how do i do only 1200 calories? freaking out!

It is extreamly hard at first, so give yourself a break. The first few days of eating 1200 calories are the toughest. Exercise lots and eat back at least half of your exercise calories. If you go back up to 1300ish one day.... even 1400, don't beat yourself up. Your body is adjusting to the smaller amount of food. You will still be losing even if you go a little over while trying to adjust! Good luck!

The easies way for me would be to Exercise. The more exercise you do the more calories you burn. It isn't always easy to get started, but it is easy. I know this to be true, because last week I wasn't exercising at all. Now I find myself loooking forward to going on a walk. It doesn't have to be big.

Add lots of vegetable snacks- bulk up your food so that you feel full. Look for foods that are not calorie-dense, and snack on them so that you don't get so hungry that you eat whatever sounds good. Good luck to you- you are in the thick of it!!!! (I am too).

For me it is 2 things 1). consistency of what I am eating 2). finding the right balance of meals and exercise (if you do any) or life. For what I am eating I am on the boring side I have the same breakfast and dibber everyday and vary mu lunch. I have found eating 6 times a day 3 meals 3 snacks, helps me not be hungry (but a trap id boredom eating so be careful) its about consistency. The balance issue is another story because folk process food differently so finding the right balance between intake (calories) and output (exercise and general living) was key for me. I wanted to do a strict 1200 calorie diet but had trouble loosing any weight so I had to learn to adjust my intake to balance out my work outs and achieve a healthy weight loss. I am loosing between 1 and 2 pounds a week with my activity level and I an feeling great.

Just my thoughts and observations from my experience...

Also, make water your best friend if 1200 is really your daily goal. I notice on days when I don't carry my water jug with me (about 64 oz) that I have the MUNCHIES and will eat anything in sight... whereas when I do have it, I can eat normal portions (I eat about 6 times a day) without even noticing hunger... You just pee ever 20 mins. haha

How long have you been dieting?

What is it any of your business how long she's been dieting. Everyone is different and their bodies react differently. She might have just started however she is correct In the drinking water. It is proven to carve hunger and according to national guidelines you should have 64oz a day so it really should not be your concern over how long she had been dieting as long as what she said is accurate. Plus I hate to tell you 1700 calories is maintenance/ over for me so you need to quit trying to convince everyone that they are just like you. In fact eating 1700 calories a day is what made me 220 lbs. so becareful of your advise to others as everyone is different.

I'm trying to eat 1200 calories when I'm not working, cause on days I don't work I'm really lazy and inactive.

One thing that has made eating under/at my calorie goal easier has been to reduce my carbohydrates.

I just did it to experiment and see if that would make any kind of difference. It sure did! I actually had trouble eating all my needed cals. Anyways, thats just something that worked for me.

Also, make water your best friend if 1200 is really your daily goal. I notice on days when I don't carry my water jug with me (about 64 oz) that I have the MUNCHIES and will eat anything in sight... whereas when I do have it, I can eat normal portions (I eat about 6 times a day) without even noticing hunger... You just pee ever 20 mins. haha

How long have you been dieting?

What is it any of your business how long she's been dieting. Everyone is different and their bodies react differently. She might have just started however she is correct In the drinking water. It is proven to carve hunger and according to national guidelines you should have 64oz a day so it really should not be your concern over how long she had been dieting as long as what she said is accurate. Plus I hate to tell you 1700 calories is maintenance/ over for me so you need to quit trying to convince everyone that they are just like you. In fact eating 1700 calories a day is what made me 220 lbs. so becareful of your advise to others as everyone is different.

I have yet to see any good advice on this thread yet.
The reason im asking is because it seems that none of you have read any of the stickies and have delusions that the 1200 calorie way works.
It doesnt.
I've offered you free help to get into a fat burning state of being but it seems that none but 1 is interested.
I have 100s of PMs and most are in the tune of "I wish I listened to you sooner!"
So if you post on a forum thread anything, it opens you up to questioning.
If you cannot handle it, head over to www.hellokitty.com/forums where you can puss around with all the other kids.
In here its life or death.
1200 cals doesnt work and ive helped 100s of ppl get set up for their goals.
So you can take the advice or ignore it.
I'm still losing fat along with many many others.
We all eat healthy.
1200 isnt healthy.
Get a clue.
You are doing it wrong if its 1200 cals and not eating back the calories burned.
You are doing it wrong if you are working out every day without taking any rest.
Period.


PS: Everyone isnt different.
Evolution shows that.

You're offering logical and intelligent help to people who lack the intelligence to appreciate or do anything with it. I'd give up, it's better for your soul.

<snip>
In here its life or death.
1200 cals doesnt work and ive helped 100s of ppl get set up for their goals.
So you can take the advice or ignore it.
I'm still losing fat along with many many others.
We all eat healthy.
1200 isnt healthy.
Get a clue.
You are doing it wrong if its 1200 cals and not eating back the calories burned.
You are doing it wrong if you are working out every day without taking any rest.
Period.
<snip>

I'm one of the 100s of people who reached out to Dan and have been following his advice and have been successfully losing weight, inches, BF%. No need for me to try and convince the OP or anyone else here that this works if they don't want to hear it, but this is my story: I started following a doctor's plan, which was very low carb and netted me around 1200 calories/day (most days, it was closer to about 1000). I was freezing all the time (I live in Phoenix!), had headaches, was cranky and hungry and felt like I was obsessed about when I would get to eat my next portion of food. The meals were well-balanced and I was taking several vitamins and supplements and saw my doctor weekly.

About a month of misery later, I found MFP to log my calories and exercise and started nosing around the forums and ran across some posts by Dan (and others who prescribe to eat more/weigh less) and threw caution to the wind and provided all of my highly embarrassing numbers. Dan ran some calculations for me, suggested I set MFP at 1700 calories with a 40/30/30 ratio and stick with it to let my body adjust.

Three months later and I'm down 31 pounds, lost 10% BF, 4 inches off my waist and 6 inches off my hips, and two pants sizes, too. The best part of all of this? I feel "normal" ... I'm eating better, changing my lifestyle nice and slow and not being obsessed with food. I feel great, my confidence is growing and I've developed a nice little group of like-minded friends whom I appreciate and can throw ideas/questions out to all the time and who are super supportive and I know that *this* time, I will make a permanent change in my life.

Honestly, what would it hurt you to provide Dan with your numbers and try it for a month? You, too, can come back and help others see how successful and happy they can be during this journey. Good luck!!

1200 calories is to low...you will end up slowing your metabolism. We need to eat to lose weight. Exercise more as well but keep your calories up so your body doesn't think at one point your starving yourself and start storing the fat.

<snip>
In here its life or death.
1200 cals doesnt work and ive helped 100s of ppl get set up for their goals.
So you can take the advice or ignore it.
I'm still losing fat along with many many others.
We all eat healthy.
1200 isnt healthy.
Get a clue.
You are doing it wrong if its 1200 cals and not eating back the calories burned.
You are doing it wrong if you are working out every day without taking any rest.
Period.
<snip>

I'm one of the 100s of people who reached out to Dan and have been following his advice and have been successfully losing weight, inches, BF%. No need for me to try and convince the OP or anyone else here that this works if they don't want to hear it, but this is my story: I started following a doctor's plan, which was very low carb and netted me around 1200 calories/day (most days, it was closer to about 1000). I was freezing all the time (I live in Phoenix!), had headaches, was cranky and hungry and felt like I was obsessed about when I would get to eat my next portion of food. The meals were well-balanced and I was taking several vitamins and supplements and saw my doctor weekly.

About a month of misery later, I found MFP to log my calories and exercise and started nosing around the forums and ran across some posts by Dan (and others who prescribe to eat more/weigh less) and threw caution to the wind and provided all of my highly embarrassing numbers. Dan ran some calculations for me, suggested I set MFP at 1700 calories with a 40/30/30 ratio and stick with it to let my body adjust.

Three months later and I'm down 31 pounds, lost 10% BF, 4 inches off my waist and 6 inches off my hips, and two pants sizes, too. The best part of all of this? I feel "normal" ... I'm eating better, changing my lifestyle nice and slow and not being obsessed with food. I feel great, my confidence is growing and I've developed a nice little group of like-minded friends whom I appreciate and can throw ideas/questions out to all the time and who are super supportive and I know that *this* time, I will make a permanent change in my life.

Honestly, what would it hurt you to provide Dan with your numbers and try it for a month? You, too, can come back and help others see how successful and happy they can be during this journey. Good luck!!

That's a very encouraging post.

I think most people do the same, to start. They think they need to go as low as possible to get results, and then it's a revelation when they realise it's not necessary to starve.

You are an inspiration