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Original poster

To find it too hard to stick to 1200 calories a day

187 replies

Lilacdreamowl · 16/01/2025 18:51

I’m two stone overweight. I’ve started calorie counting and upping up my steps and on couch to 5k in my third week.
i can’t stick to 1200 calories :( i find it very tough. I have one meal a day where i allow carbs that i like such as bread, rice or pasta as whenever I’ve tried very low carb it just doesn’t work. The other two meals I don’t have carbs.
im ranging between 1205-1500 this week.

Can I still lose weight if i do a smaller deficit instead? Wanted to hear other experiences on a smaller deficit and how long it took?

OP posts:
PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat · 16/01/2025 19:00

What is your TDEE?

HereForTheFreeLunch · 16/01/2025 19:00

Frozen veggies heated up with salt, pepper, lime juice is my simplest filler.
Boiled egg and spinach or brocolli keeps me going for ages.
Try it. Low calorie and filling.

WhatTheKey · 16/01/2025 18:59

I can't up my exercise and cut my calories at the same time. The exercise makes me ravenous and I eat far more.
It works better for me to cut down calories and to do gentle exercise- walking etc. Then, once my body is more used to fewer calories and I've lost a fair bit, I can up my exercise slowly without feeding it too much.

CryJustALittleBit · 16/01/2025 18:59

I lost 2 stone - went from 11 to 9 stone in just under 4 months in this amount of calories OP.

but one thing that definitely kept me going was weighing in Boots once a week on Saturday - psychologically - that was important to me

and I did one form of exercise a day - be it swimming, treadmill or aerobics

Original poster
Lilacdreamowl · 16/01/2025 18:58

anonny55 · 16/01/2025 18:57

1200 is what a toddler should eat. I ate 1800 a day and still lost nearly 9 stone.
Use James smith pt calculator online to work out what you should have

Oh wow well done!
I’ll take a look

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilacdreamowl · 16/01/2025 18:57

Suomynona · 16/01/2025 18:56

What age are you OP?

I’m late 30s

OP posts:
anonny55 · 16/01/2025 18:57

1200 is what a toddler should eat. I ate 1800 a day and still lost nearly 9 stone.
Use James smith pt calculator online to work out what you should have

Suomynona · 16/01/2025 18:56

What age are you OP?

notacooldad · 16/01/2025 18:54

1200 seems a bit low tbh.
Could you increase it by 200, increase your daily steps which in turn means you are moving your body more and maybe do strength training as well as the cardio you are doing. It sounds a lot but it's just weeks. I've found that's has worked for me as I found 1200 wasn't sustainable gor me.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 16/01/2025 18:54

Have you read the Fast 800 books? I find their ideas really helpful, like a big bowl of soup is pretty filling but if you cook a low calories soup like miso, you then have 2 decent meals worth of calories left.

Some people will lose weight with a smaller deficit. I don't seem to, for some reason. I seem to do well on the fast 800 but it isnt 800 - more like 1000 - 1200.

Finding things that fill you up like veg, water etc should help.

fanaticalfairy · 16/01/2025 18:53

God. Sounds miserable.

Calculate your BMR and use that as your calorie deficit intake.

Theolittle · 16/01/2025 18:52

How did you work out the 1200? If you put your stats into my fitness pal and aim to lose half a pound a week, that’ll be more realistic.