1200 Calories is Not the Only Option

This post is for all those new to MFP who are getting the recommendation to eat 1200 calories per day or feel that is the only way to lose weight.

First, this is not the only way to lose weight successfully and often is not sustainable for most people.

Why do you ask? Well, it's a low calorie diet and very restrictive. Yes you can fill yourself up with fruits and veggies to meet 1200 calories but then what about protein? or fat? We humans need those to help retain our muscles and absorb vital nutrients. It is encouraged that you eat 0.8 - 1.0 g or protein/lb of body weight while losing weight and exercising. However, the RDA, CDC, and even Harvard don't have protein requirements this high so I would suggest doing your own research to determine your personal needs.

What happens when you can't meet your nutritional goals? You will lose a lot of lean body mass as well as fat resulting in the term "skinny fat" meaning you will feel soft and end up with no muscle tone. If you do this for a long period of time are eating well below your basal metabolic rate (BMR) your body's metabolism will slow down and you will find it harder to lose weight. This is not starvation mode, it is called adaptive thermogenisis. And then you will always have to eat a smaller amount of food. Who wants to do that?!

Something else happens or is possible. You can lose your hair and your nails can become brittle. You may not have any energy, your workouts will suffer if you can get through them at all, you may binge eat, females can stop having periods, grumpiness all the time, no concentration, more colds and just sick more often, shaky hands, just cold all the time, lethargic, no energy to spend with the kids, ... This happens after the initial burst of feeling fantastic for a couple of weeks btw.

Second, or knows how in the world do I maintain?

So, you've lost weight and lost it fast. You've also lost say 10 - 15% of your lean body mass, including bone density. Now you go into maintenance and need to eat say 1800 calories per day if you're a female or 2200 if you're male. How in the world do you do that?! Your body now has unbalanced hormones, including those that control appetite, so you can't eat that much without getting sick or binging and you're too weak to lift heavy or exercise. So you are at a high risk of gaining a significant amount if not all of the weight back.

Note the above: I'm just throwing out numbers here as an example.

Third, so you've been eating 1200 and stop losing. Now what??

Let's say you've been eating 1200 calories and weighing and measuring your food and accurately estimating calorie burns from exercise and stop losing. You have nowhere to go but to increase exercise intensity. And that is most difficult if you have no energy and are already losing lean body mass. Lowering calories at this point is dangerous, I repeat for emphasis, dangerous to your health.

I think those are the main points that those of us who don't generally feel 1200 calories try to make. If I've missed something feel free to add.

Now for new people, welcome! And for those that may be looking for a different way here are a couple of links that you ALL should read and bookmark as I believe they will lead you to long term success.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

And for those who eat 1200 calories and are very short, etc. and are justified, then this post is not necessary. And IMO no male should ever eat 1200 who is above the age of 18 unless it is supervised by a physician. But we all know about opinions.

Agree or disagree, it is what it is.