1200 calories

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graceolveda
graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
edited April 2015 in Introduce Yourself
I don't know if Ill stay on the 1200 calorie goal because I love food so much haha! I'm doing pretty good with working out almost every day so maybe it'll be better for me to eat more calories anyways! I'm still going to try it though so if anybody has any good tips or recipes it would be awesome if you could share
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  • Jani22
    Jani22 Posts: 17
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    I'm on 1200 calories a day and work out or swim nearly every day. Don't be tempted to eat back the calories you burn off. You need fuel for exercise but eating the whole lot back is self-defeating.

    I make my own vegetable soups which are good fillers. I use fresh veg, simmered in clear veg stock, blended and seived then thickened with chopped tomatoes and/or fat-free plain yoghurt. I add lots of flavour with herbs, spices, chillies, garlic and ginger and add some chunky steamed veg to make it more of a meal than a thick drink.
  • soniaasaini
    soniaasaini Posts: 2 Member
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    hi i got 1200 Calories goal which is tough to achieve coz indian food is as u know loaded with fats carbs or lets say calories.but i will try to maintain .
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
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    I would suggest starting here for better information.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • cleaver1
    cleaver1 Posts: 37 Member
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    I disagree with the above post. It is ok to eat back some/all the calories you burn off if your goal is as low as 1200. It's just about eating them back in the right way. If you create a deficit at the end of the week then you will still lose weight. A 500 calorie deficit per day will mean a 3500 calorie deficit at the end of the week which mean 1lb of weight loss. You don't want to make the diet unhealthy by restricting your calories too much.
  • Jani22
    Jani22 Posts: 17
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    I left the crucial word "all" out of my first sentence. If you burn, say 500 calories off, then by all means eat back 300 or so of them, but I would still try not to eat the whole lot back.
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
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    Jani22 wrote: »
    I left the crucial word "all" out of my first sentence. If you burn, say 500 calories off, then by all means eat back 300 or so of them, but I would still try not to eat the whole lot back.

    Being that OP is fairly young, I would say the idea is to lose while eating as much as allowed. The body is adaptable and will adjust to function on however little one gives it. It makes more sense to me to start high (say... just under maintenance) and then lower the kcal goal as needed versus starting at the bottom to begin with.

  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
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    1200 calories isn't all that hard to achieve. Although you really need some rest days too. Your mileage will vary of course due to weight, age, height etc. A 6 or 7 mile run would be approximately 1200 calories for me. At 12 miles a minute you would be at just over an hour of running, being 18 this really should be an easy run. Good luck in your workout routine!!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Your goal isn't 1200 calories, it's 1200 + exercise calories.

    You may have selected a too aggressive rate of weight loss with only 14lbs to lose. Rapid weight loss isn't always good weight loss - there's a danger of losing lean mass as well as the fat you really want to lose.

    When you get to goal weight you will have to factor in your exercise so IMO you should be doing it now while you are losing weight.
  • cleaver1
    cleaver1 Posts: 37 Member
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    Jani22 wrote: »
    I left the crucial word "all" out of my first sentence. If you burn, say 500 calories off, then by all means eat back 300 or so of them, but I would still try not to eat the whole lot back.

    Fair enough. That makes a little more sense to me now then haha. I think it all depends on what sort of calorie expenditure has taken place throughout the day. If 600 calories gets burned from training then eating anything up to say 1800 is probably going to be ok for that day. As long as it is the right foods of course
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited April 2015
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    cleaver1 wrote: »
    I disagree with the above post. It is ok to eat back some/all the calories you burn off if your goal is as low as 1200. It's just about eating them back in the right way. If you create a deficit at the end of the week then you will still lose weight. A 500 calorie deficit per day will mean a 3500 calorie deficit at the end of the week which mean 1lb of weight loss. You don't want to make the diet unhealthy by restricting your calories too much.
    I totally agree with this^^.
    When i was on 1200 cals a day, i did 300 cals worth of Cardio and ate 1500 cals a day (eating back ALL my exercise cals) and still lost 1 lb. (and i'm OLD! Lol ;) ).
    1500 cals was still too low for me, so i changed my weightloss to 0.5 lb per week. So with exercise included, i can eat around 1600-1740 cals a day.
  • graceolveda
    graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    Your goal isn't 1200 calories, it's 1200 + exercise calories.

    You may have selected a too aggressive rate of weight loss with only 14lbs to lose. Rapid weight loss isn't always good weight loss - there's a danger of losing lean mass as well as the fat you really want to lose.

    When you get to goal weight you will have to factor in your exercise so IMO you should be doing it now while you are losing weight.
    so what do you suggest is a good calorie intake for me to have?

  • graceolveda
    graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
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    Of_Monsters_and_Meat wrote: »
    1200 calories isn't all that hard to achieve. Although you really need some rest days too. Your mileage will vary of course due to weight, age, height etc. A 6 or 7 mile run would be approximately 1200 calories for me. At 12 miles a minute you would be at just over an hour of running, being 18 this really should be an easy run. Good luck in your workout routine!!
    I rest about 3 days and thank you!

  • artlover47
    artlover47 Posts: 76 Member
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    My calorie goal is also 1200, and for me it often works better to eat 4 small meals of around 250-300 calories throughout the day than to eat small snacks because they don't fill me up or keep me satisfied. If you are getting hungry between meals, you could try doing 4 small meals. This also can help get you away from the mentality that snacks have to be certain types of "snack" foods. You can eat whatever sounds good to you at the time, whether it is a turkey sandwich at breakfast or an omelet for dinner. Mixing up what you eat during the day helps keep you from getting bored. I also try to eat 25 different fruits and veggies during the week to make sure I get a variety of nutrients, and it is fun to try to meet that benchmark. It makes eating more interesting. Plus, you get all the different tastes and textures as well. Of course, eating raw foods like melons, berries, carrots, cauliflower, etc. are a lot of volume for the calories and are great for your body. The ones that take longer to chew make you eat slower and you'll feel like you've had more calories than you did. Good luck!
  • graceolveda
    graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
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    Jani22 wrote: »
    I left the crucial word "all" out of my first sentence. If you burn, say 500 calories off, then by all means eat back 300 or so of them, but I would still try not to eat the whole lot back.
    yeah maybe I should start off at a higher calorie intake? I wasn't sure that's why I wanted to post this and ask but thank you!
  • graceolveda
    graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
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    cleaver1 wrote: »
    I disagree with the above post. It is ok to eat back some/all the calories you burn off if your goal is as low as 1200. It's just about eating them back in the right way. If you create a deficit at the end of the week then you will still lose weight. A 500 calorie deficit per day will mean a 3500 calorie deficit at the end of the week which mean 1lb of weight loss. You don't want to make the diet unhealthy by restricting your calories too much.
    yeah I in now way want to restrict myself I was just unsure of what calorie intake I should start off at sense I do work out but thank you :)

  • graceolveda
    graceolveda Posts: 7 Member
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    soniaasaini wrote: »
    hi i got 1200 Calories goal which is tough to achieve coz indian food is as u know loaded with fats carbs or lets say calories.but i will try to maintain .
    good luck to you! :)
    Jani22 wrote: »
    I'm on 1200 calories a day and work out or swim nearly every day. Don't be tempted to eat back the calories you burn off. You need fuel for exercise but eating the whole lot back is self-defeating.

    I make my own vegetable soups which are good fillers. I use fresh veg, simmered in clear veg stock, blended and seived then thickened with chopped tomatoes and/or fat-free plain yoghurt. I add lots of flavour with herbs, spices, chillies, garlic and ginger and add some chunky steamed veg to make it more of a meal than a thick drink.
    thank you for the tips I'll be sure to regain energy when I work out and thank you for the food tips as well sounds amazing!

  • Thefuturelooksbright
    Thefuturelooksbright Posts: 1 Member
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    My mom and I are on 1200! I like to eat Breakfast (wake up huuungry!!) but I LOVE to snack at night.
    My mom suggested I still eat breakfast but just a smaller one to hold me over until lunch,
    that way I can save some calories for later and still have a good snack after dinner! Oh and drinking a ton of water has helped too :)
  • cleaver1
    cleaver1 Posts: 37 Member
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    graceolveda wrote: »
    cleaver1 wrote: »
    I disagree with the above post. It is ok to eat back some/all the calories you burn off if your goal is as low as 1200. It's just about eating them back in the right way. If you create a deficit at the end of the week then you will still lose weight. A 500 calorie deficit per day will mean a 3500 calorie deficit at the end of the week which mean 1lb of weight loss. You don't want to make the diet unhealthy by restricting your calories too much.
    yeah I in now way want to restrict myself I was just unsure of what calorie intake I should start off at sense I do work out but thank you :)

    Ah ok I'm with you. In which case I'd suggest working out your BMR and start with that. Then anything you burn from working out is extra calories
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    graceolveda wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Your goal isn't 1200 calories, it's 1200 + exercise calories.

    You may have selected a too aggressive rate of weight loss with only 14lbs to lose. Rapid weight loss isn't always good weight loss - there's a danger of losing lean mass as well as the fat you really want to lose.

    When you get to goal weight you will have to factor in your exercise so IMO you should be doing it now while you are losing weight.
    so what do you suggest is a good calorie intake for me to have?

    Would suggest changing your weight loss goal to 1lb a week and eating back your exercise calories.
    Do that for a few weeks and then adjust based on your actual results if those results are not in line with expectations.

    Remember that exercise isn't for weight loss - it's for fitness and health. Also has the benefit that you get to lose weight while eating more nice food.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I lost weight eating back nearly all exercise calories and I'm waaaay old! I am now on 1800 a day maintenance, and eat back all my exercise caloies. Some weeks I'm a bit naughty >:) , other weeks I'm super-good o:) , as long as my slim clothes still fit I'm OK. As others have said, as long as you have a calorie deficit over the week you WILL lose weight. And if you lose it by making good choices and exercising, you can eat plenty and not dive into the biscuit barrel as soon as you reach your goal!

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