1200 calories a day
Aydin_394
Posts: 7 Member
How does one just eat 1200 calories a day? on a good day mine is 2000!
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Replies
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i've been doing it for 11 days now! Trying to keep between 1000 and 1200. I tend not to be a breakfast person though cause i don't like to get up early. So i'll usually just eat a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar (smores flavor!) 150 calories or so to start the day. I'll have a Turkey Sandwich for Lunch (Turkey, Slice of Muenster, Whole Wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, light mayonaise, mustard) 420 calories. Then I had asian Bibipop for dinner (Rice Noodles, Teriyaki Sauce, Chicken, beat sprouts, daikon, cucumber, corn, and a little bit of cheese. It's like an aisan salad but with noodles instead of lettuce. super good), 558 calories, and a small thing of miso soup 60 calories. I might let myself have a cookie too, (1 nutter butter, 68 calories). I drink water which really keeps the calories down.
Total 1188 calories
I've lost 7 lbs in that time doing this! (Started at 332, so 1200 calories is a large decrease for me hence the results)11 -
Most people don’t need to go as low as 1200 cals to lose, and the targets set by MFP are Net goals, which means if you exercise you should be eating back those calories.
How much weight do you have to lose OP, and what rate of loss did you select?11 -
i've been doing it for 11 days now! Trying to keep between 1000 and 1200. I tend not to be a breakfast person though cause i don't like to get up early. So i'll usually just eat a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar (smores flavor!) 150 calories or so to start the day. I'll have a Turkey Sandwich for Lunch (Turkey, Slice of Muenster, Whole Wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, light mayonaise, mustard) 420 calories. Then I had asian Bibipop for dinner (Rice Noodles, Teriyaki Sauce, Chicken, beat sprouts, daikon, cucumber, corn, and a little bit of cheese. It's like an aisan salad but with noodles instead of lettuce. super good), 558 calories, and a small thing of miso soup 60 calories. I might let myself have a cookie too, (1 nutter butter, 68 calories). I drink water which really keeps the calories down.
Total 1188 calories
I've lost 7 lbs in that time doing this! (Started at 332, so 1200 calories is a large decrease for me hence the results)
You have a lot of weight to lose and can support a fairly aggressive rate of loss but even still, that is too fast. An appropriate goal is usually no more than 1% of your body weight, so for you that would be about 3 lbs/week right now. MFP undoubtedly set you higher than 1200 calories based on your stats, so why are you going so low?10 -
4.5 lbs/week which is what I had is not so much lower than the 3 you suggest is better. The reason I decided to try and set myself a baseline lower than what MFP delegated was because I knew at times I would want to go over, and so when I did that, it would still have me being under what I need. I also knew that I needed to jump right in head first and see some results to boost my confidence that I can do this and make me more firm in my commitment to stick with it long term since overall this will probably take me close to two years to complete my goals.7
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4.5 lbs/week which is what I had is not so much lower than the 3 you suggest is better. The reason I decided to try and set myself a baseline lower than what MFP delegated was because I knew at times I would want to go over, and so when I did that, it would still have me being under what I need. I also knew that I needed to jump right in head first and see some results to boost my confidence that I can do this and make me more firm in my commitment to stick with it long term since overall this will probably take me close to two years to complete my goals.
@sra455 I get that seeing results fast is motivating. But going way below the suggested calories could be extremely counterproductive. Trust me, I did this. And yo-yo'd real quick. Stick to 1200 without fail. You don't want your body on starvation mode. You'll end up losing muscle and not fat.12 -
When I started dieting I sometimes didn't even reach 1200 kcal, but I also hardly moved around at all and was horribly out of shape. My body was above all excited to be finally getting plenty of good foods. However, I need to mention that I am short (1,62m or 5'3) with a bmr around 1200-1300 kcal according to the online calculator, so doing this for a month or less did not have devestating effects on me. The moment I started exercising and building muscle mass, even on rest days it was impossible not to add 100-300 much needed extra calories. I feel that 1200 is alright when you begin if you are short (and maybe small-framed) and not exercising, but it's certainly not sustainable in the long run and could be downright irresponsible.4
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I am 43, 5 foot 5, weigh 172lbs. I cycle to and from work, I do not have a desk job (fairly active) and I lift heavy things in the gym 3 days a week. I eat an average of 2150 cals per day to lose 1 lb per week.
I would end up eating everything in sight if I attempted to eat 1200. I would lose 2lbs per week eating the UK government recommended 1600 cals per day.
My point is, your body needs energy to function. Eat as much as you can and be flexible (no bad foods and include treats and so called junk) at a reasonable deficit to stop binge eating and yo-yo-ing. 2 lbs per week is plenty when you have lots to lose, that tapers down to 0.5 lb per week when you have less to lose. The target mfp sets you when you input all your stats includes the deficit. Exercise cals need to be eaten.3 -
Most people don't need to eat that little to lose.
I'm petite, lightly active and could lose 0.5lb a week eating 1750-1800 calories.1 -
4.5 lbs/week which is what I had is not so much lower than the 3 you suggest is better. The reason I decided to try and set myself a baseline lower than what MFP delegated was because I knew at times I would want to go over, and so when I did that, it would still have me being under what I need. I also knew that I needed to jump right in head first and see some results to boost my confidence that I can do this and make me more firm in my commitment to stick with it long term since overall this will probably take me close to two years to complete my goals.
I actually think 3 lbs/week is aggressive as well, I’m just saying that your current stats can support a slightly larger rate of loss. I understand that losing weight can be motivating but it can also set you up for failure if you are going so aggressive that you can’t stick with the program, if you have negative side effects from not getting basic nutrition, etc.8 -
Very easily, but i prefer calorie cycling if i need to eat that low, just for flexibility's sake
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4.5 lbs/week which is what I had is not so much lower than the 3 you suggest is better. The reason I decided to try and set myself a baseline lower than what MFP delegated was because I knew at times I would want to go over, and so when I did that, it would still have me being under what I need. I also knew that I needed to jump right in head first and see some results to boost my confidence that I can do this and make me more firm in my commitment to stick with it long term since overall this will probably take me close to two years to complete my goals.
It's 150%, or, looked at from the other angle, 3 lbs is only two-thirds of 4.5 lbs. If your employer wanted to cut your pay by a third, or offered you a raise that would increase your pay by 50% (e.g., $30 per hour compared to $20 per hour), would you say either was "not so much"?5 -
It’s amazing to see the lengths that folks will go to in order to rationalize undereating. 1000 calories is below the minimum number needed for anyone, period.
If you’re female and consistently eating fewer than 1200 calories per day, you are undereating.
The same is true if you’re male and consistently eating fewer than 1500 calories. You are at risk of becoming malnourished, and you aren’t following a sustainable way of eating. If you plan to lose weight and keep it off over the long term, your approach has to be sustainable.
1200 is reasonable for a small (pardon the pun) group of people. This group includes short, sedentary, and/or older women. I am a very short woman who exercises regularly but has a sedentary job. I ate 1200 plus exercise calories for 2.5 years. Note the “plus exercise calories.” Your calorie goal on MFP is always calculated with the intention of eating back your exercise calories.
But, if you aren’t a very short woman who is older and/or has a sedentary job, then you can likely eat more than 1200 and still lose weight. Set your goals to a 1 lb/week loss and you’ll get to eat more.8 -
Hi I am the above - 53 - weigh 175 pounds and 5 ft 3 inches. It has set me at 1200 calories and by reading the above if I start adding in excercise I can eat those calories too? I've started tracking today and have come in 70 under.4
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Hi I am the above - 53 - weigh 175 pounds and 5 ft 3 inches. It has set me at 1200 calories and by reading the above if I start adding in excercise I can eat those calories too? I've started tracking today and have come in 70 under.
@grogs1964 you definitely should eat the equivalent of the calories you lose at the gym because you need that energy. You've already made a huge calorie deficit by limiting yourself to 1200.
At rest, our bodies lose about 1800 calories (for short women like us). So that's a deficit of about 600. If you add the calories you burn while working out (let's say 300) you'll have a deficit of 900. That's great. However, you need energy for your exercise and will need to eat at least 200 more calories to be able to sustain your workouts.0 -
So maybe you can help me. I'm 5'7" 153 pounds and lightly active. I'm a nurse on a 10 room memory care unit, most of my residents are in the common area all day so i do not have to run up and down the hall way at all. MFP suggest 1220 calories per day, so are you all saying that is to low? I've never had to watch what i ate but since i'm getting older its harder not to gain weight. Until I was about 25 i weighed 115-120. I dont really want to get that thin again but maybe 130-1350
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I don’t think I can ever control my appetite! I exercise 3,4 or 5 times a week. And I can’t imagine eating just 1200 cal. Although I am active I haven’t been losing because I eat too much. I love food! I need to staple shut my mouth2
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i find it is alot easier when i fast.. i do a 16/8 fast and alot of times i am not hungry.. i east because my window is closing.. without a fast i dont think i could do it2
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Idk. Not sure why you think you can only consume 1200if you’re active.
I’m just under 5’2” and don’t weigh much by charts. 108 or 109at the moment. I’m also 48. But I’m active. Maintenance for me is about 1700-1800 and weight loss is 1500-1600.
Sure mfp gives me 1200. But I eat back my fitbit calories and still lose.
Only a true couch potato who is short and old should be eating 1200. But that’s not really healthy for them either. Imo.5 -
veggies seafood and chicken1
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So maybe you can help me. I'm 5'7" 153 pounds and lightly active. I'm a nurse on a 10 room memory care unit, most of my residents are in the common area all day so i do not have to run up and down the hall way at all. MFP suggest 1220 calories per day, so are you all saying that is to low? I've never had to watch what i ate but since i'm getting older its harder not to gain weight. Until I was about 25 i weighed 115-120. I dont really want to get that thin again but maybe 130-135
Hey @jross1211 maybe you asked MFP to help you lose weight real quick so it calibrated your intake to 1200. With your height and job, I really don't think 1200 is necessary. Consider going to 1500 and see how that works for you at first. also, you want to lose just 20 pounds. 1500 should be more than enough!0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67USKg3w_E4
With regards to eating your exercise calories.2 -
If you are aiming for 1200 calories, and not achieving it, which is causing you to overeat, why don't you plan to eat more? You may find you feel more satisfied if you are allowing yourself more food. I try to average 1500 per day day, and I am relatively small with only 6kg to lose to get to my goal weight. I exercise a fair bit as well, and I can't imagine being able to sustain the energy to do so on only 1200 a day.2
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Hi I am the above - 53 - weigh 175 pounds and 5 ft 3 inches. It has set me at 1200 calories and by reading the above if I start adding in excercise I can eat those calories too? I've started tracking today and have come in 70 under.
I was about same age and almost same starting weight but you are taller than me.
I set my activity as lightly active. I think most people, unless in very sedentary job and lifestyle, are at least lightly active.
It gave me 1460.
That was to lose 1/2 lb Per week which I did until I reached my goal.
I suspect it would set you on more too, at this loss rate ... which is rate you probably should be on with a relatively small amount to lose.
And yes you should eat back your exercise calories or at least most of them, that is how MFP is designed to work
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So maybe you can help me. I'm 5'7" 153 pounds and lightly active. I'm a nurse on a 10 room memory care unit, most of my residents are in the common area all day so i do not have to run up and down the hall way at all. MFP suggest 1220 calories per day, so are you all saying that is to low? I've never had to watch what i ate but since i'm getting older its harder not to gain weight. Until I was about 25 i weighed 115-120. I dont really want to get that thin again but maybe 130-135
What rate of loss did you choose? With about 20 lbs to lose you should be aiming for 0.5-1lb/week. You are set at lightly active?
How long have you been using MFP? What results are you seeing so far? Are you logging everything you consume, ideally using a food scale?1 -
Today is day 7 for me. So myfitnesspal, because I am 55 and my metabolism is slower said 1200 calories a day. You DON'T have to be malnourished at this caloric intake but you are going to have to know a lot about nutrition and be willing to eat a ton of bulky, low calories vegetables like Swiss chard and cauliflower and include superfoods in your diet every day.
The very first day of the diet I made a casserole with cooked brown rice noodles placed in a lightly oiled glass dish topped with Indian seasoned cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and onion. It took me a while to figure out the nutrition and calories in the dish but it was 275 calories for a good size serving- about 5" x 4" and 3" tall- similar in size to a portion of lasagna. I forgot to add Tempeh (fermented soybeans) as I had intended so it was low protein! I made sure to have a boiled egg or fat free organic Greek yogurt with fruit and a few chopped up nuts for a snack or meal. I am cooking a lot and choosing things with great flavor and using lots of dried herbs and spices such as basil, oregano and cumin. I am also using small amounts of siracha, tamari, and Torchy's Diablo suace and counting those small caloric additions too. No sacrifice of flavor! I also swear by Beast Burgers (I am vegetarian) which are delicious. They are not low cal but they have tons of protein.
I found the crazy low calorie goal and how hard it was to achieve made me really motivated to exercise. Once I started exercising I had enough calories to mix a tablespoon of coconut oil in my morning meal and/or have a whole small avocado with a squeeze of lime juice later in the day. Healthy fats speed metabolism and create a feeling of fullness, although they should not be overdone.
I was completely out of shape and in the last four days I walked 2 miles, 2.1 miles, did 40 minutes of Pilates out of a book (probably 25-30 minutes of exercise if I knew the routine well), and today walked 2.8 miles. Even with "buying" the extra calories through exercise, I have only met my net calorie goal one time. But I have only generally been about 100 calories over except for today when I was WAY over. I think the Pilates, which made me sweat, and todays's long walk (at least it was long for me) has my body going crazy. I am famished. I was out and had a Juiceland medium smoothie, a Soul Boulder, around 6 PM, but of course smoothies are easy to digest and are gone relatively quickly. I got home feeling very hungry and just had an Amy's individual pizza and a 5 oz pour of red wine at 9 PM. I tried the trick of drinking a glass of water 15 minutes before dinner and I cut the Amy's pizza in half, intending to only eat half, but after eating half and waiting 5-10 minutes I was still famished and ate the other half.
So today my net calories are way over. I am in this for the long haul and I am not worried about today as long as this does not happen often. I had planned to have a cheat meal once a week anyways. I am still almost always eating really clean (the 7 oz. vegetarian pizza and glass of wine are by far the naughtiest things I have had, and the first alcoholic beverage I have had in a week). I am still eating about half of what I ate before. Gone are apple pie, chocolate bars, cinnamon rolls, chocolate cake, Tate's Bakeshop chocolate chip cookies, biscuits, home fries, eggs Benedict, queso and chips, margaritas...the list of naughty foods I have said Ciao to goes on and on. I was eating whole bags of chips a couple of nights a week. Not the little bags, either. So overall I am pleased. I am hungry a lot of the time. I am looking forward to having a new set point and my stomach shrinking and feeling satisfied with more of my meals. It is taking a huge amount of willpower to do this and I am proud of my accomplishments overall.8 -
speaktothequ, not sure how tall you are or how much you have to lose - 1200 may be appropriate for you or it may not.
But you do not have to eat clean nor do chocolate bars etc all need to be gone - although of course portion sizes and frequency may need to change.
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Hi I am only on 1220 that’s what mfp put me on, is that too little?0
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Jazmalee - we have absolutely no way of knowing without any info - your age, gender,height, activity level, how much you weigh now.....0
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Sorry I'm 57 ,85 kgs,5 ft 6 female and am moderately active,walking daily,working full time with an active job0
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How MFP calculates your calories, is based on the information you give it:
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