Health: Stop With The 1200 Calorie Diets

There is plenty of misinformation out there when it comes to weight loss. Everyone is looking for a quick-fix diet that helps them cut those pesky extra pounds. One of the more common, yet dangerous diet trends is the 1200-calorie diet. This won’t change your mentality on healthy eating on top of being undernourished while torturing yourself.

First of all, I know you want to cut weight as quickly as possible, but you’re not Eddie Murphy and this isn’t The Nutty Professor. You didn’t put the weight on overnight and you’re not going to lose it overnight. Think of how long it took you to put on the extra pounds. If you put on 30-50 pounds, there’s a good chance you didn’t do it in a month or two. Why do you assume you’re going to lose it in a month or two?n Your body can only process food and nutrition so quickly. Give it time.

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Also, don’t get discouraged by your fitness trackers. Whether you’re using an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or another device your progress isn’t as bad as it seems. If you’re working out and you only see yourself burning 500-600 calories, don’t stress. These are your active calories, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only calories you burn throughout the day. Your body is always burning calories just by existing. Pay attention to your calories and your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR. You burn calories every time you breathe, or digest food, your body burns them when regenerating cells. Without even exercising. Use this information to help cut extra food without cutting too much.

Typically, the average person burns between 1800-2200 calories just in your body’s natural functions. That’s why every package has a daily value based on a 2000-calorie diet for servings of food. The trick is, to use a BMR calculator, plus the calories you’re burning when working out, then stay under that number by a couple of hundred calories. So if you’re at say 1850 calories for someone your age, height, and weight and you burn 550 calories, then you’re burning 2400 calories/per day. Cut your intake down to ~2100 calories and you can have meals of 700 calories. If you want to cut a little extra, 1800 calories will be plenty while maintaining 600-calorie meals. Those are far better than trying to restrict to 400 calorie meals. You’ll be nothing but hungry until the next meal. You’ll never feel full and satisfied which usually leads to snacking.

Last, weigh your food. There are so many benefits to it when it comes to weight loss. Once you know what fruits, vegetables, and proteins can mix together and fill your calorie count, you’ll find ways to make more food work within your deficit. The most important part, don’t lie to yourself. If you add more calories, add them into the total for the day. Vegetables allow you to fill your plate while not adding a ton of calories. Make sure you’re getting enough protein. As long as you’re in a deficit, you shouldn’t have to torture yourself with 1200-calorie diets. Proper portions are the key. Not every diet needs to be a fad or super restrictive.