only 1200 calories per day, help!!!

124

Replies

  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    or just eat more. 1200calories isn't for everybody and honestly I've only had maybe 1-2 1200calorie days and all I did was sit around the house b/c it doesn't take energy to do that, lol and so 1200 was enough to fill me up. but I typically eat in the 1300-2000calorie range and you can still lose weight . but i exercise a lot as well
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Okay, I'm just curious about this. I'm new to this and I'd like to know what I'm doing isn't harming my body

    Using this calculator: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm ,

    My estimated BMR is 1488 Cal. I am a university student so while I am not extremely active while on break, I imagine my activity level will be at least moderate when I get back, as well as I take regular walks around campus. So I used "3 times/week" as my activity level. This gave me a maintenance level of 2046 Cal. MFP first gave me a limit of 1200 Cal, but after reading a couple of these types of threads, I switched it up and it gave me a limit of 1510 Cal. On top of this, I plan to be working out without the help of a gym (The people there intimidate me), so basic things like running, pushups, swimming occasionally.

    2046 - 1510 = ~500 in deficit, so about pound a week lost.

    As long as I stay over my BMR, eat wholesome foods, and move to my maintenance level when I reach my desired weight, do these numbers work out in a healthy way? Also, 1510 is the net number, correct? Lastly, is it alright to be eating only a little higher than my BMR?

    Dont cut 500cals...cut 20% from your maintenance.
    It will most likely give the same results without putting you below BMR.
    Always eat above BMR unless you are morbid obese and have a doctors note!
  • JenMarie826
    JenMarie826 Posts: 143
    I'm allowed 1.200 as well per day. But I like to drink water between meals and bites when I'm eating! But I also like to try to workout up to an hour a day just to get a good calorie burn and then that way if I am still hungry later I can use some of the calories i burned to munch on some snacks... But ALWAYS keep water next to you and just keep sipping it!
  • jenlarkin300384
    jenlarkin300384 Posts: 26 Member
    If you really struggling with 1200 cals a day, set your weight loss to the one below, that way you should gain a few more cals back and not go over. x
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    When you guys hit that wall make sure you go and do the calculations on a reliable website like fat to fit radio.
    Youll quickly realize that 1200 is never a good number unless you are very short and have a BMR of 1000.
    I've seen faster weightloss with people eating 1600 calories than with 1200 calories.
    With 1200 calories you are almost guaranteed a slower metabolism and less weightloss.
    *shrugs*
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    I bumped mine from 1200 to 1400 by switching to "lose 0.5 lb per week" that's all I was losing eating 1200 anyways so I figured it couldn't hurt. I also work out hard to eat more! I have a big appetite and 1200 didn't cut it.
  • _itsB_
    _itsB_ Posts: 44 Member
    You don't give me a lot to go on in your profile, but am I right in reading you have more than a 100lb to lose? if that's the case then you are *absolutely* undereating. You need to eat far more than 1200 to lose at a healthy 2lb per week rate.

    Re-run your BMR, and see what MFP are recommending as your daily intake. My guess is it will come out around 1600.

    Also remember to eat back some of your exercise calories in addition to your daily allowance. This isn't so important if you're just doing light exercise, but if you're doing anything that's producing a decent sweat, you need to fuel that.
    no i dont have 100lbs to lose, maybe you looked at someone elses profile? im aiming to lose 25ish, maybe 35 if i feel 25 isnt enough when the time comes.

    I think im going to change my settings to 1lb per week, i know il get 1300ish that way :) It never goes any higher because of my height.

    Also to everyone else I'm starting back in the gym on monday, along with starting c25k :)

    Thanks for all the helpful hints and advice :flowerforyou:
  • SalishSea
    SalishSea Posts: 373 Member
    1200 calories is a good daily goal. It can work for weight lose and weight maintenance. I am finding it does take some planning and pre-meal food preparation. I fill myself up with protein. Pork chop, turkey, protein bars. Solid white canned tuna. It's great if you can find the high-end gourmet cans of tuna. I LOVE frozen veggies. They are so good hot. I splurge and use some precious calories and put French Churned melted butter on them. They are filling and healthy and taste great when hot with good, fancy butter on them. I also eat avocado, boiled eggs. I try to eat small amount calories during the day so that I can have a traditional, satisfying dinner. Albeit and sane portion at dinner. Your appetite does shrink after awhile. You won't always be famished. It gets a lot better.

    One thing I would like to say about 1200 kcals/day is that you have a wee bit of room for an extra doing during the week. That has been nice this Christmas week.
  • _itsB_
    _itsB_ Posts: 44 Member
    just checked BMR 1432 calories, switched to losing 1lb per week instead of 2, now Ive a better guide at 1430, feels much more managable :)
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    just checked BMR 1432 calories, switched to losing 1lb per week instead of 2, now Ive a better guide at 1430, feels much more managable :)

    I think you'll find that very manageable. Also, do remember your exercise will give you a little leeway too. With increasing your cals, you may find your body needs a few days (or even a week or so) to adjust to the new calorie level, and then you should start to see losses. Just persist with it for a couple of weeks before starting to worry. Maybe think about not weighing at all for that time period.
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    All calories are not created equal! If you eat 1200 calories a day then you really should be making sure that pretty much everything you put in your mouth is offering you decent nutrition. Going over on carbs/fats/protein screams I am still eating processed food but only 1200 calories of it which is dangerous especially when you have over 100lbs to lose.

    It is a long journey and if you really want to suceed I would suggest baby steps - you should be nowhere near 1200 cals a day and you should use this time to wean yourself off the food that got you here in the first place. Make healthier choices, increase your water intake, reduce the portion size and frequency of the unhealthy choices start exercising and increase the duration, frequency and type of activity as you are able. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that MFP or anything else is a viable quick fix. Eating sensibly, increasing physical activity and giving your body time to lose weight at a realistic speed is the only way you will lose weight and keep it off - there are no shortcuts! Good luck and remember this is a journey to a healthier lifestyle not a race!
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    How do you do it? I've been on diets before but find it impossible to stay under 1200 calories without being famished :(
    So guys what do you eat on a typical day and still manage to stay within your goal? I know sometimes if I’m under on calories I’m usually way over on fat/carbs/sodium, help me please :)

    I have found having eggs for breakfast help. Keeps me from a rumbling tummy until lunchtime.

    Protein is filling too.
  • allyy0725
    allyy0725 Posts: 1 Member
    Lots of water! Also, eat within the first hour of waking up, I find this changes my whole day from good to bad if I don't. I find the key to not being hungry all the time is having 200 cal meals except for dinner throughout the day. Good examples: fiberone bar (I have this 140 filling food on my way to work for my breakfast), apples, blueberries, yogurt (activia light is 60 cals), broccoli, low fat whole wheat english muffins (100 cals), etc. It's all about finding out what you like and eating often throughout the day so you do not become desperate for food or over eat. Also, I go to the gym a few days a week which I try to burn about 600 calories to treat myself to a good dinner or a favorite food : ) patience is key. I have just started this diet and in two weeks have lost 4 lbs. I have successfully lost 50 lbs but this diet is much more manageable than a strict diet on all the foods you can't possibly eat.
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 576 Member
    No need to reply, I would chew my own ankle (ya I know, it's original) off before I could live ....next? Why would u even try?
  • tecsonc
    tecsonc Posts: 1
    I currently do 1200 calories per day. Break it up. 4 meals of 300 calories each. Not to mention that you should be doing some sort of physical activity, you should find small constant meals to be filling, yet not over the limit. Also remember that content is just as important as calorie. I'd rather eat a 100 calorie fruit than a 25 calorie piece of sugar loaded candy. Hope this helps! :smile:

    Last thing:
    If you find yourself not being to eat anymore due to you nearing or even passing your limit, drink water! It's filling!
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    Do more exercise and eat back your exercise cals. I found when I went from 1200 cals a day to 1400, I lost more weight. 1200 I think just didnt work for me.

    yep I'm gonna ditto this. I didn't want to think about eating back those exercise calories...that was the hardest thing to wrap my mind around...I'm maintaining at a nice level with the eating SOME of my exercise calories back. I try to stay between 1200 and 1400 with exercise calories eaten.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    I currently do 1200 calories per day. Break it up. 4 meals of 300 calories each. Not to mention that you should be doing some sort of physical activity, you should find small constant meals to be filling, yet not over the limit. Also remember that content is just as important as calorie. I'd rather eat a 100 calorie fruit than a 25 calorie piece of sugar loaded candy. Hope this helps! :smile:

    Dude you are a growing boy!! i eat way more than you and I'm 5 ft nothing!! Why don't you have me or someone make sure thats the right amount for you?!
  • stonel94
    stonel94 Posts: 550 Member
    I am given more than 1200 calories but i usually eat a net under 1200 and a total of like 1200-1400
    but I like to do stuff to preoccupy me, when I'm doing stuff I don't get hungry, and if I do then I'm out doing stuff so I can't eat anyways.
    Also I find when I have something high protein for breakfast I get a lot less hungry throughout the day (I love Fage 0% fat greek yogurts, the flavored ones, 13 grams of protein no fat)
    Also eating smaller meals more throughout the day helps a lot
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    This is a pretty old thread..lol.

    I didn't know better and so I tried eating at 1200 but it left me weak and I could barely get through a good workout. Now, I'm eating more, have more energy, able to do some really kick *kitten* workouts and still losing.

    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.

    Also, if you are worried about the calorie intake, I also suggest you read this thread that has numerous people who met their goals and are maintaining. Some for years and they also provide their calorie intake and how often they work out.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/816542-let-s-hear-it-for-maintainenance

    And if you are looking for foods to help with upping your calorie intake, I suggest checking this out:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/410771-i-can-t-reach-my-calorie-goal-it-s-too-much-food
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    Its doable when you pick the right things :)
    Somedays when I exercise more, I need to eat a bit more than 1200, but I choose fruits mainly for that.

    I usually stick to a general idea of
    250 breakfast
    150 snack
    250 lunch
    150 snack
    300-350 dinner
    150 snack

    That's 1250ish.
  • caden160
    caden160 Posts: 6
    1200 calories a day may not be enough for you. My dietician put me on a 1200 calorie a day diet. myfitnesspal said I need to be on a 1390 calorie a day diet. I've been on the program for 6 weeks and have lost 10 pounds. Try adding maybe 100 extra calories a day and see if you still lose weight. Focus on the calorie content at first, and not every single fat/carb gram. It takes time to adjust to a new diet plan. For me, I chose to add 1 teaspoon of butter to my vegetables because I hate them and didn't want to eat them. It was a trade-off. Sure, "fat" is a "no-no", but you have to be balanced and reasonable. The point is not to feel like you are on a deprivation/starvation diet. It's not good for your body either. Another thing to try is sugar free snacks. There are some very good frozen fudge bars and puddings out there. When I think I just can't make it to the next meal, I have a 35 calorie frozen treat. Also look into the Lean Cuisine steam bag meals. Very tasty, nutritious, and low cal. Buy them on sale. Same with the Healthy Choice meals. Good portion sizes so you feel full. Good Luck!!!
  • Dwells9496
    Dwells9496 Posts: 12 Member
    Saffron extract (found at health food stores) is a great appetite suppressant and helps reduce cravings. Also, using MFP will help you to learn to make healthy choices. When I started I was shocked to realize that my breakfast of cereal and skim milk was almost 1/2 of my daily 1200 calories.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    For the love of Mike... PLEASE READ THIS AND STOP STARVING YOURSELF:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    If you are hungry... EAT. It's your body telling you it needs food. You get a growling stomach for a reason. Whoever started this 1200 calorie and lower crap should be taken out and shot...

    So much metabolic damage... *sigh*
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    1. Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I mean pounds of the stuff. It is very filling and has hardly any calories.

    2. Go over on your protein, try to get close to 100 grams of protein a day. Boneless, skinless chicken breast has a huge amount of protein for a very light calorie count, as do egg whites, fish filets and whey protein powder.

    3. Stay away from starchy foods like grains, bread, pasta, potatoes, and cereals as they have a lot of calories for very small portions.

    4. Enjoy some dairy, like Greek yogurt (very high protein), butter and cheese for extra fat and calcium.

    5. If you have cream in your coffee, use half and half instead of non-dairy creamer. The non-dairy stuff is mostly sugar and will cause you to feel hungry faster. Real half and half has fat, which makes you full for longer.

    6. Try to keep your sugar as low as possible. Sugar will leave you feeling hungry, sooner.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Protein: muscle repair/growth (1g-1.5g per pound of body weight)
    Carbs: energy/glycogen store replenishment (100g/day minimum)
    Fat: Nerve/Brain function (Omegas and nuts are good clean sources)

    A good base ratio is: 30% C, 40% P, 30% F (adjust for your goals and exercise type)
  • missmegan831
    missmegan831 Posts: 824 Member
    Do more exercise and eat back your exercise cals. I found when I went from 1200 cals a day to 1400, I lost more weight. 1200 I think just didnt work for me.

    Same here!!! I think sometimes people set their calories too low wanting fast weight loss and in the end the results can be negative...slow and steady wins the race :)
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Never heard of this problem before...

    *cough*http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/800821-1200-calories-more-likely-to-have-problems *cough*



    But seriously, is this an early birthday present for this thread as it's turning one year old in a couple of days?
  • imfivebyfive
    imfivebyfive Posts: 104
    You can eat large portions of vegetables and some fruits and stay at 1200 and not be hungry. Think big salads. Very little calories and yet a lot of food.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Never heard of this problem before...

    *cough*http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/800821-1200-calories-more-likely-to-have-problems*cough*



    But seriously, is this an early birthday present for this thread as it's turning one year old in a couple of days?

    Yeah...I have no idea why it got resurrected..lmao...
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    It's not hard to stay under 1200 cals at all. Just cut out the junk food! Eat healthy, whole foods and 1200 calories goes a VERY long way. Eat lean protein, low fat dairy (greek yogurt, but NOT the kind with fruit at the bottom!, has a ton of protein), vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts. Stop with the processed foods and eat healthy. If you want to eat more, exercise. It's that easy.
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