1200 calories a day and loving life!

Options
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...
«1

Replies

  • mr_mitch
    mr_mitch Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    1200 calories for life?

    2_gif.gif

    You have fun with that.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Options
    What do you think will happen if you continue to eat 1200 calories for the rest of your life?
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
    Options
    Yes it would be really, really, really, REALLY weird.

    Why would anyone even want to do that??!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Options
    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: 22,841 Member
    Options
    I eat less that 1200 some days. I don't get all uppity about it.
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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: 15,268 Member
    Options
    I'd like to see the diary to prove it...I suspect you are eating more than you think...

Categories