How can people live on 1200 calories?

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Replies

  • danielwillis22
    danielwillis22 Posts: 43
    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
    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
    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
    I'm sorry can you explain a macro and micro
  • Lowcarbkay
    Lowcarbkay Posts: 1
    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
    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
    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: 9,285 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    wow, I've just written all of this down, just one thing....what are lentil chips? and ranch dressing?
  • kerrifics
    kerrifics Posts: 10 Member
    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
    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: 5,178 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    I manage.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    Here we go....I preach this message at least once every two months.

    It's simple. If you eat REALLY CLEAN...and by clean I mean absolutely NO processed food, it is VERY DIFFICULT to reach the high calorie marks that people think they should be eating. Even on the days when I stuff my face with lean meat, veggies, fruit etc, I have a hard time breaking 1,000 calories by dinner.

    This. Everyone likes to dog on clean eating on this web site, but seriously try to get to 1200 calories eating raw vegetables and fruits, lean protein, beans, grains, etc. Even cooked with olive oil, it's still hard to overeat. For me, it's the processed crap and alcohol that drives my calorie count up... that and not exercising.

    ^^^^^This!
  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
    I couldn't live on 1200 calories, would drive me nuts, I do it by exercise and try and eat quality stuff.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    Why instead of calling foods "clean" can't you say you eat whole healthy foods. :)
    My bag of chips that i used to eat before dieting didn't have any dirt on it. It was clean. in a bag .

    My tomatoes were dirty so not clean So i had to wash them. but they prob. had some dirt on them.. and sometimes i would just slightly rinse them off under the hose in the back yard and eat them (from my garden.) prob. still not clean.. But the tomato's are wholesome <--

    It should be processed vrs non processed .

    I don't get it..
    It's Clean vrs Dirty Processed vrs Non Processed. it's only English. ;/

    you (we) eat Wholesome foods. :)
    clean <smh>


    Here we go....I preach this message at least once every two months.

    It's simple. If you eat REALLY CLEAN...and by clean I mean absolutely NO processed food, it is VERY DIFFICULT to reach the high calorie marks that people think they should be eating. Even on the days when I stuff my face with lean meat, veggies, fruit etc, I have a hard time breaking 1,000 calories by dinner.

    Most of the food (and this includes the supposed health food we eat) presented to us is packaged, processed, and full of horrible things like hydrogenated oils, corn syrup and other highly caloric crap.

    Finally, don't confuse the emotional and psychological desire to eat with a true need for calories. Americans are notorious for eating when they are bored or because it's "meal time"....not because their body is actually signalling that they need food. Everyone is different. What I need might not be the same as someone else which is why I think following stupid little algorithms which calculate what you need is foolish. Sure, it might give you a starting point but if you follow it like it's the gospel then you're ignoring what is most important which is knowing your body.

    Woosh! Right over your head. :huh:
  • CloudyMao
    CloudyMao Posts: 258 Member
    If you are starving hungry, eat.

    Your body is telling you it needs to eat!

    You don't ALWAYS have to eat LESS to eat better,
    just eat healthily/cleanly and when your body tells you to.
    The difficult part is learning if it's what your body needs or your emotions want.

    If you are really suffering from hunger on calorie control you might want to look into low carb diets, ketosis really kills people's appetites.

    ----

    Echoing everyone else on eating clean - unprocessed foods.
    I sometimes struggle to reach my MINIMUM of 1200 netkcal target. - which yeah, is a minimum.
  • PurpleCupcakes01
    PurpleCupcakes01 Posts: 141
    I couldn't do it but that's why I'm in the situation I'm in lol
  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
    at my age, height and level of activity my maintenance level is 1700 cals.

    sob.

    Same goes for me. I could still lose a reasonable amount of weight by eating 1300-1400 kcals, but that would basically mean I could have a couple of pieces of fruit during the day more than I could while eating at 1200 kcals. It's still not much. No way I could ever eat 1200 kcals just for breakfast and lunch as other people do anyway. I was doing that while I was on manteinance and also eating my exercise calories back. But if I want to lose weight and I'm not burning lots of calories everyday, even if I don't need to stay so low I can't also eat as much as other people would. 1200 kcals might not be the best option for most people for a long amount of time, but lets be realistic, not everyone can eat 2000 kcals a day and still lose weight. It would be nearly impossible for me.
  • thedodgeruk
    thedodgeruk Posts: 132 Member
    all depends on what you eat !
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Most people who say they are eating 1200 are normally eating far more and are either counting inaccurately or fooling themselves.

    For a man, this is probably true. For a not particularly tall woman trying to lose weight and being close to goal, it is very realistic. For my middle aged self, very average height, normal weight and exercise, my TDEE is barely 1700, would have been only 1485 for the "couch potato" activity level. Yes only 1485 just to maintain, and not being underweight.
    Were I a 20 year tall couch potato guy, this could have easily been over 2000 - 2500 calories. For me, I will not starve by eating 1200 calories for months. For the imaginary tall guy, this will be an eating disorder.
  • jec285
    jec285 Posts: 145 Member
    Most people who say they are eating 1200 are normally eating far more and are either counting inaccurately or fooling themselves.

    For a man, this is probably true. For a not particularly tall woman trying to lose weight and being close to goal, it is very realistic.

    I eat 1200 if I'm lucky, I'm a man, are you saying you're more capable of counting calories than I am or are you saying it's easier for you to do?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Most people who say they are eating 1200 are normally eating far more and are either counting inaccurately or fooling themselves.

    For a man, this is probably true. For a not particularly tall woman trying to lose weight and being close to goal, it is very realistic.

    I eat 1200 if I'm lucky, I'm a man, are you saying you're more capable of counting calories than I am or are you saying it's easier for you to do?

    I am saying that my body needs far less calories than yours does. So, for me 1200 calories is just trying to lose some weight without really being hungry, for you, it sounds like you should be starving :( I am assuming you are doing this to lose weight fast, then plan to upping the calories a lot. For me, it is not that big a sacrifice or that below my maintenance.

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