How can people live on 1200 calories?

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  • danielwillis22
    danielwillis22 Posts: 43
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    I lasted on 800 calories a day for about 4 months in fear of getting fat over winter because i couldnt exercise (and didnt want to).

    It was only after I compared myself with an old friend who used to be tiny compared to me, that i noticed i was smaller than him and i was getting way too boney.

    1200 would have been a luxury for me back then.
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
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    its pretty.. easy actually

    i can do under 1000
    black coffee for breakfast
    fiberone bar for lunch
    dinner - cup of white rice veggies throw in some chicken maybe
    or a whole wheat pita with turkey swiss lettuce mustard
    maybe some homemade pita chips?

    I could even go out and get a meal some place like subway even that would be around 500 if I got a footlong (turkey)

    with those choices I'd be under 1000 easy
    which Ive done some days
    if I do it too long i'll slip into the starving mode of being dizzy etc and the next day I'll maybe eat fruit or something in the morning or idk veggies at lunch or a subway salad for lunch but still would be under 1000
  • jwooley13
    jwooley13 Posts: 243
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    I'll defend my 1200 goal all day, but those of you who are encouraging VLCDs are encouraging dangerous weight loss - yes, even in the short term. It's against the rules of the message boards, not to mention it is a major trigger for those on MFP who are recovering or suffering for disordered eating.
  • Adpalangi
    Adpalangi Posts: 349 Member
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    I'm sorry can you explain a macro and micro
  • Lowcarbkay
    Lowcarbkay Posts: 1
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    I'm not sure if you guys are filling it with the right foods?

    I generally eat low carb and have never counted my calories before. Today I was curious so put in everything for my entire day (this is for a typical work day, I work 12 hr shifts as a nursing assistant in a hospital) and I hit 1280 calories. And this was WITH a 200 cal latte that I don't get every day. Sometimes I eat more, sometimes less. It's not as hard as you guys make it out to be.
  • vicfzy
    vicfzy Posts: 32
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    Thats my calorie target avery day. Look at my dairy. Most time im under but have recently been told this is wrong. I am feeling fine no ill affects at all. So I am going 2 do more research as I understand what others on hear r saying but im too scared 2 increase my calories.
  • Mini_horse_lover
    Mini_horse_lover Posts: 178 Member
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    i went through a bad stage of only eating like 700 cals, sometimes even less and found it hard reaching 1200.
    now thats like my breakfast, not sure how i did it.

    edited to add - im now vegan and have actually put on weight because i have been eating too much haha
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,041 Member
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    1200 calories is so LOW! How on God's green earth would you put out any kind of workout or sports performance on that? Admittedly, I'm tall for a woman (5'9") but that doesn't seem to be enough calories to get dressed in your workout clothes! It would probably be healthier to go higher, using any kind of exercise, to eat more calories. I cannot believe a fully grown human of either sex could not lose weight eating at least 1400 calories that was able to get up and walk around at all.

    I don't think anyone is suggesting 1200 with workouts or sports performances.

    But 1200 NET calories, ie after eating exercise calories back, is a suitable amount for some people - shorter, older, inactive lifestyle people. Some people are almost a foot shorter than you which will make a huge difference. Some are in their 50's or 60's and have sedentary desk jobs or limited mobility.

    I agree that 1200 is too low for most people - but it is not too low for everyone.
  • velvet_violence
    velvet_violence Posts: 51
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    Don't know, probably won't find out. But hey, calorie intake is varied, and so is expenditure. If people are indeed as sedentary as reported in various articles and in the media 1200 might not be so bad. It's all about supporting your body in it's level of activity.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    at my age, height and level of activity my maintenance level is 1700 cals.

    sob.

    So to lose a pound a week, being 3500 cals, guess what? that's 1200 cals.

    I'm finding it easier as I go along, this time, I've got a breakfast that's not many calories. that really helps. Easy, filling, quick and tasty. Good old weetbix, i love you.

    After that it's just a case of working out a low calorie lunch, and having it every day, or similar. Regularity is key, getting your tummy used to it. You suffer a bit for a few days but then it starts to get easier.
  • lostdreamer121
    lostdreamer121 Posts: 1 Member
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    people that exercise a lot and have muscles can eat higher calories than most sedetary people. I have been on the 1200 calorie diet for over a year now and consistenly go over my cal. limit. I often drink 3 sodas a day and eat lots of candy though. I remember when I first started I would eat cookie dough and nothing else. I figured I would much rather have calories that taste good then a bunch of little healthy gross snacks. I don't do that anymore and have recently given up sodas, but I still go over my limit. Especially around that time of the month when I crave sweets! I am a work in progress and I am very sedetary, so that is how fitnesspal calculates my calorie limits. Increase your exercise and your calorie limit will go up. Also be realistic about how much weight you want to lose in a certain amount of time. Health expertise say a pound a week weight loss is where you want to be at.
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I lived on much less for years, yup it's called an eating disorder. I was one of those unlucky folk who stayed a healthy weight even when not eating...now I have digestive problems, IBS etc...I was eating between 800-1400 calories for years after that, now I am finally at a healthy amount, I feel so much better, but I ain't losing much weight. Better to be healthy I say.
  • suziewelsh2014
    suziewelsh2014 Posts: 1
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    wow, I've just written all of this down, just one thing....what are lentil chips? and ranch dressing?
  • kerrifics
    kerrifics Posts: 10 Member
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    My calorie intake is 1200 sometimes I really struggle to eat that much. if you eating low cal things then it is substantial.
    When i do exercise I struggle to eat them cals so don't bother with them.
    Yes I do get my hungry days at times but not very often.
    I guess being a vegan helps though. :-)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    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.

    Wow I would hate life maintaining with so little food. If you run, you're probably horribly starving yourself.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Not everyone has the same needs. My TDEE is barely 1700 or so, this is with rather intensive exercise 3-5 hours per week. It comes with not being too tall, having an otherwise sedetary lifestyle, and unfortunately getting older. I have days were I eat below 1200 not making even an effort, just because it happened. It would have been ridiculous if I was tall, 18 year old or walking 5 hours per day, but close to 40 with a desk job, I am close to maintenance and not starving. I guess what you like to eat also matters, for example I cook with very little oil (because of preference, not following a low fat diet), hate butter, processed meat etc, usually snack on fruit or yoghurt (again because I like these things).
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Most people who say they are eating 1200 are normally eating far more and are either counting inaccurately or fooling themselves.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
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    It's 3 p.m. and I'm at 1300 calories. I'm cranky and think I could die of starvation. This is no way to live. Thank goodness I still have room to eat more today!

    I'm debating whether to lose a couple more pounds or go onto maintenance. My current goal is 1,400 calories but I tend to hover around the 1,300 calorie mark. I don't feel hungry or deprived either but then I have a small appetite to begin with. To each their own.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
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    its easy, several meals of low calorie foods. I did it for 7 months! (And yes, im ocd and do measure and diary everything i eat) lots of steamed and raw veg, pork tenderloin, chicken/turkey breast baked fish. Lentil chips n hummus or salsa for snacks, several snacks through out the day of raw v eg n hummus or fat free ranch dressing. Big bowl of cereal n fruit for breakfast and 100 cal snack packs for my sweet tooth. ( i did give up butter for 0 cal butter sprays, reduced mayos ect and cook with small amounts of evo) Those were a major source of calories for me that added up. that 1 pat of butter in my meal could be an entire cup of more satisfying veg

    Calories i probably take 1/3 of what my husband eats
    Quantity i eat twice as much

    Calories have nothing to do with how much you eat but WHAT you eat

    This is so true!
  • jec285
    jec285 Posts: 145 Member
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    I manage.

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