1200 Calorie Diet Does it work and how long?

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Replies

  • tropicaltiger
    tropicaltiger Posts: 254
    the 1200 calories are working for me-I also workout 5-6 days aweek-so make sure you measure your food-use a scale are ameasuring cup-good luck to you:smile:
  • Lives2Travel
    Lives2Travel Posts: 682 Member
    It's worked for me so far and I just passed the 8 month mark. I do eat 1/2 of my exercise calories, but not all since the MFP estimates are high in my opinion. I plan to add calories and slow down my weight loss as I get closer to my goal to make transitioning to maintenance easier.
  • Mollique
    Mollique Posts: 62
    thank you all this is such great information!
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    This didn't work for me. I found that at 1,200 I gained weight, around 650 if maintain my weight, and to lose I had to have a net around 150 or less.

    Wow, that actually sounds really dangerous. I hate sticking my nose where it does not belong, but with your goal being 80lbs and eating that little it really sounds like you need professional help before your body completely shuts down from organ failure.
  • Mollique
    Mollique Posts: 62
    .....
  • MonicaA2013
    MonicaA2013 Posts: 753 Member
    I am on 1200 calories for my goal. When i exercise i will usually eat back part of the calories from that. I eat an average of about 1500 calories per day. I have been losing Lbs and inches from day 1. Every one is different though. Good Luck
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    Hello I have been on a 1200 calorie diet since January. During the first few weeks I did the diet and worked out regularly about 5 days a week weight lifting and cardio. During this time, I was stuck between weighing 186-183, I could never get down any further. It snowed pretty bad so I wasn't able to go to the gym for about a week. During this time I stuck to my 1200 limit and did 30 squats a night. Suddenly my weight dropped to 188. I became somewhat confused as to why I lost so much with little to no exercise only a the calorie diet. Was I going to hard in the gym and gained too much muscle? Does this calorie diet really work this well with little to no exercise and if it does, does anyone have any experience or success with it? Thank you for viewing.

    I was in the same boat as you the whole month of January. I believe that when you workout like that, you really have to eat back your exercise calories. Its so important. I actually have upped my calories recently due to being more active in my daily activities. So far I have started losing better. Fat is actually your body's defense mechanism when it thinks the calories are being deprived. Try eating at different calories ammounts from day to day. Switching things up seems to work best for me.
  • NitroRoo
    NitroRoo Posts: 5
    I just read this article yesterday. Having done the yo-yo thing several times in my past, I really liked what she had to say (even though it's geared towards women, I still found it helpful). http://sophieologie.me/2013/09/26/1200-calories/
  • Mollique
    Mollique Posts: 62
    Hello I have been on a 1200 calorie diet since January. During the first few weeks I did the diet and worked out regularly about 5 days a week weight lifting and cardio. During this time, I was stuck between weighing 186-183, I could never get down any further. It snowed pretty bad so I wasn't able to go to the gym for about a week. During this time I stuck to my 1200 limit and did 30 squats a night. Suddenly my weight dropped to 188. I became somewhat confused as to why I lost so much with little to no exercise only a the calorie diet. Was I going to hard in the gym and gained too much muscle? Does this calorie diet really work this well with little to no exercise and if it does, does anyone have any experience or success with it? Thank you for viewing.

    I was in the same boat as you the whole month of January. I believe that when you workout like that, you really have to eat back your exercise calories. Its so important. I actually have upped my calories recently due to being more active in my daily activities. So far I have starteifd losing better. Fat is actually your body's defense mechanism when it thinks the calories are being deprived. Try eating at different calories ammounts from day to day. Switching things up seems to work best for me.



    awesome! ok!
  • westiegirl57
    westiegirl57 Posts: 2
    Good morning all. I need some advice. I am 57 and have lost 8 lbs in one month on MFP. Although pleased with that I have some questions. My calories for the day are 1200 which is not enough to keep my tummy happy. I cycle for 90 minutes every morning which gives me 800 or so calories. Sometimes if it's not too hot I try to walk 4 miles after dinner which is about 350 calories. I have always exercised so that was not a hurdle for me. My question is this, my daughter says to not count those exercise calories as calories that I can then eat , well why the heck not? That's why I'm so diligent to haul my rear out of bed and cycle at 530 every morning. I try to still maintain a deficit of about 400 calories at the end of each day. Does this make sense? It looks like some of you have had better success on 1200 calories per easy than I have. It is pouring rain presently and likely will for the next few days so my biking will be curtailed. Do you exercise but use those expended calories so you can consume more food? I sure hope so.
  • cstexas2012
    cstexas2012 Posts: 53 Member
    Wait, so you're saying you burn 1150 calories per day and only eat 1200??? Or you eat closer to 1950? You should definitely be eating some of your exercise calories back if you're burning a lot. Also, 1200 calories is realllyyyy low. Most people can lose on more calories than that, and then you can eat more in the long-term. Can you clarify how many calories you eat on an average day and (separately) how many calories you burn from exercise?
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    westiegirl57, you'd probably be wise to start your own thread on this subject as this is a very old thread, and most people will see that and hit back.

    yes, you're supposed to eat some of your exercise calories back. the 1200 calories per day i get from MFP is net, and while chances are you burn a lot less than 800 in that hour and a half, there's no reason not to eat back at least some of those calories, and if you don't you won't be eating enough to maintain your muscle mass, and you really want to keep all the muscle you can. when i get hungry between meals on workout days, i have a non-fat yogurt or half a scoop or protein powder in some non-fat milk or soy milk.

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