Hi! I'm new to 3FC and have been wondering about the 1200/day question!
I'm 6'1" and 170lbs, so 1200/day WOULD be TOO low for me, but I still set it as my goal because I “cheat”:
1. Calorie Cycling- I have a WEEKLY goal vs a DAILY goal. 8,400/week starting on Wednesdays (so if I splurge on the weekend, I have time to make it up, lol).
-This keep the stress level a low (unless it's a Tuesday and I've gone over)
I also have a 4 week goal of 33,600 that I average out with my weeks in case I go over.
Lots of math? Yes, but SO worth it
2. Don't count EVERYTHING - I DO NOT count fresh veggies (the non starchy ones). I DO count packaged/canned/frozen ones in sauce etc. because I didn’t prepare them myself.
- I DO count any oil that I cook them in (which is rare) or dressing (only yogurt based low-cal).
-I do this because it prompts me to eat MORE veggies, and I don't want to feel GUILT for vegetables
- I DO NOT count low sodium Chicken/Veggie/Beef BROTH (stock I do count), it is an easy way to add SO MUCH flavor w/o oil that I don't think it's worth it.
3. Weighing my food – I pre-weigh a serving size of packaged food (like gold fish crackers, or almonds) and write it on the lable: “3 baby goldfish = 1g” so I can “grab and go” if I need to pack a quick snack.
Sadly, less you weigh, the harder/slower it is to lose weight… but if you’re working out you may be burning MORE now than you did when you weighed less b/c of muscle mass. If you are always hungry – try eating veggies/whole grains and see how you feel… good luck!