Eating 500 calories and BMR .

susannamarie

People are trying to help by reinforcing the statement that 500 net calories is a bad, bad idea, since you didn't listen to the first few.
That is why you keep hearing it. People waste their time posting, not just for you, but for anyone else who begins and thinks it's a good idea and reads the thread.

Summary: Eat at least 1200 net. The weight loss will be slower, but your health will be better, your skin will be better, and you'll be more likely to stick to the diet.

PlanetVelma

Actually you answered a question with a question and then were all negative and I value all opinions of those who want to help I am starting to try to loose weight and for this reason I am asking questions to help me and this is what this forum is for I am not trying to have people support a specific diet just give me there experiences and knowledge like I said previously if you don't have something nice or different to say why waste your time posting

I don't see how their questions were "rude". I don't see anything wrong w/ answering your questions w/ more questions. They were curious, not rude (IMO).

suziecue66

I don't think its so detrimental to eat 1000 calories and you are supervised by your doctor. You have plenty of fat stores.
Many people lose weight rapidly without any issues and it keeps them motivated.
So keep doing what is working. Don't ask in a forum about calories as people get very adamant about calories.

scarticia

I have read everyone's posts but my question was never answered until after a few posts later. I never asked if a 500 cal diet was good for me obviously that is a given this is why I am searching for something different and eventually more long term that is why I wanted to learn about others exeperiences with BMR and the weightloss difference between them I am not going to make this a battleground so. I Won't comment back on anything else I consider rude and offensive. However I still appreciate those who are trying to answer my question and help

jbg5889

Isn't the reason your body stores the fat in the first place so it can use it in times of calorie deficit? I'm not sure why this would be so harmful, it is what your body is made to do.

Coco_Puff

If you starve your body this way your body will not have a firm healthy look when you're done. Losing weight this way eats away at your muscle. Eating more and losing at a slower pace will give you tighter skin! Plus feeding your muscle with increase your metabolism, which will have your body working like a fat burning machine!!! That's the way to go!!!

scarticia

That's what I thought to I mean I need to loose the "stored fat" and more lol but I want to have a plan in progress for when I reach a lower weight and want to make my weight stable idk I'm still confused

susannamarie

Isn't the reason your body stores the fat in the first place so it can use it in times of calorie deficit? I'm not sure why this would be so harmful, it is what your body is made to do.

While that's true, if the deficit is too high it starts using the muscle as well, and you'll get a much higher percentage of muscle lost. This is because it takes a lot more to maintain muscle than fat, so if a severe famine is coming your body is better off eating a lot of muscle first to reduce caloric requirements, and then using the fat.

scarticia

Will it still eat muscle even though I am working out, I was under the impression that one contradicts the other

susannamarie

It doesn't completely counteract it -- not with a 2000 calorie deficit.

jbg5889

And eating a balanced diet with enough protien and carbs should help.

FitLink

Thanks for the calculations i work out 7 days a week right now I burn around 500 just doing cardio. I just had my BMR checked at the gym today and it was 2017.

If your math is better than hers, why have you not noticed that your own numbers don't add up? If you lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks, you have a daily calorie deficit of 2500 calories. You're eating 1000. That means you burn 3500 calories per day. You say your BMR is around 2000, and your exercise at the gym burns 500. That leaves 1000 calories for you regular daily activities. That seems like a lot. I suspect you have lost a bit of water in addition to a few pounds, but I don't believe you have lost 15 pounds of fat. All I, and others on this thread, are saying is this is not a really good way to lose weight if you'd like it to be permanent.

NoAdditives

I am 29 years old, I am 5'9 and weigh 269 lbs. My BMR is 2017. I started a diet 3 weeks ago and have lost 15 pounds so far. I am eating around 1000 calories a day and burning at least 500 calories at the gym alone. So my net calorie intake is 500 per day. I would like to know will I loose more weight eating more or should I continue on. I am doing well, not starving but I am trying to find the most rapid weight loss possible. I just can't seem to grasp that if I eat 500 less according to my BMR I would be eating around 2000 calories a day and that seems like a huge amount? Any info or experiences with this would be greatly appreciated.

500 calories is what an average newborn consumes. My almost 3 month old is consuming about 600 calories a day. My toddler and preschooler need roughly 1000 calories per day. Do you really think you can properly nourish your body on 500 net calories a day? It's not rocket science, I don't understand why people find this so hard to understand. EAT!

CMmrsfloyd

Will it still eat muscle even though I am working out, I was under the impression that one contradicts the other

The key to maintaining as much muscle mass as possible is working out (using resistance and lifting weights, preferrably heavy ones) and having a *moderate* caloric deficit. You can expect to lose some muscle mass during the weightloss, that's common. The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely you are to lose a larger amount of muscle.

FitLink

Will it still eat muscle even though I am working out, I was under the impression that one contradicts the other

Yes, it will still burn muscle, as muscle is easier than fat to convert to energy. This is why you need to provide at least 1200 calories net. Because these calories will be easier to burn than muscle and you fuel your workouts. The idea that your body burns fat whenever you have a caloric deficit is mistaken. In times of extreme famine, like you artificially produce when you eat too little, you body stores more fat and burns muscle in preference to fat. This often leads to damage to the heart, which is muscle. It also leads to nerve and organ damage.

ashnm88

Thank you all for your responses I understand that it is a small amount of calories but right now it's working and I feel so much better than I did 3 weeks ago. I am at a point of being so heavy that the benefits out way the risks for me. Yes ultimately I want to loose weight while being healthy but I also can't only loose 4 pounds a month as opposed to a week. I have read articles that consuming 500 less than your BMR drops more pounds than the 500 calorie diet so my question remains would i Loose more weight eating the 2000 calories a day than my net of 500?

You need to eat more. You will eventually put yourself into worse health from a lack of nutrients. Increase your calories to what MFP recommends. Losing weight slowly is the best way to keep it off for life.

megsmom2

Please listen to what these folks are saying...they are the voice of experience and really are t
rying to help you. We all want the very best for you and don't want you to hurt yourself. That's why they're saying things you don't seem to want to hear. It does seem counterintuitve to do it this way....but it works, and in the long run is better for your health

FitLink

Will it still eat muscle even though I am working out, I was under the impression that one contradicts the other

Yes, it will still burn muscle, as muscle is easier than fat to convert to energy. This is why you need to provide at least 1200 calories net. Because these calories will be easier to burn than muscle and you fuel your workouts. The idea that your body burns fat whenever you have a caloric deficit is mistaken. In times of extreme famine, like you artificially produce when you eat too little, you body stores more fat and burns muscle in preference to fat. This often leads to damage to the heart, which is muscle. It also leads to nerve and organ damage.

BTW, you are nowhere near obese enough that the risks of obesity outweigh the risks of a 500 cal/day net.

cressievargo

You know who else eats about 500 calories/day?
Babies. The new born kind.

THIS!!

A jar of stage 2 baby food has 100 calories (roughly). My 7 mo old eats 2 -3 of those daily, plus cereal, plus formula....
so he's eating more than you....and he weighs 17 lbs.

Sorry if that's "stating the obvious" but seriously - 269 is not that big. I weigh 233 right now and there's no way in h*ll I'd eat that low of calories. I *HAVE* met with a nutritionist and my daily calories are 1500 net (which means I generally eat more than that when I exercise). I've lost 21 lbs since January 1 - which is pretty good.

You can do it any way you want - but statistically you are setting yourself up for failure. That type of diet is NOT sustainable.

blandwriter

There are a lot of math whizzes around. I'm not one of them, but, as someone with a lot to lose (when I started, about 200 pounds), I can relate to anyone who is looking for a quick solution.

Some doctors are more aggressive than others when it comes to weight, I guess. My own doctor suggested I try South Beach. And, he added, and I'm quoting, "At this point, it's just baby steps." I supposed he could have suggested I do a medically supervised fast. Or have gastric bypass surgery. I am borderline diabetic, and I have a serious kidney disorder.

But his suggestion really involved education. And I needed to listen, because I have done many diets--low calorie, low carb, Weight Watchers, and eat anything I want as long as I binge on exercise. I even had a nutritionist suggest I eat four cups of cooked vegetables a day because it would "rest" my thyroid. (Which, in retrospect, makes me laugh, and I couldn't eat a green bean for about four years.)

I'm being careful with this whole process, because I need to eat this way forever. It's not worth it to me personally to have a rapid weight loss only to gain it back...again. My own opinion is to focus on education (which is why you asked, right?) and to keep your eye on the long view, establishing good habits that you can enjoy and pass on to your family and that will help lead you to a healthier lifestyle in the long run.