We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

800 Calories a day?

2»

Replies

  • Panda_Rolls
    Panda_Rolls Posts: 101 Member
    This is why I hate that show. Makes me so mad I see red. I could rant on and on about it, but most of the previous comments said it all for me. The only thing I can add is that for me, personally, I started losing weight faster when I started eating more and exercising more. I feel a lot healthier and energetic and am WAY less cranky. I have to eat more than that if only to maintain my relationships.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    This reminds me of an ecard I saw that said, "I'd do anything to lose 10lbs, except eat healthy and work out". Weight loss doesn't have to mean starvation and suffering and endangering your health.
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    when I first started MFP and following the guided 1200 calories - I was losing my hair and my nails were brittle and cracking. I was apparently not getting enough nutrients. I have upped it to 1400 and eat back my exercise calories and everything went back to normal. Although the weight is not coming off as fast, I am much healthier!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    No wonder there's so much drama on that show - they're all hangry! :tongue:

    I always enjoy seeing their transformations, but I hate the drama, knowing that they do restrict their cals so much (I've read other horror stories as well), and I get ticked when at any point during a season the trainers come down on them or act like it's the end of the world if a contestant hasn't lost more than 10lbs in a "week".

    I think the show does help some contestants and viewers change their lives for the better, but I think it also gives viewers false expectations of how weight loss should go. Case in point - the countless threads we have here with new members upset if they've only lost 3 (or 2 or 10, doesn't matter) after their first week or two.

    Slow and steady, proper nutrition and fuel in that body. This ain't The Biggest Loser, it's not a sprint, it's your life - do it right! :smile:
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    More like 800 calories a meal :smokin:
  • kathystrauss1
    kathystrauss1 Posts: 142 Member
    How do they build so much muscle on 800cal/day? From everything I read here I understand that if you aren't eating enough you lose muscle.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    when I first started MFP and following the guided 1200 calories - I was losing my hair and my nails were brittle and cracking. I was apparently not getting enough nutrients. I have upped it to 1400 and eat back my exercise calories and everything went back to normal. Although the weight is not coming off as fast, I am much healthier!

    That's my concern, not only eating enough calories but nutritious calories.
    What's the point of eating less if you're not eating healthy and nourishing your body?
    I wouldn't hire either of them to be my personal trainer. :noway:
    They don't have a person's best interest in mind.
  • daniperrott
    daniperrott Posts: 3
    I think it depends on your circumstances ... like how much you have to lose. If you're are not very overweight and prone to eating disorders, its probably not a good plan. I'm not obese but i was (& still am a bit) overweight with Diabetes. My doctor and Endo both recommended a VLCD in the form of shakes for 3 weeks to give myself the 'kickstart' i needed. It has worked. My BMI is currently 25.2 so still have a little way to go and yes, I did stall a bit when I re-introduced food but I certainly didn't put it all back on again and now I'm doing another 3 week stint to give it another boost.
    Common sense (& your doctor's advice) should prevail. Different things work for different people and more than anything its about mindset - just as it is with giving up cigarettes or whatever.
    Find a doctor who understands your circumstances and what you want to achieve and go from there.
    For the record, I use a Pharmacy product because it's the only one I can stomach and I'm not rigid about it. Having said that, you're not going to go into Starvation mode in 3 weeks!
    Good luck!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories