Under 1,000 calories a day

dogs_n_wine

Most days I am under 1,000 calories and I know recommended calories are no less that 1,200, but I eat a lot of filling foods and I feel great. I have energy for running and working out and I never feel drained or hungry. I am only 5'1" and currently 114 lbs... Could this be ok for my size?

positivepowers

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here

This pretty much answers your question, I think.

thesteeper

Since you are 5'1", your TDEE tends to be a lot lower, especially if you're not active. I am 5'4", and 115 lbs. My TDEE at sedentary level is less than 1500. So if I want to lose weight at all, I need to eat at less than 1200 kCal level. It's plenty if I eat healthy food. I can even budget for occasional indulgence. There's nothing wrong with eating 1000 calories a day.

I ate at 1000 to 1200 kCal level for about a year to get to my weight with no adverse effect. I lost about half lb to a lb a week, about 30 lb in total. This is with exercise 3 to 5 times a week (mix of weight training + cardio). I mostly maintain now, I am happy at 115. The trick is to eat low kCal food pack with nutritents.

dogs_n_wine

amyrebeccah wrote: »

Actually, for the last two weeks, you've been over quite a bit on at least a large minority of days. You also don't seem to be weighing your food for accuracy. So my questions are:
1) Are you really eating that low on the low days? The items you don't weigh (nuts, nut butters, chicken, etc) could easily bump you up 100 calories or more with a normal swing.
2) If you are, is this sustainable? You seem to go low for a few days and then eat quite a bit of calorie dense food like peanut m&ms, honey buns, etc. If you can fit those in calories, great. But if you're setting yourself up for cyclical eating that puts you over your calories for the week, is it worth it?

edit for something I just noticed.
3) Your protein is very low with your current eating, even on days you go over calories.

I weight and portion everything I eat. The past week or so I haven't been sticking with my regular eating due to surgery and taking a break from it all. So I endulged my sweet tooth I'm not worried about days I go over, more concerned about days I don't. There are a lot of days I alter my diary just to reach 1,000 to end the day (I like to see the predicted weight lol).

yarwell

dogs_n_wine wrote: »

There are a lot of days I alter my diary just to reach 1,000 to end the day (I like to see the predicted weight lol).

so you're fiddling the books ?

The issue with low intake is covering all the mineral, vitamin and micronutrient requirements. If 30-50% of your calories are from M&Ms or cupcakes then it gets more challenging still. Broccoli is great but try to rotate other veg too.

Popping a daily multivitamin might be advisable on such an intake.

auddii

One problem that some people have when they start "a diet" is that they cut out all calorie dense food and instead eat a high volume of low calorie foods (like vegetables).

If you're feeling full, try swapping one high volume item for something higher in calories (a handful of nuts, cheese, olives, avocado, etc. ).

You can also add calories to the volume you already eat like roasting broccoli in oil if you currently steam it.

TheLegendaryBrandonHarris

"I feel great."
Just make sure you are actually feeling good---don't try to pretend you're feeling great!

RoxieDawn

"Cooking the books" is never a good idea to balance the numbers.

I am going out on a limb here and saying that at the end of the week you are balancing the calories to meet or maintain your goals. So if the method you are using here such as cooking the books on non higher calorie days and eating more on others, you are fine.

And your energy level, your ability to function (nomral activies with or without exercise) will eventually tell you if you are not eating right.. The body has a way of knocking on your door by having you feel unwell, having low energy and what not ... if you don't treat it right.