Why 1,200 Calories Is Not Enough

Joan Pacetti

— 2 min read
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Why 1,200 Calories Is Not Enough
Photo by Jamie Matociños / Unsplash

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you have likely run into the magical "1,200-calorie" number. I distinctly remember the Zone Diet from the early 2000's. Apparently 1,200 is still a thing and referenced frequently on social media and the default setting on several dieting apps. But for most people, trying to survive on 1,200 calories is a recipe for frustration, intense cravings, and zero sustainable progress.

Here is the truth about why this low-calorie target fails, and how you can lose fat without starving.

1. The Math is 100 Years Outdated.

  • The 1,200-calorie myth started way back in 1918 in a book written by Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters. She based her numbers on broad population averages from a century ago.
  • Your body is completely unique. Your daily energy needs depend on your body size, genetics, muscle mass, age, and lifestyle. A rigid, century-old number cannot account for your life.
    • This is why I often do not share the calories and macros associated with the meals I eat, as they are likely not relevant to your unique caloric needs.

2. Your Biology Fights Back.

  • When you drop your food intake too low, your body treats it like a famine. It turns up your hunger hormones and decreases your energy levels. This is why you become obsessed with food. It is not a lack of willpower; it is biology.

3. The "Cheat Day" Trap

  • Extreme restriction is rarely sustainable for more than a few days at a time. What usually happens looks like this:
  • Monday to Thursday: You hit 1,200 calories. Monday feels fine, but you feel progressively worse as the week rolls on.
  • Friday to Sunday: Driven by intense deprivation, you overeat on pizza, burgers, desserts or drinks. This likely erases any "progress" you made earlier in the week.

Even if you eat 1,200 calories during the week, one or two high-calorie weekend days can pull your weekly average way up. This potentially stops your fat loss entirely. You can get better results by eating more daily calories to achieve consistency across the whole week.

Mentally this restriction and lack of progress is draining. You feel all the stresses of dieting with no results. Plus you do not have the energy to focus on the behaviors associated with your overeating.

Be consistent & work on mastering these four habits:

  • Raise your daily calorie intake: Your calorie intake is specific to your needs. It's not one-size-fits all. Set your calories at a sustainable number for YOU. Do not compare your calorie needs to your best friend, the influencer you follow, or anyone else for that matter.
  • Eat lean protein: Include protein at every meal. It digests slowly and helps keep you full. This doesn't have to be meat. There are several other sources of protein such as tofu, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, & edamame to name a few.
  • Include veggies with most, if not all meals: Non-starchy vegetables provide a ton of physical volume for almost no calories.
  • Lift weights: Do resistance training at least twice a week...three times is ideal. Preserving muscle mass keeps your metabolism healthy and your body strong.

Read this article for even more information about why 1,200 calories is likely not right for you.

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