Is 1200 Calories a Day Unhealthy?

Question: Is 1200 Calories per day unhealthy for me? Keep in mind, I’m short and do not exercise at all.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: This is a great question that warrants an answer.  To put it in simple terms, the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis depends on how tall you are as well as how much lean muscle tissue your body has.  For example, if we look at Person A (male) who weighs 200 pounds and is 6 feet tall, they could be considered muscular or average depending on the amount of lean muscle they have.  If this person were to try and eat only 1,200 calories a day, it would be considered unhealthy and their energy levels would plummet making it hard to function throughout the day.  In addition, they run the risk of turning catabolic which is every dieter’s worst nightmare.

Now, if you were to have Person B (female) who is 5 feet 2 inches and weighs 115 pounds, then it would be okay to consume 1,200 calories daily as their body does not have as much lean muscle tissue nor are they that tall.  So as a result, the energy Person B utilizes from the calories is not nearly the amount that Person A requires on a daily basis.

So when it comes to whether or not eating a 1,200 calories a day is healthier or not, you can see through this illustration that it really depends on the person’s height and lean muscle tissue that they have.  As a final thought, always remember to spread your caloric intake throughout the day as in 5 to 6 small meals.  This way you will increase your metabolism and fight any unwanted fat from being stored.  Also, remember to perform some form of weight training exercises in conjunction with your cardio exercises to ensure yourself the best weight loss results possible!

Save Up to 50% In The Labrada Nutrition Online Store

  • Male or Female

Facebook Comments

2 Responses for Is 1200 Calories a Day Unhealthy?

  1. Kelly G


    June 30, 2010 2:59 pm

    1200 calories a day, as Anthony stated in his post, is not unhealthy if it fits your body’s needs for the day. As a former CPT/CSN myself, each and every “diet” I have created for a client was based on body-type, height, weight and body mass percentages and output (activity levels), not to mention medication and medical profiles. Some clients were as low as 1200 and other’s higher than 3,000. It all depends on many factors. To say 1200 is unhealthy is a very general statement and may cause more harm than good. My advice to anyone reading is to work with your doctor, trainer and sports nutritionists to find out what you need to do to meet your goals.

  2. Luis R Lebron


    July 17, 2011 3:48 pm

    I am eating very healthy 6 meals during the day.My question is,It is ok to use a nitric oxide supplement together with a termogenic?