How do people cope on 1200 calories p/d?!

Im on 1200 calories p/d but my net is 1060 sometimes 900.. I never eat my workout calories back and i feel just fine never hungry..

I just started on the 1200 calories per day and my stomach growls like it never has before, lol. It's shocking to me how many calories I was eating before this. I couldn't even eat an entire snack sized bag of trail mix today for fear of going over my 1200 mark. But I know that I have to make better decisions about what I eat. Fruits, veggies, protein and 8 glasses of water will keep you full.

I'm on 1200 a day and at first I felt a little hungry at the end of the day but my body adjusted. One thing that really helps is that I drink 72 + ounces of water a day and that helps to fill you up. Also, I make sure to eat foods that I know will keep me feeling full, especially protein. I also work out four days a week and eat those extra calories. I never feel hungry at the end of the day now.

The doc actually put me on 1200 c/p/d...

I feel alot better cutting out processed foods...
eat alot "greener" or "purer"
The doc also told me to cut wayyyy back on carbs (this is helping on so many levels, more energy, chronic pain, so no flaming please)
When I eat salad, I usually don't log it, but I log everything else, because no one got fat from eating too much lettuce LOL
(but thats my theory)

some days its easier than others, but I really am happy with it, and it's working for me!

Ronney

I am still losing @ 1800 calories a day btw, so you don't HAVE to eat 1200 to lose

Agreed. I would starve at 1,200 per day. I usually exercise MORE just so I can eat more!

I haven't even gone over my 1200 allowance in the 2 weeks I have been here I am eating lots of fruit and salads I have one little chocolate treat a day which is a fun size milky bar and that's my limit I also haven't had a drop of alcohol in the time I have been on the diet but that will all change at then weekend when I am at a party

The closer you get, the more you can eat, generally. You're on the right track. Don't give up now!

First off inner fat girl...I love your user name! I say all the time that I'm 500 pounds at heart. Secondly, I commend you for wanting to eat more than 1200 calories and not restricting yourself as much. However, you should really increase your protein. By doing that you may feel full longer.

This thread is making me hungry.

Yep, me too. Haha.

At first, it was hard for me to stay at 1,400. After eating pretty clean for a while (very lean meat, LOTS of fruits and veggies, low-cal whole grain tortillas and breads, etc.,), I was ending most days with calories left over. I've since bumped myself down to just above 1,200 calories - and I still end up drinking a glass or two of organic milk before bed on some nights, to make sure I hit my mark.

For me, it's not about how much I eat. I try to avoid large meals, in fact, so that I can avoid the temptation to overeat. I just eat constantly throughout the day and drink more water than should be humanly possible... Haha. You'll find that as you incorporate more fruit and vegetables into your diet, you'll be less hungry on less calories. Just my two cents.

The first day I logged my foods, I wanted to lose weight as quickly as possible so I set my goal at 1200 calories per day. Trouble was, I was halfway through the day when I decided to start and had already put away 1100 calories by 3 or 4 o'clock. (I ate TONS of bread, cereal, and fruit, which although not necessarily junk food, adds up the calories quickly).

So, I had 100 calories left for dinner. Lucky for me, my husband wasn't home that night so he couldn't make fun of my dinner. I made scrambled egg whites and had like 9 large shrimp, cold. I went 50 calories over so I hopped on the treadmill until the readout reached 50 calories (I understand that the readout is not always accurate, but hey, points for trying right?).

Anyways, the best way to stay within 1200 is to cut out most grains. I know, that's not popular around here, but most breads, cereals, and pastas pack a LOT of calories. Have eggs for breakfast with fruit or veggies. For lunch, have salads with chicken or shrimp (I think a 3 oz chicken breast is around 100 calories. It's totally bland, but it's food, right?). For snacks, have carrots and celery and if you use any kind of dip/hummus, just put a tiny speck on each vegetable. I eat asparagus, squash, and zucchini cold and plain every day. For fruits, try to stick to berries and citrus instead of apples and bananas, which are like 100 calories each. A can of tuna is only like 100 calories- I have that for lunch a lot. I also have scrambled eggs for dinner every time my husband works late or is out so he won't make fun of me. Sweet potatoes with cinnamon are also a great, filling snack.

If you stick to just lean proteins (tuna, chicken, turkey, shrimp, egg whites) and vegetables and just 1-2 servings of fruit a day, you can eat a LOT and still be under your calories. I think one egg's worth of whites are like 20 calories. A cup of broccoli is 33 calories. 9 large shrimp is around 100 calories. A cup of strawberries is around 50 calories. It's doable.