Doctor Said 600 Calories a Day Was Okay?

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  • katrinadulce
    katrinadulce Posts: 61 Member
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    As a side note, I used to weigh 272 pounds - I'm 155 now. Even though my HR, BP, glucose, cholesterol, and every other stat imaginable were not only normal, but optimal, I was still treated differently by many medical professionals because of my weight. And I'm not talking about being concerned about my weight and making suggestions to lose it. That part was entirely appropriate. I am talking about the WAY they did it - the WAY they treated me.
    The one thing that I found most frustrating/infuriating was how completely dismissive people in general, and medical professionals in particular were to me, and still are to people who are obese.

    Don't let anyone "explain" to you that being morbid obesity is unhealthy ... as if you didn't know, or didn't have a brain in your head. Your doctor dismissed your concerns without taking them or you seriously. He literally said "you're fat so it doesn't matter". Trust your instincts. It IS a bias.
    It is good that you spoke with more than one doctor, and that you are doing additional research to find out about options. You are going to need to speak up louder than the average patient.
  • fishernd
    fishernd Posts: 140 Member
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    You can, and I do, get all my macro nutrients in 900-1000 calories. 85-105 grams protein, 20-25 grams of fiber, 100-130 grams of carbs (fruits, veggies, whole grains), and 25 grams of fat (only a few grams are saturated). If you eat right, you get way more bang for your buck. I love to eat, so the trade off is, if I want to eat a big portion, I choose to eat veggies and healthy food.
    It's okay. The tinfoil-hat-wearing people love to trot out the old "starvation mode" myth that was disproved over 60 years ago, but like a zombie, just won't die. How much do you think people that have had *successful* weight loss surgery are eating? Certainly nowhere near 1000 calories, much less over that. As long as your calories aren't made up by empty fluff like starchy carbs (potatoes, rice, breads, grains, cereals, etc.), and are eating dairy in moderation (although a good source of protein, is still high in carbs due to lactose), and you're filling up on proteins and veggies, you can be perfectly healthy and lose weight on that few calories. After all, veggies hardly contain any calories, so the bulk of your calories would be coming from proteins and fats. It's very hard to eat anywhere near 1000 calories worth of veggies in a day...unless you're a wood chipper.

    If you can get all of your daily micro nutrients (including fiber, iron, calcium, vitamins, potassium, etc.) on 600-1000 calories (no cheating, vitamin supplements don't count, we're talking food, and you say "perfectly healthy"), I'll eat a tinfoil hat. Bonus: I'll eat an entire tinfoil suit if such a diet doesn't result in anemia, severe muscle loss, fatigue, significant hair loss and reduced bone density.
  • WhoWasGivenToFly
    WhoWasGivenToFly Posts: 64 Member
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    Get a new doctor! I am 5ft 5in and used to weight 206lbs. My blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and all other lab tests were within normal range even though,, according to my BMI, I was obese. My doctor never said a word to me about losing weight and really doesn't make any mention of my weight lose now.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Get a new doctor! I am 5ft 5in and used to weight 206lbs. My blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and all other lab tests were within normal range even though,, according to my BMI, I was obese. My doctor never said a word to me about losing weight and really doesn't make any mention of my weight lose now.

    I'd be more likely to question your doctor than the OP's, if they are not commenting on your weight when you're in the obese range. A lot of it comes down to minimizing risk and just because your blood numbers are fine today doesn't mean you aren't at a higher risk of health complications tomorrow.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I would say that you need a new Doctor because you don't feel respected by him or trust his judgment. Trust and respect need to be at the core of your relationship with your primary care physician.

    This.

    And for those who say that the doctor should be focused only on weight loss and might not be trusting her perception of the calories, since she's obese, remember she's lost 130 lbs. There's no need for such skepticism about her ability to lose weight without such an extreme calorie limit.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    Get a new doctor because this one does not care about your health and I've heard that's kind of important and stuff.
  • stillhere1981
    stillhere1981 Posts: 119 Member
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    I had my gallbladder removed when I had a liver resection. I have no problems with fats, but I tend to not eat stuff with a whole lot of fat in it. My father had his gallbladder out and he eats terribly, but doesn't have a problem (other than being overweight). I think the whole no/low fat thing for gallbladder problems depends on the individual. Eating healthy is a good thing though (obviously).
  • abouthealth56
    abouthealth56 Posts: 27 Member
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    This would not only ruin your health, but also your metabolism!
    Medical doctors are not trained in nutrition issues. I would suggest you see a Nutritionist, preferably a naturopathic one that would help you with proper supplements and how to reach goals without completely wrecking your health! Congratulations on the weight loss you've achieved! Check out website of Dr. Josh Axe and also Dr. Mercola for a lot of healthy and common-sense information, recipes, weight-loss plan, etc.
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
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    Most doctors know very little about nutrition, I'm not even kidding, it is a very small portion of the required curriculum, if it is even there. A good doctor would realize this and refer you to a registered dietitian, because they will have the nutrition background.
  • abouthealth56
    abouthealth56 Posts: 27 Member
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    I'm a close friend of someone who recently had bariatric surgery, and while true, they aren't able to eat a lot of calories at first, they're also consuming a lot of supplements in order to give them the nutrients they need to survive!!!
  • carinthea
    carinthea Posts: 97 Member
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    I too have gallstones - or rather one MASSIVE one - it's huge and won't pass on its own so I am now waiting for surgery. In the interim I am trying to lose weight and sticking to a relatively low fat diet, high in protein, low in carbs (following the South Beach diet for the most part). I hadn't realised that my low-fat diet (during which I lost over 150lbs - though I have gained some back and am now losing it again) followed by a few months of bingeing on junk food and everything that is bad for me (hence the weight regain) actually caused the blinking thing in the first place. I am in a lot of pain a large amount of the time, my appetite has actually decreased and some days I struggle to eat, but apparently this is normal. I have seen a surgeon, two doctors and a nutritionist, been referred onto various diet plans and since done it mostly alone.

    I had a doctor previously (moved and got referred to a new one) who constantly said nothing but "Calories in vs energy expended" and nothing more when I asked for help to get down from 368lbs...I ended up going it alone for the most part and though I am still not quite there I am doing it...I would recommend that you follow your 'gut' (no pun intended) and ignore the doctor when it comes to the calories, get a referral to a nutritionist if you can, they will help you to ensure that you eat a balanced and healthy diet and continue to lose weight.
  • bohoT
    bohoT Posts: 37 Member
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    This is most likely going to get some hate response but here goes.

    From working with doctors for many years, I’ve learned they might not be verbalizing their entire thought process, only the conclusion they come to. So his conclusion was most likely whatever you are eating is sustaining you. You have not lost weight too rapidly and you have not wasted away to nothing. The truth is most people do eat way more than they think they do and burn way fewer calories than they think. The fact that you report you are not hungry says a lot. He probably should have gone into more detail with you about your habits.

    I would ask for a referral to a dietician. Since your doctor is blaming your health problems on your weight (correctly or incorrectly) you should be able to get that covered. If not ask if they have a nurse, PA, or NP who can work with you. You are your own best advocate. Bring this up at every follow up appointment. If you don’t get the support you need then switch. There is a bias when you “jump ship” among doctors, who talk to each other. Show him you are not lazy and that you are working this weight loss plan and need support.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I've no idea how you can consistently function on so little and still manage to work out. I'm close to your weight and some days struggle to stay within the calories MFP sets me unless I exercise for more.
  • cathleenbowman
    cathleenbowman Posts: 11
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    I have been there too. The doctor basically telling you your fat so if you don't need to eat that much it's fine. They don't understand because one, they have been bean pole thin all their lives. And two, they have seen so many obese people not follow their advise they are jaded.

    I started at 307 pounds and at 5'6" that is morbidly obese. My doctor said it is not healthy to eat less than 1200 calories. The reason for this is that your body goes into starvation mode and will mass produce fat to store up for the starvation. If you do loose it is not fat but muscle, which is never good. I eat 1300-1600 calories a day and loose weight. If you loose too fast you have a better chance of putting it back on. My doctor gave me 3 months to loose 32 pounds and I am at the 20 pound mark now. It seems slow but I know it is healthy. Maybe you should look for a doctor that is not so jaded or "has been there". You want to feel comfortable talking about your weight issue. I know from experience that having a doctor like the one you described does not help your challenge or your self esteem! You deserve better! Keep up the fight! You ARE worth it!
  • BoatsnHose
    BoatsnHose Posts: 120 Member
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    Doctors aren't here to be your friends or provide a shoulder for you to cry on.

    Sometimes the cold, hard truth hurts, and can be a kick in the *kitten* for people to get their act right and get to where their body needs them to be.

    Nothing wrong with what the Dr. said IMO
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
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    Doctors aren't here to be your friends or provide a shoulder for you to cry on.

    Sometimes the cold, hard truth hurts, and can be a kick in the *kitten* for people to get their act right and get to where their body needs them to be.

    Nothing wrong with what the Dr. said IMO

    :noway:
  • littlesis1962
    littlesis1962 Posts: 13 Member
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    I agree with many others who have responded to your questions. I would, without a doubt and as quickly as I could find a new doctor. The cold hard truth can be delivered with compassion and caring. This guy just sounds like an *kitten*.

    Also I think if I were you and questioning my daily caloric intake, I would first assess exactly what is is I'm eating and then move on to a more healthy diet from there. From everything I have read and learned your intake of 600-800 is far too low. I worked with a registered dietician for a year and she always coached me to never go below 1200.

    At this moment I am trying to increase my protein intake and I am finding that some of the high protein foods I love are a bit higher in calories than others. Since protein is such an important building block of a healthy diet, you may want to start there first.

    Good luck with everything and congrats on your weigh loss to this point. I wish you success and joy as you continue your journey to a healthy lifestyle.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Well, morbidly obese people will have more fat to derive energy at around 30/cals/lb/adipose but it's still very low calorie consumption......I suspect that you'll binge frequently, which will kinda negate the low calories.......try upping the calories to around 1500 or so.....trust me you'll still lose weight. The biggest drawback for you will be daily required nutrients, which you don't want to mess with going forward.......

    Agree on all points. Physically you'd probably be fine at 600 calories, at least for a while, assuming you follow a strict diet and supplement as needed to ensure proper nutrition. But what's physically possible is only half the battle. You also need to find a diet and exercise routine that is sustainable and that helps you make progress towards your goals. If you're trying to stay active, a VLCD is probably not the best way to achieve those goals, as you'll probably lack energy on such a diet. Not to mention, that lack of energy and overall feeling of crappyness needs to be considered when it comes to how sustainable the diet is. It might be perfectly sustainable depending on the person, but it's just something to consider.

    So while his advice was probably fine in theory, in practice I'm not sure how helpful that advice actually is.
  • phyllisgehrke
    phyllisgehrke Posts: 238 Member
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    Get a new Doctor.
    My doctor said not to go under 1000 calories, then you are going into starvation mode.
    I battle with Diverticulitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, when I have to go on a low residue diet for a couple of days.
    Doctor said try to keep it at 1000 calories at least.

    When I was on a low fat diet, I kept getting cold no matter how many layers of clothing I had on
    I just kept chilling, when I added more fat to my diet my metabolism came back on track

    Good Luck in finding a new doctor, one that is not so judgmental and will take the time to talk to you
    I have an excellent doctor who I really like and has helped me on my weight journey.
    I am now on Maintainence mode now
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Personally I would be more worried about a doctor that believes in starvation mode than a doctor who thinks a VLCD may be appropriate for an obese patient.

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