Dieting.

Kelsey_Snyder

My question is if 600-800 calories diet is okay for a teenager? I've followed that diet for awhile and saw great results and kept off the pounds. Since school has started my eating habits have been dreadful but I've still kept off the pounds but I've wanted to get back on the diet again. I'm just trying to burn off a few pounds for a healthy body and lifestyle. I actually find calorie counting kind of fun, when I have the inspiration. I know it may sound like a starvation diet but again, I'm not a full grown adult that might need more calories than someone younger. I'm roughly 5 foot 6 inches and 140 pounds. I am rather active, doing sports and going to the gym when I can which hasn't been faithfully done since school and extra-academic activities have started. But I feel this could work for *me* but I don't feel I need to do to a doctor to find a perfect diet plan.

Thanks for all the educated opinions, comments and suggestions.

sabified

Here's my educated opinion:

If you're that tall, weigh that much, lead a fairly active lifestyle, and are in a stage of your life where your body is still developing, and will still continue changing... then NO, that diet is NOT OK

Edit to add: I don't know what calorie level you should be at, but frankly I don't think you should be looking at calories. I think you should focus on eating properly- the right amounts of protein, veggies and carbs at each meal, and cutting back on processed foods and other junk... If you really want to be healthy, that's the trick to getting there anyway (along with maintaining your active lifestyle)

mynameiscarrie

NO NO NO NO NO. You need to eat at least 1200 calorie a day. If you dont, your body will eventually start feeding on it's own muscles. Your heart is a muscle. So there's that. Also, you need to be eating back some if not all your exercise calories, which means the days you exercise you'll be eating more than 1200 calories so your body can fuel itself. 600-800 calories a day with exercise is not healthy or safe in the least bit.

Pebble321

As you are still growing, I suspect that you need MORE calories than an adult who is finished developing.
This sounds like a dangerously low amount to be eating for someone your weight, height and activity level.
If you aren't prepared to see a professional, then do some googling for realistic calorie goals for someone your age.
Remember that your brain and body are still developing and if you aren't getting good nutrition then you are jeopardising your health and your future.
Please get good advice on this.

Kelsey_Snyder

I know where you guys are coming from but the two times I have done this diet I don't feel *hungry* and when it says to eat all those calories my stomach is saying don't eat and I don't want to eat. I'm not going to force myself to eat and even on days I'm not dieting I come short of 1200. And I'm losing pounds at a good, steady rate, unlike a crash diet that might lose a lot of pounds in a short time.

Edit: And I only do this for short time, maybe a month or so before reevaluating my results.

gianna42

Here's my educated opinion:

If you're that tall, weigh that much, lead a fairly active lifestyle, and are in a stage of your life where your body is still developing, and will still continue changing... then NO, that diet is NOT OK

Edit to add: I don't know what calorie level you should be at, but frankly I don't think you should be looking at calories. I think you should focus on eating properly- the right amounts of protein, veggies and carbs at each meal, and cutting back on processed foods and other junk... If you really want to be healthy, that's the trick to getting there anyway (along with maintaining your active lifestyle)

Ditto for another educated opinion.
You are at a healthy height and weight for an active person your age. Focus on nutrition to fuel your body in the best way possible.

Acg67

No, and you can't even use the 3 main formulas for calculating your BMR as it isn't accurate for teens who are growing, it underestimates your requirements

SiltyPigeon

800 calories isn't healthy for a 5 year old. A 5 (five) year old requires a minimum of 1000 calories. What does that tell you?

rml_16

I'm sure someone has said this already, but teens need MORE calories and nutrients than adults. At your height, you are at a healthy weight. Nothing wrong with losing a few more if you will feel better, but 600-800 calories a day isn't healthy at all.

Kelsey_Snyder

Thanks everyone for all the answers. I'll do some more research on what I should do for a healthy calories intake, goals, etc. I do appreciate it.

shankleefranklee

I really hope you're aware that eating 400 - 600 calories for a month or so is a crash diet. If you're working out, and being active and are somehow "not hungry" after eating 400 calories, that's ridiculous.

What exactly is a days worth of food for you? I understand sometimes you're not hungry sometimes but being a teenager, going to school [high school or other wise] leading a healthy active lifestyle, and THEN working out. I'm assuming you're up and awake for at least 16 - 18 hours. So, that's less then 60 calories an hour.

ressa8

This is absolutely not enough calories for a growing teen! My daughter has been struggling with an eating disorder, and she is under a Dieticians care. She is 3 inches taller than you and 7 pounds less and she has been told to eat at least 2000 calories a day! You need to eat healthy, nutritious foods and don't fill up on junk like most kids. Good luck. Please eat more calories!!

psuLemon

As an adolescent, you require a lot of calories due to your body growing. This will also cause your body to consume more calories than someone (as an adult) lives a more sedentary lifestyle. The only thing you are doing to yourself is slowing yoru metabolism and decreasing muscle mass. Below is an average guideline published by the National Institute for Health (NIH). Based on your activity level, you should eat around 2000 calories. Keep in mind, food is your fuel source. You wouldn't take a roadtrip on a half empty tank now would you? So why deprive yourself of eating. And you aren't hungry because you have essentially starved yourself for awhile and your body doesn't know the signs of hunger anymore. Below is a calculation of basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the amount of calories you burn if you slept for 24 hours (or what a college kid calls sunday) and your total daily energy expended (TDEE) which is the amount of calories you burn based on lifestyle and exercise and on top of that a deficit. Even if you eat 2000 calories, you will lose weight. Here is the difference, you won't be losing all muscle. Muscle is your lifeline when it comes to insulin regulation, brain function, control of the metabolism and etc.... When you don't feel your body, all the energy from the fat cells depletes quickly so the body attacks the ammino acids in your muscles to acquire nutrition to sustain life. Also, if you teach yourself how to eat properly and exercise (heavy weight lifting and cardio/HIIT) you will become tigher and stroner.

Below the quote is a thread that has good info on why a body needs 1200 calories or more.

Harris-Benedict Formula

There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1443 calories.


How Many Calories Should I Eat?

Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.

Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1652
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1893
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2134
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2375
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2616

NOTE: Please remember that this calculation is just a guideline. Your metabolism may be higher or lower based on the amount of lean muscle you have. Use these numbers a a starting point and tweak them up or down based on your weight loss or gain. It may take a couple weeks to get your exact calorie level.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/downloads/calreqtips.pdf


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/311640-confused-about-the-magic-1200

shauna121211

I think you're seeing a common trend here... no that is not healthy... you are still growing... so doesn't that make sense to you that you need to eat enough. 5'6 and 140lbs is not a kid, that is a common adult height and weight, therefore you should probably consider yourself as an adult when it comes to eating. If you're highly active with sports, you need to be eating more! It sounds to me that you should be eating more like 2000+ calories a day...

Acg67

from a nutrition expert i respect

"NOTE: IF YOU ARE LESS THAN 18 YRS OF AGE - THESE FORMULA WILL NOT BE ACCURATE!There is an energy cost associated with growth / inefficient movement / high surface area:mass ratio.
As a teenager I would also STRONGLY suggest you don't obsess on calories and macros! Eat well, exercise regularly, and have fun while you can!"

psuLemon

No, and you can't even use the 3 main formulas for calculating your BMR as it isn't accurate for teens who are growing, it underestimates your requirements

No, but at least using the formula will provide you a start and a lot better than 600-800 calories. Heck, i can remember when I was in high school and played soccer and ice hockey and I could pound 3 McDonalds big mac and not gain weight, now I could barely have a mcdonalds single hamburger without having a heart attack.

servilia

Everyone has already touched on most of the reasons to eat more, well here's another one - like many girls you probably plan to have children one day right? You're not doing your future plans any good with this kind of diet. You're at a healthy weight already. If you want to tone or whatever, just get more active with working out and school sports. Good luck!

wendywright10

Girl, you just need to use that awesome calculator thing on this site when you first sign up! It tells you exactly how much you should eat. I'm 19, 5 foot tall, & now weigh 177 pounds (I lost three pounds this week!!) & I can have 1,200 calories a day. You wouldn't believe how easy it is with this system. I don't feel hungry ALL the time anymore

I know how you feel though. I have never been very comfortable with myself. Throughout high school, I wore my boyfriends clothes everyday so people couldn't tell how big I was. Then I got pregnant & gained 35 pounds. Ever since I started this program, I have been feeling much better about myself.

So, use that calculator thing & it will help a bunch! Good luck

LisaMarieee

800 calories isn't healthy for a 5 year old. A 5 (five) year old requires a minimum of 1000 calories. What does that tell you?

millionsofpeaches

600-800 calories a day sounds like a eating disorder.

Eat healthy and exercise = Be healthy and happy. <

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