People Eating 1200 a Day

Also, if you drink more water, you'll feel less hungry. On my low-water-intake days, I snack a LOT more, but if I'm drinking 8-11 cups a day, I eat a lot less. One of my friends who's a yoga instructor posted the following article about your water intake. Here's the basic formula for how many ounces of water you should drink = your body weight x 0.7

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5183/Hydration-and-Replenishment-for-Hot-Yogis.html

So yesterday was a bit low for me (I ate less than intended and am already on a cut compared to normal...I generally advocate eating more if you are hungry) BUT it was close to 1200 cals and I was very satisfied but also barely ate anything processed. Whole foods will fill you up and so will plenty of protein.

My diary is open!

PS You will also have to adjust to the change...your body will get used to it.

I agree with those steering you away from frozen meals. Take the extra time to pack yourself a "fresh" lunch. It's worth it. Look for things that are high in protein but low in fat. Most days for lunch I eat a wrap with 2% cheese, light mayo, lots of veggies, and soy turkey (I"m a vegetarian--but you can substitute regular lunchmeat--look for turkey or something with lower fat). I want to say the total calories for the wrap are right around 300. I typically eat around 1500-1600 calories / day, but I also burn around 300-400 working out. You can always eat your extra calories from working out and still see a loss. Good luck--you can do this!!

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I try to stay at 1200, but some days I go over by a few, and I've been losing weight still. I don't always eat back all of my exercise calories (sometimes eating back 800 calories is hard!). But I've heard that going over a few days actually confuses your metabolism, zig zagging, and actually helps you burn more fat. Has anyone done this, and how does it work?

Mine is open. I am set at 1300 a day but eat more like 1500-1800 because I eat my exercise calories back.

my favorite breakfast right now is eggs in a basket (1/2 a bagel in a frying pan, an put a whisked egg white in the hole. i top with 15 grams of light swiss cheese, melted, and 2 tbsp med. salsa) it comes in at about 167 cal, DV%4 fat, 14 protein, 27 carbs. or i eat oatmeal, one quaker oats pack is delicious and filling (really! i was skeptical when i saw the ammount in my oversized bowl but i take my time and drink a glass of skim milk and i stay full!) and it comes in to about 110 - 140 cal.

i have taken a huge liking to spinach as well! it is very low in calories (15 for 65g - which is a pretty decent sized salad)

a big thing i have learned is that i need to eat slower. i try to get about 20 - 30 chews in to a bite of food, and it feels like i'm pushing around mush, but it lets my brain really register what is going on, and i feel full faster, instead of shoveling it in, and then registering a half hour later, OMG.

your brain registers hunger and thirst in the same area as well. so if you are feeling hungry, drink a glass (or two) of water and wait a while. if you are still registering hunger, then have a small snack ( a few cherries, an apple, etc.)

add me as a friend, i don't have my diary open but i am very welcome to have more friends!

This is day 2 for me counting calories. I'm sitting here eating a Michelinas Lean Gourmet & it is gross! Would some of you that have been eating 1200 calories for a while add me or direct me to your food diary so I can get some better meal ideas?
Thanks!

you can look at my diary any time you want, it's open. i try to keep it between 12-1500/day, but i also get a lot of exercise.

I have found that logging what you eat before you eat it can help. It allows me to really see what I'm about to do. If I don't like the cal or fat or protein # it's easier to adjust before I've eaten then trying to make up for it later. Then I adjust portions or sub veggies or fruit for something to get the meal in the nutritional range that I was striving for.

Hi! I am in the same situation. I have been counting 1200 cals for the last 5 days. It certainly is NOT a lot of food. I am getting a wake up call as to just how much I overeat! I have been playing with food also. You can certainly add me. I am 5'4" and 189.4 starting weight. I am trying to lose 65 pounds. I am slowly adding exercise in the form of a stationary bike to ease into this new lifestyle. I have not been eating my exercise calories. We'll see how it goes! Good luck! Kathy

1200 calories CAN be a lot of food, but it mostly CAN'T come from a box with more than one ingredient. It takes a little time to get the swing of it is all, so don't be too hard on yourself.

And remember, 1200 is a ballpark figure. If you go into 1300, so what!

I was eating 1200 calories and the scale didn't budge. i am now eating around 1500 and it started to move the next day! Try upping it a little best of luck! Add me if you're like

This! I think MFP under budgets calories, but that's just my opinion. When I first started it set me and two of my friends (all VASTLY different in size) at 1200 calories. It simply was not enough for me. I was starving all day every day. I quickly upped my calories to 1500 and I lost 70 pounds that way. Those 300 calories made a huge difference in my being hungry.

Also, it doesn't have to be pre-packaged processed food. I love to take salads to work....

3 oz. Tyson diced chicken breast
Fresh strawberries/blueberries
A few chopped pecans
A few crumbles of feta cheese
Litehouse Blueberry Pomegranate Dressing
=Just under 300 calories! This is one of my favs!

Or just a chicken breast and veggies.

I like salad with the diced chicken, cucumber, boiled egg whites, feta cheese and Bolthouse Yogurt Ranch too!

In my opinion...

Unless you weigh 120 pounds, the ONLY way to maintain a 1200 calorie regimen is to make it 1200 calories NET, so logging exercise counts toward the calorie totals.

I agree with the others regarding processed foods. Pan-steaming a well spice/herbed piece of chicken or seafood with a salad dressed in sour cream or yogurt is far more nutrient rich and satisfying than anything made by stouffer's.

I was eating 1200 calories and the scale didn't budge. i am now eating around 1500 and it started to move the next day! Try upping it a little best of luck! Add me if you're like

This. I was at 1200 for a few months and did great, then stalled out. Change your settings to lose 1lb or even .5lb a week, eat more. If you are ready to get more technical, there are other things to look up as well, such as TDEE, BMR, Eat more to lose weight, etc. (Have a search in the forums) But the bottom line is, if you are still hungry on 1200, having a hard time making it work, or not losing, try increasing a bit.

I'll add my name to the list of those advising you to increase your caloric intake. When I started a year ago, I was at 5'4 and 202. Now I'm at 140-144 on any given day. The scale wasn't budging at 1200 calories, but when I upped it to 1600, I started dropping like mad. Now I'm still at 1600 and losing, albeit more slowly.

I eat around 1200/day.

I go to bed satisfied. Here is my day today.

Breakfast
Spinach - Raw,
Milk - Reduced fat, 2% milkfat, 1 cup
Trader Joe's - Almond Butter Crunchy Unsalted 32 g, 24 g
Target Market Pantry - Whey Protein Powder Chocolate,

Lunch
Sara Lee - 45 Calories Multi-Grain Bread, 2 slices
Trader Joe's - Albacore Solid White Tuna-No Salt Added, 1 container (5 oz ea.)
Hellmanns's - Regular Mayo, 19.5 g (1T)
Fresh Express - Hearts of Romaine Salad, 0.5 cups
Tomatoes - Red, ripe, raw, year round average, 0.25 large whole (3" dia)

Dinner
Kirkland Signature - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast-Sf, 168 g (4oz)
Generic - Olive Oil 1 Tsp, 0.5 tsp
Generic - Brussels Sprouts - Frozen, 12 brussels sprouts
Onion - White - Medium, 0.5 Cup
Mrs Dash - Southwest Chipotle Season Blend Salt-Free, 1 tsp
Huy Fong - Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, 0.75 TSP
Litehouse - Ranch Dressing & Dip , 1 Tbs (30ml)

Snacks
Trader Joes Sodium Free Whole Wheat Bread - Bread, 1 slice
Egg - Whole Egg, 1 eggs

Totals 1,251 81 56 123 889
Your Daily Goal

Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium