800 calories minimum is okay... for me!

LoveMy3Boys

I can understand the excess fat storage... seriously. Did you ask specifically about "starvation mode"?

You know... A few years ago I did a 1000 calorie diet and I exercised like a mad woman. I lost A LOT of weight pretty fast. I don't know my starting weight because I refused to look at the scale at first, but I went from being a size 16 to a size 6 within months, almost a 4. But, look at how I am back where I started It didn't teach me to eat healthy. It didn't do any favors to my metabolism. I lost the weight but the second I started eating regular food, not indulging but just eating I gained it all back. So, I don't know about that little of calories because it is just not something I could do for life.

arewethereyet

Shoot, I'm 5'6" and weigh 100 pounds more than you. So by your logic, I should be eating like 500 cals a day? I'd chew my damn arm off!

And maybe mine!! :laugh:

Since I have done it the MPF way, I have slowly lost and KEPT off the weight. I am not miserable. I have not passed out to awaken in the ER with an IV in my arm. I have not gotten into a screaming match with a friend who dared to bring brownies to work........all real life stuff my friends.

800 calories of good food can be accomplished. Egg whites and a pc of light ww toast, huge veggie salad with 3 oz broiled chicken with lemon as dressing, apple for snack. banana for snack. dinner of 3 oz turkey breast, plate full of brocoli.

I think you could even fit in a low calorie 4 oz yogurut in there.

My question is, how long can you do this?

As for the professional. I always work what is good for MY body. I am proud of you for getting help. Guess I can't stop thinking about the doctor who insisted my mother would be dead in 4-6 months. No ifs, ands or buts about it. THANK GOD we got a second opinion and this doctor put her on low sodium, high protien diet and she lived 15 years to meet all her grandbabies!!

I hope you do AWESOME!! But remember, when you get to within 30-40 pounds of your goal weight, where can you go with 800 calories?:flowerforyou:

SiltyPigeon

Just to share my experience....

I've been steadily losing weight for a little over 6 months. The first three months I was doing a minimum 700 calories a day. My week averaged out to 900 calories per day. I steadily lost 1 - 2 lbs per week. I wasn't hungry, didn't feel faint or grumpy, had no ill effects.
Then I started really getting into these message boards here. I saw what everyone was saying about eating too little. I got worried. So, I started eating between 1100 and 1400 calories per day instead. My weekly average is about 1200 per day. The first week I gained a little weight. The second I maintained. The third and past 3 months-ish I've steadily lost 1-2 lbs per week.
So... my weight loss has been exactly the same at an average of 900 calories and an average of 1200 calories. Plus I get to eat more food. I like food.

So this is what I think... I don't believe in "starvation mode". I have no *personal* reason to tell you to eat more. Actually, I really don't care what you do because I don't know you. However, if I were talking to a friend I would say... try 1200 calories and see how it does for you. If you don't lose at a satisfactory rate at 1200 THEN go the more controversial route.
Why make losing weight harder on yourself than you have to?

PS.... I'm 5'5'' and 125 lbs. I started at 167 lbs in January.

myiceisonfire

I can understand the excess fat storage... seriously. Did you ask specifically about "starvation mode"?

You know... A few years ago I did a 1000 calorie diet and I exercised like a mad woman. I lost A LOT of weight pretty fast. I don't know my starting weight because I refused to look at the scale at first, but I went from being a size 16 to a size 6 within months, almost a 4. But, look at how I am back where I started It didn't teach me to eat healthy. It didn't do any favors to my metabolism. I lost the weight but the second I started eating regular food, not indulging but just eating I gained it all back. So, I don't know about that little of calories because it is just not something I could do for life.

Under 800 is starvation mode for me...

hyenagirl

Awesome! Optifast is only 800 calories a day and people are required to do that for 4 months, then slowly incorporate food back into their diets. As long as you eat when ever you start to feel hungry and don't go back to old habbits, you should be fine. When people get done drinking Optifast for 4 months, you're suppose to slowly incorporate meals into your diet not go haywire on chips.

myiceisonfire

Okay some people who are commenting done understand something... under 800 calories is starvation mode. I never said I was going to only eat 800 calories every day. If you read other posts I have post on here, it says I eat 1200 some days. Sheesh... lol

aippolito1

No, you're right. Those with more weight to lose can still lose with a larger calorie deficit to a point. Then your body will stop losing and you'll have to eat more. Happened to me!

LoveMy3Boys

I can understand the excess fat storage... seriously. Did you ask specifically about "starvation mode"?

You know... A few years ago I did a 1000 calorie diet and I exercised like a mad woman. I lost A LOT of weight pretty fast. I don't know my starting weight because I refused to look at the scale at first, but I went from being a size 16 to a size 6 within months, almost a 4. But, look at how I am back where I started It didn't teach me to eat healthy. It didn't do any favors to my metabolism. I lost the weight but the second I started eating regular food, not indulging but just eating I gained it all back. So, I don't know about that little of calories because it is just not something I could do for life.

*Facepalm* DUH! LOL I should have thought of that. I am so stuck at the 1200 calories thing.

I have a rough time with 1200 calories... so I couldn't do it. Good luck! Whatever works for you!

Under 800 is starvation mode for me...

ppiinnkkmmoonn

i followed a strict diet of 800 and i was fine i had my doctor support and i have not gain any of my weight back contrary to most belief again no matter how you lose it you are who decide what happen after the weight is gone you have to have a plan to keep it gone.
good luck!!

Lolyballs

Always best to speak with your doctor when you are trying to lose weight. Now, my doctor told me to stop worrying about losing weight and start eating healthy. When I asked about heart rate while exercising she said "do what you can". I use the guidelines set up in my diet profile but I am trying not to eat back exercise calories and I stopped logging certain things as exercise because they are things I do everyday. Today I have totally blown it on eating but tomorrow is a brand new day and a brand new start!

myiceisonfire

i followed a strict diet of 800 and i was fine i had my doctor support and i have not gain any of my weight back contrary to most belief again no matter how you lose it you are who decide what happen after the weight is gone you have to have a plan to keep it gone.
good luck!!

Agreed. Most people eat less & exercise to lose weight... Once they get to what they want, then they think they can eat whatever they want and not exercise at all. No wonder they gain weight back lol.

myiceisonfire

Always best to speak with your doctor when you are trying to lose weight. Now, my doctor told me to stop worrying about losing weight and start eating healthy. When I asked about heart rate while exercising she said "do what you can". I use the guidelines set up in my diet profile but I am trying not to eat back exercise calories and I stopped logging certain things as exercise because they are things I do everyday. Today I have totally blown it on eating but tomorrow is a brand new day and a brand new start!

I only log things that are "true" exercise also. I don't log cleaning etc. I log walking, lifting weights, etc.

I guess it really doesn't matter if I log anything anyway, because I don't eat back my exercise calories.

TazzytheMotivator

You must do what is beneficial for you. I can't tell you what to do and i will not. I wish you all the best . Everybody body is differernt. We don't look the same or weight the same or lose the same amount of weight. Have a great evening
S.W 350
C.W 220
G. W 150
Highest weight 369

Dtho5159

Im glad you talked to someone who finds whats right for you.. Im 5'6 and 248 and just saw my nutritionist and he recommended I eat what mfp sets for me.

jhardenbergh

I started my weight loss journey through a medically monitored program. I was given a nutrition plan as well as exercise program. I rarely if ever has eaten over what they have said. It's amazing cause I thought I would be hungry all the time. I started I was a lot heavier than you. You're weight would be in the area of my ultimate goal. I am 5'7". Some tips, which I am sure your nutritionist or doctor has told you. Eat about every 4 hours but the right stuff that will fill you up. That keeps me going. Also, the most important thing I learned doing this is the more you resist temptation, the easier it is to resist. The only day I veared off plan was when I had to drink a gatorade and an orange juice because I was rushed to hospital for dehydration. Worked out too early before I could consume enough water for my workout. Good Luck. Friend me if you'd like.

soonskinny01

I too was told not to eat my exercise calories back. For the same reason. I have MORE than enough stored to take care of the cal. used. Before the Dr. I was eating most of my ex. cal. back, and was not losing. Then,, I did what the Dr. told me and lost 4 pounds in a week and a half. But like you said, this only applies to me.

LittleSpy

Anecdotal evidence abounds.
I'm 5'4" and started here at 275lbs. I started off eating about 1200 calories a day and burning 500-1000 calories most days with exercise (and not eating those calories back). The weight FLEW off of me. I lost about 60 pounds in 4 months. Then I crashed into a wall. I tried increasing my calories, decreasing my calories, eating my exercise calories, increasing my exercise intensity, everything, but over the next 8 months I only lost about 20 more pounds. I fought hard for every single pound.

Then pregnancy happened. I started eating what I thought should've been maintenance calories for my height/weight/activity level (about 1700/day plus exercise cals). My weight SKYROCKETED the first couple months of my pregnancy because my metabolism was so royally effed. I kept on eating 1700-1800 calories a day because I knew I needed to for my baby's health. I've now gained 38 pounds with my pregnancy (I'm 2 days past my due date now because little bugger is too comfy in there ) which I'm not thrilled about but I'll tell you what I am happy about -- I'm currently eating about 2400 calories a day and I'm only very lightly exercising (30 minute walk about 3x/week) and I've lost a pound in the last 2 weeks. It took about 6 months of eating enough to get my metabolism back in order. That's something I never would have had the patience to do on my own without a reason like being pregnant. My metabolism would've stayed pathetic and I would've struggled with my weight forever.

I'm so happy to have a fresh start with weight loss knowing what I know now about how my body reacts to being starved. I don't think I'll ever be eating less than 1700 calories a day again (I love running so I'll be getting back to that shortly after baby is born).

The bottom line is that EVERYONE is different and that's a factor even a doctor or nutritionist can't take into account when they advise you. I still had a good 60 pounds to lose when my body decided enough was enough. Some people would have never hit the wall at all.

All the best! :flowerforyou:

losing4baby

This thread is a few months old but I wondered if those who were going under 1200 calories at the time had success? My doctor had recommended I try eating around 800 calories a day, which some days is doable... other days much harder!

ATT949

This thread is a few months old but I wondered if those who were going under 1200 calories at the time had success? My doctor had recommended I try eating around 800 calories a day, which some days is doable... other days much harder!

I just found this thread. Lots of stories, eh?

I lost weight on a low calorie diet (800 to 1k net cals/day) and had a great weight loss experience.

I eschewed MFP's recommended nutrient percentages. I used 50% protein instead of 50% carb. In the 7 months that I was losing weight, I was hungry 5 times.

Was I hungry only five times because I used a high protein diet?

Perhaps.

But I dunno so try it and see if that works for you.


But low calorie diets aren't big news, despite the high-tech lynching that it gets here on MFP.

hsnider29

My doctor told me the same thing. He said it's about making sure you get enough healthy protein and take supplements to make sure you don't dip too low on the basics. A good multi, extra calcium and I added a b complex. He set me at 800 per day.

He said that Weight Loss Surgery has changed attitudes about what a "safe" low cal diet is. After more than a decade of people having the surgeries ( and Optifast type diets) and people not dropping dead from starvation, they are changing attitudes. It's almost
unfortunate how little my body needs to function.

I don't oppose weight loss surgery but the information that your doctor is giving you is scary. Have you watched The Biggest Loser? Almost all of the contestants that have had weight loss surgery have significantly higher body fat %'s than that ones that haven't. When you lose weight quickly, you lose LBM and fat which isn't a good thing.

Beleive me I know. I have lost 30 lbs that I gained while being pregnant with my daughter. My BMI is normal but my body fat % is higher now than when I was fatter.