Why is 1200 calories so hard!?

k_wat4264
k_wat4264 Posts: 25 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone else find that it's super hard to stay under 1200 calories without working out, especially on the weekend if you are at someone's house or out To eat.

How do you plan out your calories? Any tips?

I'm getting frustrated not eating when I'm Hungry so that I can save calories for a BBQ or whatever is going on.
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Replies

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  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,280 Member
    Don't stay UNDER 1200. Its rarely practical or possible.

    I save my calories for a special occasion but I don't starve myself in the interim.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Well....1200 is jack **** for one...a typical meal out at a restaurant approaches 1200 calories...so yeah....eating like a bird ****ing sucks I would imagine.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    The only info available from your profile is that you are a 25 yr old female.

    I am 41, so chances are my metabolism is slower than yours. I am 5'4" and fairly petite, so I am on the small size. And I am eating 1400-1700 cals a day and losing @ half a pound a week.

    1200 calories is probably so hard because it is not enough food!

    It looks like you only have 12 lbs to lose. If that is the case, you should set your goal to half a pound a week. This gives you a satisfying amount of food, enough fuel for exercise, and realistic time frame to lose slow and steady so you can keep the weight off once you reach goal.

    You don't have to be hungry to lose weight. Good luck!
  • JazzFischer1989
    JazzFischer1989 Posts: 531 Member
    Overall, it's really not a satisfying amount of calories, tbh. Are you sure you require that little for your weight goal? You may have entered some of your info inaccurately.

    When I first joined, I underestimated my level of activity and I was given 1200 calories, which was difficult to maintain. I adjusted my settings and have been maintaining on ~1500 give or take a bit.
  • k_wat4264
    k_wat4264 Posts: 25 Member
    I'm 5'6" currently 127. I workout 4x a week but work a desk job. 1200 is what MFP recommend. How do I know how much I should be eating then?

    I am looking to loose 10-15 lbs
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  • Keyeno
    Keyeno Posts: 6
    Try this instead. >
    I used this - http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    and manually inputted my calorie needs to lose weight for MFP.

    Subtracting 20% from my TDEE.
    So far it's working for me at least. :)

    Change Goals - Custom
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Because it's not enough food
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    MFP tells everyone to eat 1200 cals regardless of their weight/height/gender or whatever. You need to work out your own needs. I used Scooby's calculator as advised by someone from the forums and its great http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/.

    The majority of us on here eat way more than 1200 calories and still manage to lose weight but also enjoy our lives in the mean time by being able to eat decent meals and enjoy ourselves socially.
  • k_wat4264
    k_wat4264 Posts: 25 Member
    I just used the TDEE calculator and with subtracting the 20% is says 1500. I admit that I'm nervous to see if I'm just wasting time or if it actually works. Thanks for the advice
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  • karenj_m
    karenj_m Posts: 215
    Your BMI is smack in the middle for your stats --- why do you need to lose weight?

    If its because of jiggly-wiggly stuff, then lift weights 3x per week.
  • k_wat4264
    k_wat4264 Posts: 25 Member
    I am not looking to be stick thin. Everyone Carrys their weight differently so stats don't tell the whole story. The simple answer is I'm looking to lower my body fat percentage.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I've never eaten under 1600. 1200 is way too little for most people.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    I am not looking to be stick thin. Everyone Carrys their weight differently so stats don't tell the whole story. The simple answer is I'm looking to lower my body fat percentage.

    You're not going to lower your body fat percentage eating under 1200 calories per day. All you're going to do is end up eating away at your existing muscle and look basically the same as you do now with a lower number on the scale.

    To lose body fat while retaining lean muscle, you need to eat at maintenance or a slight deficit (5-10%), get lots of protein, and lift heavy weights. Depending on your current BF%, a bulk and cut cycle might be appropriate as well.
  • siobhanmoo
    siobhanmoo Posts: 14 Member
    MFP started me out on 1200 cals per day - I only want to lose about 7lb and I'm not overweight, just developing a bit of a spare tyre.

    I found it almost impossible to stay within 1200, and after reading up on here, I worked out my TDEE and now I'm on 1480 per day - much better and I'm losing at about 0.5-1lb per week. I also eat back all my calories from exercise (mostly in maltesers and wine mmmmmmmmmmm).

    I'd up your calories if I were you.
  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
    Y will be better off upping your calories and lifting heavy to get more toned...definitely don't eat under 1200 it's not enough food...I'm your height and currently at 170 looking to get to about 140ish in the healthy range, I couldn't see myself being 115 without looking too thin.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    I just used the TDEE calculator and with subtracting the 20% is says 1500. I admit that I'm nervous to see if I'm just wasting time or if it actually works. Thanks for the advice

    20% deficit for so little to lose? Let me guess, you probably told MFP you wanted to lose 2 lbs per week as well.
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  • k_wat4264
    k_wat4264 Posts: 25 Member
    No I would be super happy with 1lb per week
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    I am not looking to be stick thin. Everyone Carrys their weight differently so stats don't tell the whole story. The simple answer is I'm looking to lower my body fat percentage.

    To me the obvious solution to that is to put on muscle and increase bone density then.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Does anyone else find that it's super hard to stay under 1200 calories without working out, especially on the weekend if you are at someone's house or out To eat.

    How do you plan out your calories? Any tips?

    I'm getting frustrated not eating when I'm Hungry so that I can save calories for a BBQ or whatever is going on.

    Unless you're so short that your BMR is around 1,200, 1,200 calories is not sustainable or advisable. 1,200 is also generally too aggressive.
    Also, of course it's hard to stay under 1,200...you're underfueling your body, and most likely miserable because you're not meeting your nutritional goals.

    I eat over 1,600 and I've lost consistently. Up the cals, and set your weight loss to a more reasonable goal. I suspect you have yours at 2lbs/week, and that's probably too aggressive for you.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    I am not looking to be stick thin. Everyone Carrys their weight differently so stats don't tell the whole story. The simple answer is I'm looking to lower my body fat percentage.

    since you're quite slim, consider a recomp. Eat at maintenance and eat 0.8g/lb for protein (this will get you close, but probably a bit over, your protein needs based on 1g/lean body mass lb) while strength training - or even hypertrophy training if you want to focus on having way more muscular definition and pump - properly.

    ETA: a 20% deficit is just fine when you have a bit more fat to lose (I'd say 25-30+ lbs, although I have ~20 to lose and I'm eating at a 20% deficit but will raise if needed) but for now either a 10% or recomp is fine for you. If you've set your goals up for 1lb/week then MFP would not have given you 1200 calories, so you clearly set it up for 2lb/week.
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    I'm around your age and 5 inches *shorter* and still eating 1500cals a day to lose a little bit. I lose consistently in this range of .5 to 1lb a week on average. 1200 is unnecessarily low for most people, that's pretty much in the 'crash diet' range and you're not likely to be able to stick with it no matter how much or little you want to lose.
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  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    I am not looking to be stick thin. Everyone Carrys their weight differently so stats don't tell the whole story. The simple answer is I'm looking to lower my body fat percentage.

    You're not going to lower your body fat percentage eating under 1200 calories per day. All you're going to do is end up eating away at your existing muscle and look basically the same as you do now with a lower number on the scale.

    To lose body fat while retaining lean muscle, you need to eat at maintenance or a slight deficit (5-10%), get lots of protein, and lift heavy weights. Depending on your current BF%, a bulk and cut cycle might be appropriate as well.

    ^this 100%

    I'm 5'3.5" 120 lbs and currently trying to bulk (been maintaining at 2350) Heavy lifting, eating to fuel your body and lowering BF% are much more important than scale number. It takes time and patience but it's well worth the effort.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    No I would be super happy with 1lb per week

    That is too much for what you want to lose and doesn't coincide with your TDEE-20% calculations. Start back and the beginning.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1399829-step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Please listen to the people here who know what they are talking about.
    Losing more weight, especially the way you are going about it, will simply leave you with just as much fat, if not a higher % of it as you will be losing muscle as well.
    The best way is to eat close to or at maintenance calories, and do some weight training. People have had amazing results doing that.
    If you check out my photos, I can assure you, I did not get to such a low bodyfat eating 1200 a day, or even 1500.

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