how do i do only 1200 calories? freaking out!

lala40217
lala40217 Posts: 60 Member
in Food and Nutrition
i just refigured my calories from 1370 to 1200. i'd like to speed up my weight loss a bit. i was figuring 1 lb. a week now i'd like to try to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. the prospect of trying to stay at 1200 calories sounds so difficult. anyone have any advice? thanks
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Replies

  • Josephina57
    Josephina57 Posts: 170 Member
    exercise and eat back your calories.
  • Amy911Gray
    Amy911Gray Posts: 685 Member
    Ditto!
  • mamaomefo
    mamaomefo Posts: 418 Member
    It's not easy. Takes a lot of willpower, eating many vegetables when hungry, eating high fiber foods, and you can always exercise more to gain a few calories back. However don't overdo it on eating back your calories worked off through exercise. Best of luck. You can do this if you want it bad enough!
  • littleoldcountrygirl
    littleoldcountrygirl Posts: 3 Member
    Raw veggies are bulky and fill you up for very little calories... :wink:
  • suzanne_oh
    suzanne_oh Posts: 95 Member
    i just refigured my calories from 1370 to 1200. i'd like to speed up my weight loss a bit. i was figuring 1 lb. a week now i'd like to try to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. the prospect of trying to stay at 1200 calories sounds so difficult. anyone have any advice? thanks

    I'm with you, I don't get these folks who say that have a hard time eating enough to get to 1200 calories!
  • MikeG2
    MikeG2 Posts: 97 Member
    lots of raw vegetables with a delicious but healthy dip, has been a staple for me. Ditto for salad otherwise. I don't know what you do, but I never eat any bread. drink your 8 cups of water a day for sure if you aren't already.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Honestly, I wouldn't try to only eat 1200 - it's not enough for me. I started there, lost a little, and was hungry, tired & didn't have enough energy. Check out the group here called Eat More To Weigh Less: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    I'm 5' 8" & around 140lbs, and I eat between 1500 & 1800 calories a day (sometimes more), and I eat back exercise calories as needed (when I'm hungry or if I'm netting below my BMR). And I'm losing weight! The fat is coming off, I'm buying new clothes, I've got energy and I'm not hungry all day long.

    Check out the group - there's no need to go hungry just to lose weight!
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
    My advice? Eat more than 1200 cal a day, lose weight slowly, keep if off long term and not be hungry all the time. Sounds much more healthy and happy to me.
  • heather_miller
    heather_miller Posts: 42 Member
    I'm a big eater (hence the reason i'm here) so when I eat i like to maximize my calories. I've found that adding tons of vegetables to rice or pasta dishes helps keep me full without adding lot's of unnecessary calories. Also, if you drink lot's of water during meals it will fill you up faster. When I do these two things I sometimes have problems actually getting to 1200 a day.
  • shana_phoenix83
    shana_phoenix83 Posts: 98 Member
    It takes a while to get used to, yes, but it definitely helps to eat good quality foods. You will feel starving eating 1200 calories of crap, but when you pick good foods (lean proteins, veggies and fruits, lots of fiber, etc) it's definitely possible. For example, when I eat cereal in the morning, I don't feel full and it can be a ton of calories, but if I eat one whole egg with a bunch of egg whites, it's fewer calories and it fills me up. good luck!
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    My advice? Eat more than 1200 cal a day, lose weight slowly, keep if off long term and not be hungry all the time. Sounds much more healthy and happy to me.

    yup
  • ShrinkingShawna
    ShrinkingShawna Posts: 186 Member
    .
  • ShrinkingShawna
    ShrinkingShawna Posts: 186 Member
    .
  • j2tyco
    j2tyco Posts: 42
    My diary is also open and I have been hitting around the 1200 cal mark you can take a look at it for some ideas as well-- Its about choices for me...sure I can have pringles with my turkey burger but will those few thin little chips for 160 calories fill me up as much as cup of baked spaghetti squash or steamed broccoli that has WAY less calories? NO way.. in fact I can eat BOTH the cup of broccoli and the cup of squash with my turkey burger and still be LESS then what those few pringles would have been..and feel FULL and satisfied
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    i just refigured my calories from 1370 to 1200. i'd like to speed up my weight loss a bit. i was figuring 1 lb. a week now i'd like to try to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. the prospect of trying to stay at 1200 calories sounds so difficult. anyone have any advice? thanks

    Don't eat any empty calories OP, everything you consume needs to be nutritious.

    It is definitely possible.
  • kajpen
    kajpen Posts: 120 Member
    I would refigure your macronutrient ratio. The defaults on this site in my opinion are too high on carbs and too low on protein. I reset mine to be 30% carbs, 30% fat, 40% protein. If you fill up on protein and veggies (and some good, healthy fats), you will not be hungry and stay full for longer.

    Eating this way works for me and I am one of those people who have a hard time getting in my calories each day.
  • ZenVen
    ZenVen Posts: 8
    > One of the biggest things that I would encourage is being realistic about what you eat in a day.
    > If you know that you're the kind of person who loves breakfast, then know that a good portion of your caloric intake will happen in the morning - and then just plan the rest of your snacks in serving portions throughout the day. I plan out my snacks by calories, and I try to make my snacks no more than 50 Kcals at a time, and I always drink 1-2 glasses of water with each snack, and I always have a back-up plan. I bring gum and 0-5 Kcal snacks with me too, just in case I am still hungry after my "daily allowable snacks" are gone. :P
    > I'm not someone who feels like I'm starving myself - I'm just cutting back. I'm never "dangerously starving" if I dont have X amount of snacks a day, haa haa.
    > Hope this helps & GOOD LUCK!!
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    exercise and eat back your calories.
    ^^^^^^^^^^
    THIS
    MFP is set up for us to maintain a net calorie intake every day to equal 1 lb of weight loss per week. Go back to 1 lb per week.
    1 pound equals 3500 calories.
    3500 divided by 7 days equals 500 calories per day.
    Our MFP daily number already has that 500 calories subtracted.
    When we exercise, that green number goes up, because MFP expects us to eat back your exercise calories to keep your net daily calorie intake steady; that's how MFP works. So, exercise, eat more - ENJOY!
    Read this to learn more.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
    Follow the recommendations on this site for safe, steady and lasting results.
    You could lose weight faster, but what kind of weight would it be?
    Muscle! And that stifles metabolism.
    No, eat right, exercise - both cardio and resistance, lose weight in such a way that maintains health and preserves lean body mass which burns more calories at rest.
    Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:
    All Is Possible!
  • maryhm1
    maryhm1 Posts: 56 Member
    I eat around 1200 calories a day (unless I exercise, then I eat most if not all of them back). I have 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, drink a ton of water, and am never hungry. Protein is the key for me. My diary is open, so feel free to check it out for ideas.
  • llmichalek
    llmichalek Posts: 48
    It's only tough for a few days, until your stomach shrinks and your body gets used to it. Cut out simple carbs, load up on tons of fruit, veggies, and lean protein. Eat good fats like unsweetened peanut butter, nuts, and avocado. I actually have a hard time coming even close to 1200. Not hungry at all, and I feel fantastic!! Gone is the need for an afternoon nap, and cloudy brain. When you feel good and lose weight, you won't miss those extra calories! You can look at my diary also. I usually eat watermelon for breakfast, veggies for lunch, an iced coffee with stevia and coconut milk as my treat, and for dinner salad, lean meat, and more veggies. I snack all day on raw fruits, carrots, and nuts. I usually have a banana with peanut butter towards the end of the day after dinner.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    My first instinct is to just say 1200 is TOO LOW.

    But it IS possible to feel satisfied on 1200 if you eat a LOT of protein (100g a day minimum), and keep all your calories nutrient dense.
    Also, take ONE day every week or two where you eat at maintenance level (about 1800), still of GOOD quality food though...

    Also, eat back your exercise calories! You can "earn" that treat at the end of the day, or "make up" for an indulgence earlier in the day. They are meant to be eaten! Just don't overestimate them...
  • maryebiggs
    maryebiggs Posts: 1 Member
    I would refigure your macronutrient ratio. The defaults on this site in my opinion are too high on carbs and too low on protein. I reset mine to be 30% carbs, 30% fat, 40% protein. If you fill up on protein and veggies (and some good, healthy fats), you will not be hungry and stay full for longer.

    Eating this way works for me and I am one of those people who have a hard time getting in my calories each day.

    How do you change the defaults in MFP?
  • LeggyKettleBabe
    LeggyKettleBabe Posts: 300 Member
    I suggest a TDEE deficit, do not eat your exercise calories back and rest and hydrate.

    No one really needs to lose massive weight in a short time period.
  • tizzie_14
    tizzie_14 Posts: 72
    It's possible. I can't remember if my food diary is public or just for friends but try and check it out. I did it today and certainly didn't starve. Normally I eat back my exercise calories. It is tricky, for me, to stay within if I haven't exercise but it can be done. Friend me if you want. :)
  • jjplato
    jjplato Posts: 155 Member
    I'm with those who say if you want to speed up the weight loss a bit, add some cardio rather than go hungry all day. You'd be amazed how many calories you can burn with a 40 minute bike ride, and the best part is, it doesn't even feel like exercise!
  • autumnpennell
    autumnpennell Posts: 196 Member
    i just refigured my calories from 1370 to 1200. i'd like to speed up my weight loss a bit. i was figuring 1 lb. a week now i'd like to try to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. the prospect of trying to stay at 1200 calories sounds so difficult. anyone have any advice? thanks

    It's not easy... at FIRST. But then it's just a way of life, really. :) I'm at 1200 for about a month now and it's not hard. Like someone else said, you just have to work out more, which in turn, takes more will power, but if you work out more, then eat those calories back! Then you're technically still at 1200, but you also get more. :) but you'll get used to it after awhile :)
  • quill16
    quill16 Posts: 373 Member
    It's not easy, but it can be done. I have done it for the past 18 months and am now at my goal wt.. Once a month I have taken a "day of departure" and eat whatever I want. Keep in mind that 1200 is a minimum and it has to be healthy food all the way around. I exercise for about 2 hours 5-6 days a week and do not eat back my cals. I was pre-diabetic and have a gluten allergy so that is the primary reason I stick to 100g protein, 100g carb and 50 g fat per day. Check out my diary. Since I attained goal wt (last 3 weeks)I am adding in a few more cals to maintain.Throughout the last 18 months I lost appox 2 lbs a week. It is an aggressive approach, but I wanted it gone as quickly and safely as possible. 1 lb a week is a reasonable goal if you find yourself simply tooo hungry and want to binge doing 1200 cals.
  • veduffey
    veduffey Posts: 73
    Exercise, exercis, exercise! Will add to the calories you can eat. I do the treadmill for 30 minutes and it adds 340 calories to what I can eat!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    My advice? Eat more than 1200 cal a day, lose weight slowly, keep if off long term and not be hungry all the time. Sounds much more healthy and happy to me.

    Too true.

    This is a lifestyle, not a diet.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    i just refigured my calories from 1370 to 1200. i'd like to speed up my weight loss a bit. i was figuring 1 lb. a week now i'd like to try to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. the prospect of trying to stay at 1200 calories sounds so difficult. anyone have any advice? thanks

    Don't eat any empty calories OP, everything you consume needs to be nutritious.

    It is definitely possible.

    ^^This^^

    Form all your meals around lean animal protein and low glycemic carbs.. add fats as needed like olive oil, avocado, almonds. Protein powders are helpful, fruits, veggies, whole oats, brown rice. Stay clear of breads and heavy pastas.

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