Doctor set me on a diet of 1200 cals?!?!
himel13
Posts: 146 Member
I'm so confused! I've been doing the reset and have about 2.5 weeks to go before my cut. Went to the endocrinologist and she told me to stick to 1200 calories and exercise 5-6 times a week! This can't be right..1200 is below my BMR..and with exercise I'll net below 1000. She said my test reports are fine and I'm not hypothyroid. I'm only 10 kg (22 pounds) over my 'ideal' weight for my height (I'm 5'1", 130 pounds). But she said that the symptoms I have (endless fatigue, pain in my knees and ankles etc) are due to the extra weight and that I need to work to lose it.
I don't know what to do. This doesn't sound right. But she IS a specialist. And any time I've been to a doctor here in Bangladesh, they all say I need to lose weight.
She's given me medication. I'm thinking maybe I should just take the medicine and stick to my plans with EM2WL. Or not?
Advice anyone, please!!
I don't know what to do. This doesn't sound right. But she IS a specialist. And any time I've been to a doctor here in Bangladesh, they all say I need to lose weight.
She's given me medication. I'm thinking maybe I should just take the medicine and stick to my plans with EM2WL. Or not?
Advice anyone, please!!
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Replies
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Dr's are fantastic resources for our health, BUT in my own personal experience, weight loss isn't a 'specialty' of theirs and they tend to just spout back trending concepts. Neither my dr or the nutritionist she sent me too asked me about bmr, NET calories etc. they just medicate me and wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn't lose weight with their recommendations. :grumble: I eventually stopped all meds and joined this group and have been much healthier ever since! I'm in week 7 of my reset and I am positive by changes and symptoms I see that my metabolism has healed to a point where I'll be ready to cut at the 8 week mark.
There are times when your dr's aren't going to get it right, and in my experience this is one area where very few do.0 -
Your right she is a specialist...in Endocrinology!
Not the same as specialists in Barriatric (obesity), Nutrition, or Sports Medicine!:noway:
The amount of time she has spent on learning about how the body gains or loses weight is very short (maybe 4 classes if you count basic nutrition). She's going on the same crap that's making the USA (and now the world) FAT! 1200 calories with a negative net from exercise is not healthy. Your body will protest in various ways. Short term: hair loss, muscle loss,fat gain, fatigue, poor sleep. Long term: hormone imbalance (then you'll really need her), organ failure, death...
Curious what medication she gave you, if she said your tests are fine (they could be appetite suppressants):grumble:
Also, where were you born? The symptoms you mentioned could be a couple of other things...
Google WebMD, put in your symptoms.0 -
I know I'm no health professional (insert standard disclaimer here lol) but my doctor told me to lose weight on a 1200 calorie diet I wouldn't do it having learnt everything I've learnt since being here. My body has stalled out twice now from not eating enough and I have also joined EL2WM and started a metabolism reset to try and sort things out.
I'd personally stick with what you're doing especially since you are lifting and working out so much. At the end of the day you need to fuel your workouts so feed the fire!!0 -
If all your test reports came back normal I would just stick to finish your reset and then cut.
You will have success that's sustainable.0 -
I'm so confused! I've been doing the reset and have about 2.5 weeks to go before my cut. Went to the endocrinologist and she told me to stick to 1200 calories and exercise 5-6 times a week! This can't be right..1200 is below my BMR..and with exercise I'll net below 1000. She said my test reports are fine and I'm not hypothyroid. I'm only 10 kg (22 pounds) over my 'ideal' weight for my height (I'm 5'1", 130 pounds). But she said that the symptoms I have (endless fatigue, pain in my knees and ankles etc) are due to the extra weight and that I need to work to lose it.
I don't know what to do. This doesn't sound right. But she IS a specialist. And any time I've been to a doctor here in Bangladesh, they all say I need to lose weight.
She's given me medication. I'm thinking maybe I should just take the medicine and stick to my plans with EM2WL. Or not?
Advice anyone, please!!
You are 5'1" and 130 pounds and ALL of your doctors are telling you to lose weight?? You gotta be kidding me!
I am age 51 and have been at least 50 pounds overweight my entire adult life and have NEVER been told to lose weight~ EVER!!
The closest a doctor ever came to that was to tell me to TRY to lose 10% of my weight in a YEAR~ this was a Cardiologist.
I agree with everyone else~ YOU have spent more time looking into eating, weight control and fitness than ANY doctor you will go to!!
For someone like you, there could be any number of reasons for your symptoms and NONE of them have anything to do with your weight (which in my opinion is just perfect!!).
DO NOT go back to 1200 calories
DO NOT take any "diet pills"
DO find another doctor........0 -
Can you see a rheumatologist? There are a lot of possibilities for joint pain and fatigue, and being the slight amount overweight that you are shouldn't cause issues like that unless there is something else going on. Not sure what all she tested you for but there are some more specific tests that you need. I'm just an optometrist, but still learned quite a bit about some of these other conditions as sometimes they affect the eyes as well. I agree you should find a new doctor, one who listens and truly explores your symptoms.0
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Dr's are fantastic resources for our health, BUT in my own personal experience, weight loss isn't a 'specialty' of theirs and they tend to just spout back trending concepts. Neither my dr or the nutritionist she sent me too asked me about bmr, NET calories etc. they just medicate me and wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn't lose weight with their recommendations. :grumble: I eventually stopped all meds and joined this group and have been much healthier ever since! I'm in week 7 of my reset and I am positive by changes and symptoms I see that my metabolism has healed to a point where I'll be ready to cut at the 8 week mark.
There are times when your dr's aren't going to get it right, and in my experience this is one area where very few do.
I totally agree!0 -
Doctors are great for a lot of things, but nutrition does not tend to be one of them unless they are a specialist in that particular area. Doctors only have to take about a day's worth of studies on nutrition, and yet they still feel qualified to tell you how to get healthy. They are no better educated than you are. You should see a specialist if you need to, but trusting a doctor that specializes in anything else aside from what's ailing you is like asking a plastic surgeon to fix your deck.0
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Can you see a rheumatologist? There are a lot of possibilities for joint pain and fatigue, and being the slight amount overweight that you are shouldn't cause issues like that unless there is something else going on. Not sure what all she tested you for but there are some more specific tests that you need. I'm just an optometrist, but still learned quite a bit about some of these other conditions as sometimes they affect the eyes as well. I agree you should find a new doctor, one who listens and truly explores your symptoms.
^^This. or an immune specialist.
I wouldn't begin to try to diagnose your symptoms, but I would be shocked as hell if it turned out they had anything really to do with the tiny bit of extra weight.
Plus, according to BMI (which is flawed, granted, but usually in the other direction!), you're not overweight!0 -
If all your test reports came back normal I would just stick to finish your reset and then cut.
You will have success that's sustainable.
^this.0 -
I'm so confused! I've been doing the reset and have about 2.5 weeks to go before my cut. Went to the endocrinologist and she told me to stick to 1200 calories and exercise 5-6 times a week! This can't be right..1200 is below my BMR..and with exercise I'll net below 1000. She said my test reports are fine and I'm not hypothyroid. I'm only 10 kg (22 pounds) over my 'ideal' weight for my height (I'm 5'1", 130 pounds). But she said that the symptoms I have (endless fatigue, pain in my knees and ankles etc) are due to the extra weight and that I need to work to lose it.
I don't know what to do. This doesn't sound right. But she IS a specialist. And any time I've been to a doctor here in Bangladesh, they all say I need to lose weight.
She's given me medication. I'm thinking maybe I should just take the medicine and stick to my plans with EM2WL. Or not?
Advice anyone, please!!
Nurse Practitioner Student here...
Just wrote a paper on fatigue. There is no evidence to suggest that weight loss helps to alleviate symptoms of fatigue. Have all organic causes been ruled out (meaning all labs are normal and physical exam normal)? If so, the evidence does show that the only two things that have been proven to lessen the symptom of fatigue are graded aerobic exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.0 -
I'm 5ft2 and 146lbs and no way could I live on 1200 cals. My bf is lowish at 22% so I obviously carry a lot of muscle. For me I would look way too skinny at 120lbs. Yes I'm overweight if you do the bmi but that is just rubbish. Personally for me my happy place will have more to do with body composition. I would go with your gut feeling, you already think that the advice is wrong. I would try and find some advice that maybe related to the joint pain as I wouldn't think it would be that "normal" to suffer from pain due to your weight which isn't high at all. But of course I'm not an expert and I'm sure your knees don't weigh 50lb each.
Is there a lot of social pressure to be small in Bangledesh....sorry don't want to offend anyone but sometimes it does happen.
:flowerforyou:0 -
Your symptoms sound exactly like those complaints of many people with food allergy. Grain, gluten, sugar, inflammation in the joints, etc... just a thought.0
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Yup....I'm thinking food allergy as well.
I had fatigue and joint pains among other things before being diagnosed eventually with celiac disease. But the doctors continually refused to test for it because they said those weren't typical symptoms. here in the UK a lot of doctors still do not believe in food intolerances or allergies being the cause of a lot of health problems.0 -
I'm going to jump on the food-intolerance band wagon as well. I have had severe fatique, joint pain, horrible stomach pain and multiple vitamin deficiencies for over 13 years. I was just recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which I have come to learn is a diagnosis given to many people when there seems to be no other cause.
After a TON of research, I realized that I may have food intolerances and/or fungus problems. I have started an elimination diet avoiding: gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, aspartame, msg, and soy.
After a month or so I am going to see if I am feeling any better. If I am not, I can cross that off and move on to something else!
I certainly don't think your fatique/pain is due solely to your extra weight (which isn't even that much) and I would strongly recommend that you do not take pills!
Good luck
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THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY!! :flowerforyou:
I have decided that I'm sticking to my original plans of finishing the Reset and then doing a cut. No 1200 calorie diet for me!
I think the problem with doctors is that they have a 'one rule fits all' policy. I've never heard of anyone being tested for food allergies here in Bangladesh. But I think I can find a specialist for rheumatism. I think I'd rather not go to any doctors right now..I'll just carry on as I have and hope to feel better soon!
Btw, I checked the medicine, and the doctor didn't give me any dieting piils. The meds she gave me were for treatment for another hormone related problem. Her cure for weight loss was the 1200 calorie diet and exercise 5-6 days a week! :P So, I'll just continue with that medication for the part she is trained on and not worry about the weight loss advice!
I feel so much better having made this decision. Thank you all so very much for your feedback...i always love to be told to eat more, never get tired of it!
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THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY!! :flowerforyou:
I have decided that I'm sticking to my original plans of finishing the Reset and then doing a cut. No 1200 calorie diet for me!
I think the problem with doctors is that they have a 'one rule fits all' policy. I've never heard of anyone being tested for food allergies here in Bangladesh. But I think I can find a specialist for rheumatism. I think I'd rather not go to any doctors right now..I'll just carry on as I have and hope to feel better soon!
Btw, I checked the medicine, and the doctor didn't give me any dieting piils. The meds she gave me were for treatment for another hormone related problem. Her cure for weight loss was the 1200 calorie diet and exercise 5-6 days a week! :P So, I'll just continue with that medication for the part she is trained on and not worry about the weight loss advice!
I feel so much better having made this decision. Thank you all so very much for your feedback...i always love to be told to eat more, never get tired of it!
Just as an FYI, if you are having joint pain and stiffness, I actually found out mine was due to an allergy to dairy. Now that I avoid dairy products, I do not have any problem. My mom found out her arthritis-like pain as well as fibromyalgia type symptoms were due to an allergy to nightshade vegetables (tomato, potato, and eggplant are nightshades). So food can have a HUGE impact on how you feel and how your body functions.0 -
I'll try to figure out if I'm having food allergies by adding/removing items from my meals and see if it helps! 0
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I don't know if this will help you but I went to the doctor because I was getting headaches and having low energy. I was working out 3-4 hours a week and I was eating lightly active @1600. He told me I wasn't eating enough to fuel my body! I jumped to 1850@ moderately active and all my issues were resolved. He also told me to start strength training again to see more fat loss.
My stats are
4'11"
139lbs
30 years old
I will take it!0 -
Your symptoms sound exactly like those complaints of many people with food allergy. Grain, gluten, sugar, inflammation in the joints, etc... just a thought.
Yep I had fatigue for so many years and the doctors couldn't help me. None of them suggested a food intolerance but I stumbled on that idea myself, cut gluten and dairy out which was what gave me some intolerance symptons and the difference was amazing. It can't hurt to explore that possibility.0 -
Doctors are great for a lot of things, but nutrition does not tend to be one of them unless they are a specialist in that particular area. Doctors only have to take about a day's worth of studies on nutrition, and yet they still feel qualified to tell you how to get healthy. They are no better educated than you are. You should see a specialist if you need to, but trusting a doctor that specializes in anything else aside from what's ailing you is like asking a plastic surgeon to fix your deck.
Agree--I'd love it if everything a doctor ever told me was completely accurate. But one) they're human too and they make mistakes; and 2) they can't be experts in every area of medicine/health. The whole drastically reduce calories is still conventional wisdom--people (a lot of doctors included) probably still think you need to drastically reduce calories to lose weight. Go with your plan--if you don't see the results you want, modify it.0
