My doctor wants me to eat way below my BMR.

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tashac2000
tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Sooo. I weigh 334 5'7 and I've lost about 20 pounds or so since January. My BMR is around 2200. I eat about 1800-2000 calories a day. I am not active at this time. My doctor told me that she wants to eat between 1200-1600 a day. While I'm sure I will lose faster (this is not my goal) I'm pretty sure I will starve. Any thoughts on this?
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Replies

  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    My thoughts are that you should talk to your doctor about your concerns and get a second medical opinion, possibly from an integrated health practitioner. We don't know your health or the reasons your doctor wants you to lose quickly. We don't know your doctor's qualifications. If there are reasons you need to eat that low, and you don't think you can, I would say aim for the upper end and investigate foods that are known to be more filling.
  • JeneticTraining
    JeneticTraining Posts: 663 Member
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    Definitely check this with another doctor. Seems like you're doing a good job though!
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
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    I take it you mean 334 pounds ? Bigger people (I was 373 at 5' 7") can eat below their BMR due to having more fat to burn. I was eating for 1500 and did not feel like I was starving.

    Is there any reason why the Doctor wants you to lose faster ?
  • tashac2000
    tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for your responses. And yes I meant 334. She didn't point out any specific reasons that she wants me to lose faster. I thought about seeking a second opinion. I'm already eating below my BMR, I don't want to go to low. I notice I lose more when I eat on the upper range of 1900-2000. My goals are to lose slowly so that I can keep the weight off.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Thank you for your responses. And yes I meant 334. She didn't point out any specific reasons that she wants me to lose faster. I thought about seeking a second opinion. I'm already eating below my BMR, I don't want to go to low. I notice I lose more when I eat on the upper range of 1900-2000. My goals are to lose slowly so that I can keep the weight off.

    Unless there is a medical reason to lose weight more quickly, I think it's fine to follow the plan you mention. It sounds like you have a good idea of how you will be most successful from a psychological standpoint. To be safe, I'd ask the doctor about your plan and if she says no, ask her why.
  • Spokez70
    Spokez70 Posts: 548 Member
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    My doctor advised me to take Phentermine and eat 950 calories and <50 carbs- I was 6'3" and 322# at the time. I did it for about 3 months and lost 30 some pounds but felt like I was dying- today is actually 1 year since I quit that plan and learned the right way to do things on this site. Everyone wants fast results but more important are lasting results.
  • tashac2000
    tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
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    Wow. I could not imagine eating less than 1,000 calories a day. I think I need to switch doctors. She also wants me to cut out sweet potatoes and eat low diet foods. I don't have diabetes so I can't imagine why I can only have 1 oz of potatoes a day.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I eat under my BMR under the care of a dietician. I would suggest you go to a dietician if you can, well worth the money.
  • 61keys
    61keys Posts: 20 Member
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    My dr had me eating way down and I started gaining weight -- and FAST! I am now seeing someone who has DOUBLED my calorie goal and Tripled my exercise (well within "normal" ranges). We will see how that works...
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
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    Doctors dont do a lot of nutrition education (my doctor told me i would never get to 220 pounds and then told me I would never get to goal!)...I started at 380 pounds and am under 200 pounds now and I ate 1800 calories (altho looking back I think i could eat more)....i always look at it as...if i can lose at 1200 calories....and i can lose at 1800 cals (albeit slower) why go for the lesser option...i want to eat as much as I can while still losing weight!! LOL It will also give you more room to move with if you hit a plateau (and as a side note...i still eat 1800 cals and am losing :))
  • tashac2000
    tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
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    My dr had me eating way down and I started gaining weight -- and FAST! I am now seeing someone who has DOUBLED my calorie goal and Tripled my exercise (well within "normal" ranges). We will see how that works...


    Good luck, I hope this works better for you.
  • tashac2000
    tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
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    Doctors dont do a lot of nutrition education (my doctor told me i would never get to 220 pounds and then told me I would never get to goal!)...I started at 380 pounds and am under 200 pounds now and I ate 1800 calories (altho looking back I think i could eat more)....i always look at it as...if i can lose at 1200 calories....and i can lose at 1800 cals (albeit slower) why go for the lesser option...i want to eat as much as I can while still losing weight!! LOL It will also give you more room to move with if you hit a plateau (and as a side note...i still eat 1800 cals and am losing :))

    Awesome. My exact thoughts were if I only eat 1600 now, what will I do once I hit a plateau?
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    Thank you for your responses. And yes I meant 334. She didn't point out any specific reasons that she wants me to lose faster. I thought about seeking a second opinion. I'm already eating below my BMR, I don't want to go to low. I notice I lose more when I eat on the upper range of 1900-2000. My goals are to lose slowly so that I can keep the weight off.

    is this a medical doctor or a Nutritional doctor? I would go for a second opinion. As someone who lost over 100 in a year following MFP guidelines. Best of luck to you.
  • whitecapwendy
    whitecapwendy Posts: 287 Member
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    Do what is right for your body. If you are finding success and eating healthy choices, do it. I started at 279.2 lbs, and started eating .between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. At first I thought I was starving until I learned the difference between appetite and hunger. I had to do a study of what healthy eating was all about. (lots of veggies and fruits, whole grains, and lean meats in moderation. I kept myself on a strict regimine for two months and then started allowing myself the occasional bite of dessert or t treat of a "off regemine" meal. I am amazed at the amount of food I can eat when the bulk of it is fruits and veggies. Like I said, I started at 279.2 on January 4, and am now at 247.2 at last weigh in. (32 lbs). I am not suggesting at all that you do as I do. You do have to be careful not too eat too few calories or your metabolism will crash. But if you tend to be inactive like I am, you would not starve at a lower number of calories. I know what works for me and am not going hungry at all. Sometimes I almost feel guilty eating that last snack to bring it up to 1300, because I am often satisfied. Do what is for your body and metabolism.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    For some people, it's more important to get the weight off quickly than it is to preserve lean body mass. When OP is at goal weight her BMR will be lower by virtue of her being at a healthy body weight for 5'7" - somewhere around 1500 calories. I would think if she eats at maintenance for her future goal weight that would be a good idea even though it may be lower than her current BMR. But then I'm not an expert in any way.

    I'm pretty sure the "don't eat below your BMR" rule is more to keep you from slowing your BMR down unnecessarily... but it's going to slow with weight loss anyhow. Especially from a high weight like in the 300's.

    EDIT: long way of saying I think over 1500 is necessary.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    Check out this info. Knowledge is power.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • DoctorKatey
    DoctorKatey Posts: 15
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    As far as I'm concerned, the biggest part of the battle is finding a diet plan you can stick with. It took me a long, LONG time to figure this out. If you're happy with - and getting results with - the plan you're on right now, then don't change it! You can always change it later when you hit a plateau, but even then, you don't have to drop your caloric intake all the way down. It's all about getting there, not the pace at which you get there. Good luck to you!
  • StheK
    StheK Posts: 443 Member
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    If you're not comfortable with your doctor's advice, definitely see someone else- hopefully someone who specializes in nutrition and weight management. Having said that, I started at 309 and I am at 1460 calories per day, and I am not hungry at all. I think you can eat quite a lot for not many calories if you choose wisely. It is hard to figure out at first though, and if you don't need to work that hard in order to see results you're happy with, there's nothing wrong with choosing not to.
  • Proyecto_AN
    Proyecto_AN Posts: 387
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    Is your doctor fit?

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