1200 Calories?!

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  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
    i tried 1200 cal for about a week but it was miserable so I set my goal to maintenance for a week just to adjust to a different way of eating, then I set goal for 1/2 pound/week for a few weeks, then down to 1 pound/week which gives me 1300 calories. I did okay with that for a while but fell off the wagon big time this past week and am having a hard time getting back on. So I'm going to go back to 1/2 pound a week for a week and see if I can ease my way back into eating less.
  • charityk1980
    charityk1980 Posts: 4
    Thanks, everyone! I think I just need a little more time and to figure this out. With three young kids it is hard to find low calorie meals that everyone can enjoy. I know that eventually I will be able to do it. Anyone have any good suggestions for exercises though. The neighborhood I live in isn't ideal for walks with the kids (no sidewalks or side roads close by) and no babysitter for me to get out by myself.....
  • charityk1980
    charityk1980 Posts: 4
    I just can't feel full with fruit and vegetables. I need something solid to get that feeling...from the way everyone talking I am the only one that can't get that full feeling with produce : (
  • tramaine81
    tramaine81 Posts: 113 Member
    IT TAKES A WHILE. I started at 2000, then scaled back slowly. I spent a few weeks at 1800, 1600, and now I am averaging 1300-1400 calories. I expect to hit 1200 consistently in a few weeks. However, if I were you, I would spend the first few weeks just writing down what you eat because, if you are eating over 2500 calories, like I was, it might be difficult (if not impossible) to immediately create a 1300 hundred calorie deficit AND exercise. Your body might feel like like you are starving and rebel if you drastically cut back too soon. Then you might feel UNNECESSARILY like a failure when you are not, you are just human. GOOD LUCK!
  • hedwardsb
    hedwardsb Posts: 201 Member
    I started out at 1200 calories to lose a pound a week, and I decided because I have less than 20 pounds to lose, it just isn't realistic for me even when I exercise and even though my protein consumption regularly is twice to three times what MFP recommends. Prior to joining MFP, I realize that I was regularly consuming in excess of 2200 calories a day. I changed my settings to 1/2 pound a week, and I can mostly stay within my calories or even under.
    I'm also a mother of three, and I have a joined a gym with childcare. In terms of things you can do at home, I use Netflix to do yoga. There's a large variety of workouts available. I go through some times when I use Wii Fit, but it's more for strength training like plank challenge. Tonight after working out on the elliptical at the gym, I took my daughter to the pool and played with her swimming while towing her on a noodle, etc. You can actually burn a lot of calories doing things like that, if you kids are smaller. I'm usually lazy at the pool when my older kids are around because they play with the little one, but they're at camp, and I got a workout.
    Yardwork is also a really good workout. I'm not a fan of squats at the gym, but weeding works the same areas. I live in the south (it's above 90 degress outside right now!) so certainly being out in the heat is burning some extra calories!
    Good luck!
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