900 calories

I am a male, 66 years old, 335 pounds, and have hit a one-month plateau. Sedentary desk job. Weight training 45 minutes per day. Thinking of going down to 900 K per day. Is it safe?
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    What calorie recommendation do you get from MFP to lose 2lbs per week? 900cals is unnecessarily low - the minimum recommended amount for men is 1500 cals, and that would only be necessary for a very short, sedentary man.

    Do you use a food scale to weigh all your food?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Depends on how long you'll be doing it - a few days is no harm. But a few days is a drop in the ocean, what matters is what you can do, and do, long term. Most of all, it's not effective, because you'll cheat and crash and eat more than ever.

    Instead, I'd try to figure out why you're not losing weight. At your weight, you can lose really fast. Are you tracking calories?
  • NickJ110mfp
    NickJ110mfp Posts: 10 Member
    Is that supposed to be helpful?
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Why were you eating so low to start? The problem with that is you have nowhere to go now. You cannot eat less. Your diary is closed, would you mind opening it up for a jiffy.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    i figured 5'10 for your height - even with that - your maintenance TDEE is 2,767; so even if you wanted to lose 2lbs a week - subtract 1000 (1700 remaining) and you should be losing weight
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Have totally been tracking calories. Weighing food consistently. Had been on 1100 cal for six months losing 2.2 to 3 pounds per week. Now plateaued at 335 for one month.

    Why have you been eating 1100 cals?

    What calorie goal does mfp give you to lose 2lbs per week?

    Perhaps opening your diary may make giving suggestions and advice easier?
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Have totally been tracking calories. Weighing food consistently. Had been on 1100 cal for six months losing 2.2 to 3 pounds per week. Now plateaued at 335 for one month.

    I suspect there's something going wrong in the math. Additionally, with that steep of a deficit, you might be messing up your hormones. Opening up your diary would allow some to take a look and see if there are any obvious errors in there. One example, the database is full of inaccurate entries.
  • NickJ110mfp
    NickJ110mfp Posts: 10 Member
    Diary is now open. Started getting serious and March.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Do you only drink water?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    From looking I am seeing a lack of nutrients in what you have logged. Is that really all your eating? If so, you should be worried about malnutrition. Malnutrition can do some serious damage to your body and some of it will be permanent.

    Also, are you only drinking water or are there unlogged drinks?
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Undereating has serious consequences though. Muscle loss is the biggest one, your heart is muscle too.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    If in fact that is all you have been eating and you're weighing all your food and logging using accurate database entries with no weight loss for a month, I would suggest a visit to your doctor. If what you are saying is correct, there could be something else going on.

    And no, don't drop calories more. I would go up to 1700 and eat well-balance nutrition and call your doctor.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I’m a fiend for A&W diet root beer.I don’t feel malnourished. In fact I have more energy than ever. Sharper mentally too. Just totally frustrated that the scales not moving.

    Think of it this way: Once you notice the side effects the damage is already done.

    Symptoms of being undernourished:
    Lack of appetite
    Lack of Interest in Food or drinks
    feeling tired all the time
    feeling weaker
    getting ill often and taking a long time to recover
    wounds taking a long time to heal
    poor concentration
    feeling cold most of the time
    low mood or depression

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Why did you drop your calorie goal from 2080 (that was understandably lowered from your initial goal of 2180) to 1300 in may?
  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,121 Member
    I would go back to your doctor if they've already signed off on you doing 1100, 900 seems very low.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    Do you miss food from your kitchen in the morning?

    Other than that: Get some metabolic testing done. Properly.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    good luck
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    I’ve seen a doctor. In fact both a GP and a cardiologist. They’ve supported the 1100 cal per day plan. I’ve had blood tests. Empirically speaking I’m not malnourished. I suppose I can always focus on nutrition, eating more fruits and vegetables, but a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. I know I’m logging accurately. My suspicion, is it’s just genetics combined with my age. My mother is 90 years old and eats easily less than 1000 cal a day and is chubby. My father died at 70 from a split aorta. So back to the question. Is it safeTo go to 900 cal a day? Or should I tolerate the plateau at 1100 cal and if so for how long?

    no its not safe! you are risking your health with prolonged calorie deprivation - and even at 1100 this is potential - there is a reason why the recommendation for men is to not go below 1500cal
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