What does your 1200 Cal. day look like?
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bkberry1
Posts: 10 Member
I am only a week into counting calories and still trying to figure out portion sizes. I have done low carb diets in the past with some success in losing, but never reaching my goal or sustaining my weight loss. I find low carbing as a lifestyle difficult as I love my carbs and at the end of the day feel deprived. So, for the first time in over 20 years, I am back to the "standard" of calorie counting....HELP!
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Replies
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How much are you trying to lose?0
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First realize that 1200 is a default minimum before exercise. Most women can lose weight when eating more. 1200 is for very petite and/or elderly women. My "1200" calorie day is really 1400 gross calories (200 calories in exercise).
I don't low carb either - can't maintain using that strategy and don't want to start over when I get to goal. I focus on protein with every meal, a plain bowl of oats doesn't stick with me......but making it with milk would add protein.
Breakfast - 300. 2% Greek yogurt, Fiber One cereal and berries
Lunch - 350 Salad w/grilled chicken, greens, cheese (sometimes) and light dressing.
Snack 1 - 150 Piece of fruit and a few nuts or a cube of cheese. Chai tea w/milk is another option (w/fruit)
Dinner - 500 Lean protein, veggies, starchy side, maybe a piece of fruit (depends on side).
Snack 2 - 100 100 calorie popcorn8 -
8oz ham
8oz chicken
2 scoops protein shake
1 cup of broccoli
4oz cottage cheese1 -
What are your stats - height, weight, age and activity level?
How much weight are you trying to lose?
What rate of loss did you select?
Do you exercise? How often, what type?
1200 is often a goal that is provided based on information entered during set up, but it is not always necessary or appropriate to go that low in order to lose, particularly if you exercise - then you are meant to log and eat back those calories.
Finding an approach that is sustainable, even if it means a little slower weight loss, is the best choice.3 -
I think all the above are correct, what are your stats? I'm 5'2 and mine is set at 1270 + exercise for 1.5 lb weight loss a week (need to lose a total loss of 70-80 lbs). My gross calories are 1200-1300 on lazy days and 1400-1600 on days that I work out. With a low calorie setting, protein is probably the focus you should go with, minimal snacks, and consistent portion sizes when you can.1
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I aim for 1200 cals..if i'm working out i go over but i usually gross around 1200.
Earlier this week I made a big lentil stew that has lentils, quinoa, beans,and lots of veggies and is pretty filling with each serving being just over 300cals which makes more room for snacking this week.
So today for example..
Breakfast:
1 XL egg
10% fat yogurt
berries
all bran buds
sliced almonds
milk in my coffee
250 cals
Lunch:
Lentil stew
cheese on top
345 cals
Dinner
Lentil stew
cheese on top
345
Snacks:
Cottage cheese
Banana
200 cals
That's below 1200 but i'll be using up some more calories with drinks at a football game tonight. Normally I'd throw in more snacks like popcorn, sunflower seeds, or extra eggs.
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My 1200 calories
50g Porridge
200ml skimmed milk BREAKFAST
50g Frozen fruit
40ml skimmed milk for coffee
301 calories
130g Banana
75g Apple
Protein shake 1 scoop with water 91calories
I high protein muffin 92 calories SNACKS
346 calories
2 slices high protein bread
100g Cottage cheese
82g Tomatoes LUNCH
100g fat free Greek yoghurt
5ml Agave nectar
329 calories
1 can tuna 100g
Spiralized Carrots 81g
Spiralised Courgettes 76g TEA
10ml Sainsburys chill and Mango dressing
189 calories
1000ml water
I herbal tea DRINKS
1 black coffee
Normally I eat more calories for tea but had more breaks at work and I was hungrier.
Im 5ft 2" and want to loose 6lbs at a 1lb weight loss per week. Once this is achieved I will up my calories gradually to 1450 then 1600 to 1700 when lifting heavier and doing more exercise.
I think I have around 35 calories left
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Today it looks like pita and hummus, chicken curry pot with rice, three double stuff Oreos, a Jaffa cake and a diet coke.
Just enough left over for a glass of wine. It's been one of those days!7 -
My 1200 Calories looks a lot like 2000 Calories as I'm so active and get anything up to 1500 Calories added for exercise (think my record this year was 2500 Calories after a very active day with a half marathon among other things).
I'm up to 1800 right now but that includes 600 in snacks. My actual meals were:
Breakfast : 40g mini shredded wheat, 180ml unsweetened almond milk (181)
Lunch : Mushroom Cous Cous, Sweet chilli chicken breast, asparagus (449)
Dinner : Roasted Salmon fillet, veg stir fry in a chilli/lime sauce (package of stir fry veg bulked out with extra mushrooms, peppers, baby corn, carrot, broccoli, green beans), slice rye bread (537)
Total : 1167
But like I said I also had snacks, I treated myself to a rather yummy berry slice (414) and a pack of salt and pepper nuts (147) and 3 cups of tea (63). Still got another 700 to play with, that's the joy of being active you get to eat a lot more.4 -
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1 egg scrambled with kale and half a Roma tomato l, cooked in 1tbsp of butter.
Apple and 1/4 cup of raw almonds
Springs mix salad with 1/2 chicken breast, strawberries, and balsamic vinegar
Nonfat plain greek yogurt with berries and half a banana
And then usually some sort of salad or variation of chicken and rice for dinner. This depends on how many calls I have left for the day as well as where my macros are.
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What is your height and age? I agree with other people that 1200 could be too low unless you are petite. I am 5'3" 120 lbs and try to keep between 1270-1320ish calories on normal days and 1300-1370ish on gym days.
Breakfast:
Protein powder (100 cal)
Mixed in water & a cup of almond milk (30 cal)
Sometimes a black coffee (0 cal)
= 130 cal
Mid-Morning Snack (only some days):
Half an apple (40ish cal)
OR Light & Fit yogurt (70 cal)
= 40-70 cal
Lunch:
Soup and/or salad (usually with chicken for protein) OR meal prep/dinner leftovers (like chicken broccoli rice)
Applesauce or carrots & light dip
= try to keep it around 300-450 cal
After-Work Snack (only some days):
Half an apple (40ish cal)
OR Low fat string cheese (50 cal)
= 40-50 cal
Dinner:
We do a lot of chicken, veggie, rice/quinoa recipe variations.
On a lazy day, Birds Eye makes great frozen bag meals that you toss in a skillet. Most are only about 280 cal.
Usually combine with a side salad.
= try to keep it around 400-600 cal
On GYM days, my after-work (pre-workout) snack is half a thin wheat bagel with almond butter. Yum! (145 cal)
On GYM days, for my dinner (post-workout) I always go to Chipotle and get: bowl with brown rice, chicken, a little bit of corn, and cheese. If it was an especially "good" day I will get about a guac but this rarely ever happens. (570 cal without guac, 710ish with guac)
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brianneangell08 wrote: »What is your height and age? I agree with other people that 1200 could be too low unless you are petite. I am 5'3" 120 lbs and try to keep between 1270-1320ish calories on normal days and 1300-1370ish on gym days.
Breakfast:
Protein powder (100 cal)
Mixed in water & a cup of almond milk (30 cal)
Sometimes a black coffee (0 cal)
= 130 cal
Mid-Morning Snack (only some days):
Half an apple (40ish cal)
OR Light & Fit yogurt (70 cal)
= 40-70 cal
Lunch:
Soup and/or salad (usually with chicken for protein) OR meal prep/dinner leftovers (like chicken broccoli rice)
Applesauce or carrots & light dip
= try to keep it around 300-450 cal
After-Work Snack (only some days):
Half an apple (40ish cal)
OR Low fat string cheese (50 cal)
= 40-50 cal
Dinner:
We do a lot of chicken, veggie, rice/quinoa recipe variations.
On a lazy day, Birds Eye makes great frozen bag meals that you toss in a skillet. Most are only about 280 cal.
Usually combine with a side salad.
= try to keep it around 400-600 cal
On GYM days, my after-work (pre-workout) snack is half a thin wheat bagel with almond butter. Yum! (145 cal)
On GYM days, for my dinner (post-workout) I always go to Chipotle and get: bowl with brown rice, chicken, a little bit of corn, and cheese. If it was an especially "good" day I will get about a guac but this rarely ever happens. (570 cal without guac, 710ish with guac)
You burn 30-50 calories at the gym?
How much weight are you trying to lose? What rate of loss do you have selected?
I'm an inch shorter than you, considerably older, and maintaining now at 115-120, and I lost weight eating b/w 1600-1900 cals. Even being petite you can probably eat more than you are today and still lose.2 -
1200 is a net calorie goal for 2 pound weight loss. If you exercise you should eat more.
Some days I'll go up to 1600 gross (net still 1200) and still lose!1 -
1200 is a net calorie goal for 2 pound weight loss. If you exercise you should eat more.
Some days I'll go up to 1600 gross (net still 1200) and still lose!
Not exactly. 2 pounds is a daily 1,000 calorie deficit. If someone has a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure aka maintenance level) of 2,200 calories then 1,200 would be 2 pounds a week. But for smaller folks, 1200 calories may be the goal for just 1 pound a week. Either way 1200 is just as low as MFP will go for a woman.0 -
I'm in awe at the food you guys eat to lose weight. I did that for seven months but I got really sick so I upped my intake and started losing more weight because I had more energy and was able to be more active.
I lose 1-2 pounds a week at 1800-1900 calories daily.3 -
breakfast: eggs, spinach, mushrooms and a pear
snack: greek yogurt and berries
lunch: chicken, quinoa, Brussel sprouts
snack: cucumbers and canned salmon
snack: protein powder and soy milk
dinner: Varies (fish, quinoa, peppers; chicken, broccoli, mac and cheese; turkey chili; spaghetti with zucchini noodles and ground turkey; etc.)
This is what a typical day for me looks like and its usually around 1500 cals but I workout 5 days a week, so after my workout it puts me down around 1200 cals. On my "days off" from exercise I cut out my protein shake and usually have less snacks throughout the day to stay around 1200. Its not an easy commitment but I have consistently lost weight at a healthy pace. If you can stay committed it works1 -
Oh, I definitely burn more than 50 cal at the gym. But I personally try not to eat very much of it back. My activity level is "sedentary" since I have a desk job, which puts my TDEE around 1520. I am currently trying to lose 0.5 lbs/week. I only make it to the gym maybe 3 days a week, trying to improve that!WinoGelato wrote: »
You burn 30-50 calories at the gym?
How much weight are you trying to lose? What rate of loss do you have selected?
I'm an inch shorter than you, considerably older, and maintaining now at 115-120, and I lost weight eating b/w 1600-1900 cals. Even being petite you can probably eat more than you are today and still lose.
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To me, 1200 calories looks like... Hunger and misery8
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I would have a hard time doing 1200 calories. I just try to eat whole foods and eat till I'm feeling full. I'm also not trying to count calories either. Right now, after talking to my nutritionist, lowering my carb intake a bit.0
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