1200 calories a day and loving life!

NotASoul
NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...
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Replies

  • mr_mitch
    mr_mitch Posts: 176 Member
    Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...

    You have to eventually. Because you will die
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    We will need more information about you OP, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are shorter than 5'0 and already pretty low weight (97 to 123 lbs.) then there's no way that can be healthy for you to maintain.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...

    That's up to you and your goals, I suppose, but letting yourself fall into the underweight category until 1200 becomes your maintenance probably won't be healthy.

    Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to boost your calories without adding a lot of food to your stomach. Roasting your veggies in olive oil, adding some nuts or peanut butter, cheese, full fat dairy, avocado, dark chocolate, ice cream, etc. It shouldn't be hard to increase each meal by a few hundred calories with just a little bit of planning.
  • untilibreak
    untilibreak Posts: 11 Member
    Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...

    You have to eventually. Because you will die
    [/quote



    She will definitely NOT die eating 1200 calories a day for the rest of her life. She might plateau, but not die. A lot of people live with A LOT less than that and are happy & healthy!
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    For how long have you been eating this way? when I first ate 1200 or less, I felt so excited every day when I saw scale kept going down...it lasted about 6 weeks...then all the cravings came back...but that's just me, perhaps, no much will power nor self discipline...
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    1200 is too low to maintain on. I had anorexia off and on between 2005 and 2010 and when I was in outpatient back in 2006 I was told I was going to maintain on 1300-1400 calories if I didn't exercise. I weighed 86 lbs and I am 5'3.5" and I was very very underweight. So I had to eat at 2000 or slightly above to even gain weight, and eventually the weight gain plateaued once I hit like 105-110 lbs.

    I would slowly increase once you get closer to your goal weight.

    A good thing to do is see what your TDEE is ( an estimate ) at your goal weight for your activity level.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    1200 is too low to maintain on. I had anorexia off and on between 2005 and 2010 and when I was in outpatient back in 2006 I was told I was going to maintain on 1300-1400 calories if I didn't exercise. I weighed 86 lbs and I am 5'3.5" and I was very very underweight. So I had to eat at 2000 or slightly above to even gain weight, and eventually the weight gain plateaued once I hit like 105-110 lbs.

    I would slowly increase once you get closer to your goal weight.

    A good thing to do is see what your TDEE is ( an estimate ) at your goal weight for your activity level.

    Edit: I want to point out that when I was in out patient there was a period of time where I wanted to maintain my low body weight after I gained a few lbs. I actually maintained 93-97 lbs on 1500-1700 calories a day on a lightly active lifestyle. I didn't begin to gain once I hit over 2000.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
    I'm eating pretty well at 1200-1300 calories a day, don't feel hungry or cranky and have been steadily losing 2-3 pounds a week with 3-4 days at the gym.

    SW: 268
    CW: 241 this morning, yay!

    When I get closer to my goal, 150, I'll have to up my calories in to maintenance mode, rather than lose. MFP has that equation!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    1200 calories for life?

    2_gif.gif

    You have fun with that.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    What do you think will happen if you continue to eat 1200 calories for the rest of your life?
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Yes it would be really, really, really, REALLY weird.

    Why would anyone even want to do that??!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...

    You have to eventually. Because you will die



    She will definitely NOT die eating 1200 calories a day for the rest of her life. She might plateau, but not die. A lot of people live with A LOT less than that and are happy & healthy!

    Who are these people you speak of?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I eat less that 1200 some days. I don't get all uppity about it.
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    I eat less that 1200 some days. I don't get all uppity about it.

    Sorry if I came across as uppity, I was just surprised by my own reaction to this calorie level and was curious about whether other people felt the same. Didn't mean to offend. Apologies if I did.
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    We will need more information about you OP, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are shorter than 5'0 and already pretty low weight (97 to 123 lbs.) then there's no way that can be healthy for you to maintain.

    I weigh 119 lbs and am 5'3 or 5'4... I think 5'4 but not certain...
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    We will need more information about you OP, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are shorter than 5'0 and already pretty low weight (97 to 123 lbs.) then there's no way that can be healthy for you to maintain.

    I weigh 119 lbs and am 5'3 or 5'4... I think 5'4 but not certain...

    Those are my stats currently and I maintain on 2200. I know we're all different but you'll need much more than 1200 to maintain. Like closer to 1900, probably.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    We will need more information about you OP, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are shorter than 5'0 and already pretty low weight (97 to 123 lbs.) then there's no way that can be healthy for you to maintain.

    I weigh 119 lbs and am 5'3 or 5'4... I think 5'4 but not certain...

    Then 1200 is still roughly ~400-450 calories below your TDEE.....If you don't do anything but sit at a desk all day. Throw in a little exercise each week and you're closer to 600 under.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    We will need more information about you OP, but I'm pretty sure that unless you are shorter than 5'0 and already pretty low weight (97 to 123 lbs.) then there's no way that can be healthy for you to maintain.

    I weigh 119 lbs and am 5'3 or 5'4... I think 5'4 but not certain...

    Those are my stats currently and I maintain on 2200. I know we're all different but you'll need much more than 1200 to maintain. Like closer to 1900, probably.

    apparently she wants to lose more...not maintaining...
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
    Is this weird? I eat quite healthily which means that for 1200 calories I can get quite a lot of food, but beginning to wonder if I really want to increase my calories again, even when I reach my goal weight...

    ......aaaaaand what goal weight is that????
    You honestly do not NEED to lose anymore weight

    If you have body fat you'd like to get rid of, try weight lifting and eating towards your TDEE
    Check these links out, hun:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them?hl=BMR+TDEE

    Good Luck! :flowerforyou:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I'd like to see the diary to prove it...I suspect you are eating more than you think...
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    I eat less that 1200 some days. I don't get all uppity about it.
    Yeah, not good.
  • afortunatedragon
    afortunatedragon Posts: 329 Member
    I weigh 119 lbs and am 5'3 or 5'4... I think 5'4 but not certain...

    Then 1200 is still roughly ~400-450 calories below your TDEE.....If you don't do anything but sit at a desk all day. Throw in a little exercise each week and you're closer to 600 under.

    This.

    Did it become a sport lately to post about the 1200 thingi?
  • mr_mitch
    mr_mitch Posts: 176 Member

    Sorry if I came across as uppity, I was just surprised by my own reaction to this calorie level and was curious about whether other people felt the same. Didn't mean to offend. Apologies if I did.

    I know what you mean. I can quite happily eat < 1200 per day.

    Its 10pm here, I've had lunch, snacks, evening meal, even a dessert, and I've only had 1115 cals so far... I am not at all hungry.

    However, I know that's not healthy so I'll be raiding the fridge soon, because I know 1200 is not enough for a guy, I'll be looking for a high calorie snack to get me up to (or at least close to) my goal!
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    I'd like to see the diary to prove it...I suspect you are eating more than you think...

    Diary open - go ahead, you have between 24 and 48 hours (only opening temporarily, probably 24 hours but 48 if I forget...)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    First, are you weighing your food? You have alot of gram entries, but then you have things like a medium apple. How many grams are a medium apple? Or are you guessing on weights?? It's pretty confusing.

    Aside from that.... you really need to eat more. You're not even eating 1200 calories. More like 1000. I get that you probably feel full on all the fruit and vegetables you are eating... but your protein is absolutely abysmal. I think I saw a day where you only had 18g of protein. Do even want to keep any of your muscle? Cause you're not going to sustain what you have with what you're taking in. Or is it your goal to waste away and be ProAna? Cause if you're going for that... you won't find any support for it.


    I think you should really go back and do some research on what the human body needs nutritionally daily and adjust. Eating as little as you are really is not doing your body any favors.
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    First, are you weighing your food? You have alot of gram entries, but then you have things like a medium apple. How many grams are a medium apple? Or are you guessing on weights?? It's pretty confusing.

    Aside from that.... you really need to eat more. You're not even eating 1200 calories. More like 1000. I get that you probably feel full on all the fruit and vegetables you are eating... but your protein is absolutely abysmal. I think I saw a day where you only had 18g of protein. Do even want to keep any of your muscle? Cause you're not going to sustain what you have with what you're taking in. Or is it your goal to waste away and be ProAna? Cause if you're going for that... you won't find any support for it.


    I think you should really go back and do some research on what the human body needs nutritionally daily and adjust. Eating as little as you are really is not doing your body any favors.

    The gram entries are weighed, but for things like apples where it says on the packet the standard weight and calories I tend to go with that.
    I try to eat at least 1000 calories as I read that this is the lowest that is safe - I try not to snack too much but on three meals a day I do end up eating below 1200, sometimes below 1000.
    I also try to eat enough protein but some days when I do eat less (to be fair, 5:2 dieters eat 500 calories twice a week and no one calls THEM out on it) I don't manage. Also, MyFitnessPal records do not always include the protein in its food database due to everyone being able to enter things, so I am probably eating more protein than it appears.
    My goal is absolutely not to waste away, I just want to be a bit thinner - soon I will probably try to start maintaining for a bit to give my body a break before I decide whether or not to lose more weight. I just feel better about myself when I'm eating this amount :/
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Even 5:2 dieters consume more than 18g of protein. That is too ridiculously low. Also, 5:2 dieters tend to make up for that on the days they have increased intake. You're not even doing that. You're just a blanket 1000 calories with less than 30g protein everyday. In what way is this sustainable short term, let alone long term? You're essentially killing your LBM and tanking your metabolism, which both are hard to come back from.

    Seriously seriously start doing some research.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I'd like to see the diary to prove it...I suspect you are eating more than you think...

    Diary open - go ahead, you have between 24 and 48 hours (only opening temporarily, probably 24 hours but 48 if I forget...)

    You don't weigh everything...starting mid june is where tracking has started from previous times (Feb/Mar) where you weren't weighing most of your food as well..and you say it can't add up to much but with it being fruit, bread and pasta you bet it can.

    The last couple weeks you have logged sub 500 calories, often sub 1k, too low protien and no exercise...I bet :bigsmile:

    If 1200 works so well for you why can't you stick to it? why are you back again after March?...nothing logged in april, nothing logged in may...
    Ok, maybe I was being vague - I only occasionally eat below 1200 calories per day, and it is not something I realised I might be doing until the last few days, when out of curiosity I measured my approximate calorie intake on a day when I had mostly cut out snacking. I am aware of the inaccuracy involved, which is why I stated "around" 1200 rather than simply "below"; usually it's somewhere between 1000 and 1300 if I'm not snacking, presumably around 1800-2000 if i am snacking (haven't tested yet).

    This is a quote from you about your intake...

    So really you have been logging 1200 calories and come to proclaim it's great and you feel wonderful but were eating "about" 1800-2000 previous to this...my sister is your height and a bit heavier than you and maintains on 2300...so you keeping your logged calories @ 1200 is a bit silly.

    as well the only reason you are doing it is
    I just feel better about myself when I'm eating this amount :/

    I again say you are eating more than you think...the chocolate chip cookies and fruit prove that...it would have to be a very small apple to have 47 calories and a very tiny cookie to have so few calories...(my cookies have almost 150 each yours are recorded at half that)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    There was something in People recently about some female stars and their daily diets (as in normal eating, not losing) and they were eating 1400-1500, mostly, and they weren't 5'1". They probably had personal chefs who calced their number, I'm guessing.

    I'm not advocating any calorie level and definitely not advocating the super-thin actress look, I'm just against the 'fear of 1200' (logged value) for people trying to lose, especially small ones.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    There was something in People recently about some female stars and their daily diets (as in normal eating, not losing) and they were eating 1400-1500, mostly, and they weren't 5'1". They probably had personal chefs who calced their number, I'm guessing.

    I'm not advocating any calorie level and definitely not advocating the super-thin actress look, I'm just against the 'fear of 1200' (logged value) for people trying to lose, especially small ones.

    Oh, well, gossip in a celebrity magazine is almost certainly the best choice for information. Much more reliable than all of the women here who have shared their stories. :huh:

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