I am 5’1” and base metabolic rate is around 1300. I’ve been trying to stick to 1200 calories. Tracking what I eat on MyFitnessPal, I realize I eat more than I think I do. So cleaning up what I eat is key. Also, if I eat under 1000 any day, I am especially hungry the next day or so, and thus overeat. I’d like to try tracking calories for the week to see what my ebb and flows are, as I drink alcohol on weekends, so I need to make adjustments for that.

As for exercise, I run around 25 miles/week, strength train 2-3 days, with 1-2 solid rest days in there. I also hit 10,000 steps daily.

Getting out of the kitchen is the biggest hurdle, as I eat for stress and boredom.

Short answer, 1200 is fine with tracking and exercise.

I have been doing 1200 cal a day for about 7 months now. I am pretty small (5'2") and needed to lose a LOT of weight.

You can do it if you do a lot of vegetables, berries, not overly caloric fruit/grains and protein like fish and chicken which is lower in calories. Most of the days I don't feel like I am starving; a few days I do. But ultimately, I only recommend it if it's sustainable for you. (For example, I know keto works for a lot of people but I couldn't do it long term, so I never did it.)

Anonymous wrote:I am 5’1 and need to lose a lot of weight but I can’t handle 1200 cal. I feel very hungry and ultimately end up feeling on my diets.

Failing.

I am 5’1 and need to lose a lot of weight but I can’t handle 1200 cal. I feel very hungry and ultimately end up feeling on my diets.

I couldn’t do noom but I’m breastfeeding. I ended up upping the intensity of my exercise but not the time spent and cleaning up my diet a bit. I’m been losing but it’s slow. I feel like I have a better chance of keeping it off though.

For those of you that eat 1,200 and don’t lose weight, what do you do other than IF? Yes, I could lose weight earlier in life at 1,200 calories but not at 58 while exercising. I log every morsel too.😫

I'm 5'2 but younger than you and I do about 1000 calories a day on noom. It is enough for me, I got used to it.

Where do you look basal metabolic calories up? I use the NIDDK body weight planner but it always says one can eat more calories that I would expect.

I’m 5’2” and 58 yo. 1200 calories a day means I’m pretty much holding steady and not really losing/gaining. Have you looked up your basal metabolic calories? It was quite eye opening for me.

OP, you might be able to do this ~ eat those 1200 calories before 4:30-5:00pm so you're getting some benefits of IF. And splurge every 5th day.

If this is what Noom is ... it's nothing special. Is there more to it?

I'm taller and will occasionally do 1200 if I need to quickly slim down for an event, beach vacation, whatever, but I find it very low. The only way I can do it without being miserable is to do 400-500 calories for everything until dinner, the rest for a normal dinner or small meal and maybe a glass of wine. It ends up being almost like an IF strategy (one meal around noon, one at dinner). At 1400 calories I still lose weight more slowly but it's more sustainable - results stick around longer and finding a maintenance calorie goal is easier from there.

If you aren't on a timeline, slow and steady can be a lot more manageable and you should be able to calculate a number where you are still in deficit but not as severe based on your activity level + basal metabolic rate (but don't eat back exercise calories in full).

I am currently eating at this level and find that the key to feeling sated is protein, plenty of water, and variety, using a lot of foods with high flavor payoff. Today I ate less than 1000 - which, yes, I realize is low but I honestly wasn’t hungry for more today.

Breakfast - coffee, black (I was busy with work and didn’t feel like eating. I’ve never been a big breakfast eater.)
Lunch: salad: mixed greens, flank steak, peanuts, sesame seeds, chili crisp oil, lime juice
Aftenoon snack: huge bowl of mixed berries with a dollop of Greek yogurt and 1/4 c homemade granola
Snack #2: 2 FinnCriisp crackers, a slice of Swiss cheese
Dinner: soup: beef bone broth with cilantro, mint, flank steak;
After dinner: handful of blueberries

I did 1200 calories a day on noom but I'm 5'1". And on days when I was active, I ate more. If it's making you too hungry just eat more and lose the weight less slowly. And if you can't lose any weight without being hungry and unhappy, decide whether it's worth it for those 15 lbs.

I also do eat really big bowls of greens when I'm doing this. But I agree, if it's an energy issue and not a fullness issue, that doesn't help. You can also try small, regular meals and making sure you're getting enough protein and fat. For me, the stuff it really helps to give up is sugar sweetened carbs, bread, pasta, chips.

What is your goal weight? 1200 seems low and unsustainable.

You can definitely eat lower 12 days then eat kite in a calorie cycling sort of way. Or you can spread those extra calories out over the 12 days in a more moderate approach.

I am a pretty healthy eater who would like to lose about 15 pounds. I had some progress with IF but hit a plateau. Now I am trying Noom which recommends 1200 calories a day for my 50 something body. I can be good for about two weeks but at a point I just start feeling like I am not getting enough food. This feels different from a craving. I feel pretty attuned to my food needs and don’t typically get big cravings but I am wondering what folks think of a 1200 a day calorie diet, which if you count accurately is just not a lot of food. Perhaps I just need to cheat every 10 days or so and get back on. Thoughts?

And yes I know that Nooms green foods are more filling. That is true to a point but at some point more apples won’t energize me