please explain the problem with low calories...

Makatees

This is a great thread! Here is my personal experience.

I had been eating 1000 calories or less for a long time, and exercising regularly. And I was gaining weight and didn't understand why! Over the space of maybe 4 years I had gained 10kg! Recently joined MFP and it has been a real eye-opener! Since eating more, I actually feel the hunger sensation again. Somehow I had lost it before, instead of hunger, I felt weak.

Now I am having in excess of 1200, and I don't feel so lethargic and shaky anymore! I used to have constant brain fog which I couldn't explain, and that's gone now. It has been a really difficult mindset change for me, that I need to eat more in order to lose weight, but I am getting there and feel a lot better. I have lost some weight too, and see good changes in my body but also from a mental point of view.

sunshine1082

Actually it is ok... I am 5'7'' with 90 lbs I only need 1300 per day.. which is normal

Wait, what? I don't care how small your body frame might be, 90 lbs on a 5'7" woman is very underweight and not normal. That would give you a BMI of 14.1, and anything under 18.5 is considered underweight. If you are serious, please, please look into seeing someone who specializes in treating eating disorders. I mean this sincerely. It breaks my heart to see young women hurting themselves in this manner.

Fit_Natasha

Thanks to everyone for a great input into this topic. I am looking forward to finish reading all the links to the research in this topic. I am just learning all about it. My MFP set for 1260 now, and my loss is so slow (I am 122 - 125 lb, female, 5"2', 38 y.o.). What concerns me with the advices to eat more calories, it is they all coming from people who need to loose a lot. And it might work for them. I am interested to hear from people with the weight around 120 lb -- is upping calories really make you loose those last 10 lb?

Froody2

If 1000 calories satisfies you completely now, how did you get fat in the first place?









Gah, spelling mistake!

yarwell

http://www.diabetologia-journal.org/Lim.pdf fed obese T2 diabetics 600 kcal/day, Fat loss at 8 weeks 10 kg (22 lbs) FFM loss 2.6 kg. So 76% of weight loss was fat, which is typical of all weight loss (the 3500 cals per lb number would be 4086 if it was 100% fat). "Weight loss was 3.9±0.2 kg during the first week (61% of which was fat loss), 5.7±0.6 kg (86% as fat) between weeks 1 and 4, and 5.7±0.7 kg (94% as fat) during the final 4 weeks."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/858966 found that in mildly obese young women "net protein anabolism can be achieved by a PSMF despite insufficinet dietary energy" where the nitrogen balance (= protein / muscle loss). No significant difference was observed in N balance eating 1.5g protein per kg Ideal body weight only, compared to eating at 1.2 * RMR calories.

In http://nutrition.highwire.org/content/133/2/411/T2.expansion.html you can see how a modest calorie restriction of 300 cals (eating 1700 cals) produces a modest loss of fat free mass as well as fat loss. 74% of the weight loss was fat in the high protein group, 68% in the high carb group. Amusingly the same numbers as Lim got with a 600 calorie diet.



So loss of fat free mass does occur in calorie restriction, but what doesn't happen is some magic threshold like 1000 / 1200 / BMR / insert made-up number of calories being breached which then precipitates a catastrophic loss of muscle or collapse in metabolic rate.

If sufficient dietary protein is provided to minimise loss of muscle then nutritionally complete low calorie regimes are appropriate and medically approved in obese subjects who have the capacity to fuel themselves from fat reserves to the tune of a couple of thousand calories a day. As you get thinner you can't provide the calories from fat, so a study of soldiers on low calories will show more loss of muscle as they don't have the body fat to consume preferentially.

Metabolic slowdowns occur to some extent in any calorie restriction regime, but are seldom more than a couple of hundred calories a day - a candy bar.

yarwell

I eat 1100-1150.. 100 pro 125 carbs 25 fat..every day. Im losing consistently. From 232 to 138. My body is solid, i lift weights. Bench 105, dl 195, press 95. I can do 87 burpees in 7 minutes.... i run a 24 min 5k. Point- healthy and fit. Clearly dont require my bmr of 1437 or my tdee of 2675. I drop a lb a week. Goal 129.

Cool, thanks for sharing. Nearly there !!

darrensurrey

May have already been linked to:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1102242-if-you-are-on-a-low-calorie-diet-read-this

alisonlynn1976

once I get to my goal, I of course will increase the calories

And then you'll gain the weight back. The problem with low-calorie diets is that they aren't long-term sustainable.

leebesstoad

I don't pay much attention to the number. I eat now WHEN I am hungry and I rarely come near the 1000 mark much LESS the 1200 or above. I am still losing, my trainer and Dr aren't upset, soooooooooooooooooo..It is a number

What most doctors know about nutrition equals about as much as much auto mechanics know about brain surgery -- not much. It has only started to be covered in medical schools, and barely at that, in the last few years. And for the vast majority of doctors in practice today, it was not covered in medical schools at all or in their board tests or continuing medical education classes at all.

Likewise, most trainers are the same way. The bad advice I've heard from trainers is shocking to say the least.

Scientific research says 1200 calories seems to be the threshold below which you should not go on a consistent basis. Perhaps, instead of listening to people simply with a "title" maybe you should instead rely on people like scientists who actually study things like this. Talk to a registered dietician, someone who actually might know something, who actually studied something about it, who actually do have experience with it.

leebesstoad

Well..I'll just give my input even thought I'm sure it won't be held up as much as everyone elses;

I have an eating disorder. I have to go to the doctor twice a week to watch my blood pressure, that runs around 70/50 because if it gets lower than that, something could go wrong with my heart and I could die. My pulse is also extremely low. My oxygen saturation is low. My body temperature runs around 96 (where a normal body temp is 98.6). I have to regularly get blood test to check and make sure that there is no damage to my kidneys or liver and a slew of other things (There is an order for blood work sitting right beside me right now, the orders on it are TSH, CBC, CMP (chem 14), ESR (Sed Rate), A1C) because what I have done to my body. How did I get said eating disorder? Eating less than 1000 calories a day. Dropping weight quickly. Deciding since I was dropping weight so quickly I would drop down more and more and more. Now my teeth are falling out, my hair is coming out in handfuls, and there is something wrong with my kidneys.

But good luck with your "healthy" low calorie diet.

This has also got to be one of the bravest posts I have seen. Thank you for sharing and I do hope everything goes well for you for the future

+1

deksgrl

As you get thinner you can't provide the calories from fat, so a study of soldiers on low calories will show more loss of muscle as they don't have the body fat to consume preferentially.

Exactly what people have said, thanks for confirming that.

SinomenJen

I love this post best answered post to this question ever!

leebesstoad

Stop what? All the pseudo scientific advice around here? There isn't a consensus about nearly 90% of the advice that runs around here.

People should go to a ****en doctor and ask these questions.

I do talk to a doctor about it. Twice a week. Every week. And a therapist. And a psychiatrist. And a nutritionist. And the phlebotomist who does my blood work to check me for organ failure. And the nurses who make sure that my heart isn't going to give out.

Oh, smack.

Love it.

leebesstoad

I don't pay much attention to the number. I eat now WHEN I am hungry and I rarely come near the 1000 mark much LESS the 1200 or above. I am still losing, my trainer and Dr aren't upset, soooooooooooooooooo..It is a number

Good luck with the long term success of that strategy.... and fyi, your doctor and trainer may know *kitten* about nutrition. Your doctor for sure, and your trainer should know better-well so should the doctor but they don't usually take more than one course in nutrition in all their years of university. There are a whole bunch of Certified Personal Trainers right here on MFP that give the worst advice, and can't even get their own health in order.... So.

Pretty sure a real live doctor that you go to and have a patient/relationship with is a far better source on what is right for the individual than the advice of a thousand talking monkeys found on the innerwebz.

Doctors don't know jack *kitten* about nutrition. If they want info, they consult a registered dietician. They don't study it in med school at all and if they do, it is for a few hours in the entire 4 years. It isn't covered on board tests or board reviews or continuing medical education classes. You would get far better information about your fantasy football teams from your doctor than you would nutrition information.

monchandler

You are very brave in the transparency of your post. I applaud you for wanting to share your experience to help educate others and show how easy the cycle can begin. Praying for continuing success in your healthy journey!!!

annakow

Go for MFP settings, your 1000 cal settings won't make you slim in a week, it takes MONTHS or YEARS

Mikej77

If I told you I could reduce your weight, but to make it happen I would drill microscopic holes in your bones, so they would be a little more fragile, would you do it?

If I told you I could reduce your weight, but in exchange your metabolic process would slow down, so you would take longer to recover from illness and burn fewer calories each day, would you do it?

If i told you I could cut your weight, but in doing so you would probably experience long term damage to organs that may or may not amount to anything, would you risk it?

If I told you I could lower your weight, but you would have to give up some cognitive ability instead, would you do it?

Probably not. At least, I hope not. All of these things and more is what happens if you don't eat enough food. It won't happen in one week. It may not even happen in a month. But keep it up, and it will happen.

Well said

Fit_Natasha

Scientific research says 1200 calories seems to be the threshold below which you should not go on a consistent basis. Perhaps, instead of listening to people simply with a "title" maybe you should instead rely on people like scientists who actually study things like this. Talk to a registered dietician, someone who actually might know something, who actually studied something about it, who actually do have experience with it.

I think they key here is on a consistent basis. My question is: can you still eat 1200 calories to loose 10 lb and they up your calories intake to 1300 - 1400 to maintain the weight? It doesn't seems like it will do a tremendous amount of damage if you stick to this plan for 2-3 month, as long as your protein, fats and carbs balanced. Am I wrong?

Serah87

AWESOME POST!!! OP~Good luck on your weight loss!! :flowerforyou:

geekyjock76

I eat 1100-1150.. 100 pro 125 carbs 25 fat..every day. Im losing consistently. From 232 to 138. My body is solid, i lift weights. Bench 105, dl 195, press 95. I can do 87 burpees in 7 minutes.... i run a 24 min 5k. Point- healthy and fit. Clearly dont require my bmr of 1437 or my tdee of 2675. I drop a lb a week. Goal 129.

Cool, thanks for sharing. Nearly there !!

Which means: Start upping calories closer to maintenance since you're only 9 lbs to goal to make the transition to maintenance easier.

init2fitit

Actually it is ok... I am 5'7'' with 90 lbs I only need 1300 per day.. which is normal

Um. You seem to be very underweight, my dear.
Even at 5'1, the lowest I could go in terms of BMI would be around 98 pounds to still be healthy.

jayrudq

I eat 1100-1150.. 100 pro 125 carbs 25 fat..every day. Im losing consistently. From 232 to 138. My body is solid, i lift weights. Bench 105, dl 195, press 95. I can do 87 burpees in 7 minutes.... i run a 24 min 5k. Point- healthy and fit. Clearly dont require my bmr of 1437 or my tdee of 2675. I drop a lb a week. Goal 129.

NO WAY!!! Don't you know you are in starvation mode? Your muscles have all been eaten up, your organs are failing, you are binge eating and now obese again (my personal favorite)??? Wake up. Please. Before something really terrible happens to you while you are heavy lifting or running...and losing. Consistently.

And for gawd's sake quit ignoring "science"

leebesstoad

Scientific research says 1200 calories seems to be the threshold below which you should not go on a consistent basis. Perhaps, instead of listening to people simply with a "title" maybe you should instead rely on people like scientists who actually study things like this. Talk to a registered dietician, someone who actually might know something, who actually studied something about it, who actually do have experience with it.

I think they key here is on a consistent basis. My question is: can you still eat 1200 calories to loose 10 lb and they up your calories intake to 1300 - 1400 to maintain the weight? It doesn't seems like it will do a tremendous amount of damage if you stick to this plan for 2-3 month, as long as your protein, fats and carbs balanced. Am I wrong?

Do the math. If you lose 10 pounds at 1200 calories, but your maintenance is 1400, that means you have a 200 calorie a day deficit. At 3500 calories/pound, that is 35,000 calories. At 200 calories per day, it would take you 175 days or just short of 6 months to lose those 10 pounds.

In the end, it's all math.

Jewlz280

Scientific research says 1200 calories seems to be the threshold below which you should not go on a consistent basis. Perhaps, instead of listening to people simply with a "title" maybe you should instead rely on people like scientists who actually study things like this. Talk to a registered dietician, someone who actually might know something, who actually studied something about it, who actually do have experience with it.

I think they key here is on a consistent basis. My question is: can you still eat 1200 calories to loose 10 lb and they up your calories intake to 1300 - 1400 to maintain the weight? It doesn't seems like it will do a tremendous amount of damage if you stick to this plan for 2-3 month, as long as your protein, fats and carbs balanced. Am I wrong?

Do the math. If you lose 10 pounds at 1200 calories, but your maintenance is 1400, that means you have a 200 calorie a day deficit. At 3500 calories/pound, that is 35,000 calories. At 200 calories per day, it would take you 175 days or just short of 6 months to lose those 10 pounds.

In the end, it's all math.

Ahhh... MATH! Sexy like that other M word... MUSCLES!

deksgrl

Scientific research says 1200 calories seems to be the threshold below which you should not go on a consistent basis. Perhaps, instead of listening to people simply with a "title" maybe you should instead rely on people like scientists who actually study things like this. Talk to a registered dietician, someone who actually might know something, who actually studied something about it, who actually do have experience with it.

I think they key here is on a consistent basis. My question is: can you still eat 1200 calories to loose 10 lb and they up your calories intake to 1300 - 1400 to maintain the weight? It doesn't seems like it will do a tremendous amount of damage if you stick to this plan for 2-3 month, as long as your protein, fats and carbs balanced. Am I wrong?

Who is this fictional person with a TDEE of 1400?

heybales

It's sort of like the problem with low Oxygen. Do you really want to find out where that limit is, and to discover the damage that's done to your mind and body along the way? Or would it perhaps be better to ensure you get plenty of Oxygen without hyperventilating?

Holy crap. Best analogy EVER. I need to remember this one.

Ditto, brilliant.

NRSPAM

A lot of people may argue that eating that low will not hurt you. A lot of nutritionists even tell people to eat that low. However, if your BMR is 1,400, that means that if you were lying there for 24 hours in a coma, that's how many calories your body would NEED just to keep you alive. That's energy your body needs for breathing and organ function. Even though you can't see it, your body does a lot of things without you realizing it. I assume you're not lying there in a coma, lol, so you probably burn more than that. For most people 1,400 is a common BMR. Probably even higher. Yes you will probably survive it, but it is not worth it. Also, you're not hungry, because your body has gotten used to eating this way. RIght now, I eat around 2,000 cal's/day, and if I try to eat much less than that, I'll feel very hungry, but I've eaten much less than that in the past, and felt fine. Your metabolism will also adjust to whatever you're putting into it. Meaning it WILL slow down, and you will stop losing weight after a while. So much to say, so little time. You can read my profile for more info.

NRSPAM

It's sort of like the problem with low Oxygen. Do you really want to find out where that limit is, and to discover the damage that's done to your mind and body along the way? Or would it perhaps be better to ensure you get plenty of Oxygen without hyperventilating?

Holy crap. Best analogy EVER. I need to remember this one.

Ditto, brilliant.

Haha. Love it! Perfect!

NRSPAM

I don't pay much attention to the number. I eat now WHEN I am hungry and I rarely come near the 1000 mark much LESS the 1200 or above. I am still losing, my trainer and Dr aren't upset, soooooooooooooooooo..It is a number

Good luck with the long term success of that strategy.... and fyi, your doctor and trainer may know *kitten* about nutrition. Your doctor for sure, and your trainer should know better-well so should the doctor but they don't usually take more than one course in nutrition in all their years of university. There are a whole bunch of Certified Personal Trainers right here on MFP that give the worst advice, and can't even get their own health in order.... So.

Pretty sure a real live doctor that you go to and have a patient/relationship with is a far better source on what is right for the individual than the advice of a thousand talking monkeys found on the innerwebz.

Doctors don't know jack *kitten* about nutrition. If they want info, they consult a registered dietician. They don't study it in med school at all and if they do, it is for a few hours in the entire 4 years. It isn't covered on board tests or board reviews or continuing medical education classes. You would get far better information about your fantasy football teams from your doctor than you would nutrition information.

As a nurse, this is so true. Nurses don't get very much on it either. Also, the food pyramid is WRONG! Lol. Carbs are poison! Well, the bad kind are anyways. I still eat my poison, but not as much. :happy:

YaGigi

I have been at 1200 calories a day since I started MFP in January of this year - total loss to date is 73.5 lbs. I eat very well and do not feel hungry because I make sure to eat whole foods, not processed, and keep my nutrition balanced. Two key factors for me were cutting sugar out of my diet and greatly reducing sodium. Walking is my main source of exercise - most days I walk at least 60 minutes - on occasion I use some of those extra calories I earned but not often. Every person is different so there is no one answer to this question. Each person has to find what works for them.

Now you did it.

In before someone tells you that your body ate all your vital organs without you noticing it.

Lol