Should I go against my doctors suggestion... Please help!!

I was doing Medifast with my doctor for awhile and that is a liquid diet of 500 calories a day, BUT I also saw him every week so he could examine me and make sure I was tolerating it ok. I did just fine on it and dropped a lot of weight, but I also gained it all back and then some because I never learned the right behaviors it took to keep it off. I too would make another appointment with your doctor to discuss her reasons behind 800 calories and then I would tell her that you'll only go that low if she sees you every week to make sure your body is ok with it. Otherwise I agree with everyone else and I'd see a nutritionist to get you on the right track. :0)

Okay, I'm a nutritionist and studying to be an RD. Before I would follow the recommendations of a doctor on nutrition, I would want to know their nutrition education. In helping a friend of mine plan her pre-req classes for medical school, I've seen the coursework that doctors go through and there is generally only 1 nutrition class and it is a basic class that I took as a pre-req for my nutrition minor. That one, basic nutrition class doesn't qualify them to prescribe a diet in my opinion. That being said, some doctors do specialize and take more coursework in nutrition. Generally, those doctors also go through more advanced courses in how to combine nutrition with pharmacology to help with rapid weight loss for the morbidly obese. Without knowing the full plan your doctor has you on (meds and such to go along with the diet and exercise) and your specific needs, I couldn't say if it is a good idea to follow her advice or not.

That being said, I can also say that in my 15 years in the fitness industry, 5 of which I've been a certified nutritionist, and especially since learning more in my nutrition program at college, I would never recommend a calorie intake that low, especially for someone who is exercising. I base calorie needs on the individual and I can honestly say there have only been a handful of people I've ever recommended less then 1200 calories for, but those people were literally only 90 pounds of lean body mass and very sedentary and even still it was no less then 1100. If you are more then that lean body weight or activity level, then you need more food to safely lose weight without slowing your metabolism. Doctors can prescribe less because they are also giving medications that can help prevent some of the metabolism slowdown (Yes, prescription diet pills are generally stimulants that help keep metabolism increased.) where I'm not licensed to prescribe medications. If your doctor is just telling you to eat that little but not giving you anything to help with your metabolism, I wouldn't follow the diet recommendations, personally. Especially if you were seeing results with the MFP recommendations and were feeling better about your eating.The number one thing I'm learning in my dietetics classes is that the changes we recommend have to be things that are doable for the patient and realistic for the long term. We can prescribe eating an apple a day, for example, but if the patient doesn't like apples, they won't stick with the plan and therefore our plan hasn't helped them at all. If your doctor isn't willing to recommend changes that you can do long term that won't cause you to feel like they are things you can't stick with, then you need to find a nutritionist or dietitian that can work with you and give you recommendations you can stick with. Or since the MFP recommendations were working for you, then you can stick with those. But above all else, don't beat yourself up emotionally because you "can't stick to the doctors plan" because the doctor should be tailoring the plan to you not you tailoring your life to the doctors plan.

I would go 1200 - 1400 calories and you will get all of your nutriants. and walk any amount at first and only eat good wholesome food!!!! Good Luck and God Bless You!!! You can do this!!!

Are you going to a MD for Medifast or HCG shots? If not 800 is too low. Start with 1200 and eat all and only fresh unprocessed foods. Low glycemic index fruits only ; You may be a good candidate for the HCG diet. Many of my clients have lost 30 pounds in 30 days. Homeopathic drops only. Check it out and read Dr Simeons book online: ":POUNDS AND INCHES" good luck in your journey

First, If you feel that something isn't right, then it isn't. Don't ignore your insticts. Doctors can be wrong! They are not perfect. Second, 800 calories is way, way too low! If you are losing weight following the tools and suggestes of MFP, then I would continue with that, because it is working. The worst thing you can do is NOT listen to your body, and if it telling you something is not right, then it isn't right. Good luck!

800 just sounds cruel and unnecessary.

I am just going to assume here that your doctor is a family/general practice doctor, whose patients diagnosis run the gamut. That said, you sould seek someone with expertise in the field of nutrition and see a certified nutritionist.


**Edit** Whoops did not see trainingwith tony's post. I still stick with my suggestion though.

First off , congratulations!

You are awesome to be doing all that you are doing to get things under control. You are going to a doctor, getting your levels checked, writing down what you are eating, and even walking! Hooray for you!

Please go with your gut feelings, 800 is way too small an amount of food. If your body thinks that's all it's gonna get, when you finally increase the levels (and by golly, you'll have to at some point or you'll be miserable) then your body will store everything it gets and you'll be worse off. (Also- please don't take any drugs that help you lose weight, I've been there, done that and it comes back fast and more. I thought of this cause I did it and the dr told me to do the 800 cal diet too). Anyway, please get a second opinion. The reason we are in this predicament is most likely multi-layered...

1) Old habits (formed since childhood most likely) are hard to break , it's more lasting to make small changes that you can stick with to slowly mold them into the habits you wish to have.

2) Food is more than nourishment to us. We'd like to think that isn't the case, but when I've had a stressful day, I don't want to sink into my comfy chair and eat an apple... no mam, I want something comforting. Can you think of a comforting food? Yes? Than you know what I mean. 800 calories a day will make you so hungry that you can't feel satisfied and if you are "hungry" your ability to make good choices is impaired. If you eat what myfitnesspal suggests, especially if you eat the cals throughout the day, you won't be ravinous. When I'm dieting and hungry, I feel sad, when I feel sad I want comfort, when I'm hungry I don't think clearly, my decisions are impaired... So,
Impaired judgment + need for comfort + my habit of eating for comfort = bad choices.

You are smart, or you wouldn't have questioned your doctor. Believe in yourself. If you want lasting changes, talk to people who have lost over 100#'s and kept the weight off for years. They know. I can't think of one who lost it by eating 800 cals a day. That's close to a dag on anorexic. You and I both know 800 isn't enough for a thin person let alone someone who has weight to lose.

You are on this site for a reason. This site has what you need. You can do this and you know it! The only thing that will throw someone off is having to deal with their emotions. Please consider writing in a diary about anything that you can think of that bothers you. Know that you can and should burn it afterwards. No one needs to know what you wrote. Once you've written it (daily I hope) put it in the sink or fireplace and burn it. It's gone! But get it out there first. Allow yourself to recognize what you internalize. If we hold extra weight on, it's most likely because we are people who bury our feelings. Most likely anyway. Well, here you are my dear.... We are all in this together. We can lose any extra pounds, slowly, safely and together.

Please get a second opinion. If you have a child, wouldn't you recommend he or she do the same?

It is not healthy to eat under 1200 calories. You are depriving your body nutrition that it needs. You are also sending your body into "starvation mode" and you end up losing less weight because of it. You are more likely to cheat or fall off the wagon if you eat too little. If you were following the goals on myfitnesspal and you lost, you are doing the right thing for your body. I do agree though, stay away from those packaged foods. Other than Pasta and canned tuna, nothing else we eat comes from a can. If you don't have time to do fresh vegs, try the green giant steamers or other frozen vegs. They have a lot less sodium than canned and taste more like fresh. Also, be sure you stay away from too much lunch meat. It is also full of sodium. Try making fresh soups on the weekend and then freezing it for future use. I made a great low-fat chicken soup in a few hours. You can do the same with vegetable soup. The most sodium you will have is from the bouillon (and they have low sodium bouillon). Also, consider using better sodium such as sea salt or kosher salt. They are less "salty" than traditional table salt.

One may ask why I am obese myself. I actually know how to eat well, the problem is I wasn't doing it.

I wish you well on your journey and I hope you do what is ultimately best for you.