I can't do 1200 calories!!!! I'm so hungry!!! Why?!?!

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13

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  • preshalin
    preshalin Posts: 52 Member
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    What does MFP recommend you eat?

    1200 is too low. I tried it twice and ended up falling off the wagon because of it.
    Eat at a small deficit then increase it slightly over time if you feel comfortable with it. Or else create the deficit by doing more cardio. It takes longer but its well worth it.

  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    edited August 2017
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    mrspett323 wrote: »
    Because it takes 1200 calories for a 3 year old to function. 1200 calories is below your BMR, the amount of calories it takes for your body to survive in a coma!!!! You need to calculate your TDEE numbers to get an accurate number of calories you need to consume. You are starving yourself. Your body will start to eat muscle, bone mass and even brain tissue when you starve it. Good luck

    These are the calories given by MFP so I doubt she is starving herself. Upping calories and reducing the amount of weight loss is advisable however if hunger is so much of an issue. That or play around with meal timing, protein, fibre and fat to find what is most filling.

    Just so you know, unless I do a lot of exercise my calculated TDEE minus 500 calories is less than 1200 as is my BMI. Fortunately my metabolism is higher than the average for my weight. There is a thread in the maintenance forum on how much those that are vertically challenged are eating to maintain their weight and many are between 1200-1500.
  • Pedrohbds
    Pedrohbds Posts: 13 Member
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    Go for high protein high fiber foods. For me high fiber bread and white fish like cod can make small meals with low calories.
    Soups that will increase volume and occupy your stomach with water will help keep you going for more time.
    Or foods like cabbage or other leaves that can fill you almost without calories.
    Carrot snacks help too.
  • InkAndApples
    InkAndApples Posts: 201 Member
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    kokonani wrote: »
    So this is my experience... when I was eating 1300- 1400 calories, I was so hungry all the time! Why? Because I was trying to spread out the calories throughout the day 3 meals plus snacks. That meant my meals were only about 400 calories give or take. It wasn't filling me enough. So now I eat my calories in one or two large meals. That gives me larger portions and it includes anything I want to eat, no restrictions on what I eat. I feel much more satiated after having huge meals, instead of having multiple small meals. Most days, I will consume one meal worth all my calories. This definitely works for me.

    This is my experience too, it works for me. If I start eating small meals I'll snack and graze all day and by the end of it I'm ravenous. For me if I'm not in "eating mode" food doesn't really cross my mind.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
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    I could never be happy eating at 1200 calories. I occasionally net 1200 after a particularly active day but I consume 1700 or more daily. It takes a bit more time to lose the weight but I don't hate my life.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
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    I'm 5'4 and close to goal weight. To lose weight, I can't eat above 1400 WITH exercise. I have never tried not exercising but imagine I'd need to be in the 1200 calorie club, too. Also keep in mind that most of us under-estimate calories, so sometimes 1200 is a good goal to shoot for if you aren't weighing out every grape and carrot stick.
  • yourfitnessenemy
    yourfitnessenemy Posts: 121 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.

    Tell me more! Do you exercise a ton?

    I'm 42, 5'2", 125, MAINTAINING on 1200ish. I do take a lot of meds, but this is getting frustrating.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    yourfitnessenemy wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.

    Tell me more! Do you exercise a ton?

    I'm 42, 5'2", 125, MAINTAINING on 1200ish. I do take a lot of meds, but this is getting frustrating.

    do you actually weigh your food?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    yourfitnessenemy wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.

    Tell me more! Do you exercise a ton?

    I'm 42, 5'2", 125, MAINTAINING on 1200ish. I do take a lot of meds, but this is getting frustrating.

    I'm 35, 5'3", 148lbs and maintain about 2500ish calories a day (also take daily thyroid meds) - its something I've been working on with an RD over the last year (when I started with them, I was eating maybe 1400 a day), they've slowly increased my calories and macros (when I started my carb intake was approximately 180g a day, as of this week, I'm up to an avg of 300g a day) - progressively small increases over the last year and a half
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,977 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    natasha7573 wrote: »
    I have 1200 calories too and I'm ending my first week tomorrow. It was a little hard the first 3 days but then my body accepted it. I'm 28 so yes, things are starting to move harder.

    28 is not an age where it gets harder. At all. I'm 35 and I have always lost exactly as expected and I most certainly don't eat 1200 calories to do it.

    I completely agree. I'm 49 and at maintenance. I started on here at age 47 and lost ~73 pounds. I didn't find it to be any harder to lose weight in my late 40's. I actually found it harder in my late 20's because I did restrictive diets back then and always gained the weight back, plus I was miserable the whole time.

    I'm 5'3.5". I lost my weight with my goal set at 1350 and ate back most of my exercise calories so usually between 1400 - 1600 calories per day. OP you don't look like you have much weight to lose. I can't tell how short you are, but 1200 is not an appropriate goal for you.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    LinFlemmer331 wrote: »
    When your blood sugar goes up then drops, you get hungry. Carbs raise your blood sugar. Cut the carbs and sugars, up the proteins and healthy fats. Fats and protein help to keep you full longer, and keep your blood sugar stable. My cardiologist told me to cut out processed food, carbs, sugars, and fruit. Instead eat vegetables, some berries, healthy fats, and protein. It's working for me and keeps my hunger down. Good luck!
    1. Vegetables, fruit dairy and grains are all carbohydrates.
    2. Absolutely not necessary for weight loss. All that is needed is a calorie deficit. If it's working for you and with your medical condition, then that's great.

  • hockeychick8766
    hockeychick8766 Posts: 51 Member
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    For me, it depends on the day and my mood. Some days I feel stuffed with only 850, and other days I can have 1800. But on average, I have about 1200 a day, with exercise. I drink a ton of water, so maybe that's why.
  • GrumpyHeadmistress
    GrumpyHeadmistress Posts: 666 Member
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    I lost over 100lbs on 1200 a day but i do log 400-500 exercise calories a day and eat them all back. So my *gross* calories per day is more like 1600-1700.
  • fglrml86
    fglrml86 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thank you everyone!!! I'm only 5 ft 2 but...I'm going to bump up a little!
  • cgcrutch
    cgcrutch Posts: 223 Member
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    If ur hungry, eat! :-D Just avoid empty calories, they can make u even MORE hungry. Intermittent fasting helps decrease calorie intake, tho that isn't the goal of it. And it increases hgh, which increases fat burning. If u feel hungry, ask urself would u eat a boiled egg?If no, it's just a craving lol! If yes, u need food
  • pikachuFL
    pikachuFL Posts: 75 Member
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    It helps to divide the 1,200 calories into 3 meals of 300 calories, plus one snack of 300 calories or two snacks of 150 calories. Spreading the calories out over the day keeps you from being so hungry. That's worked for me, anyway.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,634 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    yourfitnessenemy wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'd freak out and binge if I tried to restrict to 1200 calories.

    I'm 42, 5'9", 170 pounds, and losing pretty well on ~1850 calories per day.

    Tell me more! Do you exercise a ton?

    I'm 42, 5'2", 125, MAINTAINING on 1200ish. I do take a lot of meds, but this is getting frustrating.

    I'm 35, 5'3", 148lbs and maintain about 2500ish calories a day (also take daily thyroid meds) - its something I've been working on with an RD over the last year (when I started with them, I was eating maybe 1400 a day), they've slowly increased my calories and macros (when I started my carb intake was approximately 180g a day, as of this week, I'm up to an avg of 300g a day) - progressively small increases over the last year and a half

    How long have you reverse dieted? at what rate did you increase your calories? Did you show any weight gain and how long did you wait before you considered yourself stabilised and ready for the next increase? Inquiring minds want to know! ;-)

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