Why the 1200 Calorie Diet is Hurting your Beach Body

      Have you ever noticed how just about every "diet" has the caloric goal of 1200 calories? Or, how 1200 calories is the go to number when people want to lose weight? It's insane!  But the reason why so many people make this their goal is because it clearly places them in a caloric deficit, and it's a common number across the board. I can't begin to count how many times people have told me they are only consuming 1200 calories because they want to lose weight.  Since its a common misconception, it's my job to bring the truth to you...because that's what I do.

Problem: If your body composition and your lifestyle do not warrant taking your caloric deficit to 1200 calories, you risk damaging your metabolism.  We find , through studies, that when you take your body to these extreme deficits, your body reverts back to pre-diet values. That sucks! And, you've probably experienced this before. Let's add a new term to your vocabulary while I have your attention.

Hypo caloric- extremely low number of dietary calories.

That's typically where the 1200 caloric goal falls in terms of caloric intake (1,000-1,200 calories).  Not only that, but researchers have also found that those qualities we seek when we want to lose weight (ie thermogenesis, leptin regulation, etc) are compromised when we drop below the necessary deficit to achieve weight loss.

Let's take it another step with an example shall we? What kind of person would need 1200 calories to lose weight? Get ready for it. A 25 year old woman who is 5'5", weighs 110 pounds and moves around less than an old drunk turtle on its back. Keep in mind...that is what she needs to be in a 20% deficit, meaning she's taking in 20% less than what she needs to maintain.

Ideal stats for some, but consuming the same amount of calories as this young lady who is trying to drop weight will not help you reach her stats. In fact, it will do the exact opposite, and as I love to beat into your mind...it is not sustainable. 

Your body needs a specific amount of calories for you to add mass, maintain, or lose weight. There is no "one size fits all" number for you to aim for. Today you learned the consequences of taking your body to these extreme caloric deficits.  I want you to be successful, but that can only happen if you know what to avoid. The 1,200 calorie diet is one thing you should...unless you want to gain the weight right back. But, that's not our goal. We want to get it off and keep it off.

Want to see the scientific study? Click Here