how do i do only 1200 calories? freaking out!

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  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    OP.
    What are your stats?
    What if I told you you could eat way more and lose weight?
    What if 1200 calories actually sets you back by up to a year on your journey?
    What if in 2 weeks you could lose all water weight possibly dropping inches of your belt by eating closer to 2k a day.
    Or
    Hit search in the forum and type "been on 1200 and not losing" and see what I mean.

    If interested I will do custom numbers.
    Post:

    Age
    Height
    Weight
    Body Fat%
    How often you work out

    Age: 33 almost 34
    Height: 5' 1.5"
    Weight: ~135 +/- 1-2lbs
    Body Fat%: 29.6% (according to your military BF%)
    How often do you work out: Just getting back into it so trying for 3-5X/week. Currently 1-3x/week
    Katch-McArdle: 1303 calories
    TDEE: 1563.3 calories

    Roughly how many calories should I take in? MFP says 1200 as well.

    Sorry...exercise: I try to walk 5 days a week during lunch hour for 30 minutes. I do several stand up exercises while at work (leg lifts, standing crunches, etc.). I'm trying to bike ride at least 1-3x/ week (so far saturday and monday recently). I plan on playing frisbee golf at least 2-3x.week as well as kayak either on lake or white water 1x over weekend.

    I am trying a 14 day trial pass at local gym - did aquatic sculpt class last night and may try zumba tonight. Also trying to do at least 1 workout video 1-3x per week.

    Get into that gym and lift weights.
    Continue the walking.
    www.stronglifts.com for more info on what types of lifts to do.

    I do lift weights, just not regularly. I will check out his program at www.stronglifts.com. IN the mean time...I get that 1200 calories is too little, but should I be aiming for 1303 or 1563 calories or something else? COnfused.

    >>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    >>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<
    That's a great post - I have it bookmarked and send people to it all the time. Great info! Thanks Dan!
  • Kittenopolis
    Kittenopolis Posts: 26 Member
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    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!

    Yes, yes, yes! When you are filling up on fiber, nutrient dense, and water dense foods like fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean protiens, etc, you WILL burn calories. It's amazing what your body can do when you provide it with the proper nutrition. Drink plenty of water, exercise regularly at the highest intensity you can safely manage, and EAT!!! Those pounds will fall off and you will be shredded in no time! :D
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    >>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<
    That's a great post - I have it bookmarked and send people to it all the time. Great info! Thanks Dan!
    Oh wait - you revised it! I need a new bookmark! :tongue: Check out Dan's post, people - totally worth it!
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
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    It's very easy to do. Soups, filling foods.. I eat 1200 calories a day and sometimes have some left over
  • robinhardysmall
    robinhardysmall Posts: 246 Member
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    I try 1200- but I exercise like crazy to be able to eat some of my calories back~ last night I would have been way over- but I biked for an hour- and burned 506 calories- therefore I was able to enjoy dinner and not stress about the calories as much.
  • kelly1atatime
    kelly1atatime Posts: 2
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    Some days it is hard to get to 1200 calories. I have a Kashi cereal with fresh blueberries and light soy milk for breakfast, an apple as a morning snack, spinach with a tomato, Special K wheat crackers (12) with a Laughing Cow cheese and yogurt for lunch, and salmon, kale chips, roasted green beans for dinner. Then a TBS of peanut butter for my after workout snack and usually it isn't up to 1200. Then I will have a TBS of dark chocolate chips or a 100 calorie almond pack to get to 1200.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    Eat fresh veggies more and exercise more!
  • dedication6
    dedication6 Posts: 184 Member
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    Is 35 pounds all you have to lose or is that number just a starting goal? If that's all you have to lose then don't push losing too fast, with only 35 to lose look more at .5 pound per week loss. You didn't gain it over night and you're not going to lose it overnight.

    Good luck
  • CharliesAngel1
    CharliesAngel1 Posts: 70 Member
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    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!

    Yes-this-what she said! I'm doing it too!
  • jenkinsjerry
    jenkinsjerry Posts: 99 Member
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    1200 + XCals is the only sustainable way to do this.

    Always, always, always eat your xcals.

    This is "the" secret to success on MFP; which is candidly why the site/tool/app is called, "My-Fitness" Pal... It's not my low calorie pal... Everyone knows, Diet + Exercise = success. Diet - exercise leads to failure and short term success... Slow and steady weight loss -- e.g. 1-2 LBS per week leads to life change...

    Additng it all up:

    Diet + Exercise + Life Change = sustained success.
  • rebeccasedwards
    rebeccasedwards Posts: 208
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    It's hard but you can do it. I was hungry and the beginning but do a lot better now. Raw veggies and dill pickles help.
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
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    If I eat at the 1200 level vs. the 1340 I'm at now, I HAVE to exercise every day. I consider it earning my dinner. I have also decided to eat back only up to about 70% of the estimated calories burned, so I'm going to manually reduce them when I enter them. It's a mental game. You really start seeking foods that are lower calorie, more filling or give you more volume (lettuces) and you stop being hungry after eating them. I find that foods that are whole grains but low GI are really filling and I am not hungry for hours, vs. when I eat cereal that is not considered low GI. (GI is Glycemic Index, I just started learning about this). Drink a LOT more water.

    I think at the end of the day, exercise every day and you will have enough calories to eat that you won't feel deprived.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    exercise and eat back your calories.

    exactly, it works for me. I picked up a fit bit, and add steps. or I use wii fit, or do pilates. Fit bit is a bit expensive but you can get good pedometers for much less. I like the omron too.
    If you exercise and eat the calories, you won't be hungry and you will lose weight faster and you will look better with the additional muscle tone.
  • accountingsyd88
    accountingsyd88 Posts: 2
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    I would have to agree with everyone here that is saying to eat more fulfilling foods such as raw vegetables and fibers. I am going doing a low-carb diet at the moment. I'm feeling a lot more satisfied on lower calories by eating proteins, vegetables, etc. It's definitely hard to transition because of the way your body feels when you are depriving it of what it thinks it needs, but once you are giving it the right things that worry, fear, and feelings go away. You don't miss them either. ;)
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
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    Yes exercise and eat a little more! Good luck!
  • Liz_Mfp
    Liz_Mfp Posts: 172 Member
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    Bump

    Also
    I see "eat high-fiber foods"
    What are a few of these that you'all are eating in this category?

    Thank you!
  • LozzaCourt
    LozzaCourt Posts: 1
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    Hiya!

    It all comes down to portion sizing and planning your calorie intake throughout the day- to keep your metabolism kicking, blood sugar levels balanced and feeling satisfied to avoid binging.

    When you think about it... if you have say 200-300 breakfast eg. oats and berries, or eggs on toast. You're obtaining the carbs and protein to kickstart your day.
    Morning tea snack, say 150 cals- crackers and avocado or fruit or organic protein balls.
    Lunch- 100g protein with salad or fresh vegies. That's an easy 300 or so calories.
    Afternoon- apple slices and peanut butter, raw vegies, fruit etc. Limit it to 150 cals.
    Dinner- portion size of protein and lots of vegies. 300 or so cals.

    Keep in mind that you should be drinking lots of water throughout the day... we often confuse hunger with dehydration.

    I'm certainly no expert, but this is what I swear by. I recently invested in a heart rate monitor to assist with calorie monitoring and with fitness training. 5 days a week I'm burning approximately 1000 cals (bootcamp in the morning and a powerwalk in the evening) leaving me with 200 cal daily total...however I am not left starving :D I've stuck at it for about 2 months and am not feeling fatigued. I'm planning a week of just yoga and walking to let my body recoup soon though :)

    Hope this helps!

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