Yes, 1200 calorie diets work!

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  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
    I went from 280 to 225 in about 7 months. I didn't count anything, just cut my portions down and started doing cardio. Then I hit a huge stall that lasted for months. I put a little weight on over the holidays that year, up to 235 or so. Started counting, etc, after joining here. Lost the 10 and got back to 225 and stayed around that weight for a very long time. I lost a lot of muscle mass as well. It's taken me 10 months get from 225 down to 201-202, losing very slowly on purpose. I've done this mainly by watching my carbs. I've been lifting again and cut my cardio back to a couple times a week instead of 5.

    Congrats on your loss. If I had to do it over again I'd have been lifting weights the whole time, eating more, and losing more slowly. The end result would still probably be losing almost 80lbs in 2 1/2 years but the loss would have been more steady without the stalls and frustration of losing the same 4-5lbs over and over again.

    So yeah, starving yourself does work, but it's not the best way to go about it.

    This. Slow and steady wins the race. You're on a good start - are you thinking about upping your cals and strength training? I can barely function on 1200 - and I'm a rather petite woman with a few years on ya.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    whatever works for you. i've been at 1200 and doing fine. if people want to eat more, great. to each their own. i need to just not read these threads anymore. it's just sad the way people dig at each other.

    edit to note: OP has a lot of weight to lose. there are always caveats to posts and this guy can afford to drop a lot & fast as he won't be losing lean mass at this point. just live and let live already.
  • ChristinWrites
    ChristinWrites Posts: 119 Member
    I'm a chick and I can't survive on 1200. I tried it. I was angry, hungry, and just generally miserable. Ate more, felt better. I do agree on the skinny fat though.
    I would much rather be able to bench press and lose inches vs. lbs than be a flappy, weak person. Truly, to each their own, but I hope you're seeing a doctor during this.

    I totally agree and I am the same way. I am a 40 year old petite woman and I would kill someone on only 1200 calories per day. Why punish yourself to lose weight? I did that route before - low cal, lost a lot fast, also lost muscle and still looked like crap - a smaller flabby person. Then, I put it almost all back on. This time, I'm in it for life, eating in sustainable ways, lifting weights, doing cardio and losing inches and I feel great and when I'm done I'm gonna look like I feel :).

    Having been on both sides of the fence, I say eating more and exercise is the best way to go.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator


    Let the trolling and flaming begin....

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