LOCKED TOPIC
Rant on 1200 Calories
I just can't handle it anymore. I partly blame the calorie count calculator for allowing it to tell so many unknowing people to eat 1200 but for all those others I say this..
When you post you are eating 1200 calories and you justify it with any of the following I think you know why you aren't losing weight, that you know it's not healthy, etc.
1) but I have to eat it because I'm small boned
2) I work at a desk all day so I must be sedetary
3) I have a slow metabolism
.. I'm sure there are more of these but UGH.. Don't people like to eat? Wouldn't you want to eat more and know you can still lose weight??
okay Rant over..
Reason: locked pending moderator review
Amen! I think people are just lacking knowledge with nutrition now a days that they really do believe "the less I eat the skinnier I will be" a lot just don't realize the repercussions that go along with not eating a diet with adequate amount of calories. The others that do have problems deeper within themselves that can sometime spiral into an eating disorder. Personally I would set a hard deck of 1,700 for the MAJORITY of individuals trying to loose weight.
- Frank
haha- didn't even realize it was you who posted until after I clicked on the title... I was thinking WTF another person complaining that they aren't losing on 1200....
When I was at my most "hardcore" for weightloss I aimed for 1600, but "cheated" so it was probably closer to 1800-2000 calories and I lost 35 lbs...I was working out too, and I will continue to do so, because that extra calorie burn gets me extra food- I loves to eat! Plus keeping my calories up keeps me from eating everything in site later!
If people really do believe that their metabolism is tons faster or slower than average- they need to see an MD, not cut calories to barely living
Ugh, this drives me crazy too. Also, it seems silly, but when I see these people eating 1200-1300 calories, I feel like a big pig for eating 1400-1500 calories. I just don't understand how they do it. I get so hungry! I know the way I'm doing it is good and supporting a healthy body/metabolism, so I just ignore those feelings though.
What I see as worse is when I go to the Calorie Camp feed and see people say "OH, I overate SO MUCH today" and they are logging maybe 1300 calories.
I'm glad people are understanding what I was trying to get across and I figured as from the above post I would get some more of those 'excuses' to starve oneself.
4 - I eat 1200 for portion control
that comment wasn't meant to be snarky.. it was meant to show that for some reason people think they need to eat 1200 calories when this is NOT the amount they should be eating regardless if it works for a small amount of time.
It actually makes me sad that people make this choice and before they know it, it has already caused damage and they don't know how to undo it.
You can eat more and you will still lose weight and will be able to sustain it.
I'm 33, 5'3" and I eat an average of 1900 to lose weight. I do workout about 4 days a week but nothing over the top.
I'm actually glad you made this post. After seeing so many low counts on the Calorie Camp I was starting to think I was crazy for my 1500. I see some people eating 1200 with over a 1000 calorie deficit and I'm like....really??? Don't you feel sick? I know I get sick if I eat so little, but that might just be me being sensitive. Plus, I enjoy eating.
This is so awesome, if this just helps a couple of people realize they don't need to eat that little then I may have actually done something good today.. what a feeling!!
Calorie count recommended 1200 calories for me.
I was eating 1400 calories for a while and saw no progress.
So I just lowered it to 1300. That doesn't mean I eat exactly 1300 (especially with the holidays). My range is anywhere between 1200-1700, but I'm averaging around 1300.
I don't workout much at all and my job isn't very physical. I don't feel like I'm starving myself, I feel very satisfied. Maybe that's because some days I each much more than 1300? I'm not sure.
1200 is the minimum one needs to survive.... why put yourself on minimum? That will just make you sluggish and you will lack energy to do fun things that one gets to do when in good shape. 1200 might work for now, but it will get to you and eating too little can later lead to huge splurges. You can do portion control at any caloric level. 400 c breakfast 400c lunch 500c dinner 2 snacks at 200 gives you 1700...and when you include tons of fruits and veggies in there, you can eat a lot... at 1200 c it is difficult to get all the nutrients you need. In October I did a bod pod test and found out that at my current age of 32, my sedentary burn rate is a little over 1900cal/day which means I can currently eat 1900 calories and do nothing. That is life :)
Calorie count does give too low of numbers... If you want to be healthy, I suggest researching several places...
eta- it was you stef who made me realize that I can eat even more now that I am trying to maintain (minus the holiday weight of course ;))
UGH!!! WHY!!!!!!!! Bodies are not different when it comes to nutrient needs!! Do some research when it comes to starving and how your body reacts after it's been doing that for some time..
Angela - Awesome information!! and I had no idea.. that's awesome!!
rachelmarierose - based on the groups you are in, you are a teen - you NEED to be eating more. A small sedentary older woman shouldn't eat below 1200, but an active teen??? You are starving yourself. And not feeling hungry is a symptom of undereating.
Just a suggestion~ as a teacher I'm lucky enough to be able to move around the classroom a lot, for those who sit at a desk all day I get its not as easy to get up and move.
Our school nurse gave us teachers a suggestion that if we do sit at our desk a lot, we can practice some yoga moves. Some look silly, but who cares~ you are helping your body!
http://yoga.about.com/od/yogasequences/tp/des kstretches.htm
So there are ways to get moving at your desk :)
As for the 1200 calories~ I'm almost 6'0" and I try to exercise 30 minutes a day. I've only been able to lose weight when I stick to 1200 calories, so I guess that's just how my body works. I still hold to the belief that as long as your calories that you're taking in are less than the calories you're using up, you should lose weight! Your body needs to make up that energy some how~ so it has to use the resources it has in "storage".
while calories in and calories out is true- our bodies are built for survival- although times have changed, our mechanisms haven't. Much like when we overeat and the extra goes to fat... when we undereat, the body begins to think that we need to store what we can therefore storing what little you eat into fat, at 1200 calories or less you can not get the nutrients needed to keep your body healthy. When you do lose weight at low cal intake, your body is eating at itself... According to the ADA even post menopausal women should consume at least 1600 calories a day and more if active. Unless there is a metabolic issue. Yeah, you can live on 1200 calories a day and not be active, but lack of activity is just as bad as overeating, so what is the point?
I am in such a sedentary job that my legs ache if I don't walk around- there is no reason for me to leave my desk for 8 hours straight....
Stef- your rant became my soapbox
Angela - You are doing a great job!! :)
@amethystgirl-I'm 18 so that means I'm done growing, right? Nearly everything I eat is healthy.. I used to deal with EDs so maybe that's why but the bottom line is 1200 is more than enough for me to feel healthy as a full time college student that also works a standing job 30 hours a week + works out and does yoga approximately 1hr 20 minutes a day at least 6x a week. Maybe my metabolism is messed up but if I eat any more I gain weight, which isn't healthy ...
No - you aren't done growing at 18. Even if you are done getting taller, your body is still maturing for several more years. And yes, maybe it's because you have an ED history, but then I would suggest that you never properly recovered. The folks on CC that I know who have successfully recovered from EDs ate at least 2500 in recovery, and maintain on a lot more than 1200.
Fit for life,
So well said! Thank you for this post! 1200 calories has become this insane magic number everyone seems to think they need to stay at to lose weight! Everyone is different! Listen to your body, eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. MODERATION is key, and increase activity where you can!
Again, Thank you! :)
