Anyone else on a 1200 calorie diet?

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  • TheDreadedJynx
    TheDreadedJynx Posts: 49
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    I'm on 1200 currently. It's actually quite hard for me to get to some days with large burns (I try to do an hour of Zumba almost every day with some toning mixed in). As long as I'm not too far under I don't stress, just in case I over estimated burn or under estimated my food intake. The biggest thing is that everyone is different. Try a few different things for a couple weeks at a time and see how you feel. If you are tired and weak all the time, eat more!!
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    This is MY thread and I really dont need people to insult me. "You can lead a horse to water" ... whatever. I am just trying to make sure I understand. I have gained 30 pounds over the last three years since having my son and I am reading so many different things and do not know what to believe because different things work for different people, and also because there are a lot of terms and analogies used on here that I don't quite understand. I appreciate everyones input and I will definitely eat back some of my exercise calories but not all because frankly, I am not hungry enough to eat 1800 calories a day. And I will not force myself to eat. So thanks for all the help everyone but please stop with the insults :)
    Yo, it's a public forum, but whatevs. Not intending to insult, merely pointing out that some EXCELLENT advice has been offered.
  • marcia724
    marcia724 Posts: 180 Member
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    I've lost 10lbs since january 1st on 1200 calories. i burn 400 to 500 calories a day and eat probably 80% of them back!
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
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    If you're looking to just lose 30lbs then it's going to take you a while with or without a good setup as far as calorie intake and exercise. I'm no expert but it might just be better to work on the physical aspect and fueling it with the proper foods rather than count your calories and factor in some workouts. I've always heard the weight from a pregnancy is harder to lose so maybe look into stuff geared toward that?
  • gaylecw
    gaylecw Posts: 34
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    Thank you for this!!
  • null101
    null101 Posts: 1
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    Hi Amber

    You are on the right track. I do the same and have lost 11 lbs in 50 days. Keep it up. Best Regards Null101
  • Kristinemomof3
    Kristinemomof3 Posts: 636 Member
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    I've lost 10lbs since january 1st on 1200 calories. i burn 400 to 500 calories a day and eat probably 80% of them back!

    Ok, so you are saying that you eat 1200+ roughly 320-400 back when you work out, so you really aren't on a 1200 call/day diet? I think the OP is referring to only eating 1200, working out and eating in a large deficit, I believe there's a difference.
  • nikrit84
    nikrit84 Posts: 46 Member
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    I am on the 1200 diet but I only do it on days I don't work out. I usually burn about 500 everytime I work out so on those days I consume anywhere between 1300-1400 and the weight is coming off!
  • JoDeeD
    JoDeeD Posts: 391
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    I am at 1220 and found it difficult to eat that without exercise. Now I try to eat smaller meals more often and can get there. I usually do not eat my full calories back from exercise because I do not have the room to eat more. However, some days I am starving all day and eat almost everything in site. On those days I usually go way over on calories (3-400) but I exercise harder to burn more calories. I have also found that I am not as hungry after a hard work out, and my "hunger pains" are usually quenched by drinking water.
  • petersoncl
    petersoncl Posts: 54
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    I am on 1200 calories a day. How do you burn 500 calories on the elliptical? I can barely burn 200 on it before I am exhausted.
  • skyeashlee
    skyeashlee Posts: 108 Member
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    bump
  • zasiiniya
    zasiiniya Posts: 100 Member
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    I used to be. But I couldn't do it. :/ Or I should say my body couldn't do it. I was starting to get really sick, tired, and weak. So I had to up my calories a bit, by about 2 or 300. It wasn't working for me.
    This. I started off on 1.5lb a week loss. But I couldn't do it very long. I bumped up to 1lb a week, which worked for a while. At the moment I'm maintaining, because losing weight while I'm taking classes is too stressful for me.
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
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    This is MY thread and I really dont need people to insult me. "You can lead a horse to water" ... whatever. I am just trying to make sure I understand. I have gained 30 pounds over the last three years since having my son and I am reading so many different things and do not know what to believe because different things work for different people, and also because there are a lot of terms and analogies used on here that I don't quite understand. I appreciate everyones input and I will definitely eat back some of my exercise calories but not all because frankly, I am not hungry enough to eat 1800 calories a day. And I will not force myself to eat. So thanks for all the help everyone but please stop with the insults :)

    What they are trying to say hun is that when you set up your account with MFP and they give you a daily calorie goal it...that number is already less (500 per pound per week you want to lose) than what your body need during the average day...when you burn off calories through exercise you are burning off those calories you need to help your body build muscle, which in turn will burn fat...

    So if you only eat 1200 a day and are burning 400 then you're really only eating 800 if you don't eat back your calories and doing more harm than good to your body and your muscles

    I'm on a 1200 cal diet but when I'm burning 5-600 cals in a workout...I'm eating about 1500 calories a day (which I find hard to do without being over-full) and I've lost 8 lbs in the last month doing this...
  • lexidell46
    lexidell46 Posts: 143
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    I am on it also. I do not eat my exercise calories. I have lost weight and inches on it. I still have a long way to go. But I am going to stick with it.
  • amber2521
    amber2521 Posts: 32 Member
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    I am on 1200 calories a day. How do you burn 500 calories on the elliptical? I can barely burn 200 on it before I am exhausted.
    I put the resistance on a level 3 at first, then in about 10 minutes I go up to a 4 and in 40 minutes i burn between 500&600 :)
  • amber2521
    amber2521 Posts: 32 Member
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    This is MY thread and I really dont need people to insult me. "You can lead a horse to water" ... whatever. I am just trying to make sure I understand. I have gained 30 pounds over the last three years since having my son and I am reading so many different things and do not know what to believe because different things work for different people, and also because there are a lot of terms and analogies used on here that I don't quite understand. I appreciate everyones input and I will definitely eat back some of my exercise calories but not all because frankly, I am not hungry enough to eat 1800 calories a day. And I will not force myself to eat. So thanks for all the help everyone but please stop with the insults :)

    What they are trying to say hun is that when you set up your account with MFP and they give you a daily calorie goal it...that number is already less (500 per pound per week you want to lose) than what your body need during the average day...when you burn off calories through exercise you are burning off those calories you need to help your body build muscle, which in turn will burn fat...

    So if you only eat 1200 a day and are burning 400 then you're really only eating 800 if you don't eat back your calories and doing more harm than good to your body and your muscles

    I'm on a 1200 cal diet but when I'm burning 5-600 cals in a workout...I'm eating about 1500 calories a day (which I find hard to do without being over-full) and I've lost 8 lbs in the last month doing this...
    Thanks for making it simple! I was thinking about going up to 1500 when I exercise also, even though that still isnt ALL of my exercise calories. Are you losing two pounds a week still?
  • Brook70
    Brook70 Posts: 164
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    Bump
  • sparkly96
    sparkly96 Posts: 120
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    I was on weight watchers a few years back and i was allowed 1200 calories then and lost almost 40 lbs. Been doing MFP for 3 weeks and lost 7lbs so far eating 1200 calories. I exercise every now and then and when i do i never eat my work out calories. I'm never hungry and have gone under a few times in calories. It's all about portion size. Are you eating the proper portions? A portion of meat lets say should be no bigger than a deck of cards. Fill your plate with mostly veggies and make sure there are no sauces or anything added on them. Limit your carb intake as well. Pasta's are all smart taste or whole wheat. Any cheese i eat is always fat free or reduced fat. My breads are all whole wheat 100 calorie flat breads or weight watchers breads and rolls and my snacks are all under 200 calories. I also dont drink any soda and my one guilty pleasure is my coffee creamer but again i use fat free or low fat and sometimes treat myself to regular coffee creamer.
  • AliciaLucas_72
    AliciaLucas_72 Posts: 112 Member
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    I just dont see the point in exercising to burn off calories if you are just going to put those calories back on. that doesnt make sense to me. :/

    If you put gas in a car and it runs and runs don't you need to replenish the fuel it spent same principle. I am much bigger than you an have d and have a lot to lose for a 1 pound weight loss a week I have to eat 1796 calories I think and when I exercise I have 2100 calories. now i don't each them all back all the time but I do my best to get tothe 1796, so my metabolism keeps working for me. I have lost 4.1 lbs since february 22, so it's working.
  • amber2521
    amber2521 Posts: 32 Member
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    I was on weight watchers a few years back and i was allowed 1200 calories then and lost almost 40 lbs. Been doing MFP for 3 weeks and lost 7lbs so far eating 1200 calories. I exercise every now and then and when i do i never eat my work out calories. I'm never hungry and have gone under a few times in calories. It's all about portion size. Are you eating the proper portions? A portion of meat lets say should be no bigger than a deck of cards. Fill your plate with mostly veggies and make sure there are no sauces or anything added on them. Limit your carb intake as well. Pasta's are all smart taste or whole wheat. Any cheese i eat is always fat free or reduced fat. My breads are all whole wheat 100 calorie flat breads or weight watchers breads and rolls and my snacks are all under 200 calories. I also dont drink any soda and my one guilty pleasure is my coffee creamer but again i use fat free or low fat and sometimes treat myself to regular coffee creamer.
    When you lost the 40 pounds on WW did you eat back your exercise calories? I do use whole wheat pasta, and bread, and I have been eating lots of lean cuisine and salads, I drink ONE diet pop a day because I am addicted to caffiene and get sick if I don't have some :/ And I have also switched out chips for crackers. :)I usually eat cereal for breakfast with skim milk and I meausure out the serving size so i know it is correct, then for lunch I will eat a lean cuisine or some eggs and toast. For snacks I love oranges and apples or granola bars or weight watchers coffee cakes and then for dinner I eat whatever my family has but smaller portions. I have been drinking at least 40 ounces of water a day and it makes me have to pee every hour WITHOUT A DOUBT but hopefully it is helping keep me from getting bloated or retain water weight. :)

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