How low can I go on calories and be healthy too

Heatherfunderburk
Heatherfunderburk Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
How little calories can I take in and still be healthy?? The other day I only took in 420. It felt great not to be bloated but I was very shaky

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    This is a question that nobody is qualified to answer here. You have to ask your doctor.

    My guess is that he will tell you that 400 calories is much too low. Call the doctor.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    1200, and even that is too low for most women. Set your deficit to 1 pound a week and go from there.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    How little calories can I take in and still be healthy?? The other day I only took in 420. It felt great not to be bloated but I was very shaky

    :noway:
  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
    There are two schools of thought:

    Either

    A) never eat less than your BMR (the amount of calories you burn just existing), or
    B) never eat less than 1200 calories

    And those aren't mutually exclusive, either. Most likely, BMR is going to be more than 1200 calories / day (not everyone's is, but most average adults have a higher BMR than 1200), but others feel you can go to 1200 regardless of BMR. No one, I repeat: NO ONE will say that less than 1200 is sustainable for health for any period of time.

    You need to eat enough to fuel your body and 420 is only a third of the minimum anyone here will recommend.
  • OctoGonalFish
    OctoGonalFish Posts: 3
    Isn't this dependent on how tall you are and how much you weigh? You might want to look at some guides on how to calculate how much you eat.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

    I think mfp already warns you if you eat less than 1200 - their estimations require you to eat back exercise calories lost I think.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I eat over 400 calories for breakfast. And I lose weight.

    Your goal should not be to eat the lowest amount and still be healthy, but figuring the MOST amount of cals you can eat and still lose.

    Food is fuel, and 400 a day ain't enough.
  • FaylinaMeir
    FaylinaMeir Posts: 661 Member
    I eat over 400 calories for breakfast. And I lose weight.

    Your goal should not be to eat the lowest amount and still be healthy, but figuring the MOST amount of cals you can eat and still lose.

    Food is fuel, and 400 a day ain't enough.

    agreed I'm eating my 450 calories pbj for breakfast (and it's a small sandwich LOL) :laugh:
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    From a post you made a couple days ago:
    have motivation to keep the calories down but I can't workout to save my life!! I feel so weak as usual. Its not the low calorie intake that making me weak, i've always felt weak. Help!!!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1389549-no-motivation


    I think we figured out why you are feeling so weak. This sounds like you are edging towards a real big problem.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Your goal should not be to eat the lowest amount and still be healthy, but figuring the MOST amount of cals you can eat and still lose.
    That's pretty easy: TDEE - 1. The line of people willing to take 3500 days to lose a pound probably won't be very long, though.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Please get help.:flowerforyou:
  • Tigg_er
    Tigg_er Posts: 22,001 Member
    Please get help.:flowerforyou:

    Like right now !
  • SweatLikeDog
    SweatLikeDog Posts: 318 Member
    Healthy or not, you need enough calories to support your body. Bodyweight in pounds x 10 is a rough estimate of the calories it takes to keep your weight stable if you're not active. 420 calories would work well for a 42 pound woman. It's a rough estimate. Try it and see what happens. If you exercise, you need to eat more to support the exercise regardless of whether you want to lose fat or not.
  • supersupercoolio
    supersupercoolio Posts: 6
    Do you mean as a one off thing/ short term plan or as something you want to keep up? I'd say you can liquid fast for up to four days if you just want a small cleanse type thing or 7-800 a day for several weeks because honestly that wont kill you. The only real danger there is trying to keep that up long term because you might stop seeing results and feel tempted to keep lowering it.

    Edit: It is nearly always healthier to up your exercise instead of lowering your cals if you want to mix things up a bit
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Your goal should not be to eat the lowest amount and still be healthy, but figuring the MOST amount of cals you can eat and still lose.
    That's pretty easy: TDEE - 1. The line of people willing to take 3500 days to lose a pound probably won't be very long, though.
    :tongue: Within reason, of course! I eat 1800-2000 cals a day and lose, which is a small cut from my TDEE. Reached goal and have kept it off for over two years.
  • dlb777
    dlb777 Posts: 13
    I understand what Heather (the OP) is saying about the bloat ... I too, have trouble eating all the calories you are supposed to. I've made an effort to do so today and it is literally making me sick to my stomach; plus the bloat is so bad I have to unbutton my jeans. Not sure how to get rid of this problem other than lots of water and probiotics, but it seems to be worse when eating for calories when you are already full.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    This is an extremely alarming question. Eating 400 cals isn't even enough to keep you brain and organs functioning properly. DOUBLE that would not be enough to keep you functioning properly! No freakin wonder you felt shaky. Take a hint! You body is trying to communicate to you that you are abusing and starving it.

    Find your TDEE. Eat 10-20% lower than that number to lose weight.

    That "bloated" feeling is more likely due to certain types of foods you eat, not the amount. Experiment with foods, record what you ate on days than made you feel bloated, and see how you feel after cutting back on those foods.
  • Pamela_in_Progress
    Pamela_in_Progress Posts: 197 Member
    I eat over 400 calories for breakfast. And I lose weight.

    Your goal should not be to eat the lowest amount and still be healthy, but figuring the MOST amount of cals you can eat and still lose.

    Food is fuel, and 400 a day ain't enough.

    This, so much! Why would you want to eat as little as possible? I want to eat as much as I can and still lose weight. If you start at the bottom, you have nowhere to go. Take care. :)
  • computercult
    computercult Posts: 1 Member
    ... You're not going to die from only eating 400 calories ONE day. :huh: 10 years, maybe. Lol. Everybody on MFP overreacts.
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  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Do you mean as a one off thing/ short term plan or as something you want to keep up? I'd say you can liquid fast for up to four days if you just want a small cleanse type thing or 7-800 a day for several weeks because honestly that wont kill you. The only real danger there is trying to keep that up long term because you might stop seeing results and feel tempted to keep lowering it.

    Edit: It is nearly always healthier to up your exercise instead of lowering your cals if you want to mix things up a bit

    This is terrible advice
    ^^yeah....wowsa
    6c8.gif
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  • Arranna1212
    Arranna1212 Posts: 143 Member
    400 calories for the DAY? I just made a protein drink with more calories than that. You don't need to think of it as, "How many calories can I live off of". You NEED calories to SURVIVE. Killing yourself is not going to make the weight shed faster. How are you going to workout if you're so weak? You won't be able to. Please eat and be smart about losing weight..
  • Alex
    Alex Posts: 10,137 MFP Staff
    Dear Posters,

    I wanted to provide a brief explanation for locking this topic.

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