Is 700 calories Sufficient???

cmwaddell

On a daily basis i only eat around 700 calories a day, I dont eat meat and try and stick with soy products.
I dont feel that my body needs to eat anymore than this, i feel full throughout the day and im not lacking in energy. I spend most of my day sitting down at a desk and then i do 30 mins of high intensity cardio or wieghts every night and pilates on a weekend.. I also do not eat back the calories i have burnt.

On weekends i probably eat abit more than this, maybe around 800-1000 cals

After reading through alot of posts the whole idea of my body going into 'stavation mode' and everyone preaching about never eating under 1200 calories has freaked me out.
I dont want to eat anymore than this as im scared of gaining weight.
But is this a suffcient amount of food to eat?

I weigh 46 kgs and im 5'5
thank you

Thriceshy

As you must know, at 5'5", 101 lbs is underweight. Markedly so. If that is you in the picture, you're lovely, but you look emaciated.

I recommend you seek medical attention and/or psychological counseling--700 calories is dangerously low as a sustained intake, and there is no reason at all for you, at that weight, to be even considering losing weight or restricting calories. People die eating that way.

Increase your calories and see a doctor. Please. I nearly killed myself with starvation as a teen, and it's not something to be messed with. If your body image is skewed enough that you fear gaining weight, you should seek help so you can be healthy AND happy.

Kris

ladyhawk00

Nope. I would say you have reason to be freaked out. You will do damage to your body like that. I've been there and done it...and regret it every day.

If you haven't seen these, I would very strongly urge you to read them and change your intake, as well as your mindset. I know it's scary, but your health is THE most important thing, and you will NOT be healthy with your current situation.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/238282-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing-redux

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

fancyhat

I think it's a bit of an exaggeration to say your body is in starvation mode, but it's likely that your metabolism has slowed down quite a bit to compensate for your low calorie intake. If you were to up your calorie count now, you'd obviously gain weight, but over time your metabolism would pick up and regulate so your weight would go back down again. I'd imagine with the amount of calories you're eating now it would be difficult to gain/tone muscles. o:

Bellyroll

You are Under weight you have no reason to lose weight and these tendencys that you are explaining sorta hint to ANA. PLease get help from a medical professonal.

NightOwl1

No, it is not sufficient. As another poster mentioned, you are at an unhealthy weight for you. Gaining 10-15 pounds would be healthy for you.

You might want to seek treatment for what appears to be an eating disorder. Having as little body fat as you do and fueling your body as little as you do is a recipe for disaster. If you can't eat more and gain weight on your own, I recommend you seek professional treatment.

kristilynnski

I eat about 500 calories a day, give or take the occasion hundred cals or so. It probably isn't the best idea for health, but it works for weight loss, or for my body anyway. Been eating like this on and off for a few months and I'm still here. 5'4" and 110lbs.

cmwaddell

This is a serious post.

I'm not on this site to loose weight, im here to monitor the food and nutrients that im putting into my body.
I eat a mostly raw diet and i have eaten like this for a long time, the amount of food i eat in a day seems like a substantial amount as its mostly fruit and vegetables.
I dont pyschically or emotionally now how i will eat anymore calories than this. i feel that my body would be so use to this that i might gain a drastic amount of weight eating more but i also dont want too harm my body.
i never even thought there was anything wrong with how i was eating til i came on here.

PrizePopple

Thriceshy said what I was going to say. 101 pounds puts your firmly into the underweight category for your BMI (which is currently 16.8). I noticed on your page your ticker shows you want to lose 3 more kilograms ... that would put you at 94 pounds. 94!! And a BMI of 15.6. A *LOW* healthy BMI for a 5'5" tall person is 18.5. Please please PLEASE seek medical attention.




(If people really have to worry about this being a joke I'd be a little more than pissed off, because it's not a joke.)

PANZERIA

Hi there.

Not to be mean or anything, but you definitely look as if you've got yourself an eating disorder. I would know - I've got one too (mix of ana and mia)

Alright, I'm going to give you some facts.

Fact 1) Your BRAIN ALONE needs a MINIMUM of 1200 - 1500 calories PER DAY. Anything below that is killing brain cells.

Fact 2) If you work out and you're only eating a max of 700 cals, you aren't actually burning fat. You're burning muscle which includes your heart and brain.

Fact 3) at the weight you are in that picture, I doubt you have any muscle to fight off anyone who is trying to attack/assault you. You'd be a very easy target.

Fact 4) With no muscle, no calories, and nothing on your bones, you will die before the age of 30.

I'm harsh, but as someone who is probably in the same position as you, you need to know this stuff.

If you feel like you can't control it, get yourself into a clinic immediately. If you feel like, with a little help, you can pull yourself through it, then get the help and support you need and do it.

This isn't something to post on a blog. This is serious. If you don't intake enough calories, one day you could miss one meal and your body is going to say "I'm out" and you'll have a heart attack.

I have lost three friends because of this stuff. Don't laugh all of this off by saying "Pft, 700 calories is enough." It isn't. And if you value your life, you'll get immediate medical attention.

NightOwl1

This is a serious post.

I'm not on this site to loose weight, im here to monitor the food and nutrients that im putting into my body.
I eat a mostly raw diet and i have eaten like this for a long time, the amount of food i eat in a day seems like a substantial amount as its mostly fruit and vegetables.
I dont pyschically or emotionally now how i will eat anymore calories than this. i feel that my body would be so use to this that i might gain a drastic amount of weight eating more but i also dont want too harm my body.
i never even thought there was anything wrong with how i was eating til i came on here.

Please be aware that you are harming your body by not eating more. That you can't eat more than that because of psychological or emotional reasons suggests that you are suffering from an eating disorder.

Please understand that we don't say this to try to make you feel bad, but in the hope that you will realize what you are doing is not healthy and it will cause you to go seek out help tackling the problem.

barbiex3

you should gain 10 pounds.

NightOwl1

I eat about 500 calories a day, give or take the occasion hundred cals or so. It probably isn't the best idea for health, but it works for weight loss, or for my body anyway. Been eating like this on and off for a few months and I'm still here. 5'4" and 110lbs.

This is also an incredibly unhealthy habit that suggests an eating disorder. At your current weight, you are almost in the underweight category, and if you truly do have a goal like your ticker sys of getting down to 90 pounds, you are going to make yourself dangerously underweight and you are seriously risking your life.

As I said to the poster, this is said out of concern and the hope that you'll realize your habits aren't healthy and you need to seek help

Thriceshy

I eat about 500 calories a day, give or take the occasion hundred cals or so. It probably isn't the best idea for health, but it works for weight loss, or for my body anyway. Been eating like this on and off for a few months and I'm still here. 5'4" and 110lbs.

http://bioethics.net/journal/j_articles.php?aid=739

PANZERIA

I just noticed how you posted about not liking carbs and meat because you're worried you'll 'gain weight.'

There is NO WAY that you are getting the nutrients you need from fruits and vegetables, and your brain NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. That's why this site gives you a maximum amount of carbs per day - because you need them for BASIC FUNCTIONING.

So no, 700 calories is NOT enough and you need to enter either meat, eggs, or nuts into your diet in order to boost everything as well as carbohydrates. If thinking about that gives you any form of anxiety, you need to get yourself to a doctor right away. They will do a blood test and that will show you that your glucose levels, your iron, and your white blood cell count will be down.

suzycreamcheese

tbh, even to maintain your low weight, you should probably up your calories a bit more than that. Even if its maybe eating a handful of nuts here and there for protein and a little healthy fat. ID also advise you take some supplements too.

ladyhawk00

This is a serious post.

I'm not on this site to loose weight, im here to monitor the food and nutrients that im putting into my body.
I eat a mostly raw diet and i have eaten like this for a long time, the amount of food i eat in a day seems like a substantial amount as its mostly fruit and vegetables.
I dont pyschically or emotionally now how i will eat anymore calories than this. i feel that my body would be so use to this that i might gain a drastic amount of weight eating more but i also dont want too harm my body.
i never even thought there was anything wrong with how i was eating til i came on here.

While you probably would gain some with increased intake, it would not be a "drastic" amount. Perhaps try getting some more protein through beans, legumes, fish, etc...fruits and veggies are great, but do not provide all of the nutrients essential for optimal function on a daily basis.

It really is important. You're young, and I'd hate to see you go through what I've been through in the past 20+ yrs with eating disorders and underfeeding. I feel better and am in better health now, eating 1500-2000 cals per day (while losing weight)...and LOOK better... than I ever did while undereating. Often, we don't realize how little energy we have and how poorly we feel every day, until we experience how much better it could be.

Counselling or therapy from a professional may be able to help get you through the adjustment period of increasing intake, and all of the fears and mental blocks associated with it. I would highly recommend contacting an eating disorder association to find someone to talk to about it, and get information on how to approach it when you're ready.

Thriceshy

This is awful--700 calories a day? 500 calories a day? You will die that way--your heart will stop. If you don't think this is serious, you need to do some serious reading on heart rhythm disturbances and insufficient food intake. And then read up on the lasting damage you're doing--damage to the heart muscle, bone density, and more that won't clear up with a return to healthy eating if you persist for any real length of time.

I'm not angry, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm scared to death for you--you are killing yourselves, and all for some screwed up ideal that some screwed up society has imprinted in your head. 5'5" and a goal weight of under 100 lbs? Bones. No beauty, no grace, no smooth, firm lines. Just lumps and bones.

And death.

Please get help. You don't look like you think you look, and you're not accomplishing what you think you are. Please, please help yourselves, look after yourselves, seek help for yourselves.

Please.

Kris

cmwaddell

Thank you all for your reponses and your concern

I would like to add that i do not have an eating disorder!!
I dont have any problems with my body or the way it looks, I didnt join this site to loose weight either.

I have been eating like this for years and i actually feel extremely healthy and i have alot of energy.
i eat 6 times a day and eat what i would consider substantial portions of food
I just find it difficult to eat anymore calories because i eat a mostly raw food diet..
this is way i have been bought up eating and im not about to change it now.

I would like be eating more than calories than this but i honestly dont find that im hungry or that i have the time.
i also refuse to snack on crap junk food that is high in calories.

i was more looking for advice on how i could add a few more calories into my diet without gaining wieght if what im eating is not enough maybe with protein shakes or bars?

Thriceshy

Often, we don't realize how little energy we have and how poorly we feel every day, until we experience how much better it could be.

This is SO true. I've tried to explain to my husband how I had convinced myself that headaches and exhaustion and tremors were GOOD things, that hunger pangs were to be desired and enjoyed, that my periods stopping somehow meant I was succeeding. I actually relished in the sensation of feeling faint because it meant I was losing weight. He doesn't understand, and I guess that's a good thing. I felt awful for years when I was starving myself. And I remember beating myself up for being a PIG because I'd had over 800 calories in a day.

This is dangerous, this is serious, and this can be deadly. I so hope these women get help.

Kris

PrizePopple

Someone else mentioned eating nuts. Even if you're doing clean and mostly raw eating having a bowl of oatmeal with some almonds in the morning would give you some carbs and added calories. Add a dab of local honey to it. Have some fresh ground peanut butter on apples. Add olive oil to a salad. There are so many ways you can stick to clean eating and not deprive your body of what it needs most.

healthychelsea

eating raw is so healthy, and definitely filling BUT can make it hard to get enough calories in a day! Eat almonds. You can get them raw and they are absolutely delicious. 700 calories isn't enough for anyone and you are hurting your body, despite eating healthy! I wish you the best.

ladyhawk00

Thank you all for your reponses and your concern

I would like to add that i do not have an eating disorder!!
I dont have any problems with my body or the way it looks, I didnt join this site to loose weight either.

I have been eating like this for years and i actually feel extremely healthy and i have alot of energy.
i eat 6 times a day and eat what i would consider substantial portions of food
I just find it difficult to eat anymore calories because i eat a mostly raw food diet..
this is way i have been bought up eating and im not about to change it now.

I would like be eating more than calories than this but i honestly dont find that im hungry or that i have the time.
i also refuse to snack on crap junk food that is high in calories.

i was more looking for advice on how i could add a few more calories into my diet without gaining wieght if what im eating is not enough maybe with protein shakes or bars?

Please don't be offended by our concern. Many people do not recognize that they have an ED, because it seems normal to them. But regardless of the cause of your eating habits, they are not healthy at this point. A raw food diet can be very healthy, but it requires a lot of dedication and time to do it the right way to ensure proper nutrition. It is better to relax the standards a bit than to continue to be malnourished.

As for how to increase cals in a healthy way:

Planning is key. Focus on balanced macros (protein/fat/carbs) in each meal/snack. Gradually increase the amount of cals in each meal/snack. Just 50 cals more for each meal/snack adds up. If you know you'll be working out, increase cals throughout the day.

If you're not feeling hungry, a good way to increase cals without much volume is healthy fats from natural oils (olive/canola), nuts and nut butters (almonds, pistachios, walnuts), and avocados. A fruit smoothie, protein shake or chocolate milk are good cal boosters, because drinking cals can be easier than eating when you aren't feeling hungry.

Typically, it may be hard for a few days or a week, but your body will adjust to the increased intake and you'll find it isn't an issue for long. Eating more will truly help your overall health, and your appetite will increase along with your metabolism.

barbiex3

Thank you all for your reponses and your concern

I would like to add that i do not have an eating disorder!!
I dont have any problems with my body or the way it looks, I didnt join this site to loose weight either.

I have been eating like this for years and i actually feel extremely healthy and i have alot of energy.
i eat 6 times a day and eat what i would consider substantial portions of food
I just find it difficult to eat anymore calories because i eat a mostly raw food diet..
this is way i have been bought up eating and im not about to change it now.

I would like be eating more than calories than this but i honestly dont find that im hungry or that i have the time.
i also refuse to snack on crap junk food that is high in calories.

i was more looking for advice on how i could add a few more calories into my diet without gaining wieght if what im eating is not enough maybe with protein shakes or bars?

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. The average caloric intake of a person with anorexia nervosa is 600–800 calories per day, but there are extreme cases of complete self-starvation.

I would say this is you.

suzycreamcheese

i think some people are overreacting a bit. Being underweight doesnt automatically mean anorexia. When you use anorexia in an eating disorder sense its as much of a state of mind as anything, and eating 6 meals a day of healthy food, isnt really that, even if it isnt really enough.
As i said, try and find a way thats acceptable to you to maybe increase your calories by 2 or 300. You could get that in a packet of trail mix or mixed nuts, and if you spread it across the day, it wouldnt make you feel too full.

cmwaddell

i think some people are overreacting a bit. Being underweight doesnt automatically mean anorexia. When you use anorexia in an eating disorder sense its as much of a state of mind as anything, and eating 6 meals a day of healthy food, isnt really that, even if it isnt really enough.
As i said, try and find a way thats acceptable to you to maybe increase your calories by 2 or 300. You could get that in a packet of trail mix or mixed nuts, and if you spread it across the day, it wouldnt make you feel too full.

Thank you

LauraMarie37

And I remember beating myself up for being a PIG because I'd had over 800 calories in a day.

I did this too! And I'm so glad I had the courage to challenge my assumptions about what was "beautiful" and what was "healthy", because I'm much more balanced and happy now than I ever could have believed.

OP, also, your dedication to raw foods, to me, suggests orthorexia - ie, an eating disorder where you put the large majority of foods into the "crap junk food" category and only let yourself have a very, very limited type of food that count as "healthy".

I agree with other people - try to get your calories up to 1400/day (at least), but do it in small increments, like an extra 50 calories per meal for the first week, then another extra 50 calories per meal for the second week...etc. If this seems too impossible or you are too concerned about gaining weight (which you could do and be even more beautiful than you are now!), get the help of a mental health professional specializing in eating disorder recovery.

sschiano

Thank you all for your reponses and your concern

I would like to add that i do not have an eating disorder!!
I dont have any problems with my body or the way it looks, I didnt join this site to loose weight either.

I have been eating like this for years and i actually feel extremely healthy and i have alot of energy.
i eat 6 times a day and eat what i would consider substantial portions of food
I just find it difficult to eat anymore calories because i eat a mostly raw food diet..
this is way i have been bought up eating and im not about to change it now.

I would like be eating more than calories than this but i honestly dont find that im hungry or that i have the time.
i also refuse to snack on crap junk food that is high in calories.

i was more looking for advice on how i could add a few more calories into my diet without gaining wieght if what im eating is not enough maybe with protein shakes or bars?

can everyone please stop with the eating disorder claim attacks??? a mcdonalds burger is less filling than a potful of broccoli and still you eat less calories with the broccoli, on a diet o fruits and veggies it is simply easier ti eat less calories because you feel super-full!!!

i suggest including more nuts into your diet even if it is just a handful, nuts are healthy snacks full of necessary nutrients, and pack quite a few calories, maybe make your meal portions slightly bigger (if you're eating 2 cups of salad try 2.5 cups) try drinking juices with meals as opposed to water, drizzle some olive oil on your veggies (if you can on a raw diet i dont really know). there are plenty of ways to sprinkle calories into your diet if you really want to. i dont think you have an eating disorder or anything of the sort, it is true that eating more fruits and veggies fills you up like crazy and you can eat a whole lot and not have consumed many calories at all, just be 100% sure you are not deprived of energy. one way to tell is how often you reach for a caffeine fix if it is often or more than it used to be it could be a sign that you need more calories otherwise i wouldn't worry too much about adding calories to your daily diet, but do try to add some for the days when you work out.

PrizePopple

i think some people are overreacting a bit. Being underweight doesnt automatically mean anorexia. When you use anorexia in an eating disorder sense its as much of a state of mind as anything, and eating 6 meals a day of healthy food, isnt really that, even if it isnt really enough.
As i said, try and find a way thats acceptable to you to maybe increase your calories by 2 or 300. You could get that in a packet of trail mix or mixed nuts, and if you spread it across the day, it wouldnt make you feel too full.

When someone comes in and states they eat nearly half of what they should be consuming just for basic life function and then continues on to say they fear gaining weight when they're obviously already well below the acceptable range for their height I'm not inclined to believe that anyone is overreacting.

"ii do 30 mins of high intensity cardio or wieghts every night and pilates on a weekend.. I also do not eat back the calories i have burnt. "

So she burns off perhaps as much as 200 calories EVERYDAY in exercise putting her net caloric intake at around 500 PER DAY. Yeah .. I'm going to stay on the "there's a serious problem" side of the fence.

suzycreamcheese

Theres more to health than calories taken in, and i dare say it sounds like her diary is a hell of a lot healthier than others, even if it is a bit meagre. Noone, but noone has said she is eating enough calories, but its a bit much to suggest shes about to drop down dead from it either or that shes somehow mentally ill.

suzycreamcheese

and there are plenty of people who live on less than the magic 1200 calories, and theyre just not logging it so noone would ever know. Everyone would just assume they were naturally skinny.
"starvation" diet would be half of your BMR, which is NOT 2400 for most women