[brookypooh]

Well I have always thought that I had the cal counting thing down and knew how many I should eat to lose weight and for my life style. But after reading posts on here I just wonder you opinions. after three days of fasting (just water, and vitamins) I am going to a 1200 cal diet. My fat and carbs and so on corolate with that. I feel very satisfide only eating that in a day. I am also takeing my multi vits every day. But what do you ladies think about this. Just curiouse! Thanks in advance!

[staja]

Hrm...I am not a calorie counter (I do WW), but I have done some research into caloric needs/CC/BMR numbers. Have you looked into what your BMR actually is, and how many calories your body requires to just be? I know for me, I need somewhere around 1650 calories to sustain my weight, if I don't do any exercise. I usually eat between 1400 - 1600 calories a day (sometimes even more!). When I started losing weight, I was eating 1800 - 2000 calories a day at 274 lbs, and have been lowering my calorie intake as I've been losing. That way, if I get stuck with the weight not moving, I have some wiggle room to lower calories if I need to. 1200 calories is generally accepted as the absolute minimum your body can live on.

Are you going to be starting an exercise program with your new diet changes? Also, why are you going to have a 3 day fast prior to starting this diet change?

[CandyKisses0204]

Umm first i think that fasting is a bad idea unless you are doing it for religious purposes. IMO it does more harm that good to the body. Was there a specific reason you did this? Also i think that 1200 may be too low for your height and weight. Im 5'5 199lbs and am losing on around 1600 a day. I know not everyone is the same but 1200 is the absolute minimum you want to eat. What happens when 25lbs from now you hit a plateau? Are you going to lower them to 1000. Then 30 lbs from there you hit another one and lower it to 800? IMO i think that you should eat more. Try 1500-1600 for a few weeks. See how your body does on that and it its too high then lower it by 100. Also are you exercising at all? If so how much? That has a lot to do with how much you can eat as well.

[CandyKisses0204]

Posted as the same time as staja. Ha looks like great minds think alike.

[bargoo]

I agree about the fasting, unless you are doing it for religious reasons. It really doesn't give you a lasting weight loss. Do not go below 1200 calories as you will be robbing your body of needed nutrients.

[meshell82]

On one of my (many) weight loss attempts a few years ago, I too dropped my calories to 1200 per day and I was exercising. I thought it was great, the pounds dropped right off, I wasn't hungry and I thought I had finally found a plan I could stick to. Then my hair started falling out, I had absolutely no energy and one day I felt the need to eat the entire contents of my refrigerator because I had been depriving myself for so long.

My opinion--start off at a higher calorie range like the other posters suggested. You can always cut back if that doesn't work for you, but at 1200 there's no room to cut back safely.

In the end, you will find what works for you and your body. It's a lot of trial and error, but it will be worth it in the long run!

[brookypooh]

The reason for the fast was to help detoxify and get rid of all the "crap" I have been eating expesially over the holidays. I agree with you ladies that I dont want to have to cut them down any lower I was actually talking with my DH last night and told him if I hit that platue then I would have to exersize a ton more becuase I couldnt lower that number. I have done some research on line and I have seen that 1600 is a good start! I do turbo jam on a schedule and trying to get out of a relativly sedentary lifestyle i mean as sedentary as it can be with two kids. Other then that I am not really doing much exersize other then little things like parking farther away takeing the stairs and so on. Anyways I think you are right and thank you! I just was really nervouse that I would not lose any weight and that would make me give up but regardless I am more worried about changing what I am eating but I do need to lose the weight to so I guess there is no way to keep the weight on if i change what I eat right lol! Thank you so much!

[JulieJ08]

I'm always kinda petrified to cut my calories that low because I'm terribly afraid of getting stuck that low for maintenance.