1000 calories or less a day

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Replies

  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    I feel fantastic - and since I'm not dead or feeling ANY ill effects, including hunger, I would say I can survive on exactly what I am consuming - maybe you or anyone else could not but that's the beauty of us all - we're all different and finding what works for you is the key - how about a little support instead of telling me to eat more! It never ceases to surprise me how snarky people can be when they have anonymity and the safety of sitting at home behind a computer screen! And I have quite a few doc friends who live the same lifestyle as I do and don't get crazy about the 1200 calories minimum a day - why do you even care what someone else does? I am not hurting anyone just a little plug for Primal since its pretty munched changed my life!
    Heck, HCG proponents don't hurt anyone either...............they just want to plug their diets in too.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member

    and some people just want to tear down whatever your diet or lifestyle is because it's not the same as theirs or what they believe in! Jesus people, to each their own, what works for you is awesome for you and the same for me! peace love and sugar free lollipops! lmao

    We are "tearing" down fad diets because most of us have "been there and done that." Ever think that some of us are trying to save you the hassle of what can be expected in the long run?? But, do as you wish. One day, you will see your doctor for routine blood work and s/he will tell you that you need to see an endocrinologist because your thyroid panel is too low. You can thank the 1000 calorie diet, Primal and HGC diet for it! :wink:
  • Excellent post. I'm so glad you wrote about your experience.

    I've existed on really painfully low diets. I'm ashamed to admit though that - in the past - I've happily indulged in a daily intake of less than 900. Did I suffer for it? Yes. In many ways and the effects were not all immediate.

    Extreme dieting felt right. I accepted it and the horrible consequences too. It just became normal.

    And then I got stressed. I became an adult. Started eating out every other week, having a few drinks with the girls. My once a week 'treat' of vodka and diet coke (too much of it) and my bi-weekly treat of a meal out didn't stop me from being 'good' the rest of the time. But I started gaining weight. Fast. In a year I gained 5st.

    I moved to London and lived with an aunt and uncle. I was pretty much bound to their existing eating habits, which made me feel physically sick at the time. Why on earth would I want to eat brown toast and beans for breakfast? What did I need lunch for? How was I going to start losing weight again?

    I went into panic, but there wasn't much I could do other than escape every meal and that was never going to happen, so I joined a gym. But at 18st, that wasn't fun although it was my last resort(!). Within about 9 months, I'd lost the 5st I gained, started to really love going to the gym and began some sort of good relationship with food.

    I maintained for a while after that, then lost another stone. In my final year of uni, I got stressed again, obsessed and started to cut back on calories, drastically. I gained 2st. I started my business, did well, managed to eat normally - I mean, probably closer to 1500 cals - and got more movement into my life again and lost 1st. 3yrs later my business started to fold, I got stressed and the only thing left for me to control was my food. So I chose not to eat breakfast or dinner.

    I had memory loss, frequent blackouts - some of which I didn't even remember, I'd get exhausted and deny it, because it felt normal...and then I complained to the doctor about almost drowning in the bath because I kept falling asleep. Stupidly I didn't think this had anything to do with the low level of calories I was eating.

    My doctor (of 25yrs) told me to change my lifestyle - including my eating habits - or expect to die in the bath, black out and fall down some stairs or face some other uncertain but nasty fatality.

    I now eat between 1300-1500 cals per day (recommended 1200 but I eat some of my exercise calories too). Sometimes I feel guilty, but then I look at what I've eaten, the things I've made in the kitchen from scratch and the exercise I've done and I remind myself that I DO have control, but in a different way now.

    I'm not saying 'don't do this' or 'don't do that'. I'm saying...listen to your body and don't forget what normal feels like. You can't defy your own body.
  • Lissakaye81
    Lissakaye81 Posts: 224 Member
    I remember reading an interview with a supermodel, sorry cant remember her name, she is still alive, was big during the reign of Naomi cambell, Linda evangelist, when George micheal did his freedom video. Anyway she lived off some insanely low calorie "diet" for many years of her career. Then after retireing she started eating a little more, and suffered I think 3 heart attacks. Didn't even know she had had the 1st one till a few days later too. Well come to find out her diet for so long had caused horrible damage to her heart. So many years later her bad lifestyle choices were literally killing her.
  • Lissakaye81
    Lissakaye81 Posts: 224 Member
    Here's one model http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/fashion/Carre-Otis.html She did a lot of drugs that contribute too. But look @ heart problems among certain groups expected to stay thin like ballerinas, super models, gymnasts, figure skater, race jockeys, you will see an astonishing trend among heart health and VLCDs
  • thank you for sharing your story.
  • BlaireV
    BlaireV Posts: 137
    Thank you for sharing this. I hope and pray you will soon feel comfortable eating above 1000. You ate <1000 for so long so of course it's going to feel wrong or weird when you eat more. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like some more support :) xo
  • Malaika946
    Malaika946 Posts: 107 Member
    Thank you for sharing. Good luck on the weight loss journey. Be strong you can do it!
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    I've heard of all these arguments from "pro" dieters of every type in the market place. People will do what they think is right for them regardless what science may show.
    Here's what science will show you. If you don't eat enough calories to sustain your bodies functions (and your body will dictate that not you) it will learn to cope by doing what it needs to survive. To reserve energy, it will "rid" itself of calorie expending tissue and this will usually be lean muscle.
    Macroutrients are great. Some will depress hormone production ghrelin which will also depress appetite. But having no appetite doesn't mean you DON'T need the calories. Anorexics emphatically will state that they are never hungry.
    Keep it real. Don't undertake a diet just to lose weight. Diets don't work. Adopt a lifestyle that you know you can live with the rest of your life. I eat junkfood and processed foods. I eat high calorie foods. All in moderation with the assurance that I get in all my essentials first, and also that I get in exercise and plenty of rest. Doing it this way has kept my weight within 10lbs for the last 25 years and kept it enjoyable. I view life as one to be enjoyed and not just to systematically consume foods that are only good for you. Heck it that's all it took, then NO ONE who eats perfect should ever have any disease or illness, but we all know that's not the case.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    :heart: :heart: :heart:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I recently switched (2 weeks ago) to the Primal lifestyle and although my calorie goal on here is 1200 without trying, just by sticking to Primal I find I am around 900 calories almost every day and I feel fantastic - Primal doesn't focus on calories but I track them on here because I like to stay accountable as to what I am eating and have a general clue as to my nutrient breakdown. I think it all depends on your body and lifestyle and what works for you - if I felt deprived or like I was starving myself I would NEVER be able to stick to it. I know that from years and years of experience. it's not about calories it's about overall balance. I'm a nurse practitioner so believe me if I felt like my body wasn't right I'd abort mission on Primal - but so far I never felt better and never fell into an easier lifestyle change for ME.

    You are on the Skinny-Fat diet!
    Awesome!

    #truth
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
    Thank you, OP and SublimelyMe, for sharing your stories. I wish you both the best and I'm sorry some VLC advocates felt the need to come in here and trash the discussion. You're both very brave for sharing your experience and for confronting the issue in your lives and working to correct it.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    I eat between 1200 and 1500 cals a day regularly. I just make sure I get all my nutrients in doing so. Healthy fats. potassium. Vitamins. Fiber. Been dropping fat %, waist, and increasing weights/tone. Im also probably much larger :) 191lbs atm. Feel pretty damn good once I adjusted to ketones. Jobs physically demanding, too.

    Helps if you research a bit and look at foods as more than just high or low cals.

    I will say this, though. When i do eat closer to maintenance, My performance increases quicker and I recover faster from workouts.

    Maintenance or excess well. Just gets nuts, energy wise :) But of course, I dont lose any fat... which is the point of the deficit to begin with. When Im done, course ill just adjust my protein to carb/fat ratios to hit maintenance. And eat better foods :D mm cheerios and oatmeal...
    No human should be consuming less than 1500 calories a day. Your metabolism and hormone levels are so out of wack it's not even funny. All this for what? So you can lose weight fast?

    Read my post on what happened to me when I underate. I have the number backing me up. Oh and by the way, I was eating on average 2000-2100 calories a day and I still lost muscle.

    Get luck with your muscle gaining goals in 2012.
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
    Thank you OP for sharing your story...
    it takes a lot for someone to admit and share something like that...
    its unfortunate that people decided to have this disagreement on your post :(
    I wish you all the best in your jouney to better yourself
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    Thanks everyone for their input :)

    To those who thanked me - you're welcome, I'm glad you found it interesting :)

    To those defending their 1000 cals or less - I get you. Firstly, most obviously, I understand why you defended yourself, because for all I said I wasn't deliberately saying "Don't do it", that was kind of the moral of the story, so I can see why people defended themselves :) I think one of my main points in this, though, was choice. Someone said they felt fantastic, and if they didn't they wouldn't do it. Well, that is a good attitude, my point though was I had done it for so long I felt I *didn't* have the choice not to go on. Under 1000 cals works for you - ok. But I'm telling you, it ain't working for me. And because I've done it so long, I felt like it was the only option. I am not in a position right now to say, "this isn't working, I'll increase to 1200+". If *you* can do it, shrug it off, say "I can't maintain this any more" (should you ever feel like that), and simply increase then that's a good thing. But it isn't easy for everyone to have that approach.

    Not going to comment on the science of it all, I'm not qualified and, as someone else said, my own emotions get in the way. I did jump a little when someone said "I'm not dead", because it mirrored what I said in my original post, but I took the point. I would, however, agree with the guy that said "a calorie isn't a nutrient". I think (with all the confidence of someone who very clearly hasn't got a clue!) that it's all very well to get all your nutrients, but if you haven't got the energy to do anything *with* those nutrients, it might not work so well. But I don't know, I barely understand my own body!

    Only thing I would say from some of these posts - be careful when you're talking to someone with an eating disorder - telling them most people underestimate their calories by 20% might not be the way to go. To be honest, it's put the fear of God into me, and for someone who struggles more than I do, it might push them over the edge. I might be getting better managing this whole thing, but even though I feel more positive, I could have done without that information. I appreciate you weren't trying to scare me, but when people write on here about eating disorders, it might do well to remember that particular bit of information might upset people and set them back.

    With regards to "feeling full" - personally, I've stopped judging my hunger on feeling full. I don't recognise hunger signs so well any more, but I can say I never feel like I have an empty stomach. A lot of the time I either feel full, or I just feel "non hungry". A while ago I posted on here about high calorie snacks to up my intake - I did that because I am no where near hungry enough to get my calories up with an extra meal. It's why I often have a spoonful of peanut butter - I couldn't eat any more than that right now!

    I think one of the keys in all of this is knowing your body. I won't tell the people on here who eat less than 1000 cals that they are "doing it wrong", but I'll tell you I did it wrong. And if you ever feel like you need to increase and you go ahead and increase with no drama, then I'm glad for you :)

    Anyway, I *think* I've responded to most points! Thanks again to everyone who shared their stories <3
  • ltlemermaid
    ltlemermaid Posts: 637 Member
    Thank you for posting and sharing your story--you are very strong and will make it :) I'm glad to hear of the positive/healthy changes you are making.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    and some people just want to tear down whatever your diet or lifestyle is because it's not the same as theirs or what they believe in people, to each their own, what works for you is awesome for you and the same for me! peace love and sugar free lollipops! lmao
    All diets "work" to lose weight. You'll find many testimonials from successful people who did it. What's hard to find are people who DON'T gain weight back (maybe 20% who successfully completed it won't) after reintroducing non diet food back to their daily regimen.
    It's not like I don't have experience in this category. I have DAILY experience with numerous individuals who have had their battles and sitting down and talking with all of them, the story is usually the same. They lost, they restricted, they abstained, they regained, and now they are seeing me.
    If you can sustain that way of life, then cudos to you. I would say only about handful of people out of 100 could sustain a diet that restrictive and the point of this site is to provide lifestyle changes that people KNOW that they could do to maintain their achieved goals.
    What would be great is to see you here a year later still doing the same.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    O_delaisse, thank you so much for your post.

    I could have written a lot of it myself. In fact.. I did! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    I'm on the other side now. I was an under-eater years ago, stopped and gained weight, and now lost weight in a healthy way. I'm maintaining at around 2100 calories now.

    You're at such an exciting time right now... You're going to kick this way of eating and thinking, and feel and look better than you ever could have imagined. :heart:
  • angiebarker
    angiebarker Posts: 127
    I recently switched (2 weeks ago) to the Primal lifestyle and although my calorie goal on here is 1200 without trying, just by sticking to Primal I find I am around 900 calories almost every day and I feel fantastic - Primal doesn't focus on calories but I track them on here because I like to stay accountable as to what I am eating and have a general clue as to my nutrient breakdown. I think it all depends on your body and lifestyle and what works for you - if I felt deprived or like I was starving myself I would NEVER be able to stick to it. I know that from years and years of experience. it's not about calories it's about overall balance. I'm a nurse practitioner so believe me if I felt like my body wasn't right I'd abort mission on Primal - but so far I never felt better and never fell into an easier lifestyle change for ME.
    How you feel doesn't change the laws of science. People in comas are fed more calories than 900. You better start eating now. Oh and it's all about calories. That's like saying, a car is not about gasoline.

    read about Primal before you comment - I feel no different at those calories and I am getting plenty of nutrients and no processed crap! you don't need half the calories you think you do - and I work in critical care - people incomes get more calories because they are sick and their bodies are fighting to survive which requires more calories - I have no weakness, dizziness, tiredness, in fact I have never had more energy so thanks but no thanks to more calories! and correct if I'm wrong but these forums are about support and communicating what works for each of us because we're all different - don't preach to me, just communicating what has worked for me - maybe it will make someone interested in Primal who has never heard about it - just happy I finally found something that works for my body and lifestyle hope you have too!



    I have heard of primal. I was also anorexic and bulimic for years. I felt great eating under a thousand calories a day though my problem came in when i became too focused on not eating. Primal at least seems like your eating something just remember you need to get the correct vitamins and minerals or you will become sick. good luck
  • Jambe
    Jambe Posts: 58 Member
    Nah man. My hormone levels are even better than when I first began my dieting and exercise 8 months ago when I weighed 150 lbs more. Resting heart rate is low. 42-45 (doc asked how much I exercise ;) Said I should write a book. Haha. I can actually lift more weight now than when I weighed 341. Can run a 5k in 18mins.So. Yeah. Oh and fat loss is pretty steady. Still. Over 1b a week. Fat. Lean mass has been .1 or so. around 90%/10% ratio. Pretty good huh? Oh, i have numbers to back me up too. But I wont bother to post them. But I will say I have them. To make my point stronger~ hee.

    About metabolism. There are these things you do called refeeds to combat it. Like I said- read a bit before attempting it. I use these refeed days to maintain/excess and get my levels back on track and schedule them basically on days Where im out or with family eating. The workout after a refeed is always nuts :D At least 2-3 day period within 14 or so days of 12-1500 cals.
    These workouts counter the lbm loss from catabolism . Dont wait too long between refeeds.

    Not sure what primal is- but I know what nutrients are. And how much I need. Potassium was the hardest. I had to get a prescription from the doc. Those 100mg from the store just dont cut it. Everything with potassium is either expensive or high in carbs. Some days I dont feel like eating a lb of spinach/brocolli.Yeah im gonna pay for a gallon of unsweetened milk. Every day to hit potassium? Insurance covers these prescription for much less :)

    Oh. Also. Just as an idea. Most people I work with were amazed how fast I changed and how much energy/good mood I had while doing it. Usually people dieting and restricting feel **** or look pretty miserable and are grumpy.
    I also know how to transition properly from rfl to maintenance/bulk. So. That helps. Basically just add 1500 cals in fat/carbs. Mostly fat. There was 2months in my 8 months where I just maintained at 220. Too much good **** to eat during xmas and new years and thanksgiving. I can most definitely still eat and cause losses at a buffet ;)

    Tldr- My physician says perfect health. Cardio/ Endurance and strength better than ever in my life. Only con seems to be that I sink in the pool now. Baha.
  • SeasideOasis
    SeasideOasis Posts: 1,057 Member
    Which is exactly why I said that I simply do not agree that all people must stay above 1200 calories. I have eaten like that for several years...in high school. Then I got a boyfriend and we ate out a lot and went to college together. I got up to 234 at my heaviest. Then we broke up and I lost weight.

    My point is, that back in high school, I wasn't actively trying to keep my calories under 900. It just happened. I ate the same thing everyday because it was what I liked, what I could afford, and I didn't feel bad back then. Not physically. But it wasn't very healthy food. It was pre-packaged, over salted and high in fat, if not calories.

    I was very self concious though. at the beginning of highshcool at at about 5'4" I weighed 214 and never was able to shake the idea of myself as being "heavy".

    Did you 'track' in high school? I know I sure as heck didn't. I've ready what you said and couldnt disagree with you more. Do you realize how many calories are in half of those bags of chips and other 'high school' foods? I think you need to stop comparing yourself to the 'high school' you and start getting yourself to the 'adult you'.

    Children and adults need DIFFERENT things. How you workout also makes a HUGE difference in what the body needs. I've started lifting more in the last few weeks. If I dont get enough protein, I feel like hell. When I was younger, I could live off of pizza and pasta without gaining an ounce.

    I ALSO gained weight sticking to a 1200 calorie diet. 10 pounds last year. I started eating 2400 calories and lifting and have lost three and look better than I did at 1200 already....Proof is in the putting and mu muscle tone is amazing and beautiful. Maybe I wont have the flattest stomach in the land, but I'll be toned and healthy as my weight goes down.
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    Thanks for the info re. re-feeds, very interesting and something I'll keep in mind :)
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    Look into CRON...

    It's not about the calories but the nutrition!

    Calories is the energy used in the food, but what about nutrient dense food? I tell you what, most of these veggies bought in packs, most of these meats you buy aren't even close to how much nutrients they had in them 10 or 15yrs ago, let alone 100!

    It's quite easy to maintain under 1000 if you try CRON...

    And you won't ever feel hungry, and you will be perfectly fine.

    On other hand, sure, what your describing is what happens in malnutrition. That happens when you don't eat a lot AND don't get the nutrients you need. Calories is NOT a nutrient, it's what we measure the energy in food by. People live on fruitarian diets and are fine! And that is going to be a lot less calories than what normally should be having, but it works!

    And as an EDIT: Look how much nutrition courses have actually changed since like 20/30yrs ago... Not much at all... Our food has become worst, we are gaining weight more and more because of the bad quality of food we now get, but still use outdated nutrition training courses. Before anyone complains, I got a team of personal trainers who help me for my races, doctors and medical and they all say what I'm doing is fine as it is working and my blood work/VO2 max etc are improving and/or maintaining within healthy parameters.

    So no, I won't buy into this calories matter bull. A team of medical specialists, sports nutritionalists and trainers can't be wrong compared to someone who is just studying the field only now.

    I followed CRON blogs a few years ago and the people eat 1000-1400 calories per day, forever, instead of just short term. Most the girls eat about 1400 a day, some lower. The average person is supposed to eat 2000 calories per day, CR people eat less than that but not under 1000. I'm sick of seeing people say HEY WHAT ABOUT CRON when people mention eating below 1000 calories as a way of life. Just NO, stop the misinformation.
  • caroleslaststand
    caroleslaststand Posts: 176 Member
    Perhaps. It's also a cold hard fact that the majority of people, even with measuring underestimate their calories by approximately 20%. Look it up. I'm sure you'll find it somewhere.

    I ate junk in highschool, but I kept my calorie count low....800 calories approximately, per day. I was also on Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and followed their diets for several months to a "t' and gained. So who's right?

    If you're logging your food and letting the website do all the math, I doubt that the margin of error is as high as 20%. It's when you're totally in charge of figuring it out for yourself that error will definitely figure in. This whole debate between people who are hung up on starving themselves and those who want to save them from future grief is like watching a train headed for a wreck while people watch from the sidelines helplessly (they aren't going to listen to us, so we have to let them learn on their own). I'm older than most of you and well educated and yes, it is all true. Work out and EAT nutrition dense food - it's more about the quality of food and calories burned. I completely understand how it can be hard to eat all the calories and I don't get obsessive about hitting the max. I still find it amazing that I can eat 2,000+ calories a day and still lose weight, but it is true AND I am only 5 feet tall.

    IF you have trouble letting go of the urge to starve on a low calorie diet, please see a therapist. You may need help with a tendency toward Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I've had to live with this my whole life and recognize that it often leads me astray trying to cling to perfection and extreme behaviors that I think will allow me to be perfect. I've lost in excess of 100 lb twice (160lb the first time). No matter how successful I've been whenever I lost weight I always gain it back and more and I did always lose the weight by undereating. The 160lb loss happened with a lot of healthy eating and exercise, but the lack of calories just destroyed me over the years and and half it took to lose 160lbs. I too ate about 1000 calories a day.
  • caroleslaststand
    caroleslaststand Posts: 176 Member
    Perhaps. It's also a cold hard fact that the majority of people, even with measuring underestimate their calories by approximately 20%. Look it up. I'm sure you'll find it somewhere.

    I ate junk in highschool, but I kept my calorie count low....800 calories approximately, per day. I was also on Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and followed their diets for several months to a "t' and gained. So who's right?

    If you're logging your food and letting the website do all the math, I doubt that the margin of error is as high as 20%. It's when you're totally in charge of figuring it out for yourself that error will definitely figure in. This whole debate between people who are hung up on starving themselves and those who want to save them from future grief is like watching a train headed for a wreck while people watch from the sidelines helplessly (they aren't going to listen to us, so we have to let them learn on their own). I'm older than most of you and well educated and yes, it is all true. Work out and EAT nutrition dense food - it's more about the quality of food and calories burned. I completely understand how it can be hard to eat all the calories and I don't get obsessive about hitting the max. I still find it amazing that I can eat 2,000+ calories a day and still lose weight, but it is true AND I am only 5 feet tall.

    IF you have trouble letting go of the urge to starve on a low calorie diet, please see a therapist. You may need help with a tendency toward Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I've had to live with this my whole life and recognize that it often leads me astray trying to cling to perfection and extreme behaviors that I think will allow me to be perfect. I've lost in excess of 100 lb twice (160lb the first time). No matter how successful I've been whenever I lost weight I always gain it back and more and I did always lose the weight by undereating. The 160lb loss happened with a lot of healthy eating and exercise, but the lack of calories just destroyed me over the years and and half it took to lose 160lbs. I too ate about 1000 calories a day.

    I forgot to mention that I am now faced with the need to drop about 200 lb. - when you're five feet tall that's 2 extra people. two...
  • ahipsher
    ahipsher Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks for your post. <3

    I completely understand about the binge eating and feeling the need to starve yourself in the days after.
    I really struggled with bulimia for years, and it stemmed from this need to stay under a certain calorie goal. Like you, I shot for about 1,000 calories a day. Anytime I went over, I REALLY went over. I would eat everything in sight until I felt uncomfortably full, and then I would be consumed with an overwhelming guilt for what I saw as gluttonous behavior.
    So I would go to the bathroom, turn on the vent and the shower head so my roommates wouldn't hear me, and I would purge. The food inside of me felt "evil," and I had to get it out.
    But I wasn't thin while I was at my worst - far from it. I was about 50lbs heavier because I wasn't exercising, and because of the cycle of starvation, binge, purge, my body was in full survival mode and held onto each and every calorie I ate.

    I'm better now. I've gotten help. I have a very loving and supportive family.
    Oh, and I'm a healthy weight now too.

    And like you, my muscle tone is also abysmal. ):
  • hararayne
    hararayne Posts: 261 Member
    Perhaps. It's also a cold hard fact that the majority of people, even with measuring underestimate their calories by approximately 20%. Look it up. I'm sure you'll find it somewhere.

    I ate junk in highschool, but I kept my calorie count low....800 calories approximately, per day. I was also on Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and followed their diets for several months to a "t' and gained. So who's right?

    Hey there.

    Wanna know why you gained on 800 calories a day? Why you gain every time you eat a normal diet of 1500 calories?

    Read this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    I didn't gain on 800. On 800 calories a day (approx) I lost weight. I lost well over 30 lbs.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Thank you for sharing!
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
    bump
  • Tattoos_and_Tea
    Tattoos_and_Tea Posts: 529 Member
    Thank you SO much for this post. I too was eating under 1000 calories a day (typically 800 calories a day) as I thought that reducing my food intake would make me lose weight, which it did but not in a healthy way. Since upping my calories I have discovered I have more energy, i'm not as cold and, strangly enough, I actually have an appetite. I had convinced myself that bad things would happen and that I would gain weight if I ate over 1000 calories a day but you know what, it hasnt, eating 1200 calories a day has changed my life for the better. Your post is inspirational hun. Thank you for sharing your story x
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
    i did 900 a day for a big chunk of the largest part of my weight loss. i wouldn't recommend it. i lost fat and muscle, and it took me a couple years to get back to the point where my metabolism was decent.

    i get the sentiment of the post, though. once you do something, you feel like that is where the bar is set and that you have to keep hitting the post. it has kind of happened with me when it comes to cardio on the weekends. i feel like i am slacking if i don't do as many minutes as the weekend before. since i do eat a little extra on those days, i suppose it's not that serious of a problem. but if something else comes up and i can't get the time in, i feel guilty.

    anyway, for the weight loss part of the diet, i'd probably go at least 1,200 (or more, depending on your height / weight / etc.) lose the weight at a reasonable pace, and with exercise.
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I must say, I worry about my metabolism. It can't be good, so I'm pretty freaked that I'll be gaining soon. Will just have to see, I suppose...
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