900 calories a day?

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  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
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    I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, but 900/day is too low. My father's cardiologist also recommended this diet for my morbidly obese dad to lose weight fast. The Medifast diet is used to quickly lose fluid weight in the body to reduce stress on the heart and increase circulation. It IS NOT a permanent diet!!! I don't believe this diet should be used by anyone that IS NOT suffering from some sort of pulmonary/cardiology problem. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, a person should maintain 1200 calories. If you stay at 900 cal/day, you will eventually start to have problems like headaches, heart palpitations, dizziness/fainting, unusual sweating, etc.

    You may like the results you are seeing, but please remember that you can't survive long term on so few calories. It is not healthy for your body.

    Just my opinion.
  • mrstullier09
    mrstullier09 Posts: 19
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    I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, but 900/day is too low. My father's cardiologist also recommended this diet for my morbidly obese dad to lose weight fast. The Medifast diet is used to quickly lose fluid weight in the body to reduce stress on the heart and increase circulation. It IS NOT a permanent diet!!! I don't believe this diet should be used by anyone that IS NOT suffering from some sort of pulmonary/cardiology problem. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, a person should maintain 1200 calories. If you stay at 900 cal/day, you will eventually start to have problems like headaches, heart palpitations, dizziness/fainting, unusual sweating, etc.

    You may like the results you are seeing, but please remember that you can't survive long term on so few calories. It is not healthy for your body.

    Just my opinion.

    I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Pulmonary Hypertension. I am only 25 years old so anything at this point I am willing to do to live a longer life.
  • KelliP5
    KelliP5 Posts: 13 Member
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    Oh no, you're so young to have those health issues. I'm sure your Dr. has his reasons for such a strict diet. Especially with Pulmonary Hypertension, he is probably trying to get the weight off quickly so there is less stress on your heart from any weight issues. I am sure that your caloric intake will probably increase once you are at a "safe" weight for your condition. Keep it up, it's hard but do-able and hopefully you have a great support at home. (looks like you just got married so I'm sure your spouse is 100% behind you, otherwise you have your bloggers LOL.).:wink:
  • Maggie1960
    Maggie1960 Posts: 322
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    I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Pulmonary Hypertension. I am only 25 years old so anything at this point I am willing to do to live a longer life.

    Be guided by your cardiologist on this one - I'm a nurse and I can appreciate the urgency to reduce your weight from a medical point of view. Once the acute stage of your illness has passed (probably when you've lost 10 -15 lbs more) you will hopefully be supported to start a healthy eating regime with more calories.
    Good luck hun and take care of yourself xxx
  • iguanaliz
    iguanaliz Posts: 95 Member
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    I was on Medifast twice, the first time under my doctor's supervision. It actually is very balanced as long as you follow it exactly. The "food" provides all the necessary nutrients that the body needs. If you're at about 850-900 calories, then I'm guessing you're not doing the meal? Typically, when you have the meal, the calories go up to 1,000-1,200. Yes, you do lose very quickly. I averaged 3 pounds a week after my first week's massive loss. I was actually very easy to stick with -- once you get used to the food. Just don't skip any of your meals...That will derail the loss quickly.

    The key is to make sure you do the maintenance once you've hit goal. It weans you gradually back onto "real" food so you don't gain it all back a few months later. You slowly add certain foods back in until you're eating all normal foods in proper portions. That's where you actually learn portion control!

    I made the mistake both times of deciding I could just quit "cold turkey" and not regain the weight. Uh, not so much :ohwell: Gained everything back within 5 months.

    It's not cheap, but you will lose weight quickly and, despite the low calories, you'll be doing it in a healthy way because of the balanced nutrients. Do yourself a favor though, and don't make the mistake I did (twice). Take the extra 6-8 weeks to wean off the Medifast and onto real food once you hit your goal weight.
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I have medifast that i do too, but i only will have 2 shakes a day and try to eat healthy the rest of the time. I know someone who lost over 120 pounds off it...and it does work...the only problem is that it is SO low fat that her hair started to fall out and her skin got gray colored...sure she lost the weight, but when she got off it, she went back to her old ways and gained like 50 poudns pack. My advice would be to have 2 shakes or so a day, maybe even a dessert, but try to get some real food other than a lean and green in there, like have a lean and green for breakfaast(omlette) so you get SOME kind of fat. But, it does work! The only thing i dont' liek is you aren't supposed to have fruit....AT ALL....so I cheat and have fruit for dessert....basic conclusion, its a great tool but doens't teach you how to eat properly, and that stuff is so expensive why would you want to buy it the rest of your life(like you are supposed to once you hit maitenence)
  • Fiedems
    Fiedems Posts: 52 Member
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    bottom line is that if it's recommended for health reasons and overseen by a doctor then the diet is ok. This site is great for motivation and encouragement, but we are not doctors. So the question of if it's healthy or not should be answered by your doctor.
  • marymooster
    marymooster Posts: 134 Member
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    I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Pulmonary Hypertension. I am only 25 years old so anything at this point I am willing to do to live a longer life.

    Be guided by your cardiologist on this one - I'm a nurse and I can appreciate the urgency to reduce your weight from a medical point of view. Once the acute stage of your illness has passed (probably when you've lost 10 -15 lbs more) you will hopefully be supported to start a healthy eating regime with more calories.
    Good luck hun and take care of yourself xxx

    I agree wholeheartedly... It isa short term but necessary..... solution for your health..... but please do the work while you are on it for long lasting results.... Best wishes.
  • mrstullier09
    mrstullier09 Posts: 19
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    Thank you all so much for the encouragement.

    To answer your question "iguanaliz", that calorie intake is after i eat my l ean and green. Take a look at my Food Diary (it's not private) and tell me if I'm doing everything right.

    Thanks again everyone for the loving support! Down 6 lbs since Monday has definitely got a smile on my face today!! :love:
  • rtownzen
    rtownzen Posts: 6
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    By definition, 900 calories a day is a starvation diet. However, if your doctor recommended it I would assume he is overseeing and managing it and making sure you're safe on it.

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