All these 1200 calorie diets ... what happens afterwards?
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critterbug15 wrote: »Well, some people hold back on cardio - and save it to break plateaus/stubborn fat at low bf % when the risks of cutting more cals outweigh the benefits.
ETA: And then, at the end of a 1200 cal restriction phase, you ideally return slowly to maintenance level cals. Not necessarily a weight gain situation.
If you're doing P90x (or is Beachbody a program itself?) - Anyway, if you're working out and burning 300 - 500 cals per workout, your deficit is about the same as someone not working out and eating 1200/day.
I'm doing Body Beast by Beachbody. It's basically a weight lifting program. Not really any cardio in it.0 -
kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
I am on 1200 calories. Why are you asking? Are you thinking of dropping down to 1200 too?
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I really hope I don't have to. My husband might divorce me or I'd end up eating my shoes.Citycat2015 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
I am on 1200 calories. Why are you asking? Are you thinking of dropping down to 1200 too?
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kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
You put in your goal to maintain and MFP will calculate your maintenance calories for you....
1200 calories is a very aggressive weight loss target....it represents generally anywhere from about 800 - 1000 calorie deficit from maintenance. It's also for a sedentary individual...people who are working out should be eating more, but a lot of people here don't get that and I've grown tired of explaining it so if people don't get such a basic concept I just let them go on with their bad selves.
It would appear that you are likely doing a bulk of about 250 calories over your maintenance and your cut would be similar...that's a great way to build and preserve muscle mass. Unfortunately, most people just want to go as fast as possible regardless of the consequences.
I always here these folks that do this then complain that their maintenance is so low, etc...the only conclusion I can come to is that they lost weight too quickly and destroyed a lot of lean mass and thus lowered their TDEE significantly....I had no issues losing about 1 Lb per week and I've been in maintenance for about three years now on about 2800 - 3000 calories.
A lot of people who do this could also stand to take a diet break as it is highly likely they have jacked around with their hormones subsiding off of so little energy for extended periods of time...and of course doing incessant exercise on top of that...their leptin and gherlin is likely jacked and doing that stuff also causes a lot of stress on the body and raises cortisol levels which also inhibits fat loss.5 -
kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
If 2000 is a bulk for you then how is 1600 a cut ? What is you maintenance ? Cause that is not much of a differential to see significant change. The different between my bulk and cut is about 1000 calls.
If 1800 was her maintenance, her bulk would be roughly a 200 calorie surplus and her cut would be roughly 200 calorie deficit....slow and steady either way.0 -
OP, I also bulked on 2000-2200 calories. Coming out of my bulk I decided to to a little aggressive for 2 weeks with a 1200-1300 calorie diet. It sucked but it got the water weight off fast and I felt more comfortable for a bit. Then I got a little addicted to the deficit and things went kind of sour. And now I've given up my cut. It was an experiment. Should have don't 1500 calories daily.
Anyway, some people really need 1200 calories to lose weight. They may have a low TDEE. The best way to increase calories once goal is met is to add them back slowly each week, to help find maintenance.5 -
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
Thank you! I have used this calculator and the Beach Body plan I'm on is almost dead on to it. I'm looking at it for the long haul, not losing for a specific event.0 -
kimdawnhayden wrote: »critterbug15 wrote: »Well, some people hold back on cardio - and save it to break plateaus/stubborn fat at low bf % when the risks of cutting more cals outweigh the benefits.
ETA: And then, at the end of a 1200 cal restriction phase, you ideally return slowly to maintenance level cals. Not necessarily a weight gain situation.
If you're doing P90x (or is Beachbody a program itself?) - Anyway, if you're working out and burning 300 - 500 cals per workout, your deficit is about the same as someone not working out and eating 1200/day.
I'm doing Body Beast by Beachbody. It's basically a weight lifting program. Not really any cardio in it.
From what I have read/heard Body Beast is cardio-ish. Isn't it relatively light weight/high reps?0 -
kimdawnhayden wrote: »
I really hope I don't have to. My husband might divorce me or I'd end up eating my shoes.Citycat2015 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
I am on 1200 calories. Why are you asking? Are you thinking of dropping down to 1200 too?kimdawnhayden wrote: »
I really hope I don't have to. My husband might divorce me or I'd end up eating my shoes.Citycat2015 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
I am on 1200 calories. Why are you asking? Are you thinking of dropping down to 1200 too?
I guess I don't understand the point of your post then.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
You put in your goal to maintain and MFP will calculate your maintenance calories for you....
1200 calories is a very aggressive weight loss target....it represents generally anywhere from about 800 - 1000 calorie deficit from maintenance. It's also for a sedentary individual...people who are working out should be eating more, but a lot of people here don't get that and I've grown tired of explaining it so if people don't get such a basic concept I just let them go on with their bad selves.
It would appear that you are likely doing a bulk of about 250 calories over your maintenance and your cut would be similar...that's a great way to build and preserve muscle mass. Unfortunately, most people just want to go as fast as possible regardless of the consequences.
I always here these folks that do this then complain that their maintenance is so low, etc...the only conclusion I can come to is that they lost weight too quickly and destroyed a lot of lean mass and thus lowered their TDEE significantly....I had no issues losing about 1 Lb per week and I've been in maintenance for about three years now on about 2800 - 3000 calories.
A lot of people who do this could also stand to take a diet break as it is highly likely they have jacked around with their hormones subsiding off of so little energy for extended periods of time...and of course doing incessant exercise on top of that...their leptin and gherlin is likely jacked and doing that stuff also causes a lot of stress on the body and raises cortisol levels which also inhibits fat loss.
Thanks!
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At the end of my weight loss, my goal was 1,260 net. When I was done losing weight, MPF recommended 1,460 net to maintain my weight loss. I didn't go back to eating "normally," I continued logging and hitting my calorie goal. I'm sure if I had gone back to my pre-MFP eating habits, I would have regained the weight that brought me here in the first place.
I never *ate* just 1,260 though. I always ate back exercise calories. I think that makes a big difference. I don't think I could eat just 1,460 for the rest of my life.6 -
I think it depends on ur height too, I am not sure if that was mentioned, so sorry if this post is redundant...
I'm 5ft, so whether I put 1, 1.5, or 2lbs/week, I still get 1200 calories, if I put in .5 I think I get about 1400...I think when I checked my maintenance it was only about 16004 -
Kimdawn..I am convinced (being decades older than most here) that our culture's advancing need for immediate gratification is what drives people ( mostly women) to 'starve" themselves for short term desires ( a wedding, party dress, a vacation, etc)
Example- When HCG diet first came out (an injection made of pregnant women's urine) it was successful, but only because it helped keep to the rigid 500 calories diet…..NOW what is sold 30 years later are "magic drops" you put under your tongue..and I see loads of inner city/undereducated girls bragging on losing ..but ONLY injectible works, so they are getting a"placebo effect" and suffering on VLC to lose..NOT healthy, not solving the issue of long term maintenance. Sad. But you can't tell people who are desperate for a quick fix.
This quote from a new politics book pretty much sums up the Major Motivator of most US Americans
"American voters as “incredibly ignorant” and a “nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep who crave instant gratification and 4 bars on their free cell phone.”
So MOST people ARE willing to stick to 1200, 1000, or 500 or whatever, consume "whatever" for results NOW…but can't maintain after, have LOWERED their poor messed up metabolism which is now convinced to pack on "safety fat" to protect itself. The female body is designed to reproduce, and will starve all other organs to protect fertility…and finally messes up that. Lots of young women who starved to be size 2 or 0 are crying at age 30 when they can't have babies..all from too few calories for THEIR bodies' needs.
But every generation wants fast results, so the cycle continues.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
If 2000 is a bulk for you then how is 1600 a cut ? What is you maintenance ? Cause that is not much of a differential to see significant change. The different between my bulk and cut is about 1000 calls.
If 1800 was her maintenance, her bulk would be roughly a 200 calorie surplus and her cut would be roughly 200 calorie deficit....slow and steady either way.
Yes that makes sense. Just smaller numbers than mine. With such small numbers you have to be very very accurate in burn. If you walk an extra couple miles you potentially destroy the surplus, etc. Not for me but I understand how some can be that meticulous.0 -
If I change my goal to one pound per week I get a calorie goal of 1280. I'm 5'1'' so I don't have a ton of wiggle room when it comes to calorie goals. Right now I'm just staying under my 1500 goal when I can.3
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I am very short at 4'11" and sedentary at work, I "only" have 14lbs to lose to get to a healthy weight so my intake is 1200, apparently my maintenance calories will be approx 1600. Such little food does not work for me as I enjoy eating and the thought that 1600 is going to be maintenance is depressing lol! I do a fair bit of exercise and do eat most of the calories back, somedays too many calories back and somedays a miracle occurs and I eat less back. Exercise and the extra calories it gives me is vital!0
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kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
I'd assume if they stopped losing weight, they'd lower below 1200. People do.
Given that 90+% of the population regains, there's probably nothing special about the 1200 calorie crowd.
I have a colleague who ate 1200 calories of very nutrient dense foods. She lost. When she got to goal she added a couple of treats to her daily plan and she's maintained fine. She had a plan.9 -
reddevil614 wrote: »I think it depends on ur height too, I am not sure if that was mentioned, so sorry if this post is redundant...
I'm 5ft, so whether I put 1, 1.5, or 2lbs/week, I still get 1200 calories, if I put in .5 I think I get about 1400...I think when I checked my maintenance it was only about 1600
Height and age are both big factors, along with physical activity. I'm 5ft, 6in and 37 years old and my TDEE is around 1,600.
OP-my MFP default right now is 1,200 calories because of my age/height/already lower weight (that's for 1lb week/goes up to 1,370 for .5lb week). My maintenance calories are around 1,600. 1,200 isn't that hard to do and I haven't found it difficult to manage when I've used it to lose a few more vanity pounds.2 -
I'm older, i'm short and unable to burn calories like a younger person.
Hopefully you realize that each person who wants to lose weight MUST eat at a deficit or somehow burn more calories to create a deficit.
1200 calories doesn't mean the ppl who are eating that number are walking around hungry.12 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »kimdawnhayden wrote: »I see that a lot of people here eat 1200 calories. What happens after you reach your goal weight? Do you go back to eating normally? Do you then gain the weight back bit by bit? How hard is it to maintain? I'm just curious. I'm doing a Bulk with a weight lifting program and it has me eating 2000 calories. Then when I cut, I'm supposed to drop it to 1600 calories. How do people survive on 1200 calories? It seems you really have no where to go once you get to that calorie range. If your diet stops working you can't go lower.
If 2000 is a bulk for you then how is 1600 a cut ? What is you maintenance ? Cause that is not much of a differential to see significant change. The different between my bulk and cut is about 1000 calls.
If 1800 was her maintenance, her bulk would be roughly a 200 calorie surplus and her cut would be roughly 200 calorie deficit....slow and steady either way.
Yes that makes sense. Just smaller numbers than mine. With such small numbers you have to be very very accurate in burn. If you walk an extra couple miles you potentially destroy the surplus, etc. Not for me but I understand how some can be that meticulous.
Yes, you do have to be accurate. That's a pretty standard surplus for a woman on a bulk. And a common cutting level for a woman who is fairly lean.0
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