I don't want to eat 1200 cals forever...

lotushead
lotushead Posts: 200 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just don't!
When I first started MFP, that's what I was doing. I was seeing results but I wasn't happy because I was constantly hungry. I lost about 9 lbs and felt pretty content with myself at that point so I decided I wasn't going to restrict to 1200 cals anymore. Well sure enough, I gained the weight back and now I'm stressing that the only thing I know that works for weight loss is eating 1200 cals a day. In my opinion, I feel like it's unsustainable to eat that way for too long. So I guess I'm wondering what else I can possibly do to lose weight and keep it off. I've been on MFP for too long to still be at my starting weight and I'm tired of my weight going up and down. I've heard of the group called "eat more to weigh less" but I am really lost when it comes to TDEE, BMR, and BMI stuff. I work out a lot and do mostly weight lifting/strength training with about 30-40 mins of cardio or HIIT afterwards. I try to go 3x/week however I'm not in a strict routine meaning that sometimes I go more and sometimes I go less. Could that be the problem? Maybe I need to stick to a solid routine instead of having it vary by the week?
If you have any advice for me, please share! I'm open to all suggestions! I just want to find what's right for me :)

Replies

  • jodieturbo
    jodieturbo Posts: 36 Member
    I do slimming world it's amazing! X
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12?hl=road+map&page=1#posts-9495811
  • lotushead
    lotushead Posts: 200 Member
    Thanks!
  • RainaWalks
    RainaWalks Posts: 72
    straight up...i can't survive on 1200 cals...so i eat 1800 and work out for an hour and aim to do it 5 days a week...

    i'm just getting started though....again...i have less to lose than last time but i still have a lot to lose....in my first week i went up 5 lbs...

    i'm planning on keeping at 1800 to 2000 and working out long term....i could be dead wrong but that is my plan anyway....

    i figure if i want to be slim...i have to keep weight on my mind all the time and not necessarily in a negative way...i want to be size 12 and that is important to me...in order to be size twelve i have to do 'this' and so i'll do it ....i consider giving up over eating kind of like giving up smoking....it is bad for me...so why would i take it up again...
  • slrrese
    slrrese Posts: 180 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12?hl=road+map&page=1#posts-9495811

    This!!

    Also- I started at 1200 and eating my exercise calories. When I lost 10 lbs, I increased my calories by 100 AND upped the intensity of my workouts. After I had lost 20lbs; I did it again- that is increased my calories by 100 AND again upped the intensity of my workouts. I bike or lift weights 6 days a week and take a pole dance class 1 day a week. I also walk my dogs and try to keep busy moving on the weekends when I am not at work. So far I have continued to lose weight (although slower) even though I am now within 5 lbs (I think) of my goal weight.
  • fishergreen
    fishergreen Posts: 109 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12?hl=road+map&page=1#posts-9495811

    This!
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    Take a look at the stickies in the EM2WL group and even check out the videos too!! This group teaches you how to eat the correct amount of food and still lose weight or maintain the weight that you have worked so hard to lose....Just take a look and see what you think...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    Best of luck to you no matter what you decide to do!! :)
  • delonda1
    delonda1 Posts: 525 Member
    I would up to about 1300-1400 for about 2wks see what happens and how you are feeling and adjust from there. Also watch the quality of your food as in the sodium and snacks and dairy intake

    for workouts I personally think it is okay to vary within a structure. Meaning have a set schedule like 30min of strength a day and 20min cardio a day for 3 days a week and maybe 40min cardio 2days a week and vary the routines yu actually do within the schedule
  • NiSan12
    NiSan12 Posts: 374 Member
    What has worked for me is yes BEING CONSISTENT, you must be consistent with your workouts if you want consistent results. Workouts at least 5 days a week and 1200 calories. I know that's not a lot but remember when you workout more you can eat more.
    Also when you have reached your goal your calories go up. Something to look forward to :-) I;ve just reached my goal and those 1800 calories look good now. LOL


    Remember: 'It may be tough, but it's worth it'
  • celtictechie
    celtictechie Posts: 39
    Here's what I have to say. I had to train my body to only need 1500 a day. Yes, that's more than 1200, but I also make sure to exercise and such. The trick was that I couldn't just hop right in. So I started at 1800, then went to 1510... now I'm at 1450 and it isn't a problem. This was over a 2 month period.

    I still lost weight this way because I was intaking less than my body was burning naturally, plus exercise. Actually, even at higher calories, I was still sometimes making 2 lbs a week to the point that I am on a 10 lb. a month pattern, and I believe it's a lot because I taught my body what I was going to be eating slowly.

    No need to fly in at full speed! Give your body time to adjust.
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
    I don't eat 1200. I was always hungry and sleepy.

    I use my TDEE. You can use a great one at this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Just plug in the numbers.

    For me, I set my activity to "active" because I workout 5 days a week. I do not eat my exercise calories back. That way, my exercise is the deficit, not the low calories.

    MFP is set up for someone who is Sedentary (if you choose that).....that means that if you exercise, you will need to eat them back as MFP already adds the deficit.

    1200 cals worked for about a month with me...then my weight loss stalled so I had to do something different. So far, so good...and I'm no longer hungry, grumpy or sleepy lol

    Oh...I am eating 1947 cals a day.
  • thenewmrsfitz
    thenewmrsfitz Posts: 49
    bump for later ;)
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    it was harder to maintain for me than to hit goal :( I had lost 100lbs in 9 months then was able to gain back 40 ugh
  • lotushead
    lotushead Posts: 200 Member
    Take a look at the stickies in the EM2WL group and even check out the videos too!! This group teaches you how to eat the correct amount of food and still lose weight or maintain the weight that you have worked so hard to lose....Just take a look and see what you think...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    Best of luck to you no matter what you decide to do!! :)

    I've looked through there but the organization of the topics is confusing. I couldn't figure out where to start.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    bump
  • Tynen
    Tynen Posts: 5
    You should really checkout keto... you eat until you're full and you lose weight.. if you want more info you can check out www.reddit.com/r/keto
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    bump
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    It is harder to maintain than to lose (and it's so hard to lose).

    I don't think you have to eat 1200 to lose, but if you have very little to lose, it can make the weight loss faster.

    My question is this: how much did you eat when you stopped eating 1200? If you're TDEE is 1800 and you started eating 2500 calories per day, of course you gained. It's not the 1200 you need to be concerned about. It's the amount you eat when you stop "dieting".
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
    bump
  • sistasledge101
    sistasledge101 Posts: 80
    If you go to the em2wl forum they will be more than happy to answer any of your questions! I know because I started doing it a couple of weeks ago.
  • TonyaBtrfly
    TonyaBtrfly Posts: 118 Member
    Take a look at the stickies in the EM2WL group and even check out the videos too!! This group teaches you how to eat the correct amount of food and still lose weight or maintain the weight that you have worked so hard to lose....Just take a look and see what you think...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    Best of luck to you no matter what you decide to do!! :)


    THIS!!!!!
    I could never have eaten 1200 calories for any real length of time. I am so glad i found EM2WL when I did! You should check it out!
  • sparkie51
    sparkie51 Posts: 98 Member
    I am doing zigzagging. Look it up on the net It helps with plateaus etc
  • brushe
    brushe Posts: 181 Member
    I use my TDEE. You can use a great one at this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Thanks for the tip on the site. very easy to use.
  • gorewhore13
    gorewhore13 Posts: 49 Member
    I eat about 1200 a day and I'm never hungry. Eating clean is the way to go.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I don't understand why someone would think they need to eat 1200 forever. If you eat 1200, you will lose your excess weight, then you can eat at maintenance level. But if you prefer to eat at maintenance level now, that's fine, too. But then you will be at your current weight forever. Do EMWL and lose a pound a month (if you're close to goal). It's all just a matter of choices. If you think you can eat at 100 under maintenance and lose a pound a week, you're doing your math wrong.
  • lforner46
    lforner46 Posts: 103 Member
    I don't understand why someone would think they need to eat 1200 forever. If you eat 1200, you will lose your excess weight, then you can eat at maintenance level. But if you prefer to eat at maintenance level now, that's fine, too. But then you will be at your current weight forever. Do EMWL and lose a pound a month (if you're close to goal). It's all just a matter of choices. If you think you can eat at 100 under maintenance and lose a pound a week, you're doing your math wrong.

    I agre with this statement. I would eat somewhere between the 'eat more to lose' and 1200 cal. I can't live on 1200 either and EM2L says 1500 so I'm trying 1400 and see what happens.

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