1,500 calories a day

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eeebee
eeebee Posts: 471 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is anybody else trying to lose weight slowly (and steadily, I like to think) too?

I see so many people on here with calorie goals around the 1,200 mark and personally, even sticking to 1,400 - 1,500 is tough enough for me!

So all praise goes to you guys on the lowest calorie goal diets - I don't know how you do it :drinker:
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Replies

  • Angellore
    Angellore Posts: 519 Member
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    I'm on just over 1500 a day and I don't think I could manage on 1200. I have a lot to lose so I have my goal set to lose 2lb a week, but I will set that to less as I lose so that I don't end up going hungry. Considering before I was probably on 4000+++ cals a day 1500 is low for me!
  • shazzamax11
    shazzamax11 Posts: 154
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    Mine is set at 1700 a day but I do exercise 4-5 times a week. I'm trying to lose weight slowly 1-2lbs a week and so far so good ;o)
  • tnh9479
    tnh9479 Posts: 61 Member
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    If I go much below 1500/day, my body thinks it is in starvation mode. My theory...whatever works for you! :)
  • PennyNickel14
    PennyNickel14 Posts: 749 Member
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    I average about 1650 a month over the last three months. I lose steadily and appropriately.

    I am not going to lie. I struggle to stay under sometimes still. I work on it every day still :). I am never one trying to get up to goal. Always trying to stay under LOL!
  • woo1324
    woo1324 Posts: 168 Member
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    ive just decided to put myself on a as i need it diet , basically some days im close to 2000 somedays i might only hit 1000 as long as i feel energised happy and satisfied then i feel that is the best way for me i do however make sure that im never to far over so as to not gain or to far under so i dont get sick or harm my health i feel landing somewhere in the healthy middle is best
  • flimflamfloz
    flimflamfloz Posts: 1,980 Member
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    When I try to set my allowance below 1500 cals, I usually end up overeating my way up to 1500 cals anyway (sometimes even more, when I get started).
    Since then I am just sticking to 1400-1500.

    Props to people eating 1200 cals though.
  • kdz0zk7
    kdz0zk7 Posts: 1 Member
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    This is so refreshing. I beat myself up because i set my goal to 1500 and 99% of the time i'm somewhere between 1600 and 1900. Only my second week so not much progress yet. Yay for not going to 1200.
  • sqtolliver
    sqtolliver Posts: 20
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    MFP gave me 1200 because I'm 5'2 and wanted to lose 1.5 lbs a week. I'm sure it would give me more if I were taller or male. My understanding is there is some customization based on age, height, starting weight, etc.
  • eeebee
    eeebee Posts: 471 Member
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    The best thing about this site is that it makes you SO AWARE of every little thing you eat, every day.

    I used to be in charge of all the catering in my last office and pretty much 4 times a week there'd be left over croissants, filled baguettes, sandwiches and smoothies etc....and I would just munch on them whenever I was hungry at work or take some home with me.

    I must have put on about 1.5 stone whilst there and if I had added them all up on here like I do nowadays, the calorie count would have gone through the roof and I would have changed my ways a lot quicker before it was too late.

    I didnt realise it'd take so long to lose weight, it is true what they say, as you get older, it gets harder to shift those extra lbs.
  • jaitken_22
    jaitken_22 Posts: 212 Member
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    I find it easier doing 1,500 cals per day but sometimes I alternate to about 1,300 per day. At the moment MFP says I should do 1,310 which isn't too bad. Doing 1,200 cals per day is too hard for me, I feel like I'm starving myself. Just do what feels comfortable for yourself.
  • Luckydrd
    Luckydrd Posts: 56 Member
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    Low calorie works however I question if any of us can sustain it for long term. Use it as a tool but eventually you'll need to find a better way to eat.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    MFP tells me to eat 1220 calories plus exercise ones. I plan my meals ahead of time to be around 1550 or so. I exercise 6 days a week, so I guess it averages out to 1220 + 330 exercise calories.

    I could never eat just 1200 though. I would just starve.
  • healthyliving_girl
    healthyliving_girl Posts: 290 Member
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    I don't know if I could regularly eat only 1200 calories. I'm guessing no. When I first started doing this and tracked for 1400, I wanted to scream at people or cry in a corner. haha. That was clearly not enough food to keep my mental state in good, working order. HAHA. I work out almost every day in order so I'll get additional exercise calories to eat.

    After a couple days of 1400 craziness, I upped it to 1700 calories or maybe 1750. I decreased it a couple times...and today, I just set it DOWN to 1600....

    Some days I only eat 1600, but more often than not, I eat 1800-2200 calories a day. Those days I obviously exercise, which I've now upped to 40-80 minutes a day, burning 400-1000 calories on the elliptical trainer.

    I admit there are days that my net calories are under 1600, but that's because of a huge workout, not because I didn't eat. LOL.
  • eeebee
    eeebee Posts: 471 Member
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    MFP gave me 1200 because I'm 5'2 and wanted to lose 1.5 lbs a week. I'm sure it would give me more if I were taller or male. My understanding is there is some customization based on age, height, starting weight, etc.

    I'm only 5"3 and I thought about it long and hard and concluded that trying to stick to anything lower than 1,500 would mean miserable days ahead for me as food plays a huge part in my enjoyment in life.

    So I opted for the slow, steady 1lb a week weight loss plan incorporating more exercise than originally intended meaning more food!

    I very often go over my 1500 but the exercise makes me appear under. Which all in all works for me.
  • emtess123
    emtess123 Posts: 26
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    I'm on 1200 a day and do find it difficult at times, usually through the week im fine as i have a set routine and if i feel like a treat i just make sure its on a day i've done a run or something - its the weekends that i find difficult and very rarely manage to stay at 1200, more like 1500 as routine just goes out the window :laugh: i try to burn at least 400 cals both days of the weekend though so if i do go over (sometimes naerly hitting 2000k) i dont feel so bad! :smile:
  • JennyJacobsen
    JennyJacobsen Posts: 72 Member
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    I shoot for 1400 calories now, 1200 would make me crabby and I want to see results. I go to the gym 6 days a week for about an hour a day, I Stay active through out the day. I have been losing 2-3 pounds a week and that is fine with me. It took me more than a month to put this on:blushing: it will take more than a month to shed it ! I would say do what feels comfortable for U. But Don't overdo it :noway:
  • sadafajmal
    sadafajmal Posts: 15 Member
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    Initially almost starved all day to remain within 1200 specially with our Asian foods as I don't like salads too much. But now am used to the routine and it is working too
  • n_parker21
    n_parker21 Posts: 8
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    Are we talking net calories after exercise or just gross consumption?
  • Teliooo
    Teliooo Posts: 725 Member
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    I dunno how people sustain ievery day. I sometimes find it quite hard to hit 1400 (my goals are set at 1470) but 1200 is just too hard for me plus I am too tall and active for that anyway. My aim is too keep my bad fats are low and my cow product intake to a minimum. This usually means my cals are low anyway but never below 1200.
  • eeebee
    eeebee Posts: 471 Member
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    I originally started with 1700 calories or maybe 1750. I decreased it a couple times...and today, I just set it DOWN to 1600....

    I don't know if I could regularly eat only 1200 calories. I'm guessing no. When I first started doing this and tracked for 1400, I wanted to scream at people or cry in a corner. haha. That was clearly not enough food to keep my mental state in good, working order. HAHA. I work out almost every day in order so I'll get exercise calories to eat, in addition to the 1600.

    Some days I only eat 1600, but more often than not, I eat 1800-2200 calories a day. Those days I obviously exercise, which I've now upped to 40-80 minutes a day, burning 400-1000 calories on the elliptical trainer.

    I admit there are days that my net calories are under 1600, but that's because of a huge workout, not because I didn't eat. LOL.

    Thats sounds really well balanced, I like your style.

    I am the same when I dont get enough food; I feel cheated.

    We work hard, we exercise hard, we deserve to eat well and feel fulfilled so eating back exercise calories and sticking to your goal at the end of every day will clearly pay off in the long run.

    Here's to hoping, anyway!

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