1200 calorie a day diet

Hi, I'm 5'9 and 170. My goal weight is 130. To try and achieve my goal, I've started a 1200-1500 calorie diet and I run on my treadmill for 30 mins a day which round to 300 calories burned. Is there more I can do with my workout from home? Or diet? How do you motivate yourself to keep going and continue to be patient during your weight loss journey?

Replies

  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    If I had a treadmill at home I'd watch TV while walking, sort of kill two birds at once and help me with my bad habit of nocturnal grazing by the TV. Also, up the fiber content. My best success was when I was eating meat and vegetables and skipping starch. Bread, rice, potato, corn, pasta --- all evil. Join or start a challenge--competition helped me alot too.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    mulecanter wrote: »
    My best success was when I was eating meat and vegetables and skipping starch. Bread, rice, potato, corn, pasta --- all evil.

    OP please keep on mind the above is not necessary but just what worked for one person
    There is no reason that you need to skip or limit starch. If that helps you maintain a calorie deficit go for it but again you can lose weight eating all of the foods mentioned above.

  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
  • no_day_but_2day
    no_day_but_2day Posts: 222 Member
    I'm 6'0" and 175 and I eat 1500 calories a day and I workout every day just bc I like it. You're almost as tall as me so I would say you're on the right track. My goal is 160.
  • no_day_but_2day
    no_day_but_2day Posts: 222 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Eat less - move more. Looks like you've got it covered.

    I switch off between cardio and strength type workouts. Strength training, a moderate deficit, and meeting protein goals will help you keep a larger % of existing lean muscle mass. Healthy weight loss helps you lower your body fat %.

    1200 is MFP's minimum default before exercise. You are young (and tall) ......so 1500 would be less aggressive.

    And I agree with the above^^^. Switch it up. Your body gets used to the same sort of workout. That's why you still see chubby people who walk all day for their job. Do some weight lifting or at least something other than 30 minutes of the same cardio everyday.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,170 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Eat less - move more. Looks like you've got it covered.

    I switch off between cardio and strength type workouts. Strength training, a moderate deficit, and meeting protein goals will help you keep a larger % of existing lean muscle mass. Healthy weight loss helps you lower your body fat %.

    1200 is MFP's minimum default before exercise. You are young (and tall) ......so 1500 would be less aggressive.

    And I agree with the above^^^. Switch it up. Your body gets used to the same sort of workout. That's why you still see chubby people who walk all day for their job. Do some weight lifting or at least something other than 30 minutes of the same cardio everyday.

    They are chubby because they aren't burning more calories than they eat. The only exercise I do is walking and occasionally yoga and I'm losing just fine. It is a good idea to add in strength training, but people who walk a lot and don't lose are not eating at a deficit.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I'm 6'0" and 175 and I eat 1500 calories a day and I workout every day just bc I like it. You're almost as tall as me so I would say you're on the right track. My goal is 160.

    Can I ask how much you lose every week eating 1500?

  • no_day_but_2day
    no_day_but_2day Posts: 222 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Eat less - move more. Looks like you've got it covered.

    I switch off between cardio and strength type workouts. Strength training, a moderate deficit, and meeting protein goals will help you keep a larger % of existing lean muscle mass. Healthy weight loss helps you lower your body fat %.

    1200 is MFP's minimum default before exercise. You are young (and tall) ......so 1500 would be less aggressive.

    And I agree with the above^^^. Switch it up. Your body gets used to the same sort of workout. That's why you still see chubby people who walk all day for their job. Do some weight lifting or at least something other than 30 minutes of the same cardio everyday.

    They are chubby because they aren't burning more calories than they eat. The only exercise I do is walking and occasionally yoga and I'm losing just fine. It is a good idea to add in strength training, but people who walk a lot and don't lose are not eating at a deficit.

    I agree.
  • no_day_but_2day
    no_day_but_2day Posts: 222 Member
    I'm 6'0" and 175 and I eat 1500 calories a day and I workout every day just bc I like it. You're almost as tall as me so I would say you're on the right track. My goal is 160.

    Can I ask how much you lose every week eating 1500?

    I'm close to my goal weight so my weight loss as slowed down to about 1/2lb a week. I'm more concerned with how I look over the weight anyways so I have been fretting over it less and less. The dress in my picture is a size 8 and I was a size 12 in January so I'm not complaining. :)
    I have no desire to be miserable and go under 1500 calories bc of my exercise. Plus, this is supposed to be a sustainable way of life and at 1500, I'm seeing progress without feeling deprived!!
  • WendyLaubach
    WendyLaubach Posts: 518 Member
    I'm 5'5" at 185 lbs., eating around 1200 calories a day and not eating back any exercise calories. I do about 5 miles a day walking and jogging and usually not much else beyond some occasional strength training. That gives me a loss rate of about 2 lbs. a week.

    I eat a mix of standard repetitive foods and change-it-up foods. The standard foods are comforting and reliable, but then I want some variety, too. I don't deny myself any particular food, though I've found it's easier to stay under budget if I eat certain foods only in very strictly limited portions, including most refined carbs. So these days I rarely bother to find room in the budget for things like bread or pasta, much as I like them. Still, if I really want them, I make adjustments and make them fit, so I never feel a powerful urge building up to blow the diet for the Magic Food I Can't Live Without. It turns out that a 1/4-cup serving of something special like granola satisfies the urge just fine. Luckily I love vegetables, so eating more of them and less meat or cheese doesn't feel like deprivation now that I'm used to it. Filling up on vegetables first is a good strategy.

    Same goes for exercise: some things I need to do every day so that they're an ingrained habit that I don't have to psych myself up for anew every morning: I just do it. Other things I need to change up so I don't get bored. So I jog and walk the dogs every day--and now they insist on it--but on some days I go to the gym for treadmill work or strength training, or I go to a dance class, or I dance at home while watching TV, or I go up and down my stairs. It's not a very rigorous workout routine, just enough to get me off the couch throughout the day. I've had to lay off exercise for minor surgeries several times, and still lost weight during those periods by keeping the calories down, so the exercise is just to make me healthier and speed things up a bit.

    At first I thought the process seemed slow and endless. Now I've gotten used to a fairly reliable loss of 8-10 lbs./month. I've lost 60 lbs. already and know that the process isn't unpleasant or painful, so I'm confident I can keep it up for another half-year or so to get to my goal. That secure knowledge helps a lot with the impatience. As it is, I'm almost having trouble keeping up with the weight loss in my clothing. I'm trying to delay buying some things, or buying them snug. And wouldn't I have been amazed to hear myself say that six months ago!
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited April 2016
    mulecanter wrote: »
    If I had a treadmill at home I'd watch TV while walking, sort of kill two birds at once and help me with my bad habit of nocturnal grazing by the TV. Also, up the fiber content. My best success was when I was eating meat and vegetables and skipping starch. Bread, rice, potato, corn, pasta --- all evil. Join or start a challenge--competition helped me alot too.

    This. I'm big into Minecraft, so I just turn my treadmill around and play while walking. Videogames eat your brain so you get two hours/7000 steps into walking without even realizing it happened:)

    ETA: Who needs Wii sports? Not people with treadmills:)
  • willworkoutforwine
    willworkoutforwine Posts: 64 Member
    I subscribe to Daily Burn and I love it! I do all of my workouts at home and there are lots of options to choose from, depending on your mood or what you want to accomplish. YouTube has some good (and not so good) videos as well.
  • tsalagi82
    tsalagi82 Posts: 76 Member
    1200 calories led me to feeling deprived and ultimately bingeing, ruining my week's progress. Eating over 1400 calories and also burning 250-300 calories is much more comfortable.
  • laylayaaaa
    laylayaaaa Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks for the great advice everyone. I'm going to up my calorie and fiber intake while switching up my excersices
  • Jazzykatt
    Jazzykatt Posts: 38 Member
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I like to do some of Fitness blenders workout videos on YouTube as well as stationary bike, strength training (bodyweight and dumbells) and dancing.
    I alternate my workouts so I don't get bored or too sore.
    I did 1200 for the first 2 months but found I was losing too fast, now at 1300 (and eating at least half my exercise calories back) and loss has slowed to a healthier rate.