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

I do the Herbalife shakes too - that helps much. I agree with you.

It is easier if you exercise and then gain a few hundred calories to eat. At the end of the day I like to hit the goal, but if I don't, and I am below 2000 calories, I'm happy as at least I'm not gaining weight. My meals are around 300 to 500. My snacks are around 150. Breakfast is usually 300cals with the following examples: (1) 1/2c plain yogurt, 1/4c granola, 1/2 c berries, and a drizzle of honey, (2) piece of toast with almond butter and jam with a piece of fruit, (2) fried egg, 2Tbsp of shredded cheddar, slice of tomato, 1/2 tsp becel margarine, on a slice of toast or english muffin. Lunch is usually 300 to 450 cals, usually leftover dinner, amy's frozen organic bean burrito, lean cuisine meal, a sandwich from the cafteria, salad from cafeteria. Dinner is usually 300 to 450 meat the size of the palm of your hand (4oz), 1/2 c rice or potato, etc, and steamed/bbqed/veggies. I found I had to be careful with the morning and afternoon snacks, which are important to have, in order not to get hungry and then overeat later or to cave into cravings for icecream. The 200 calorie nuts from Starbucks are okay, but a bit high. I am better at meeting my goal if my snacks are around 100 to 150cals, like 1/2 cup cottage cheese and berries, an individual yogurt, hummus and veggies, a hard boiled egg, 1/2 c edamamine, pear and 6 - 12 almonds, 1/2 of an elevate bar, etc. To be honest, I just started losing a bit of weight, and I did that by stopping the drinking of wine/alcohol in the evening, which made my hunger go up and my self control go down. This helped me stop overeating in the evening. The rest of the calories were good, as long as they were in reasonable portions and healthy choice. The plate rule works too: 1/4 plate for protein, 1/4 plate for a carb, 1/2 plate for a vegetable.

Zucchini is Aubergine!

The purple vegetable, right?

How does it taste?

And what a cool alternative name!

ETA: Doh, veggie, not fruit.

It's alright like...I wouldn't be mad on it. I find it in a lot of American recipes but we don't really use it much here!

it's courgette in the UK. You get a LOT of it for very few calories, and it's delicious stir fried in chunks or strips, julienned into salads, layered in vegetable bakes, cooked in pasta sauces, the list is endless!! Goes great with parmesan too

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

Blue Diamond 100 calorie pack almonds, 1/4 of a medium sized bag of Wonderful pistachios for 160 cals, and 1 box of Sunmaid raisins for 90 cals. I make my own trail mix too! Fills me up no problem!

^^ Yesssssss! Works for me too! :drinker:

There is a brand called Kors that sells serving sizes of trail mix for 170 calories. It's not a tiny amount either, they come in a big box and I just grab a bag almost every day on my way to work. I like to eat it towards the end of the day right before my workout. The best part is IT HAS M&MS IN IT!!!! Those five or six little M's make me so happy! And by the time I'm done with the bag I'm full so I don't need to go get a bag of more M's, I'm totally satisfied.

Im on 1200 cpd... lost my first 40lbs with weight watchers and switched to this because i was stuck and bored with counting points. I have come to realize... about 90% of the time, when i think im hungry, im really either bored, or thirsty. For whatever reason, drinking water is such a challenge for me... SO, i have recently discovered the K2O protein water mix. Its only 30 cals, has 5g protein and 5g fiber which REALLY takes away any immediate desire for food. Thats my secret weapon these days...

I am the exact opposite. I find myself struggling to eat healthy while trying to hit the 1200 calories goal. I just can't get hungry enough. So I stuff my face with extra cals to hit at least 900. What a dilemma

I actually like it because it forces me to look at healthier alternatives to basically everything, which I really needed to do anyway, and now I have new favourite things. It does get a little harder when I've had a big workout I guess, but it suits me fine.

I stay around the 1200 calorie range. It's not hard, some days I accidentally don't eat enough because I'm full. It's about WHAT you're eating. I find alternatives like spaghetti squash in place of noodles or cauliflower alfredo sauce instead of regular. I end up saving calories in one area which allows me to have more food while getting what I need. Try adding more fiber. I didn't check your diary but that's what I do.

Hahaha I was actually thinking the opposite earlier - how do people eat more than 1200?! Unless I have a really bad binge day (which does happen occasionally), I find it hard to reach 1000, let alone 1200! I am incredibly jealous of OP and anyone else that can eat more! Gah!

I'm currently at 1000 calories to lose weight and get down to my goal. I manage to do so with protein/meal replacement shakes which are 210-240 calories per shake. In order to lower your calorie intake and stay full, you need to eat things with protein and fiber in them. They'll keep you full longer!