1200 calorie diet vs 1500 calorie diet

My recommended amount is 1200 calories and I have to be honest, I am finding it hard going.

I guess it just depends on you and what you are used to eating etc.

My daily calorie intake is 1270. I thought it was going to be hard, but I've found ways to eat the same amount of meals and the same number of times a day. But, I try and eat healthier, low calorie foods. Sometimes, I even eat more than I normally would because what I choose to eat is so much better for me.

I'm still trying to eat a 1200 calorie diet. It's a little hard for me to do since I normally eat 1500 calorie/day. I used to feel hungry all the time so I upped it back to 1500 calorie and just upped my workout calories burned.

I DO A 1200 CALORIE DIET FEEL FREE TO SCOPE OUT MY FOOD DIARY I HAVE ONE SPIKE AKA CHEAT DAY A WEEK, YOULL BE ABLE TO TELL WHICH ONES THOSE ARE HAHAHA

if you take on to much to fast you have less of a chance of success. Start at 1500 and get use to counting and limiting yourself, then in a few weeks look at your diary and see what you can cut out.

I am allocated 1200 calories daily...not having a problem with it yet....as long as you get in your daily cardio workout...you should be okay....

Work in a range rather than a specific number. Eat good protein filled meals and keep up with the exercise daily. I set a range between 1200-1500 with my working out and it has worked great! A range allows you to have more flexibility in the options without "missing the mark". The more you work out the closer to 1500 you should be and the days you don't work out you should be closer to 1200.

I'm technically at 1300, but that's just above 1200 so I'll weigh in with my two cents.

It's doable, if you can find foods that are filling with minimal calories. For instance, I've been having spinach salads for lunch, with some apples, carrots, and a handmade vinaigrette. Spinach is super low in calories, which means I can have a nice hefty and filling serving without sacrificing too much in terms of my other meals.

What really makes it easier, though, is making sure you're getting in some exercise. I don't find I get any hungrier depending on whether or not I work out, but burning 200 and some calories on the elliptical means that I get to eat that extra 200 calories during the day. If you find it hard to stick to your calorie count, try setting aside a little extra time to get in some exercise and earn enough calories back to fill you up.

Other than that, my only tip is to drink LOTS of water or tea. Water by itself can help satisfy sudden cravings, and often what we perceive as "hunger pangs" is actually thirst--we just don't recognize the signals anymore! If you've eaten not too long ago and you feel a craving, go for the water before you go for a snack. Tea works similarly, but has the added benefit of flavour, so not only are you quenching thirst, but it's much easier to fool your stomach--or your taste buds, depending on who is to blame--into thinking you've just had sometehing delicious and tasty.

Staggering your calories may be a good thing to try, oscillating between 1200 and 1500 every three or four days. It keeps your metabolism moving along steadily (plateaus are a common annoyance around here and a common recommendation is to eat slightly more then fewer calories at intervals). Working in this way, you'll begin to get a sense of your particular body's rhythms and cycles- sometimes your body will really need or want those extra 300 calories and getting a sense of when or why that is will empower you to make good choices around those times and know when it's ok to let yourself have it. In any event, both of these calorie totals are likely below your maintenance calories number (for most people it takes around 1900-2000 calories just to power their bodies in a resting or lightly active state), so you will see some weight loss with either total. Fitness is really a lifelong process that we're all learning as we go, so don't beat yourself up if you find that 1500 is more comfortable for you- in the end, you'll still see weight loss, just at a rate of around 1- 1/12 pounds per week, which is nothing to sneeze at!

Well I'm doing 1250 and am having no trouble staying on it.. occasionally I may go over by 100 or so accidently or being up too long hours ...
I incorporate things like baked potato and guacamole, peanut butter and lots of fruit and veg..Had to add whey protien shake for more protien... Just get used to it slowly.. Get rid of almost all junk food cept for rare treat.. Just adjust yourself to snacking mostly all day.. Lots of little meals and only one of two "full meals"
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I haven't been able to stay on the 1220 MFP wanted me to eat for a 1.5 # weight loss for more than a few weeks at a time. This time around I'm trying 1500 - it will be slower, but I think it will be easier for me to actually stick with. 1200 was just too low for me right now, too much of a shock after eating way more. I am hoping that once 1500 feels "normal" I can knock it back to 1400, etc.