3rd time lucky, anyone eating 1200 calories

Hi there, well I've tried and failed miserably 2 times already but now I'm becoming more miserable that this time I have to succeed so I'm going to do anything in my power to do that. This is where you fab guys come in :) Is there anyone else eating 1200 calories? I'd really like to get some ideas of what people eat to keep them feeling full and getting them through the day. I'm planning on logging on daily so will be more than happy to help support you guys to in anyway I can. Please feel free to add me as a friend and I will do likewise. :laugh:

Replies

  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
    Most my meals are more than that, damn.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    maybe if you weren't limiting yourself so severely, you would succeed.
  • linda4705
    linda4705 Posts: 1
    I've been trying off & on since 10/2012 with the 1200cals but am failing miserably. Lost 14# first try, gained it back plus some. Doc keeps trying to motivate me, I know the basics and visual tricks and found a great web site for recipes.......just wrapping my will power around the 1200 is my hurdle. Wishing u success.
  • RW1312
    RW1312 Posts: 10 Member
    I am also eating 1200 calories.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I'll support you on round 4, k?
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
    I'm new, so maybe this is crazy talk, but if you're still hungry, shouldn't you just eat like 1700 calories and try to burn 500 through exercise?
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    maybe if you weren't limiting yourself so severely, you would succeed.

    This. Try eating more. Yeah, you'll lose a bit slower, but what are you accomplishing by setting your calories so low that you cause yourself to fail?
  • allotmentgardener
    allotmentgardener Posts: 248 Member
    I'm vegetarian and eating 1200 :)
  • laurenawolf
    laurenawolf Posts: 262 Member
    Nope. I like food.
  • AbsolutelyAnnie
    AbsolutelyAnnie Posts: 2,695 Member
    I was eating 1200 the first month or so, before I learned the value of eating enough food and increasing my protein and fat. My limit is 1600 and I seem to be averaging between 1400-1500. I have lost 29 lbs in 91 days and still have about another 85 to go. My diary is open if you want to peek.

    1200 was crazy making for me and I cannot recommend staying at that level. It's possible. But grueling and much to hard over the long term.
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    I eat about 1200 - give or take. I eat lots of protein and usually, not too many carbs. The protein really fills me up. During the week, I am really busy and work so I end up eating lots of protein bars which are quick and satisfying.
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    I am eating 1200 and find its plenty for me. Add me if you like.

    Cindy
  • I have been limited to 1200/day on a medically supervised diet. The main thing is to cut out all/most carbs and up the protein to about 100g a day. Eat 40g of those within the first 4 hours of your day. Eat small meals about every 3 hours. The trick is to find high protein/low calorie foods. Also, I have been instructed to do 1200/day for 2 weeks and then 1300/day for 1 week. This is supposed to trick you body and help prevent plateau. So far, I've lost 10 pounds in 16 days. It's not always easy. Sometimes I am hungry about an hour before I eat again. It is not unbearable though. Keep up the good work!
  • APU1972
    APU1972 Posts: 43 Member
    Hi,

    Im on 1500 a day, but if your recording your exercise and burning off more than you eat its a double winner.

    Knowing that a bit of effort give good results keeps me going.

    Well keeps me going in a way a nearly 42 year old can lol.

    Good luck and keep positive!!!
  • bkcuti3
    bkcuti3 Posts: 26 Member
    I'm eating less than 1200 but one thing that works is exercising during the time I ate the most. Since I'm home most of the time I would find myself snacking mindlessly so I eat a protein full breakfast, then I eat most of my carbs before exercising in the afternoon, which is when I snack the most, and finish off with a light dinner. I have a sedentary lifestyle so you might not be able to only eat 1200 if your more active.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Hi there, well I've tried and failed miserably 2 times already but now I'm becoming more miserable that this time I have to succeed so I'm going to do anything in my power to do that. This is where you fab guys come in :) Is there anyone else eating 1200 calories? I'd really like to get some ideas of what people eat to keep them feeling full and getting them through the day. I'm planning on logging on daily so will be more than happy to help support you guys to in anyway I can. Please feel free to add me as a friend and I will do likewise. :laugh:

    Congratulations for coming back again.

    Check out my diary from December 2010 through June 2011. That's what I ate while losing 95 pounds in 7 months. My calorie count ranged between 800 to 1k cals/day net and I was experienced hunger pangs 5 times in the 7 month period. (I upped my calories in June 2011 because I started training for a Half marathon which I ran 10 weeks later.)

    Our species get satiety from fat (an excellent source of slow burn energy) so you might want to bump your fat intake but another tactic that helps is to increase protein intake. One advantage to eating protein is that, of the three nutritional groups, protein is the most difficult to digest and we burn about 25% of the calories in protein just to digest it. Along that same line, protein takes the longest to digest so we have a "full feeling" (that's "satiety") for a longer time than if we eat carbs or fat.

    A comment about your calorie level - eating 1200 calories is a good way to lose weight at a moderate pace because our body does quite well at 1200 cals and, as we have seen over many decades, at much lower calorie counts, as well. The key to my statement of fact is "our body" and I use that phrase by design because, as you are discovering, losing weight has very little to do with how many calories our body wants or needs just in the same way that gaining weight has very little to do with what our body wants or needs.

    Industry stats tell us that most people go through many attempts to lose weight so, in that this is your third attempt at losing weight, what about a suggestion that you should eat more calories?

    My reason for postulating that is that a diet that you can't stick to really isn't doing you much good and, when you think about it, it could be doing more harm that good because, if you don't succeed "this time", you might just forget about losing weight. Yes, it's proof that you're willing to work at it again but, if the calorie level you've been aiming for isn't working out you might be more successful but upping calories a bit. Then, as you get more comfortable with "a lifestyle change" than "a diet", you'll see that the pounds can come off and, yes, you can control your weight.

    Best of luck with your weight loss.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Have you looked at why you gave up the other 2 times, too restrictive? told yourself you could only eat salad or whatever?

    I dieted most of my life... tried every fad diet there was... guess what they didn't work because they are all too restrictive and too difficult to sustain.

    Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Most people do not need to eat 1200 calories to lose.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Log your food accurately and honestly this thread will help:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    I guess dying from internal organ failure is one way to lose weight.
  • dstrickl47
    dstrickl47 Posts: 1 Member
    Yes, I have been doing it for a month. It is very workable. There are many wise choices to make it happen. I have decided this will work for me in the long run.
  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
    i think 1200 is too low, always aim for 1500-1800, more effective and less strain on the body
  • PinkCupcakes84
    PinkCupcakes84 Posts: 235 Member
    Nope I refuse to be hungry to lose weight. 1200 is not something I can do long term. Good luck to you though
  • Muffie22
    Muffie22 Posts: 77 Member
    1200 is too low, which is why you're not having much luck finding people. You don't need to be miserable and eat next to nothing to lose weight
  • KarenE86
    KarenE86 Posts: 75 Member
    I'm eating 1200 calories and its not miserable for me at all. Yes, some days I have cheat meals and go wayyyy over 1200 but the majority of the time I eat 1200 calories and don't feel like I'm starving. Don't let other people tell you 1200 is too low. Listen to your body and do what is right for you.

    Also, anyone is this thread is more than welcome to add me as a friend. I keep my food diary open :)