Eating around 800 cal a day

KarlieAlinta

Hey guys, I know I will probably recieve a lot of negitivity about this but for around 4 weeks now I've been dieting and exercising aiming to get a few kg off and get a healthy body but I've only just relaised that I think I've been eating far too low. I think I eat around 800 cal a day which for the past 4 weeks has seemed great. I eat great healthy food all the time and never feel hungry or anything but apparently it's too little according to everyone. I have seen my dr but he didn't ask how many calories I eat a day, just how much I've lost which is about 8 kg now in 4 weeks which he was really happy about. I have tried to eat a bit more each day but I'm finding it really hard considering what I eat now keeps me really full and I feel like I'm force feeding myself. So mu question is if I'm feeling fine, is around 800 cal a day too low and will it cause physical damage to my body? This number will fluctuate too. Sometimes it's over 800, sometimes under. I know how 1200 is supposed to be the minimum but I just don't understand how this could be the case for everyone because lately I have felt better than I ever have health wise. Thanks!

ansonrinesmith

1) You think you are eating 800 calories? Are you not tracking them?
2) Not sure what your weight and activity level is, but 800 is likely to low to sustain your body. In turn you will be burning internal things like muscle and organ tissue.

VeganInTraining

When I read the title I was like "woah nelly, she needs to eat more" but if you're eating healthy and full I don't see the problem. I didn't look at your food journal or anything but I tend to think of quality over quantity, if I go over eating food that's good for me I don't stress and if I'm way under eating good food that fills me up I don't stress either. That being said, I would ask your doctor about it....if he thinks you've been having healthy weight loss I doubt it's a problem (just my OPENION though)

jill___

That's all I eat too -- and I burn at least 700 doing cardio everyday. In my opinion, if you feel full and satisfied, you shouldn't force yourself to eat 1200 calories. If you're full, your body is telling you to stop eating.

hottottie11

That's all I eat too -- and I burn at least 700 doing cardio everyday. In my opinion, if you feel full and satisfied, you shouldn't force yourself to eat 1200 calories. If you're full, your body is telling you to stop eating.

^^Wow...seems like a one-way ticket to a weight loss stall (i.e muscle loss and depressed metabolism). I suggest you read this article:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

pianokeyteeth

800 calories is a bit low for the 'average' person. However, I say if you don't feel hungry and there are no ill effects, there's no reason to change it. As for things you hear about how it can damage your body, the straight truth is humans have stored fat for a purpose, so it can be used when energy is needed. Your body would not begin to break down your vital organs until virtually every ounce of fat was gone from your body.

KarlieAlinta

I don't track them to the T. I know around about how much I eat and it's around 800 a day. Sometimes 1000, sometimes 600. And I'm 77 kg and 5'8. My bmi is 27.30 but should be around 22. I'm also 21 years old.

hottottie11

Read this as well:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/10/31/141794801/losing-weight-a-battle-against-fat-and-biology

Food is not the enemy. No need to starve yourself to get to your goal weight. I've lost over 50 lbs by eating at a reasonable calorie deficit (no more than 500 per day), working out and eating my exercise cals. You do yourself no favors by starving yourself.

Sidesteal

I don't track them to the T. I know around about how much I eat and it's around 800 a day. Sometimes 1000, sometimes 600. And I'm 77 kg and 5'8. My bmi is 27.30 but should be around 22. I'm also 21 years old.

If you are 77kg and you dropped 8kg in 4 weeks, and your doctor applauded this behavior, I would find a different doctor, perhaps one that cares about your best interests.

You need to increase your calories. I would start by doubling them. Choose calorie dense foods to help make this happen. Have a bowl of ice cream (srs).

psych101

wow, 800 calories is like my breakfast

RNMDFF

It depends on your body. When I was eating 800 cals a day. I felt like my muscles were so tired all of the time but that got better when I upped my calories. Some can eat 2500 calories a day and be ok same with easting 800. It's up to you. and as long as you feel good you are probably fine

LabRat529

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00616

I'm just gonna start posting this every time someone asks if they're getting enough calories

Pretty solid info for everyone there. The Mayo Clinic is one of the best in the States. Their website is one of my favorites for getting great medical info written so that a non-medical person can understand.

Good luck.

hottottie11

It depends on your body. When I was eating 800 cals a day. I felt like my muscles were so tired all of the time but that got better when I upped my calories. Some can eat 2500 calories a day and be ok same with easting 800. It's up to you. and as long as you feel good you are probably fine

^^NO adult human is supposed to live off of 800 calories...a two year old needs 1000. But hey, they're an adult, when their weight loss stalls, I hope they consider eating more and begin thinking about their health more than how fast the number drops on the scale.

KarlieAlinta

Okay thanks so much to everyone who answered! I've decided to try and up my intake even if I feel like I'm forcing myself. I'm doing this to be healthy and the last thing I want to do is damage it! I'm just going to start with adding almonds to my diet to get the calories up without filling myself up to much. If anyone has any suggestions as to what I could eat that would be great but once again thanks everyone! And thanks for not being so judgmental or confrontational too

LabRat529

Oh... and this is the most relevant part, quoted from the website that I linked below. I quote:

Very low calorie diets. These diets drastically cut your daily calorie intake, usually allowing you between 400 and 800 calories a day. These are sometimes called modified fasts because your food intake is so low and because they're generally liquid diets. Your doctor may recommend a very low calorie diet if you need to lose weight quickly before a medical procedure or if you have serious health problems because of obesity. Don't try a very low calorie diet on your own. You need close monitoring by your health care team to avoid complications and to make sure you're meeting your nutritional requirements.

gleechick609

7 years ago, I was on a 800 calorie diet through high school in order to lose weight fast. I ended up DESTROYING my thyroid and reproductive system.

It isn't worth it. Up your calorie intake, eat higher calorie/higher protein foods.

dastockton

Ultra low-cal diets can seriously backfire. Once your body decides its "starving" (not you being hungry, but outright dieing from low nutrition) it will slow your metabolism down to a crawl to protect itself. Without the calories to sustain itself it will impact your workouts then cannibalize to muscle tissue to survive which will reduce muscle mass that will slow metabolism even more=vicious circle.

Feed yourself the right things. Low carb veggies, complex carbs, lean meats, healthy oils. Make sure it's enough so you aren't hungry, and aren't stuffed-just nice and comfortable. Be sure you aren't undermining all your efforts by trying to do too much as fast as possible!

Helloitsdan

Beating the BMR horse!
Dont eat below BMR.
Youll do less damage to your body eating a whole pizza and slugging down a barrel of coke!

sunnyzephyr

Ultra low-cal diets can seriously backfire. Once your body decides its "starving" (not you being hungry, but outright dieing from low nutrition) it will slow your metabolism down to a crawl to protect itself. Without the calories to sustain itself it will impact your workouts then cannibalize to muscle tissue to survive which will reduce muscle mass that will slow metabolism even more=vicious circle.

Feed yourself the right things. Low carb veggies, complex carbs, lean meats, healthy oils. Make sure it's enough so you aren't hungry, and aren't stuffed-just nice and comfortable. Be sure you aren't undermining all your efforts by trying to do too much as fast as possible!

^Exactly. Eating so few calories will just make your body store everything you ingest and therefore lose no weight, and possibly gain it. It's probably not good to force yourself to eat if you are full, so instead I would suggest finding a food that is higher in calories, but still small in portion. That way you aren't stuffing yourself, but you are giving your body enough calories to sustain itself. If this diet IS causing you to lose weight, then you are probably not eating the right foods. There are a lot of foods that we consider healthy, like salad and celery, that have very little nutritional value.

sleepytexan

Eye-opening read: Living With Obesity At 700 Calories Per Day!

Take a look, even though you are not obese. This article shows how people manage to stay overweight despite eating an overall extremely low cal diet. Long-term, this combined with occasional binges actually makes people gain. beware.

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

good luck.

kandrews24

Lack of appetite is a sign of a slowed metabolism. Are you still losing weight? Is that your goal? Try taking it up to 1,000 daily and see what happens.