Advice on maintaining 1200 calories ?!

Weighing, measuring, logging, and meal planning so that you can make sure you get the nutrients you need and enough volume to sustain you for four weeks.

I second the strength training for loss of inches. Also, enjoy lots of veggies, they'll give you good nutrition with fewer calories. Remember that this is not sustainable and you may not lose as much as you want, 4 weeks is not a lot of time to lose 7-10 lbs.

Don't forget to log everything to make sure you are getting enough protein, fat and carbs.

Protein and fibre to keep you full, lots of spice and flavour to keep you interested, heaps of vegetables to give you something to chew on. Don't cut out fat or delicious things like cheese or you won't stick to it - just control the portions.


Pack lunches for yourself as this takes away a lot of temptation - I pack bento style so I can increase protein and veg and reduce carbs a little (I'm not a low carber, mind you, but sandwiches are almost all carbs which makes it hard to control calories without ending up hungry).

Whole grains keep you fuller for longer so if you can switch to whole grain bread and cereals you will get more bang for your buck.

Stay away from "low fat" snacks as they are usually sugary and white and will make you hungry while using up precious calories.

Best low calorie breakfast for me is a slice of wholemeal toast and a fried egg. That's what I eat if I need to save calories for later.

And exercise. Those extra calories are a lifesaver.

I'm on a 1200 diet currently and it's easy as long as you weigh and watch portions and get in some moderate exercise- even if its just by taking a 30-40 minute walk at the end of the day. Here's my diary from yesterday:

veva_hill wrote: »

I need to smash cardio !

this! I'd skip the weights/resistance for those four weeks, you're not going to lose much, if any muscle in that amount of time.

Like everyone has said, weigh and log, pre plan meals. Low calorie stuff like veggies will give you more bang for your buck, just make sure that you count any oils or something that you might use. Moderate intensity exercise a few times per week, eat back at least half of what you burn through exercise.
Take pics - you're not going to see much change from day to day and this can get discouraging. Pics help. As well as measurements.
When I'm eating low like that, I make sure to drink TONS of water. Before each meal, glass of water. If I'm hungry and think maybe I shouldn't be, I drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes.

I eat 1200 a day as I am short I don't apparently need much according to MFP. Some days are easy others really hard. I exercise when I can but with a stressful job with long hours, it means not as often as I like.

I don't eat low fat products simply as full fat fills me up and keeps me full, you might be different so try a low fat vs a high fat day to see what works for you.

I eat low carbs and high proteins as again this keeps me full, you might need more carbs so play around with your foods and judge for yourself what keeps you feeling more full.

I generally don't do breakfast as I am not hungry when I get up at 5.45 in the morning. At about 9am I have a 100cal snack (often a boiled egg and spinach or grilled chicken strips)

Around 11am I have an apple or a pear. (Or another fruit)

Lunch is usually a salad with chicken, tuna or eggs. I rarely use dressing.

Afternoon snack I have vegetable sticks with hummus or salsa (depending on my calorie levels for the day)

Dinner steamed/fried/oven baked chicken/fish, steak, chops, stews, soup (currently addicted to tomatoe soup with boiled eggs Omg weird combo that works) I always have steamed veg or a salad with my main. Sometimes rice and potatoes at the weekend (too lazy to cook a potato for one, weekends we are 2-4) If I have a larger lunch or tucked into something extra, I'll have a zucchini/spaghetti with bolognese. I can have a pretty large portion for 300cals that leaves me properly filled up.

Usually I have room for an evening snack or I save the calories for the weekends when we often have English breakfast or go out for a meal with some wine. (Or last weekend we decided on profiteroles for dessert) Over my 7 days I eat all my 1200*7 allowance and if I hit the gym I add on another 25% of burned calories as my body tells me I need them. I treat this as a lifestyle, so have found a pattern of eating that works for me where I do not feel depraved, I eat my full weekly allowance and more, and I am 11kg down so far.

I hope this gives you some ideas of how to live on 1200 cals a day for 4 weeks. Just remember some days will be easier or harder than others, but this is normal.

Note that if 7-10 lb is all you have to lose you may not lose them in a month, and 1200 may be just MFP minimum, not the actual expected weight loss. As for 1200, it's doable. It certainly is doable if it's only a month and you're pretty motivated. Just think of the things that usually fill you up for reasonable calories and focus on those.