Always Hungry for 'normal' food - under 1200 cal

julianasutton
julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anyone else sticking to around the 1200 calorie limit? It's fine and dandy if I want to eat a lean breakfast sandwich for breakfast, salad for lunch, and a tiny portion of real food for dinner but it is NOT leaving me satisfied! :( I just want to eat real foods again but whenever I do (even if Im gently crossing the 1200 line), I gain back weight again.

Replies

  • lbetancourt
    lbetancourt Posts: 522 Member
    oh no..
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited March 2015
    Read this OP: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    ETA: I lost 121 pounds eating around 1800 calories and now been maintaining for about 6 months!! :)

    Make sure you weigh your solid foods and measure liquids only!!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Do you use a food scale and weigh your food and log accurately? Because I think it is very rare for anyone to gain weight eating near 1200 calories.

    That said, look at your macros and see how much protein you are usually getting. Most people feel more satisfied if they are getting enough protein (and fat), not the majority carbs.
  • jett69
    jett69 Posts: 60 Member
    1200 calories is way too low for you (or anyone). Probably why you are always hungry.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    you have less than 20lbs to lose, you have probably set your goal far to aggressively and ended up with 1200 cals
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 649 Member
    My limit is 1200 calories a day without exercise. So if I run 10 miles and do housework or go out and about for several hours my calorie limit gets bumped up to closer to 2800 for a day...that is a ton of normal food.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Eating more than you think+ you need to eat foods that will provide satiety+ eat at a level which you cna sustain. You might be too severe. If all else fails exercise for more food.
  • slittle80
    slittle80 Posts: 80 Member
    If you set your goal at 1200 calories, are you eating back your exercise calories? most normal people who are exercising need more than that base number. Depending on how long you've been at it, you could have stalled out your metabolism.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I lost 60+ pounds in 2011, while eating 1800-2200 calories a day. I've been on maintenance for a few years now. I never had to cut down to anything close to 1200 calories to lose! Also, my only exercise was walking (with an an occasional exercise video thrown in for variety.)
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    I'm 5ft 6in. I had lost 7 pounds in 14 days. Maybe that's too much?
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    That's really helpful UpEarly. Walking is my primary one too. I've burned 400 calories today (hihgly unusual for me), but I've also eaten 1050 calories already and its only 3pm!
  • slittle80
    slittle80 Posts: 80 Member
    Are you new to the journey?
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    Yeah, I think I'm about day 9 or 10 on here, but about 15 days in trying to lose weight.
  • slittle80
    slittle80 Posts: 80 Member
    Okay, I wouldn't freak out. 7 pounds in 14 days is probably a lot of water weight. I would consider upping your calories and work within the range of something you can actually maintain after you get where you want to be. As you build muscle and lose the weight, your body will get more efficient at burning those calories and you will be able to eat more and still lose/maintain.
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    If I jump to a goal of 1500 calories a day (with about 200 calories burned a day), will that make me put back on a few pounds?
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    I feel like I could manage 1500 well and be satisfied.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2015
    lbetancourt wrote: »
    oh no..

    This^

    With 18 pounds to go set your weekly weight loss goal at 1 pound a week (no more). Within 10 pounds of goal a 1/2 pound a week loss is appropriate. The lowest MFP default is 1200. This is a more appropriate number for senior ladies, who are petite. Younger people should be able to eat more and still lose weight.

    Do what is sustainable for you. If you want to continue with 1200, keep in mind this is a net number. That means that MFP doesn't assume anyone will exercise. So when you are hungry, move more and eat a portion of those calories also. A "portion" because MFP guesstimates can be pretty generous.

  • jett69
    jett69 Posts: 60 Member
    julianasutton wrote: »
    I feel like I could manage 1500 well and be satisfied.

    yes, try 1500 for a few weeks and see if you're losing, if you are..great, if not, drop another 100 and try that for a few weeks.
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    I raised my goals to 1300, to see if I can manage that. It's an allowance of 100 extra calories. I burned 450 and it says I have about 700 calories left. Can i eat them all or should I refrain?
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    That was my other big question, should I stick to the 1300 no matter what I burned or should I use up my calorie allowance with the burned calories factored in?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    julianasutton wrote: »
    That was my other big question, should I stick to the 1300 no matter what I burned or should I use up my calorie allowance with the burned calories factored in?

    If you're using MFP to set your goals, then you're meant to be eating them. With the caveat that some exercises or exercise equipment might give you an inflated number of calories burned. A lot of people choose to eat only 50-75% of their extra exercise calories just in case their estimates are off.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf

  • slittle80
    slittle80 Posts: 80 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    julianasutton wrote: »
    That was my other big question, should I stick to the 1300 no matter what I burned or should I use up my calorie allowance with the burned calories factored in?

    If you're using MFP to set your goals, then you're meant to be eating them. With the caveat that some exercises or exercise equipment might give you an inflated number of calories burned. A lot of people choose to eat only 50-75% of their extra exercise calories just in case their estimates are off.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf


    ^^^this. I choose to set my calories a little higher than default and then don't eat my calories back unless it's an extremely intense workout or I double up.

  • kangaroux92
    kangaroux92 Posts: 188 Member
    i hear you i was sticking to 1200 cal a day 1500 with exercise. it is hard but i saw results that way, however you are a little taller than me and i didn't loose 7 pounds in 14 days so i think its a little to aggressive for you start at 1400/1500 without exercise and see what happens.
  • dinobomp
    dinobomp Posts: 170 Member
    I didn't read all the replies, but I totally get it. That's what happens to me. I have always had to restrict my calories, because my body just doesn't need much to survive! That would be great if we were in a famine, but that's not the case. I know how frustrating. It's been 11 days since I posted a loss. I have not been down to where that last loss was! It makes me crazy. I'm trying different foods to see if that helps, but I empathize with you. I'm hungry a lot of the time too. Very frustrating!
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    julianasutton wrote: »
    I'm 5ft 6in. I had lost 7 pounds in 14 days. Maybe that's too much?

    Yes, that is way too much.

    A healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week. 2 pounds a week is really only for people who are pretty overweight. If you don't have much to lose, 1 pound or even half a pound a week is a much better goal. Slow and steady wins the race!

    Definitely increase your calories, you might see a gain at first but that's completely temporary due to increasing the amount of food. You can definitely lose weight eating way more than 1200, and you're a LOT less likely to gain it all back. Good luck!
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    LaurenAOK wrote: »
    julianasutton wrote: »
    I'm 5ft 6in. I had lost 7 pounds in 14 days. Maybe that's too much?

    Yes, that is way too much.

    A healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week. 2 pounds a week is really only for people who are pretty overweight. If you don't have much to lose, 1 pound or even half a pound a week is a much better goal. Slow and steady wins the race!

    Definitely increase your calories, you might see a gain at first but that's completely temporary due to increasing the amount of food. You can definitely lose weight eating way more than 1200, and you're a LOT less likely to gain it all back. Good luck!

    If she keeps losing 3.5 lbs per week that is too much - but for the first 2 weeks it seems about normal as you can lose several pounds of just water weight at the beginning.

  • misscaligreen
    misscaligreen Posts: 819 Member
    I am on 1200 calories and I have plenty of food to keep me from feeling hungry. Physically anyways.... mental craving to want to eat more is a whole different story lol What do you typically eat in a day?
  • julianasutton
    julianasutton Posts: 13 Member
    I'm glad I upped my caloric intake and I am taking my burned calories into account. I just can't 'diet' as a lifestyle if I can't eat hearty every few days.
  • rsmrodgers
    rsmrodgers Posts: 11 Member
    Eat a lesser portion of 'real food'

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