I just can't do 1200 calories

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I suggest increasing the number of calories you are eating and expect change to come slower but it will FEEL faster and be more sustainable. You will feel less tired if you are fueling your body better. I suggest making sure you are eating enough protein and fats. I suggest exercising on your lunchbreak. I suggest making exercise FUN. Perhaps rest on your trip to work if you take public transport.

Your diet is only going to work if you cna sustain it plus you work out how to be at deficit. An overly aggressive diet will often result in failure or binging.

I can never do 1200 calories, either. The fatigue and misery are just not worth it.

I don't know what you do, but if you get a lunch break of any useful length, can you look into exercising then? Maybe there's a gym near your work you can hit up?

Otherwise, I would look into bodyweight exercises you can do at home. They might not burn very many calories, but you'd be surprised how much muscle you can build without weights, especially as a beginner.

Also, I know "get more sleep" is easier said than done, but it can really make a difference. I would really try to carve out the time for it.

Try LCHF diet

1200 shows up on myfitnesspal if you are around 150cm or 4'11 to 5'2ish and you want to lose 2 pounds or 1kg a week. It's not for everybody! It works for me because my BMR is about 1100 cals so that means 1200 is more than I need. I suggest working out your BMR and work out how much food you actually need to live. Then think about non exercise physical activity you are actually doing and how to increase that. Also as commenters above try high volume foods this makes a huge difference BUT most importantly changing habits for a lifetime takes simple small changes everyday. It's easy to say 1200 cals no worries however if you were like me and 40kgs or 90pounds overweight going from eating 6 large meals a day to 1200 is near impossible. I had to keep my diet the same and slowly reduce the calories each day or each week, then slowly incorporate high volume fibrous foods which filled me up for less calories. It's slow but even if it takes 6 months, the rest of your life will thank you for the 6 month slow change vs on and off for years causing more frustration.

From experience I would say don't go cold turkey on the eating. Meaning don't try to go straight from what you were eating to 1200. Maybe make it a more gradual process. Depending on what you do for your job maybe you can work in some exercise there by taking short walks, I sometimes go to the gym on my lunch breaks. Another option might be to buy some workout DVD's you can do at home. Get some that are 20-30mins and do them after the kids are in bed. Since it sounds like working out isn't always going to be easy for you focus on making healthy choices with food.

coolbluecris wrote: »

I just can't live on 1200 cals a day. I've tried and 1500 is the minimum I can reasonably do.

Considering I was a big over eater I'm actually doing better than ever.

But I'm not really losing either.

Exercise is the obvious solution. I work 12 hour days and I live 40 minutes from work. I also have small children I need to have time for. And rest. It's winter here and very cold outside. I live way too far into the country to go to a gym. I struggle to get enough sleep. How can I fix this life?

Any suggestions please my MFP friends?

Sincerely
Cristina

Change your weekly weight loss goals to a lower goal.

do you use a food scale for solids? logging everything accurately? I suspect no.

At 1500 calories depending on height etc you could be losing...I lose on 1800 gross a day...and I am your age and 5 ft 7 and weigh less.

AS for exercise...my husband works 12 hour days, drives longer and still finds time to workout.

You have internet...find fitnessblender.com.

I feel your pain! It's just so great that you're even doing what you're doing! 1200 calories can be simply too little for many to maintain. Healthy eating and exercise have to become a way of life- not just a temporary plan to lose some weight and then return to old habits.

Any type of walking is helpful. So maybe have your phone set to count steps with the MFP app. You can do steps around the house, with the kids- maybe do family time at the gym?, and at work (make sure to get up frequently during the day- this is very important both physically and mentally).

Hope this helps! I will start following you if that's ok? I'm always looking to connect with others to help with motivation.

Been there, done that with 1200 calories. It DOES suck. I modified my goals so I could have 1370 calories a day and what a difference even that makes. At 5'2", you probably are going to have to gradually reduce your food intake so that your goal weight is maintainable. But right now at a higher weight, you don't have to starve yourself to see weight loss. That's the good news. But to see results quicker, you've got to balance the lower intake with higher activity. You can always lose weight with diet restriction alone, but it's slower to see the losses and harder to maintain IMHO.

I have walked in your shoes. My babies are now 22, 26, and 27 but I remember being 40 and exhausted, working a sedentary job at home for at least 10 hours a day in front of a computer, and doing for everyone but myself. I survived on 5-6 hours sleep every day but the weekends. I lived in the country and a gym was 30 minutes away. I thought there was no solution so I just gave in and accepted that this was how life in my 40s was going to be and I had no control over the circumstances.

Now looking back, I see where I could have done so much better and here's what I'd do differently:

1. Every day, give yourself at least 1 hour of personal time. Cardio, weights, walking, meditation, food prep, etc. This is not negotiable. You deserve and must make this time for yourself. Even if it's 5:30 a.m. or 10:30 p.m. Or converting your work hour at lunch to a light 15 minute meal and 30 minutes of walking time.

2. If you are buying processed foods to save time in the kitchen, realize that you are paying the price when it comes to your family's health and calories. I'm not saying to be a "clean" eater (whatever that is but avoiding high-sodium foods with empty calories is a huge help to your mission. Gradually introduce healthier whole foods into your family's diet and they will benefit too.

3. Buy a food scale and weigh everything in grams. This is the ONLY way you will know the exact caloric value of your daily intake. This is your greatest tool next to personal motivation.

4. Log everything you eat. Everything...every day. This is your road map for success.

5. Find foods that work for your new lifestyle and keep them on hand. I always thought protein bars at $1.00 or more a piece were a luxury buy but now I see the role they play in keeping my weight off, maintaining satiety, and refueling the body after workouts. I now use Zone Perfect, Luna Bars and Robert Irvine Fit Crunch to fill those needs. I love crunchy red, orange and yellow peppers so I keep them chopped and ready to go for meals and snacks. Protein shakes made from scratch with my blender are a regular item in my diet, too. I hardly every buy bread but when I do, I purchase higher quality loaves such as Trader Joe's sprouted 7-grain bread. Two small slices are only 120 calories with 10g protein and 12% fiber. Best of all, it really fills you up vs. the white Wonder bread that I grew up on.

6. Invest in good walking or running shoes. I would buy cheap ones years ago thinking they looked and felt fine, so for $25 they should do the job. Wait for a sale on the better ones and then try them on with the help of a fitter who can find the right shoe for your needs. What a difference good support and cushioning make. You'll actually want to wear them and get moving.

7. Carry a beautiful, clear BPA-free water bottle or container with you everywhere. Water is your best friend. I'm all about aesthetics so having my Contigo tumbler with me in the car, on my desk or at the dinner table is a constant reminder to keep hydrated and it makes the water look more appealing

8. Make your family part of your activities on the weekends. Walking, hiking, riding bikes, playing at the school playground or park. Just go do things together and everyone benefits.

9. You can get exercise anywhere. Park further out at the grocery story parking lot. In the winter, I use large department stores for places to get extra steps in. And no 2.0 mph stroll. Move it or else you'll be buying everything in sight. I even walk in my apartment when the weather is bad. I did 3 miles a few days ago, so no excuses for not being able to walk living out in the country. Grab some dumbbells while you're walking and you can do some simple exercises with them, too, as you walk. Your bedroom or living room can become your space for stretching and strength-building floor exercises. Yoga takes very little space, too.

10. If you can afford it (or ask for it as a birthday, anniversary or Christmas gift) buy an activity tracker. I have a $47 Jawbone Up from Costco and it helps me from being too sedentary. A wonderful motivation tool.

11. Lastly, my favorite tip: no more sitting when you talk on the phone. If you walk throughout your house when you talk, you'll burn so many calories you never did before. And no strolling here, either. Make sure you're moving at a reasonable clip--so much so that you might feel slightly out of breath when you talk. I had a heavy day on the phone a few weeks ago with my clients (and a friend) and I walked 4.7 miles.

TrailBlazinMN wrote: »

I don't know anyone can survive on 1200 calories and actually be productive in life unless they are super duper short and skinny.

Super duper short reporting to duty. 4'11. Working on the skinny part!! I am close to goal, so MFP only gives me 1210 for...wait for it... 1/2 a lb loss each week! It SUCKS. So I am adamant about fitting in exercise every day to earn more food (closer to 1400ish calories).

I'm also a mom to young kids and I work. Here's what works for me (down 27 lbs):

- First, I accept that 1210 is too low and I MUST earn more calories on a daily basis. Period.
- I pre-log my meals the night before. So if last night I entered 1400 calories of food, now I know what it will take to earn it.
- I squeeze in a 20-25 minutes workout every morning and try to up the intensity
- More importantly, I walk, pace, and freaking march in place for a total of about 50+ minutes a day (for a total of about 70 minutes total exercise every day, when you include the morning workout. If for some reason I can't workout in the morning, then the walking/pacing/marching must total 70 minutes for the day).
- Why 70 minutes?? Is that the magic formula for weight loss? No. MFP tells me if I walk 2.5MPH for a minute, I earn roughly 3 calories. 70X3=210. This is what it takes for me to earn about 1400 calories to eat.
- Wait? Where did I get 2.5 MPH from? Is THAT the magic formula?? No. I timed myself on the treadmill to see how many steps I take in a minute. Now I know that marching in place for a minute is about the same as walking on a treadmill for a minute at 2.5 MPF. This is the standard I use to log all my "walking around" throughout the day.
- I walk/march/pace in the morning while getting my kids ready for school. While I'm cooking or washing dishes, packing lunches. While I'm waiting for something in the microwave. While I brush my teeth. While the shower is warming up. IN THE DAMN SHOWER (be careful please!). While I put on makeup and get dressed. I can seriously get 30 minutes worth of steps before I leave the house. I go to work and take a break once every hour and do another few minutes of walking. I walk some more during my lunch break. At home if I'm on the phone, I'm pacing. I am not sweating, it is not intense, but I am moving every chance I get. If my kids are playing outside, I am pacing. I do not sit down at home until I've earned all those calories.

We can't see your diary but, my suggestion is upping your protein intake.
You'll feel fuller longer and you may find you can cut out a few more cals that way.
Luck :flowerforyou:

If you're not really losing your only options are to eat less or exercise more. It is that simple. You choose what combination you prefer, but if you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting the same results...not really losing.

Lots of people are busy. Lots of people don't belong to a gym. Lots of people have kids. But many of them lose weight...IF it is a priority for them. So either exercise at home (millions of people do that) or eat less. If you want to be full on less calories, you may need to change what you are eating. You may need to focus more on filling foods like protein and fiber and give up some of the less filling high calorie foods that you just like. Or keep eating exactly what you are eating now, but eat less of it and deal with being hungry. Your call.

How about cleaning round the house, carrying boxes, maybe doin a few step ups on the stairs or going up and down stairs a few more times for exercise? Im surprised at how lot the max rec calorie intake for me is too.