Sticking to 1200 or so calories a day?

Question

Im finding it very hard to stick to 1200 calories a day..
Im 15, female,5'4, 125lb/56kg and quite active (Three days I a week I go to gym both morning and neight and incorporate both weight training and cardio) and go to the gym every night as well except for sunday. I also walk home from school daily which is a 45 minute fast walk.
I am also quite toned and I think I have a fairly large muscle percentage and not that much fat but still theres some anyway im finding it hard to stick to a 12000 calorie diet, even 1500 calories and i want a leaner body...
i think ive been eatingf more than 1200 calories and i havent lost anything just become more toned etc
What do i do?
should i invest in diet pills or those metabolism aids?

sorry typo up there *1200 calories NOT 12 000

I am also going overseass in 12 days to europe (summer there) and yeah... i wanna be thin! paris hilton is 5'7 or 5'8 and 115 lbs! BTW ive been doing this for .... ages... months not just started now lol

Answer 1

if your body fat % is average or below for your age then 1,200 cals is most likely not enough to support your BMR. if you are very active and not consuming enough cals to support the BMR the metabolic rate will still slow impeding fat loss

I know 100 lb girls with six packs that consume 2000 cals daily so don't judge your caloric intake by your total body weight but on the amount of lean muscle mass that you have and the daily level of exercise. muscle tissue is biologically active 24 hours a day so the more muscle mass a person has the higher the BMR and the higher the resting metabolic rate

I've seen Paris Hilton in person and in a bikini. I would aim for a much higher goal than that, she has just about zero muscle on her body

Answer 2

1200 is good for the level of activity you listed.

If the problem is that you feel low on energy maybe drink more water or go up to 1500 calories.

If you are feeling fat, keep in mind that typically when you adding muscle you are losing fat AND the more muscle you have the more fat you can burn off AND the more you work out the higher your metabolism will get and the more you will want to eat. Soo you just might be wanting to eat more because your body needs the energy and if you aren't losing weight it's because muscle weighs MORE than fat so the only way to really lose weight is to do no weight training and just cardio, or do weight training but lots of reps and low weights.

Regardless, you should not focus on your weight, it's a poor indicator of health. Worry more about what percentage of fat is on your body and if it's not high, be happy with yourself for being more active than most people out there.

Answer 3

From the way you describe yourself, you are a firm, well-toned human specimen! Why are you still trying to lose weight, when your weight is about ideal for your height? If you keep on with this obsession, it sounds like you will be heading the route of the anorexics and bulemics. Stop it right now, just maintain!

Answer 4

I believe calorie restriction is an excellent way to improve health and longevity. I'm not sure what your numbers should be. Make sure you are eating the right foods, of course... beneficial fats included. Plenty of fiber with every meal. Fiber and proper nutrition will help you feel more full. Perhaps you are just not genetically well suited to being as lean as the leanest people are.

That being said, you could look into hoodia... it was gaining popularity and people seem to think it is safe. Do your research, of course.

Answer 5

You're the right size for your height. Don't worry about it, if you're not losing any weight, even though you're doing all that, it's probably because you don't need to.