1200 calories a day

My diary is open (I hope). I stay around that number, sometimes a little more or less.

1200 is pretty low and not necessary, IMO. I elected to lose weight slowly and have my weight loss / maintenance calories be the same. For me that works out to 1400 calories for my age, height and goals. Given that my activity is low / sedentary my Basal Metabolic Rate & Daily Energy Requirements when I weighed 193 were as follows:

Basal Metabolic Rate: 1,458 (calories burned just being alive)

Calories Needed Daily: 1,604 calories (to maintain my current weight & activity level)

As I read this, I figured that 1400 calories would be my sweet spot. If I committed to sticking with this number long term, eventually, I would reach "stasis". I wouldn't gain (much) and I would continue to lose.

Ref: https://www.drgily.com/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator.php

I tried eating the same and just smaller quantities but I just ended up "hangry".

• If I eat one sweet thing, then, I can't stop.
• I know that if I eat simple carbs (like bagels / white potatoes) my heart will race.
• If I eat complex carbs (like canned white beans) then I feel okay, but I don't really lose weight.

I have restricted sugar and carbs before and knew that by restricting them, I am not craving them and I feel better.

The eating plan that does this for me is Paleo / Keto (low, low sugar/carbs and high protein/fat/fiber); my ratios are: (45% protein, 40% fat and 15% carbs/sugar).

See this website for a list of paleo websites:
http://paleoiq.com/best-paleo-diet-blogs/

I started by making incremental changes last November (one meal at a time), with the end goal being that I would hover around 1400 calories because as an older woman my skin doesn't bounce back as it did when I was younger. By losing the weight slowly, I have minimized the sagging skin.

Since January I have lost about 30 pounds. And... I am only complaint calorie wise about 75% - 80% of the time. I have some health issues and can't really exercise. Despite this and being tied to a desk all day, I have lost and continue to lose weight.

For me, eating low carb and low sugar all of the time some amazing things happened:

• I don't crave sugar (I have an entire box of Charms Wild Berry Blow Pops in my file drawer that I haven't touched since November because I don't crave sugar; I once measured my stress level by how many of them I consumed in one day);
• My moods are more even and I don't have blood sugar spikes and crashes;
• By consuming more healthy fats my joints don't hurt as much and I am more or less satiated on 1400 calories.

I used Paleo Leap and Paleo Tribe for the recipe ideas (they have some great low calorie recipe options) but this isn't necessary. I do think preparing and eating food that I make as opposed to boxes or eating out has helped me a lot. Boxes say they are low carb (but they have lots of other additives in them to make them taste good.)

Note: Women as a general rule are not as sedentary as they think they are. I recently got a FitBit Alta HR and I was astonished to find that I walk almost a mile every day at work and almost a mile and a half just grocery shopping. Then I walk around my house and up and down stairs so, I actually burn more calories than I initially thought. I DO NOT EAT THESE BACK!!!

breakfast-steel cut oatmeal with banana, 2 cups of coffee with milk and 1 tsp sugar
lunch- trader joes salad (most types) with half dressing
dinner- costco chicken skewers 2, 2 cups taylor farms ginger stir fry mix (from costco)
3 cups skinny pop popcorn

I think that is around 1200 give or take

When I started I was eating around 1200 (goal was 1250), somewhat lower carb (usually under 100 g).

I usually ate an omelet with 2 eggs, vegetables (spinach and zucchini), spray oil in the pan, plus either low fat dairy or smoked salmon on the side, for around 350 calories or less.

I had leftovers for lunch but without my dinner starch course, something like meat (usually lean), fruit, vegetables, maybe yogurt instead of the fruit. (Usually around 450 calories.)

For dinner I'd have meat (again, usually lean, but definitely not just chicken breast), some sort of starch (most often potato or sweet potato, and I'd sometimes substitute other root vegetables or winter squash to save calories), plus vegetables. (Usually around 450 calories.)

You can adjust calories through portion size as well as how much oil is added and whether any extras are (my "extras" were usually nuts or a little feta cheese, stuff like that).

I think I would have gotten bored with this over time if I hadn't started eating back some exercise calories (when I started exercising more), but it was plenty filling and tasty for me.

Mine is 1240 (net)..Today's planned meals below (includes ~+250 calories for a 3 mile run later - exclude the "Post-Run,at_Dancing" meal to adjust to a no-exercise day..