Can't reach my 1200 calorie goal

PricillaKorea
PricillaKorea Posts: 48 Member
edited December 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I am only slightly overweight, I have always ate small portions just of the wrong things. Now I'm eating a plant based diet and still the small portions. I only eat around 800 calories a day and in no way do I restrict or want more. I don't want to cram myself with food, but since I realized how little calories I'm eating I don't want my health to somehow deteriorate. I am not very active but am looking to be, so should I up my calorie intake? Or let it be?

Replies

  • Fizzstah
    Fizzstah Posts: 6 Member
    I've read that of you under eat your body tries to hold on to fat reserves as it thinks you in starvation/famine and 1200 is the minimum recommended calorie intake even on a weight loss regime. You probably feel more energised if you up you calorie intake and we're only talking 400 calories which you can easily incorporate in healthy snacks maybe a couple or fruit smoothies, nuts or adding in some extra protein like chicken with salad or lentils if you're vegetarian. By doing this you'll probably find it easier to exercise more as well.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    Assuming you are logging correctly, I really don't understand how anyone could not eat 1200 calories. My verylight lunch is over 500 calories and consists of tea, 125 g mixed vegetables, 56 g sourdough bread with 14 g margarine and an oh yeah one bar. The only way I'm surviving such a small lunch is knowing that dinner is going to be bigger.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited June 2016
    The bare minimum for women is 1200 calories + calories earned through exercising (if you're following MFP's NEAT method for determining calorie goals). It's difficult to meet all nutrient goals on less than 1200 calories, and whenever you exercise you will need to eat more. If you consistently eat below 1200 calories, your body can get pretty messed up (trust me on this -a few years ago my body was unable to use the energy from any sort of carbohydrates, so it was like I was only consuming 700-800 calories a day despite eating close to 3000 calories. I lost weight really rapidly, close to 5-6lbs a week, but I ended up losing a ton of hair, a ton of muscle, and was most likely hours away from going into a diabetic coma or dying when I finally sought medical attention).

    This thread lists some calorie-dense foods that you could incorporate into your diet in order to reach the 1200 minimum (I'm a big fan of peanut butter and dark chocolate): http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods

    PS: "Starvation mode", the belief that your body will hold onto fat when you eat very low calorie, is a myth. The real "starvation mode" often occurs during PROLONGED periods of severe undernutrition and calorie restriction (you're not going to go into "starvation mode" by undereating for a week, but if the zombie apocalypse suddenly occurred and you're only eating 500 calories a day for months, then it may occur), when the body begins to break down muscle in order to provide enough energy to fuel the rest of itself (like providing energy for the brain, the heart, etc.). When that muscle goes away, you burn fewer calories at rest than if you lost the same amount of weight in fat (1kg of muscle burns more calories in a day than 1kg of fat).
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    OP, how are you determining your consumed calories? Are you weighing all your food (including pre-packaged and single serve foods)band recipe ingredients on a food scale in grams?
  • LisaKay91
    LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
    Quick calories= tablespoon or two of coconut oil. Plant based.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    janjunie wrote: »
    Assuming you are logging correctly, I really don't understand how anyone could not eat 1200 calories. My verylight lunch is over 500 calories and consists of tea, 125 g mixed vegetables, 56 g sourdough bread with 14 g margarine and an oh yeah one bar. The only way I'm surviving such a small lunch is knowing that dinner is going to be bigger.

    Same here. My breakfast and lunch plus snacks during the day probably equal close to 1200 calories. If I were to eat 1200 calories I'd become very hangry :D 1800-1900 is what I prefer.

  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
    lauraesh0384 wrote: »
    janjunie wrote: »
    Assuming you are logging correctly, I really don't understand how anyone could not eat 1200 calories. My verylight lunch is over 500 calories and consists of tea, 125 g mixed vegetables, 56 g sourdough bread with 14 g margarine and an oh yeah one bar. The only way I'm surviving such a small lunch is knowing that dinner is going to be bigger.

    Same here. My breakfast and lunch plus snacks during the day probably equal close to 1200 calories. If I were to eat 1200 calories I'd become very hangry :D 1800-1900 is what I prefer.

    I'm the total opposite. My meals never top 300 calories each, but I eat 5 - 6 times per day. The difference is, I almost never eat bread, I hardly ever eat butter (never margarine), and I don't know what an Oh Yeah bar is, but I will eat a Quest bar if I'm in a hurry or on the run. I eat a lot of chicken, tuna, vegetables, cottage cheese, protein powder... and some days it's a real struggle to hit my recommende calories. Some days I really have to force myself to get over 1000 calories.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    If you're only eating 800 cals a day then yes you are restricting yourself.

    How did you get to be slightly over weight if now it's an issue to eat?

    Your body simply cannot get all the nutrients it needs to be healthy on 800 cals. That's why the minimum is 1200 for women.

    You need to change how you think about food and lose in a healthy way.

    Going low calorie for long leads to a whole lot of issues one of those being hair loss - and yes I've seen people here on MFP who did lose hair for eating so little.

    If you really aren't hungry eat calorie dense foods - nuts or whatever you like actually.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    cecsav1 wrote: »
    I'm the total opposite. My meals never top 300 calories each, but I eat 5 - 6 times per day. The difference is, I almost never eat bread, I hardly ever eat butter (never margarine), and I don't know what an Oh Yeah bar is, but I will eat a Quest bar if I'm in a hurry or on the run. I eat a lot of chicken, tuna, vegetables, cottage cheese, protein powder... and some days it's a real struggle to hit my recommende calories. Some days I really have to force myself to get over 1000 calories.

    An Oh Yeah One bar is what a Quest bar used to be before they went and tweaked the formula not once, but twice, making it worse each time.

    Anyway, OP, make sure you're eating as little as you think. What is your current rate of loss? I'm 5'3" and 112 pounds. I'm active and I need a minimum of 2000 calories on most days. You are doing serious damage to your body if you are truly eating that little. I've heard that the heavier one is, the easier it is to eat less as their bodies have more fat that can be utilized. However, I'd imagine that over time they'd still feel the effects of such a low calorie diet.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    edited June 2016
    cecsav1 wrote: »
    lauraesh0384 wrote: »
    janjunie wrote: »
    Assuming you are logging correctly, I really don't understand how anyone could not eat 1200 calories. My verylight lunch is over 500 calories and consists of tea, 125 g mixed vegetables, 56 g sourdough bread with 14 g margarine and an oh yeah one bar. The only way I'm surviving such a small lunch is knowing that dinner is going to be bigger.

    Same here. My breakfast and lunch plus snacks during the day probably equal close to 1200 calories. If I were to eat 1200 calories I'd become very hangry :D 1800-1900 is what I prefer.

    I'm the total opposite. My meals never top 300 calories each, but I eat 5 - 6 times per day. The difference is, I almost never eat bread, I hardly ever eat butter (never margarine), and I don't know what an Oh Yeah bar is, but I will eat a Quest bar if I'm in a hurry or on the run. I eat a lot of chicken, tuna, vegetables, cottage cheese, protein powder... and some days it's a real struggle to hit my recommende calories. Some days I really have to force myself to get over 1000 calories.

    I have a pretty active job so I need lots of calories to get me through the day. On an average day I get 8-10k steps. I'm the busiest in the morning so I like a big breakfast. My breakfast is usually around 600 calories.

  • PricillaKorea
    PricillaKorea Posts: 48 Member

    [/quote]

    I'm the total opposite. My meals never top 300 calories each, but I eat 5 - 6 times per day. The difference is, I almost never eat bread, I hardly ever eat butter (never margarine), and I don't know what an Oh Yeah bar is, but I will eat a Quest bar if I'm in a hurry or on the run. I eat a lot of chicken, tuna, vegetables, cottage cheese, protein powder... and some days it's a real struggle to hit my recommende calories. Some days I really have to force myself to get over 1000 calories. [/quote]

    I am usually like that, I pack about 4-5 300 ish calories meals for school, but I am just too busy to eat then. I will try adding more nuts to my diet to reach my mark. And I never eat butter or bread either or other high calorie foods such as meat or dairy. I suppose I just need to make time for meals.
  • Annahbananas
    Annahbananas Posts: 284 Member
    janjunie wrote: »
    Assuming you are logging correctly, I really don't understand how anyone could not eat 1200 calories. My verylight lunch is over 500 calories and consists of tea, 125 g mixed vegetables, 56 g sourdough bread with 14 g margarine and an oh yeah one bar. The only way I'm surviving such a small lunch is knowing that dinner is going to be bigger.

    I actually keep my daily intake right around 1200 a day. My lunch is usually around 450ish, dinner 500 and I normally have a yogurt for breakfast and another one for a snack
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Your diary is closed, but I'm guessing you aren't using a food scale. If you really were only eating 800 cal per day, you'd be hungry (and tired and feeling poorly). Get a scale, weigh your food. I'll bet dollars to (plant based) donuts that you are eating more than 800 cal per day. If, after meticulously weighing all solids and measuring all liquids, you find you really are getting less than 1200 cal consistantly, yes, add some fat and protein to your diet. Your health will thank you.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    I went back and looked through your other posts. I believe you may have a serious problem with body image and possibly an eating disorder. You admit in another thread to running 3-7 miles a day or biking 12-20 miles a day, and last month were saying you had no energy on 1200 calories a day.

    Please seek medical help as soon as possible, before you permanently damage your body.

    Here's the MFP Eating Disorders Resources.
  • rennickm1986
    rennickm1986 Posts: 70 Member
    With adequate carbohydrates you shoukd be able to get to 1200 easily i.e. breads, pastas, potatoes
  • Guns_N_Buns
    Guns_N_Buns Posts: 1,899 Member
    hopesndreamslt23 wrote: »
    First, I'd recommend what works for you
    I'm not a personal trainer and if I was I know damn well my job isn't to choose what diet plan you should try, our bodies use about 800-1000 calories depending on our activity and workout level, for me personally, I usually eat about 800-1100 calories a day and you have to consider the fact that I am on a weightloss journey myself and this works for me, I workout 1-1/5 hours a day and I've been doing so for the past 8 weeks, so far 22lbs gone, I've programmed my workout regimen based on my goals and mainly is fat/weight loss, I do intermittent fasting and eat a decent size breakfast and dinner mainly chicken breast and broccoli but soon will switch up, and I do have cheat days so I am not letting my body suffer. Side note, make sure you take your multi vitamins if you aren't eating enough micronutrients especially if you're workouts are intense. Hope this helps

    You have a cheat day "so your body doesn't suffer". Why not eliminate your body's suffering every day? Trust, you can still lose weight while keeping your mind/body happy.
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