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

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  • KatKatatrophic
    KatKatatrophic Posts: 448 Member
    1200 a day, I can't eat more without feeling stuffed!
  • Pfeiffer24
    Pfeiffer24 Posts: 106 Member
    It was hard for the first week.. I had to learn not to add extra food and portion control.... but not I can eat 1200 and feel full.. its all mental.. think about the familys in africa that survive on practically nothing
  • KasieLoo
    KasieLoo Posts: 9 Member
    try to eat at least every 3 hours to keep your metabolism in check. Then you won't get so hungry & end up stuffing yourself. (been there done that plenty of times)
  • CycleCarolina
    CycleCarolina Posts: 23 Member
    Only way I can do it is... excessive amounts of exercise!
  • jamcnabb
    jamcnabb Posts: 5 Member
    burn about 600 calories through activity and then it will be about right.
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
    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 just saw your food diary how in the world do you live on 60g of carbs?
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    Does anybody else notice that they feel crazy hungry right after eating?

    Argh, I'm just so sick of this :( my stomach literally hurts right now from hunger. I have granola and natural yogurt pre-made (by me) for breakfast tomorrow, half a tin of tomato soup and one wholemeal pitta bread for lunch, tortelloni and gnocchi for dinner tomorrow. Yet, I am dreading tomorrow because I know I'm going to be hungry!

    It's even harder living in a house where people don't eat very healthily. And getting offered foods that I shouldn't really eat, or that aren't trackable.
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 308 Member
    Homemade (low calorie) soups also help a lot. Zucchini came into our garden in full force several weeks ago. I diced it up with a tomato, onions, and a little (very little) potato, salt and pepper to taste. It was yummy and filling. This week, I've been doing a lot of grilled veggies. Again, dice them up, put on an aluminum foil liner (or a grill basket), a little cooking spray, salt and pepper. I have been grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and onion. I even splurge most nights and have a small baked potato...love my spuds!

    Good luck on your journey!

    Oh, that sounds lovely! Thanks for the idea - I love potato too!

    I did L.A. Weightloss years ago...had a lot of success, but I could only eat 1/2 cup of potatoes, and only 3 days a week...that made me sad :frown:
  • paulsmisses
    paulsmisses Posts: 178
    i eat a variety of foods and whatever i want, just the correct amount of it portion wise, and manage just fine on 1200 x
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    burn about 600 calories through activity and then it will be about right.

    Ha! Me?! I can just about manage to burn 200.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    I eat all day long on 1200-1400 a day. I just eat fruits, vegetables, salad with or without chicken, low fat/low cal dressings, I eat almonds, raisins, mixed nuts, fish, popcorn, just stuff that tastes good and is healthy. It also helps that I don't get bored with eating the same things daily lol. And I'll never deny myself a snack if I'm craving one, I'll just have a little snack, like low fat frozen yogurt.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    try to eat at least every 3 hours to keep your metabolism in check. Then you won't get so hungry & end up stuffing yourself. (been there done that plenty of times)

    I don't believe the metabolism theory, but eating every three hours will help with my hunger/need to eat. But how do I fit it into my goal :/ cos it means I have a smaller dinner..
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    I am still losing @ 1800 calories a day btw, so you don't HAVE to eat 1200 to lose =)

    This. Often I go over.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    You can have a look at my diary if you want , for one my breakfast is usually better oats oatmeal or nonfat yogurt which is only 100 cals, I also eat alot of fruits, vegetables, chicken, baked sweet potatoes, once you get used to it it is actually pretty easy to do, I usually have 300-400 cals in snacks and I still manage to stay at about 1200 cals a day.....
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    I eat all day long on 1200-1400 a day. I just eat fruits, vegetables, salad with or without chicken, low fat/low cal dressings, I eat almonds, raisins, mixed nuts, fish, popcorn, just stuff that tastes good and is healthy. It also helps that I don't get bored with eating the same things daily lol. And I'll never deny myself a snack if I'm craving one, I'll just have a little snack, like low fat frozen yogurt.

    How do you manage to eat nuts? I love nuts but just 30g of almonds is like 200 calories :/
  • haley6251993
    haley6251993 Posts: 41
    I'm supposed to be on a 1300 calorie diet, but I hardly ever eat that much. If you eat a bunch of low calorie foods like veggies and fruits then its a lot easier to stay within your limit. I hardly ever go to bed hungry, but if I am hungry in the evening, I eat a bowl of cereal and that usually helps.

    Also, the more you exercise, the more you can eat so if you feel hungry, go get some cardio in and then you can eat enough to satisfy your hunger.
  • DonniesGirl69
    DonniesGirl69 Posts: 644 Member
    I really don't have a problem staying around 1200.....feel free to check my diary if you want meal/snack ideas
  • Halleeon
    Halleeon Posts: 309 Member
    I've drastically reduced carbs, I eat my protein first and OFTEN. I go over my protein requirements fairly often as I'm pretty sure 63grams of protein is the minimum needed each day and well, I need more. I crash pretty hard without food/sustenance. I drink a lot more water, and when I'm not eating protein, I eat vegetables. Fruit last. Also, when I do have fruit (or veggies) I make sure I eat protein first.
  • budrock1
    budrock1 Posts: 1
    I'm on 1200 calories p/d and I actually have calories left over most of the time. I'm diabetic so I eat a few small meals every -4 hours. It takes a little planning but it's not hard. Most of my small meals are around 250 calories. I eat a lot of veggies as snacks if I'm still hungry. I even have a serving of sugar-free ice cream almost every day!
  • heidiwebs
    heidiwebs Posts: 80 Member
    Lots of veggies!! Also, you can make a huge egg white omlet with veggies that will satisfy you for hours.
  • cineshome
    cineshome Posts: 97 Member
    After all these years I'm finally losing weight (and not hungry) b/c I've finally figured this out. There's no one size fits all, but I really believe that this is the key. I do go over 1200 cal not b/c I'm hungry but b/c I'm a glutton and still want to eat my cookies. But it's not out of hunger.
  • corrinnebrown
    corrinnebrown Posts: 345 Member
    I do 1200...its not that difficult 250 for breakfast...400 for lunch...150 for snack and 400 for dinner.
    Breakfast is normally 2 eggs and 1/2 an aidelles pineapple bacon chicken sausage (yes its amazing),
    Lunch - Salad or sandwich and veggies
    Snack - Greek yogurt
    Dinner - lean meat and 2 servings of veggies
  • VogtAndrea
    VogtAndrea Posts: 236
    Lots and lots of green stuff. Raw veggies, steamed veggies, lean meats, cheese made with skim milk, and forget the breads. Eat wraps (use low fat mayo and / or use salsa)
    You can eat good sized portions if you cut back on the size of carb portions and raise the veggie ones.
  • MelanieAG05
    MelanieAG05 Posts: 359 Member
    There is no way on this earth that I could survive on 1200 cals per day!!

    I have breakfast (usually a couple of eggs and toast or low fat yoghurt with fruit and some muesli) at 7.15am and I am starving again by 10am - I'll then have a snack (low fat hummus with about 100g of veggies to dip in), then am starving again by 12noon so have my lunch (typically a large salad with some protein - chicken, low fat cottage cheese, eggs etc and sometimes a small portion of carbs and a low fat yoghurt) then I am starving again by 4pm so have a cereal bar and an apple which will last me until I have done a workout in the evening and then finally dinner.......sometimes I need a larger snack in the afternoon. I NET about 1400 per day which is my BMR. I am generally eating around 1700-1800 per day. 1200 isn't sustainable in the long run..........
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    You guys are inspiring me :-)

    But what do I do for tomorrow. I've already logged my breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have about 324 calories that I've logged but have already eaten (got given a cupcake for my birthday on Monday. Didn't know the calories so just guessed and spread it over four days. And the doritos are what I ate in desperation about an hour or so ago).

    So tomorrow, I have about 254 calories left.

    I'm thinking, maybe I'm getting to the point where I need to exercise some to earn some calories. And I think I'll buy some mixed veg ...
  • stlceecee
    stlceecee Posts: 13 Member
    I have 1200 cal /day and normally do well. You can do it!!! Keep at it, youve come to far to stop now!! DONT GIVE UP!!!
  • kmpgdog23
    kmpgdog23 Posts: 1 Member
    Nobody should be eating only 1200 calories a day! It may work in the beginning, but over time will slow the metabolism & actually make a person store fat! If you are eating the proper way, than you can eat up to 1800 calories a day and still lose. The main key to that is exercise! I have done figure competitions and can bring myself from 17% bodyfat to 8% with a diet of 1500 - 1800 calories made up of the right macronutrients!
  • VogtAndrea
    VogtAndrea Posts: 236
    OH Yeah... I forgot... DRINK WATER! It helps with cravings and getting rid of toxins.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    Exercise n you earn more :) I eat quite a bit per day, (sometimes not so good choices) but I earn the calories I eat.

    I hate the gym, feel too tired/depressed to get out of the house apart from for work. It's so bad. I need to push myself again. I'm reaching the hard part now. I'm nearly there, so I need to work harder.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    I'm just getting started, but I definitely have to echo drinking PLENTY of water! Drink water before a meal and between them to start out a little fuller (and processing everything efficiently), then make sure you are getting lean protein (tofu can be VERY tasty!). Also, EXERCISE, go for an extra walk or hit the gym, whatever it takes to earn a few extra calories back :) Watch out for extra sugars (even in fruit), I am learning they are pure evil and I have a killer sweet tooth : )

    I have tofu in my fridge! Need to get around to cooking it but not sure where to start :/
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