800 Calorie a Day - Suggestions

0somuchbetter0

This reminds me of the doctor in the movie about Liberace who put him on the California Diet. Very low calorie - main ingredient cocaine! Except Liberace took drugs to lose the appetite.. uh but he died eventually. The doctor himself was a plastic surgeon, didn't do a very good job!!!

I do not recommend the California Diet.

My suggestion on what to eat - about 400 calories more a day.

If you are hell bent on doing this, I suppose you would have to eat what they tell people who just had weight loss surgery.. get protein first.

I did some coke in the 80s...never been skinnier! I could go days on little to no food or sleep...it was awesome! :drinker:

OP, if you're only eating 800 cals a day you don't have enough fuel for your body. Eventually you're going to be so hungry you'll just start eating everything in sight and undo all the weight loss. Seriously, don't listen to this doctor. Eat enough to feel satisfied and enough to exercise. Check out this website to help you figure out how many calories you need to lose weight and stay healthy: http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

jonnythan

Man. Everyone on here seems to be an expert. An 800-calorie diet is called a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) and it is a real thing that is used for obese people, usually with diabetes. It is done under strict supervision by a doctor. You may not agree with it. Your own doctor might not agree with it. Just like some doctors advocate weight loss surgery and others don't. But just because this person's doctor is advising it doesn't mean it's wrong.

However, asking on here about what to eat is probably a bad idea as from what I've read, VLCDs are quite strict about what those calories are made up of.

There' clearly no supervision or instruction given to the OP by her doctor. If there were, she wouldn't be signing up for MFP asking US what to eat.

mdhummel

I'm on a similar diet with my doctor as well. Feel free to check add me as a friend and check out my food journal. You can actually eat a lot of food if you are careful about your food choices. (Example: Chicken, Fish, and Turkey Breast are about 30 calories per oz, Steak, Pork and Dark Meat Turkey and Dark Meat Chicken are about 50 calories per serving, and Lean Ground Beef and Ground Turkey are about 70 calories per serving.) If you are hungry you can eat almost 7oz of chicken or shrimp for only 210 calories vs. 4.2 oz of steak or 3 oz of ground beef.

You would think that eating this few calories is a no brainer to weightloss, but you still have to be really careful about sodium consumption. I wasn't drinking enough water last week and I was eating salty olives for my daily fat instead of raw almonds so I only lost .8 lbs. Kind of a bummer when I was depriving myself all week.

As you lose weight make sure you are doing some form of weight training. If not, you will start to look like a jiggly deflated balloon. I lost 25 lbs. last time I did the diet, but neglected to go to the gym so I was thinner, but still out of shape.

Good luck on the diet and ignore the nay-sayers. Everyone's body is different and what works for one person won't necessarily work for anther person. As long as you have your doctor monitoring your diet you will be fine.

Zlyph

Steak.

coolvstar650

My strongest recommendation is that you see a different doctor to get a second opinion.

It might not be a bad idea to get a second opinion or at least see a nutritionist.

mrsdamr

Thank you for suggestions. Not sure why my ticker only shows 37lbs, but I do have more to lose then 37. I went through and redid everything - so hopefully it will have updated. I do understand about seeing another doctor, and I have in the past seen a dietician/ nutritionist -and I gained weight with her. I have lost weight before - I was on Weight Watchers and lost close to 100lbs. I was also running. Due to injuries, I can't run anymore (I can and do still workout), and the weight began coming back on. I went back to Weight Watchers, and wasn't losing, and in fact - started to gain more- so I went to my doctor for a complete physical. I am healthy, but overweight -and based upon what I had been eating (WW guidelines), he decided the best option was 800 calories. He did say once maintance - it should go up. I appreciate the concern, and will consider seeing another physician (maybe an endo), but for now - I was just looking for different idea... Thank you.

0somuchbetter0

Man. Everyone on here seems to be an expert. An 800-calorie diet is called a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) and it is a real thing that is used for obese people, usually with diabetes. It is done under strict supervision by a doctor. You may not agree with it. Your own doctor might not agree with it. Just like some doctors advocate weight loss surgery and others don't. But just because this person's doctor is advising it doesn't mean it's wrong.

However, asking on here about what to eat is probably a bad idea as from what I've read, VLCDs are quite strict about what those calories are made up of.

The OP isn't obese or diabetic. If the doctor was strict about his patient's diet, he (?) should have given her some guidance so she didn't have to come here and ask.

ajbouwm

One of my favorite low cal meals is eggs/toast. I saute lots of green peppers and onions in a pan and add some chopped up deli ham - I use a little extra cooking spray in the pan to keep them from burning. Then I whip 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites and add them. I also toast a piece of Ditaliano - Light Real Italian Bread (40 calories/slice). Less than 200 calories for a good, warm filling meal. The ham is a little salty, but it also gives it enough flavor that I don't need to add salt. Good luck!

ItStartsTodayNotTomorrow

suggestions:
-Egg beaters/egg whites in the morning with some vegetables sautéed in.
- Have a serving of protein at every meal
- Take a multi-vitamin daily to make sure you are getting in all your vitamins because you are on such a low calorie diet.
-Protein shake (unsweetened chocolate almond milk, rolled oats, 1 frozen banana) you can add flaxseed/ chia seeds optional
-Eat your calories don't drink them try to stick to only water (flavor your water with lemon or natural fruits)
- stay away from processed foods a lot of calories but are not substantial for keeping you full or energized
- Paleo bread is a good alternative for regular bread and is only 35 calories per slice.
-Foods high in fiber and protein will keep you fuller for longer
-drink at least 8 glasses of water per day
- Since your calorie intake is so low I would split up your meals evenly and do 4 -200cal meals per day.

IronCakes

Your doctor is a joke!

Cereals are always a good way to go, i eat special k, 2 bowls a day, means i can have a bigger lunch because of the other calories.
Cherry tomatoes and cucumber are a really low calorie snack, i can pretty much eat as much as i like.
Winter or not, there's only 40ish calories in ice lollies, a nice bit of flavour to add to your day

Where is the protein?

Angeloftheshore

Sure you can lose 37 lbs on 800 cals, but why would you want to when you can do that eating more? You don't have to respond, it's more a comment than a question I guess. i have lost 32 eating double that amount and I am a 5'3 girl That sounds like something you would be hospitalized for (an 800 cal diet). I myself don't believe in diets. You just have to eat right and you will naturally lose.

krissynicole787

Thank you for suggestions. Not sure why my ticker only shows 37lbs, but I do have more to lose then 37. I went through and redid everything - so hopefully it will have updated. I do understand about seeing another doctor, and I have in the past seen a dietician/ nutritionist -and I gained weight with her. I have lost weight before - I was on Weight Watchers and lost close to 100lbs. I was also running. Due to injuries, I can't run anymore (I can and do still workout), and the weight began coming back on. I went back to Weight Watchers, and wasn't losing, and in fact - started to gain more- so I went to my doctor for a complete physical. I am healthy, but overweight -and based upon what I had been eating (WW guidelines), he decided the best option was 800 calories. He did say once maintance - it should go up. I appreciate the concern, and will consider seeing another physician (maybe an endo), but for now - I was just looking for different idea... Thank you.

Get your thyroid checked.

MzManiak

Man. Everyone on here seems to be an expert. An 800-calorie diet is called a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) and it is a real thing that is used for obese people, usually with diabetes. It is done under strict supervision by a doctor. You may not agree with it. Your own doctor might not agree with it. Just like some doctors advocate weight loss surgery and others don't. But just because this person's doctor is advising it doesn't mean it's wrong.

However, asking on here about what to eat is probably a bad idea as from what I've read, VLCDs are quite strict about what those calories are made up of.

No one said VLCDs are not a real thing. We see them all the time. Unfortunately, most of the posts in here about them are not done under the supervision of a doctor, it's from people who heard about it from someone else, saw a big change real fast, and want to do it too. If the OP's doctor really did suggest a VLCD, he should have referred her to a dietitian to help with it. It's not likely, though, as OP only wants to lose 38 pounds, according to her ticker...

erickirb

My suggestion would be a second opinion from someone with a nutrition background, not a doctor

ironanimal

You have 37lbs to lose and you're going to crash diet like someone with more like 200lbs to lose.

Good plan.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Thank you for suggestions. Not sure why my ticker only shows 37lbs, but I do have more to lose then 37. I went through and redid everything - so hopefully it will have updated. I do understand about seeing another doctor, and I have in the past seen a dietician/ nutritionist -and I gained weight with her. I have lost weight before - I was on Weight Watchers and lost close to 100lbs. I was also running. Due to injuries, I can't run anymore (I can and do still workout), and the weight began coming back on. I went back to Weight Watchers, and wasn't losing, and in fact - started to gain more- so I went to my doctor for a complete physical. I am healthy, but overweight -and based upon what I had been eating (WW guidelines), he decided the best option was 800 calories. He did say once maintance - it should go up. I appreciate the concern, and will consider seeing another physician (maybe an endo), but for now - I was just looking for different idea... Thank you.

So instead of 37 pounds to lose you have 42?

Do you have realistic expectations? It can take a year to lose 42 pounds.

Birder150

Breakfast I would suggest low calorie yogurt with lots of fruit: berries are great anti-oxidents and they're low calorie. Try turkey bacon (if you're not vegetarian) you can have 2 slices for the same calories as 1 slice of the regular stuff. But you'll need the protein to keep from getting hungry.

I would suggest salads and soups.

Fresh, green, leafy salads with home-made dressings will have very low calories but a lot of good nutrition. I like to use romaine, spinach, cucumber, celery, radishes, onion, tomato, red cabbage, carrots.... and to keep me from getting hungry I'll often add 100 calories of almond slivers, walnuts, or old cheddar cheese. You can have about 3 cups of salad for under 250 calories. So I tend to make that for lunches.

Dinner I would suggest chicken breast, fish or lean pork. You would be surprised how few calories are actually in the stuff. And try using spices or fresh lemon instead of barbecue sauces. Stay away from rice or potatoes because it's really empty calories. You don't really need it. Vegetable choices that are low calorie could be asparagus, peas, beans, brusssel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli (I usually melt about 50 calories of cheese on the broccoli or cauliflower just to get it down, cuz I hate the stuff). There are tons of choices that are under 50 calories per cup. I would say for you, go with 2 cups of vegetables in a dinner meal, its a LOT of food, but it's low calorie. It's about filling you up but staying in that hardcore 800 calorie budget.

Snacks? Berries, cucumber, celery... there's a lot of stuff out there for under 50 calories a serving. If you're starving, 10 almonds is usually a good choice. The protein makes you feel full.

If your doctor said 800 calories, it must be a FOR NOW diet, because I doubt he wants you to stay there. I mean, prolonged calorie levels like that could kill you.

+1
There are several people on here who are succeeding at this calorie level and of course it's a temporary measure, not long term.
I do believe that you could have success at 1200 calories as well but that is up to you and your doctor.
My doctor introduced me to this site and she lost over 80 lb and used a 1280 calorie level to lose her weight. She's kept it off for over 4 years. She doesn't eat that amount now; she eats much more than that to maintain. And she's definitely not a quack. :happy:

I just discovered the Yoplait Source yogurts ... 35 calories per 100 g container. I add 35 g berries for a total of 55 calories.
I also just bought Bolthouse Farms classic ranch yogurt dressing for 25 calories per T. It's really good and doesn't taste like 'diet' dressing.
Wasa crispbreads with light laughing cow wedges are low calorie and filling. You can top them off with slices of tomatoes or a sliced boiled egg.
I realize that all of these choices are processed so not ideal for everyone's tastes.

I wish you much success, OP. :flowerforyou:

bacitracin

Dayum, I eat more than 800 in a single meal. If a "doctor" told me to diet like that, he'd probably get a knuckle sandwich.

carlom18

For the actual love of god, I HOPE you arent gonna stick with that small amount of calories for a period any longer than 12 weeks. Im planning to attempt a hypercaloric restriction diet in a few motnhs to cut where ill be eating 1600 -1800 calories per day, WAY lower than it needs to be and you do this for 8 - 12 weeks MAX, so imagine what 800 calories will be like. Just please promise us all that you'll stop with this deficit after a small while.
Im probably asking for too much though

mrsdamr

I think the ticker is stil only my 5 week "expectation" not my total loss - I would like to lose 69lbs.

bcattoes

Dayum, I eat more than 800 in a single meal. If a "doctor" told me to diet like that, he'd probably get a knuckle sandwich.

Wow, a 32 yo man has different calories needs than a 42 yo woman. Shocking.

SuperSexyDork

I think the ticker is stil only my 5 week "expectation" not my total loss - I would like to lose 69lbs.

You expect to lose 37lbs in 5 weeks?

I'm thinking there will be hairloss and gallstones in your immediate future.

NerdyTXChick

You may want to check out a website devoted to VLCD, as this one doesn't support them, but here are a few suggestions:

Egg beaters with fat free cheese and real bacon bits
Salads with vinegar and spices instead of dressing
Protein shakes
Soups made with veggies and chicken, can be made creamy with fat free cream cheese
Fat free cottage cheese with berries OR defatted peanut flour and Splenda
Fat free Greek yogurt and frozen berries with Splenda
lunch meat wrapped around a cheese stick, wrapped in spinach or lettuce

Hope this helps!

bcattoes

I think the ticker is stil only my 5 week "expectation" not my total loss - I would like to lose 69lbs.

If you are under the care of a medical professional, I'd suggest at least giving their advice a try before ignoring it in favor of a bunch of strangers on the internet who have no familiarity with you or your medical history. If it doesn't work, then you can discuss other options with your doctor, or adjust as you see fit.

Good luck to you.

Unknown

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deksgrl

Trust me, I'm a doctor and I'm here to help!!!!!

SoDamnHungry

Get a new doctor.

RipperSB

I think the ticker is stil only my 5 week "expectation" not my total loss - I would like to lose 69lbs.

I've got suggestions for an 800 cal meal but not an 800 cal day...

Like others, I can understand the goal just not the methods. A 50 yr old male, I started at 205 lbs and it took me 243 days to get to 145 and I did that at ~1700 cals/day (plus exercise cals). I just don't understand why such a radical cal deficit.

_HeartsOnFire_

My strongest recommendation is that you see a different doctor to get a second opinion.

This!!!

I've lost 44 lbs without restricting my diet that much. Wow.

Curious what kind of doctor was it?

mrsdamr

Thank you for the suggestions.. As far as my expectation, this is what MFP calculated - no me. I'm lucky if I lose 1lb a week - regardless of the 800 calories. I tried to go through the goals and profile again... but it still shows the same amounts. Thank you for the suggestions.