Who has only 1200 calories per day?

Amy_B
Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
edited October 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I always see people who have their calories set on 1200 per day. Why so low?

I weigh 160, am 5'5", and have mine set at 1600. That's without eating back exercise calories. I have my settings on lightly active, as I am a teacher. I generally exercise 5x/week. I could NOT get by on 1200 calories per day.

How do you all do it?
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Replies

  • chrissaucier
    chrissaucier Posts: 252 Member
    The only time I have 1200 cals is on a non workout day and I find myself starving. My physician frowned at the 1200 and thought it was too low for me. I do eat back most of my workout cals and find it filling
  • janna674
    janna674 Posts: 410 Member
    MFP sets mine for 1200...i have a super sedentary lifestyle .... the only exercise I get is walks on my lunch which I record and some occasionally after work...but I weigh 136 and am only 5 feet tall...I should weigh about 115 but I am shooting to be in the 120's

    my BMR is 1229
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
    I wouldnt survive on 1200, I had my food allowance low and I wouldnt lose, I up it all and still nothing, I had very very low energy. Got sick alot. Felt deprieved to the fullest and crash big time. Up my calories higher , I am very active and started losing weight again. The reason for so low, cause I was stupid to watch everyone esle. I had to watch ME!
  • PepperRocks
    PepperRocks Posts: 48
    Mine is 1200. My weight is 135 lbs. Height is 155 cms. Not sure, 1200 is what MFP sets for me. I usually end up eating 1200, and feeling quite full.
  • weaverfit
    weaverfit Posts: 124
    One has to pick a calorie level that one can sustain for years, for life even... if this is supposed to be sustainable. 1200, in my estimation, is hard to maintain lifelong.
  • RainbootsToBikinis
    RainbootsToBikinis Posts: 465 Member
    MFP sets me for 1200 a day and I have no problem staying under and feeling full. It depends a lot on the times of foods your eating. I could eat a lot of sugar snap peas and only eat 30 cals. and they fill me up.
  • MissYogapants
    MissYogapants Posts: 106 Member
    Mine is 1200 calories a day. My daily life involves practically no moving around at all. Even though 1200 might seem low, it's really a limit for me; if I eat slightly less than 1200 during some time I will lose weight, but if I eat 1200-1300 calories a day during some time I will gain weight.

    It was hard in the beginning, because a year ago I would eat probably 2000-3000 calories a day. But after a couple of weeks I got used to it, I guess it's the whole thing when the stomach shrinks to adapt to how much I eat nowadays.

    Oh, and today I'm 165 lbs, 5'10''. I guess my limit is where it is simply because of my lack of daily movement.
  • carhicks
    carhicks Posts: 1,894 Member
    I was on 1200 because I set that I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. I was eating back all my exercise calories and was not really losing. I changed my setting to 1 pound per week and am not eating back my exercise calories. I am up to 1370 calories per day now and feel a lot better.
  • atsantus
    atsantus Posts: 1 Member
    I have mine set at 1200 calories and I think it is more than adequate. I'm almost never hungry unless I'm having a craving. I work out 3x per week burning around 200-300 calories, so on those days I eat more... Of course, I'm smaller than most women at 4'11 and 132lbs, so I think size has a lot to do with it. But overall, I'm pretty happy and sustained on 1200.
  • Sharisunshine
    Sharisunshine Posts: 41 Member
    MFP set mine at 1200 per day also, because I have a very sedentary life and want to lose 2 lbs per week. This is the first day I have actually struggled with that. I'm also a Type 1 diabetic so if I don't eat, I get low blood sugars and then I'm forced to eat. It's OK though...I'm making it :)
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    It was easy with workout calories, but now even if I don't eat back all my exercise calories, or even if I do, I seem to be stuck at 216. It's driving me nuts. Plus my knees are starting to tell me to chill. So I'm seriously considering a few days of being relatively sedentary with 1200 being the max. The only way I can see to do that is lots of coffee and missing two meals out of my three. Not a good thing for a lifetime, but if I try it for a few days maybe it'll kick start me back to losing again, along with yesterday's 2000 calories + feast of shame.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    MFP set mine too. Again somewhat sedentary but not completely. This is my first week so I am going to see how things go and adjust as needed. I have started to exercise a little & that is making me more hungry. I am eating back my exercise calories and still lost a little over 2lbs.

    I may need to adjust it but I will see how things go over the next few weeks.
  • colvera59
    colvera59 Posts: 2 Member
    I do...I have 1275...and its brutal...but if this is how I can do it with feeling hungry...I am going to try...
  • helenstebb
    helenstebb Posts: 4 Member
    mfp set mine to 1220 for some reason. Im ony 5'1" and currently 126lbs. I only need that last 7lbs off, so I was quite suprised its that low. I seem to be managing it ok and not too hungry either
  • Sixalicious
    Sixalicious Posts: 283 Member
    Mine is set to 1300 calories, but the way I understand it with MFP in the goal section is that those are net calories, not calories consumed. So I eat well over 1300 calories a day because realistically speaking, if I only ate 1300 calories a day and exercised I would probably fall over.
  • heartshines
    heartshines Posts: 53 Member
    Mine is set at 1100. I am a fanatic on counting calories and how to balance each meal. It can be achieved, if you are willing to make sacrifices. Dieting sucks! No doubt about that, but the results are so worth it!!

    Stay the path!
  • ljdanny
    ljdanny Posts: 2,152 Member
    MFP gave me 1510 calories per day, my doctor had put me on 1200 and I had dropped weight quickly, but I find I always go over by a few calories so I changed mine on her to 1300 so that way if I go over the 1200 I'm not that hard on myself.
  • RieBerg
    RieBerg Posts: 261 Member
    myfitnesspal set mine to 1200 to lose .9 pounds a week. I usually eat 1200 for about 3 days and then go up to 1400 on the 4th day which is maintenance. Then I go back down to 1200.
  • only4me_lori
    only4me_lori Posts: 25 Member
    My allowance is 1200 calories...to me it is easy.....even eating 6 small meals a day....it's all about portion sizes...like for breakfast I have 1/3 cup cottage cheese and 1/3 cup pineapple chunks and a cup of coffee..=101 calories
    snacks are apples which equal 45-60 calories....salads alone without salad dressing are about 125 calories...then if you use no fat dressing and use the amount you are supposed to be...your salad shouldn't be over 200 calories...and dinner can be lots of veggies and some protein....we have all been used to eating large meals and not eating proper portion sizes....I rarely go over my calorie goal and if I do it's because I overindulged on something that was not good for me...greasy burgers, creamy soups, fatty or sugary desserts....
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    I have mine set at 1240. I was obese. So I clearly did not need more. And I found that eating my exercise calories kept me from losing. Some days I will find myself eating maybe 200 more calories, but generally, I stick with my limit. I am very sedentary.

    I am never hungry. My strategy this time has been to eat the same things, but in smaller amounts, and in a more controlled fashion. I will eat oatmeal, blueberries and greek yoghurt for breakfast. With that base, I am good til supper. Lunch is generally a home made vegetable soup, or something in a tortilla. Supper will include 7 oz of meat, a full cup of potatoes or pasta, and lots of veggies. If I crave sweets, I will eat a fig or two. Or a very thin chocolate bar. I get plenty of protein and plenty of carbs so I am not hungry.

    It is the habit of constantly munching on something that I've had to become aware of and overcome.

    And I am increasingly active as my strength and stamina get better.

    I am currently at 178 lbs, and it could be that as my weight diminishes, that I will need to eat more. Women seniors are usually advised to eat 1600 cals. The research that I did let me know that when obese, 1200 cals per day is a good goal, so the low daily cals are directly tied into my surplus ones.
  • ashybrooke
    ashybrooke Posts: 1
    I have a little more than 1200 (1300) but I agree with IrishKissesXX that it has much more to do with the types of foods you eat rather than just the calories. I can eat a 200 calorie candy bar and still feel hungry, but snacking on 200 calories worth of fruit keeps me satisfied throughout the day.
  • mamapuddin17
    mamapuddin17 Posts: 108 Member
    MFP had me at 1200 my Dr.told me to up it to 1400 and exercise. I haven't ate the exercise calories back.
  • mogadad
    mogadad Posts: 41 Member
    I'm set at 1430 but usually end the day slightly under 1200 and have to eat some fruit to get over 1200. I'm 63 years old and 6'2" and around 205. Lost 5 pounds last week
  • ladyprofaz
    ladyprofaz Posts: 66
    The program set me at 1200 in November and I have been following it successfully. I am 60, 5'4, in a sedentary job, and had 90 pounds to lose. I set it to lose 2 pounds a week but it went down to 1200 and said that was 1.5 pounds a week so I don't have a lot of leeway, I guess. On days I exercise I go up to about 1350-1400 calories. Keep in mind that my exercise calories are in that range. I can't do a lot of exercise due to back and knee issues but am trying to walk 10K steps a day. I eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit and such and have not felt deprived. If I stop losing I will change things up.
  • VonRockette
    VonRockette Posts: 159 Member
    MFP set mine to 1200 cals. My husband also thinks that is far too low and he is big into nutrition and body building. I actually find it very hard to even reach 1200 cals per day :( Funny thing though, I don't deprive myself of food when I am hungry, I will have healthy food. I don't go to bed starving. I've kept up with this less than a week and I have SO much energy. So much I spent the night goofing around gleefully with my 5 year old neice when usually I'd be zoning out and yawning from junkfood. I feel light, happy, clear minded. I DO think I will add in more food though becuase I will be starting the 30DS. I do NOT want to just starve my weight off, only to gain it back when I decide to indulge a bit. I want to do it the healthy way. I'm only 5'3 and 160lbs. I put I wanted to lose 2 lbs a week and live a lightly active lifestyle - wanting to work out 5 times a week for 30 minutes. I guess that is why I was put at 1200 cals.
  • shmurph
    shmurph Posts: 10 Member
    I'm on 1200 calories a day, as well. I set MFP to lose 1.3. pounds per week and that's what I got. I can do it, as long as I exercise and use some of those exercise calories. If I don't, I don't have much left by dinner - and that's with eating balanced meals all day. It doesn't give me any room for slip-ups, but that's what I need right now anyway!
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  • deedee1508
    deedee1508 Posts: 12 Member
    I think if you put 10 people together for a week and gave them exactly the same food and they did exactly the same exercise, there would be 10 different results on the scales - everyone has to find what suits them best. There have been some amazing losses on 1500cals, so it's obviously working for them...well done to them! Personally I couldn't sustain 1200 forever and know I would give up if i set my intake at that level.
  • muitobem
    muitobem Posts: 436 Member
    Mines weird...It doesn't matter what I set mine on (except for maintain calories) it's always 1200 calories...I do eat back most of my exercise calories though and there are some days when I don't exercise that I barely eat the 1200 as I get so busy doing other things, it seems....
    I do get enough food though at the 1200 calories a day...I guess I know my portions well enough that I get enough food....
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
    One has to pick a calorie level that one can sustain for years, for life even... if this is supposed to be sustainable. 1200, in my estimation, is hard to maintain lifelong.
    No, the 1200 is not for you to stay on 'life long'.
    1200 creates a 500 or more calorie deficit, so that you will lose weight. Your calorie intake is higher once you are at your goal, which is Maintenance.
  • shanalivee
    shanalivee Posts: 27
    i am at 1200 calories but am not sure if i should up my calories. i am 4'11 and 145lbs and want to get down to 120 or less since my Dr. said for my height i should be around 109lbs. I hope sticking to the calories and some exercise will help. I am just worried my body will go into starvation mode and i won't drop any weight. -_-
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