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MyFitnessPal Community

Cannot survive on 1200! Food diary included

dlharris1

I dunno how people do it, it just doesn't seem enough and I'm starving! Im currently 163lbs 5ft 3 goal weight of 140. This last year I've lost 42 lbs of pregnancy weight through slimming world but now come to a total standstill for 3/4 months now so giving MFP a go. Do I maybe need to switch up what I'm eating? I'm posting my food diary for today - not got much left for dinner so doubt I'll manage to stay within limits.....any advice greatly appreciated

Replies

dlharris1

JLASilver

I have similar stats, I'm down to 141 now. All I can say is I excercised exactly because I didn't want to survive on 1200 calories and I ate back the vast majority of my earned calories. Focus on things you like to eat and use those flavors in meals centered around lean protein and lots of veggies.

MommaGem2017

Do you exercise at all? Do you track steps with a pedometer or fitness band? You may be able to eat some more based on exercise calories.

mfpmishka

You are eating way too little! Around 900c each day is crazy low! Unless you are around 70 years old and sitting around or laying in bed all day.

dlharris1

Thanks for comment, I do gym classes and cycle to and from work 3 days a week so that'll help a lot on those days. The other four days however, I've got my two daughters to look after all day so find it difficult to fit anything in

TavistockToad

dlharris1 wrote: »

I dunno how people do it, it just doesn't seem enough and I'm starving! Im currently 163lbs 5ft 3 goal weight of 140. This last year I've lost 42 lbs of pregnancy weight through slimming world but now come to a total standstill for 3/4 months now so giving MFP a go. Do I maybe need to switch up what I'm eating? I'm posting my food diary for today - not got much left for dinner so doubt I'll manage to stay within limits.....any advice greatly appreciated

Is that with a rate of loss of 1lb per week?

__TMac__

Lower your weekly weight loss goal to get more calories. Exercise some to earn a few more.

That's a lot of calories spent on snacks for such a low calorie goal. If you stay with 1200 cals, fitting in crisps is going to be a challenge.

livingleanlivingclean

Where did you come up with the 1200 amount? I'm guessing you have no idea how much you were actually eating doing slimming world? (the impression I get is that they don't calorie count)

It's likely that 1200 is too little, and unnecessarily restrictive for you. If you've set it for 2lbs a week loss, reduce this to perhaps 1lb. Also remember you can eat back your exercise calories - mfp calculates your calorie deficit goal without exercise included.

vnb_208

I'm at 1300 Add me you can see my diary.

I tend to eat high protein foods to keep my full.

Greek Yogurt, beans, Protein bars/cookies, beef jerky.. those sorts of items

RachelElser

I would eat a big ol'bowl of veggies with each meal- I see you are eating some and that's good. But eat a cup of carrots, a cup of celery, and a cup of peppers/cukes (three cups with each meal) and as a snack and I think you will feel much fuller and they are very low cal.

TavistockToad

Relser wrote: »

I would eat a big ol'bowl of veggies with each meal- I see you are eating some and that's good. But eat a cup of carrots, a cup of celery, and a cup of peppers/cukes (three cups with each meal) and as a snack and I think you will feel much fuller and they are very low cal.

I would be sick of whatever veg it was after half a cup...

dlharris1

MommaGem2017 wrote: »

Do you exercise at all? Do you track steps with a pedometer or fitness band? You may be able to eat some more based on exercise calories.

No proper 'exercise' as such today, just spent day playing with girls and a bit of cleaning. I don't but I definitely want to invest in a Fitbit

cerise_noir

I see a few entries where you're not weighing your food (fruits, veg, "meats", etc). Use a digital food scale for all solid and semi solid foods and ingredients. Weigh everything. Log everything (that goes for cooking oils, condiments, vegetables and fruit).

You don't have much to lose. Set mfp to lose 1lb or even .5lbs per week. If you're already at this setting, eat back half of your cardio calories.

What is your macro breakdown? Some find eating higher fats helps keep them satiated, while others find more protein helps. For me, I like a balance of protien fats and carbs.

What is your fiber like? Are you meeting fiber requirements? If you're tracking sugar, replace that so you're tracking fiber. Tracking sugar is useless as it is a carb (and you don't mention any medical conditions).

TavistockToad

dlharris1 wrote: »

MommaGem2017 wrote: »

Do you exercise at all? Do you track steps with a pedometer or fitness band? You may be able to eat some more based on exercise calories.

No proper 'exercise' as such today, just spent day playing with girls and a bit of cleaning. I don't but I definitely want to invest in a Fitbit

I hope you aren't set to sedentary then?

kms234

I've found focusing on my macros over calories is what finally got me over my slump. I was not eating near enough protein. It's only been a week but I'm really loving it so far.

rsclause

I would say let the scale determine your calories allowed. If you can eat 1400 calories and still lose weight than allow yourself a few more.

dlharris1

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

Where did you come up with the 1200 amount? I'm guessing you have no idea how much you were actually eating doing slimming world? (the impression I get is that they don't calorie count)

It's likely that 1200 is too little, and unnecessarily restrictive for you. If you've set it for 2lbs a week loss, reduce this to perhaps 1lb. Also remember you can eat back your exercise calories - mfp calculates your calorie deficit goal without exercise included.

It's just the amount the app gave me

DebLaBounty

Did you set your goal to lose 2 pounds per week? That might be too aggressive for you. If you reset MFP to losing one pound per week, you'll have more calories to eat but will just lose the weight more slowly. One pound a week is good progress, by the way! (I like to have at least 400 calories left for dinner; any less and I feel deprived.) Your diary looks reasonable to me. The only other piece I see is that if you add in some exercise, you can eat back the calories you've "earned". I'm currently set at 1200 calories a day, but tend to earn at least 300 additional calories a day from exercise.

dlharris1

TavistockToad wrote: »

dlharris1 wrote: »

MommaGem2017 wrote: »

Do you exercise at all? Do you track steps with a pedometer or fitness band? You may be able to eat some more based on exercise calories.

No proper 'exercise' as such today, just spent day playing with girls and a bit of cleaning. I don't but I definitely want to invest in a Fitbit

I hope you aren't set to sedentary then?

I think I am because I've got a desk job (three days a week)

livingleanlivingclean

dlharris1 wrote: »

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

Where did you come up with the 1200 amount? I'm guessing you have no idea how much you were actually eating doing slimming world? (the impression I get is that they don't calorie count)

It's likely that 1200 is too little, and unnecessarily restrictive for you. If you've set it for 2lbs a week loss, reduce this to perhaps 1lb. Also remember you can eat back your exercise calories - mfp calculates your calorie deficit goal without exercise included.

It's just the amount the app gave me

Using the information you provided - what did you put as activity level and rate of loss?

estherdragonbat

Yes, but how much did you tell the app you wanted to lose per week?

dlharris1

I put in 2lbs per week and sedentary

gothchiq

More protein, more vegetables, lose the crisps as those are using up calories you need for nutritious foods.

livingleanlivingclean

dlharris1 wrote: »

I put in 2lbs per week and sedentary

Changing it to 1lb per week, and lightly active (which you probably are with children!) will give you more calories and make dieting a lot easier, and sustainable.

dcristo213

Eat more protein and add more fat to your diet. It will keep you feeling full and not so hungry.

RamboKitty87

I have found little changes I can eat more, I can understand its hard having children around, I used to look after my little brother a lot and its so hard not to eat what he left etc but I found just switching my bread to weight watchers danish (4 slices 201 cals), snacking on small amounts of homemade popcorn (I crave savoury more than sweet so I add herbs and spices to my popcorn), eating cottage cheese and quark instead of cheese and mayonnaise, beans and pulses, fruits and vegetables, Greek yogurts, ryvita, basically filling up on high protein low calorie foods and now low fat due to health reasons, it makes all the difference, I googled a lot to help me find foods that fit with my needs and I managed to get it all within living on a tight financial budget, if you can afford it invest in an exercise bike, you can find they quite cheap, its helped me so much due to having anxiety I can exercise in the privacy of my own home if I go over my allotted calories, you could exercise 20 mins in the evening or morning whilst your children are happily watching a movie

annabel92

When I first started I was on 1,200 a day and I found it fairly easy to maintain. That said, everyone is different. If you are feeling constantly hungry you aren't going to be able to maintain it and you're more likely to binge (i.e. on crisps).

It might help you to consider that when I upped my calories to 1,300, I actually found I was losing weight faster than on 1,200 - go figure! I have now upped mine to 1,400 on maintenance/tiny bit to lose.

If you're eating 1,200, this is the minimum and you need to eat most of your calories back from exercise, as 1,200 after exercise is likely to be far too little.

If it helps, on 1,200, my day was roughly as follows:

Breakfast: 30g Special K with 100ml semi skimmed milk

Lunch: homemade lunch bowl brought into work - chicken seasoned with fajita, with rice, red peppers, sweetcorn, kidney beans, and cucumber

Dinner: Dinner of 400-600 calories. Examples include fish dishes (sea bass with lots of high fibre veg and baby potatoes), lean meat with veg (chicken mostly), smaller portions of pasta dishes etc.

Snacks: carrot batons, and banana or apple

Drinks: only water, squash, and green tea

I haven't included food weight etc. as it's only a rough idea for you. Feel free to add me if you're interested in those bits though, my diary is open and I log daily.

EDIT: I have just also noticed from your diary that you might be a vegetarian. Please substitute my fish and chicken for other protein sources such as tofu and quorn

NancyCaz61

Like the others said, I would try to get more protein and veggies in and not use so many calories for snacks. I'm at 1230 for the day and rarely am I starving. I've finally learned to pick the right foods throughout the day...add me if you like

OliveGirl128

TavistockToad wrote: »

Relser wrote: »

I would eat a big ol'bowl of veggies with each meal- I see you are eating some and that's good. But eat a cup of carrots, a cup of celery, and a cup of peppers/cukes (three cups with each meal) and as a snack and I think you will feel much fuller and they are very low cal.

I would be sick of whatever veg it was after half a cup...

I average 800g- 1,000g of veg/fruit a day and don't get tired of it at all. It's what I base my days around. Stir frys, wraps, green smoothies, cut up with low calorie dressing, salads etc etc

Op, I'm currently at 1,200-1,400 a day and am finding it pretty easy, but I follow a modified DASH protocol, along with IF, so that's why it's going so well for me, personally.

VeronicaA76

Okay, you have another 247 calories remaining. Remember your goal for calories is to get as close as possible to 1200. Also if you swap out the crisps (138 calories), you would have about 440 calories left to go - which is a low calorie, but complete meal. Add in a brisk walk and you then up your calories again.