For those on 1200 calories a day

2

Replies

  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    jillianleigh1988 wrote: »
    I eat 100-1100 a day. Only been at it a week but I have to force myself to eat that much. Never thought my problem would not be not eating enough.

    1000-1100* if I only at 100 Id be dying lmao
  • yagirlmella
    yagirlmella Posts: 21 Member



    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    If you CAN get off diet sodas please do. I was absolutely addicted to Coke Zero. I have finally gotten off of it, drink mostly only water, and if I want something fizzy I have sparkling water and add in a little fresh lemon. Tastes like more than

    Does it matter that they are flavored sparkling water and not soda? Thanks for your input btw

  • squatsanddeadlift
    squatsanddeadlift Posts: 117 Member
    31 weeks until new year. Cut to 1llb a week and you will still hit target.
  • cafisher0404
    cafisher0404 Posts: 77 Member
    I am set to 1200, but normally eat about 1300 with exercise calories (my diary is open). I don't feel like I'm starving. Also, I added in diet soda (I didn't drink it before trying to watch my calories, which I started about 2 months ago) because I like to drink stuff throughout the day and water alone bores me so then I want to snack. The diet soda (Diet Coke for me) fills me up and satisfies my sweet tooth craving, and has zero calories as compared to the regular soda and Starbucks drinks I was drinking before LOL. I have had no desire to then eat a bunch of sweets or something else because I'm drinking it- it actually has done the opposite. I've lost almost 20 pounds over the last 2 months, and I haven't had any side effects from drinking soda (not that this is the topic, but just throwing it out there). I tend to eat a medium size breakfast, small lunch, and normal dinner. I don't snack a lot, other than my diet soda :) I started at 184 and am at 164.6 this morning, at 5'2" and female.
  • louisepaul16
    louisepaul16 Posts: 261 Member
    yagirlmella wrote: »


    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    If you CAN get off diet sodas please do. I was absolutely addicted to Coke Zero. I have finally gotten off of it, drink mostly only water, and if I want something fizzy I have sparkling water and add in a little fresh lemon. Tastes like more than

    Does it matter that they are flavored sparkling water and not soda? Thanks for your input btw


    Flavoured waters can be ok, but check on the sugar content and what is added. Anything over 20g per 100g (or ml) of sugar is deemed as very high in sugar.

    Make your own if you have time. I buy sparking water, then if I want flavour added I mash up raspberries, strain and add it to the water, or just add lemon. Yummy.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Aim for 1lb a week at most losing that much will be hard to maintain, tough on your body, and could result in lots of lose skin due to you losing faster than it can tighten up.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    Most days I am 1200-1300 cal I am not hungy at all. I drink a lot of water, as usually for me the hunger feeling tends to be thirst I have found. Plus I eat a lot of low energy foods like salads and asolute minimal dressing. I eat a normal meal in the evening but again lots of vegetables. My snacks are two pieces of fruit a day.
    I only eat standard foodstuffs. I don't have protein shakes, nutritional bars etc etc.

    As I am approaching my goal weight I notice that my weightloss is less than it used to be. And well so be it. I always wanted this to be a lifestyle change.
  • diphon
    diphon Posts: 5 Member
    Keto is pretty good for this. As I'm writing at about midnight I've had around 1500kcal and my fitbit claims I burned about 4,300kcals today from some pretty serious hiking so I'm certainly going to eat more today. But the point is I'm not hungry I'm still full from my 900kcal post hike meal.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    yagirlmella wrote: »
    I find myself drinking carbonated 0 zero calorie drinks, so I can feel "fuller". I'm only on my second day and I feel hungry ☹️


    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    If you CAN get off diet sodas please do. I was absolutely addicted to Coke Zero. I have finally gotten off of it, drink mostly only water, and if I want something fizzy I have sparkling water and add in a little fresh lemon. Tastes like more than water haha.

    Please provide us with some research links to support your claims. You're new here so I'll let you in on something, make sure the studies you show us are from reputable sources . Otherwise stop fear mongering.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1
  • Brans34
    Brans34 Posts: 599 Member
    cross2bear wrote: »
    I'm a 1200 eater too, and never hungry enough to go off my routine. I dont eat breakfast apart from a couple of coffees, eat a small to moderate lunch and use most of my calories at dinner and early evening, when I am at my hungriest, and am most vulnerable to over eating.

    I do the same thing. I have found that if I do eat breakfast, I am starving all day. Plus, I'm not usually hungry in the morning. I have coffee in the morning, and if I do start to get a little hungry, I'll eat something like a banana or fiber one brownie; something I can enjoy, savor, and eat it very slowly. I also drink a LOT of water. I try to drink 1 liter (just over 4 cups) by lunch. Then I keep my lunch under 300 cal. I save most of my calories for dinner, and exercise after dinner. If I end up having a surprisingly low calorie dinner, that just means I get desert! I usually try to stay just under my 1200 cal/day, and I don't usually ever eat back my exercise calories, except those days that Mother Nature forces me to eat chocolate. :wink: I don't usually feel hungry either, but I do eat mostly protein and very few carbs. Vegetables, like carrots, are also a good snack. Dense, low cal, AND they take a while to chew. I find just having to chew more helps a lot.
  • swissmiss431
    swissmiss431 Posts: 22 Member
    Take it from someone who's been there, if you try 1200 and feel like you are starving all the time go back up to 1450 and maintain for awhile. Sometimes the body needs to adapt to the new weight and the new calorie intake.

    That said, I am not starving at 1200. I have coffee with milk and sugar, a container of yogurt, or some boiled eggwhites, or a cup of Bircher Muesli for breakfast. Then at lunch I have a huge salad of lamb's leaf lettuce, 3 or so ounces of protein like turkey or chicken or salmon (broiled), half a cup of roasted beets, and half of an avocado. I have a snack of cottage cheese with 3 little cornichons in the afternoon or sometimes a cappuccino with my neighbor, and then at dinner I have whatever I've planned out. Pork chops with couscous, broccoli, and an onion gravy or pasta with meatballs, sauce, and a steamed veg or maybe hamburgers with a bun and avocado on top, homemade oven fries, and a salad or tomatoes. And a glass of wine if I'm within limits.

    I don't feel deprived at all. But I've been slow about it and I've adjusted. My body has adjusted. I feel weird if I don't eat a salad at least 3 times a week. (I have been known to go out of Pad Thai at lunch on the odd week...) I feel full. I feel satisfied. If you aren't feeling that way go back up in cals and maintain for a bit. There is nothing wrong with taking this slow. This is for the long haul, not just until New Year's.
  • Wicked_Seraph
    Wicked_Seraph Posts: 388 Member
    YMMV, but I've noticed two things about myself:

    1) I'm always REALLY hungry if I eat breakfast.
    2) Trying to split my calories into three 400-calorie meals didn't work. At all.

    I'm a big fan of dinner. Most of the meals I truly enjoy are dinner, and it made me sad to have to figure out how to eat the things I liked with only 400 calories to spare. Solution?

    I don't eat breakfast. I drink a bunch of water during the day. I have a 100-300 calorie lunch most days (think: fruit salad, some cashews, popcorn...), and save most of my calories for dinner. Some weekends, I eat brunch... some weekends, I have a "linner" of sorts. In either case, eating closer to two meals a day, or a snack and a meal a day, feels more natural for me. There are times when I'm hungry, but it's not ALL THE TIME. It's almost always just before my meals - around 10:30-11:30AM (time for lunch/snack/brunch!) and 4:00-5:00 (time for dinner!).
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    emz_1993 wrote: »
    Are you starving throughout the day on that many cals? I want to lose up to 2 lbs a week but I don't think I can go that low without being absolutely miserable. I have been on that calorie restriction before and I was really hungry all the time. I'm set to about 1450 cals now but I regularly go over which explains why I haven't been losing that much weight lately. I want to lose 25 lbs more by new years. I'm already down 35 lbs.

    Starving? Heck no. 1200 cal a day is maintenance for me. But I am probably a lot older than you.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    OP, if you are hungry all the time, eat more. You don't get gold stars for finding ways to eat the bare minimum calories and not feel hungry. 2 lbs is a fairly aggressive pace to lose at, so readjust your goal to 1 lb, eat more, and be happy.

    I drink one diet soda or iced tea almost every day. It does not make me hungry, it does the opposite. I have not gained weight since I started doing it, I have a healthy blood glucose level, and I have not grown a third arm.
  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    OP, if you are hungry all the time, eat more. You don't get gold stars for finding ways to eat the bare minimum calories and not feel hungry. 2 lbs is a fairly aggressive pace to lose at, so readjust your goal to 1 lb, eat more, and be happy.

    I drink one diet soda or iced tea almost every day. It does not make me hungry, it does the opposite. I have not gained weight since I started doing it, I have a healthy blood glucose level, and I have not grown a third arm.

    1 diet soda or iced tea daily? I think the biggest concern is for those who drink them as their daily alternatives to water. I could be wrong. I do know that I was told a long time ago to steer away from the "brown" sodas - like coca cola or pepsi - but never knew exactly why. Clear options (Sprite, ...) were considered better. Does anyone know why?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    megann120 wrote: »
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    yagirlmella wrote: »
    I find myself drinking carbonated 0 zero calorie drinks, so I can feel "fuller". I'm only on my second day and I feel hungry ☹️


    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    But if the sugar never comes the insulin is not released. Even if you still want more sweetness you can have another diet drink, it doesnt mean you will start eating cakes and sweets.
    There is a lot more to gaining weight by people drinking diet versions than just a sweet taste

    But it does cause insulin to release. Not ALL sweetners do this but a lot do. Not necessarily that you will go and eat sweets and cakes but the next meal you eat, generally people who drink diet drinks will end up eating more than if you had had water or even the full sugar/fat version of the soda.

    http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20140917/artificial-sweeteners-blood-sugar

    Something to read about it.

    I decide the day before what I am going to eat, log it, and then stick to that plan. People don't just "end up" eating more, they choose to. And that can happen to people who drink diet soda, people who drink water, or people who drink regular soda.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    beatyfamily1 wrote: »
    I eat 1200 and am not hungry. I'm usually stuffed if I eat low calorie dense foods (vegetables). I eat 2 meals a day with each meal being around 400 calories. 2-3 cups of vegetables with each meal. I'll have 2-3 protein shakes and fish oil capsules to supplement those macros I can't hit. I feel better when I eat mostly vegetables and not a lot of processed foods. You could try replacing something with more vegetables.

    But non-fat fiber isn't filling for everyone. My body needs protein & fat for satiety. Besides fat free (high volume) low calorie veggies aren't doing much to fuel existing lean muscle mass.

    Losing "weight" as in fat+lean muscle vs. losing mostly fat. 1200 is a default minimum, it's not equally healthy for everyone.


  • 7Lish77
    7Lish77 Posts: 3 Member
    I eat 1200 a day, but I'm only 5'3'' tall so that's just enough. On workout days I eat more and it's not that simple anymore. Before I started tracking, I had always been afraid of carbs, tried to eat foods high in protein and ended up eating foods high in both protein and fat. Felt really hungry altough my intake was much bigger. Now I've been watching my macros and including carbs and protein sources that contain less fat in my menu. For example I used to eat omelette (eggs + oil + cheese) for breakfast, didn't feel full for long. Now my breakfast would be something like boiled eggs + pancakes or porridge + cottage cheese and I feel full for 4-5 hours, therefore, I don't feel the need to go snacking so for me, keeping macros in balance is really important.

    Another difference is in my portion size. I think it was just a bad habit, I used to eat one portion then have another one and maybe even third. I did it because I was used to it, not because I was hungry.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    jwcanfield wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    OP, if you are hungry all the time, eat more. You don't get gold stars for finding ways to eat the bare minimum calories and not feel hungry. 2 lbs is a fairly aggressive pace to lose at, so readjust your goal to 1 lb, eat more, and be happy.

    I drink one diet soda or iced tea almost every day. It does not make me hungry, it does the opposite. I have not gained weight since I started doing it, I have a healthy blood glucose level, and I have not grown a third arm.

    1 diet soda or iced tea daily? I think the biggest concern is for those who drink them as their daily alternatives to water. I could be wrong. I do know that I was told a long time ago to steer away from the "brown" sodas - like coca cola or pepsi - but never knew exactly why. Clear options (Sprite, ...) were considered better. Does anyone know why?

    The poster who brought up diet drinks made the argument that artificial sweeteners spike insulin and cause you to eat more. Nothing to do with how much you drink. I find they actually help when I want a snack but I'm not really hungry, and they don't make me hungrier.

    Soda, diet or otherwise, is mostly water, so it's not a concern if it takes the place of water.

    I have no idea why someone would think a Sprite is better for you than a Coke!
  • gabriellesawitsky1001
    gabriellesawitsky1001 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm on the 1200 / day and my fav way to curb appetites is a great and delicious product call fit chews, they're an Arbonne product and they help curb your appetite and its a yummy little snack. Let me know if it's something you're interested in ☺️
    But I also chew gum, ALWAYS and drink water through out the day. If I feel hungry , I eat! A healthy little snack of carrots or a handful of nuts. I found when I restricted myself and Would think (even if I was starving) "NO snacks" is when I would cheat the most! If you NEED to eat , do it! That's your body telling you to eat, but if you just feel like munching , grab a yummy fit chew! It's super chewy and By chewing your body thinks you're eating and it tricks you.
    I've been hitting the 1100/day mark for about a week and that's what I've been doing !
    I also eat a filling breakfast , a medium size lunch , a snack before gym and a large supper . Lots of salads! Low in calories but filling
  • crevtion
    crevtion Posts: 72 Member
    I'm wondering whether what I'm doing is healthy. Basically I eat around 1200 calories a day and then burn a lot from exercise, so i net around 600. I know that I won't gain weight back as I've never really eaten unhealthily before. I just ate too much from stress but now I've stopped that and am staying with those numbers, but is it healthy? (I've lost around 5kg in the last month and I think mainly bcos i exercise a lot compared to before). But yeah, some opinions would be helpful!
  • emmadonaldson95
    emmadonaldson95 Posts: 179 Member
    I spent around 8 weeks at 1200 and I did lose 7.7kg (around 17lb) however as ive returned to maintenance in the last week and a half ive gained 1.8kg. Yeah there has been a bbq and 2 nights out following my exams so it hasnt been perfect maintenance however im not sure ive been so bad it should warrant such a gain. This makes me think that perhaps at that low 1200 intake I was losing water weight and some kinda short term loss which physically couldnt be maintained. Just a thought before you push too hard to stay low.
  • Yuluvsunnyd
    Yuluvsunnyd Posts: 17 Member
    I swear I was the same. Would be so hungry. But I notice when I start eating 4-5 small meals and snacking on fruits and stuff that I can manage the 1200. Sometimes a little under . I don't eat until I'm full anymore. I just eat until I'm satisfied. Seems to work. Because I notice that my appetite have curb
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    yagirlmella wrote: »
    I find myself drinking carbonated 0 zero calorie drinks, so I can feel "fuller". I'm only on my second day and I feel hungry ☹️


    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    If you CAN get off diet sodas please do. I was absolutely addicted to Coke Zero. I have finally gotten off of it, drink mostly only water, and if I want something fizzy I have sparkling water and add in a little fresh lemon. Tastes like more than water haha.

    No, no no. this is so wrong and fear mongering. There are many studies to debunk just this. We've been through this many times. @yagirlmella if you have no problems with he zero calorie drinks, then there is absolutely no reason to stop drinking them, especially if someone tells you to do so.

    I drink 2-3 a day sometimes and have no problem, so I won't stop.

    Aspartame is just 2 amino acids.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited June 2016
    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    yagirlmella wrote: »
    I find myself drinking carbonated 0 zero calorie drinks, so I can feel "fuller". I'm only on my second day and I feel hungry ☹️


    Noooooooooo!!!!! Please stop! Haha. So many studies have been done that show the people who drink diet or zero drinks end up eating more, and having more food cravings. The reason is because aspartame (don't get me started on THAT!) being an artificial sweetener makes your brain think there is a sugar hit coming so prepares the pancreas to release lots of insulin ready to break down all the sugar, then that sugar never comes so you remain in a constant state of wanting the extra sugar and calories.

    If you CAN get off diet sodas please do. I was absolutely addicted to Coke Zero. I have finally gotten off of it, drink mostly only water, and if I want something fizzy I have sparkling water and add in a little fresh lemon. Tastes like more than water haha.

    Please provide us with some research links to support your claims. You're new here so I'll let you in on something, make sure the studies you show us are from reputable sources . Otherwise stop fear mongering.

    This poster your quoted, fearmongering, has debated against the scientific evidence and won't take in anything other than aspartame is bad and zero calorie drinks are bad.
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,964 Member
    I go over a lot when I have snacks

    When I don't have the temptation I'm usually finr

    I do get hungry but I usually try to keep a beer around
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