How do you do 1200 Calories?
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I ate roughly 1200 calories for well over 1 year. A nutritious diet was always my primary concern. I didn’t intentionally “give up” anything – it is just a fact that things like pizza, alcohol, ice cream etc. could not be part of a “long-term” 1200 calorie plan. I haven’t had fast-food or a processed cold-cut since 2013 (don’t miss either).
I did have pizza twice in 2014. I factored a small (6 oz) piece of fried fish 1-2 times a month into calories. I had frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. Extra calories were allotted at Thanksgiving / Christmas (but that meant still under control). None of this was “cheating.” All of this was planned.
More than one doctor suggested I have surgery, because my super obesity far outweighed (LOL) any surgical risk. I decided not to take that route. For years, I have been under the care of more than one physician and have received regular blood work / monitoring for heart, arthritis etc. – so they were aware of what I was doing diet-wise.
I had almost 200 pounds to lose and “chose” to eat only foods that added vitamins, fiber etc. and those that left me with a full feeling (Broccoli, spaghetti squash etc.) and were extremely low in calories. I was never hungry and I am still not hungry. A balanced diet was imperative. Yes, I sometimes “want” a sweet etc. but I am not truly hungry.
MFP helped me internalize an instinctive awareness of the calories I consume. It is NOT hard or anything I obsess about. I’m in maintenance now and adjusting calories carefully. Most days, I still eat in the 1200-1300 range but have not been dropping pounds like before, because of the regular strength exercising I have been doing.
My entire lifestyle has permanently been changed. I will NEVER re-gain all that weight. I could begin to list all the benefits I have reaped.
Having said all that – everyone is different and I make no judgements about anyone. I hope anyone struggling with obesity succeeds in losing weight.
What an amazing post and such an amazing achievement. You deserve your success after all the work you have put into it. You are to be congratulated. I wish you well for your future and will be looking out for your advice in the future.
Agreed! Thank you for sharing your story. Personal accountability and responsibility resulting in huge success. What a breath of fresh air!
Agreed! And his food pictures are the bomb!
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mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »My diary's public. Feel free to look. I'm a vegetarian who often eats the same thing for a few days running, so it's pretty boring, though.
I'm in a spell where I haven't been getting much exercise for medical reasons, unfortunately.
I hope you don't mind mamapeach but you are constantly saying your diary is public so I took the liberty of printing it out and quite frankly I am not surprised you are as sick as your are. I understand you are vegetarian and have Celiac Disease but it would be unrealistic to expect a young healthy person to survive and function on this amount. You are constantly advising people regarding their diets and yet you eat poorly in my opinion. When you analyse your diet, there is not a lot of food there and this is fairly consistent from what I can see of the way you eat. And what is with all the water - 16 -18 glasses a day.
2oz of Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine - that is less than a 1/4 of a cup and that is your main meal of the day with a serve of cabbage and pepper stir fry.
I would be eating my right arm by dinner time.
Breakfast
Trader Joe's - Irish Breakfast Tea, 24 oz
Splenda - Splenda, Granulated, W/ Calories, 1 Cup, From Splenda.co.uk, 0.36 cup (25 g)
Land O Lakes - Low-fat Half & Half, 4 Tbl
Spices - Cinnamon, ground, 0.25 tsp
Nuts - Almonds, 6 g(s)
Trader Joe - Fat Free Cottage Cheese, 1 cup (113g)
Libby's 100% - Canned Pumpkin Puree, 0.5 cup (122g)
Spices - Pumpkin pie spice, 0.25 tsp
Lunch
Explore Asian - Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine, 2 oz
Cabbage Pepper Stir Fry, 1 serving(s)
Dinner
Simply Nature - Creamy Almond Butter, 0.5 tablespoons
Fage Greek Yogurt 0% Fat - Greek Yogurt, 8 oz
Nuts - Almonds, 8 g(s)
Quick Tools
Snacks
Quest Bar - Vanilla Almond, 1 bar
Talenti Gelato - Toasted Almond, 1/4 Cup (100g)
Totals 1,115
mamapeach910 Daily Goal 1,254
Remaining 139
I also ran an 90 day Report on your diary and all your Iron, Potassium, Calcium, vitamins etc etc etc are all dangerously low on a consistent basis.
Leena, I am very short and 52 years old (I am amused you referred to me as young) and have hypothyroidism. I need to run at an extra deficit to lose weight. 2 ounces is the recommended serving size for pasta. Hint: it's measured dry, before cooking.
Editing to add that as for my illnesses? Do some research on how some people have an autoimmune response to pregnancy. Educate yourself.
Editing to add one more thing regarding all the water. I have chronic dry mouth and throat due to a medication I'm taking.
I read your posts all the time and I would have never guessed you were 52. You definitely win "Best Hair" award, BTW!0 -
LeenaGee: mamapeach may not be very tall, so these calories may be just fine. She's consistantly eating more than 1,000 calories a day, so I don't think she's in the "danger zone".
One thing I think a lot of people forget to consider when it comes to my(or other's) consuming 1,100-1,200 calories a day, is this won't be a forever calorie set. After I reach my goals I'll be in maintenance, which will give me a few hundred extra calories per day.
I agree the calories are fine for a small person and are not in the danger zone but her iron, potassium, calcium etc are.mamapeach910 wrote: »My diary's public. Feel free to look. I'm a vegetarian who often eats the same thing for a few days running, so it's pretty boring, though.
I'm in a spell where I haven't been getting much exercise for medical reasons, unfortunately.
I hope you don't mind mamapeach but you are constantly saying your diary is public so I took the liberty of printing it out and quite frankly I am not surprised you are as sick as your are.
And people wonder why some us make our diaries private . . .
I agree, I keep my diary and my life private but mamapeach repeatedly points out the fact her diary is public and constantly advises people on their diets. She is a brave woman.
Danger Zone? What is this? Top Gun?
*You're* Is it just me or does anyone else get annoyed with memes that have typos?!0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »True true A decent size would probably be 500g at the least
The thing with ice cream... doesn't your mouth get cold and numb your taste buds after a while?
I have never, ever had that problem whether I'm eating a 3-scoop banana split with all of the fixings (family tradition, we do this once a year for dinner), or a single serving scoop.
I do tend to eat my ice cream slowly, although I'm normally a very fast eater. Maybe that's why.
With all this talk of ice cream, I am now wanting a scoop of Henry's coffee ice cream in the worst way. I think I'm glad they're almost an hour away.0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »True true A decent size would probably be 500g at the least
The thing with ice cream... doesn't your mouth get cold and numb your taste buds after a while?
Nah I eat it too quickly, before that can happen
I do a pint of artic zero ice cream almost every night which is 150 calories. Perfect low cal ice cream alternative.
That sounds so perfect. Unfortunately we don't have that brand here. But I'm going to scout around and look for something similar.
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »True true A decent size would probably be 500g at the least
Or this. Ten scoops, 1.9kg. I used to live near the town where these infamous beasts are made, and drive through it every day on the way to and from work. Had I known about it, I very possibly would have given it a go!
Omg you evil wench! I'd travel land and sea to get my hands on that beautiful monstrosity
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Just here to say I'm another desk-job shortish woman who maintains around 1500-1600 and needs to cut to 1200 or less to lose weight.
I do it by making sure everything I eat is satisfying my micro and macro nutrient needs - I just don't have room for treats and stuff with a lot of sugar, processed refined carbs, or even alcohol except in small quantities. If I waste a few hundred calories on cookies I feel tired and hungry, but if I stick to protein, enough fat, and tons of vegetables, I feel energetic and rarely hungry. It does take a little more discipline than a larger allowance does, but it's what I have to do so I do it.
My typical day is a protein bar for breakfast, salad with protein or a smoothie for lunch, and a dinner of meat or meat alternative with a ton of vegetables. I try not to have less than 30g of fat per day and that helps too.
And @mamapeach910, I think I need your skincare secrets because you look totally wrinkle-free. I would have assumed from your profile photo that you were in your 30s, not your 50s.0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »My diary's public. Feel free to look. I'm a vegetarian who often eats the same thing for a few days running, so it's pretty boring, though.
I'm in a spell where I haven't been getting much exercise for medical reasons, unfortunately.
I hope you don't mind mamapeach but you are constantly saying your diary is public so I took the liberty of printing it out and quite frankly I am not surprised you are as sick as your are. I understand you are vegetarian and have Celiac Disease but it would be unrealistic to expect a young healthy person to survive and function on this amount. You are constantly advising people regarding their diets and yet you eat poorly in my opinion. When you analyse your diet, there is not a lot of food there and this is fairly consistent from what I can see of the way you eat. And what is with all the water - 16 -18 glasses a day.
2oz of Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine - that is less than a 1/4 of a cup and that is your main meal of the day with a serve of cabbage and pepper stir fry.
I would be eating my right arm by dinner time.
Breakfast
Trader Joe's - Irish Breakfast Tea, 24 oz
Splenda - Splenda, Granulated, W/ Calories, 1 Cup, From Splenda.co.uk, 0.36 cup (25 g)
Land O Lakes - Low-fat Half & Half, 4 Tbl
Spices - Cinnamon, ground, 0.25 tsp
Nuts - Almonds, 6 g(s)
Trader Joe - Fat Free Cottage Cheese, 1 cup (113g)
Libby's 100% - Canned Pumpkin Puree, 0.5 cup (122g)
Spices - Pumpkin pie spice, 0.25 tsp
Lunch
Explore Asian - Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine, 2 oz
Cabbage Pepper Stir Fry, 1 serving(s)
Dinner
Simply Nature - Creamy Almond Butter, 0.5 tablespoons
Fage Greek Yogurt 0% Fat - Greek Yogurt, 8 oz
Nuts - Almonds, 8 g(s)
Quick Tools
Snacks
Quest Bar - Vanilla Almond, 1 bar
Talenti Gelato - Toasted Almond, 1/4 Cup (100g)
Totals 1,115
mamapeach910 Daily Goal 1,254
Remaining 139
I also ran an 90 day Report on your diary and all your Iron, Potassium, Calcium, vitamins etc etc etc are all dangerously low on a consistent basis.
Leena, I am very short and 52 years old (I am amused you referred to me as young) and have hypothyroidism. I need to run at an extra deficit to lose weight. 2 ounces is the recommended serving size for pasta. Hint: it's measured dry, before cooking.
Editing to add that as for my illnesses? Do some research on how some people have an autoimmune response to pregnancy. Educate yourself.
Editing to add one more thing regarding all the water. I have chronic dry mouth and throat due to a medication I'm taking.
I read your posts all the time and I would have never guessed you were 52. You definitely win "Best Hair" award, BTW!
Thank you! The oily skin that plagued me as a teenager has held up well into middle age, fortunately.
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Just here to say I'm another desk-job shortish woman who maintains around 1500-1600 and needs to cut to 1200 or less to lose weight.
I do it by making sure everything I eat is satisfying my micro and macro nutrient needs - I just don't have room for treats and stuff with a lot of sugar, processed refined carbs, or even alcohol except in small quantities. If I waste a few hundred calories on cookies I feel tired and hungry, but if I stick to protein, enough fat, and tons of vegetables, I feel energetic and rarely hungry. It does take a little more discipline than a larger allowance does, but it's what I have to do so I do it.
My typical day is a protein bar for breakfast, salad with protein or a smoothie for lunch, and a dinner of meat or meat alternative with a ton of vegetables. I try not to have less than 30g of fat per day and that helps too.
And @mamapeach910, I think I need your skincare secrets because you look totally wrinkle-free. I would have assumed from your profile photo that you were in your 30s, not your 50s.
Thank you. I actually have persnickety skin. Google oil cleansing. It's wonderful. I have a selection of different oils that I keep on hand. I vary the mix I use depending on season. Since it's winter, I use the richer, denser varieties. In the summer, I tend to break out, so use a lighter mixture with more cleansing oil mixed in. I don't need to moisturize much, but when I do, I just use straight jojoba oil.
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I eat my 1200 calories by splitting it between 2 meals a day. For myself, I find that if I try to eat more often, the meals end up being so small, I'm not full. Instead, I get hungry before my next meal and tend to over eat at by the end of the day. My advice is to skip breakfast and eat a small lunch (300-500 calories) and eat the remaining calories for dinner. For example, I'll eat 3 low fat cheese sticks and 2 servings of turkey pepperoni for lunch. This comes to 290 calories. You can add lettuce and vinegar to make it into a salad, if you prefer. I then eat ground turkey or tuna for dinner, along with some broccoli or another veggie. Depending on the leanness of the protein, it usually allows for 14 to 18 ounces of protein. This is definitely filling.0
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christinev297 wrote: »Nony_Mouse wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »True true A decent size would probably be 500g at the least
Or this. Ten scoops, 1.9kg. I used to live near the town where these infamous beasts are made, and drive through it every day on the way to and from work. Had I known about it, I very possibly would have given it a go!
Omg you evil wench! I'd travel land and sea to get my hands on that beautiful monstrosity
Just across the ditch Christine (Waipapa, Northland to be exact. Don't blink, or you will miss it!). 0 -
Asher_Ethan wrote: »I definitely could not do 1200 calories. I eat about 2000 a day (still loosing weight) but I definitely feel a drag in my workout compared to when I wasn't on a calorie deficit.
I believe this is entirely unavoidable when at a calorie deficit regardless of the number. (I experience it myself in the gym when I eat 2500ish calories which is a deficit compared to my 3000ish maintenance.) It makes sense from a preservation perspective...that in times of prolonged food scarcity, it would be unrealistic to expect your body to perform at its peak. My solution for this has always been to redefine my expectations in the gym when eating at a deficit...to reduce everything by at least X% (where X is usually 10ish).0 -
I have a 1200 calorie goal. I sometime go under set calorie goal and sometime I over eat. I am still new to this app. I am struggling....
hang in there....this app is the only thing that keeps me on track. Just remember, the days you go over...you have the wonderful opportunity of just starting over the next day! Good luck.0 -
I haven't read the comments but here's how I break it down for myself:
1) Cut the calories from drinks. You don't need them. Drink mostly water or maybe even green tea (0-calorie green tea) between and before meals to feel fuller.
2) Eat small, healthy snacks in between meals. By healthy snacks I mean fruits or vegetables. Cookies and bars don't really fill you up that much compared to super watery fruits such as watermelons and grapes. Fruits make you feel fuller and have less calorie content.
3) For lunch/dinner try to aim with food and fruit/veggie side portions within 250-400 calories total or so. There are so many ways you can get some good macronutrients in out there.
4) Try to get your food for the day before 8 pm. Snacking badly will add up! (i.e. cookies, crackers, bars, etc etc)0 -
I have a 1200 calorie goal. I sometime go under set calorie goal and sometime I over eat. I am still new to this app. I am struggling....
hang in there....this app is the only thing that keeps me on track. Just remember, the days you go over...you have the wonderful opportunity of just starting over the next day! Good luck.
Alternatively, she might consider trying a higher calorie limit but consistently and accurately logging everything. Many have found success with more calories (accurately logged) compared to what might be an unrealistic goal of 1200 calories. In other words, adherence with a higher calorie target may lead to success compared to inability to adhere consistently to a lower calorie target.
Given that some* people incorrectly believe 1200 is necessary for any weight loss at all, it's certainly a reasonable next step to try.
(* Note that's "some" people, not "all"...lest anyone get themselves into a tizzy reading something I didn't write.)0 -
To add a different perspective, coming from someone who started out ~360lbs and sticks around the 1200 calorie point, I sat down and worked out what I needed on a daily basis, nutrient-wise, and then built from there. I have the same meals for Monday-Friday and eat immediately when I wake up (typically a protein bar), then lunch 3hrs later, then dinner 5hrs after that, and nothing else beyond it. As I'm vegetarian, and have some other esoteric goals (like no HFCS at all), my goals will be different to you I'm sure, but for me I do my best to keep my protein high and my carbs at around 50% of RDI like so:
[n.b. I know my sodium is high, but one of my medications binds potassium in my system so I need more sodium than most and this is intentional]
On top of that, four days a week, I exercise off almost my entire calorie intake, and I also don't scold myself when I slip up or have an unconventional day. And, crucially, weekends are mine to do with as I please. At first, I still gorged (I have binge eating disorder), but now that my appetite is much more in check my weekends have become much more about freedom and less about 'making up for lost food'.
The 1200-1300 calorie mark is tricky to maintain and especially for a girl my size, but I get to have a delicious protein bar for breakfast, then a wrap with faux-chicken & faux-bacon with avocado and some popchips on the side for lunch, and then two burritos with either faux-chicken or faux-beef, mushrooms, cheese and lots of sriracha, along with a salad, for dinner every night. Over time, the hunger pains take care of themselves, and allowing freedom on weekends has been a real boon for me so far.0 -
I just changed my calories up to 1690. Which is my goal weight maintenance calories. I'm so happy I could cry :bigsmile:
. It means the weight will come off slower, but with only 7lbs left to go, I really don't care. And there's no hard and fast rule that I have to eat every single calorie, I'm sure there'll be days I'll be able to do 1200 calories. It's just nice to have another doable option
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There seems to be some assumptions that if you are on 1200 calories per week, that you are trying to lose fast or 2 lbs per week. That is not necessarily true. Whether I set my goal as 1 or 1.5 lbs per week, I get 1200 calories per day. I'm 5'1, 40 years old, and have a sedentary (desk) job. For someone short like me, trying to lose any weight, 1200 calories is what my body needs. Don't assume that everyone at 1200 calories are trying for fast/big losses. I'm definitely not.
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How do I do 1200?
I work nights and my job is physically strenuous with no time for a lunch break, so I front-load about 2/3's of my calories before work, when I need the energy. I'm not inclined to cook dinner at midnight and if I did, my kitchen floor is my downstairs neighbour's bedroom ceiling, so I usually tiptoe in my socks, nuke something, then leave.
Breakfast: Coffee with full cream, no sugar. Lots. Hot cereal, unsweetened. Women's One-A-Day vitamin. I'm doing 2 lbs a week and menopause at the same time. Whee!
Lunch: Omelettes or soup (sodium reduced or homemade), fruit.
Dinner: "Zoodle" pasta (love my spiralizer), or dumpling soup, or "health line" frozen dinner.
Guilty alternate dinner: The Jared - a Subway 6" lean sub because they're open at midnight.
Snacks: Fruit, pickles, edamame, raw veggies, unsweetened roobois tea.
Lots of fruit and veg, not very much meat, no fruit juice or pop, Almost no refined sugars, but happily I've never had a sweet tooth so I don't miss it. I occasionally go a bit over on sodium or protein but never on sugar or carbs.
I could live on cheese but sadly, cheese also lives on me - mostly on the hips. >.<0 -
christinev297 wrote: »I just changed my calories up to 1690. Which is my goal weight maintenance calories. I'm so happy I could cry :bigsmile:
. It means the weight will come off slower, but with only 7lbs left to go, I really don't care. And there's no hard and fast rule that I have to eat every single calorie, I'm sure there'll be days I'll be able to do 1200 calories. It's just nice to have another doable option
Christine, I think you made a wise choice for the moment as it seems to be getting you down too much at the moment. Sometimes I think it is a good idea to stop doing what you are doing and refocus and I really should take some of my own advice.
Good luck and don't forget to eat your veggies!! 0
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