Tips » Diet
Is it true that I should never go below 1200 calories?
I hear that advice all of the time as well, but in practical application, it seldom works. Most of the natural bodybuilders I know have to go extremely low to reach lower body fat. For general health, that might be a guideline, but for me to see my abs, for example, I often have to dip down to the 1500 - 1700 range.
The key is that I do it only for a short period of time and I manipulate my calories and exercise to keep my metabolism going. I also eat a ton of vegetables and low calorie fruit so it is really a filling, satisfying diet.
For women, I've seen as low as 900 calories for someone < 5' and around 1200 - 1500 for others.
It all depends on your goals, how hard and often you train, the quality of your nutrition, etc.