Eating 1200 cals a day is too hard!

So I have changed my goal to be at 130lbs by november 20th.  thats like 14-16lbs.   I put my activity at sedentry b/c I have a desk job 5 days a week, and it says I can only consume just over 1200cals per day!   I know I can eat more on the days I work out, which I'm going to start going 4 days a week.  but still, 3 days a week on 1200 cals??   I dont know how to do it.  I've been struggling on 1400cals per day.   I end up feeling really hungry in the afternoon. and have some fruit but I still feel hungry.  burning pangs in my stomach.  kind of feel like that now too.

this just really sucks and is discouraging.  when I started I was allowed to eat a lot more.  but now as I lose weight, I have to eat less and less.    I don't want to push that goal date back further. 4 months seems like a lot of time to lose 15lbs...

I've been giving up a lot lately too.  overeating.  going over my daily expenditure in cals by a few hundred.  I just feel like this is going to take forever, and I haven't been losing weight for a few weeks.

It's a lot better to lose weight slower than to be miserable while eating 1200 calories. I have a feeling you'll keep the weight off in the long run by increasing your cals to 1300 -- or even 1400 -- instead. See how it goes. I was struggling with 1200-1300 calories, too.

I'm with liz ... eating 1200 cals a day for me is like eating nothing! i get really hungry too, and that's your body telling you "hey feed me, it's ok you won't gain weight!" i would eat 1400 and have some patience :) you'll feel better!

yah... thanks guys.   I readjusted my goal to Christmas..  so now I can eat 1400 a day...

maybe it will come off before then because I'll be gyming it.

Good for you that you understood to adjust your goals rather than suffer or give up!!

I'm a 1200 calorie person too - and I've managed to adjust to eating less, but it is sacrificial at times.  Here's meals that I eat that seem to help me eat less...

Breakfast - either Special K Protein cereal or Quaker Oats Weight management oatmeal and skim milk - with 1/4 cup berries or 1/2 cup banana (under 300 calories and keeps you filled up)

Lunch - 8 oz skim milk and a big salad with baby spinach, greener selection salad, 1/2 cup cucumber slices, 1/2 small tomato, 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 2 Tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing (IGA brand is lower in calories and fat without being a "reduced fat" dressing)  The cottage cheese mixes nicely with the dressing and makes the salad stick with me (under 300 calories)

Supper - 3 oz of lean meat, steamed veggies, 1/2 baked potato (under 400 calories)

This leaves me with 200 calories for snacks - I usually snack mid afternoon and after supper.  The 100 cal pack, or a dish of melon, or a cereal bar.

Hope this is helpful for you... keep looking for filling foods!

Thank heavens--finally people who find eating 1200 calories difficult!  I really struggle to stay withint a 1400-1500 calrorie range. Seriously, if i make it in under 1600 cals in a day i am pround of myself. 

 I would go with 1400.

Also, if i went with what CC told me to eat, i would only be eating 1100 cals per day. Which, as we all know, is crazy. I don't trust the "recommended calorie" function.  Especially if you work out.  Of course, I haven't lost any weight in over a month, so maybe don't listen to me.

I'm not having trouble eating 1200 cals as far as being hungry. I have been feeling like crud though. Every night so far this week I have woke up either shaking with a rapid heart rate or sick to my stomach.

I agree that going with 1,400 will be much more efficient.  I personally find the only way this works for me is if I still eat 'regular' foods, and never deprive myself.  If you are hungry,  you should eat!

If you want a tip for a low-cal, high punch lunch, I make a BIG salad with tons of veggies, then cut up a serving of lean deli meat (50 cals/ serving).  I use low-calorie italian dressing, and some pepper.  It fills me up, and is only about 150 calories.  I also add some redwine vinegar to add a kick.

hint: I eat this lunch on days when I know I am going to a restaurant for dinner.  This allows me 'extra' calories!

I agree with husseyal! Hurray for other people finding it hard to cut back! It seems like practically everyone on this site is saying "Oh, 1200? No problem. I have trouble getting that many calories in." Give me a break! I, too commend myself for going under 1600 even though c-c reccomends that I eat 1300 to lose weight. Sometimes I don't get under 1600, but I've been averaging about 1600 and I still feel really tired and crappy. Way to go on adjusting your goal, because long-term, it's probably what's best for you. Good luck!

I needed to read these but an still kind of frustrated.  I came to this site with the mentality of "ok, up the calories so it is liveable and make peace with losing a half a pound to a pound a week or some weeks and simply not gain others, but find a place where you are tracking and able to stay on course rather than depriving yourself everything...because I can't do that for long.  Anyway, I filled out the registration and it put me on 1300 calories to lose 1 pound a week!  That is harsh.

Try changing your activity level and then seeing what the Allowance tool says about your calorie intake. I know if I'm on sedentary, it puts me at eating 1200 calories to lose a pound a week. But I know I'm not sedentary, with all that working out. So I put myself at "light" activity -- even though I may be moderate some weeks -- and it tells me to eat 1500 calories.

Calorie Count has my basal rate as 1600 cals a day It says to lose I should eat 1200 also but I just shoot for my basal rate and find I can lose.  I do work out everyday.  I find if I can stay under 500 calories from what cc says is my calorie burn I am good.

I recommend eating more protein - its calories are more dense meaning there are less per oz but keep you statisfied longer. 

I just want to remind everyone that just because the computer picked something for you it does not mean that you have to use it.  You can go into the analyzer and pick a later date for a slower loss which will give you higher calories.  Keep in mind that the basic rule of thumb is eat less calories than you burn.  And the slimmer you are the slower the loss will be since you are already close to the right weight.  Exercise is fantastic--lets you have more calories for the day, tones muscle.  The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn even when you are sitting down.
Mostly dont deprive yourself.  If you find what you are trying to do to be difficult then the odds are that you will fail.  Set yourself up for a win and adjust to fit your lifestyle appropriately.  Its better to lose the weight really slow than not at all!

Hallelujah that someone besides me has trouble with 1,200 a day! CC had me at 1,200 to lose a pound a week (that's at sedentary), but I lost with an average of 1,400-1,500 calories per day and kept up with my 3x per week exercise.  Lately, I have not been in a weight loss mindset and have been maintaining my weight loss, but plan to jump start it again this week. I really think that it's better to start out higher (1,400-1,500 per day) and see what happens as opposed to 1,200 per day and feeling miserable and hungry.

I eat approximately 1250 calories per day and I am not at all hungry.  I also walk about 3 miles per day.

My breakfast is very much the same, black coffee, 4 oz apple juice, one whole wheat toast cut in half, one egg(I am blessed with low cholesterol genes) and 1/2 of the toast I put 1 tbsp lite raspberry cream cheese on it.  That is a whole 250 calories.

My lunch is either, tuna, salmon, sole and vegetables with a fruit

My dinner is chicken breast (cooked different ways) or filet mignon with onions, portobello mushrooms  or shrimp stir fry with mixed veggies, and steamed mixed veg., carrots, cauliflower and broccoli is an example.  I have another fruit for dessert.

Because I take a med at bedtime where I have to eat I same my almond cookies for then (140 calories). 

I never buy anything in a box or frozen except vegetables, I do buy canned french cut green beans and beets that I put balsamic vinegar on and shove in the fridge to geat with my lunch usually, I may also have a large mixed salad with measured dressing. 

I have a problem most days getting the required calories, like today, I am missing about 225 so I will eat vegetables and fruit to make the calories up.

I usually am never hungry, but the odd time I am, ice water really does the trick. 

I used to be worried about being hungry, but now I am less hungry than I used to be eating what I now call 'fat food'. 

As you can see I really don't eat cold cuts, bacon or ham,  pastas, pizza and not much bread at all.  I also drink my tea and coffee with no sugar and no milk, always have. 

I am not sure how anyone can eat 1200 calories a day, I have more weight to loose that the rest of you because I can have 1700 cals a day. But I just had a tip I tried this weekend the South Beach diet meal replacement bars they have 210 cals, really low sugar something like 19gms protein and the vanilla cream and the peanut butter ones are delicious and they do hold you over until your next meal. anyway give em a shot

I'm managing on 1200 per day at least five days per week, but I'm doing it in five small meals, eating a little about every 2-3 hours.  It seems to work for me because about the time I get hungry, it's time to eat again.  I'm always just a 'touch' hungry, and never full. 

Took a little getting used to, but I feel very good and seem to have lots of energy.  I make sure I'm eating right, too.

That being said, I also try to bump it up a bit one or two days a week just to keep the metabolism guessing! 

I have to agree with feeling like your starving at 1200 right now with jut getting started 1400 feels like your starving. I would rather go a bit slower and not feel like your starving. My daughter was trying so hard to loose 10lbs and couldn't ever get it off. But when she hit her plato the gals at the gym said to change your routine. Exercise a bit faster pace or longer or do something totally different. It really started paying off after about 2 weeks. She finally has what she calls abs of steel LOL! You really can see them. I am very proud of her she is trying to get my husband and I on track also and I think that is going to be huge chore for her LOL! I really am not looking for that perfect body I just need to get healthy and my goal is to loose enough weight to get off the insulin shots. I hate that and I think it is a good goal for now. You could try to hang out a picture or a bikini or something that will help keep you motivated.

good luck!

It will get better in time.  Try hot chicken broth - only 10 calories and it will calm your hunger pangs.  Eat a little more if you have to for a while, say 1300 or 1400 calories.  Taper it off.

You'll find the optimal level for you.  Remember, we're all different.

Almost forgot!  Here's an article that might help, about high density, low calorie foods!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14139618/

As you get smaller you need less food. Also, your metabolism adjusts. So don't be discouraged if you have to lose at a slower rate now (to avoid being hungry). You can always drop 50 calories or so off your allowance after a month or two of losing, then 50 more in another month, and so on, until you're able to get to 1200 without suffering from hunger. That will speed up your weight loss.

I agree with all that's been said here about high-density low calorie foods. I've been averaging 1200 for my entire weight-loss period, but I'm seldom hungry, and if I am I eat high-fiber cereal out of the box, or I eat a high-protein no-fat food like unsweetened yogurt, and that gets me through.

AND I've been very successful with the weight loss, averaging 1.2 pounds per week. I'm only 3 pounds from my goal and starting to think about maintenance!