AIBU to ask is it possible to stick to 1200 calories

[mumof2exhausted]

Just that really. I need to lose half a stone to get to my pre baby weight and using MyFitnessPal to track food. Do think I have been mindlessly eating and think. The app is great to log but I’m struggling to stick to this though. Food today - 1 slice of toast, 2 poached eggs and apple for breakfast, M&S soup for lunch (350 calories), quinoa with chicken and peppers, onions and mushrooms for dinner. Snacks banana, bowl of berries with Greek yogurt and handful of cashew nuts. Takes me to 1400. Have really active job and 2 young kids so need my food / energy go to gym 3 times a week. Any thoughts? Or is 1200 too low??

[Thisnamechanger]

I've been doing it all this week and exercising every day too, coming in between 1000 and 1100. It's not easy but it's doable. You do have to put up with being a bit hungry though! Luckily as soon as you start exercising the hunger shuts up for a bit.

[Frosty66612]

@thisnamechager sounds utterly miserable!

[CiderwithBuda]

Under 8 stone for 5’ 6 sounds very low?

[Frosty66612]

When I was a size 6-8 I was about 8 stone 8 pounds and I was barely eating anything to maintain it and was completely miserable with zero energy. It’s not a healthy weight for someone of that height and you shouldn’t be trying to give advice to others about how to be as unhealthy as you

[RedPony1]

I think it's really hard to lose weight if you are small, your maintenance is that much Closer to 1200cal. Do you really need to lose weight is my question. Bear in mind I think BMI is an absolutely shit measure. I think listening to you body is really important

I do, i sit happiest at 9st, i am currently 11st! Any less than 9st even at my short height, i look absolutely awful.

I have blood tests tomorrow though to check if anything is hindering my loss but will keep plugging on.

[Yokatsu]

5'6 and under 8 stone is not a healthy weight. Even by BMI standards.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

When I was a teenager I was around 8 stone and 5'10. In my late 20s I was just over 9 stone. After DC and through menopause I ended up at 15 stone at my heaviest. I'm now 12 and I find 1200 is mostly ok but i break that if im out as there is no point being miserable. I lose 1.5 to 1lb a week. I'm looking to lose another stone for comfort. I can't believe now how light I was but I had a young person's metabolism then. I think the key is finding a level that suits you and honestly once you get past the first couple of weeks, it's fine. If you have more to lose then 1500ish is probably good and you get more calories used from any weight bearing exercise when you are bigger too. Losing weight when you don't have much to go is harder.

[Moonkissedlegs]

No one comes on a regular 'I need to lose half a stone, how many calories' thread and just casually drops that they survive on 400-600 calories a day... Unless they want to cause a shit storm on that thread.

[PostNotInHaste]

OP I find my Fitbit a big help with this. They do vary in accuracy, a lot of people find they overestimate calories burned and mine did at the start but over time I think if anything if underestimates calorie burn as I have lost a few pounds the last few months by eating supposedly at maintenance.

Personally I wouldn’t be able to sustain 1200 cals a day for any length of time though am doing 1000 cals today to end the week having eaten roughly what I have burned in theory . I found once I started running I had to increase up my calories from about 1600-1700 to 2k plus as I started lacking in energy badly and hair falling out, headaches etc.

I’ve found my Fitbit reading ties in with the heavily active category for my weight/height/age which I didn’t expect from my exercise regime but it is really helpful to know and is going to help me maintain my loss once I eventually finish losing ( not in a hurry at this point). If you are someone who is likely to get obsessed with the numbers then maybe not appropriate but they can be a useful tool to help with this. Personally I feel much better to take a bit longer to get there, not feel hugely hungry and pick up some habits along the way that will help you maintain. Good luck.

[Thisnamechanger]

sounds utterly miserable!

It's not too bad once you get into it...first few days are hell. I've definitely learnt to be more mindful of what I over consume: Chucking loads of olive oil/butter into cooking, lattes, CHEESE and delicious lager.

[cheshiremama89]

MFP gave me a 1200 target, to lose 2lbs a week.

I'm finding it easy to stick to if I don't snack much.

I've lost 12lbs in 6 weeks so is working great!

[CiderwithBuda]

Well I managed to come in at 1248 calories today.

Breakfast - 2 small slices of german style rye bread 169
Maple peanut butter 88

Lunch - tuna salad with chick peas and kidney beans 368

Afternoon snack - haloumi skewer 75 cals and some cooked chicken 37 cals

Dinner homemade chicken fried ‘rice’ ( cauliflower rice) with an egg
Plus 2 glasses of red wine 511 cals

In bed now as hungry!

Macros were ok but still too high in carbs. Need to tweak.

MFP says I will lose about 6 lbs in five weeks at that. Which seems a bit low!

I’m going to try to stick to this for a week or so and see how it goes. Might introduce a couple of 800 cal days a week - 5-2 style.

[Thisnamechanger]

I've had a shitty week at work But sub 1200 everyday and exercise every day. hypotherically how many cals in a big wine spritzer

[AlexanderHamilton]

I’ve no idea how many calories I’ve had today. mFP sign up wasn’t working. Took Ds to the cinema so had a mcd’s for tea). I feel full though.

I’ve had

2 Cups of tea splash of skimmed milk
2 rounds of scrambled egg on toast (1 egg) made with skimmed milk. Scrape of butter on each round

2 bacon & tinned tomato oatcakes.
Several glasses of water

6 nuggets, medium fries & side salad (removed tomato & cucumber)
Bottle of water

How many is that? I should have had small fries as medium was too many.

[Thisnamechanger]

2 bacon & tinned tomato oatcakes

What is this?? I want it it sounds amazing

[ohhelpohnoitsa]

I am doing this but can only do it with meal replacement shakes. Otherwise its just on my mind constantly.

[OwlinaTree]

2 bacon & tinned tomato oatcakes

I'm guessing bacon and tinned tomatoes in Staffordshire oatcakes?

[OwlinaTree]

I can't be bothered to regularly count calories, it's too time consuming and I think I'd get obsessed. I counted for a couple of days to get a feel and I think I eat about 1600ish. I'm 5'4 and about 9st3. Seem to be staying round that at the mo.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Yes, Staffordshire oatcakes. I love them. Always have grilled bacon though & trim all the fat off.

[AlexanderHamilton]

www.highlaneoatcakes.co.uk//mall/infopageviewer.cfm/HighLaneOatcakesOnline/Shoptakeawaymenu

[SocksRock]

@ultrababy I have TomTom Runner. Most GPS watches will allow you to link to MFP to put transfer calorie burn, I know Fitbit and Garmin both do as well.

[Thisnamechanger]

They look yummy!!! I thought oakcakes were biscuits

[AlexanderHamilton]

They are yummy. Its Scottish oatcakes that are biscuits. Bacon cheese & tomato are traditional but I don't like cheese and it's not the healthiest of fillings.

[Thisnamechanger]

Also Scottish Oakcakes with cream cheese and smoked salmon 🤤