is 600 to 800 NET cals per day too low?

Pixi_Rex

I have days where my NET is 700 but then the next day I smash my calories and eat all the food in site and kind of even out that super low net number - I usually try to NET 1200 calories at minimum, but usually end up in the 1500ish range at the end of the day.

I would think you wouldn't want a 700 net total every day I think that is too little but thats just my opinion - if you aren't hungry and you are still low try some nuts (if you can have them), or peanut butter/other nut butter, or other calorie dense foods - stuff that doesn't necessarily fill you up..

Or drink wine.... and eat chocolate.

Matt_Wild

Eating disorder zone calories. If you are around 4' maybe.... I'm guessing the answer is no. Get those calories up to 1600 odd, favour protein due to TEF (http://www.biolayne.com/nutrition/is-a-calorie-truly-a-calorie) and enjoy dieting rather than starving yourself.

My other half is around 5' 1-2" and she she eats 1600 calories a day, exercises often, with a small amount of cardio and looks like this:



Why eat less when you can lose plenty of fat and look great on MORE food making you feel more satisfied?

jlapey

I don't snack much, but I guess I should start. Reading this thread made me go back through my diary. It seems I eat anywhere between 1200-1700 a day, but my NET calories are often below 1200. I never really paid much attention to the net. I feel like I eat a decent amount of food, mostly healthy. I'm certainly not hungry. But perhaps my weight loss will speed up if I eat more? That's what I keep reading, anyway.

elise9832

OK I have to defend the OP. For some people (like me) it's very difficult to lose weight unless you eat about 1,200 calories per day. This is the minimum amount of calories for a healthy weight loss, and the National Institute of Health backs this up. If you're netting a little below 1,200 because of exercise that's OK in my book. Now, 600 does seem really low, and I only do moderate circuit training for about 20 minutes a day, so I usually NET at least 1,000.

For those of you with significant weight to lose, it makes sense to eat more than 1,200, but if you're on your last 10 or so pounds, good luck losing on more than 1,200!!

Matt_Wild

OK I have to defend the OP. For some people (like me) it's very difficult to lose weight unless you eat about 1,200 calories per day. This is the minimum amount of calories for a healthy weight loss, and the National Institute of Health backs this up. If you're netting a little below 1,200 because of exercise that's OK in my book. Now, 600 does seem really low, and I only do moderate circuit training for about 20 minutes a day, so I usually NET at least 1,000.

Care to provide some info from the National Institute of Health? Low calorie diets I've rarely seen recommend to the level of 1200 before exercise etc.

The problem one should realize is not always something you can see today or many years. Eat insufficient good foods, high in minerals etc and you risk brittle bones, immune issues etc.

I'm not saying everyone at 1200 will have problems but someone with a much stricter level of calories will much more likely be lacking IMO.

Melaniec78

Or drink wine.... and eat chocolate.

I plan my weekends for these allowances and when I get carried away it is ok because I can use up some of the exercise cals I didn't eat back during the week. :drinker:

AmyRhubarb

My own rule of thumb - don't net below my BMR (around 1360). If my body needs that many calories to sustain itself while comatose, I should give myself AT LEAST that much while I'm walkin' & talkin' all day. And exercising on top of that. Food is fuel!

emily_bird

WAY too low .

As someone who isn't a "food" person, meaning I can't just eat and some foods make me nauseaous, that's way too low. Eating below the basic calorie amount is going to make you more likely to backslide when it comes to weight loss and pick up more weight. You could also be losing muscle and not fat at the moment, which isn't a good thing.Eating too little can actually slow down your metabolism.

elise9832

From the NIH:

Calories
Cutting back on calories (energy IN) will help you lose weight. To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, adults should cut back their calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day.

•In general, having 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day will help most women lose weight safely.
•In general, having 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day will help most men lose weight safely. This calorie range also is suitable for women who weigh 165 pounds or more or who exercise routinely.
These calorie levels are a guide and may need to be adjusted. If you eat 1,600 calories a day but don't lose weight, then you may want to cut back to 1,200 calories. If you're hungry on either diet, then you may want to add 100 to 200 calories a day.

Very low-calorie diets with fewer than 800 calories a day shouldn't be used unless your doctor is monitoring you.

Here is the website:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/treatment.html

PetulantOne

Yes

PetulantOne

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

deksgrl

You are a 5'8", 180 pound, 25 year old female.

You have a BMR of 1640. This is Basal Metabolic Rate, the number of calories they would feed you if you were in a coma, just to fuel your basic bodily functions, heart beat, brain function, breathing, organs.

Eat at least that much.

Firefox7275

OK I have to defend the OP. For some people (like me) it's very difficult to lose weight unless you eat about 1,200 calories per day. This is the minimum amount of calories for a healthy weight loss, and the National Institute of Health backs this up. If you're netting a little below 1,200 because of exercise that's OK in my book. Now, 600 does seem really low, and I only do moderate circuit training for about 20 minutes a day, so I usually NET at least 1,000.

For those of you with significant weight to lose, it makes sense to eat more than 1,200, but if you're on your last 10 or so pounds, good luck losing on more than 1,200!!

Unless you have a metabolic disorder or you are trying to lose weight that you don't have to lose (already a healthy weight and bodyfat) then the simple answer is you don't have your diet and exercise regime right if you need to net less than 1200. Most official guidelines assume you are doing no more than a minimal amount/ quality of exercise and only aim to get you into the healthy weight/ BMI range. They don't apply to those who are serious about clean eating and body composition, fitness professionals use different guidelines and equations in a programme for someone who is training regularly.

Circuits is generally full body, you should not be doing that daily, you aren't giving your muscles rest days so the quality and volume of your workout will be much lower than you are capable of - I hope that is twenty minutes plus ten minute warm up and five minute cool down. There is also little point in doing moderate circuits for twenty minutes once you are passed the initial adaptation period or are extremely unfit, you can't overload the muscles enough to get results, at best you will maintain.

Our muscle mass is a major factor in our resting metabolic rate, a quality strength training and nutrition programme will not only help you build more muscle increasing the metabolism longer term but also short term (up to two days!) due to repair and regeneration. Most women don't lift anywhere near heavy enough, most people do totally the wrong exercises (too many isolation not enough compound), poor technique and/ or lift too fast to get serious results and/ or don't switch up their programme often enough. There's also impressive results from high intensity cardio intervals, again most people don't work hard enough or they don't do a proper warm up.

deksgrl

For those of you with significant weight to lose, it makes sense to eat more than 1,200, but if you're on your last 10 or so pounds, good luck losing on more than 1,200!!

Complete and utter nonsense.

nwachim

thanks for your responses,will try to make some adjustments,i am always very scared to eat back my exercise calories but now i think i will be bold enough to eat atleast some of it:happy:

Be_EmbracE

1200 cal is my guideline to min n Max may b 1800 depending my exercise regime.
Anything below 1200- 1000 cal I think is way to low. Metabolism will dip as well. my two cents

elise9832

Rawr, no need to get in a hissy fit! Sorry, once I saw your profile pic I couldn't help myself.

Anyway, why can't we just live and let live? As long as someone isn't starving themselves, which is generally defined as eating less than 1,200 cals / day (for women anyway) why can't we just do what works for us personally?

And to the other poster about not doing circuit training every day, yes there is a warm up and cool down. It's Jillian Michael's 30 day shred and it's meant to be done every day for 30 days, hence the name. It's not something to do forever.

erickirb

For most people even 1200 Net is much too low on a regular basis

erickirb

For those of you with significant weight to lose, it makes sense to eat more than 1,200, but if you're on your last 10 or so pounds, good luck losing on more than 1,200!!

Complete and utter nonsense.

Agreed, when you only have 10 is lbs to go you should only be eating at a very small deficit, 0.5lb/week goal, or 10% below TDEE.

Juliejustsaying

Definately! Sometimes it happens if I'm not feeling well, but as a general rule you need to net at least 1200. I think what is the right amount for each person varies, but anything below that number is not good.