Eating 600 to 900 calories

Options
WorkInProgress323
WorkInProgress323 Posts: 114
in Food and Nutrition
Can someone really succeed with this amount of calories? And if you exercise 5X a week and do not eat the calories back, isn't that even worse?

I'm trying to help a young lady out, I would love your input.


Thank you :smile:
«1

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    the-avengersfacepalm-gifloki.gif
  • AKNMHunt
    AKNMHunt Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    1200 net calories MINIMUM. 600-900 would be horrible for health.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    Why eat at all? I'm sure not eating would be even faster.

    ETA: this is sarcasm, before someone reports me :laugh:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    no, this is not healthy at all and this "young lady" is going to have a damaged metabolism and is going to lose a lot of muscle mass and is putting herself on the road to being skinny fat..

    I would suggest this "young lady" get some professional help …

    OP - I am assuming the "young lady" is you …so just do not do this ..

    You should really be netting 1200 calories a day …
  • Samantha22014
    Samantha22014 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Because of a slow metabolism caused by paraplegia, I need to cut down to 800 calories a day in order to lose a pound a week. Its not fun, and I'm hungry all the time, but it does work. I've found the following approach to be helpful:
    a) ease into it - cut 200 calories every 2 weeks until I'm at 800; dropping straight to it is just to harsh
    b) allow a "cheat day" about once every week or two - this helps guard against metabolic slowdown.( Although I give myself permission to eat whatever on these days, I find that once my body is used to 800 calories, my cheat days rarely go over 1200, so the impact on weight loss is minimal)
    c) vitamins and minerals. Sadly, its almost impossible to get all the nutrients needed at this calorie level. I typically find myself low on calcium and iron
    d) the biggest tip: plants. the secret is to eat bucket loads of plants. forget diet bars etc., they just aren't enough volume to keep me satisfied.

    Hope this helps!
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
    Options
    has she had gastric surgery?

    has a specialist suggested this amount of calories to her?

    if not then the minimum amount needs to be higher
  • helizi
    helizi Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    It sounds like the 'young lady' in question is impatient for weight loss, and I completely understand the feeling...but it doesn't work that way. There are no shortcuts. Healthy sustainable weight loss takes time. 600-900cal plus exercise isn't a diet, it's starvation. She will do horrible damage to her body.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    Because of a slow metabolism caused by paraplegia, I need to cut down to 800 calories a day in order to lose a pound a week. Its not fun, and I'm hungry all the time, but it does work. I've found the following approach to be helpful:
    a) ease into it - cut 200 calories every 2 weeks until I'm at 800; dropping straight to it is just to harsh
    b) allow a "cheat day" about once every week or two - this helps guard against metabolic slowdown.( Although I give myself permission to eat whatever on these days, I find that once my body is used to 800 calories, my cheat days rarely go over 1200, so the impact on weight loss is minimal)
    c) vitamins and minerals. Sadly, its almost impossible to get all the nutrients needed at this calorie level. I typically find myself low on calcium and iron
    d) the biggest tip: plants. the secret is to eat bucket loads of plants. forget diet bars etc., they just aren't enough volume to keep me satisfied.

    Hope this helps!

    I don't think this is a comparable situation to the OP ….
  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
    Options
    Can someone really succeed with this amount of calories? And if you exercise 5X a week and do not eat the calories back, isn't that even worse?

    I'm trying to help a young lady out, I would love your input.


    Thank you :smile:

    Very unlikely. This might be possible for someone who is morbidly obese and under a doctor's supervision. I certainly wouldn't recommend it long term.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    Options
    Yes she'll lose weight eating like that. She'll lose fat, muscle and probably some of her hair. There's absolutely no reason (except extreme medical cases) to live like this.

    If you want to help this young lady, I'd suggest some kind of professional help.
  • TwirleySlims
    TwirleySlims Posts: 112
    Options
    Why eat at all? I'm sure not eating would be even faster.

    ETA: this is sarcasm, before someone reports me :laugh:

    ^ This for the win! :laugh:
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Options
    I never saw anyone baulk when I was losing weight at 1300/1400 calories.
    That's quite possibly similar to a smaller person losing weight at 900 calories.

    You need to look into WHY 1200 seems to be a holy-grail-minimum.
    The main reason is getting enough micro-nutrients.
    1200 is a nice and easy round figure where by it's reasonable to get enough micronutrients without loads of effort.
    That's not to say that someone eating 600 calories may do better than another person on 2000.

    However, none of that is likely what you're looking for.
    What you're probably looking for is "OMG, you'll die".
    Which probably IS good advice for most people as for most people it ISN'T a great idea, I'd agree!
  • Timelordlady85
    Timelordlady85 Posts: 797 Member
    Options
    has she had gastric surgery?

    has a specialist suggested this amount of calories to her?

    if not then the minimum amount needs to be higher


    This ^^^^
  • WorkInProgress323
    WorkInProgress323 Posts: 114
    Options
    no, this is not healthy at all and this "young lady" is going to have a damaged metabolism and is going to lose a lot of muscle mass and is putting herself on the road to being skinny fat..

    I would suggest this "young lady" get some professional help …

    OP - I am assuming the "young lady" is you …so just do not do this ..

    You should really be netting 1200 calories a day …

    It's not me, I'm 49, not so young :sad:

    I'm honestly trying to help someone on here that told me this is her caloric intake.

    As for gastric bypass, she didn't mention she had that and she didn't mention that it was under the advice of her physician. I don't know her personally but she seems really sweet and I think she's only 22. I'm hoping to get a message across to her.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    Options
    I never saw anyone baulk when I was losing weight at 1300/1400 calories.
    That's quite possibly similar to a smaller person losing weight at 900 calories.

    You need to look into WHY 1200 seems to be a holy-grail-minimum.
    The main reason is getting enough micro-nutrients.
    1200 is a nice and easy round figure where by it's reasonable to get enough micronutrients without loads of effort.
    That's not to say that someone eating 600 calories may do better than another person on 2000.

    However, none of that is likely what you're looking for.
    What you're probably looking for is "OMG, you'll die".
    Which probably IS good advice for most people as for most people it ISN'T a great idea, I'd agree!

    I would have - that is disturbingly low for a man :noway:
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    Options
    Can someone really succeed with this amount of calories? And if you exercise 5X a week and do not eat the calories back, isn't that even worse?

    I'm trying to help a young lady out, I would love your input.


    Thank you :smile:

    Succeed at developing an eating disorder and becoming seriously ill? Yes.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    I never saw anyone baulk when I was losing weight at 1300/1400 calories.
    That's quite possibly similar to a smaller person losing weight at 900 calories.

    You need to look into WHY 1200 seems to be a holy-grail-minimum.
    The main reason is getting enough micro-nutrients.
    1200 is a nice and easy round figure where by it's reasonable to get enough micronutrients without loads of effort.
    That's not to say that someone eating 600 calories may do better than another person on 2000.

    However, none of that is likely what you're looking for.
    What you're probably looking for is "OMG, you'll die".
    Which probably IS good advice for most people as for most people it ISN'T a great idea, I'd agree!

    Honestly I've wondered where the 1200 # comes from, but hey, it's really not a problem for me :laugh:

    OP are you worried about the young lady having some sort of eating disorder? If not I'd just try to be around when she realizes this awful diet is not sustainable and give her information on moderation and MFP of course :smile:
  • erikmsp72
    erikmsp72 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    Consider: The person who responded who eats 800 calories is paraplegic (cannot move their legs at all) -- AND, 800 calories is low enough for a person who *cannot move their legs at all* to lose a pound a week.

    Someone who exercises and does not eat their calories back is going to need a LOT more than 800 or 900 calories a day.

    I would say, tell her to trust what MFP tells her. That is, have her put into her profile what her current weight is. Have her log (honestly) what she eats. Have her log (honestly) what she is doing for exercise. MFP will tell her how many calories she needs, already building-in a deficit so she will meet her weight goal.

    I am guessing it's gonna be over 900 calories.
  • WorkInProgress323
    WorkInProgress323 Posts: 114
    Options
    I sent her the link to this thread. I hope she reads it and listens to everyone's advice.
  • HorsesForever21
    HorsesForever21 Posts: 4
    Options
    With that amount of calories you are looking at rapid weight loss which will eventually turn into rapid gain. It's a hellish cycle, restrict and lose, then binge and gain it all back.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories