When will 1200 calories satisfy me?

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shannon_daly3
shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I started MFP about a week ago and I am still so hungry everyday on the 1200 calories a day. I was wondering if eventually my body will just adjust and be satisfied with this amount of food? I don't know the exact amount of calories I was eating before but I know it was waaay more than 1200, probably something around 1800-2000. I am very active (cardio 3x a week (for 45min to an hour) and weight lifting 3x a week (45 min to an hour)).

Since I started the app I couldn't do more than walk a little everyday (no energy for more). I am 59.6 kg and would like to get rid of some body fat and get down to 57 kg.

Feel free to look at my diary or add me as a friend! Thank you :):)
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Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    How tall are you?

    1200 is probably not enough calories for you. You sound pretty active.

    How many calories does MFP tell you to eat if you set your goal to 0.5 or 1 lb per week loss?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    You most likely set your goal to lose at the most rapid pace option. That's not appropriate for people with less than 22 kg to lose. Try changing your goal to the slowest weight loss setting. You won't feel like you are starving and you'll make progress.
  • shannon_daly3
    shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
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    I am 5''8 (174 cm). For one 1lb a week it says 1220 calories a day (no exercice I guess?)...
  • shannon_daly3
    shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    You most likely set your goal to lose at the most rapid pace option. That's not appropriate for people with less than 22 kg to lose. Try changing your goal to the slowest weight loss setting. You won't feel like you are starving and you'll make progress.

    I didn't know that about the 22 kg. Thank you for the info!!
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    shannon_daly3 wrote: »
    I am 5''8 (174 cm). For one 1lb a week it says 1220 calories a day (no exercice I guess?)...

    Correct. When you exercise, log it and it at least 50% back. But it sounds like you should be at 0.5 lb per week, which would give you 1470 calories a day + any exercise cals burned. It will be slow, but it will help you maintain your muscle mass, cut fat, give you energy for your workouts and just in general feel better.
  • shannon_daly3
    shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
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    shadow2soul wrote: »
    shannon_daly3 wrote: »
    I am 5''8 (174 cm). For one 1lb a week it says 1220 calories a day (no exercice I guess?)...

    Correct. When you exercise, log it and it at least 50% back. But it sounds like you should be at 0.5 lb per week, which would give you 1470 calories a day + any exercise cals burned. It will be slow, but it will help you maintain your muscle mass, cut fat, give you energy for your workouts and just in general feel better.

    Thank you shadow2soul!! I will change it to 0.5 lb, anyways I am in no rush and I know this can't work out long-term!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    shannon_daly3 wrote: »
    I am 5''8 (174 cm). For one 1lb a week it says 1220 calories a day (no exercice I guess?)...

    Your current weight is at the low end of the BMI scale and your goal weight is at the bottom of the healthy range. I do see that you lift weights, but have you considered reducing cardio and lifting more? It would improve your body composition without necessarily reducing your body weight. The added bonus would be improving your overall calorie burn by adding muscle, so long term you'd get to eat more.
  • DeathByCheesecake116
    DeathByCheesecake116 Posts: 13 Member
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    Been there..done that..usually 1200 calories is for sedentary people. Which you seem to not be lol. Trust me, not eating enough will cause you most likely to gain it all back plus more in a few months. It's not a fun process, so learn the exact amount you need to eat now before it all catches up to you.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I did 1200 + half my exercise calories until I was out of the "obese" category. My doctor had me start at my regular intake, log everything, and then cut out 100 calories a week until I was down to 1200 base calories. I think if I had just suddenly slammed out my 1800-2000 calories down to 1200, I would have been gnawing someone's arm off.

    Logging everything before I started making any cuts made it really easy to see where empty calories needed to get out of my diet, things like real organic mayo on my sandwiches (100 calories per sammich?!?!?! Did I need that? Noooo...), butter on my oatmeal? A cookie in the afternoon? (I subbed an apple for cookie, don't miss cookie.). It was easy get down to 1500, then a few portion cuts took me to 1200. I also started walking further and faster so I could eat a little more.

    I'm at 1330 base calories+ half exercise and still losing approximately one pound a week. Tonight, we went out to dinner, and I automatically portioned my plate in half, ate half and boxed the rest, and didn't feel deprived at all.
  • Mistraal1981
    Mistraal1981 Posts: 453 Member
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    Feeling full on your calorie allotment will also depend on your food choices.

    Can I eat a 350 calorie donut for lunch? Absolutely! It fits my lunch calorie allowance. Will I be hungry again in about an hour? You can count on it like death and taxes!

    If I eat 150g chicken breast with 50g broccoli, 50g leeks, 50g mushrooms with a whole pack of Shirataki noodles and 30g garlic and herb Philadelphia all stir fried together in 5ml of oil this adds up to about 350 calories and there is no way I am hungry again before 5pm
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Too much cardio. Replace some with weight lifting. Also, cut carbs to cut hunger.
  • mojcakosi88
    mojcakosi88 Posts: 5 Member
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    As Mistraal suggested, it's very important what you eat. I'm currently on a 1200 kcal diet + strength training 4 times a week and I'm losing app. half a kilo a week. I follow a low-carb vegetarian diet and I have to say that 1200 kcal fits my needs perfectly although I do realize that once the muscles start to grow I will have to increase my daily calorie intake. Try to cut on the carbs and boost your fat and proteins which will give you the much needed feeling of being full after meals and prevent you from food cravings. I eat only three times per day and I don't feel energy deprived at all. I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks and I plan to go through with the set goals at least for three months. But then again I have much more weight to lose than you - my current weight at 163 cm is 63 kilos, started at 65, and still have 8 more to lose. Different goals require different tactics and what might work for some might not work for others. Good luck!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    OP I applaud your response to the advice in this thread

    I would also say that at your height, which I am too, your weight is very well and rather than cutting I would personally advice increasing your lifting and eating at maintenance to achieve a good body composition

    You could be eating 2200-2400 (or whatever your TDEE is) and seeing major figure gains by a good progressive resistance programme and an eye on protein

    Body frames and types and musculature differ as do desired body aesthetics so the fact that I am at goal weight at 160lbs and roughly 23% BF is probably irrelevant ..but it does make me pause when people are playing around at the lowest possible range of BMI and still not confident ...I find that strength, musculature and fitness goes part way to solving that

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    mojcakosi88 wrote: »
    As Mistraal suggested, it's very important what you eat. I'm currently on a 1200 kcal diet + strength training 4 times a week and I'm losing app. half a kilo a week. I follow a low-carb vegetarian diet and I have to say that 1200 kcal fits my needs perfectly although I do realize that once the muscles start to grow I will have to increase my daily calorie intake. Try to cut on the carbs and boost your fat and proteins which will give you the much needed feeling of being full after meals and prevent you from food cravings. I eat only three times per day and I don't feel energy deprived at all. I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks and I plan to go through with the set goals at least for three months. But then again I have much more weight to lose than you - my current weight at 163 cm is 63 kilos, started at 65, and still have 8 more to lose. Different goals require different tactics and what might work for some might not work for others. Good luck!

    Whilst low carb is a way of eating that you enjoy it is not a truism that only fats or protein are sating

    Many, me included, find that a good balance of carbs helps me feel full which going low carb never would achieve ..it is about finding what works for the individual

    Your height, weight and activity level also impact on levels of satiety ...the OP is very active and it is important she appropriately fuels her body ...for me carbs are an excellent source of fuel

    I would suggest with only 8 kilos to lose you also may benefit from slowing your weight loss by eating more
  • shannon_daly3
    shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
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    Thank you for all your advice everyone ! I upgraded my calories to lose only 0.25 kg a week (half a pound) and will start lifting more weights. I will also follow your advice of eating back 50 % of my exercice calories. Let's see how it goes but I am sure I will feel better and will have more energy !
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
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    mojcakosi88 wrote: »
    As Mistraal suggested, it's very important what you eat. I'm currently on a 1200 kcal diet + strength training 4 times a week and I'm losing app. half a kilo a week. I follow a low-carb vegetarian diet and I have to say that 1200 kcal fits my needs perfectly although I do realize that once the muscles start to grow I will have to increase my daily calorie intake. Try to cut on the carbs and boost your fat and proteins which will give you the much needed feeling of being full after meals and prevent you from food cravings. I eat only three times per day and I don't feel energy deprived at all. I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks and I plan to go through with the set goals at least for three months. But then again I have much more weight to lose than you - my current weight at 163 cm is 63 kilos, started at 65, and still have 8 more to lose. Different goals require different tactics and what might work for some might not work for others. Good luck!

    We have the same stats and goals!
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    mojcakosi88 wrote: »
    As Mistraal suggested, it's very important what you eat. I'm currently on a 1200 kcal diet + strength training 4 times a week and I'm losing app. half a kilo a week. I follow a low-carb vegetarian diet and I have to say that 1200 kcal fits my needs perfectly although I do realize that once the muscles start to grow I will have to increase my daily calorie intake. Try to cut on the carbs and boost your fat and proteins which will give you the much needed feeling of being full after meals and prevent you from food cravings. I eat only three times per day and I don't feel energy deprived at all. I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks and I plan to go through with the set goals at least for three months. But then again I have much more weight to lose than you - my current weight at 163 cm is 63 kilos, started at 65, and still have 8 more to lose. Different goals require different tactics and what might work for some might not work for others. Good luck!

    Whilst low carb is a way of eating that you enjoy it is not a truism that only fats or protein are sating

    Many, me included, find that a good balance of carbs helps me feel full which going low carb never would achieve ..it is about finding what works for the individual

    Your height, weight and activity level also impact on levels of satiety ...the OP is very active and it is important she appropriately fuels her body ...for me carbs are an excellent source of fuel

    I would suggest with only 8 kilos to lose you also may benefit from slowing your weight loss by eating more


    Your body needs 0 carbs. You will not die without them. You will die without sufficient fat and protein. It has been proven scientifically more than once that protein and fat are more satiating than carbs. We get into the habit of thinking we need carbs to be satisfied. Habits are not needs.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    mojcakosi88 wrote: »
    As Mistraal suggested, it's very important what you eat. I'm currently on a 1200 kcal diet + strength training 4 times a week and I'm losing app. half a kilo a week. I follow a low-carb vegetarian diet and I have to say that 1200 kcal fits my needs perfectly although I do realize that once the muscles start to grow I will have to increase my daily calorie intake. Try to cut on the carbs and boost your fat and proteins which will give you the much needed feeling of being full after meals and prevent you from food cravings. I eat only three times per day and I don't feel energy deprived at all. I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks and I plan to go through with the set goals at least for three months. But then again I have much more weight to lose than you - my current weight at 163 cm is 63 kilos, started at 65, and still have 8 more to lose. Different goals require different tactics and what might work for some might not work for others. Good luck!

    Whilst low carb is a way of eating that you enjoy it is not a truism that only fats or protein are sating

    Many, me included, find that a good balance of carbs helps me feel full which going low carb never would achieve ..it is about finding what works for the individual

    Your height, weight and activity level also impact on levels of satiety ...the OP is very active and it is important she appropriately fuels her body ...for me carbs are an excellent source of fuel

    I would suggest with only 8 kilos to lose you also may benefit from slowing your weight loss by eating more


    Your body needs 0 carbs. You will not die without them. You will die without sufficient fat and protein. It has been proven scientifically more than once that protein and fat are more satiating than carbs. We get into the habit of thinking we need carbs to be satisfied. Habits are not needs.

    Way to extrapolate something into a nonsensical conclusion ...your body will adapt to ingesting lower carbs, you will never manage to eat 0 carbs and hit your nutritional guidelines without supplementation but even then you would risk issues ..some follow Keto and find success but even then they are consuming up to 30g in carbs

    Personally I'm happy for my body to not have to adapt to a low carb diet and believe that humans are omnivores so can choose the diet that is personally appropriate .... I find my current mix highly sating

    Please source this scientific proof that protein and fats are more sating for me than a mixture of carbs, fat and protein

  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited February 2016
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    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    It has been proven scientifically more than once that protein and fat are more satiating than carbs.

    Of those studies I've seen that actually find a difference between carbs and fats in terms of satiety, fats are typically less sating than carbs (protein is unambiguously the most sating of all). I'll cite some of my sources:

    Holt, et al., "A satiety index of common foods." Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995 Sep;49(9):675-90.

    Holt, et al., "The effects of high-carbohydrate vs high-fat breakfasts on feelings of fullness and alertness, and subsequent food intake." Int J Food Sci Nutr. 1999 Jan;50(1):13-28.

    Green and Blundell, "Effect of fat- and sucrose-containing foods on the size of eating episodes and energy intake in lean dietary restrained and unrestrained females: potential for causing overconsumption." Eur J Clin Nutr. 1996 Sep;50(9):625-35.

    Cotton, et al., "Dietary fat and appetite: similarities and differences in the satiating effect of meals supplemented with either fat or carbohydrate." J Hum Nutr Diet. 2007 Jun;20(3):186-99.
  • size102b
    size102b Posts: 1,370 Member
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    Go on healthyeater.com use the calculator to work out your calories 1200 is a universal setting in mfp

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