1200 Calorie Diet???? Seriously???

I wish I was 6ft.... then I'd be skinny lol.

My daily goal is 1200 and I find it hard to get that many calories in daily! And I am not starving and I feel like I'm eating all the time. I don't eat back calories from walking 5 miles a day and/or the days I work out (3-4 times a week).

Someone should write a sticky for all these people. Seriously.

Someone has, but it had little/no effect.

I suspect it is because there are simply so many defenders of the drastic approach and fellow travelers of the suffering path that it reaches no one.



NOTE: I am *not* saying that 1200 is wrong for *everybody*. There are some for whom it is absolutely the "right" answer. I am, however, saying that it is not right for many (and perhaps most) of the people who insist that it is. Further, I discount the opinions of those who are so adamant that it is "right" based on their personal experience of less than at least several months.

Based on my goals my calorie goal here was set to 1260, with what I add, I tend to come under and still feel full. The only reason I would actually go over is where I have a craving, but I'm not really hungry for it, it's just the taste. I don't think it's starving yourself if you're eating the right foods. I remember being part of another fitness site when I was 13/14 and it told me to eat 800 calories a day and that my ideal weight was 6-7 stone based on my height. Looking at that makes me think it was a pro-ana site under the illusion of being a fitness site.

(You've been here for four years. Maybe try the program as it's designed and eat to the number of calories suggested? Also, given that you're 19, I'm going to assume that you probably need *more* than 1260 calories.

Wait, you've been here for four years and you're just now 19? :huh:)

My daily goal is 1200 and I find it hard to get that many calories in daily! And I am not starving and I feel like I'm eating all the time. I don't eat back calories from walking 5 miles a day and/or the days I work out (3-4 times a week).

Someone should write a sticky for all these people. Seriously.

Someone has, but it had little/no effect.

I suspect it is because there are simply so many defenders of the drastic approach and fellow travelers of the suffering path that it reaches no one.



NOTE: I am *not* saying that 1200 is wrong for *everybody*. There are some for whom it is absolutely the "right" answer. I am, however, saying that it is not right for many (and perhaps most) of the people who insist that it is. Further, I discount the opinions of those who are so adamant that it is "right" based on their personal experience of less than at least several months.

Why don't you assume that this is a thread for people who know their calorie needs?

Seriously, this thread was created in October of 2013 and it still has the power to piss me off. Not all of us are young, tall, athletic males who enjoy excessive gym time.

For instance, I'm a short old woman with the habits of a well-rested, comfy sloth, and 1200 calories is more than sufficient for my weight loss needs.

I agree, Meerata. Though any time you defend a low-cal diet here you're opened up to all kinds of insults-- 'hangry', lazy, lying, stupid, 'having issues with eating', old, weak, misinformed. Which is ironic since the MFP diet IS a low cal diet.

It's easier to fling insults than to discuss like adults or to be tolerant of others' choices, for some.

Actually in my case all of the above are true except 'stupid'. I'm so smart, even my excuses for not moving will run circles around this site's intellectuals. We didn't get out of the trees by being athletic, we got out because we have big brains. Now no one who is up on the latest anthropological research better come in and correct me on that one by claiming it's the reverse and we got our brains because we got out of the trees, or I'll just point out that, nevertheless, I'm only sitting here reading these discussions because brains > brawn! :laugh:

Ugh

I don't have a problem with 1200 a day. Many tend to forget that they'll never get away with eating like they did when they were younger, as a person ages the metabolism slows, MFP is very accurate, if users are accurate on what they put in, as far as activity levels. If you don't know if you're active or not, a tip, put in sedentary. The only truly active people are people who work in physically demanding jobs.

Weight loss is trial & error as much as determination and will power. You can not tell me that a 17 stone 5"5 sedentarty woman should be eating the same as a 7 stone 5"5 highly active woman. That is the science fad diets are based on.

YES, YES you can! The 17 stone woman got to and maintained her weight eating WAY more calories than someone who weighs 140 lbs less than she does! It takes more calories just to maintain a bigger body. The point is that weight loss should not be about, hey, Mr. potential weight loser, you got fat. Now let's punish you by never having you eat whatever got you fat and you can only have chicken breasts and lettuce. The moderate deficit allows them to re-evaluate their food choices if need be, but they'd also be able to fit some of the items they like which got them to their current weight

It's one thing to say you can't be bothered to eat more, but giving a large person more calories to eat is EXCELLENT science!

I don't have a problem with 1200 a day. Many tend to forget that they'll never get away with eating like they did when they were younger, as a person ages the metabolism slows, MFP is very accurate, if users are accurate on what they put in, as far as activity levels. If you don't know if you're active or not, a tip, put in sedentary. The only truly active people are people who work in physically demanding jobs.

Absolutely. Most people vastly overestimate their activity level.

I've never been anywhere near clinically overweight, but the only way I've managed to stay in the normal range (unlike members of my family) is by eating less, and even then my weight has been creeping up. I'm also not really active, but in terms of weight loss, exercise is not the critical factor: calorie reduction is.

If I want to lose weight I have to be below 1200.