1200 cals a day?

Are you hungry? Yes=eat, No=You're probably fine.

Is it okay to net low as long as I'm eating 1200 calories a day?

For example:
today I've eaten 1213 calories and I've burned 906 from working out.

When i complete the day it doesn't warn me or anything

No. This would be the same as eating 307 calories. Would you ever think eating 307 calories is okay?

I was told you are suppose if you're doing intense strength training,however I don't eat more than 1250 and burn 300-800 (depending on the day) but If you're hungry after your workout then eat, if not don't. Also if you plateau, you might have to change up your calorie intake and different exercise regimes.

eat foods that will fill you up more that has low calories. these are foods with high protein and fiber. so if you eat 1200 cals and u don't feel hungry than thats fine. also make sure to eat a balanced meal to keep you vitamins and minerals in check. and if u do exercise than eat those cals as well, cuz you don't want to starve your body, cuz that will set off other biochemical pathways that u don't want.

Are you hungry? Yes=eat, No=You're probably fine.

THANK you. I agree.. I hardly get over 1200 a day and unless I'm dying for a snack I don't worry about it.. I lose just fine too and the Doctor says I'm very healthy.

Hey... Actually I am doing the same. I remain at 1200 per day. I burn around 800-1000 Calories everyday. And I don't feel hungry and even the site tells that 1200 is minimum and if you are looking at weight loss then I think you should be fine. But make sure you don't go below 1200 for sure. That will weaken you and then problems starts... All the best for your weight loss target...

NO! Speaking from experience...I started REALLY dieting and exercising in May with a goal of losing 15lbs by my birthday (Oct 8th)..which I thought was a very reasonable/doable goal. I was playing cardio tennis 3 days a week consuming 1200 cals/day and burning between 700 - 1200 cals/day. So there were days where my net calories were in the negative. I thought I was on my way...turns out the total opposite! I lost and gained the same 4-6 lbs til Oct. I worked/sweat myself to death! I went to see a nutritionist and he told me that my body was going into "starvation mode" or whatever you want to call it. The bottom line is my body was storing everything I was eating because I was burning MORE than I was taking in! Talk about frustrating! You should have 1200 NET calories and no less (that's coming from the dr and Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper's books). Anything less is harmful. Your body needs the fuel. That's just my experience and I think it's important to share so that hopefully the same thing won't happen to you. Good luck!

I will be here confused to.. cause i was not eating my excercise calories then i read i am suppose to then i read i am not...
oh what is a girl to do...
i am worried on how the heck am i suppose to eat over 2000calories.. but then i look back and not eating much i wasnt loosing the weight toning up yes but weight wasnt really going any where...
will keep an eye on this thread...

i'm just confused because I thought as long as you didn't go under you were okay- and you just had to burn 3500 to lose a lb of fat

so i fuel my body w/ a healthy 1200 calories, work out 5 or 6 times a week and lose weight

I saw jillian talking about weight loss on the Drs the other day and her plan was to eat 1200 calories- she didn't talk about net at all

You're forgetting that you burn close to 2000 a day just by living. 3500 = 1 pound. That's 500 a day to lose a pound a week. So your 2000 + 900 in exercise = 2900. So you should eat 2400 a day when you work out, 1500 a day when you don't. Got it?

No. This would be the same as eating 307 calories. Would you ever think eating 307 calories is okay?

That makes NO sense. exercising does not erase what you ate. During weightloss the main function of eating is to provide you with nutrients like protien, vitamins and so on... The closer you are to your goal, the more exercise cals you *may* need to eat to prevent starvation mode, but for people with a lot to lose, it takes a lot more than that to put you into starvation mode... thats why you burn fat.

I suggest you go and read the pinned thread Links in MFP you want to read again and again.

No. This would be the same as eating 307 calories. Would you ever think eating 307 calories is okay?

That makes NO sense. exercising does not erase what you ate. During weightloss the main function of eating is to provide you with nutrients like protien, vitamins and so on... The closer you are to your goal, the more exercise cals you *may* need to eat to prevent starvation mode, but for people with a lot to lose, it takes a lot more than that to put you into starvation mode... thats why you burn fat.

It makes perfect sense. Calories are energy. You burn energy when you exercise. Why do you think you measure burned calories? The body will turn the protien into energy. It won't use it on muscle building because it needs it as fuel. Sure you get more vitamins by eating 1200 and burning 900 than you do by eating 300 but that's not very different than eating 300 and taking vitamins. Still not healthy, probably not sustainable in the long term.

I don't even buy into "starvation mode". That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about approaching weight loss in a healthy sustainable manner. It's not a race. It's not a contest to see if you can eat as little as possible and burn as much as possible. A successful diet doesn't feel like a diet. Severe calorie restriction causes extreme low energy, insomnia, head aches, your hair to fall out, your nails to crack, severe loss of muscle tissue, digestion issues, etc... And it just sucks. I like food. I like real food, sugar, red meat, egg yolks, cheese, milk, etc.

I agree with this one!

Read and re-read this sound advice:

"I'm talking about approaching weight loss in a healthy sustainable manner. It's not a race. It's not a contest to see if you can eat as little as possible and burn as much as possible. A successful diet doesn't feel like a diet. Severe calorie restriction causes extreme low energy, insomnia, head aches, your hair to fall out, your nails to crack, severe loss of muscle tissue, digestion issues, etc... And it just sucks. I like food. I like real food, sugar, red meat, egg yolks, cheese, milk, etc."

Live by this approach and you will succeed.

No. This would be the same as eating 307 calories. Would you ever think eating 307 calories is okay?

That makes NO sense. exercising does not erase what you ate. During weightloss the main function of eating is to provide you with nutrients like protien, vitamins and so on... The closer you are to your goal, the more exercise cals you *may* need to eat to prevent starvation mode, but for people with a lot to lose, it takes a lot more than that to put you into starvation mode... thats why you burn fat.

It makes perfect sense. Calories are energy. You burn energy when you exercise. Why do you think you measure burned calories? The body will turn the protien into energy. It won't use it on muscle building because it needs it as fuel. Sure you get more vitamins by eating 1200 and burning 900 than you do by eating 300 but that's not very different than eating 300 and taking vitamins. Still not healthy, probably not sustainable in the long term.

I don't even buy into "starvation mode". That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about approaching weight loss in a healthy sustainable manner. It's not a race. It's not a contest to see if you can eat as little as possible and burn as much as possible. A successful diet doesn't feel like a diet. Severe calorie restriction causes extreme low energy, insomnia, head aches, your hair to fall out, your nails to crack, severe loss of muscle tissue, digestion issues, etc... And it just sucks. I like food. I like real food, sugar, red meat, egg yolks, cheese, milk, etc.

I see you're at 150, so what you are saying makes sense for YOU. Like I said the closer you are to goal the more you'll need to eat back exercise cals. Thats what I plan on doing eventually. But for me and some others, at 269, I got a LOT of energy reserves and I am not very likely to go into a starvation mode. Personally I eat 1500-1700 per day and burn between 700-1200 per day. I have tons of energy, never feel hungry, no headaches, my hair is fabulous, sleeping like a baby, never been stronger, and I get to eat great food to boot. If that changes, so will I. My Dr. Says I'm doing great, and I'll take his advice over yours thank you very much. I fully plan on enjoying my exercise cals when I hit onederland, but for now this is doing me great!

I so agree with you Chickie_20.....my DOCTOR told me not to eat them and I am sure he knows what is best for me. Believe me I am gaining muscle too....I can feel my muscles more then ever. )