New To MFP, starting tomorrow 1200 calories/day

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tracymd11
tracymd11 Posts: 7
in Introduce Yourself
It's like I want more than anything to do this and to lose 15 pounds but no matter how much I tell myself this, I always manage to mess it up and cave into cravings and extra unnecessary food. I need to convince myself that I don't need food. I eat out of boredom and due to cravings mostly. I need a buddy or someone to help me through this. More about me: I'm 36, female, about 5'5" and 145 pounds. Highest I've ever been. 130 is a good weight for me. I am medium frame and athletic, I do have muscle under my fat layers so anything under 130 is hard for me to get to and maintain. I have two busy kids and a full time job so exercising is usually out of the question. Almost never home and no time. Most of my food is prepackaged stuff.. I plan to eat something like this each day:

Low carb bagel 100 cals
coffee or mocha 60 cals

Fiber one bar or fruit with yogurt

Turkey sandwich on light wheat bread

carrots and hummus or apple

popcorn (100 cal bag) and skinny cow icecream

I have no room for cheating or anything extra. I know this doesn't all seem healthy but it will work for my lifestyle.

I just hope I don't cave into anything!!!!
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Replies

  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    Why 1200 calories, you don't have much to lose so set yourself for about .5 a week. Don't overstrict your food.

    I used to deal with cravings all the time, it was because I tried to tell myself I can't have something. Once I realized that if I can eat anything I want just in smaller portions, the cravings are gone.

    You can lose without exercise, but is it important yes, and we are all busy but if it's important you find a way to fit it in your schedule.

    If I followed the meal plan you put below I would be crankier than I am normally, and give up by the 3rd day (if I made it that long)

    Check out these 2 threads they might help you:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Good luck to you
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    I have two busy kids and a full time job so exercising is usually out of the question.

    I call BS on this. You make time for what you want to make time for. Kids go to sleep and alarm clocks can be set for 5am.
    I have no room for cheating or anything extra. I know this doesn't all seem healthy but it will work for my lifestyle.

    Well, you said it :)
    I just hope I don't cave into anything!!!!

    You will. Perfectly mapped out 1200 calorie days don't work.
  • miss_phat_booty
    miss_phat_booty Posts: 117
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    "I need to convince myself that I don't need food."

    Well you're starting off wrong with this comment. You actually do need food to live. And you don't need to only eat 1200 calories to lose weight. Maybe you need to read more here before you start something extreme.

    Also how do you figure you have layers of muscle under the fat if you dont work out?!?
  • nishass
    nishass Posts: 9 Member
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    You have to MAKE time. I'm a single mom of an energetic pre-teen kid, work a full time job, run a company on the side and write for a magazine. I used to think the same...no time for good nutrition and exercise. Guess where it got me??? Now that I have re-assessed what I am doing, I can spare an hour a day for exercise, I still get everything done including 6-8 hours sleep a night and I have tons of energy. Incorporate exercise with your kids. Kids typically love spending time playing with their parents. Look for ways to increase activity in your day without traditional exercise - taking the stairs, walking down a corridor to talk to a colleague instead of email, parking further (a good one for me, is the mall with my daughter...she'll walk the length so many times whilst shopping.....I do it with her)
    And you need good nutrition - you have be healthy for your kids and as an example to them.
  • tracymd11
    tracymd11 Posts: 7
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    Let me add here, I get up at 4am every day to get ready for work and I don't get to bed til 11pm when kids are done with homework. I have 0 time in my day for exercise. It's not BS. Before I was working, I worked out daily for 2 hours a day and I was happy. Now it's totally different. Even when I get up at 3am and try to workout, I can barely move I'm so tired. I get very little sleep as it is.

    1200 calories a day is what this site recommended to me when I filled in all my info.
  • tracymd11
    tracymd11 Posts: 7
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    I am very muscular, by genetics, I guess. I also used to workout a lot and used to be a three sport athlete. The muscles seem to still be hanging around, but now the only difference is I have too much fat covering the muscle. And as i age, I'm sure that doesn't help.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Let me add here, I get up at 4am every day to get ready for work and I don't get to bed til 11pm when kids are done with homework. I have 0 time in my day for exercise. It's not BS. Before I was working, I worked out daily for 2 hours a day and I was happy. Now it's totally different. Even when I get up at 3am and try to workout, I can barely move I'm so tired. I get very little sleep as it is.

    1200 calories a day is what this site recommended to me when I filled in all my info.

    What did you put in as your weight loss goals? 2 lbs/week or 1 lb/week?

    As others have said, there is no reason you need to do 1200 calories. I am a busy, working mother also. I too started out at 1200 cal. I was miserable. I started reading on here about TDEE and having reasonable goals with reasonable deficits. Tracking everything, fitting in exercise, eating back exercise calories, etc. I am set at about 1700 cal/day and have been losing 0.5 lb/week - which is very reasonable since I only had about 25 lbs to lose.

    Also, why starting tomorrow? Why not start today?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Let me add here, I get up at 4am every day to get ready for work and I don't get to bed til 11pm when kids are done with homework. I have 0 time in my day for exercise. It's not BS. Before I was working, I worked out daily for 2 hours a day and I was happy. Now it's totally different. Even when I get up at 3am and try to workout, I can barely move I'm so tired. I get very little sleep as it is.

    1200 calories a day is what this site recommended to me when I filled in all my info.

    1200 is based on "I want to lose XX pounds per week" ...............it's just MFP's lowest DEFAULT number.

    1200 is not a lifestyle change.....it's a diet. A lifestyle is something you are going to change forever. Eat less processed foods, eat more veggies, drink more water, move more.....these are lifestyle changes.

    The problem with really restrictive diets is that people get cranky, people get tired, it sets you up for binging (been there done that).
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Let me add here, I get up at 4am every day to get ready for work and I don't get to bed til 11pm when kids are done with homework. I have 0 time in my day for exercise. It's not BS. Before I was working, I worked out daily for 2 hours a day and I was happy. Now it's totally different. Even when I get up at 3am and try to workout, I can barely move I'm so tired. I get very little sleep as it is.

    1200 calories a day is what this site recommended to me when I filled in all my info.

    Put your kids to bed earlier (11pm, really?). Use your lunch break (unless you're pulling 12hr shifts). I bet a dollar I could make it work, and I'm a single dad. If you're bored enough to eat, you can't be bored enough to exercise?
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    MFP is quite notorious for setting calorie goals FAR too low, regardless of height and weight. For example, it told me to eat 1200, and my BMR (the bare amount of calories I need to LIVE) is 1280. And I am extremely tiny, only 5 feet. So unless you are smaller than me, or bedridden, it is almost a CERTAINTY that you are eating too little. (This can result in lean muscle loss, chronic fatigue, metabolism damage, and bingeing due to over-restriction.)

    Go to

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    and enter your height/weight/activity level.

    Subtract 10-20% from the number it calculates for you, and that is the number of calories you should be eating a day in order to lose weight. With this method you do not eat back your exercise calories, as they are already figured into your daily goal.
  • MelisaBegins
    MelisaBegins Posts: 161 Member
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    I definitely get the busy schedule: I'm a mom that works full-time too. And volunteers weekly. And has a spouse, family, friends, etc. If you have kids that are doing homework until 11pm, I'm guessing they're older? While they're doing homework in the evenings, could you break away for 20-30 minutes and do a work-out video or some calisthenics (jumping jacks; push-ups; squats; lunges; etc) in the living room? I know it can feel like a vicious cycle of waking up; starting you day; working; going to bed; starting it all again but there is always time for what you want if you want it bad enough. I'm sorry if that sounds like tough love, but it's what I have had to tell myself on this (ongoing) journey.
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    I lost 13 pounds over a six month period. I did this by eating more than 1200 calories a day.
  • konerusp
    konerusp Posts: 247 Member
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    Eating that low calories will spiral you back to carvings again and again because your body is not getting all the nutrition it needs.Im only a half inch taller than you and i eat around 1900 ish calories to lose weight.my goal is slow loss,even if you want to lose .5 pound a week you can eat upto 1600-1800 ish calories based on your muscle,just make sure you eat lot of vegetables and fruits.Workouts can be incorporated,try long runs in the weekend if weekdays dont work for you,try taking the stairs,jillians 30 day shred only takes 27 minutes a day and you can do it at home.Where there is a will there is a way,cutting out preserved food will help you lose faster and also help with cravings.
  • lindsaymarcin
    lindsaymarcin Posts: 81 Member
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    I've been doing 1200 too and eat way more than that! I also have 2 kids who are involved in activites and what not. I walk the park while they are having baseball practice, go for bike rides with them, walk some nature trails, and even do wii dance or fit if it's raining. You can always use your lunch break to walk a bit too. If you want it bad enough trust me you will figure a way!
  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 231 Member
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    low calories for you. If you are active at all that is not enough. Recheck how many calorie you can have to be safe and eat well
  • tracymd11
    tracymd11 Posts: 7
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    I will up it to 1500 I guess. I put in I wanted to lose 1 pound a week. It said at 1200 I would lose approximately .9 lbs per week.
    As for working out, I am bored to eat because I sit at a desk for 9 hours a day and I do not have a lunch break long enough to get to a gym. I do walk, I do go up and down stairs, but for me, I need a good hard workout. A run, weights, etc...I do what I can. I wouldn't say I'm sedentary but at my job, the closest gym is 15 minutes away so that's already 30 min. and if I don't shower that would be a 30 min workout. But, I deal with ppl all day and need to shower.. I cannot go back to my desk sweaty and gross. I have to wear business clothing. There are many times I have down time at my job but I still have to be at my desk because that time is very random.

    Anyway, I'm going to try to start with diet first and add whatever exercise I can later, if I can gain the time. As for my kids, my 6th grader gets home from her school at 4, then does a sport and is home around 6:30 or 7. She showers and does homework for 3-4 hours most nights. I usually have to help her with it, or help her study and she is a straight A student with the current way things are working so I'd hate to change that up on her. My younger daughter also does sports and usually at different days and times and different fields, gyms, etc.. so I'm always carting them around but never seem to have enough time in between anything to do any sort of workout. That is my life now... it could change in a few years.
  • MakeMineSugarFree
    MakeMineSugarFree Posts: 11 Member
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    For me personally, I don't really restrict any foods from my meals. I do better not saying "ok, I can't have this, that, and the other thing." Once I do that, it seems that I crave all the foods that I have restricted myself from. If I want ice cream, cookies, cupcakes, or other "taboo" foods, I eat them. I juist don't eat the entire container of ice cream, the whole bage of cookies, or all the cupcakes. Moderation works best for me. I'm not judging, just offering another perspective. Best of luck to you.!!
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
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    I have two busy kids and a full time job so exercising is usually out of the question.

    I call BS on this. You make time for what you want to make time for. Kids go to sleep and alarm clocks can be set for 5am.

    I agree. I have two busy kids, a full-time job, I'm a full-time college student, and a house wife. There's definitely always time, you just have to make it.
  • Tmacdaddy1957
    Tmacdaddy1957 Posts: 11
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    Hi There

    I personally would:

    Low carb bagel 100 cals <== stop as much bread stuff as you can, especially white bread. Get the weight watchers bread at Safeway

    coffee or mocha 60 cals <== This is fine

    Fiber one bar or fruit with yogurt <== I eat several a day

    Turkey sandwich on light wheat bread <== Good

    carrots and hummus or apple Carrots are very high in sugar, consider celery

    popcorn (100 cal bag) and skinny cow icecream Pop corn is high in Salt and makes you want to drink more. Ice cream... just get over that

    I am currently losing 1 pound a day on average. I am doing 1350 Calories and am finding myself falling asleep comfortably full with avg of 250 cals left over if I want to.


    Drinks about 6 bottles of water a day the 16.0 fl oz size

    Good luck!

    Tom
  • Tmacdaddy1957
    Tmacdaddy1957 Posts: 11
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    lmao Where is the "Like" button on this? You guys are tough! I like it

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