1200 is really difficult

For exercise, look into programs like Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting For Women as a few examples. Strength training is great for your overall health and fitness and you can do it with just 3 days a week. Even eating at a deficit it helps your body to hit the best ratio fat loss to lean muscle loss in the process. Get some good walking or elliptical in for some cardio and your body will thank you.

clperrault89 wrote: »

chrisf1903 wrote: »

I try to do less than 1200 on weekdays / days I don't gym... While it is a bit tough esply if there work dinners / drinks on those days, I've found 2 things that helped immensely with sticking to this goal - 1) intermittant fasting ie. start the day with coffee and skip breakfast- have 1st meal (lunch) a bit early to avoid biting off someone's head at work and 2) home cooked food - makes it easier to shave off a lot off calories from each meal (less oil, less carbs, more veggies) and still eat filling meals... Hope this helps...

Skipping a meal is never a good idea. Especially if you are saying that you still feel hungry from the meals you are having now. Skipping breakfast can lead to excessing snacking or overeating at lunch. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/08/27/should-you-or-shouldnt-you-skip-breakfast

Skipping a meal is fine. Meal timing is irrelevant for weight loss. Some people aren't hungry in the morning or practice 16:8 intermittent fasting.

maidentl wrote: »

clperrault89 wrote: »

chrisf1903 wrote: »

I try to do less than 1200 on weekdays / days I don't gym... While it is a bit tough esply if there work dinners / drinks on those days, I've found 2 things that helped immensely with sticking to this goal - 1) intermittant fasting ie. start the day with coffee and skip breakfast- have 1st meal (lunch) a bit early to avoid biting off someone's head at work and 2) home cooked food - makes it easier to shave off a lot off calories from each meal (less oil, less carbs, more veggies) and still eat filling meals... Hope this helps...

Skipping a meal is never a good idea. Especially if you are saying that you still feel hungry from the meals you are having now. Skipping breakfast can lead to excessing snacking or overeating at lunch. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/08/27/should-you-or-shouldnt-you-skip-breakfast

Skipping a meal is fine. Meal timing is irrelevant for weight loss. Some people aren't hungry in the morning or practice 16:8 intermittent fasting.

Meal timing and Intermittent Fasting don't SKIP meals though. That person said SKIP breakfast.

maidentl wrote: »

clperrault89 wrote: »

Meal timing and Intermittent Fasting don't SKIP meals though. That person said SKIP breakfast.

It still doesn't matter. You don't have to eat breakfast. It's personal preference. I skip it all the time too unless I happen to be hungry that day.

I'm sorry I don't mean to "argue" but if OP is having problems feeling fulfilled by her meals, skipping them doesn't seem like the smartest way to go here. That is not going to help her snacking during the day or over eating at lunch (or the junk food she has access to at work during lunch).

Starlight I feel for you. I did 1200 calories for about 3 months with all the self control you can possibly imagine. Mind I'm 5'8" and at that point in time weighed 185. Although I lost weight extra fast at first, I plateaued... FOR 3 MONTHS. I exercised and did everything you can name, drank more water and beat myself up about it.
I now am working on eating more to weigh less. It sounds kind of weird but think about it this way. What is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure to maintain your goal weight? I guarantee you it is not 1200 calories. It's likely at least 1650 or higher. Let's say you starve yourself and eat 1200 calories and get to your goal weight, your body will still think you can only eat 1200 calories, so when you go to maintain you have to up your calorie intake to 400 or more, what do you think your body will do with that?
I'm not telling you to pig out, what I would try in your case is move to 100 to 200 calories below what it takes for you to maintain your weight right now. Give yourself 4 weeks of that, and then take another 100 to 200 calories out of your day the next month, and so on until you get to your goal weight maintenance total daily energy expenditure.

Our journey is a marathon not a sprint.You will find with that with that many calories you won't be nearly as stressed out (I had a lot of hanger symptoms before), you can actually eat with your friends (oh yes, this is wonderful!) and you might even have the energy to exercise ( I took up rock climbing,kettle bells and running). Just make sure its more meat and veggies than anything else!

I hope this helps.

Why not add a 1 hour walk every morning on empty stomach while listening to something useful on your phone? If you do it every day (regardless of the weather or if you had a party last night!), there's your 1.5 lb a week without any dieting. Add a mild 300 calorie deficit on top of that and tada! 2lb / week loss, which is within healthy boundary. That 300 calorie deficit is a piece of cake to maintain if you just start eating more fruits and vegetables coz that's fiber it'll fill you up and will make it difficult to overeat..

minjungjkim wrote: »

It is really hard to start with only 1200 but I actually ate less than 1000 calories today and exercised for atleast an hour. it is my fourth day on my diet. I know this is harsh but I am actually doing fairly well and am happy about myself. Some foods you should consider to eat below 1200 calories are: celery (if youre not fond of it and only eat it with peanut butter try eating it with laughing cow's light swiss which is only 35 calories per wedge), almonds (dont eat too much! Try limiting to a handful or two a day), graprfruits, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, yams!, tofu!, chicken breast!!!
Idk if this is helping at all but I know what you're going through TT.TT

The minimum intake recommended for women is 1200. If you want to dip below that, suit yourself, but please don't encourage anyone else to do so.

MelRC117 wrote: »

minjungjkim wrote: »

It is really hard to start with only 1200 but I actually ate less than 1000 calories today and exercised for atleast an hour. it is my fourth day on my diet. I know this is harsh but I am actually doing fairly well and am happy about myself. Some foods you should consider to eat below 1200 calories are: celery (if youre not fond of it and only eat it with peanut butter try eating it with laughing cow's light swiss which is only 35 calories per wedge), almonds (dont eat too much! Try limiting to a handful or two a day), graprfruits, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, yams!, tofu!, chicken breast!!!
Idk if this is helping at all but I know what you're going through TT.TT

You worked out for an hour and only ate 1000 calories today? Yeah, please DO NOT encourage others to do that.

^^This. What are you netting?

I'm on 1200 & feel satisfied. I'm 44, 5'4" and am ~ 40 lbs over my goal of 145. My diet consists of lots of veggies and healthy fats & protein. Eggs w/veggies and low fat cheese holds me over until lunch, when I usually have some low fat Greek yogurt & a banana- dinner is a nice big fresh salad w/ low fat dressing (love newman's), an additional vegetable, and some fish or chicken. Sometimes I'm even under 1200! I do around 30 minutes of exercise daily & generally don't eat back the calories unless I'm hungry. I'd be hungry w/ shakes... need solid food!
Good luck finding your way to great health!!!