Do what works for you

To many people want to make to many negitive comments about people who consume 1200 calories a day. I say do what works for you as long as you are eating healthy and not going under 1200 calories. I found it very effective to divide up my calories that I consume in a week among the days but not evenly therefor keeping my metabolism guessing and working. If CC recommends it then I do it. My burn meter is 2260 and I want to lose 2 pounds a week (which I am) so I have a intake of 1260....Now I also am very heavy was (was 300 now 282.8) but 1260 a day has been enough to get me full. I find that it also helps to eat 6 small meals a day. My doctor is a very good doctor and seems everything he has reccomended has worked for me. But thats me....everyone has to find out what works best for them. CC has been very helpful to me, there are so many people on here that has been there and done that and are able to help and give great advice.Good luck everyone.

I agree with you that we should do what works for us.  But would like to add that lowering your calories that low this soon could possibly make it harder to break a plateau if one hits later down the road or you could possibly slow down your metabolism. Personally I like to eat as much as I can and still lose weight even if it means I'm losing slowly.  But if this is working for you and you are comfortable with it then go for it just be aware of possible hurdles that MAY pop up in the future and be prepared to deal with them.

That is why I shift calories and also shift meals this helps in keeping a plateau from happening. If I were to get into a plateau I know that rasing my calories for a bit will help get me out of it. I am saying this is what works for me but not everyone is the same. I have done a 600 calorie a day lost 90 pounds before I even hit a plateau but you know what it got me.Nothing.....I did not learn to eat right so I GAINED it all back but 25 pounds.So now I eat healthier not as healthy as I wish I could but healthy enough to know what I should and should not eat. I use to do cheat day every week but now I just limit the thing I am wanting to maybe one day month but just make sure I add it with my amount for the day. Eating healthy and counting calories Does work.I just wished I did not wait so long to do it.

Calorie cycling is a good idea.  I missed that in your original post.  I take free days too another good way to keep the metabolism guessing. Sounds like you are on the right path!

I think whenever anyone wants to lose weight, they need to go through a learning process. This is despite following a particular diet. I agree with you, you should do what works best for you as long as that is a healthy way and does not have a detrimental effect.

Perhaps it would be better to get your calorie deficit from exercise as well as cutting back on intake. As you progress you may find that you need to do that more. You didn't mention exercise and it seems that you have a 1000 calorie deficit daily to achieve the 2lb loss. I think this will work for a while and then slow way down as you get closer to your goal weight. You may find calorie shifting doesn't work so great anymore.

I'm still learning and improving and I started the process of dieting 3 years ago now (although I lost the bulk of my weight last year).

Original Post by tessjoly:

...Now I also am very heavy was (was 300 now 282.8) but 1260 a day has been enough to get me full.

great.  what's you're plan when you get down to 250?  200?  because the lower your weight gets, the lower your calorie demand. 

it might be working just fine for you now, but it's not sustainable.   

do you have kids, tess?  do you know any teenagers?  if you find out that a teenager is smoking, you can't make them quit, but you can certainly remind them every chance you get that it's a bad, bad idea.

nobody here can make you do anything you don't want to do.  but if you're doing something that's potentially detrimental, we're going to say so.  okay?