what would happen if i ate 1,000 calories a day

i started eating 1500 calories and was losing a pound a week . i went down to 1100 - 1200 and some weeks i can lose 2.5 pounds . some other weeks i can lose 1.5 or just .5 . i want to consistently lose 2.5 pounds per week . should i eat 1,000 per day
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Replies

  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    No. What will happen is that your body will try to stay alive. You will sleep more, move less, have no energy to exercise. Your body will do its best to reduce the calorie deficit and weight loss will go down. Why not take it slower, be full of energy, keep your hair andnot kill anyone that can be or not be part of your family.
  • aubreykkkk
    aubreykkkk Posts: 147 Member
    Everyone is different. If it works for you, then do it! Just be aware of the consequences. For me, I always eat under 1000 calories. That gives me a good 300 calorie deficit everyday. :)
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Everyone is different. If it works for you, then do it! Just be aware of the consequences. For me, I always eat under 1000 calories. That gives me a good 300 calorie deficit everyday. :)

    Are you in a coma?
  • hillbillyannie
    hillbillyannie Posts: 139 Member
    I wouldn't advise it unless you're going to be very careful of what those 1000 are. And even then I would only do it for a very few days and then go up to about 1600 for a day. But be careful not to go into starvation mode. 1000 calories of lean meat, veggies and some fruit along with lots of water are of course not the same as a big piece of chocolate cake and a malt. But I'm sure you already know that.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    Unless you're exceptionally short (and I mean under 4'5") and really tiny... 1,000/day will not sustain you nor will the weight loss last.

    Our bodies are made to go into starvation mode when we do not receive enough energy/calories. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but if you eat more (your BMR) then your body will have the energy to shed weight and allow you to work out longer and harder. I've gotten out of my plateau by increasing from 1350 to 1650, and I'm 5'0".
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Everyone is different. If it works for you, then do it! Just be aware of the consequences. For me, I always eat under 1000 calories. That gives me a good 300 calorie deficit everyday. :)

    Unless you are 4'6" and in a coma, your deficit is more like 1000 calories a day.
  • jojorocksforeva
    jojorocksforeva Posts: 303 Member
    Iv seen people lose on it when they have proper nutrition i mean you needs lots of protein but
    on a 1000 its hard to get it .... like everything you need. I personally wouldn't want to go on a 1000 calorie diet .
  • Jkelly1221
    Jkelly1221 Posts: 91 Member
    Yeah, you will lose weight, but eventually you will stop losing weight and hit a plateau and have to increase your caloric intake for awhile before you begin to lose again. I had mine set at the 1200 calorie intake for the longest time, and lost rapidly, but then stopped for 3 months, and I was miserable. Now I'm eating around what my BMR is (1600 calories) and I feel so much better! And after plateauing for 3 months, I've finally lost 8 more lbs. Its not worth it in the long term, it is better to lose the weight slower anyways, you have a better chance of keeping it off that way!
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
    Rather than focus on staying under 1000-- if your main focus is to cut weight fast, how about sticking to ONLY whole raw veggies, maybe a minimal amount of fruit, and lean meats. Honestly if you stick to those guidelines you will shed weight in the quickest way possible, and wouldn't even have to count calories
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    There's a lot of people on this site who will tell you if you're eating under 1200 calories a day your body will go into starvation mode and not lose any weight at all. That's not true; people on medically supervised diets and people with EDs lose weight that way all the time, often quickly. However, you will have an extremely difficult time getting adequate nutrition, and it will be very likely that when you won't be able to sustain the weight loss once you reach your goal and increase your calories. Aim to lose 1-2 lbs a week and you'll be healthier and have more success in the long run.
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
    Eat more, lose more slowly. It has a much better chance of staying off and I bet you'll feel better overall, too. Slow and steady wins the race.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    First of all your body loses fat in "chunks" and not linearly, although it seems linear sometimes. You can't make your body lose it any faster, and you can't make it go linear, and you can't control where the fat drops from in your body.. it does it's own thing.

    No one can tell you how much to eat except your doctor. Be leery of anyone here who tells you to eat more or eat less. Only you can decide that.

    There is no scientific evidence for "starvation mode" for females over 12% BF or men over 6% BF, it's not a myth, but it is a myth if you have high body fat reserves. You can eat as low as you say and not hurt yourself, but it is not fun and it is not very sustainable for some people. I did this last year and gained muscle while doing it. Since I'm well under 12% BF now no way could I do this without actually going into starvation mode.

    Last year when I was close to my weight loss goal, but still had enough BF reserves I ate one meal a day for 2 months and felt great. I worked out strong and hard at the gym, both intense running and weights, and got stronger and stronger, and when I told my doctor he thought it was awesome (he has seen me when I was obese). I did not count calories at the time but I can tell you that I did not eat 1000 calorie meals. Less. I really didn't lose weight much faster so I would not really recommend this.

    Only YOU can decide how many calories to eat. If you can eat less and feel great then do it! You can also just do this one or two days a week, then up a bit on the other days. Nothing says you have to eat the exact same amount of calories every day. You can alternate low and high days. You can take breaks from a calorie deficit and just eat at maintenance for as long as you want, then go at the deficit again.

    listen to your body and do what works for YOU. :)

    I agree with slow and steady wins the race. Even with what I did (one meal a day for 2 months) I took two years to lose 60 lbs and I have kept it off a year now, and actually gained a couple pounds of lean body mass (according to my DXA scan) and built visible muscle.

    Sounds like you are doing great.
  • healthyKYgirl
    healthyKYgirl Posts: 272 Member
    You're a guy??? How tall are you? I can't imagine any man being able to sustain his muscle mass or body on 1000 calories per day.

    Edit: However, if you are morbidly obese or have a very high percentage of fat, then in theory it could be possibly although you probable will still burn up a lot of muscle mass in the process of going that low calorie.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    i started eating 1500 calories and was losing a pound a week . i went down to 1100 - 1200 and some weeks i can lose 2.5 pounds . some other weeks i can lose 1.5 or just .5 . i want to consistently lose 2.5 pounds per week . should i eat 1,000 per day

    You joined here with a goal to lose 15 pounds, lost 25 and want to keep losing at a very ambitious rate. That's concerning.
  • pullipgirl
    pullipgirl Posts: 767 Member
    If you constantly eat 1000 calories a day you will lose weight but once you start eating normally you will gain it all back, It is best to figure out your TDEE and subtract about 20% of that I used this calculator: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/calorie-calculator.html and it works really well
  • i started eating 1500 calories and was losing a pound a week . i went down to 1100 - 1200 and some weeks i can lose 2.5 pounds . some other weeks i can lose 1.5 or just .5 . i want to consistently lose 2.5 pounds per week . should i eat 1,000 per day

    I really think you should talk to a Doctor or a Nutritionist!
    If you don't put fuel in your body!
    Your body suffers and the weight loss may be dramatic but it can damage your organs..
    Please be carefull..
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    i started eating 1500 calories and was losing a pound a week . i went down to 1100 - 1200 and some weeks i can lose 2.5 pounds . some other weeks i can lose 1.5 or just .5 . i want to consistently lose 2.5 pounds per week . should i eat 1,000 per day

    What's the rush?

    Crash dieting results in rapid weight loss, a significant portion of which is lean muscle mass. It also, frequently, leads to your weight going up and down like a yo-yo as you're not retraining your brain to eat healthy portions.

    There's more to good health than a number on the scale.
  • itsjustdawn
    itsjustdawn Posts: 1,073 Member
    You'll probably be hungry!
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    I wouldn't be able to get the micros I wanted in? Probably too tired to get out of bed too. I'm not you, though.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    Open your diary so we can all tell you how terribly you eat!!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Open your diary so we can all tell you how terribly you eat!!
    :laugh:


    umm OP what happens when you plateau at 1000 calories a day? would you drop to 750? that's nuts yo.

    anyway i know if i only 1000 calories on a consistent basis i wouldnt have the energy to get through my workouts and i'd be b*tchy as hell. also based on how i've seen other people who do that low calorie i'd probably also be cold all the ime and muy hair would start falling out.
  • OnMyWeigh464
    OnMyWeigh464 Posts: 447 Member
    Here's a thought...instead of asking all of us, and getting 10 different answers, why don't you give it a try for a week and come back here and tell US what happens, so that we know for the next person who asks this same question...just a thought.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I wouldn't be able to get the micros I wanted in? Probably too tired to get out of bed too. I'm not you, though.

    Yep, this^.

    I can't imagine getting all of the essential, important, health-sustaining nutrients I needed in only 1000 calories. But, with some effort, and some very careful supplementation, I suppose it could be done. I hope you're willing to ensure those basic nutrition needs are met if you pursue this path.
  • jazee11
    jazee11 Posts: 321
    Ask yourself if your health is more important to you than your weight loss. What's the hurry?


    Taking care of yourself is worth all of the time and effort.
  • If its for a short period of time I don't see anything wrong with it. :) however it might be better to juggle between 1000 calorie days and 1200 calories days... From my experience, i used to be 66kg... And I dropped down to 50 over a 6 month period. (mind you I wasn't in the healthiest of mindsets... My parents and friends were suspicious of me becoming anorexic) I used to only eat breakfast (handful of cereal grains, pear and a blob of yogurt) I always skipped lunch maybe ate a meuslie bar to keep me going and I ate dinner only about 2 or 3 times a week because most nights I was working (waitressing).

    At first, the weight just fell off. And I got more and more motivate to keep this habit of eating the more I lost. I was jogging for 8km most days too and some days I tried to jog twice. I had such high motivation because I could instantly see the results, however it didn't take long before my body went into some sort of slump. I was falling asleep at uni all the time, couldn't concentrate on my studies at all but still had enough eneregy to work. And I still forced myself to run everyday. HOWEVER, once I reached the weight of just 50kg, my boyfriend started making me eat more because he couldn't stand taking me out and I'm not eating.

    Anyway, the point of this is.... If you eat only 1000 calories a day or less.... Yes the weight will drop - especially if you do heaps of cardio. BUT, your body will adapt over time to eating this amount. Therefore even after you have reached your goal weight... It's not as easy as you think to just go back eating a normal diet. You'll gain weight like crazy because your body suddenly doesn't know what to do with all this extra energy. it adapted to only consuming 1000 or so calories a day and is cabaple of drawing out all the energy it needs from those calories.

    I gained 7kg over a month from going back to eating a normal balanced 3 meals a day diet. (although I stopped exercising during this time also... I was traveling in Korea at this time)

    So tread lightly on this one because your body WILL ADAPT. Juggling 1000 ~ 1200 might be a better approach :) and keep with cardio!! It's your best friend in weight loss. :)
  • EricNCSU
    EricNCSU Posts: 699 Member
    You'd be hungry.

    That's about it.

    What you're doing is staving yourself, yes you will lose a lot a weight in the short term but it's not healthy and it's not maintainable. You will gain it back and more and start a Yo-yo.
  • pumpthejam2015
    pumpthejam2015 Posts: 34 Member
    How in the world can I eat 1200 cals a day? What types of food should I be eating? I'm lucky if I eat when I'm hungry and get around 800/900 cals, assuming what I'm eating is healthy. This section is diet and weight loss help so I'm not looking to be bashed, just looking for help. I've tried searching people's diary's, but they're so random!
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    You're a dude, man up an eat more!
  • marthadztx
    marthadztx Posts: 337 Member
    I'm 5'2 and taking in 1900 yummy calories daily and losing about 1-2 lbs a wk. Only by dieting. I exercise now and then. Slow and steady wins the race. :wink:
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    No. What will happen is that your body will try to stay alive. You will sleep more, move less, have no energy to exercise. Your body will do its best to reduce the calorie deficit and weight loss will go down. Why not take it slower, be full of energy, keep your hair andnot kill anyone that can be or not be part of your family.

    This is all happening to me. I'm not TRYING to eat low calories. I just have been sick and going through a lot of things and seriously have no appetite. I fight myself to make it to 1200-1300 at a minimum. I've had an appetite today and yesterday, yesterday going a bit over 2000 calories and today I ATE about 1600 but netted under 1300. Sucks that I only have an appetite during that time of month. I'd really love compromise. I hate feeling how I have been!