Want to lose weight? Worry about weight loss plateau? In this article, I will walk you step by step and show you exactly what to do and how to lose weight if your BMR is 1200 calories.
If My BMR is 1200 how many calories should I eat?
In general, you should eat around 1200 calories if your BMR is 1200. Eating around your basal metabolic rate is a safe and effective way to trigger negative energy balance and create calorie deficit, where your body will start to utilize fat for energy and cause weight loss.
However, after you already lose some weight, you may experience a weight loss plateau. Unless you follow those steps.
If My BMR Is 1200 How Do I Lose Weight?
If your BMR is 1200 you will lose weight by eating around your basal metabolic rate. Restricting your calories down to your BMR ensures you’re in the calorie deficit. Adding enough protein and strength training will help you to preserve your muscle and avoid weight loss plateau.
There are several health benefits from doing calorie restriction:
- Improved mortality
- Reduction of oxidative stress
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- Reduce fasting glucose and insulin concentration
- Lowers excess weight
- Prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and chronic inflammation (source)
Bu just with everything else, response is highly dependant from the dose.
Just like when taking medications, a prescribed dose can solve the problem. But taking too much can cause more harm than good.
The same with calorie restriction. When you restrict your calories too much, for too long, the benefits will become irrelevant and your metabolism can slow down.
How Many Calories Should I Eat If My BMR Is 1200?
As a general rule, to lose weight you should eat around 1200 calories if your BMR is 1200. The main portion of your calories should come from high-quality lean protein and high-fiber foods to suppress the appetite, lower the hunger and keep you fuller for longer.
The reason why people quit dieting is that they feel uncomfortable with hunger. That is also the reason why people hop from one diet to another. They believe that the “new” diet will somehow allow them to be in a calorie deficit without feeling hungry.
When you’re losing weight, sooner or later you will feel hungry.
The good news is that you can lower the hunger and suppress the appetite while doing calorie deficit. Here’s how.
Eat high-protein foods
- Proteins help to maintain your lean body mass
- They increase the thermic effect of food (you burn more calories to digest proteins, versus fats or carbs)
- They keep your satiety high (source)
Eat high-fiber foods (veggies and fruits)
- High-fiber foods help you will digestion
- They lower the hunger and suppress appetite
- They are low-calorie dense and have plenty of vitamins and minerals
Do strength training
- Resistance training improves your insulin sensitivity
- Improves muscle glucose uptake (more plates, more glucose goes to muscles, not to fat)
- Improves your mood and lowers stress
How Long To Stay In Calorie Deficit?
On average, you should stay in a calorie deficit until you reach your desired weight. Prolonged calorie restriction can often lead to a slower metabolic rate, lower energy levels, changes in the endocrine system, lower libido, and other physiological and psychological changes.
In other words, too much dieting can make you miserable, unhappy, and overly stressed person. Restricting calories as much as possible is not sustainable, neither recommended.
That’s why if your BMR is 1200 calories, the sweet spot is to eat around 1200. To avoid further weight loss plateau, apart from doing the things listed above you can also try calorie cycling.
Calorie cycling is a form of alternating calorie restriction days (when you eat less food) with normal eating days. This technique is well-documented and proven to bypass the major metabolic adaptations that happen after you lose weight (source).
In other words, calorie cycling can help you from not gaining weight back up.
How Much Weight Can You Lose A Week On 1200 Calorie Diet?
On average, you can lose around 1-2.5 pounds of body weight a week on a 1200 calorie diet. If your metabolic rate is 1200, then you can expect to be in this range. Adding low-intensity cardio and regular strength training will enhance the process and prioritize fat loss, instead of muscle loss.
Is A BMR Of 1200 Good?
In general, a BMR of 1200 good. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is strictly related to the amount of muscle mass you have, and the amount of fat mass. The higher the lean body mass (muscle) you will have higher BMR. The lower the muscle mass, the lower the BMR.
You can improve your BMR by regular strength training, balanced diet, regular physical activity and enough sleep.
Conclusion
- If your BMR is 1200 calories then you can eat around this number. By eating a lot of protein and fiber-rich foods you ensure that you won’t hit the weight loss plateau.
- Calorie cycling is a great way to trick the metabolism and continue with the weight loss results.