How can people live on 1200 calories?

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Replies

  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    their stomachs shrink and they live happily ever after..

    Nope. Just nope. Your stomach doesn't shrink.

    Your body doesn’t work that way. Your stomach can expand to handle a large meal – up to a certain limit. As food moves on to the small intestine, the stomach goes back to its usual size. When you cut back on your portions, your stomach keeps its normal size even if your appetite isn't as big.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    No idea. I've had 1200 calorie DINNERS since joining MFP. Albeit I'm losing ~3 pounds per week on 2100 calories per day but it's totally unnecessary unless you are COMPLETELY sedentary and are like a 5 foot nothing female.
  • taisanica
    taisanica Posts: 2
    I live on good 900 Calories and am man that works hard work within training every evening (freeletics- 5day a week) and guess what, I am never hungry! So go figure that! ;) Everything is possible within right food combination!
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    I live on good 900 Calories and am man that works hard work within training every evening (freeletics- 5day a week) and guess what, I am never hungry! So go figure that! ;) Everything is possible within right food combination!

    No. just no. Everyone needs more than 900 calories. Eat more food.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    I live on good 900 Calories and am man that works hard work within training every evening (freeletics- 5day a week) and guess what, I am never hungry! So go figure that! ;) Everything is possible within right food combination!

    This is this persons first post. TROLL ALERT
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    You can, been there but thank god my doctor said it's not enough and I listened because it's pretty boring and I don't want to live like that.
  • KeepGoingKylene
    KeepGoingKylene Posts: 432 Member
    Anyone who's been a friend of mine eating that little gets dropped off my friend list because ALL THEY DO is complain about how they aren't losing any weight. You don't lose weight when your body thinks you are starving! Don't get offended if it works for you, my personal experience on MFP is that people just complain constantly when they are that low on calories. And I don't believe for a second that you can work hard at the gym with such a minimal amount of fuel.

    :drinker:
  • Ashaleet
    Ashaleet Posts: 59
    I'm currently doing around 1300, but I've done 1200 before. I fluctuate between the two when i'm at a plateau. Last time I was on MFP I was doing 1200 and I lost 39 pounds. But alas, I stopped counting my calories and poof. There goes 6 months of hard work. 1200 and 1300 is definitely doable, especially if you like eating vegetables. You can get a lot of those for not a lot of calories. ;)

    I won't say that my stomach has "shrunk" but I will say that I just listen to my body. If i'm feeling hungry I analyze it. Am I bored? How much water have I had today? Same goes for when I actually sit down to eat a meal. Most of the time I finish about half of a meal and I realize I'm full. So I save it for later.

    I will admit there are days where I feel like i'm just watching the clock waiting for lunch time. Days like this I usually end up going over on my cals by a couple hundred. But I still log everything I eat.

    I also keep my calorie count so low because i'm pretty much sedentary. I hate excersizing, I won't do it, and I'd rather be a little peckish every now and again then get on a treadmill, go for a walk, or go to the gym. I guess I'm just lazy. Haha!
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    their stomachs shrink and they live happily ever after..

    Nope. Just nope. Your stomach doesn't shrink.

    Your body doesn’t work that way. Your stomach can expand to handle a large meal – up to a certain limit. As food moves on to the small intestine, the stomach goes back to its usual size. When you cut back on your portions, your stomach keeps its normal size even if your appetite isn't as big.

    Stomachs don't shrink but they can stretch. It's the main physiological reason for weight gain after bariatric surgery.
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  • tribe216
    tribe216 Posts: 13
    I function perfect on 1200 calories a day, you just have to find the right balance and eat pretty clean. If you eat a lot of quick pre-packaged or fast food it makes a huge difference on full you feel. If I eat an egg and couple slices of turkey bacon or some kind of breakfast meat, I'm full up until lunch and it balances my sugars out so I don't have mid-afternoon sugar cravings.
  • burnxadipose
    burnxadipose Posts: 1 Member
    1200 cal is pretty much the bare minimum you need to eat to get enough of everything and that doesn't apply if you're taller or more muscular, then you need more. That being said, I sometimes have to force myself to eat more because I'm just not hungry but I haven't eaten 1200 yet. It really depends on the person, but a lot of people hovering at 1200 won't lose weight because it's the bare minimum for their body.
  • cheyeanna29
    cheyeanna29 Posts: 5 Member
    just workout and get extra calories
  • MelonJMusic
    MelonJMusic Posts: 121 Member
    I'm on 1200 calories and honestly, it's rare for me to be hungry at the end of my calories. I think a lot of it is because I'm careful to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, the rest of it is probably because I eat low-fat vegan now. I get plenty on my plates, plenty in my belly, and it's all low calorie stuff, I get a huge amount of food for my calories. When I was eating poorly, I was always hungry, even shortly after I finished a meal.

    THIS.

    Although, I don't eat vegan, I am conscious of my crap-eating. So I decided to eat 90% veggies and 10% meat a ways back. I also drink water like a fish! I had a very unhealthy relationship with food prior, so the lifestyle change worked out for me. (Definitely not for everyone.) And now that I eat healthy, I'm not nearly as hungry as I used to be. As I up my exercise, I purposefully add calories accordingly so that I'm not burning myself out or ending up on an unhealthy deficit. It's all about mind over matter really. If one has it in their minds to commit to 1200 (as long as that's a healthy goal for their body), then they can do it. :)
  • ffmedjoe
    ffmedjoe Posts: 4
    Mine says i can eat 1600 calories!!
  • kilsafari
    kilsafari Posts: 61
    Trust me, restricting yourself and denying yourself foods you love to meet a ridiculous calorie goal is a miserable, miserable existence.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I dunno, I eat 1200 calories, then stop?

    I feel fine. Lots of energy. Lost about 25 pounds last year and now I maintain eating 1200-1600 during the week and I've been happily doing so for about a year. As long as I'm careful with my macro and micronutrients, I feel great, go for runs, whatever. I do it so I can go over maintenance on the weekends if I want to and not gain.

    I admit I feel terrible if I attempt to live on 1200 calories worth of cookies for days, though.

    *shrug* I'm a pretty little person now, about 118 pounds, and I have a sedentary job /lifestyle other than my runs. My body just doesn't need much more than that, and nor does it crave it. It works for me.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I've just done MFP's calculator thingy and if I wanted to lose 2lb/week it recommended 1200 calories - reckoned my TDEE was 2200 (probably on sedentary).

    Lets say these figures were accurate - why is this any different to what I'm about doing now - averaging 2000 calories a day (before cardio exercise) and losing 2lb a week*.

    I do weights every other day and follow a lean gains approach that may help. But still, I'm burning more calories. It suits me, as I like food. Today was 1400+160 for the commute on the push bike. If I was a smaller woman, then I'd expect to have less appetite generally.

    *Until last week, it's fluctuated in the last week, but I'm giving it a couple more days before considering changing stuff as there's a slight down trend and my logging could be more accurate anyway.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    because... we are not the same, i am a martian.


    seriously, it just becomes a habit. my body got used it. before i joined i was eating up to 1,200 cals for breakfast alone.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    Seriously. Most people on MFP are just misled. 1200 calories is for people trying to lose weight while in a coma.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Seriously. Most people on MFP are just misled. 1200 calories is for people trying to lose weight while in a coma.

    What if...inception?
  • Jeslefisch
    Jeslefisch Posts: 27 Member
    It's difficult at first last year I did it for a month and mostly stayed at 1200 logging everything single thing I ate. It's just about healthy snacking during the day and saving your calories for dinner. Now I juice in the morning I'll have yogurt coffee a banana a fiber one snack drink lots of water and then I get home and I make a hearty meal. I'm at 1600 but I'm almost always under (except on weekends) :/
  • mandy5135
    mandy5135 Posts: 67 Member
    I did 1200 calories a year ago, lost 50lbs, got stuck for 6 months and just gave up and gained it all back. I will never starve myself like that again. Leads to nothing but failure.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    I somewhat resent all those generalisations, because as so often mentioned here in MFP " we are all different ".
    Not all of us are over 5'2" and not all of us are in our 20's or 30's.
    There is a wide variety of us who are short ( and people like I who are very short at under 5 feet ) and older and we live well on 1200 calories.
    I invite anyone to check my food diary where it is correctly documented that for certain people it is not difficult to live on 1200 calories eating a wide variety of food, including desserts and even alcoholic beverages.
    I do agree however with those that say that most people cannot do well, because most people are taller and just need more calories, even when eating at a deficit.
    I especially no longer respond to those who are as an example " 5'7" want to get to 120 pounds " and don't understand ( or don't want to) that 1200 calories is a foolish idea. Without knowing for example the OP's stats any discussion over the amount of calories they need to eat is useless.

    PS: In case someone checks my diary. If you find me eating 500 calories twice a week, it's from IF.....no nasty PMs ( as it has happened ) necessary....:flowerforyou:
  • MaitreyeeMAYHEM
    MaitreyeeMAYHEM Posts: 559 Member
    I'm 4'10" and 95 pounds and I can't eat that much. I will get too full and I will end up feeling like I over ate and will have no room in my body to drink water and hydrate properly. Everyone's body is different so it may work for others.
  • cxareigna
    cxareigna Posts: 9
    When you feel hungry, quite often it's due to dehydration. Always make sure you are drinking enough water each day. Also, what you eat can cause cravings or hunger pangs. If you eliminate those foods and fill up on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods in each meal, along with 1-2 servings of lean protein, you'll find that you aren't famished. The most important thing is really to keep your blood sugar level from spiking. Maintaining a diet that's low-to-moderate in carbohydrates will do wonders for your energy level and mood. Processed foods should be eliminated as well for those dirty additives that make us feel sluggish and cranky.
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  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
    Drink plenty of water.
    Cut out soda.
    Cut out salty and sugary snacks.
    Eat smaller portions at mealtimes.
    Exercise plenty. Remember that 1200 is the net count, meaning you can add on whatever you burn off.
    Zumba is fun and burns lots of calories.
  • MaitreyeeMAYHEM
    MaitreyeeMAYHEM Posts: 559 Member
    When you feel hungry, quite often it's due to dehydration. Always make sure you are drinking enough water each day. Also, what you eat can cause cravings or hunger pangs. If you eliminate those foods and fill up on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods in each meal, along with 1-2 servings of lean protein, you'll find that you aren't famished. The most important thing is really to keep your blood sugar level from spiking. Maintaining a diet that's low-to-moderate in carbohydrates will do wonders for your energy level and mood. Processed foods should be eliminated as well for those dirty additives that make us feel sluggish and cranky.

    Agreed, water is so good for you as a weight-loss tool. It removes toxins, makes you full, hydrates your body, helps flush everything out. You should have at least 8-12 cups a day.
  • kjarvo
    kjarvo Posts: 236 Member
    I hate this topic. I often have 1200 calorie days and I could easily do it everyday if I tried. And no I am not hungry.

    Example
    Breakfast 35g cereal, 120g milk = 180-220 cals

    Lunch
    2 egg omelette, slice of ham, spring onion, lettuce, cucumber
    200-250 cals
    Or soup - 200 cals

    Dinner
    Option 1 - 300g of Stew = 350 cals
    Option 2 - Chili con carne - 236 cals - with sweet potato = 400
    Option 3 - Spiced Winter squash stuffed peppers - 180 cals
    Bigger meal - 2 fishcakes, 100g veg, 2 mozerrella sticks, salad - 550 cals

    Snacks
    250-450 cals depending on size of dinner

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