1200 not enough cal?

I had the same qestion. Im on 1200cal and im not hungry at all but as i can see i should be on 1500cal.

I've lost 30lbs in 6 months while eating 1300-1800cal every day. (I look at my weekly calorie deficit) My maintenance calories are less than yours probably, at only 1900cal. So you can definitely eat more than 1200cal! I only go down to 1200cal like once or twice a month or something. Otherwise I always eat over 1300 at least.

Iwilldothis4myself wrote: »

So I weigh 215 pounds and I am 5'6. I set my cal to lose 2 pounds a week. It gave me 1200 cal a day. I lost 4 pounds week one. I am happy. I am drinking lots of water and don't feel hungry like I thought I would. A coworker is giving me a hard time saying that 1200 call is not enough and that I'm starving my body. Is that true? What is your opinion and/or experience?

Okay, first of all, don't listen to your co-worker. One of the biggest mistakes we make in our weight loss journeys is listening to random people. I am doing very well on 1200/day and do not feel deprived. I am eating mostly lean protein, LOTS of veggies (which fill me up), some fruit and a little cheese. And wine EVERY night. Play around with what you eat and when - 1200 is fine.

For the record, I am on Day 23 and down 11 lbs.

Shana67 wrote: »

One of the biggest mistakes we make in our weight loss journeys is listening to random people

I agree.

Shana67 wrote: »

I am doing very well on 1200/day and do not feel deprived. I am eating mostly lean protein, LOTS of veggies (which fill me up), some fruit and a little cheese. And wine EVERY night. Play around with what you eat and when - 1200 is fine. For the record, I am on Day 23 and down 11 lbs. [/b]

Neither desirable, sustainable, or appropriate goals for most.

Sarah4fitness wrote: »

OP, if you eat 1200 calories when you're starting to lose weight, you will have no where to go when your weight loss stalls and you need to reduce calories to keep progressing down the scale. Additionally, should you drop weight at that extreme speed, you may find you'll be left with a lot of excess loose skin, as opposed to losing more slowly and looking great naked when you're done by incorporating weightlifting into your routine in addition to a much milder caloric deficit.

And good advice has been given.

reasonable caloric deficit can be defined as 10% to 20% of your TDEE, maybe up to 25% while your fat levels are similar to those found in people who are obese.

Please don't give this advice. It's ignorant and it's not healthy for someone OVER 200lbs. Thanks.


OP, if you eat 1200 calories when you're starting to lose weight, you will have no where to go when your weight loss stalls and you need to reduce calories to keep progressing down the scale. Additionally, should you drop weight at that extreme speed, you may find you'll be left with a lot of excess loose skin, as opposed to losing more slowly and looking great naked when you're done by incorporating weightlifting into your routine in addition to a much milder caloric deficit.[/quote]

^ all of this.

I think it depends on if you work out or not. If you have 1200 calories a day then burn say 500 exercising then no it's not enough for you. I usually eat less then 1200 but I'm on medication to help curb my appetite.

This is my second time using myfitnesspal, first time I stuck to 1200 cals a day, sometimes more like 800 net cals and I did lose weight but I also drove my b12 and iron levels into the ground. My hair was falling out as well. I got so obsessed with not eating much and over doing it with cardio. Then I had a rebel phase where I stopped logging and gained some back, that brings us to now.

I am 5'3 and 214 lbs, I have mine set to 1.5lbs lost a week which gives me 1400 cals with my workouts I eat anywhere from 1400-2000 or more cals and I'm still losing and I dont feel like death!

Weight loss isn't a race, theres no need to eat so few calories, I feel.

Sarah4fitness wrote: »

Shana67 wrote: »

Iwilldothis4myself wrote: »

So I weigh 215 pounds and I am 5'6. I set my cal to lose 2 pounds a week. It gave me 1200 cal a day. I lost 4 pounds week one. I am happy. I am drinking lots of water and don't feel hungry like I thought I would. A coworker is giving me a hard time saying that 1200 call is not enough and that I'm starving my body. Is that true? What is your opinion and/or experience?

Okay, first of all, don't listen to your co-worker. One of the biggest mistakes we make in our weight loss journeys is listening to random people. I am doing very well on 1200/day and do not feel deprived. I am eating mostly lean protein, LOTS of veggies (which fill me up), some fruit and a little cheese. And wine EVERY night. Play around with what you eat and when - 1200 is fine.

For the record, I am on Day 23 and down 11 lbs.

Please don't give this advice. It's ignorant and it's not healthy for someone OVER 200lbs. Thanks.


OP, if you eat 1200 calories when you're starting to lose weight, you will have no where to go when your weight loss stalls and you need to reduce calories to keep progressing down the scale. Additionally, should you drop weight at that extreme speed, you may find you'll be left with a lot of excess loose skin, as opposed to losing more slowly and looking great naked when you're done by incorporating weightlifting into your routine in addition to a much milder caloric deficit.

To be fair the chance of weightloss stalling is close to nil given ops height unless she goes underweight, but I believe eating at a higher calorie amounts that goes down with her weight would be better and healthier. It will also help you stay with it mentally OP.

I did 1200 calories to lose the first 25 lbs of my 61 total goal. I was in the obese BMI during that, and did not find it particularly uncomfortable. But almost immediately after entering "overweight" category, it became unsustainable because...

1. My logging got better. I got better at it, I bought a food scale, so I was FOR REAL getting 1200, when I was probably going over before.
2. I moved more. As you lose weight, your calorie allowances decrease and you have to move a lot if you want to eat more. 1200 simply isn't good enough if you're doing an exercise regimen, even if you log and eat back those calories. I was logging 700cal/day at the 1200 level and missing out on food I could have had because I work out at night and by then I don't feel like eating those back. Not healthy.
3. I no longer have the fat stores I did when I started this. When I was in the obese category, my body had plenty of reserve energy to make up for a large deficit and continue to make me feel good even without as much food. Now, I still have too much body fat, but it's just not being burned quick enough, nor is there enough to maintain that feeling of general well being at such a drastic deficit.

I have frequently preached on here about the virtues of a 1200 calorie goal. It really is good in some situations for some people, but it's the minority. The vast VAST majority of people, and I'm definitely including you in this OP, do not need to do 1200, and probably shouldn't. And don't take my talking about BMI obese to mean you should do 1200, because someone who's in the very highest BMI would go into shock doing 1200 probably. They need more calories than did 176lb me just to survive.