How long can you stay on a 1200-1400 calorie diet?

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  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    I'll just chime in... I'll probably be on the title range of calories for life. My goal weight TDEE is quite low thanks to my age and height. Continued exercise to earn more calories to eat is part of my long-range planning for maintenance for sure! (Well, I plan on exercising for other reasons of course, but that's good motivation too.)
  • ngagne
    ngagne Posts: 60 Member
    Personally, I think that's too low. At first I tried eating that few calories & saw minimal to no results.
    It shouldn't just be a diet, it should be a lifestyle change otherwise when the diet is done you could very well just end up back where you started.
    I've since up'ed by intake to 1600(+) calories with 1 "cheat" day (where I'll basically just go above that to enjoy some beers & bar food, sadly like to 2200) & have been steadily losing 1lb/week. I'm 5'4-5'5 & about 5 pounds from goal weight & working out 5-6 days per week for about an 1 hour.
    I'd do something that maybe doesn't see drastic results, but something that gives you all the energy you need, and something that will be maintainable once you reach your goal.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited April 2015
    ngagne wrote: »
    Personally, I think that's too low. At first I tried eating that few calories & saw minimal to no results.
    It shouldn't just be a diet, it should be a lifestyle change otherwise when the diet is done you could very well just end up back where you started.
    I've since up'ed by intake to 1600(+) calories with 1 "cheat" day (where I'll basically just go above that to enjoy some beers & bar food, sadly like to 2200) & have been steadily losing 1lb/week. I'm 5'4-5'5 & about 5 pounds from goal weight & working out 5-6 days per week for about an 1 hour.
    I'd do something that maybe doesn't see drastic results, but something that gives you all the energy you need, and something that will be maintainable once you reach your goal.

    I don’t know, losing 1lb/week is a drastic result to me. I have no idea how you do it, I’m 5’4” and lose just under 1lb/week at 1300 with no cheat days and five 30 minute workouts a week… I guess the extra workouts really help.
  • fellowtraveler87
    fellowtraveler87 Posts: 41 Member
    edited April 2015
    I've just hit 3 months in that range with maybe a handful of exceptions (which were due to planned cheat meals). I'm down 32 pounds. I don't plan on keeping it up for too much longer - not because it is unsustainable, but because I'm getting close to the look / bodyfat range I was seeking and will be trying to gain muscle.

    You get used to making it on less and after the first week or two I didn't think it was that hard. I always drink a lot of water and especially with meals. I think your body just adapts to less calories. I don't mindlessly eat and I also don't feel deprived or starving all the time. I'm not sure how accurate the theory of stomach shrinking and stretching is, but I can say with absolute certainty I felt physically sick and overstuffed the few times I ate amounts that used to be considered "normal" before I started restricting calories.
  • _Pastafarian_
    _Pastafarian_ Posts: 25 Member
    Meh, I'm 47, 5'9", female and have recently dropped my calorie limit to 1200-1300. I've been on here since 2012, started off on about 1700-1800 cals and lost 30kg in two years. Stopped losing last year and had a bit of a meltdown, stopped logging and put back on some of what I'd lost.

    I do spin, some Les Mills strength classes and try to run once or twice a week. I do get hungry but try to fill up on protein/fibrous food. So far, so good it's been working. My preference isn't to eat this few calories but with 30kg still to lose, any more and I don't lose weight. Oddly, I find it easier to manage a lower calorie target than a higher one - I get a bit sloppier and not as accurate with logging, no idea why.

    Been an interesting discussion, thanks.
  • StarlightAria
    StarlightAria Posts: 81 Member
    I've started to eat 1580, which is 1.5 lbs a week for me loss. I cannot do 1200, I feel starved allll the time. I eat low calorie breakfast and lunch, and save about 1000 calories for my dinner bc that's where I get into trouble. It's working so far. Lost about three pounds in 2 weeks which is about right, even with my own blip over Easter.
  • hhnkhl
    hhnkhl Posts: 231 Member
    not that hard, if you have a purpose for the results...
    motivation and will will keep you on the right track
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