Suggestions for high protein diet???

2

Replies

  • Eugh 1200 calorie diets. Yay for starvation mode.

    If you want to get lean and toned, you need to exercise with both strength training and cardio. For this, you need to properly fuel your body. In order to fuel your body, you will need to eat more than 1200 calories.


    Well that is what mfp put me at. I try to eat back some of my exercise calories too. I dunno.
  • I have a very high protein diet. You can check out my diary for lots of ideas.


    Ha wow yea you do. Your breakfast was my full day of allotted calories lol nice job though. ;)
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
    MFP has generic recommendations that quite a few people tweak. For example, I have changed my macros (percentage of calories that come from carbs, proteins, and fats) to 40/30/30 because I thought mfp's protein recommendation was way too low for my goals. Obviously, the generic mfp recommendation will not work for all fitness plans because it's not tailored to all plans. A plan that works for someone who does not exercise is not going to work for someone who exercises intensely 4-5 times per week.

    As far as protein intake goes, I try to eat my body weight (pounds, not kilograms) in grams of protein... but I'm also focusing on strength training.

    I am 5'9" and weigh about 165. According the book THE NEW RULES OF LIFTING FOR WOMEN by Lou Schuler (a good book, and very informative for those new to strength training), my recommended intake for 3 heavy strength training workouts per week plus 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) a couple time per week is 2100 calories on non workout days and 2400 on workout days. However, I am also trying to cut some fat, so I created a 300 calorie deficit. That means I'm going for 1800 calories on nonworkout days and 2100 on workout days. Believe me, if you start trying to get that lean, toned body you're looking for, you're going to need to do strength training. When you build muscle, your body will continue burning fat even after you stop your exercising for the day because muscle burns fat. You're going to need to eat enough to fuel 1) your workouts 2) the formation of your new muscles 3) your everyday bodily functions... 1200 calories won't cut it.

    There are already quite a few informative threads that focus on the topic of caloric intake and nutrition macros for toning. I would suggest doing a search. Bodybuilding.com is also a good resource for articles about toning and building muscle.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    The link I posted can help you figure out your lean body mass. As far as shakes go, you can actually put them in food. It doesn't have to be a meal replacement. I use a store brand and its only 110 calories a scoop so it really just depends on what you choose to mix it with. This morning I had an orange julius:

    1/4 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
    1 cup of orange juice
    1 cup of Greek yogurt
    2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder

    Yes... this was all I had for breakfast but at 400+ calories, 77 carbs, 48 g of protein, and 1800+ mg of potassium, I really didn't need anything else. I have also put protein powder in cheesecake, pancakes, and brownies just to boost their nutritional content.


    That sounds yummy but that's 1/3 of my calories for the day lol

    You might consider raising your weekly goal to the recommended 1 lb a week. This is a much safer range for people who are already within an overweight to healthy BMI range. I started out as obese and set my goal at 2 lbs a week, but as I got closer to an overweight BMI (not quite there yet) I began to realize that I wasn't losing weight as effeciently, I was always hungry, and my body didn't respond as well in my workouts. I raised my weekly goal to 1 lb a week which raised my calories from 1390 to 1830, and I started to do much better. Even though MFP claims that this deficit will give you 1 lb a week weight loss, it is only an estimate. There are other factors in consideration besides just calories so even though MFP claims the deficit as a 1 lb a week weight loss that deficit is very likely to cause you to lose more than 1 lb a week.
  • MFP has generic recommendations that quite a few people tweak. For example, I have changed my macros (percentage of calories that come from carbs, proteins, and fats) to 40/30/30 because I thought mfp's protein recommendation was way too low for my goals. Obviously, the generic mfp recommendation will not work for all fitness plans because it's not tailored to all plans. A plan that works for someone who does not exercise is not going to work for someone who exercises intensely 4-5 times per week.

    As far as protein intake goes, I try to eat my body weight (pounds, not kilograms) in grams of protein... but I'm also focusing on strength training.

    I am 5'9" and weigh about 165. According the book THE NEW RULES OF LIFTING FOR WOMEN by Lou Schuler (a good book, and very informative for those new to strength training), my recommended intake for 3 heavy strength training workouts per week plus 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) a couple time per week is 2100 calories on non workout days and 2400 on workout days. However, I am also trying to cut some fat, so I created a 300 calorie deficit. That means I'm going for 1800 calories on nonworkout days and 2100 on workout days. Believe me, if you start trying to get that lean, toned body you're looking for, you're going to need to do strength training. When you build muscle, your body will continue burning fat even after you stop your exercising for the day because muscle burns fat. You're going to need to eat enough to fuel 1) your workouts 2) the formation of your new muscles 3) your everyday bodily functions... 1200 calories won't cut it.

    There are already quite a few informative threads that focus on the topic of caloric intake and nutrition macros for toning. I would suggest doing a search. Bodybuilding.com is also a good resource for articles about toning and building muscle.


    great info thanks...i defnitely want the lean toned body...trying to incorporate strenght training with jillian michaels dvd's and just started kettle bells...was thinking of just doing free hand weights on the days i do zumba 2x/week right before i leave to do it...read weights before cardio is best....i've heard of that book also...may check it out
  • The link I posted can help you figure out your lean body mass. As far as shakes go, you can actually put them in food. It doesn't have to be a meal replacement. I use a store brand and its only 110 calories a scoop so it really just depends on what you choose to mix it with. This morning I had an orange julius:

    1/4 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
    1 cup of orange juice
    1 cup of Greek yogurt
    2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder

    Yes... this was all I had for breakfast but at 400+ calories, 77 carbs, 48 g of protein, and 1800+ mg of potassium, I really didn't need anything else. I have also put protein powder in cheesecake, pancakes, and brownies just to boost their nutritional content.


    That sounds yummy but that's 1/3 of my calories for the day lol

    You might consider raising your weekly goal to the recommended 1 lb a week. This is a much safer range for people who are already within an overweight to healthy BMI range. I started out as obese and set my goal at 2 lbs a week, but as I got closer to an overweight BMI (not quite there yet) I began to realize that I wasn't losing weight as effeciently, I was always hungry, and my body didn't respond as well in my workouts. I raised my weekly goal to 1 lb a week which raised my calories from 1390 to 1830, and I started to do much better. Even though MFP claims that this deficit will give you 1 lb a week weight loss, it is only an estimate. There are other factors in consideration besides just calories so even though MFP claims the deficit as a 1 lb a week weight loss that deficit is very likely to cause you to lose more than 1 lb a week.



    a good suggestion but i just tried that and it didn't change my calorie intake at all :/
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    The link I posted can help you figure out your lean body mass. As far as shakes go, you can actually put them in food. It doesn't have to be a meal replacement. I use a store brand and its only 110 calories a scoop so it really just depends on what you choose to mix it with. This morning I had an orange julius:

    1/4 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
    1 cup of orange juice
    1 cup of Greek yogurt
    2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder

    Yes... this was all I had for breakfast but at 400+ calories, 77 carbs, 48 g of protein, and 1800+ mg of potassium, I really didn't need anything else. I have also put protein powder in cheesecake, pancakes, and brownies just to boost their nutritional content.


    That sounds yummy but that's 1/3 of my calories for the day lol

    You might consider raising your weekly goal to the recommended 1 lb a week. This is a much safer range for people who are already within an overweight to healthy BMI range. I started out as obese and set my goal at 2 lbs a week, but as I got closer to an overweight BMI (not quite there yet) I began to realize that I wasn't losing weight as effeciently, I was always hungry, and my body didn't respond as well in my workouts. I raised my weekly goal to 1 lb a week which raised my calories from 1390 to 1830, and I started to do much better. Even though MFP claims that this deficit will give you 1 lb a week weight loss, it is only an estimate. There are other factors in consideration besides just calories so even though MFP claims the deficit as a 1 lb a week weight loss that deficit is very likely to cause you to lose more than 1 lb a week.



    a good suggestion but i just tried that and it didn't change my calorie intake at all :/

    Odd... You must already be at a healthy weight. Maybe you should just change to maintenance calories, and just work on strength training to tone up.
  • [/quote]

    Odd... You must already be at a healthy weight. Maybe you should just change to maintenance calories, and just work on strength training to tone up.
    [/quote]



    well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...that's why i am looking into strength training now and a high protein diet..that is why i guess my calories are at 1200 ..changing to 0 lbs/wk (maintenance mode) ups them to around 1550...you think that's better??? i guess i'm just afraid to pump it up...
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member

    Odd... You must already be at a healthy weight. Maybe you should just change to maintenance calories, and just work on strength training to tone up.



    well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...that's why i am looking into strength training now and a high protein diet..that is why i guess my calories are at 1200 ..changing to 0 lbs/wk (maintenance mode) ups them to around 1550...you think that's better??? i guess i'm just afraid to pump it up...

    You won't be toned if you don't build muscle. You can't build muscle in a calorie deficit if you don't have some sizable fat stored already.

    Also, women do not have the type of hormones that allow them to develop the "pumped up" physique. If you strength train, eat maintenance calories and eat a reasonable amount of protein, then you will attain the toned look that you are hoping for. No need to burn any fat.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
    If you're a healthy weight, I think it is time you switched to lifting / toning and upped your protein. Getting skinnier won't help you get lean! Most athletes have very dense bodies and weigh a LOT more than the average person their height!
  • Sarareneephoto
    Sarareneephoto Posts: 39 Member
    You can also just have a scoop in water (although it can get pretty tough after a while, taste wise).
    I take protein drinks within 30 minutes after my workout. That's when it's the optimum time to get in your protein.
  • Sarareneephoto
    Sarareneephoto Posts: 39 Member
    you should check out
    www.bodybuilding.com

    they have workouts, videos, and you can choose a plan that best fits your life!
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
    well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...

    Cutting calories to 1200 or to 1500 is not going to help you get the physique you want. Don't be afraid of the number on the scale because when you start building the muscle you want, that number will go up. If you're already 2 pounds below a healthy body weight and you want to build muscle, you need to eat more, not less. Check out this article (http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/). Look at the first picture on the page. Do you want a physique more like the runway model or the fitness model? If you want to look like the fitness model, you need to EAT to fuel your body!

    Rather than relying on the scale, get a more accurate measure of your progress by buying a tape measure and measuring yourself - around your arms, waist, hips, etc. If the weight on the scale goes up but your measurements go down, congratulations! You are building muscle. If you look and feel fit, if you have the athletic physique you want, then who cares what the number on the scale says? For people who are very fit, the scale and BMI is not a good indication of their fitness level.

    Most importantly, whenever you try any new fitness or nutrition regime, give your body at least a month before you expect any results. It takes time to build muscle and a fit physique.

    One plan you might want to try out is this one: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-introduction.html
    I haven't done the program, but from what I've seen it looks like it would be a good blueprint for a strength training and nutrition regime.
  • dargytaylor
    dargytaylor Posts: 840 Member
    What I've read is that you should eat 1 gram of protien for every pound of lean body mass, so yeah, probably more than 55g. I try for 115g. This should be a minimum, eating above this is okay (maybe even "good") too. I put protein shakes in my coffee. Things like chicken sandwiches for lunch, Greek yogurt for snacks, steak, burgers, meatloaf, etc for dinner. Milk, eggs and cheese really help with protein too.

    I was just thinking about adding protein powder to my coffee instead of creamer and to replace my breakfast whole grain waffles :)

    awesome! love coffee, now I can get some extra protein from it!! thanks for sharing

    FYI, it doesn't mix well with straight coffee. I put it in the blender with a half cup of milk first then use it as creamer.
  • Go to your local Vitamin Shoppe, whey protein is one option but they have different types, and some taste alot better than others. Also they vary in the amount of calories, for you I assume you want less calorie per protein so look into the muscle milk product, it tastes great high in protein and low in calories. Eat lots of Chicken, its very high in protein. But you could also do more of the shakes multiple times a day to get that high protein affect. Biggest problem with most is sticking to the program, getting in to the routine is the hardest part.
  • zakkthebear
    zakkthebear Posts: 52 Member
    if you're leaning out (or "cutting") then higher protein will help you keep the muscle you got while hopefully getting rid of the fat. most of this has to do with your diet. I'm not going to get into the marcos war because everyone's body is different but here are a few ideas for more protein and a word on sucrose:

    eggs + egg whites: adding a few yolks helps get your fat intake up and adds in some omegas. I eat 9 egg whites and 3 eggs scrambles 2x a day. easy way to add fairly low cal protein, and its a slow digesting protein.

    Whey isolate: be careful here. lots of companies have "proprietary blends" that will have all kinds of crap in it. Nutribio has a good, clean whey isolate that is 202 kcals for 50g of protein. http://nutrabio.com (I don't know them, work for them or anything like that, bu t I go through a few 15 pound tubs a year from them, your mileage can and will vary)

    Tuna: enough is said on this

    Watching sucrose carbs: not all carbs are created equal. Sucrose is about the worse carb for you. make sure your foods are low in sucrose. Good fruits are grapes, nearly any berry, pears, apples. Bananas are great recovery have a nice 1:1 fructose/glucose ratio but have some decent amounts of sucrose. i find they really help me so I'll have 3 a day in my protein shakes. Wikipedia has more info on the insulin spike and overall not-wanted-ness of sucrose under "Metabolism of Sucrose" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose Glucose is important in building and repairing muscle as well as in the burning of fat. So watch your sucrose intake if you're serious about cutting. if sucrose isn't used quickly for energy it will get stored as fat.

    So anywhere, that should get you started.

  • Odd... You must already be at a healthy weight. Maybe you should just change to maintenance calories, and just work on strength training to tone up.



    well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...that's why i am looking into strength training now and a high protein diet..that is why i guess my calories are at 1200 ..changing to 0 lbs/wk (maintenance mode) ups them to around 1550...you think that's better??? i guess i'm just afraid to pump it up...

    You won't be toned if you don't build muscle. You can't build muscle in a calorie deficit if you don't have some sizable fat stored already.

    Also, women do not have the type of hormones that allow them to develop the "pumped up" physique. If you strength train, eat maintenance calories and eat a reasonable amount of protein, then you will attain the toned look that you are hoping for. No need to burn any fat.


    oh no I know I can't get "pumped up" I meant pump up the calorie intake,,,sorry if that was confusing...i guess I just thought I had to burn fat to uncover the muscle i want to build....feels like fat to me right now but started to wonder if its just toning up i needed to do so that is when i leaned this way....again the skinny fat syndrome,..maybe
  • if you're leaning out (or "cutting") then higher protein will help you keep the muscle you got while hopefully getting rid of the fat. most of this has to do with your diet. I'm not going to get into the marcos war because everyone's body is different but here are a few ideas for more protein and a word on sucrose:

    eggs + egg whites: adding a few yolks helps get your fat intake up and adds in some omegas. I eat 9 egg whites and 3 eggs scrambles 2x a day. easy way to add fairly low cal protein, and its a slow digesting protein.

    Whey isolate: be careful here. lots of companies have "proprietary blends" that will have all kinds of crap in it. Nutribio has a good, clean whey isolate that is 202 kcals for 50g of protein. http://nutrabio.com (I don't know them, work for them or anything like that, bu t I go through a few 15 pound tubs a year from them, your mileage can and will vary)

    Tuna: enough is said on this

    Watching sucrose carbs: not all carbs are created equal. Sucrose is about the worse carb for you. make sure your foods are low in sucrose. Good fruits are grapes, nearly any berry, pears, apples. Bananas are great recovery have a nice 1:1 fructose/glucose ratio but have some decent amounts of sucrose. i find they really help me so I'll have 3 a day in my protein shakes. Wikipedia has more info on the insulin spike and overall not-wanted-ness of sucrose under "Metabolism of Sucrose" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose Glucose is important in building and repairing muscle as well as in the burning of fat. So watch your sucrose intake if you're serious about cutting. if sucrose isn't used quickly for energy it will get stored as fat.

    So anywhere, that should get you started.


    wow a lot of info but all good..,,and a lot of eggs lol good for you...i don't eat any seafood so tuna is out for me but will definitely try other sources to up my protein and looks like shakes are a really good way to do that,,this sucrose is new to me so i am going to have to digest that a bit,,,so what do you do with this whey isolate?? just add milk and bananas?
  • zakkthebear
    zakkthebear Posts: 52 Member


    wow a lot of info but all good..,,and a lot of eggs lol good for you...i don't eat any seafood so tuna is out for me but will definitely try other sources to up my protein and looks like shakes are a really good way to do that,,this sucrose is new to me so i am going to have to digest that a bit,,,so what do you do with this whey isolate?? just add milk and bananas?

    post workout shake I had 4 minutes ago had this:


    150g banana
    240ml almond milk (unsweetened)
    55g NutrioBio unflavored whey
    140g frozen unsweetened strawberries
    4 ice cubes
    I cheated and added 120g of apple, but I'm hungry.

    so it ended up at 57g carbs, 5g fat, 53g protein, 13g fiber and a total of 483 kcal

    you can change a lot of these items. my mornings usually have 50g of kale or spinach along with a banana and blueberries. really any diet is able to be scaled to your need, its finding the kcals that work for your body and dividing it between no less than 5 meals.

    additionally, I have had success in previous cut cycles of making sure protein intake is close each meal as well. just my own observation with nothing to back it up, just seems to work for me.
  • SimplyShanRunning
    SimplyShanRunning Posts: 885 Member
    Oh no! Surely that is not enough. I go by "1 g per lb of lean muscle" program. I used this site to calculate my lean muscle mass.

    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

    Diet suggestions: Protein shakes, double portions of chicken and fish, eggs, milk, cheese, beans

    This!!! Cottage cheese is another 1% if you can ..... You could always go hardcore and put it in your protein shake me uhhh Im not hardcore....well atleast in that aspect :flowerforyou:
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
    If you're trying to get 120g of protein you shouldn't need to use any protein supplements.

    That can be done with whole foods like chicken breast, tuna, egg, whites.
  • persian_star
    persian_star Posts: 197 Member
    Bump - great suggestions :flowerforyou:
  • well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...

    Cutting calories to 1200 or to 1500 is not going to help you get the physique you want. Don't be afraid of the number on the scale because when you start building the muscle you want, that number will go up. If you're already 2 pounds below a healthy body weight and you want to build muscle, you need to eat more, not less. Check out this article (http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/). Look at the first picture on the page. Do you want a physique more like the runway model or the fitness model? If you want to look like the fitness model, you need to EAT to fuel your body!


    Honestly neither. Is there a third option??? I certainly don't want to be skeletal but that fitness model is a bit more brut looking than I'd like to be.
  • hope this works....but this is more or less what I'm shooting for.,,


    30b2vma.jpg



    and by the way she IS a fitness model,,,that to me is the thid in between option,,,
  • maybe one day...wish I could afford a trainer or something to help guide me
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
    well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...

    Cutting calories to 1200 or to 1500 is not going to help you get the physique you want. Don't be afraid of the number on the scale because when you start building the muscle you want, that number will go up. If you're already 2 pounds below a healthy body weight and you want to build muscle, you need to eat more, not less. Check out this article (http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/). Look at the first picture on the page. Do you want a physique more like the runway model or the fitness model? If you want to look like the fitness model, you need to EAT to fuel your body!


    Honestly neither. Is there a third option??? I certainly don't want to be skeletal but that fitness model is a bit more brut looking than I'd like to be.
    Please keep in mind that the fitness model's job is being a fitness model. Her job is to exercise and eat right and build muscle!

    You and I don't have that kind of time, so we're not going to look like that fitness model... unless we devote that kind of time to it.

    I really do suggest you look at the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Check out this link for someone who has completed the program (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/431684-pics-of-my-ginormous-man-muscles). Judge for yourself if she's too "bulky."

    If you're completely against building muscle, there's not really anything anyone can do to help you look like the model in the picture you posted. She has muscles... look at her stomach and arms. I see a bicep and I see ab muscles.
  • well truth be told i am 2 lbs below what they say is a "healthy weight" however i was 7lbs lighter this time last year and was much more comfortable with myself. that being said what i really think i am is i guess skinny fat and mostly need to tone and lean...

    Cutting calories to 1200 or to 1500 is not going to help you get the physique you want. Don't be afraid of the number on the scale because when you start building the muscle you want, that number will go up. If you're already 2 pounds below a healthy body weight and you want to build muscle, you need to eat more, not less. Check out this article (http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/). Look at the first picture on the page. Do you want a physique more like the runway model or the fitness model? If you want to look like the fitness model, you need to EAT to fuel your body!


    Honestly neither. Is there a third option??? I certainly don't want to be skeletal but that fitness model is a bit more brut looking than I'd like to be.
    Please keep in mind that the fitness model's job is being a fitness model. Her job is to exercise and eat right and build muscle!

    You and I don't have that kind of time, so we're not going to look like that fitness model... unless we devote that kind of time to it.

    I really do suggest you look at the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Check out this link for someone who has completed the program (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/431684-pics-of-my-ginormous-man-muscles). Judge for yourself if she's too "bulky."

    If you're completely against building muscle, there's not really anything anyone can do to help you look like the model in the picture you posted. She has muscles... look at her stomach and arms. I see a bicep and I see ab muscles.






    i want muscles lol
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
    Then you're going to have to eat more than 1200 calories and do the hard work. Really, there's nothing else to say. Either you take the advice to eat more and strength train or you don't. I feel like I'm wasting my time trying to explain because I get the feeling you want some sort of easy solution to achieve this. Sorry, that's not possible. You have to bust your butt and eat properly to make muscles.

    Best of luck.
  • Then you're going to have to eat more than 1200 calories and do the hard work. Really, there's nothing else to say. Either you take the advice to eat more and strength train or you don't. I feel like I'm wasting my time trying to explain because I get the feeling you want some sort of easy solution to achieve this. Sorry, that's not possible. You have to bust your butt and eat properly to make muscles.

    Best of luck.





    Um wow then please save yourself the trouble and don't post on my threads. I am in no way looking for any easy way out ....just like most don't want to look manly and was looking for some advice and support (which these message boards are about) if you feel like you're wasting you're time by offering that then you shouldn't bother being on the message boards in my opinion.

    I received some great advice on here from those who don't feel that way so find you're way to a different thread if it's that much of an inconvenience. I don't need help from someone like that.


    Unbelievable.
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
    Well it is frustrating when people try to give advice and it's met with, "well I don't want to get bulky lololol."

    We are women, we don't have the testosterone necessary to look like men. It is extremely unlikely that you would get bulky unless you spend 8 hours a day lifting weights and start using steroids.

    You're saying that you're already below your recommended body weight and you already workout regularly doing zumba, kettlebells, etc. If eating 1200 calories and doing these activities hasn't helped you achieve the physique you want so far, why not try a different plan? I'm not saying stop doing zumba and everything, but why not try a different nutrition plan? Worst case scenario is that you hit your recommended body weight. However, if you exercise intensely on a regular basis, any weight you gain would probably be muscle. Again, don't focus so much on the scale, your weight is already fine. Focus on becoming fit. Yes this might mean weighing more... but it's muscle, not fat.
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