I abandoned 1200 calories per day, and so should you

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Replies

  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
    Personally for myself I agree with you, OP. 1200 was not a happy existence for me when I first got serious with losing weight. I'm now at 1700 calories or so (5'8" and 185) and slowly losing still but I have the energy to work out now with the extra calories. I could stay at 1700 forever and be happy because I don't feel restricted.

    Just my two cents for my own experience.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    In for the special snowflakes. :laugh:
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I've been at 1550 the last 4 days, and I'm thinking of upping it because I'm so damn hungry. I cannot imagine an existence on 1200 calories. Ever. Oh, and I'm 5'7".
  • cnhamilton12
    cnhamilton12 Posts: 45 Member
    I'm at 1200 a day and am losing consistently. Sure, I'm a little hungry at the end of the day but I think it's because my body is used to feeling overly full when I was eating junk and fast food. I'm putting the right things into my body and everyday I feel better and better. That's great it works for you but don't be so quick to "know" what's best for my body.
  • BlondeViki
    BlondeViki Posts: 33 Member
    I think a lot also depends on what you are making up those 1200 calories from. If you are eating a lot of veggies and lean meat or fish, you should be getting quite a lot of food for not so many calories.

    I find quite a lot (not always!) from browsing food diaries that many people who are on the 1200-1300 calorie limits, still try to eat the things they normally would, but maybe just less of them, or skip other meals to have one 'normal' meal - which is going to leave you hungry.

    If you are trying to change to be healthy long term rather than simply to lose weight as soon as possible, it's often necessary to change what you eat, not just how much.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Weird. I lost 3 lbs a week on 1200 calories. Before I knew anything about weight loss, protein, retaining muscle. Did this for almost two months. Changed to 1550, lost 1.5 lbs a week. Changed to 1700, lost 1 lb. I now maintain around 2100ish at 5'3.5" 116 lbs No one size fits all calorie amount, indeed.....

    I don't think it's fair to say no one should do it. Do I think it's sustainable? Long run.. probably not. Did I suffer any ill consequences? Nope. Everyone is different.
  • pinksmama
    pinksmama Posts: 40
    I don't know what everyone SHOULD do but I think it is wise to use your TDEE/BMR calculations to figure out a good number for yourself.

    I can't remember what MFP started me out at, I think it was in the 12's or 13's, anyway, according to my TDEE/BMR calculations it was much too low, for me.. so I used my new calculation and have had better results.

    Now, not sure why that wouldn't tend to work for everyone seeing how it's based on your body and your activity levels.. as well as being adjusted as your body changes. :blushing:
  • Callmeblessed
    Callmeblessed Posts: 1
    Thanks
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    Weird. I lost 3 lbs a week on 1200 calories. Before I knew anything about weight loss, protein, retaining muscle. Did this for almost two months. Changed to 1550, lost 1.5 lbs a week. Changed to 1700, lost 1 lb. I now maintain around 2100ish at 5'3.5" 116 lbs No one size fits all calorie amount, indeed.....

    I don't think it's fair to say no one should do it. Do I think it's sustainable? Long run.. probably not. Did I suffer any ill consequences? Nope. Everyone is different.

    Agreed. I was on the 1200 calorie bandwagon at one point... and I lost weight... but I gained it all back. So, I guess if you have a short term goal like getting in a bikini for the summer but putting it all back on in time for winter (extra insulation, they say) that could work for you. I don't think I've ever seen someone in the 1200 calorie group that say they got to their goal and SUCCESSFULLY maintained thereafter, but there's a first time for everything I suppose.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Others have questioned whether you religiously used a food scale and accounted for everything so I won't address it.

    But at 5'7" and 150 lbs, you should not have chosen the 2 lb option to begin with-only the 0.5 lb.

    MFP can get into serious legal trouble if they don't add important notations specifying which weekly weight loss goal is suitable for a person.
  • RecklezzBeauty
    RecklezzBeauty Posts: 16 Member
    I love reading about how people realized 1200 calories per day is ridiculous and is not the way to set yourself up for long-term success.

    What I hate is when people comment on these threads with, "Well it works for me!" Of course it works - you're depriving your body of the calories it needs, so you're likely to lose weight. HOWEVER, if you CAN eat more and still lose, why the hell wouldn't you?

    What annoys me about these 1200 calorie people is that they don't listen to reason, and they don't rely on simple math. Your BMR and TDEE are insanely useful numbers, and unless you're 3 feet tall, eating 1200 calories per day puts you at too much of a deficit.

    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    this last sentence doesnt apply to everyone I got fat on Predisone and being unable to exercise Not by stuffing my face with food Unlike most people believe all bigger or obese people do.
  • bumblebeez86
    bumblebeez86 Posts: 208 Member
    Personally I dont think i could do 1200 kcal a day for the long term. When I came on here MFP (1st Jan 149.4lb 5'4'') suggested around 1450. I knew I was grossly overeating before so I started at maintainence kcals 1730 and decided to see where that led me. I lost weight so i stayed there and eased myself in. When the loss slowed down i dropped the kcals a little at a time. I am now on day 85ish lost 13lbs and now at 1420 kcal and its sometimes a struggle. Everyone is different you just have to find out what works for you :)
  • Grumpsandwich
    Grumpsandwich Posts: 368 Member
    I have been on 1200 for 7 months ish? Lost 65 pounds. Never hungry as i eat FIVE meals a day 3 standard, 1 mid day mini meal and an evening snack. I eat large portions but I also learned substituting for healthier leaner ingredients. ( my diet is given to me by my endocrinologist in conjunction with hospital nutritionist). Since joining MFP though i started eating back cardio burned calories.

    But i didnt just use an app to set up my dietary guidelines. I sought medical advice from my specialist who gave me my dietary criteria to take to the nutritionist. Who then sat down with me over an hour going over the things i should and shouldnt eat, amounts. Substitutes everything. Was the best thing I have ever done to be honest.
  • IsaTexDesigner
    IsaTexDesigner Posts: 54 Member
    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    I dont quite understand this either. If Im short calories, I gladly pop an avocado or almonds in my mouth. Yummy.

    I keep my calories 1400-1500 ish, it may be on the low side, but I get in a massive cheat meal on Friday nights and catch up.
  • awtume9
    awtume9 Posts: 423 Member
    Lots of hangry people in here!
  • knt6742
    knt6742 Posts: 36
    Just a quick note with threads like these, I wish people would clarify between eating a total of 1200 and netting 1200. If I actually follow MFP guidelines and eat my exercise calories back it ends up being the same numbers as TDEE -15%. I'm far from starving.

    Also I'm 5'1 and 110lbs my bmr is only like 1100 so it's not that crazy of a calorie goal for me.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I love reading about how people realized 1200 calories per day is ridiculous and is not the way to set yourself up for long-term success.

    What I hate is when people comment on these threads with, "Well it works for me!" Of course it works - you're depriving your body of the calories it needs, so you're likely to lose weight. HOWEVER, if you CAN eat more and still lose, why the hell wouldn't you?

    What annoys me about these 1200 calorie people is that they don't listen to reason, and they don't rely on simple math. Your BMR and TDEE are insanely useful numbers, and unless you're 3 feet tall, eating 1200 calories per day puts you at too much of a deficit.

    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    Wow. You really seem to spend a lot of time worrying about what others do. Chill out. Relax. Live your own life.

    Wow, you seem to know a lot about me by reading that one response. You must be a clairvoyant or something. No, I don't "spend a lot of time" worrying about these things. As if you aren't annoyed by anything. Get over yourself.

    Get over myself? What do you mean, like do a cartwheel?
  • BansheeCat
    BansheeCat Posts: 140
    I went through something similar OP. I wanted to loose roughly 2lbs weekly. I tried 1200 with no luck and if anything it damaged my metabolism. I increased my intake to 1450 --It took 8 weeks to speed up my burn but I'm seeing results now.

    2lbs a week isn't in the cards for me. I'm a 1.25 looser. I can live with that.
  • elizabethannemoir
    elizabethannemoir Posts: 4
    I am with you, I am 5'3 and I have managed to lose 25lbs so far, all while eating the 1200 calories a day. I think it matters what the calories you eat are, I feel fuller eating certain things. I also do not go hungry, if I find myself at the end of the day needing a snack and it will put me over the 1200 calories, so be it, I refuse to starve myself.
  • ddixon503
    ddixon503 Posts: 119 Member
    Hi everyone,

    This post is mainly concerned with the myth that 1200 calories per day is ideal for losing 2lb/week. This is the number that myfitnesspal will spit out at you if you want to lose a lot of weight and you don't exercise much. I followed this 1200 calories/day goal for about 6 months, and I am here to tell you that, if your current goal is 1200 calories per day, you should really reconsider.

    First of all, a bit about myself so that you can compare to my circumstances. I am a 23 year-old female, 5'7", and I weight 150 lbs. I am a university student and during the period where I was eating 1200 calories/day, I was not exercising much at all. I have been sitting at the same weight (+/- a couple pounds) for about a year.

    While I was eating 1200 calories per day, I was not a happy camper. I was constantly hungry, and I found myself skipping meals in order to maintain that goal. In addition, I was not losing any weight. And I can say with 100% confidence that eating 1200 calories/day for 6 months didn't make me lose a SINGLE pound. I had been sitting at the same weight the entire time. I was fed up, and I started reading into the 1200 calorie/day myth a bit more. I took some advice and I calculated my BMR, which was about 1500 calories/day. I was scared to increase my intake though, because I was afraid of gaining weight.

    About 2 months ago I increased my calorie intake to about 1700 calories/day. Guess what? I'm still sitting at the exact same weight. This makes me realize in retrospect how much I was starving my body. I am also much happier now. I am not afraid to eat throughout the day. I can have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. I have also started working out for an hour per day on the exercise bike in hopes of overcoming my plateau. But the point of this post is that 1200 calories was definitely not ideal for me, and there is a chance that it is not ideal for you. Calculate your BMR and bump up your intake if 1200 calories is not working for you. Your body needs nourishment and there is definitely more to losing weight than limiting your calories. I know that there are already posts about the 1200 calorie misconception, but I just wanted to tell my experiences and try to get the message across that 1200 calories is not something to automatically swear by.

    "myth that 1200 calories per day is ideal for losing 2lb/week"

    Ideal for whom?
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    I really wish people would just post their experiences and leave it at that, rather than I did it and so should you.
    +1. It's a common MFP phenomenon. "I just didn't figure out what works for me, it must work for EVERYONE!" I've met preachers with less zeal to convert others than some MFPers.
  • RozayJones
    RozayJones Posts: 409 Member
    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    IGNORANT
  • livelovetravelxx
    livelovetravelxx Posts: 27
    I abandoned it too!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    IGNORANT

    What's ignorant about it? Clearly, before they were trying to lose weight, they had no problem eating calories at or above their maintenance level.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I love reading about how people realized 1200 calories per day is ridiculous and is not the way to set yourself up for long-term success.

    What I hate is when people comment on these threads with, "Well it works for me!" Of course it works - you're depriving your body of the calories it needs, so you're likely to lose weight. HOWEVER, if you CAN eat more and still lose, why the hell wouldn't you?

    What annoys me about these 1200 calorie people is that they don't listen to reason, and they don't rely on simple math. Your BMR and TDEE are insanely useful numbers, and unless you're 3 feet tall, eating 1200 calories per day puts you at too much of a deficit.

    And then there's those people that say, "I know I should eat more than x amount of calories, but I'm not hungry and I can't force myself to eat!" If you can't eat more than 1200 calories, how did you get fat in the first place?!

    Wow. You really seem to spend a lot of time worrying about what others do. Chill out. Relax. Live your own life.

    Wow, you seem to know a lot about me by reading that one response. You must be a clairvoyant or something. No, I don't "spend a lot of time" worrying about these things. As if you aren't annoyed by anything. Get over yourself.

    Get over myself? What do you mean, like do a cartwheel?

    :drinker:

    Your best response ever.
  • sue_langley
    sue_langley Posts: 63 Member
    first of all I want to thank you for having the courage to share your story. Knowing that you would have people disagree with you. I tried 1200 calories and I too felt like I was starving all the time. when I increase my calories with more fat and protein I felt so much better, I felt satisfied for the first time. My weight went up at first, 3 pounds, but then it slowly started to drop again. It only took a week to lose those three pounds and I've been losing since. I'm so glad I read all the information from others you didn't live on 1200 calories and we're very successful. I can do this for good now. :-)
  • kespo63
    kespo63 Posts: 2
    For me I had to reduce calories AND exercise. I was already close to 1200 calories a day and not losing. Reducing to 1200 wasn't going to get me much closer to my goal. When I combined the two, then I started to lose weight. I don't think you can necessarily do one without the other.
  • jencroki
    jencroki Posts: 30
    1200 calories is the minimum a person should eat, less than that will put your body in starvation mode. There's also a lot of other factors to add when it comes to lose weight...not just counting calories. Based on what you wrote you weren't exercising much but you were eating 1200 calories a day, Based on your stat and using a caloric need calculator, your body needs ~1500 calories/per day without doing any type of work..

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    They never recommend people to go to their lowest calorie intake all of the sudden because it could do the opposite..you are also close to your ideal weight http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm which also make weight loss to be slow...you should eat 6 small meals during the day (every 2-3 hrs) this will boost your metabolism
  • SpencersHeart
    SpencersHeart Posts: 170 Member
    bump
  • lthames0810
    lthames0810 Posts: 722 Member
    In so I can read later.

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