I was listening to Jillian Michaels today and she was telling a caller who had about 100 pounds to lose that she should be on 1200 calories, maybe 1400 or at the absolute most 1600 but that weight loss would be very slow. Well, is 1200 really enough for a beginning calorie counter? I had read I needed to eat 1800 but I admit I hadn't lost weight eating that many. Will I starve with only 1200? Is it okay to try it out?

There isn't an expert in the world who can devise a diet that will work for anyone who happens to hear it. Be your own expert and devise what works for you!

I personally wouldn't start with 1200. What's the point if you can successfully lose on more calories? Losing weight shouldn't be spent starving, at rock bottom, unhappy or constantly on the razor's edge. It can be quite a positive experience, and more food certainly helps!

I have found that the more quality the food I eat, the harder it is to get in calories unless I eat beyond full which is a habit I am trying to break. I do eat 4 to 5 times a day and unless I throw something something "bad" in there, its hard to get in a lot of calories when eating lots of fruits and veggies, good proteins,good fats and whole grains, keep portions size to serving size..ect. If this caller has a very slow metabolism then 1200 might be all she can burn a day. I know I don't burn more than that unless i work out really hard

It's all about trial & error. Our bodies are very different. We just need to find our own personal balance. I ate 1,200 calories and lost 1 and 1/2lbs a week. At 1,600 - 1,800 calories, I've lost up to 3 and 1/2lbs a week.

My recommendation is to start at 1,800 calories. Try that for a few weeks. If you're not happy with your results, either add or subtract 200 calories and try that. It may take a while, but you'll find your niche.

Believe it or not, Jillian was probably right. I once asked my doctor for some dieting advice. He said I should eat no more than 1200 calories per day or else my weight loss would be so slow that I would lose my motivation very quick. I think they are perhaps taking into consideration that the person is fairly inactive...as I was at the time; therefore, they need to take in much less calories than someone who is active on a regular basis. With that said...I chose to eat more than 1200 calories and simply get my butt off the couch and be more active. Also, I'm more than happy losing at a 1-2 pound rate per week. As long as my weight goes in the right direction...down!

BTW...I'm new to posting here, but I have been reading the 3FC's forum for quite a while. Y'all are a great bunch!

My only problem with someone that large starting at 1200 is where do you go when you get stuck?
For me, I have trouble getting in all my nutrients that I need if I don't eat at least 1400 calories. My losses are slow, but I would rather be eating enough food than totally starving myself.

Did you know that WHO considers eating less than 1900 calories per day to be a starvation diet?

personally, I think that's way too low for you. 1200 is not a good place to be for most people- it's right on the border of being able to get enough nutrition, and also on the border of starvation mode. Only people who are "losing the last ten pounds" should be at 1200.

I would recommend, for someone your weight, somewhere between 1500-1600.

Good luck with your weight loss!

I sometimes wonder ... does she suppose most folks will miss the mark? Ya know? If someone tells us to exercise everyday and we actually do go for a walk five times a week. We're doing very well.
If she tells folks to eat 1200 calories assuming they will mostly overshoot ... their average will still be low enough to lose weight.

Did that make sense?

that sounds a bit low. it depends what your time frame is, probably. through my calculations using fitday, i'm only supposed to be eating about 1250 calories per day on days that i don't go to the gym. i've only been doing it for a week but i'm finding it really challenging. i've pretty much missed the mark on every single non-gym day. i know when i'm getting worried that there are so many calories in plain oatmeal and a medium apple that this plan is going to be a problem for me. still haven't worked out a solution. i'm probably just going to have to readjust my time frame for achieving goal weight. good luck!

I am not a calorie counter but i eat tons of fruit and veggies and salad and i never feel hungry. That with loads of water really helps me feel full. It works for me. I eat lots of chicken, turkey and fish, keep carbs to a minimal and only have a treat at the weekend. Good luck with whatever path you choose to go on. Katie x x

Just to let you know I've thought it over, I did get this same number from my doctor. Now, I'm sure this is with mild exercise. Jillian said 4 half hour sessions a week. So, if I exercised more I could surely eat more. I'm meeting with a dietician next week for a one hour sit down. I'll report back what I hear. I want to be healthy and I don't want to lose too fast. However, I can't stay motivated if I'm losing an ounce or two a week. I need to see something happening.

I'm glad you're seeing a doc and a dietitian. That's the only way you'll really know. Let us know what the dietitian says!

I agree that it depends on the individual person. A dietitan recommended 1200 calories to me. I couldn't stick with it. I increased it to 1500 and have been very happy. It may take me longer to lose weight but I can live with this. My goal is to make new habits and establish permanent weight loss. It takes as long as it takes.

I agree, 1500 is a nice place to be. It's just enough food that you're satisfied with what you're eating and with what you're losing.

Now granted, I'm currently trying to lose what I gained over the holidays, but I lost over 60lbs and almost never dropped below 1400 calories (originally I got down to 150.) It didn't come off excruciatingly slow either. When I started losing, I was eating 1600-1700 calories per day, without exercising. The only exercise I ever did after that was walking.

1200 seems incredibly low for just starting out. I've seen many "experts" claim this is a good place to start, but then other "experts" say to never go below 1500 calories. I've never seen any scientific evidence that says there is a magic number that will work for everyone. You have to find out what works for you personally.