Is 1,000 calories a day safe??
Jenn19959
Posts: 4
Hi I'm new on here my names Jenn I am 18 I actually have been trying to loose weight since July but just found this site. (ashamed to admit it) but in July I started out at 326lbs 
and I'm 5 1" now I am 266lbs so I lost about 60lbs in about 5 months. NOT great I am doing it the wrong wrong way. My sister is Soooo skinny 5 3" and 118 so lucky! I have been eating next to nothing for about 5 months between 800-1,000calories per day, and I drink around 55oz. Of water a day (not enough I know) I don't work because I have nerve damage and epilepsy (not trying to make excuses) but my days are hard even just getting out of bed. I used to work at a dog boarding kennel which I LOVED but can't now. So basically during the day I do next to itching usually clean the house all day for my mom and I don't real sit around I don't like to sit and feel sorry for myself so I do things, and usually I watch like 1 and 1/2 hours of tv (only at night before bed) so I wouldn't concider myself a couch potato but I don't exsercise at all other then up and down steps cleaning. So my question is this.....is 1000 calories a day ok? I don't fill up on junk, I usually in the morning eat three hard boiled eggs (all of it not justs whites not just yolks), around 10:30am a jar of gerbers baby bananas (my potassium is low) lunch sweet potato fries and chicken breast (no skin, spices, or other added fats) dinner usually chicken or red meat with cream style corn (yeah fattening) and like 6 sweet potato fries. Yeah I do eat lots of sweet potato fries for potassium. I like natural things not vitamins or supplements. I also cant have anything with milk. Then right before bed (like 2- 2 and 1/2 hours so it can digest) 1 pop up bowl of 94% fat free popcorn (no milk added). Also I drink water only nothing else at all. And yes Inpretty much eat the same thing every day for the past 2 months or so. The amount of each thing I eat adds up at the end of the day to a total between 1,000-1,100 calories. Is this ok? I don't feel hungry at all and sometimes even smelling food makes me feel sick so it doesn't bother me, but is this ok for my body? I dont want to do this the wrong way, sorry this is so long, thanks so much for reading! And good luck in your weight loss too!
and I'm 5 1" now I am 266lbs so I lost about 60lbs in about 5 months. NOT great I am doing it the wrong wrong way. My sister is Soooo skinny 5 3" and 118 so lucky! I have been eating next to nothing for about 5 months between 800-1,000calories per day, and I drink around 55oz. Of water a day (not enough I know) I don't work because I have nerve damage and epilepsy (not trying to make excuses) but my days are hard even just getting out of bed. I used to work at a dog boarding kennel which I LOVED but can't now. So basically during the day I do next to itching usually clean the house all day for my mom and I don't real sit around I don't like to sit and feel sorry for myself so I do things, and usually I watch like 1 and 1/2 hours of tv (only at night before bed) so I wouldn't concider myself a couch potato but I don't exsercise at all other then up and down steps cleaning. So my question is this.....is 1000 calories a day ok? I don't fill up on junk, I usually in the morning eat three hard boiled eggs (all of it not justs whites not just yolks), around 10:30am a jar of gerbers baby bananas (my potassium is low) lunch sweet potato fries and chicken breast (no skin, spices, or other added fats) dinner usually chicken or red meat with cream style corn (yeah fattening) and like 6 sweet potato fries. Yeah I do eat lots of sweet potato fries for potassium. I like natural things not vitamins or supplements. I also cant have anything with milk. Then right before bed (like 2- 2 and 1/2 hours so it can digest) 1 pop up bowl of 94% fat free popcorn (no milk added). Also I drink water only nothing else at all. And yes Inpretty much eat the same thing every day for the past 2 months or so. The amount of each thing I eat adds up at the end of the day to a total between 1,000-1,100 calories. Is this ok? I don't feel hungry at all and sometimes even smelling food makes me feel sick so it doesn't bother me, but is this ok for my body? I dont want to do this the wrong way, sorry this is so long, thanks so much for reading! And good luck in your weight loss too! 0
Replies
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You know the answer you are going to get to this
And you know that its 'no'
If you didnt already know that you wouldnt have written a massive passage trying to defend what you do
I can see that you are sort of mildly trying to imply that you have little food options (eg cant eat milk) but... umm..well take a look at my profile and youll understand - i have a TONNE of allergies and things i cant eat but there are always food options out there. And i do not eat processed foods - everything i eat is generally in its basic form, if you know what i mean0 -
Not being hungry isnt a sign that your body is getting what it needs
I suggest you increase your cal to at least 1200 a day
But hey, im not a specialist or anything right, and i cant make you do anything
You have to want to do it for yourself, to be healthy, and if you really do want (or even need) to loose weight, to do it the healthy way
Good luck0 -
As someone who used to only eat 800-1000 a day , trust me it is very unhealthy no matter how much weight you want to lose. From eating that low I almost landed myself in the hospital. You should be eating no less then 1200 day and that is even too low for most people. you really should eat something like 1200-1500. The eggs are a great breakfast but try real bananas and more veggies. here's an example of meals you can eat.
B: 2 egg and spinach omelet ( 150)
S: 1 banana (105)
L: Chicken breast(120) whole baked sweet potato ( 103) 2 cups broccoli( 80) 1 cup almond milk ( 30)
S: handful of nuts ( 150) baby carrots(25) hummus (80)
salmon, mixed green salad ( 50) light dressing (20) lentils (70) 1 cup almond milk (30)
S: 1 cup berries or an apple or any fruit ( 70) and your popcorn ( 50)
Total : 1243 give or take0 -
Thanks very much (: glad someone replied who has done the same thing. I will try this what you suggested! (:0
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I understand, my sister is allergic to everything, so I know how hard it is seeing her like that. And I feel very lucky I don't have to many allergies. And yes I KNOW 1000 calories it NOT ok I was just asking if I can basically survive on that, which is a dumb question. And the reason I posted so much info is that sometimes people respond and ask for more details. I just wanted to explain it all, sorry
but thanks for the response. 0 -
Based on your stats, you're morbidly obese. VCLD's are commonly used for MO patients by doctors (under 800 calories) however it's monitored. I wouldn't recommend it unless you had a professional overseeing it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Add some fruits and veggies to that and you'd be good. Eat a real banana instead of baby food and plan for a vegetable at every meal. Corn doesn't count as a veggie either!
You're morbidly obese so you can go lower calorie for a while to get those initial pounds off but you also still need to supply your body with the nutrition it needs to function. The menu Itskaleena posted is a good starting point for you.0 -
Why don't you do the TDEE - 20%? I put in your stats and found that your BMR is 1926. That's what you would need to keep you going if you were in a coma in the hospital. So it's probably not good to eat below that. Your TDEE, with no exercise figured in, is 2312. That's what you need to maintain the weight you have now. Take 20% from that and it's 1850. You can eat a lot more than you are currently doing and still lose weight. You can do it!!!
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/0 -
I agree with TDEE-20%. Healthy way of losing weight without feeling deprived and giving up. You don't want to eat so little that you'll have to maintain on 1400 calories or something.0
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Based on your stats, you're morbidly obese. VCLD's are commonly used for MO patients by doctors (under 800 calories) however it's monitored. I wouldn't recommend it unless you had a professional overseeing it.
This.
Plus the qualifier "how long" is needed. An <1,000 cal diet is perfectly safe for shorter bursts, a week or two, but not something you'd want to maintain any longer than that except for the quoted situation, doctor monitored for morbidly obese.0 -
Based on your stats, you're morbidly obese. VCLD's are commonly used for MO patients by doctors (under 800 calories) however it's monitored. I wouldn't recommend it unless you had a professional overseeing it.
This.
Plus the qualifier "how long" is needed. An <1,000 cal diet is perfectly safe for shorter bursts, a week or two, but not something you'd want to maintain any longer than that except for the quoted situation, doctor monitored for morbidly obese.
+10 -
Are you on medication for the epilepsy and does your primary care physician know that you are trying to lose weight? No one on this website can give you advice that is specific to your medical needs. Talk to your doctor and let him help you get on a plan to lose weight that will not cause other medical problems.
Good for you for losing the weight. Now, go see your doctor and make sure you are doing the right things for your body. Good luck!0 -
Based on your stats, you're morbidly obese. VCLD's are commonly used for MO patients by doctors (under 800 calories) however it's monitored. I wouldn't recommend it unless you had a professional overseeing it.
This.
Plus the qualifier "how long" is needed. An <1,000 cal diet is perfectly safe for shorter bursts, a week or two, but not something you'd want to maintain any longer than that except for the quoted situation, doctor monitored for morbidly obese.
+1
+20 -
If you lay in bed and act like a sloth, then yes, 1000 calories is not only safe... but probably TOO much calories. And may be the reason for your excessive weight.
Your body is in constant renewal of itself... consuming nutrients to survive. If you are NOT getting these nutrients from your food, your body will consume whatever 'good stuff' it can find. Translation: MUSCLE.
DO NOT RISK IT! Eat healthy, well balanced meals (meat and veggies) with some fruit and whole grains.
If you are really concerned about this.... talk to your doctor or your parents, not the MFP message boards.0 -
I noticed in your description of your ailments that you mention epilepsy. Are you aware that the most effective diet for epilepsy is ketogenic diet? The ketogenic diet was first designed to successfully treat epilepsy, and later discovered it can help with other ailments, like diabetes. It also has the benefit of weight loss and maintaining healthy weight, and athletes use it to enhance performance and give them more energy. You should google it and learn more about it. It will help your epilepsy and weight loss and give you more energy throughout the day. Discuss it with your doctor and parents. Check out this description in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenic_diet.
Also you may want to google these doctors, as they specialize in this stuff: Dr. Peter Attia. Dr. Robert Lustig Dr. Stephen Phinney. Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt. Good luck sweetheart.0 -
With your medical conditions, this is definately advice you should be seeking from your doctor.0
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Sweet potato fries are CRAP! Eat a real baked sweet potato.0
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I'm not sure the extent of the nerve damage but you should see what exercise you can work into your routine as well. It'd be great if you could walk dogs - seems you really like them. Like others have said, develop a plan with your doctor and don't give up! You can do it!0
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I lost 100 pounds in 7 months sticking to 1000 calories,
I kept it off for 2 years, my weight has now increased 10 pounds,
I am today back to my 1000 calories, I am never hungry, I eat 5 times a day and I never eat after 6:00 PM
( I am 5'2)
Good luck to you
You can do this!0 -
NO.
*this is meant in the most supportive way possible as I think it is not a reasonable calorie goal and can create potential health problems down the road as well as a miserable and hungry existence.0 -
If you lay in bed and act like a sloth, then yes, 1000 calories is not only safe... but probably TOO much calories. And may be the reason for your excessive weight.
Your body is in constant renewal of itself... consuming nutrients to survive. If you are NOT getting these nutrients from your food, your body will consume whatever 'good stuff' it can find. Translation: MUSCLE.
DO NOT RISK IT! Eat healthy, well balanced meals (meat and veggies) with some fruit and whole grains.
If you are really concerned about this.... talk to your doctor or your parents, not the MFP message boards.
1000 calories is very low for most people's BMRs (even shorter, leaner, older individuals). It wouldn't be too much--if she was in a *coma*, it'd still not be enough to have her body properly survive over the long-run.
Go talk to a doctor, OP.0 -
I wouldn't recommend it personally! Figure out your BMR (Base metabolic rate - how much you burn just by existing!) and then your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure - how much energy your body burns on a regular day, takes activity into account) and adjust your intake according to that. The recommendation of shaving 20% of your TDEE is pretty right on! Try not to eat below your BMR.
(Try this little guy)
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
For example, based on my weight and action level - my BMR is 1428. If I did nothing but lay and breathe all day, I would need to consume 1428 calories. When I take my exercise into account, my TDEE is 2135. (Yours will differ based on your activity. If you don't have any, choose sedentary. No big deal!)
Now, if I wanted to lose weight, I would probably choose a 20% redux in my TDEE... so 2135 - 427 (20% of 2135) means I should eat 1708 calories a day to lose weight given my current weight and energy expenditure.
I would really recommend using your own weight and activity levels rather than picking 1,000... I don't think someone with your BMI would be safe eating 1,000 a day without doctor supervision. Given your epilepsy, I would recommend talking to your doctor about this PERIOD.
I ran the calculator for you using your stats...
BMR = 2,022
TDEE= 2,426
Reduce TDEE by 20% = 1900 a day
As you lose weight, you need to recalculate because your calorie needs will continue to drop. Hope that helps. It's just my opinion... but you can do this.0 -
Talk to a doctor about it if you can (I know that at your weight a lot of doctors might encourage you to eat super low cal, but if they do, you can have your nutrition monitored by them to make sure you don't get dangerously low on any nutrients). A doctor might also be able to recommend some low-impact exercises for you, which will help you build strength and help with your problems rather than making them worse. My mom has a bad back but she can still go walking with me each day (and her doctor is encouraging her to walk to help with her back pain), of course she can't run with me. Just allow a professional to advise you in what you can/can't do!
Personally I would never eat that low. At the bare minimum I try to eat 1300 calories a day but lately I've been eating 1600-1700 each day and I am still steadily losing weight. I'm 211 lbs and 5'3" so I'm also obese and need to lose a lot, but I feel like losing slowly but steadily over the next year and a half is going to result in more permanent weight loss as I am changing my diet and exercise habits for life; building habits I can live with forever. For me that is the real point of this journey, that and being healthier so I don't just want to eat at a deficit but learn to eat more nutritious foods as well. Some nutritious foods are high in calories.
Also, if you can, switch to real sweet potatoes. I'm also low on potassium and I try to eat a whole baked sweet potato a few times a week.0 -
Thanks so much for the responses. Yeah I was planning on Talking to my neurologist but he closed his practice recently due to his own medical issues. I know I should talk to my doctor still trying to find one, and my family physician is still a pediatrician so hes not that much help really, I see him because im still 18 and he said he will see me until my birthday when I turn 19. But I will seek advice from a doctor I actually could only find one the closest to me is in NY. Thanks again for the advice and support. (: good luck to all of you guys too with your weight loss!! (: 0
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I would eat more :-) As people said go TFEE -20%. Kill the exercises. and eat as much back as possible . Make sure you have enough Protein (eat more than MFP most probably suggests) ... and have a look at these links :-)
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read0 -
So my question is this.....is 1000 calories a day ok?
Nope0 -
Sweet potato fries are CRAP! Eat a real baked sweet potato.
This^ ....packaged ones are crap......make your own.
Oven "fried" sweet potatoes are yummy.....http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-fries-50400000122059/
Is 1,000 calories a day sustainable? .....Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. Pick a (higher) number that you can live with for awhile.0 -
At the end of the day it's about sustainability and what's likely to get you to your goal. You can certainly lose weight on more without starving yourself. If you find yourself obsessing over food, extremely hungry, tired, or weak then odds are you're not going to be able to keep this up and when you finally snap you'll probably binge for a while and undo a lot of your hard work. I don't think that's what you want so while losing weight faster is nice, it also has it's downsides in that you are more likely to give up before reaching your goal than you would be if you were to eat a more satisfying amount of food.0
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