1200 Calories- too much for me?

mitchielovesyou
mitchielovesyou Posts: 10
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Now that I've committed to eating healthy and cutting back junk foods which made up more of my caloric intake.. I've realize that 1200 calories is a bit much for me.

When I'm eating healthy and not hitting the candy bags/chips.. my intake rakes in about 600 calories and I'm not starving at all. When I have a bag of candy or two, my intake reaches around 800-900.

Is 600 not enough for my body to not go into starvation mode?

Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    No one is going to be able to tell you how many calories are right for you - we don't know you, what you weigh, how tall you are, anything about your history etc. BUT, almost everyone is going to tell you that 600 cals is very low and it doesn't seem that your body could possibly get enough nutrition to be healthy.

    If you need to lose weight, I highly recommend that you talk to a professional that you trust (doctor, dietician, trainer, nurse, someone!) who will give you sound advice on what is best to get you looking and feeling great. Don't trust a random person online who doesn't know you (and that includes me :smile: )

    Check your weight and height against the BMI index - this isn't perfect but it does give you a guideline as to whether you are in a healthy weight range already. If you are, but feel that you could look better, you may not need to cut calories, but might benefit from exercise to get more toned and sleek.

    Please be safe, don't start yourself on the path of extreme dieting followed by giving up because it is too hard. So many of us who are a bit older have been there and wish we knew then what we know now!
  • sarawalker14
    sarawalker14 Posts: 9 Member
    i dont think it is too much for ya... a piece of fruit is 100 calories so if you are having the 3 servings thats 300.. 3 veggies another 300 and that hits what you said you've been taking in, 600.. so continue what you are eating but eat more fruit and veggies. I was hitting the same number a long time ago when i first started dieting and then started throwing in more of the fruits and veggies and was hitting that 1200 calorie mark.. its up to you though, I odn't think you are starving yourself nor is it bad, you have a small stomach sack :)
  • arabellastrange
    arabellastrange Posts: 27
    Sweetheart, you know this is not healthy. Starvation mode kicks in under 1200, you may already have hit it. Your weight loss slows down. You'll burn muscle instead of fat and get seriously sick. I know this as I trying to recover from anorexia. Furthermore, when you start to eat properly again you'll retain water, put on weight round the belly and face only for a while and have chronic wind. It is not pretty.
    Add me if you want to talk. This does not sound good. Your long term health is more important than fast weight loss. xx
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    i dont think it is too much for ya... a piece of fruit is 100 calories so if you are having the 3 servings thats 300.. 3 veggies another 300 and that hits what you said you've been taking in, 600.. so continue what you are eating but eat more fruit and veggies. I was hitting the same number a long time ago when i first started dieting and then started throwing in more of the fruits and veggies and was hitting that 1200 calorie mark.. its up to you though, I odn't think you are starving yourself nor is it bad, you have a small stomach sack :)

    Can I just clarify - are you suggesting that 600 cals a day is not starving? If so, I can't agree!
    If you are suggesing that adding an extra 3 serves of fruit and 3 serves of veggies a day will help - then that's great advice, possibly not enough, but a good start :)
  • mitchielovesyou
    mitchielovesyou Posts: 10
    I have a lot of fish and white meat and plenty of veggies every day. I'm just super obsessed with eating celery and lettuce. It's become an addiction. I reach for it like I would for chips because to me it tastes SO good... but then it fills me up a lot without a lot of nutritional value.

    I'm not into starving myself or anything... but when you lay 1200 calories in veggies, fruit and white meats.. it's a lot to eat in a day! But I don't want to trigger starvation mode or anything so I guess I'll try incorporating higher caloric foods into my diet.. rather than snacking on celery and lettuce all day.

    I know it sounds horrible but I do it because I love the taste ! Not for the low calories. I could care less. Ha.
  • Britt22706
    Britt22706 Posts: 97
    Try adding a handful of nuts into your diet. They are calorie and nutritional dense. Also, if you are trying to tone up, they are loaded with protein and healthy fats!

    I do believe you when you say you are not trying to starve yourself, but please, try to eat at least 1200. Everyone is not the same, but to only be consuming 600 a day doesn't sound like a good idea for anybody.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    I suspect that you're not as filled up as you think. On 600 calories it's more likely that your metabolism is slowing down to meet your intake. After a while of this you will start losing weight, but it won't be in a healthy way.
  • erisfreenici
    erisfreenici Posts: 277 Member
    You could put some peanut butter on that celery, or have some low-fat string cheese with the lettuce or even some hummus! Make sure you're taking great care of your body so that you stay healthy for a long time.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    Personally if I have any less than 1100 / 1200 cals (and more when I exercise) I feel awful.

    I see from your profile that a) you are 5ft 5in b) only 16 and c) you figure skate so I really think you need to take at least your 1200 cals PLUS eat back your exercise cals.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    600 calories is enough for NO ONE.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I think 600 cals is fine for a couple of days, but not sustainable long or even medium term. 600 cals a day is what concentration camp victims were given, and most died of malnutrition or illnesses stemming from it. It's not advisable. You will either get hungry and eat more, or be very ill.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    Now that I've committed to eating healthy and cutting back junk foods which made up more of my caloric intake.. I've realize that 1200 calories is a bit much for me.

    When I'm eating healthy and not hitting the candy bags/chips.. my intake rakes in about 600 calories and I'm not starving at all. When I have a bag of candy or two, my intake reaches around 800-900.

    Is 600 not enough for my body to not go into starvation mode?

    You will go into starvation mode. Do you know what that means? It means that you are so malnourished that your body will slow its metabolism and also start to cannibalize your muscles (including your heart) and leach the missing minerals from your skeleton. Your hair will fall out too.

    1200 calories is set as the floor on calories here at MFP because it is nearly impossible to get adequate nutrients at 1200 calories and impossible below it.

    You're not 4'10"--you're 5'5", so don't kid yourself into thinking that you are the exception to the rule because you're unusually petite. You're not.

    I have very little patience for this sort of undereating because I've seen too many of my friends permanently (yes, PERMANENTLY) damage their health with this sort of nonsense. :grumble: If you pursue this sort of slow suicide long enough, your body will NOT fully recover when your eating habits improve. I know that's hard to believe when you are 18, but it happens to be true.

    And as I doubt you will listen to any of us, bring your food diary to your doctor and a psychologist and see what they say.
  • HeatherShrinking
    HeatherShrinking Posts: 776 Member
    At 16 years old, you need calories to grow and develop. Go talk to your doctor or a nutritionist.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    Going back to your age OP - do your parents know you are using MFP?

    I would def let them know and let them help with healthier meal choices.

    I reiterate what others say, 600 cals is nowhere near enough for anyone let alone an active, 16 year old lady :-(
  • mitchielovesyou
    mitchielovesyou Posts: 10
    IF YOU ARE GOING TO REPLY BECAUSE OF THE SUBSEQUENT BUMP WITH MY RESPONSE, PLEASE READ THIS FIRST:

    Sigh. I guess I should have clarified so that people would not overreact. I understand that weight is a very sensitive subject for society, especially in teens... but it's not that I'm starving myself, just like I've reiterated several times within this post, it's that I'm simply am NOT hungry.

    The question was if 600 calories was enough not to trigger starvation mode. I love how people assumed that I've developed some sort of eating disorder when I said I was willing to try to incorporate more calories and that I simply LIKE the taste of celery and lettuce. I completely and totally understand the necessitated paranoia that has manifested in our culture so I just wanted to clarify.

    Sigh. But just to confirm and repeat and repeat and repeat... I am NOT restricting my food intake severely just because I want to lose weight. I mean, it's great that I will because of the caloric deficit. My daily calories is just lowered because I'm eating so much healthier. But I will incorporate more calories through juice, protein bars, white meats and nut butters.
  • betterthanmama
    betterthanmama Posts: 57 Member
    I'm not going to lecture you on how many calories are too little or too much because I know every one else has had an opinion.

    That being said - I think having more knowledge of having too few/many calories is always good.

    I like this british show because I can see how different diets (eating styles) can affect the body in different ways. They also have a kid version that goes more into educating each episode a function that stops working if you gain or lose too much weight.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LJh42FoNDQ

    also comes up in youtube with supersize vs superskinny
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