Under 1,200 calories? What about 1,000?

Saxophone96

Ok, would it be healthy to eat under 1000 calories? Somedays I eat 800-900 calories. Somedays around 1,200. If I eat too much, I get sick. I eat mostly healthy stuff (I recently bought apples and a pumpkin ). I don't understand how the average calorie intake is 2,000!! Sone people eat 3,000 calories a day. But I can eat around 800 cals. Is it healthy? Sorry for all the questions, I'm new to this diet thing.

DigitalRain

Whats your height? Do you exercise? 1000 calories a day is not enough if you are active. 800-900 calories a day is not enough fuel for your body to do basic functions period.

MissAnjy

I find that a lot of days i'm around the 900-1100 mark as well. Just make sure your doing what works for you. It really depends on how much you're exercising as well. Just make sure you're eating when your hungry and not skipping meals.

Lyadeia

Ok, would it be healthy to eat under 1000 calories? Somedays I eat 800-900 calories. Somedays around 1,200. If I eat too much, I get sick. I eat mostly healthy stuff (I recently bought apples and a pumpkin ). I don't understand how the average calorie intake is 2,000!! Sone people eat 3,000 calories a day. But I can eat around 800 cals. Is it healthy? Sorry for all the questions, I'm new to this diet thing.

Never go that low if you want your metabolism to survive and your body to burn fat!

Conventional thinking tells us "eating made us fat, so not eating makes us skinny." But the truth is this: You must eat healthy foods in good quantities to fuel your muscle. It is muscle that works during exercise, and exercise burns fat. If your muscle is not fueled properly, it does not work properly. If you do this long enough, you cause your body processes to slow down and conserve fat no matter how hard you exercise.

Please concider eating at least 1200 calories a day. If you exercise, it should be more than that. Severely cutting calories will not help your cause, cause you will lose lean muscle mass in addition to losing a little fat, and then you just store fat and cause your heart and lungs to be weakened. Bad, bad, BAD!

zumbalori

It is not enough. You need those calories to function properly. Your body is like a machine and machines need fuel. I have read several places that is especially dangerous for women to go under 1200. You might lose weight on that few but it is your body using itself for fuel, NOT healthy, and eventually, you will stop losing because your body will think it needs to hold onto everything to preserve itself. Google "starvation mode" and you will find lots of good info.

jessicalhall85

Ive actually learned in the last 3 months that if i don't eat enough then i don't lose, your body will go into starvation mode and you will not lose....well for me anyways...

azlady7

go to the forums under diet and nutrition (i think lol) and there you find the info on calories for new people starting this kind of thing. it explains why its sooo important to eat so many cals

ErinMarie25

Your body needs AT LEAST 1200 calories. Some people think that if they don't eat much then they won't gain weight or they will lose weight more quickly--not true. Your body goes into "starvation mode" and will just store the calories and fat because it thinks you are not eating enough, in general, and uses the stored fat and calories to use for energy. Calories are what your body needs for energy. You have to fuel your body. Think of it as a car. Your car needs gas, correct? Well our bodies need food! You have to eat in order to lose weight as long as you are eating healthy.

jbootman

and just how many calories would you recommend for a 5'2" woman who weighs 105 with sedentary lifestyle and small frame?

sorry that 1200 figure is WAY to general, I do not buy that slow metabolism stuff, if you keep up your nutrition, fiber, take some supplements for the calcium, or other vitamins, then I think you will be fine,

BUT be sure the calories you are eating are good, fresh fruit, veg, fish, egg whites, and do not forget your water

1200 calories--bah!

sorry being FAT is far more unhealthy than a very low calorie diet

Ngolden1

and just how many calories would you recommend for a 5'2" woman who weighs 105 with sedentary lifestyle and small frame?

sorry that 1200 figure is WAY to general, I do not buy that slow metabolism stuff, if you keep up your nutrition, fiber, take some supplements for the calcium, or other vitamins, then I think you will be fine,

BUT be sure the calories you are eating are good, fresh fruit, veg, fish, egg whites, and do not forget your water

1200 calories--bah!

Thank you! I am about that height and weight and I totally agree. People generalize with calories but it is totally dependent on body size, among other things. As small people, we have less total mass, smaller organs, bones, less blood etc...I definatley gain weight if I ate over 1200 calories a day, even with exercise! We just don't need as much.

ErinMarie25

I'm 5'1 and eat 1200 cals a day and lose weight every week.

Ngolden1

I lost weight every week too at about 1200 calories. Well actually 1,000. Until I reached 102-104ish. Then I plateaued. So if you have weight to lose, then yes, you will lose weight with this calorie intake until you reach a place where you dont need to lose more.

Saxophone96

Whats your height? Do you exercise? 1000 calories a day is not enough if you are active. 800-900 calories a day is not enough fuel for your body to do basic functions period.

I'm 5'8" and 150!! Hopefully I'll be around 130 by December-January.

Thank you for telling me about "starvation mode." I'll try to eat a little bit more.

Stewie316

We would need to know your height, frame size and activity level to know whether your calorie intake is too low. 1200 is tossed around too much like it's some magic number. I'm 5'1 and small and if I ate 1200 calories a day, yes I would lose weight, but it would be less than a half pound a week, which isn't very motivating. And one bad day would result in a weight gain that week for me. Also starvation mode is majority myth and only applies if you're eating less than half your bmr for a very long period of time; and even then you'd still lose weight, just not as much.