What is the minimum amount of calories?

xLyric

Please, if this has been asked before or you just think I'm stupid, at least be gentle, I'm new and ignorant!

I'm 225lbs, 5'9, 19 year old female. I want to know what the least amount of calories I can eat without going into "starvation mode" is. I exercise in some way at least an hour a day, if not more, if that matters.

When I diet I tend to eat nothing but SlimFast and fruit, and I know that's unhealthy but honestly, when I see my weight go down I just don't care. But I did read on here about why you gain the weight back (because your metabolism is adjusting after starving?) and I want to avoid that... So I'm thinking if I do the SlimFast and fruit and make it up to a certain calorie level each day that hopefully that won't happen?

chgudnitz

Please, if this has been asked before or you just think I'm stupid, at least be gentle, I'm new and ignorant!

I'm 225lbs, 5'9, 19 year old female. I want to know what the least amount of calories I can eat without going into "starvation mode" is. I exercise in some way at least an hour a day, if not more, if that matters.

When I diet I tend to eat nothing but SlimFast and fruit, and I know that's unhealthy but honestly, when I see my weight go down I just don't care. But I did read on here about why you gain the weight back (because your metabolism is adjusting after starving?) and I want to avoid that... So I'm thinking if I do the SlimFast and fruit and make it up to a certain calorie level each day that hopefully that won't happen?

Plug your numbers into the thing on here and it will tell you how many calories to eat.

Why do the slimfast and fruit thing? There's not a chance in the world you can sustain that diet long term. Nobody could. Eat real food, stuff that you like, but keep it within your calories and you will find a much more satisfying result.

angelae39

I think that you will find that slimfast is not the way to go for lasting weight loss. Since it is not realisitic that you will drink those shakes for the rest of your life, it has to be more of a lifestyle change rather then a qucik results plan. I have tried all of the fast methods and ending up regaining everything I lost and then some. Instead of slimfdast and fruit try yogurt and fruit and other things you can see yourself eating from now on. Also, this site gives you good calorie guides based on your personal goals and current weight.

Good luck on your journey.

Shawna35

I think the most important thing here is that you learn how to eat healthy and be able to sustain that for a lifetime. Slim Fast and fruit is not the way to do that. I think you would be amazed to see how many people on here have been so successful by eating healthy and exercising. I'm sorry, but crash diets are not healthy or for the long term. Drink lots of water, eat healthy and exercise often. It's a really supportive community here and I hope you will stick with it. Good luck to you!

jrich1

When you eat something you know is unheathly just to lose weight you are going to gain it back because this isnt a diet, tis a lifestyle change. To substain weight loss you need to learn how to eat heathy, and it has to be something you can eat forever or you wont stick to it and you wont be able to keep it off.
The webpage will tell you how much you should be eating with a deficit to lose weight already included in it, just go by that, and make heathy choices, weight loss is 80% diet.

lessjess1

He's right. Don't limit yourself to fruit and slim fast. I like slim fast some mornings, but not everyday. Its very important to follow the food pyramid, both for weight management and for fueling your body. The difference between the amount of calories you burn daily and the calories you eat should not be great than 1000. Send me a message if you need help plugging your numbers into myfitnesspal. This site does a VERY good job of calcuting the number of calories you need. Set your goal up to 2lb loss per week and it will tell you exactly how much to consume. I asked my doctor about my calorie intake and she came up with the same number as MFP.

husker_gal

I agree with the above post. You need to just find your goal calorie intake given by MFP and then just eat what you like as long as you stay within that calorie range and as long as it's semi healthy. If you are having a difficult day and you want something yummy and filling but low in calories try grilling some veggies. Get a grill basket with small holes so the veggies wont fall through and cut up some zuchinni, red onion, brocciflower (it's a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower), carrots, and some fresh garlic cloves. then toss with some EVOO and some Tuscan seasoning (you can get it at Costco) and put on the grill for about 4 or 5 minutes until they have a little black on them. They are sooooooooooooooooooooo yummy and filling! Plus they are super low in calories and if you want some protein you can eat them with some lenitl beans...the whole meal will only come out to like 150 calories!

islandnutshel

Hello, just wanted to say in a gentle way that if you want to lose the extra pounds and keep them off in a healthy way, you must be prepared to do the math and learn the way to eat nutrionaly. The slim fast and fruit loss will only be temporary until you have done this. Start by entering what you eat into the diary, adjust the settings to your weekly weight loss goal. Log your exercise in. And eat the calories they suggest.
The reason I am saying this is because I was not eating enough of my exercise calories. I was burning up to 1000 calories / day and only eating 1200 - 1500 and this put my body into starvation mode. I upped my calorie intake and kept the exercise because fitness is my goal. Now I am losing weight again.
You must keep it healthy or there is no point to it. If you want to chat more, feel free to add me as a friend or email me.

islandnutshel

I agree with the above post. You need to just find your goal calorie intake given by MFP and then just eat what you like as long as you stay within that calorie range and as long as it's semi healthy. If you are having a difficult day and you want something yummy and filling but low in calories try grilling some veggies. Get a grill basket with small holes so the veggies wont fall through and cut up some zuchinni, red onion, brocciflower (it's a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower), carrots, and some fresh garlic cloves. then toss with some EVOO and some Tuscan seasoning (you can get it at Costco) and put on the grill for about 4 or 5 minutes until they have a little black on them. They are sooooooooooooooooooooo yummy and filling! Plus they are super low in calories and if you want some protein you can eat them with some lenitl beans...the whole meal will only come out to like 150 calories!

That sounds sooooo goood. Fantastic Idea

hjeubanks

I know where you're coming from. I'm 31, 5'10" and 229. I was 170 when I was 19... I miss it so

Anyway, I have tried the slim fast, which worked, short term...but that was years ago. But you asked about calories...my goal is 1550 per day. I too work out about 40-60 minutes 3-5 times a week and on those days, I "earn" a little bit of breathing room with food by getting those calories burned, back in as food I can eat. Now I just watch what I eat, try to walk away from the plate when I'm full (which is VERY hard), not eat what's left on my daughter's plate, and don't limit myself...in other words, eat what I want, just not as much of it as I used to. Instead of 6 oreos, its 2. Instead of a whopper, it's whopper jr and only once in a while. Calories are counted as best I can do and this website is great for that. It's doable, and you don't have to feel deprived in the process. Good luck!!


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

xLyric

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I guess it just seemed weird that a diet or fitness plan would be telling me to eat MORE. I just put in my first food and 1330 calories seems a long way away...

Someone mentioned they did Slimfast every once in a while along with other things. Does that work? What if you do Slimfast but then eat enough other foods/meals to reach a goal? (1330 in my case. I can't really see myself eating all the way to the goal, but I can try.) I've already bought the Slimfast so I need to do something with it.

stormieweather

It will help you to meet your goals successfully if you plan your meals in advance for a while, until you are more comfortable with food values. When I first started (and often, even now), I will put down my entire day's worth of food and plan it to within 100 calories of my goal. That 100 is leeway in case I overdo it or want a little something extra. It helps to be able to see when a food will clearly put you WAY over on fats or a days food will leave you severely short on protein. Then you can substitute something else to better fit your goals, nutritionally.

After you do this for a while, you'll find that you are comfortable enough to expand your choices and it is very easy to hit your mark (or oops! exceed it).

Good luck!

aippolito1

You can return it. Don't think you have to use the Slimfast. I've seen the ingredients in Slimfast and it's NOT healthy. It's just a smaller portion, which you can do with anything to lose weight!! And you can easily get up to 1330. Eat healthy fats like avocado, almonds, natural peanut butter, and olive oil to fill in those extra calories. Also, things like skim milk - low on fat but a little more than 100 calories for 8 oz and it's good for you! :happy:

brattyworm

I've already bought the Slimfast so I need to do something with it.

Well since Slimfast either comes in a can or a powder form it has a fairly long shelf life. What you could do with it is use it for if you know you're going to be gone a while and might get hungry and tempted take a shake with you so as to relieve temptation. Or you could take it back to the store as was suggested.

or if you have a cat like mine...lol..it could be a cat meal... jk... ok kinda i dont feed the cat slim fast but he does enjoy the taste...

mikioi

Why eat less when you could eat more!! Slimfast is no fun! Try changing up your tastes using different spices like peppers and tumeric. I read an article yesterday in fitnessRX that tumeric can help with burning fat!! Try eating smaller meals and more frequently throughout the day! Sure, slimfast and diet pills are a quick start (and it feels so good to see the change so quickly) but to see your fitness goals last its about a lifestyle change. Have fun while youʻre doing it, experiment!! Good luck!!

jennylynn84

I'm not completely anti-Slimfast, as I've used protein bars and such when I'm stuck traveling for work and the only other option is fast food. And my husband drinks carnation with food in the morning.

The important thing to remember is what will happen when you get to maintenance. How will you eat? I used SlimFast in high school and it did work. But for every SlimFast weightloss program there is the "FatQuick" (as I call it) of when you get off. Cuz I did put all that weight (and more) on afterward.

I've been eating real food every day since starting this and it's been a big success. It does seem odd eating more to lose weight, but I promise it works. I eat three squares a day with snacks including yogurt, veggies with some form of dip, granola, etc.

I also work out almost daily. Either at my gym or doing P90x routines at home.

And while it depends on how much weight you have to lose, I can say that the results have not been getting slim slow. I have lost all the weight on my ticker since late January. I started off pretty heavy, so that can't be promised, but if you do it and you do it right, you'll still see success. And the best part will be when it lasts.

Good luck!

xLyric

The more I read on here the more I think I should have waited to ask that question, haha. I'm going to try eating all (or near) the calories... Thank you, everyone, you all were a lot of help (and VERY nice about it).