Daily caloric recommendations/question

kkae

I read all the time that if you drop below 1,000 calories per day your body will actually go into protection mode thinking you are starving yourself and you won't lose weight as well. Why, then, do doctors recommend 500-600 calories per day to patients following gastric bypass surgery or other bariatric surgeries? Would this not apply to them as well? Has anyone ever considered just following the recommended diet that bariatric patients follow but skip the surgery itself?

malibu927

First, starvation mode doesn't work that way. But after someone has has weight loss surgery, their stomach can no longer handle a traditional amount of food. They eat low calorie, but they also take supplements to make up for any nutrients they are no longer able to consume from food. This is why it's highly discouraged to not eat a very low calorie diet without medical supervision.

theman900

500 -600 calories is extremely low it would.properly be impossible to get all your nutrtion vitamins on that diet which would cause lots of problems let alone enough protein which would cause lots of muscle. With eating 1000 kals under maintenace its alot better but still not the best imo its best to have a 300-500 defocit at first then if you plateau in weaight loss you can lower it slowly as you go whilst with the 1000 deficit start it would be alot harder to lower if you platuea and much nore likely that you rebound hope that helps

middlehaitch

When it is doctor recommended the person is monitored and given supplements.

If you are of average size and weight 1200 cals is the minimum for a woman, 1500 for a man. This is to fulfil the nutritional goals to lead a healthy life.

Cheers, h.
Add.
I do think a person under 4'11, sedentary, and probably older could eat 1000, but they would have to be willing to be very vigilant about their diet and eat any exercise cals back.

TeaBea

The default minimum for a woman is 1200 calories to reach nutritional guidelines.

Morbidly obese patients who are PRESCRIBED 500-600 calories are under a doctors care. They receive injections and specialized foods. These aren't do-it-yourself plans.

Morbidly obese people are much less likely to burn through lean muscle mass while losing weight. They may also have pressing medical issues that make fast weight loss a necessity.

Eating less than 1,000 calories isn't safe. Google very low calorie diets and hair loss. When you body doesn't get enough calories (fuel) it will make hard choices - does it fuel your heart muscle or a full head of hair. Starvation mode won't stop you from losing weight (this is myth).....if it did, people wouldn't starve to death.

MegaMooseEsq

Leaving aside the (extremely valid!) health concerns, the problem with extremely low calorie diets is that you run a very high risk of being miserable, which means you will stop doing it and most likely regain everything you lost and then some.