1200 calories of junk vs. healthy
Kel9798
Posts: 5 Member
I know that eating sugar and carbs makes you want to eat more sugar and carbs. I know the health benefits of eating healthy foods. I also know that I will snack throughout the day no matter what I do. So, my question is. If I eat 1200 calories a day of just ok foods (some healthy, some not, like a can of coke, or some cheese its) basically, just snack here and there all day and then have a desert dinner. Maybe a piece of chicken, a veggie and a small portion of Mac and cheese. I know, this sounds like a rediculouse diet, but if I only eat small amounts and stay at 1200 calories, I should lose weight right?
I keep finding myself trying to eat three healthy meals a day and then I still end up snacking on junk too. So then I have gone way over my calories. If I just get rid of the three meals a day and snack all day I might do better.
Has anyone done this before? I know it sounds rediculouse, but I'm willing to try anything once
I keep finding myself trying to eat three healthy meals a day and then I still end up snacking on junk too. So then I have gone way over my calories. If I just get rid of the three meals a day and snack all day I might do better.
Has anyone done this before? I know it sounds rediculouse, but I'm willing to try anything once
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Replies
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Try to eat things you like, think of this as a new way of eating, not a diet. Some days I eat junk food, but most days I try to eat healthy. I haven't renounce to anything except added sugar, for health reasons.
Try combining things that you like. Also, as a suggestion, don't start right away with 1200 cals, it might seem like a shock, do it gradually. I started eating 1700 ish, now I'm 1500ish and I haven't felt the trauma that much. As long as you eat with a calorie deficit you will lose pouns. 0 -
1200 calories is a recipe for failure. It's only a matter of time before you are so hungry you binge eat something or other.
If you are actively exercising, it's far too little to be healthy.
I'd also (for a few days) weight your food on a scale if possible. The results might be enlightening.0 -
Your struggle is everyone's struggle. You'll still lose weight. Make sure you track that junk food honestly. The accurate serving size (weighed in oz or grams) adds up a lot faster than you might think. Slowly phase the junk out. I eat clean all week and allow myself a cheat day or meal on Sunday.0
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I know that eating sugar and carbs makes you want to eat more sugar and carbs. I know the health benefits of eating healthy foods. I also know that I will snack throughout the day no matter what I do. So, my question is. If I eat 1200 calories a day of just ok foods (some healthy, some not, like a can of coke, or some cheese its) basically, just snack here and there all day and then have a desert dinner. Maybe a piece of chicken, a veggie and a small portion of Mac and cheese. I know, this sounds like a rediculouse diet, but if I only eat small amounts and stay at 1200 calories, I should lose weight right?
I keep finding myself trying to eat three healthy meals a day and then I still end up snacking on junk too. So then I have gone way over my calories. If I just get rid of the three meals a day and snack all day I might do better.
Has anyone done this before? I know it sounds rediculouse, but I'm willing to try anything once
I break up lunch into 2 small meals (1 sm meal and then a piece of fruit), and dinner into 3 meals (1 small meal, then either popcorn or nuts, then ICE CREAM lol). It's basically my normal eating pattern just without guilt.
What does MFP say about your calories? One thing that really helped me was changing my goal to .5 lb/week. For me, staying under 1200 calories every day is not how I want to live my life.0 -
My diet really varies a lot. I might have donuts for breakfast and tofu stir fry for dinner. The goal is to balance them out. If I were you though, I'd bump up your calories a bit. Maybe to 1500 or so.0
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You're young and you only have 30-some-odd pounds to lose. Why are you only eating 1200 calories?
There's nothing wrong with what you call "junk", but the frequency of your snacking does make me wonder how much nutrition you're getting from the food you eat.
While no food is good or bad in and of itself, it's important to pay attention to getting a good balance of nutrient-dense foods AND a good ratio of protein, fats, and carbs to keep us satisfied with what we eat. If you're not eating enough protein and healthy fats, that will lead to hunger and those snacking urges. (Nothing wrong with snacking, but it sounds like you snack a lot because you're hungry.)
It's fine to have the can of coke, but pair it with some hard boiled eggs maybe. Everything in moderation.0 -
It's not when or how often one eats but what one eats. If a pile of green beans is eaten as a snack instead of a side dish, it is still a pile of green beans. If one replaces the side dish of beans with a snack of crackers -- well, therein lies the problem.0
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I think 1200 per day is WAY too extreme of a deficit for you, unless you are very, very short. I think the problems you are having sticking to it are rooted in the fact that you aren't eating enough food. Aim to lose .5-1 pound per week only (you don't look heavy enough to go for the 2 pounds a week goal, that is really only for people with substantial amounts of weight to lose)
So, reset your caloric goal for the day, and choose a mix of foods to fill your day, being particularly careful to get enough protein and a decent amount of fats throughout the day. You need to eat in a way that you can continue for the rest of your life, if you are struggling now, even if you do get to your goal, you'll bounce right back up again once you let yourself believe "I'm done, diet over, time to be normal again!" Ideally, your caloric deficit should start moderate and taper down to nothing as you reach your goal and transition to maintenance.
Don't turn this experience into a Bataan death march of horror and deprivation! Work on ADDING some filling, low calorie stuff to your diet and allow yourself the treats you crave most...just promise yourself that when you indulge, you will do so very consciously...no mindless nibbling, no sucking down a soda while you are multitasking 8000 other things! If you want some chocolate? HAVE SOME CHOCOLATE. But, you know, since you're not overeating anymore, splurge on good, high-quality chocolate and eat one carefully weighed portion slowly and deliciously!0 -
I do eat healthy things too. I try to eat a spinach smoothie every day with chia seeds, fruit, and oats.
I know my calorie goal is low. I have a disability and use a wheel chair (part time) so my calorie needs are less than the average person. I don't get the everyday exercise of just walking through the grocery stores and things like that. Eating very low calories is the only way my body will lose pounds.
I know that eating healthy is the best way to go. I'm just thinking maybe a couple days a week I'll snack instead of regular meals. And I think mentally, I need to know that I can have a bowl of ice cream every now and then and just take the calories out of a meal I would have eaten.0 -
Okay, how tall are you, though? That deficit might still be too low.
And you can still have ice cream, but maybe not such a big bowl. I eat 1200 calories because I'm old and very short. I eat ice cream almost every day. A small portion, but it's enough. The rest of the day, I eat nutritious food.
So, to answer your question, you can still have treats, yes. Just eat nutritious food most of the time. It's really important if you are going to eat low calorie. You really shouldn't plan to spend an entire day eating them, though. Maybe once a month. Call that your wild day.
But first, let's figure out if you can't maybe eat more.0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »Okay, how tall are you, though? That deficit might still be too low.
And you can still have ice cream, but maybe not such a big bowl. I eat 1200 calories because I'm old and very short. I eat ice cream almost every day. A small portion, but it's enough. The rest of the day, I eat nutritious food.
So, to answer your question, you can still have treats, yes. Just eat nutritious food most of the time. It's really important if you are going to eat low calorie. You really shouldn't plan to spend an entire day eating them, though. Maybe once a month. Call that your wild day.
But first, let's figure out if you can't maybe eat more.
I am 5'1 so I'm short too
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1200 should be fine for you given your size and limited mobility. It might even need to be less depending on your BMR. The best indicators will be your energy and hunger levels and, of course, whether or not you're losing weight.mamapeach910 wrote: »Okay, how tall are you, though? That deficit might still be too low.
And you can still have ice cream, but maybe not such a big bowl. I eat 1200 calories because I'm old and very short. I eat ice cream almost every day. A small portion, but it's enough. The rest of the day, I eat nutritious food.
So, to answer your question, you can still have treats, yes. Just eat nutritious food most of the time. It's really important if you are going to eat low calorie. You really shouldn't plan to spend an entire day eating them, though. Maybe once a month. Call that your wild day.
But first, let's figure out if you can't maybe eat more.
I am 5'1 so I'm short too
To answer your main question, what you eat and what time of day you eat it doesn't have as much bearing on weight loss as how much you're eating; how many calories. What can be impacted, however, is your nutrition and hunger levels. While you can certainly lose weight on a 1200 calorie diet of Twinkies and Coca Cola, you'd not be a nice person to be around and you'd start to suffer health problems from a lack of vital nutrients. So try to make sure you're getting enough good food to balance out the nutritionally void foods. Space your food out however you like. I prefer 5 smaller meals to 3 bigger ones, myself. I always save calories for an after dinner snack.0 -
I'm 5'1.5" and eat around 1200 a day (I'm 56 and my BMR is 1136 calories so 1200 would be too much if I were sedentary). I do exercise, so on those days, I might eat 1400-1500 a day, and that gives me room for treats or a beer or glass of wine. I have to admit that I would feel terrible physically if I just ate junk. It's almost impossible to get all your macros and nutrients at 1200 calories a day. I have to be very careful to eat nutrient dense foods or I won't get the nutrition I need. But I've also found that eating nutrient dense foods leave me fuller. Still, I'm often below on my protein macros even when I eat healthy because I just don't have that many calories to eat.
An occasional treat is OK, but if you are choosing to spend a couple of days a week consuming coke and snacks, but sticking to 1200, you might lose weight, but you'll also end up malnourished. To be on the safe side, I'd take a multivitamin every day if you're at 1200. That 250 calorie coke could be replacing that many calories of protein, vegetables, or healthy grains. For instance, today, I ate two cookies at a bake sale (not a good choice) about 200 calories. Tonight I'll probably have a protein and vegetables, but no starch so I won't go over, and I basically can't afford any more "treats" for the day. Another option is to do some upper body weight training with hand weights since you aren't completely ambulatory. A half hour of weight training would burn about 100 calories a day. Even elderly people in wheel chairs at nursing homes do exercises with hand weights. You could also do pilates and sitting or reclining yoga positions if standing is an issue.0 -
HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »It's not when or how often one eats but what one eats. If a pile of green beans is eaten as a snack instead of a side dish, it is still a pile of green beans. If one replaces the side dish of beans with a snack of crackers -- well, therein lies the problem.
Why is that a problem?
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My calorie limit is also 1200 because I am older and have a sedentary lifestyle. But I know that I will snack and I enjoy snacking, so I eat a 250 calorie breakfast (with an egg and bread as a base). Then I eat small snacks -- like cheese sticks, V-8 juice, or pretzels -- throughout the day at work, waiting until I am actually hungry to eat each snack. I eat a whole bag of frozen vegs (4 servings) plus 3oz of some meat for dinner. Then I have enough calories for one or two nice snacks (usually peanut butter cups) in the evening. It is balanced, healthy and sustainable and I have lost 16 pounds since November (4 more to go). Snacks are not bad -- you just have to make room for them in your calorie count. Good luck with your journey.0
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I know that eating sugar and carbs makes you want to eat more sugar and carbs. I know the health benefits of eating healthy foods. I also know that I will snack throughout the day no matter what I do. So, my question is. If I eat 1200 calories a day of just ok foods (some healthy, some not, like a can of coke, or some cheese its) basically, just snack here and there all day and then have a desert dinner. Maybe a piece of chicken, a veggie and a small portion of Mac and cheese. I know, this sounds like a rediculouse diet, but if I only eat small amounts and stay at 1200 calories, I should lose weight right?
I keep finding myself trying to eat three healthy meals a day and then I still end up snacking on junk too. So then I have gone way over my calories. If I just get rid of the three meals a day and snack all day I might do better.
Has anyone done this before? I know it sounds rediculouse, but I'm willing to try anything once
Do you bring your snacks with you to work, or are they readily available (vending machine, etc.) at work? You might try bringing your own healthy snacks - make sure they are high in protein and good fats. Those keep you satiated.
veggies with hummus, organic cheese stick, nut butter, nuts, etc. are good snacks. And if you crave the fiz of the soda, try a sparkling water with smashed up fruit.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Okay, how tall are you, though? That deficit might still be too low.
And you can still have ice cream, but maybe not such a big bowl. I eat 1200 calories because I'm old and very short. I eat ice cream almost every day. A small portion, but it's enough. The rest of the day, I eat nutritious food.
So, to answer your question, you can still have treats, yes. Just eat nutritious food most of the time. It's really important if you are going to eat low calorie. You really shouldn't plan to spend an entire day eating them, though. Maybe once a month. Call that your wild day.
But first, let's figure out if you can't maybe eat more.
I am 5'1 so I'm short too
Okay, thanks for answering. Then 1200 is probably about right for you.
If you like to snack, it's okay to graze... plan out for 3 meals and two snacks. The question is if you're snacking because you're hungry and not getting enough nutrition or if you're snacking because you like to eat frequently.
For hunger and satiety on limited calories, it's important to eat nutrient-dense foods most of the time. It also helps to pay attention to the macro distribution of the food you're eating. You can play around with this to see what suits you best. I feel best eating a lot of protein (30% of my calories), a decent amount of fat (30%) and the rest carbs. I still save room in my day for a little treat. I look forward to it all day.
If you snack because you just like to eat frequently, there are a lot of snacks that are full of nutrition. Hard boiled eggs, veggies and hummus, fruit and peanut butter, cheese sticks, cottage cheese.
It might be helpful for you to pre-plan your day so that you can budget your calories. Plan your meals and snacks with an eye for nutrition so that you know ahead of time what you're going to eat and aren't just grabbing the nearest thing when the urge strikes. You can also prep things ahead of time and put them in the fridge for later.
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I forgot to mention that I am allergic to almost all fruits so they are not in my food plan. If they were, I would substitute them as some of my snacks. I also take a multi-vitamin to cover my bases nutritionally.0
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I know that eating sugar and carbs makes you want to eat more sugar and carbs. I know the health benefits of eating healthy foods. I also know that I will snack throughout the day no matter what I do. So, my question is. If I eat 1200 calories a day of just ok foods (some healthy, some not, like a can of coke, or some cheese its) basically, just snack here and there all day and then have a desert dinner. Maybe a piece of chicken, a veggie and a small portion of Mac and cheese. I know, this sounds like a rediculouse diet, but if I only eat small amounts and stay at 1200 calories, I should lose weight right? I keep finding myself trying to eat three healthy meals a day and then I still end up snacking on junk too. So then I have gone way over my calories. If I just get rid of the three meals a day and snack all day I might do better.
Has anyone done this before? I know it sounds rediculouse, but I'm willing to try anything once
My approach was exactly the opposite, but based on the same reality.
I knew if I was going to go with a low daily calorie target that 90% of my intake HAD to provide solid nutrition (fiber, vitamins, minerals etc) and that is what I focused on. I always pre-planned a few calories for snacking at night.
IMHO – for long term success – you must change your eating habits permanently. It is about a new lifestyle – not about a crash diet. I do not eat anything like I did in the past and I don’t miss most of the bad stuff.
I have to agree 1000% with the post by mamapeach910.
Short story at this community link:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10080664/lost-191-lbs-photos-success-after-999-failures/p1
Sample foods I ate – (but I would eat more at other meals)
HOWEVER – I had roughly 200 pounds to lose and likely would have approached things a little different, if I was attempting to lose less than 50 lbs.
Here are a few of the snacks I ate and still eat (besides basic fruits etc) – but it was in limited amounts...
Edy's - Outshine Fruit Bars No Sugar, 1 bar (43g) 25 calories;
Emerald 100 Cal Almonds - Natural Almonds 100 Calorie Pack, 17.5 g pack;
Kellogg Special K - Cracker Chips (Sea Salt), 1 Bag 25g (90 calories);
Weight Watchers - Peanut Butter Brownie Bliss, 1 brownie 21g (90 calories);
Jolly Time - Healthy Pop Butter Popcorn 100 Calorie Pack;
Special K - Heavenly Caramel Brownie, 20 g (1 brownie) (80 calories);
Dole - Pineapple Tidbits - No Sugar Added 1 container (113g) 35 calories;
Sunsweet Gold Label - Pitted Prunes, 5 prunes (40 g) (100 calories);
Fiber One - Caramel Sea Salt Bar, 1 Bar (90 calories);
Dannon - Light & Fit Carb & Sugar Control Vanilla Cream Yogurt, 4 oz. (45 calories);
GOOD LUCK
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NikonPal, you are just amazing. Your food pictures are so wonderful!0
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I'm 5:2, at a 1200 kcal regime, and doing just that: a semi-healthy diet. My first goal is to lose weight, so I guess it 's ok this way. Ultimately, I want to ease into a more healthy lifestyle, but all at once, is setting myself up for a failure again, I think. I've only been back for one week....
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Thank you all for your suggestions and answers to my question. Congrats to those who have lost already and good luck to everyone!0
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mamapeach910 wrote: »NikonPal, you are just amazing. Your food pictures are so wonderful!
Thanks - mamapeach910 - must say I always find your posts of interest and make a lot of sense. 0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »NikonPal, you are just amazing. Your food pictures are so wonderful!
Thanks - mamapeach910 - must say I always find your posts of interest and make a lot of sense.
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