Those who claim to be "full" off less than 1200 cals per day

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fiendiish
fiendiish Posts: 186
in Health and Weight Loss
At the risk of sounding insensitive...why is it so difficult for some people to understand that eating less than 1200 cals a day is STARVING YOURSELF! The claims to be "full" at the end of the day on -800 cals is insane! (Unless you're sick or have some other issues). Do you not realize that the weight lost will be regained? Do you not realize that your working against your body instead of with it? Do you not realize that that type of diet long term will cause you some health issues you never wanted..included cardiac, and kidney issues?

Really, this isn't about those suffering from eating disorders...I do not want to sound like I don't understand those cases. However, I DO NOT understand the "oh I'm just so full...I only ate 400 cals today....do I really need to eat more?...oh and I also worked out today and burned 300...do I have to eat those calories?"

Perhaps those are the signs of an eating disorder and I am being insensitive...or perhaps its lack of knowledge and education. I hope it's the latter.
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Replies

  • Sparksfly
    Sparksfly Posts: 470 Member
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    I would say it's a lack of education. That's what I did when I was in high school. I would get up to 149 and then start my "diet" : no breakfast, a soft pretzel and water at lunch, and some baked chicken and tomato for dinner. Probably around 500 calories a day + a 45 min cardio workout.

    Then after a week I would get down to 142 and ease up a bit.

    Now I eat 1400 cals base PLUS most of my exercise cals and I am steadily losing 1 lbs or more a week. Currently at 141, LOWER than I was most of high school.

    All the other girls in my school would lose weight before dances by those 500 calorie a day diets so I thought that was how you lost weight. I did always lose, but only temporarily.


    They really should teach this stuff in nutrition classes in schools.
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
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    I agree with you. I do between 1200-1300 calories and often times have difficulty doing this because I feel hungry. I have no clue how someone could eat 800 calories and honestly not be hungry unless you have the flu. On some of these claims, I look at the weight of the person and realize that they are overweight because they eat less than they should and then probably binge because of this. They will never lose the weight! Of course everyone wants instant gratification and lose the weight quickly. It's not going to happen. Does anyone realize that when you are extremely under the 1200 calorie intake that it actually is taxing on your organs? We want to be healthy and if that means losing the weight slower, than so be it. I sometimes think that losing weight and counseling should go hand-in-hand for some folks.
  • murdaone
    murdaone Posts: 1
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    Not a hope in hell I could do that, I've dropped my calories from about 2500 to about 1600 and I'm hungry all the time.
    400 cals is usually one meal not a whole days food.
    Your right though, you can't be full after that, you'd do damage, your body needs x amount of calories just for normal functions any less and your body turns fat and muscle into energy.
    Crash diets screw everything up!
  • abredbenner
    abredbenner Posts: 125 Member
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    I am not one of those who say that but there are days when I do a really long run, burn a ton of calories and then am really not hungry afterwards. There are other days that I do the same run and am starving afterwards. Everyone, everyday is different. I always find a way to get most if not all the calories by way of protein shake/bar, nuts, etc. There are plenty of high calorie foods that do not make you "full". Before coming on here, I did not understand the concept of eating to lose weight. I always thought the less calories the better. I'm glad I found MFP.
  • EternalLife
    EternalLife Posts: 31 Member
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    Hmm. Some days I genuinely am full on less than 1200, but I will always have something extra to boost my calories, as I know it's not going to do me a bit of good to eat that little. I would never willingly under eat, there's always something tasty to be had to boost me to a safe level!

    For example, yesterday I had a big bowl of porridge for breakfast, toasted 48-cal bread with low cheese spread as my mid morning boost, then some roasted vegetable pasta with a few olives for lunch. After work, for dinner, I grilled 3 large flat mushrooms and topped them with roasted courgette, tomatoes and red onion, sprinkled with a little mozarella. It was so filling that I found I was under by about 400 cals and had to eat extra even though I was no longer hungry.

    Other days I will be really hungry and meet 1200 with ease, it depends. I have noticed that on the days I don't feel hungry even though I'm low on cals, I have usually had a few cups of green tea.
  • squoozyq
    squoozyq Posts: 305
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    I eat such high fibre foods, that I feel quite full after most meals...having said that, I get hungry around 8pm every night and soooooo...I'm going to start having a small bowl of cheerios and skim milk so I sleep better.
  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
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    At the risk of sounding insensitive...why is it so difficult for some people to understand that eating less than 1200 cals a day is STARVING YOURSELF! The claims to be "full" at the end of the day on -800 cals is insane! (Unless you're sick or have some other issues). Do you not realize that the weight lost will be regained? Do you not realize that your working against your body instead of with it? Do you not realize that that type of diet long term will cause you some health issues you never wanted..included cardiac, and kidney issues?

    Really, this isn't about those suffering from eating disorders...I do not want to sound like I don't understand those cases. However, I DO NOT understand the "oh I'm just so full...I only ate 400 cals today....do I really need to eat more?...oh and I also worked out today and burned 300...do I have to eat those calories?"

    Perhaps those are the signs of an eating disorder and I am being insensitive...or perhaps its lack of knowledge and education. I hope it's the latter.

    Perfect post, I couldn't agree with you more!!
  • KimmyBee
    KimmyBee Posts: 158 Member
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    It just depends on how filling the foods you eat are. I can happily sit down and stuff myface with a green salad untill im ready to explode, then Its only like 200 calories!

    At the moment Im struggling to get all of my calories in that I should be eating due to eating too calorie concious and although im very full i can still be way under my goal. I dont deny myself food its just how it works!

    Im trying to get round it by still eating heathily, and still the same amounts, but eating more calorie dense foods. Last night i made a chicken and mushroom pie from scratch! I had to struggle to eat it all but in the end left half my puff pastry top and 1 little bit of potato.

    Its working quitewell for me, it also means my food options are much wider as Im not worrying about oing over calories but actually going under :laugh:
  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
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    Everyone is differnent, I certainly am NOT full on less than 1200 Calories a day but those people who are, that's them, good them...each to their own and all that! Not sure I understand the reason for the post!
  • ritadani
    ritadani Posts: 6
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    the reason for this post is that it is dangerous to have less than 1200 cals a day. it puts your body into starvation mode, and you can't possibly get all the necessary nutrients.
  • Soon2beskinny73
    Soon2beskinny73 Posts: 255 Member
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    I used to eat way under my calorie goal and all I did was starve myself and I was miserable and the scale never moved downward either because I was in starvation mode. I am a pretty big gal and I was only consuming 1000 calories a day at one point and was wondering why I was not losing weight so it was lack of knowledge on my part. I believe it's lack of knowledge on a lot of people's part. They think they are doing what they are supposed to do to get the weight off but really they are creating more of a problem.

    After realizing I was doing something wrong (my thoughts were the less calories I consumed the better I would lose) I went to a nutritionist who educated me on what I was doing wrong and why it wasn't working for me and it was like I saw the light LOL. Any ways since then I now eat most all my calories (sometimes I am under by 100 calories but never know more than that) and I am happy and content and I have stopped all the binge eating at night. And the best part of all is I am losing between 2-5 lbs. per week right now and I get to EAT :) Any ways it's lack of knowledge with some and with others it may just be really wanting to get the weight off and they think that they have to starve themselves to do that but that is so far from the truth!!!
  • momma2five
    momma2five Posts: 7
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    anorexia? or close to it!
  • fiendiish
    fiendiish Posts: 186
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    Because eating a consistent diet of less than 1200 cals a day is starving. It is not "good them"...it is unhealthy them. It is taxing their bodies. I sincerely worry!

    I'm going to throw this in too. My husband is the SAME WAY. He will pack away food like crazy...gain 20lbs...then 1 month before his PT tests (6 months apart) he'll start starving himself to meet his weight criteria. He thinks he knows better than every doctor, every nutritionist, every bit of information that tells you this isn't healthy. He will shut anyone down who tries to tell him differently. I see that type of attitude A LOT on MFP.

    I hear all kinds of excuses for it. The problem is it is excuses. It is pretty simple..1200 cals a day to merely SURVIVE without damaging yourself. If you're being "too calorie conscious" or whatever other reason for not meeting 1200...then tweak your diet a bit so you meet the 1200.

    With ALL THAT SAID...I find sometimes it's difficult for me to meet my cal goals...I understand the "off" days where you just have no appetite...or stress...or various other life reasons, however, consistently eating under cals is HURTING your body!
  • bellinachuchina
    bellinachuchina Posts: 498 Member
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    I'm going to get all the way real here. The formula is simple...eat less, lose weight. What are the goals of gastric bypass? To restrict the amount of calories consumed, resulting in extreme weight loss. What do prescribed diet pills do? Suppress hunger & increase metabolism. For people who understand this, losing a great deal of weight can be accomplished healthfully & in a timely fashion by eating a lot less and exercising to increase metabolism naturally.

    Eating 800 cal a day is not healthy, obviously. Eating 1000-1200 a day will result in major weight loss, and can be sustained if you actually change your lifestyle of eating FOREVER. That being said, and speaking from experience, you CAN lose weight quickly and keep it off. It's called self-control. Everyone's body is different, so the calorie allowance numbers aren't concrete for all, but the amount of food you consume directly effects weight, period. Some people may have disorders, I didn't, I just wanted to lose the damn weight, and knew what I had to do to get it off. It took mental & physical power to not stuff my face like I had been accustomed too. It would have been much easier to eat 1400-1600cal for over a year, but I knew that wouldn't give the results I wanted. My health has not been compromised by following a restricted diet, quite the opposite, really. I'm healthier now, than I have ever been in my life, and will live a longer life for losing the weight.
  • fiendiish
    fiendiish Posts: 186
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    Having worked with gastric bypass patients...I can without a doubt let everyone know that their doctors consistently tell them in regards to their diets to do everything possible to get at least 1200 cals in. Gastric bypass patients also suffer from malnutrition on a regular basis..and it will always be an ongoing problem for them

    As for prescription diet pills...a marketing ploy. No different than the crap they sell you on the shelves. If no one has noticed...every time a prescription diet pill is introduced...it is found to cause problems in people a couple of years later and recalled. Gastric bypass, diet pills...money makers. People want fast results...and they will pay for it...a lot of times in more ways than one.
  • KimmyBee
    KimmyBee Posts: 158 Member
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    Feindiish. I think you are being a little overly agressive. For a start people arent "claiming to be full" hey *are* full. and the reason they are posting questions like that is to learn, because that is exactly what MFP is, its a learning tool to eat healthily and live a healthy lifestyle.

    If you are "jumping down peoples throat" (as the saying goes) that is not a helpful or healthy way to learn, yes I know its annoying answering the same question a hundred times, but youre answering the question posted by a hundred DIFFERENT people and you have to calm yourself and answer the last one the same as the first!

    I dont mean to have a go at you but it really does seem from my perspective, and probably evryone elses reading this. That you ARE being agressive on the issue and you ARE putting your way across in an offensive way. I can easily shrug it off but reading this thread is making me feel offended and it is making me feel hurt!
  • bellinachuchina
    bellinachuchina Posts: 498 Member
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    Very good points, and the concept still remains the same, eat less, lose weight. Of course no one wants to damage their bodies, but being obese is doing just that....

    Some make a drastic change, some make gradual ones. It's personal preference, but we're all aiming towards the same goal, to get fit :)
  • Avandel
    Avandel Posts: 283 Member
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    Thank you for bringing this topic up again fiendiish, it saddens me to think that people are leaving themselves wide -open for future health issues. Eating too little will tax the organs as well as stop the weight loss & you'll probably still be overweight when you croak!

    Please heed the following:

    Being consistantly under 1,200 calories is pushing it, to be consistanly under 1,000 calories without a doctor's supervision can be dangerous to your health or even fatal.

    Some signals from your body that alert you to rethink your calorie intake include:
    - dizziness
    - cloudy thoughts
    - depressive thoughts
    - anxiety or stress overload
    - sweating
    - diarrhea
    - chills

    Should you experience any of the above while on a calorie-restricted diet, immediately contact your physician.


    151232.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • SimonLondon
    SimonLondon Posts: 350
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    Salad is the nightmare for me. If I have a salad for lunch or dinner I will always be full and well under 1,200 calories.

    I only eat 200-300 for breakfast (I hate breakfasts), then 300 to 400 for lunch (anymore and I feel sluggish at work). With some fruit and snacks I've eaten somewhere between 500 and 700. Now in the evening I eat a monster salad. I am totally stuffed but I could still be several hundred under. A salad is a calorie killer and I have been caught out a few times because I simply didn't realise just how low in calories the things I ate were.

    I now know that I must eat some high calorie food with the salad to make sure I hit it but I really do fully understand just how easy it is to be full on less.

    I have stopped adding all my food into MFP last thing at night so I'm not sat there at midnight shocked that I should have eaten another 500 calories.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    It is possible to eat less than 1200 calories per day and still lose weight and be quite satisfied and not starving themselves either..............

    Some of the most nutrient dense foods are low in calories.

    There are some days that I eat upwards of 1500 calories and others where I can barely choke down 600 calories.

    If you eat a lot of green leafy veggies, chicken and fish, eggs............those are rich in nutrients, full of Omega 3 fatty acids and protein...
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