Doctor says 1500 calories is too drastic

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  • exohglo
    exohglo Posts: 49 Member
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    I pretty well stay below or at 1200 calories a day. Never usually go above 1300 calories and I find I am definitely eating enough. I'm never really starving. I just started this diet May 1st with My Fitness Pal. Started at 235lbs and it told me to eat 1350. When I lost my first 10lbs it told me to eat 1300 and then after my next 5lb loss it told me to eat 1200 which it has kept me at even with the further weight I've shed.
    If it isn't a problem for me to stay in that 1200 zone and i'm not starving, is it a big deal that i'm only having 1200 a day?
  • Balance_Breathe
    Balance_Breathe Posts: 41
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    I agree with them. I personally developed gallstones and required emergency surgery after 8 weeks on a 1200 calorie diet. I don't want to assume that was the reason, but it seems possible-- check out this news story from 3 days ago. The lower your calories, the greater the risk of gallstones, apparently.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/07/us-crash-diet-gallstone-idUSBRE95615J20130607
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
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    Your Dr. Didn't spend 9 yrs in Medical school just for Fun.
    Listen to your Dr.

    If your doctor spent 9 years in med school, I would recommend getting a different doctor. Med school is 4 years max.

    I think they were talking med school + residency + fellowship = 9 years.

    Different animal entirely. And if you had your physical, it was probably with a family physician or internist, who is internship + 2 years of residency which is only 7 years not 9.

    And what they cover on nutrition in med school you could put in a thimble and still have room for Andre the Giant's thumb.

    Nada. Zip. Zilch. I'm sure it may be discussed some in training for Endocrinology, and maybe a lecture or two at most for Family docs and internists, but that's it. No more. People on these forums have read as much as your average doc who have no interest in diet and nutritition. Sorry but that's the way it is.

    I don't think anyone is arguing with that. At least not me. I'm no stranger to the medical profession. But most of the general population knows that it takes many years to become a doctor and 9 years was a general statement.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    [/quote]

    Different animal entirely. And if you had your physical, it was probably with a family physician or internist, who is internship + 2 years of residency which is only 7 years not 9.

    And what they cover on nutrition in med school you could put in a thimble and still have room for Andre the Giant's thumb.

    Nada. Zip. Zilch. I'm sure it may be discussed some in training for Endocrinology, and maybe a lecture or two at most for Family docs and internists, but that's it. No more. People on these forums have read as much as your average doc who have no interest in diet and nutritition. Sorry but that's the way it is.
    [/quote]


    This is true...my doctor told me he lived on nothing but chicken breasts and salad for 3 months, and ran on the treadmill daily for 2 hours. He also told me I'm going to look like a man if I keep lifting heavy. I would go to a certified nutritionist before I'd go to my family doctor, he's useless. Even my gyno laughed at him for saying such stupid things.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
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    I think it comes down to this: if you want advice on a diet plan as far as calories and how to structure it from an expert on what is too little for you based on your health condition and weight, the person you should be talking to isn't a doctor but a registered dietician. That is their training, that is their job. And that is who the doctor will refer their patients to. It is who the doctors will consult with. They are the experts in the field. An MD does not confer expertise in all areas of health.
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
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    That Medical term drastic.

    No one will die eating 1500, especially someone with Fat reserves. Its just hard to do mentally and no fun!
  • fat2strongbeth
    fat2strongbeth Posts: 735 Member
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    Sounds about right. My nutritionist told me to aim for 1500 per day.
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    My endocrinologist told me 1200 was fine. I have since dumped her because she was horrible.

    My dr (not an endo) wanted me on 1200, 1400 max. When I was a good 50lb heavier. I still eat way more than that now, and can lose. :)

    Oh, and I fired mine, too. Skinny B!%)(@. :laugh:
  • cori1089
    cori1089 Posts: 5 Member
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    Medical school itself is 4 years long, then there is the residency portion which ca nvary anywhere from 3-8 years, depending on how specialized. "nutritionist" isn't a "specialty" and no , as far as i know nutrition isn't covered as much as it could be and last i heard, they're making efforts to include more. Nutrionists are "below" Dietitians and that is a masters or doctoral programs. Medical school is a professional school, not really graduate school in that sense.

    This is just what I kind of know as a pre-med
  • cori1089
    cori1089 Posts: 5 Member
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    .
    I think it comes down to this: if you want advice on a diet plan as far as calories and how to structure it from an expert on what is too little for you based on your health condition and weight, the person you should be talking to isn't a doctor but a registered dietician. That is their training, that is their job. And that is who the doctor will refer their patients to. It is who the doctors will consult with. They are the experts in the field. An MD does not confer expertise in all areas of health.

    ^^ YES!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    how heavy and/or tall are all of you? if you don't mind me asking. i'm at 150 and 5'4. should I still be coming in at 1200?

    1200 PLUS your exercise calories. Puts you in the ballpark of 1500 I would think.
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
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    how heavy and/or tall are all of you? if you don't mind me asking. i'm at 150 and 5'4. should I still be coming in at 1200?

    I'm the same measurements as you and I eat between 1400 and 1600 and have been steady losing inches (I don't weigh myself all that often).
  • ApocalypticFae
    ApocalypticFae Posts: 217 Member
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    I think that 1500 is very reasonable for most people. But not everyone. At 5'1" with the frame I have, 1500 is my maintenance mode. At one time not too long ago I was eating around 2,000 and managed to gain 20 lbs. in a relatively short period of time. Just one of the downfalls of being short with a small frame. Right now I'm eating 1200-1300, which I think is reasonable for someone my size. And I'm losing at about the rate that MFP predicted for me.

    ETA: Oh yeah, and I always eat back my exercise calories. It would be really hard not to. :smile:
  • ska41
    ska41 Posts: 15 Member
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    To each their own I guess, but I've been at 1050-1200 for 9 months now. I'm being followed by my physician, a Registered Dietitian, and a trainer. They're all fine with the plan I'm following. I'm 5'9", started at 333 lbs. in September. Now at 205. I focus on getting plenty of protein to help preserve as much muscle as possible, then healthy fats. Any calories left can go to carbs. I eat a lot of chicken and veggies, not a lot of bread and sweets (I don't have the calories for that right now). I supplement with a multi vitamin and fish oil to make sure the bases are covered. I strength train 3 times a week for an hour and swim laps 2 or 3 times a week in between. I do get hungry occasionally, but I just snack on protein - like a few chicken nuggets, turkey or ham - and that does the trick.

    Anyway - 1200 and a little lower, can be done safely for some. It works for me and my average loss has been 2 - 3 lbs. a week.
  • manders376
    manders376 Posts: 53 Member
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    Medical school itself is 4 years long, then there is the residency portion which ca nvary anywhere from 3-8 years, depending on how specialized. "nutritionist" isn't a "specialty" and no , as far as i know nutrition isn't covered as much as it could be and last i heard, they're making efforts to include more. Nutrionists are "below" Dietitians and that is a masters or doctoral programs. Medical school is a professional school, not really graduate school in that sense.

    This is just what I kind of know as a pre-med

    This is true. I am in medical school planning on going into family medicine. Medical school is 4 years, Family Medicine residency is 3 (so 7 years). Nutrition was one of our classes first year. It was about half the length of a "normal" class (genetics, anatomy, etc). It is also covered on the national boards though not in great detail.

    Any doctor will know as much about nutrition as they educate themselves on. Not every doctor sits around thinking what they learned in medical school will cut it. Many people continue to do research and stay up to date, many do not. The best bet is to find a doctor you trust and that you believe continues to educate themselves beyond their medical school education or to see a nutritionist/dietician.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    I pretty well stay below or at 1200 calories a day. Never usually go above 1300 calories and I find I am definitely eating enough. I'm never really starving. I just started this diet May 1st with My Fitness Pal. Started at 235lbs and it told me to eat 1350. When I lost my first 10lbs it told me to eat 1300 and then after my next 5lb loss it told me to eat 1200 which it has kept me at even with the further weight I've shed.
    If it isn't a problem for me to stay in that 1200 zone and i'm not starving, is it a big deal that i'm only having 1200 a day?

    If it's working for you, you're not hungry all the time, you haven't stalled, and are eating your exercise calories back to make sure you net the 1200 it may not be a big deal. The problem tends to be what happens after you lose the weight. MFP won't take you lower than 1200 so you'll eventually stall out since you can't go lower. That's usually when people get unhealthy and lower the calories to 1000 or 800, don't eat their exercise calories, do tons of cardio, etc.

    You can lose weight eating 1200 calories, some people can only lose weight that way, but most people can lose weight eating more. Figure your BMR and TDEE based on your exercise routine and see what the difference is.
  • Roxiehart9
    Roxiehart9 Posts: 32
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    Did the docs say why? How tall are you both? I'm wondering because I'm just under 5"4" and can't seem to stay below 1300 cals - I just like eating too much. My weight loss has been REAL slow, and was considering going even lower if I could stand it. I walk about 5-6 times a week for about an hour at a pretty fast pace and hope that's helping.
  • Roxiehart9
    Roxiehart9 Posts: 32
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    Yuor body could have gotten used to your routine. It's good to change up your routine every 2-4 weeks. If you are usually walking 6 times a week, change it up to walk 3 times and run 3 times or boke all 6. Either way, your body learns your habits and adjusts accordingly. That's usually what hinders weight loss the most in people that are pretty disciplined with their diet. If you keep subtracting calories, at some point you're going to be too low in calories and that's not going to work because your body will go into starvation mode. Just keep eating healthy, stay focused, change up your cardio and work out a bit and you should see the scale start to move again.

    Good Luck!
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    Some arbitrary calories number doesn't mean much when you don't post your height/weight/activity level. What is fine for someone that's 5'3" and 150lbs isn't fine for someone that's 6ft and 250lbs.
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
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