1200 calorie a day diets
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Great observations here. Being Asian & living in Asia, perhaps our diet is different compared to the West. I am 5’3+, with a goal set at 1,200 calories daily. Most of the time, i consume 1,000. I do a 16:8 IF, with 2 meals (lunch & dinner). I eat almost everything, but try to keep to low carbs meals. Exercise varies from running, combat, walking, about 2-3x a week.1
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stephanieyeo wrote: »Great observations here. Being Asian & living in Asia, perhaps our diet is different compared to the West. I am 5’3+, with a goal set at 1,200 calories daily. Most of the time, i consume 1,000. I do a 16:8 IF, with 2 meals (lunch & dinner). I eat almost everything, but try to keep to low carbs meals. Exercise varies from running, combat, walking, about 2-3x a week.
I will hope you are underestimating your calories. Eating only 1000 cals for any more than a day or two while exercising is not healthy. Your body needs fuel, and netting under 1000 cals doesn't do that, regardless of where you live and what you eat.9 -
stephanieyeo wrote: »Great observations here. Being Asian & living in Asia, perhaps our diet is different compared to the West. I am 5’3+, with a goal set at 1,200 calories daily. Most of the time, i consume 1,000. I do a 16:8 IF, with 2 meals (lunch & dinner). I eat almost everything, but try to keep to low carbs meals. Exercise varies from running, combat, walking, about 2-3x a week.
Many active people who report regularly eating under 1,200 a day are actually underestimating the calories they're consuming (which is okay if it winds up working for you). There is no evidence that I'm aware of that indicates Asian people are able to extract *more* energy from calories than other people or that their calories needs are restricted by some other mechanism.9 -
What does your menu look like
4'10" and 105-110 lb here. Honestly (for me anyway): 1200 total is a nope! (you pretty much have to eliminate all the snacks or luxury foods, and eating out, liquor,...). I have mine set at 1240 net (short, not overweight, sedentary other than exercise), BUT my total calories are usually >2000/day (god bless bicycles). My advice would be to add a more exercise (find something you love) if you're physically able to so you're not stuck with that few.
For sample meals:
breakfast: quick oats + non/low-fat greek yogurt ~300; or hard boiled eggs with cottage cheese (the quick oats might potentially crowd out too much protein, fat at 1200 total/gross calories)
lunch, dinner: salad greens/vegetables + lean meat (chicken, fish, 90+/10- ground beef, some pork cuts). more lowfat greek yogurt as dessert or soup/stew/chili that contain basically the above. (for chili, padding it out with chopped carrots, etc since ground meat, beans are calorie dense). canned diced tomatoes can sub in for soup in a pinch on it's own (add a side of meat). Pretty much no (or very little) room on 1200 for starchy-courses.. so might forego buying potatoes, bread, possibly even corn,...
-- you pretty much plan each meal around getting in a decent protein source and work around that. And make sure you get enough fat in there (if the meat cuts are too lean..yes- I've adjusted ratios of skinless/boneless chicken breast with turkey sausage in soup/stew bc the fat content was too low).5 -
Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
Not everyone is extremely active and young. I maintain at this numberHanibanani2020 wrote: »I was on 1200 with a professional’s advice for ages and felt very ill and lacked energy. My PT suggested upping to 1400-1500 and I started dropping much faster and feel amazing now. I’m 5’4” female with 15lbs to lose and extremely active. I don’t know how I wasn’t hospitalised in all honesty.
You said further up that your maintenance is 1500
Yes, exactly, 1460 to be precise at the moment. And the previous poster suggested 1400-1500 as goal to lose. Which would not work for many of us.1 -
I don’t find that unbelievable. I’m the same height as her, 40 lbs heavier, active with average around 10,000 steps per day and maintain around 1500. If she’s sedentary and weighs much less her maintenance could very well be close to 1200. I’m 38 years old. When sedentary, I maintain around 1350. I can imagine my maintenance being lower if I got closer to goal weight.2 -
What does your menu look like
4'10" and 105-110 lb here. Honestly (for me anyway): 1200 total is a nope! (you pretty much have to eliminate all the snacks or luxury foods, and eating out, liquor,...). I have mine set at 1240 net (short, not overweight, sedentary other than exercise), BUT my total calories are usually >2000/day (god bless bicycles). My advice would be to add a more exercise (find something you love) if you're physically able to so you're not stuck with that few.
For sample meals:
Pretty much no (or very little) room on 1200 for starchy-courses.. so might forego buying potatoes, bread, possibly even corn,...
On starchy stuff, I go half/half. I cook my rice in bulk and then bag it in 100g portions anyway, but I'll often bulk it out with grated cauliflower (which I also freeze in portion sizes). If I'm doing bolognese, I serve it on courgetti or a courgetti / pasta mix. I find that one medium sized potato, baked as 8 wedges, is (seems) more substantial than mash so now have wedges with most meals that call for potatoes. A lot of my meals are bulked out with veg for volume at lower cal. However, with playing around, my breakfast and lunch are now quite low cal, leaving more for dinner.
Exercise buys me snacks and the occasional glass of wine.
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It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.5 -
I eat about 1200 calories most days. I’m almost 60 years old . I did 1200 seven days a week while I was losing weight ( I have lost 75 pounds and am 5’5 and Now 134 pounds. . Now i have a 1800-2200 meal once per week.
I do IF so 2 meals a day.
Typical lunch:
Carb balance tortilla with goat cheese and sautéed mushroom and onion. Bowl of raspberries.
Dinner:
Salad ( served in giant mixing bowl): 2 entire bags of salad mix ( like Fresh express Italian), 20 stalks of steamed asparagus, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots and corn with 4 oz Broiled salmon, chicken or lean steak on top. 2 oz Full fat balsamic dressing.
Diana’s banana ( dark chocolate covered frozen banana)
Peach or plum.2 -
Today
Breakfast: Oatmeal with 12 raisins, 1 tsp brown sugar, and walnuts, Coffee with milk and tsp sugar
Lunch: 1/2 sandwich with 1/2 slice of cheese and 1 slice of ham, cooked baby carrots, 1/2 cup pineapple
Dinner: Pineapple chicken salad sandwich, Salad with ranch dressing,
Snacks: banana, 10 groove crackers, sun chips (small individual bag), apple (maybe)
Sometimes I go up to 1300 calories
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Ouch! Sorry. I thought I'd overestimate your age big time. I hope you see it as a compliment of sorts. Yeah, looks like the only thing you can do is try to move more, and try to build muscles.
If you trust mfp calculation then you would find 1200 is in fact right for my height, age and gender. Not that I don't have the leaway to alter this amount to fit my lifestyle when required. Eg: holiday extra. It has worked for me. I eat healthy. I exercise. I am still working. At the end of the day we are all individuals, some things work for you that may not work for others. It can take time to find what works for you. Don't automaticily think that 1200 calories is not sustainable. I wish you all well on your journey. x8 -
I am on 1000 to 1200 calories a day. The key is getting enough fiber and protein.
I see many posts before me worrying about or debating the 1200 calories. I can tell you I did 1400 to 1500 for many years and it just didn't seem to work for me. Then I got gallstones and had trouble eating due to nausea. I told myself I needed at least 1000 calories to keep healthy. So that's what I ate. I added in some very mild exercise and it worked like crazy. I'm still at it. I'm only 5'2 ish and am overweight.
Don't worry about what they say. Do it your way. If you are short and not very active 1200 should be fine.
A typical day looks like one of the following.
a protein shake 160 calories, 30 grams protein
Possibly 1 oz of samis bakery millet and flax chips (different varieties) 100 calories 12 grams fiber and 1 gram protein
a very large bowl of vegetable broth (30 calories) with added veggies and 6 to 8 oz of lean mean (50 grams protein) for a total of about 400 calories
Lite dinner
tuna fish sandwich (make with greek yogurt instead of mayo) 250 calories, 30 grams protein 4 grams fiber
snack
radishes, pickles, more millet and flax chips, komboucha (to help with some health things) 60 cal,
Alternate day.
overnight oats made with water, cinnamon, flax, walnuts 270 calories, 9 protein 9 fiber
a large serving of korma (or jalfreezi, curry) lots of veggies, 6 to 8 oz of lean meat, 65 calories for sauce. No starches like rice, potate or such. Things like onion, mushroom, green beans, zucchini 400 to 500 calories total
protein shake 160 calories
something else light like a sandwich, or some millet chips, maybe some nuts like almonds or pistachios (not all of these).
Alternate day
lots of veggies cooked by frying pan and water
zucchini, onion, mushroom, tomato
2 to 4 egg whites with salsa about 100 calories
salad with salmon on top 400 to 500 calories
protein shake 160 calories
yogurt or frozen fruit pop 60-100 calories
komboucha 60 calories
rolled up sliced luncheon meat 60-100 calories
millet and flax chips
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Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
Size and especially age. My maintenance cals are about 1540 according to mfp. In reality they are a bit higher than that but if you have less muscles, less active and on the low side of neat then you’re *kitten*.
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Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
The sad thing is when you are short and lighter, you burn a lot less calories than average height people. According to my apple watch, I burn 40 calories in 12 minutes of jump rope, so a 30 minutes of jump roping (which is quite tiring) would give me around 100 calories. Bummer for us shorties!7 -
Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
Back when I was much younger, like early 20s, I had a naturally higher metabolism because of age (I just did the math, age alone has cost me 150 calories ) , and I was walking a lot, since I was studying and also working downtown, meaning I was almost all day away from home (no family obligations yet) and it was far more conveniet to walk from class to job and back than use any transport. My current life, demands I spend 8-12 hours per day in front of a desk, and some time everyday doing chores and driving kids to and from extracurriculars. Based on TDEE calculators, if I managed to spend more time on my feet, just walking etc like I used to do (not even structured exercise), I could easily eat at least 400 calories more and maintain. Now, add that when I was younger I was obsessed with dancing, aerobics, running, lifting (and was spending hours at they gym daily), while now I would nto have the time if I wanted to, but most important good old arthritis means that although I do exercise about 1 hour daily, this is low impact and burning far less calories. So younger me was maintaining at low end of a healthy BMI while eating at least 2000 calories per day, probably more, without second thoughts, then age and life happened, and middle-aged me eats 1400ish calories to stay in the normal to higher BMI range 3 -
threeyears2024 wrote: »Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
The sad thing is when you are short and lighter, you burn a lot less calories than average height people. According to my apple watch, I burn 40 calories in 12 minutes of jump rope, so a 30 minutes of jump roping (which is quite tiring) would give me around 100 calories. Bummer for us shorties!
So much this... when the (much larger) men report their estimated calorie burn after a ride/run...<grumble>.
(That being said, they had to haul all that extra weight up the hills..bwahahaha)(Finding a sport that us shorties are built for is priceless and helps one to appreciate it... and mind being 'shorted' on calories quite a bit less).2 -
I am new here. I just had my RMR/BMR tested and at rest I burn a measly 986 calories a day. I am 49, 5'2, 126# and need to add muscle mass, I think to up my metabolism. However, even according to the dexa scan, I burn 14% fewer calories than I should at this height, weight, age and lean body mass. that's not a huge number (but it is a glass of wine, or a cookie or a half sandwich!).
According to their calculations, if I workout 3-5 times a week and otherwise have a desk job, my maintenance would only be 1331. That is adding only about 350 calories a day for all activity though--workouts and just generally being sentient so I am hoping that is off because otherwise, if I eat at the 1200 calorie limit that MFP gives me, it will take me 27 days to lose one pound, with 3-5 workouts a week and that sounds rather depressing.
Currently I eat two meals a day, sometimes with a snack between them--kind of a version of intermittent fasting, although not so intentional.3 -
According to their calculations, if I workout 3-5 times a week and otherwise have a desk job, my maintenance would only be 1331. That is adding only about 350 calories a day for all activity though--workouts and just generally being sentient so I am hoping that is off because otherwise, if I eat at the 1200 calorie limit that MFP gives me, it will take me 27 days to lose one pound, with 3-5 workouts a week and that sounds rather depressing.
Your maintenance may be a bit higher. I'm 5'1.5" and weigh 110lb; I'm a bit older than you. I'm allocated 1340 in maintenance although as I dropped a couple more kg since switching to maintenance, I've recently started eating a bit more to see if my maintenance number is actually a little higher. It took quite a while to drop the weight that I did lose - but on the plus side, it's good practice for how / what you'll be eating in maintenance, as the two aren't really much different. Going slowly and steadily is highly recommended if you want to sustain your weight loss.1 -
Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
Back when I was much younger, like early 20s, I had a naturally higher metabolism because of age (I just did the math, age alone has cost me 150 calories ) , and I was walking a lot, since I was studying and also working downtown, meaning I was almost all day away from home (no family obligations yet) and it was far more conveniet to walk from class to job and back than use any transport. My current life, demands I spend 8-12 hours per day in front of a desk, and some time everyday doing chores and driving kids to and from extracurriculars. Based on TDEE calculators, if I managed to spend more time on my feet, just walking etc like I used to do (not even structured exercise), I could easily eat at least 400 calories more and maintain. Now, add that when I was younger I was obsessed with dancing, aerobics, running, lifting (and was spending hours at they gym daily), while now I would nto have the time if I wanted to, but most important good old arthritis means that although I do exercise about 1 hour daily, this is low impact and burning far less calories. So younger me was maintaining at low end of a healthy BMI while eating at least 2000 calories per day, probably more, without second thoughts, then age and life happened, and middle-aged me eats 1400ish calories to stay in the normal to higher BMI range
This makes sense. I am 26, have a somewhat active job and lift weights 5 x a week so that would explain my maintenance calories. Do you find you naturally eat less or don’t get quite as hungry?0 -
Mazintrov13 wrote: »It always blows my mind when I read posts about people eating 1200 (or less!) a day, I guess I often assume people are underestimating what they are eating because I just couldn’t do it!
I am female 5’4 around 125 pounds and don’t think I could do less than 1500. I am currently doing a mini cut on 1850 and maintain on 2100.
Maybe try getting in more excersise? That would give you more wriggle room.
Back when I was much younger, like early 20s, I had a naturally higher metabolism because of age (I just did the math, age alone has cost me 150 calories ) , and I was walking a lot, since I was studying and also working downtown, meaning I was almost all day away from home (no family obligations yet) and it was far more conveniet to walk from class to job and back than use any transport. My current life, demands I spend 8-12 hours per day in front of a desk, and some time everyday doing chores and driving kids to and from extracurriculars. Based on TDEE calculators, if I managed to spend more time on my feet, just walking etc like I used to do (not even structured exercise), I could easily eat at least 400 calories more and maintain. Now, add that when I was younger I was obsessed with dancing, aerobics, running, lifting (and was spending hours at they gym daily), while now I would nto have the time if I wanted to, but most important good old arthritis means that although I do exercise about 1 hour daily, this is low impact and burning far less calories. So younger me was maintaining at low end of a healthy BMI while eating at least 2000 calories per day, probably more, without second thoughts, then age and life happened, and middle-aged me eats 1400ish calories to stay in the normal to higher BMI range
Keep in mind that these are just statistical projections, no matter the inputs. But just for fun, put your stats into a TDEE calculator that lets you input body fat percent**, then rerun the age comparison. Pick any reasonable body fat percent, just guess if you don't know - the point is to see the effect on the estimate of age, but at constant BF%
Still think it's entirely "because of age"?
** Such as Sailrabbit: https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/1
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