1200 is NOT a magic number!! I don't know how you do it

Crystalchaos72
Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I am posting this because I see A LOT of people aiming for the lowest possible caloric requirement and stating they aren't losing weight, or stalling in weight loss, or whatever. There is NO MAGIC NUMBER for everyone! You have to use these tools the site provides and tweak it to your INDIVIDUAL NEEDS!! If you are active and have muscles you need more calories for your body to function properly. If you are sedentary you still need to EAT. There is no quick fix, magic bullet,cleanse,pill or laxative that will help you attain a healthy strong body! It takes hard work, honesty with YOURSELF and movement of said body. If you eat it, log it, that includes butter,sauce,whatever. Personally I would STARVE if I only ate 1200 a day, that is half of my days caloric needs to lose, and yes I figured it out on here, took some tweaking, but this is a learning process and I am glad to tweak. What is the rush for the quick loss? The weight didn't come on evernight, so why the sudden urgency to lose it overnight?
Taken from a friend "you can't drive your car on an empty tank" means your body needs fuel to work, which means feed it when it needs it.
Ok, I just felt the need to say something, which I am sure many have in the past, however I leave you with this
"Opinons are like @$$holes, everyone has got one"
«1

Replies

  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    i alas would stave so i wwouldnt worry about it
    the smaller you get the less you will need ...
    :)
  • nosugarcoating
    nosugarcoating Posts: 194 Member
    I fully agree with you. :)
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    :drinker:
  • waisheimli1
    waisheimli1 Posts: 23
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x
  • blissrelease
    blissrelease Posts: 45
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x

    Measurements not weight! If you're changing shape for the better, take that over actual weight loss :)
  • broxgaard
    broxgaard Posts: 1
    I think 1200 is a good starting point for sure, of course everybody needs to see if it fits for them, this site/tool is not 100% accurate and universal, but still good though.

    Remember that if you do any kind of exercise your daily calorie raise too, so some days I can eat 1800 calories instead of the just 1200.....
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I am posting this because I see A LOT of people aiming for the lowest possible caloric requirement and stating they aren't losing weight, or stalling in weight loss, or whatever. There is NO MAGIC NUMBER for everyone! You have to use these tools the site provides and tweak it to your INDIVIDUAL NEEDS!! If you are active and have muscles you need more calories for your body to function properly. If you are sedentary you still need to EAT. There is no quick fix, magic bullet,cleanse,pill or laxative that will help you attain a healthy strong body! It takes hard work, honesty with YOURSELF and movement of said body. If you eat it, log it, that includes butter,sauce,whatever. Personally I would STARVE if I only ate 1200 a day, that is half of my days caloric needs to lose, and yes I figured it out on here, took some tweaking, but this is a learning process and I am glad to tweak. What is the rush for the quick loss? The weight didn't come on evernight, so why the sudden urgency to lose it overnight?
    Taken from a friend "you can't drive your car on an empty tank" means your body needs fuel to work, which means feed it when it needs it.
    Ok, I just felt the need to say something, which I am sure many have in the past, however I leave you with this
    "Opinons are like @$$holes, everyone has got one"

    I completely agree with you. Great post!
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x

    Tape measure is way better than those scales. The fact that you're saying that the jeans that you couldn't get on is now baggy loose for you means you are on the right track. Don't worry, soon the scale will follow. Another tip: You may be taking in too much sodium which cause water retention inside your body which is why it seems you don't lose anything. Avoid foods that are high in sodium as much as possible. Also its better to weigh yourself first thing in the morning right after your first pee & use the exact same scale for you to record your progress.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?

    I'm not a believer of eating those exercise calories thing. Whether you eat your exercise calories or not doesn't have any bearing on your weight loss. The body can't tell a difference between the required & exercise calories. If you eat more than you burn, you will still gain weight whether you eat your exercise calories or no. MFP is not 100% accurate & many that are indicated on the databases are just guess estimates & not the actual one you are taking or burning.
  • sknopps
    sknopps Posts: 166
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?

    I'm not a believer of eating those extra calories thing. Whether you eat your exercise calories or not doesn't have any bearing on your weight loss. The body can't tell a difference between the required & exercise calories. If you eat more than you burn, you will still gain weight whether you eat your exercise calories or no.


    but if you're already not eating enough.....
  • waisheimli1
    waisheimli1 Posts: 23
    Thanks for the advice!x
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x

    Measurements not weight! If you're changing shape for the better, take that over actual weight loss :)
  • Lizi19
    Lizi19 Posts: 180 Member
    I think I agree with the overall message of the post, but I am a little tired of everybody attacking a 1200 cal. diet. It's working for me and I am not starving. Sometimes I have to eat some extra peanut butter to meet 1230 and I eat more calories when I workout. If I eat 1230 a day, I will lose a pound a week, which is a healthy goal (from what I read).
  • waisheimli1
    waisheimli1 Posts: 23
    I have been because everyone I know said you work hard eat eat eat!x
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?

    I'm not a believer of eating those exercise calories thing. Whether you eat your exercise calories or not doesn't have any bearing on your weight loss. The body can't tell a difference between the required & exercise calories. If you eat more than you burn, you will still gain weight whether you eat your exercise calories or no. MFP is not 100% accurate & many that are indicated on the databases are just guess estimates & not the actual one you are taking or burning.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x

    Tape measure is way better than those scales. The fact that you're saying that the jeans that you couldn't get on is now baggy loose for you means you are on the right track. Don't worry, soon the scale will follow. Another tip: You may be taking in too much sodium which cause water retention inside your body which is why it seems you don't lose anything. Avoid foods that are high in
    sodium as much as possible. Also its better to weigh yourself first thing in the morning right after your first pee & use the exact same scale for you to record your progress.


    I looked at quoted person's diary and didn't see any trouble although I am not a dietician or medical proffesional I didn't see you tracking sodium. Looks like you are zig zagging and inches lost is great!
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?

    I'm not a believer of eating those extra calories thing. Whether you eat your exercise calories or not doesn't have any bearing on your weight loss. The body can't tell a difference between the required & exercise calories. If you eat more than you burn, you will still gain weight whether you eat your exercise calories or no.


    but if you're already not eating enough.....

    Its the same thing. I'm not saying to eat less than 1,200 cals/day. In fact I find that number too low. What I'm saying is that I do not believe that you should eat ALL the exercise calories. Because I've seen many people here who says eat back your exercise calories but actually how could we know we are eating enough. We should set an allowance still & not just rely on what MFP says. We will never know if we are underestimating our calorie intake or overestimating those calories burned. Although its up to you if you want to eat back all your exercise calories for as long as it is working for you.
  • waisheimli1
    waisheimli1 Posts: 23
    Right well the next few weeks I'm going to eat the cals back I earn from walking my dog which gives me a little mre than 1209 and then anything I earn from my classes spinning etc I'm not going to eat!x

    See what happens!
    X
    I have been because everyone I know said you work hard eat eat eat!x
    Hear, hear and waisheimli1: are you eating your exercise calories?

    I'm not a believer of eating those exercise calories thing. Whether you eat your exercise calories or not doesn't have any bearing on your weight loss. The body can't tell a difference between the required & exercise calories. If you eat more than you burn, you will still gain weight whether you eat your exercise calories or no. MFP is not 100% accurate & many that are indicated on the databases are just guess estimates & not the actual one you are taking or burning.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Hi there You sound like you know what your talking about well said!!!!

    I've had 3weeks of plateau, I've been going to the gym quite a bit and my body shape has changed jeans I couldn't get on a couple of months ago are on and baggy!I'm so happy about this, then I look at the scales and they haven't budged at all, so I've got the scales in the car as I've become too upset, as I'm up out and about spinning 5 times a week Zumba twice a week etc....arghhh would you have a look at my diary?x

    Tape measure is way better than those scales. The fact that you're saying that the jeans that you couldn't get on is now baggy loose for you means you are on the right track. Don't worry, soon the scale will follow. Another tip: You may be taking in too much sodium which cause water retention inside your body which is why it seems you don't lose anything. Avoid foods that are high in
    sodium as much as possible. Also its better to weigh yourself first thing in the morning right after your first pee & use the exact same scale for you to record your progress.


    I looked at quoted person's diary and didn't see any trouble although I am not a dietician or medical proffesional I didn't see you tracking sodium. Looks like you are zig zagging and inches lost is great!

    Thanks :smile: Sometimes I'm going over the sodium especially if I'm invited to dine out. But I compensated it by drinking more water because it helps flushes away the extra sodium in our body. In my case I do zigzag my calories because I eat more during my weight training days and less when I'm into cardio. Although now that I'm into maintenance stage, I already upped my calories even more but I still keep on losing weight.
  • flygyrl
    flygyrl Posts: 4 Member
    I agree with you! I am totally fine with 1200 calories a day. As long as I drink enough water, I am fine. If I work out that day, Of course I will eat more. I hear alot of people saying they did 2 workouts in a day. Well, if you workout too much and don't get results, it's because you are not eating enough for all of the calories you are burning! My fitness pal is a great tool for learning how to eat for losing and maintaining your weight.
  • Sezmo83
    Sezmo83 Posts: 331 Member
    I have my diary set for 1200 calories. That's what MFP gives me for a 2lb a week weight loss. Anyone looking through my diary will probably think I'm doing terribly because I'm usually over, sometimes by just a few calories sometimes by quite a lot, but that's because I aim to net anywhere between 1200 and 1600 calories. So far I've lost 4lbs in 2 weeks. When I was aiming for the 1600 a day I lost 4lbs in about 2 months so this seems to be working for me.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    I think I agree with the overall message of the post, but I am a little tired of everybody attacking a 1200 cal. diet. It's working for me and I am not starving. Sometimes I have to eat some extra peanut butter to meet 1230 and I eat more calories when I workout. If I eat 1230 a day, I will lose a pound a week, which is a healthy goal (from what I read).

    If it feels like an attack, I apologize......it is just my opinion that for ME it is waY tOO low! I have never on this "journey,adventure, whatever" eaten that low, 1700 was my starting point and I have lost 114#'s.
    I feel fricken awesome and wish you luck :)
  • helloburger
    helloburger Posts: 243 Member
    For me as being 5"1 im given a 1200 calorie aim, only 300 cals deficit. Some days I find this number a struggle! when I have rest days etc, but I usually exercise everyday so I eat more, and net always 1200 calories. But I have noticed that I have been the same weight for two weeks.... perhaps I have to increase my calories gradually until I find the right balance.

    I have one member on MFP who struggles to eat this amount. I find it highly discouraging and worrying that someone cant eat that much and complain about it. Just change what your eating to higher calorie food!!! (sorry mini rant!)
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    I am a big fan of 1200. [:

    But then again, I am also a fan of VLCDs when doctor recommended, Intermittent Fasting, and not eating back your exercise calories.

    So my opinion doesn't mean much in the world of MFP Forums. :D
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    to be honest i never had a problem with 1200 cals, and lost consistantly. however now i am at maintenance i much prefer having 1800 instead!!!
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    to be honest i never had a problem with 1200 cals, and lost consistantly. however now i am at maintenance i much prefer having 1800 instead!!!

    Good for you! :)
  • Lizi19
    Lizi19 Posts: 180 Member
    I think I agree with the overall message of the post, but I am a little tired of everybody attacking a 1200 cal. diet. It's working for me and I am not starving. Sometimes I have to eat some extra peanut butter to meet 1230 and I eat more calories when I workout. If I eat 1230 a day, I will lose a pound a week, which is a healthy goal (from what I read).

    If it feels like an attack, I apologize......it is just my opinion that for ME it is waY tOO low! I have never on this "journey,adventure, whatever" eaten that low, 1700 was my starting point and I have lost 114#'s.
    I feel fricken awesome and wish you luck :)

    I get it. Everybody is different. If I started out weighing 100 pounds more than I do, I would not only eat 1200. It would seem ridiculous to me. But. since I only need to lose a couple of pounds and am sitting down most of the day 1230 works. Congratulations on the weight loss.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I agree with you! I am totally fine with 1200 calories a day. As long as I drink enough water, I am fine. If I work out that day, Of course I will eat more. I hear alot of people saying they did 2 workouts in a day. Well, if you workout too much and don't get results, it's because you are not eating enough for all of the calories you are burning! My fitness pal is a great tool for learning how to eat for losing and maintaining your weight.

    Too much exercise can also hinder your weight loss because we are not giving our bodies a time to repair the lost tissue cells caused by exercising especially our muscles. And coupled up with eating less than 1,200 cals, our body thinks there is a "famine" going on & its initial reaction is to slowing down our metabolism so we won't "die". Its OK to break it down into 2 or 3 mini-workouts but not too much like 1 hour per workout.
  • city_of_frogs
    city_of_frogs Posts: 101 Member
    i agree, everyone have there own needs.

    1200cals works for me. I eat more on days I work out. I'm not hungry on 1200, whereas a friend of mine starves. She's on 1500 on this site.

    Don't be afraid to lose weight slowly :) just as long as you're not fooling yourself.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    LOVE THIS!!!!!

    "Don't be afraid to lose weight slowly :) just as long as you're not fooling yourself."
  • city_of_frogs
    city_of_frogs Posts: 101 Member
    LOVE THIS!!!!!

    "Don't be afraid to lose weight slowly :) just as long as you're not fooling yourself."

    haha what's funny is that this time I'm taking everything very seriously, and I'm the most successful and consistent I have ever been... go figure lol
This discussion has been closed.

Categories