"Perfectly Balanced at 1,200"
 

So... I've been flirting with 1500-1600 calories in my calorie counting. Some days are definitely more balanced than others, but that's life!

I keep hearing (hahaha-- or rather, READING!) people say "don't dip below 1,100-1,200 calories because that's the minimum you can eat for a fully balanced day".
If I am just your average person (vegans, vegetarians, omnivores or carnivores!--all apply!) What MIGHT a fully balanced day at the minimum calorie intake look like?

When I think about it-- my best balanced days hit about 1300-1400 calories, and then I have some wiggle room for extra "nonsense foods" and treats-- I can't even WRAP my mind around a perfectly balanced 1200 calorie day!

Well, it'd probably look like your 1300-1400, with a few grams of protein and a few grams of fat and a few grams of carb removed. If you ate meat, for example, you'd drop perhaps two ounces of the total you'd eat in a day, which would eliminate 40-60 calories already. Reduce the portion of whole grain from 150 calories worth of goodness to 100 calories. Focus on veggies that get a LOT of volume for LOW calories (for example, green beans are fairly high on the green-veggie-calorie-scale. Broccoli is somewhere in the middle. Cabbages and greens tend to be on the lower end).

It IS possible, but it is VERY difficult.

I'm not a calorie counter KAT but are you sure 1,200 is enough for you with all that dancing?

1200 and perfectly balanced. OK, well here's my menu from yesterday. I am not suggesting that you follow this because I am not a nutritionist, dietitian, or doctor.

B: coffee w/Coffee Mate Lite, hi-protein South Beach Living bar. 200 cals.
S: tea w/ Coffee Mate Lite, 2 ounces tuna, baby carrots. (Multivitamin) 105 cals.

L: Stouffer's Lean Cuisine, grilled chicken caesar, coffee w/coffee mate. 250 cals.
S: 1 ounce cheddar cheese and 7 saltine crackers. 193 cals.

D: 4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 ounces green beans, 1/2 TBS olive oil, 1 serving bag salad, 1 TBS Newman's light balsamic dressing, 1 TBS crumbled blue cheese. 334 cals.
S: Popcorn. 120 cals.

Total: 1202 calories
Protein: 87 grams (29%)
Fat: 43 grams (31%)
Carbohydrate: 101 grams (40%)

Note the multivitamin!

This is not typical--sometimes I have more vegetables, and I don't have a bar for breakfast all the time. I just wasn't all that hungry yesterday morning.

Jay

Oh-- Gary-- No, no worries :) I'm eating anywhere between 1300-1700 depending on if it's a "dance day" or not!

I just see the "don't eat below 1200" a lot on these boards, and wondered what a "perfectly balanced day" might look like-- cause I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job, but that's with 100-500 more calories than the "minimum".

Thanks Mandalinn and Jay for your input!

I guess my question, taking note of Jay's multivitamin, more specifically is: Is there a way to do it with JUST eating, and not taking a multivitamin? Or is there ALWAYS going to be SOMETHING you're lacking by doing a low-calorie eating?

Is this why the bottom of nutrition labels say "**Based on a 2,000 Calorie Diet"-- Because that's the best conceivable way to get all of the nutrients you need without a multivitamin?

lol Or am I grasping at straws and asking odd questions that don't really apply to Any One Person?

Hey Lassie!

Whenever you restrict intake below maintenance level, you're asking your body to function with less nutrients. Of course, it's possible to overeat and still not be getting the right nutrition--many overweight people have malnutrition even though they are overweight because they eat poor diets.

But back to the question--when you eat less, your body uses reserves for energy, and if you're doing it with a good program, it will burn mostly fat instead of burning your muscles or other tissues. But vitamins and minerals and fiber are important, too--and that's why fresh fruits and vegetables are your best friends. I suppose you can get enough micronutrients at 1200 cals, but I think it's probably hard to do, and that's why I take vitamins. They don't add any calories. I also make sure I get enough protein.

I could probably lose eating more than 1200 cals, and in fact, my average for the past six days is just under 1300. But I'm trying to lose a pound a week. It may be that I can't do that at my current weight, though, eating so little. It may be too hard on me. And that would mean I'd have to be willing to settle for less than a pound a week. (Average, of course.)

Jay

Hi Jay-
Thanks for the speedy reply!

I've started taking a multivitamin (viactiv) because I want to make SURE I'm getting in all (or most!) of the nutrients I need for the day, in addition to all of the healthy eating I'm doing!! lol

I realize that 1200 is probably (hopefully?) not a maintaining calorie goal, and I'd love, one day, to not to HAVE to take a multivitamin.. but it seems like the "wiser" thing to do-- at least until I have a lifelong grasp on balanced eating.

It's so simple, and yet the rebellious side of me wants to deny it, that you really HAVE to eat more balanced as you lose weight or it won't stick!

A typical 1200 cals for me would be (vegetarian):

B - FF yogurt with Fiber One, black coffee - 150 cals
S - South Beach Protein Snack Bar - 140 cals

L: - MSF or Boca or Gardenburger on 1/2 Flatout bread, carrots or other raw veggie - 220 cals
S: Raw veggie, Wasa, Laughing Cow Cheese - 100 cals

S: Tide Me Over Protein Drink - 30 cals

D: rice & lentils, veggie mix, marinara sauce - 300 cals, multi vitamin and calcium with D supplements
S: Cocoa roasted almonds, red wine - 250 cals

And lots of water throughout the day ;)

Jay, eating just under 1300 calories a week and you are losing 1 pound a week? I thought that would be atleast 2 pounds a week, that's what I'm going for. I'm close to your weight....should I be expecting probably only a pound a week too? I'm eating around 1325 daily??

At your current weight, I doubt you'll lose 2 pounds a week. 1 is more like it. Remember that is an average, some weeks will be more, some less. The closer you are to goal, the slower the weight loss.

Hey 3kiddos,

I'm older than you are--I think by rather a bit ;)--and I've been sedentary at work for just about my whole working life. So, my metabolism is slower. My resting metabolic rate according to FitDay (and this is just an estimate based on gender, weight, age, and activity level) is right around 1650 cals. To lose a pound a week, I would need to have a 500 cals a day difference between what I eat and what I burn. So as you see, I don't have much wiggle room. :( Exercise makes a difference for me--I try to burn 200 cals a day with exercise and activity. That helps!

The problem I face is that it's a pretty hard restriction. I run out of stamina and feel hungry, and sometimes go off plan. So, I might have better success if I decided to lose less per week (in theory--it's all just theoretical) and eat a few more calories per day. But, I'm impatient!

Jay

Oh, I get it. I'm thinking 1 pound for week will probably be the best I can get too. That helps me to feel less frustrated with the slow rate...I'm not going to eat less than 1200-1400 calories a day. If I do, I just feel sick and don't have any energy.....a guess it's going to be steady as we go...

It all depends on what you are eating as always but I can get in 6-8 servings of veg and fruit, all of my protein and more and my carbs are coming from veggies and fruit and 9 g from the evening snack. If I am on the run I drink more protein shakes. If I want a treat I substitue out or add a low cal SF chocolate treat ie 30 cal peanut butter cup or chocolate crisp. I look forward to my snack before bed every night and it tends to consistently be the same thing. I do take a multivit and calcium since I am not getting in enough dairy.

breakfast total 220
egg whites boiled 4- 80 cals or protein shake- 100 cals
1/2-whole tomato-30
strawberries 1 cup- 40 cals
bran crispbread 2 and 1 lite laughing cow cheese- 50

snack- 90
cheese head cheese string 50 cals, broccoli 40

lunch total 235
chicken breast - 110 cals
broccoli- 40 cals
salad-60 cals
source yoghurt-35 cals

snack Total 120
bran crispbread 2 and laughing cow cheese -50
almonds- 70

snack -50
1/2 protein drink-50

dinner- 415
steak 4 oz- 270
broccoli- 50
salad- 60
SF jello and strawberries-35

snack 110
Laughing cow cheese and baguette snack 110

I have eaten at 1200 a day - not intentionally, but just because I've had days that I was less hungry and didn't make it to my 1500 goal.

I personally am not sure I could do 1200 calories over the long term. That's one reason I exercise the way I do and make sure that the type of exercising I'm doing is the most productive it can be. I'd rather hit the gym every day and be able to eat more, than have to limit myself to 1200 cals a day.

I also think that for me, to maintain 1200 calories a day over the long term, I'd have to compromise my desire to not use artificial sweeteners and I'd have to eat more lowfat/low cal diet type foods. I could be wrong - since I've never tried to stick to a 1200 cal diet, but I know that part of what eating at 1500 allows me is to use sugar, honey, eat full fat cottage cheese and cheddar cheese, etc.

For me, an average 1200 calorie day might look like this (figures are rounded, based on what I normally eat anyway):
Breakfast: oats with a chopped up apple and sweetener (220 cals)
Snack: banana and 1T peanut butter (200 cals)
Lunch: spinach salad with some other veggies, 4oz chopped chicken breast, low fat dressing (300 cals)
Snack: celery, jicama, and carrots in 1/4 cup hummus (150 cals)
Dinner: grilled salmon filet, steamed broccoli, baked sweet potato (325 cals)

That's 1195 calories - but it means being 100% on track with your portion control and measuring everything carefully.

Also I usually have a protein shake before dinner, right after the gym (120 cals if I drink the powder just in water). If I were eating at this level consistently I'm not sure I'd really be able to continue at the gym the way I am now, and I doubt I'd need the protein drink.

As far as the multivitamin goes, I take one every day. I like to take a food based multivitamin as I do believe your body absorbs them better. I don't think I'm particularly lacking in anything important in my diet, but I think that it doesn't hurt to give myself that little extra boost.

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