1000 calories a day!

I skipped a few posts but I didn't see anyone take into account her current height/size and activity level. If she's like 4'11", 200 lbs and has a sedentary lifestyle 1000 calories doesn't seem too crazy. Personally I'm 5'6" and I weigh about 330 so I need over 3,000 calories a day to maintain, I want to lose though so I'm eating less that 2,000 but when I lose weight I will have to eat less calories because I'll be burning less calories because I weigh less... does this make sense?

On a side note, if you feel like your Dr doesn't listen to you, find another one. I had a Dr that ignored me, I eventually got tired of it and I LOVE my new Dr she is so thorough and understanding. And unlike any other Dr I have had she doesn't tell me I'm fat and that I need to lose weight. She doesn't treat me like I'm stupid in other words. She is respectful. Doctors have a tendency to blame everything on weight when you are overweight and sometimes that just isn't the case. So find one that respects you and is thorough!

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Here is how you do that - Eat 1500 calories for the day and then burn 500 calories with exercise!

My doctor put me on a 1000 calorie a day diet and I'm having a hard time finding meals to eat. Does anyone have any suggestions

When you are short like I am this is the only way to have a calorie deficit. I'm maintaining now at under 12% body fat, and yes my doctor says I'm am awesomely healthy and my regular blood work checks have been good all along and still are. I'm almost 52 years old, happy, healthy, vibrant, and just happen to be TINY so can't eat as much as everyone else. I'm not some anorexic teenager with body image issues. I have never had eating disorders nor do I now. I do not promote unhealthy eating habits. If anyone has eating disorders or emotional eating issues they need to have those resolved BEFORE DIETING.

Anyway of you look at my diary around January through March I ate around 1000 calories to prepare for my March photo shoot. Now I'm eating more but you can still get some ideas. I eat fairly healthy, with a few cookie treats on rare occasions. LOL

How old is your doctor?
1000 calories a day diets were all the rage many years ago.

I tried one and when the consultant tossed aside my food diary and I asked if he didn't believe it, he replied, "The scales don't lie" .
I suggested that we stop wasting each others time and reported to my GP that as I wasn't diabetic, his having referred me to the diabetes clinic was a waste of everyones' time.

Many years later that same consultant consulted me and I reminded him of the conversation the last time we met - he replied," Did I say that? I was wrong. How little we knew then!"

If your doctor has published evidence to support his therapy then he/she must have diet sheets to support it. Ask for these as it is very hard to eat a balanced diet on so little intake.

I am still trying to lose weight - and I am still not diabetic

That is low, but you can do it if you eat veg's and lean protein and make sure to take a vitamin. If you exercise than you are able to have more calories. Once you lose then you will be able to increase your calorie intake in order to maintain your new weight. If at any time you find yourself becoming too tired or weak then increase your calories and see your doctor.

Get a new doctor.

I agree. It's ok to eat 1000 on a single day or two but long term you aren't doing yourself any favors. If you are full for the day and you only hit 1000, so what? But if you aren't full, you've eaten ONLY 1000 calories today and you feel like eating your own shoe, THEN you DO have a problem.

Set your MFP diary up to lose a pound or two a week, go for a nice walk every day that you are able, eat back your calories from your exercise if/when you can, and don't worry about what the doctor said.

He gave me a pamphlet of suggested foods and said to eat 1000 calories a day I have to loose about 90 pounds I am not having surgery I asked to see a nutritionist but he acted like he didn't hear me

The 1,000 calorie diet might be reasonable in some cases. But a doctor who doesn't hear you, the patient... that probably is a good reason to switch.

There are a few reasons people here "worry" about diets with fewer than 1,200 calories:
* It's hard to get a proper amount of food variety and nutrition at that level.
* In order to adjust to such a low caloric intake, your body metabolism may become lower. Your body will slow and shutdown everything it can.
* Due to that metabolic slowdown, you may find it even harder to exercise. (This won't apply to everyone, and if you are on bed rest or can't exercise much, you may need to do the majority of adjustments on the "eat less" side of things.)
* A diet that low in calories is extremely hard for most people to stick to and then to maintain as a life-long habit. Many of the people here on MFP are trying to be healthier long-term. So a temporary "diet" with short-term effects and especially if it leads to yo-yo weight loss and gain, is not appropriate.

I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but I agree with you and with other posters... it's time for you to learn more about nutrition. Either on your own or with a nutritionist. And I would seriously consider changing doctors, because I think one who won't listen to you or talk about this drastic a "prescription" is not helping you as well as he or she should. A pamphlet to take with you, read and consider is fine. Telling you to read it first and then discussing any remaining questions, would be ok. But not hearing you can be dangerous.

Back to your original question... as others have said, eat lots of vegetables and lean protein. Search this site and others for nutritionally dense foods. But for the long-term, that may not be a balanced enough dietary plan, so expect to re-adjust over time. Sometimes something a bit more extreme is a good "kick-start". And in extreme cases, it may be necessary to lose some weight now, and then to learn the healthy habits that will take you the rest of the way and keep you there.

Good luck!

Edited to fix a typo and formatting.

Lol @ everyone who thinks they know more than your doctor

Exactly! Your doctor must have a very good reason for that. I have been placed on a low calorie diet as well and although I was tired for the first 2 days, it's going very fine for me now. I suggest you add chicken, beans, eggs, fish, and whole grains (such as oats, brown rice, brown pasta), etc to your diet as these tend to feel you up. Good luck xx

My Dr originally had me on 1,000 calories a day too. She gave me a diet plan that was very specific as to what I would eat at each meal. Breakfast was 1/2 serving of dairy, 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of starch. For example I'd have 1/2 an English Muffin w/ a spritz of no calorie butter spray, a 4 oz yogurt and a piece of fruit. Lunch was 2 ounces of lean protein, 1/2 cup of veg, 1 serving of starch (which was equivalent to 1 slice of bread, a third cup of rice/pasta/mashed potato, 5-6 crackers (depending on the type) or 1/2 a baked potato), a piece of fruit and 1 serving of fat along with unlimited salad greens. Most of the time I'd have a salad with lots of veggies and either grilled chicken or canned tuna with reduced fat dressing, a piece of fruit, a few crackers and a sugar free Jell-O for dessert. Dinner was the same as lunch without the serving of fruit. I'd usually have 2 oz of lean meat with 1/3 cup of starch or 1/2 baked potato, 1/2 cup of steamed veg and a salad. I was able to eat unlimited amounts of certain veg like lettuce, cucumbers, raw spinach...basically salads and I could have sugar free Jell-O and sugar free jelly for my english muffin . My plan also included a snack between lunch and dinner which was a piece of fruit and a snack before bed that consisted of a starch (3 cups of plain popcorn with molly mcbutter sprinkles was my fave) and another dairy serving ie a cup of milk, 6 oz of low fat/fat free yogurt, a piece of string cheese etc...

I still used small amounts of sauces and lower fat/cal condiments and it didn't hinder me either.

It wasn't exactly 1000 cals but it usually added up to between 1000 and 1100. My Dr also had me exercising 30 min a day 5 days a week too.

Now this worked great for me. I wasn't hungry through the day and I was losing weight at about 3lbs a week pretty steadily which made me feel like I was losing too fast so I bumped myself up to netting 1200 cals and I threw away the specific diet plan. I am still losing at 1.5-2 pounds a week steadily and I feel like because of the diet I was originally on I have a better grasp on portion sizes which for me is a huge accomplishment.

Hope that helps!

Patients described as "bariatric" are also described as needing special support and this does not seem to apply in this specific case.

I don't know how easy it is to change General Medical Practitioners over there.

Is it not possible to return to the doctor and have these confusions and the conflicting advice from on-line "experts" clarified?


You pay your GPs over there yourselves, don't you rather than out of taxes - over here that rather tends to the GP forgetting that the confused, worried and conflictingly advised person sitting in their room is actually the person who pays their salary.

By all means listen to the GP, but let us have a bit of clarity over what is being listened to.

Meanwhile, we know nothing of the medical history or any underlying conditions that may pertain to this case nor for how long extremely low calorie diet was to be maintained.

Questions need answers before judgements can be made - the calorie burn value for "Riding a Hobbyhorse" is nil

1000 Calories is low, I imagine there is a reason your Dr has set this number. If he provided no more than a number you need to get clarification! If 1000 is a sound number - get a nutritionist for sure! I am 12 years post bariatric surgery with a 180lb loss - I ate half that for the first 4 years, so there could be a reason.......

Also, are you exercising? This should be net cals, with exercise you would be at 1300 - 1600 depending on your level.

BIGGEST advise - eat the right type of calories! NOT all protein, NOT all Veggies....you need guidance, then don't we all!

honestly, all I eat for the most part is vegetables and vegan products. Meat is pretty high in calories, so I tend to shy away from it. Also cheese and milk are big offenders also - i also dont eat too much potato or rice. Vegetables are full of nutrients , vitamins and calories ( if you eat them the right way and enough of them.)

He gave me a pamphlet of suggested foods and said to eat 1000 calories a day I have to loose about 90 pounds I am not having surgery I asked to see a nutritionist but he acted like he didn't hear me

So your not undergoing any surgery or anything he just wants you to eat 1000 cals/day to lose 90 pounds? Wth? and I wouldve kept repeating what I said about the nutrionist so he could hear me. I don't know about that hon. But if you feel it's what you want to do then do what a lot of people are suggesting. With the veggies and what not. Good luck to you

al dente - some of those vitamins deserve to live