Fluctuating from 1,200 to 900 calorie and back, okay or not?

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woahlottainfo
woahlottainfo Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know a person needs to trick their body's metabolism by alternating their calorie intake. I've tried going from 1,200 to 1,500 or even 1,300 but once i start to get up to 1,200 i feel really full (loads of fiber, maybe?). Even when I exercise (half an hour 3 nights a week), I gain weight. I'm 4'11, could that be a factor?
I've been alternating my calories from 950-1,200 and back up during the week. never below 950
I eat fruits, veggies, grains, dairy substitutes, and a vitamin each day. Nothing processed, except once in a while. No juices, no soda, not even gluten because it makes me sick. I have to watch what I eat because I have ibs and gluten makes my stomach hurt.
I'm scared of going into starvation mode, am I eating correctly?
If not, how can I get on track without gaining weight, or feeling full?

Forgot to mention that i'm vegan, so I eat tons of veggies and fruits to fill the nutrition gap, but i'll eat like, 5 fruits and it'll only be 50 calories. I have a nutribullet and use that to accomplish my nutritional intake.

Replies

  • suessetulpe73
    suessetulpe73 Posts: 4
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    bump
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    No, not okay. Please see a doctor and have a thyroid panel done as well as your sex hormones--there could be an underlying issue but starving yourself is not the answer.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    1200 is too low
    900 is WAY too low

    so, no. not even close to ok.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    No, not okay. Please see a doctor and have a thyroid panel done as well as your sex hormones--there could be an underlying issue but starving yourself is not the answer.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I think if you've got to ask if it's ok you sort of already know it's not. Pretty much everyone here started by saying that 1200 was too many calories and then quite a few of them found http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 and upped their calories and are losing weight just as well or more successfully than they were before :flowerforyou:
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
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    Why do you think you need to "trick" your body in order to lose weight? I have never heard that or done that before and I am quite successful at losing weight.

    Also, in your OP you say you eat 5 fruits for 50 calories. Five pieces of fruit have many more calories than that! Perhaps you are eating more than you think.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    1200 is too low
    900 is WAY too low

    so, no. not even close to ok.

    Exactly what I was going to say
  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
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    Forgot to mention that i'm vegan, so I eat tons of veggies and fruits to fill the nutrition gap, but i'll eat like, 5 fruits and it'll only be 50 calories.

    One banana has 90 calories, and orange about 70, apples, about 90. Fruits are not 'free' foods.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
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    Are you counting accurately? 5 fruits does not equal 50 calories. A good sized banana is around 120.
  • crops2dawn
    crops2dawn Posts: 27 Member
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    Just curious...what 5 fruits are you eating? Any one of my fruits I eat is always over 50 calories.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I know a person needs to trick their body's metabolism by alternating their calorie intake. I've tried going from 1,200 to 1,500 or even 1,300 but once i start to get up to 1,200 i feel really full (loads of fiber, maybe?). Even when I exercise (half an hour 3 nights a week), I gain weight. I'm 4'11, could that be a factor?
    I've been alternating my calories from 950-1,200 and back up during the week. never below 950
    I eat fruits, veggies, grains, dairy substitutes, and a vitamin each day. Nothing processed, except once in a while. No juices, no soda, not even gluten because it makes me sick. I have to watch what I eat because I have ibs and gluten makes my stomach hurt.
    I'm scared of going into starvation mode, am I eating correctly?
    If not, how can I get on track without gaining weight, or feeling full?

    Forgot to mention that i'm vegan, so I eat tons of veggies and fruits to fill the nutrition gap, but i'll eat like, 5 fruits and it'll only be 50 calories. I have a nutribullet and use that to accomplish my nutritional intake.

    You don't need to trick your metabolism.

    You need to eat at least 1200 (preferably your BMR imo but that's another discussion).

    To get enough eat more calorie dense foods. If you eat anything "diet," sugar-free, or fat free, replace those with regular foods.

    Add avocado, nuts, and peanut butter.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Are you counting accurately? 5 fruits does not equal 50 calories. A good sized banana is around 120.

    Also this, unless you are eating like 5 strawberries.
  • AllAboutThatTreble
    AllAboutThatTreble Posts: 156 Member
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    I know a person needs to trick their body's metabolism by alternating their calorie intake. I've tried going from 1,200 to 1,500 or even 1,300 but once i start to get up to 1,200 i feel really full (loads of fiber, maybe?). Even when I exercise (half an hour 3 nights a week), I gain weight. I'm 4'11, could that be a factor?
    I've been alternating my calories from 950-1,200 and back up during the week. never below 950
    I eat fruits, veggies, grains, dairy substitutes, and a vitamin each day. Nothing processed, except once in a while. No juices, no soda, not even gluten because it makes me sick. I have to watch what I eat because I have ibs and gluten makes my stomach hurt.
    I'm scared of going into starvation mode, am I eating correctly?
    If not, how can I get on track without gaining weight, or feeling full?

    Forgot to mention that i'm vegan, so I eat tons of veggies and fruits to fill the nutrition gap, but i'll eat like, 5 fruits and it'll only be 50 calories. I have a nutribullet and use that to accomplish my nutritional intake.



    What kind of fruit are you eating? A medium apple is ~80 calories so x 5 is 400. A banana is ~100 calories x 5 = 500. That's a huge difference. So maybe you're not tracking correctly? Those calories still add up and can be the reason why you're gaining weight even at what you may think to be 1200 calories.


    Edit: Others have also caught on to the fruit thing. I really think not tracking correctly is your problem.
  • MiracleMiles
    MiracleMiles Posts: 19 Member
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    I would have to agree on the consensus here. If you are young, healthy and your BMI isn't in the morbidly obese range, your body may not be getting enough subsistence. I am on a 1300 calories full liquid diet which was Dr. ordered after my heart attack because I have to lose over 100 pds in order to avoid a life threatening situation and surgery. Even in my situation, I have to take all kinds of supplements and prescriptions, not to mention I am closely monitored by a nutritionist on a weekly basis. If you aren't seeing a Dr. or nutritionist, I would highly suggest it and as everyone else on the thread commented, you may need for them to run a metabolic panel to check your thyroid and hormone levels. My daughter is very short, she is about the same height as you-- she eats a normal calorie diet and isn't overweight, so I think it's more a matter of chemistry and diet, than height.
  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
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    I think if you've got to ask if it's ok you sort of already know it's not. Pretty much everyone here started by saying that 1200 was too many calories and then quite a few of them found http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 and upped their calories and are losing weight just as well or more successfully than they were before :flowerforyou:

    and make sure you give it FOUR FULL WEEKS before deciding if it works or not. you might not even want to weigh yourself during this time.
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