, bike rides, and dance, lol.
  • Beet_Girl
    Beet_Girl Posts: 102
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    There is nothing wrong with a 1200 calorie diet in and of itself. It is generally accepted to the the minimum a woman needs to consume in order to meet her nutrient requirements, so going below it is generally frowned upon.

    If you entered all your relevant information into MFP and it gave you 1200 to eat and you are not starving, don't sweat it.

    Can you meet your nutrition requirements if you eat pretty healthy for the 1200 cal, plus take a multivitamin and calcium supps?
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    I'm almost 100% positive your BMR is over 1200 calories.

    Mine is around there, and I'm 5'1 110#, AKA you need to be either really short or really light for it to be that low.
  • fernwehwanderlust
    fernwehwanderlust Posts: 26
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    I'm almost 100% positive your BMR is over 1200 calories.

    Mine is around there, and I'm 5'1 110#, AKA you need to be either really short or really light for it to be that low.


    So using the website someone suggested, I found out its 1450. I clicked on some of the weight loss plan options, and one said to eat 1300 calories. Would a 100-200 calorie defect be harmful in the long run? Or would it be negligible because its so small?

    I do feel fine on this diet. I'm also not very strict with it either; if i go over because I picked up something tasty as a treat, I don't really sweat it.

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