A sub-1000 calorie diet: Working well so far
totaltully
Posts: 5
Folks
Am 190 lbs @ 5'11 (shooting for 165). Wanted your thoughts on my diet which has worked well when i stick to it - end up losing about 2-3 lbs a week. The idea is to stay under 1000 net calories a day.
Routine:
- Early am workout (cardio 400-600 cals). Add a post lunch walk for another 125 cals if possible
- Cup of chai (70 cals) and almonds right after. Chai is great for post work out recovery
- 5 dried figs (Costco) -> 100 cals
- A pear for lunch (high in fiber) around noon -> 125 cals
- Apple for snack (3pm) - > 100 cals
- Another cup of chai and a light snack -> 150 cals
- 400-600 calorie dinner.
It is around 6 pm or so that i get net positive calories for the day. My energy is great (for now at least).
The only times i have to manage my hunger pangs is between 4 and 6pm. Everything but dinner is close to natural form.
Am 190 lbs @ 5'11 (shooting for 165). Wanted your thoughts on my diet which has worked well when i stick to it - end up losing about 2-3 lbs a week. The idea is to stay under 1000 net calories a day.
Routine:
- Early am workout (cardio 400-600 cals). Add a post lunch walk for another 125 cals if possible
- Cup of chai (70 cals) and almonds right after. Chai is great for post work out recovery
- 5 dried figs (Costco) -> 100 cals
- A pear for lunch (high in fiber) around noon -> 125 cals
- Apple for snack (3pm) - > 100 cals
- Another cup of chai and a light snack -> 150 cals
- 400-600 calorie dinner.
It is around 6 pm or so that i get net positive calories for the day. My energy is great (for now at least).
The only times i have to manage my hunger pangs is between 4 and 6pm. Everything but dinner is close to natural form.
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Replies
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Looks like a fantastic muscle burning diet to me0
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Your whole day looks like breakfast to me.
How long have you been following this plan? It looks woefully deficient in vitamins, minerals, fat, and protein.0 -
Eat more food!0
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I am no doctor or expert, but that sounds like an unsafe amount of calories. I recommend calculating your calories on a site like this: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ You may not lose weight as quickly when using a small/moderate deficit, but I think it's a lot healthier/safer and the results will be more long-term. I also focus on my macros to make sure I'm eating enough protein and healthy fats (and I also track my fiber).0
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I think with your plan you will find that when you reach your goal you won't look as good as you hoped. Your plan will burn up some lean mass, meaning your body fat will be higher than you want at your goal weight.0
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I'm pretty sure it's against TOS to promote a VLCD.
My thoughts are you should eat more and stop starving yourself.0 -
you are gonna end up losing muscle while eating so little
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So you eat less than 1000 net calories and exercise 400-600 a day? That seems tough! How long have you been able to maintain that regimen?
I think you should be careful and see if you are getting enough fat/protein/vitamins etc so you can stay healthy. Also be aware that being so restrictive can make you binge eat and is usually not sustainable in the long run. But if it works for you...
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That's not 1000 net, that's like 300-650 NET.
You could do it, but I doubt you'll feel good or be able to sustain it for a long period of time.0 -
Unless the almonds at your morning snack are zero calories, I'm thinking you are eating closer to 1200. But, why not include some protein and vegetables and skip the "hunger pangs" between 4 and 6????0
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Where's the protein? And fat? And variety?
I love fruit too but seriously, eat.0 -
this isn't going to end well. for the OP or the thread.
I give it 10 more posts before someone comes in berating the common sense folks for not supporting OP.
Good Job, OP.. you found and have provided instructions on being skinny-fat.0 -
I'm pretty sure I would pass out by 10am on a diet of tea and fruit with a heaping helping of cardio bunny.
Diet coke and peanut butter FTW!!0 -
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Everyone's right here about the fact you're not eating enough protein. Very low calorie diets pretty much require you to eat low-carb, and to get almost all your calories from fat and protein. However, please ignore the people who insist that 1200 calories is some magical number. You can easily eat under 1000 calories, and exercise ferociously, while still being perfectly healthy. Just eat a better balance of food.-7
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Yes - you will lose weight (as long as you stick to it)... but with calories so low all the time, this diet will be reducing your muscle along with fat. Keep in mind that the heart is a muscle.
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What is the rush? Eat just a little more and learn to enjoy a normal eating life that you can keep up forever. You will still lose weight and might be able to keep it off.
The aim is health and happiness - not just less body!0 -
You are a male eating under 1000 calories per day? Good luck with that!0
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Profile says 42 yr old male. i'm calling troll on this one....0
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Thanks for the inputs guys (and the other stuff the intertubes *will* throw at you
). Will just say again - this works for me, have a slow metabolism (my guess is 1800 calories is my BMR.
Will add more protein - right now it is from milk and nuts.0 -
I think you are going to get a lot of "hater" replies with this post...
That said, your approach worked for me and continues to work. I started at 194 (but I am 5'3.5") and I am currently at 104, I was a size 18 (tight) am now a size 0. I started nearly 3 years ago and still use a 1200 daily calorie plan to maintain. More than doubled my energy level since I started and maintain a higher than average energy level to date. I eliminated virtually all sugar from my diet and try to maintain high protein...
Everyone talks starvation mode... I think that varies on the person. Please keep in mind all people are different. I don't weigh and seldom measure my food BECAUSE I AM ON MAINTENANCE. But I do log my food daily and weigh myself often (possibly too often... LOL).
Best of luck in your weight loss journey!0 -
Again, how long have you been doing this?
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totaltully wrote: »Thanks for the inputs guys (and the other stuff the intertubes *will* throw at you ). Will just say again - this works for me, have a slow metabolism (my guess is 1800 calories is my BMR.
Will add more protein - right now it is from milk and nuts.
If 1800 is your BMR then that's about where you should be eating. Even if 1800 was your TDEE (highly unlikely) you'd lose a pound per week eating 1300.0 -
I think you are going to get a lot of "hater" replies with this post...
That said, your approach worked for me and continues to work. I started at 194 (but I am 5'3.5") and I am currently at 104, I was a size 18 (tight) am now a size 0. I started nearly 3 years ago and still use a 1200 daily calorie plan to maintain. More than doubled my energy level since I started and maintain a higher than average energy level to date. I eliminated virtually all sugar from my diet and try to maintain high protein...
Everyone talks starvation mode... I think that varies on the person. Please keep in mind all people are different. I don't weigh and seldom measure my food BECAUSE I AM ON MAINTENANCE. But I do log my food daily and weigh myself often (possibly too often... LOL).
Best of luck in your weight loss journey!
Then you're not eating 1200. Which is good.0 -
Yeah you can do a diet like that and lose weight, however I can tell you from experience that it isn't worth it. First of all if your body isn't getting the nutrition it needs it will take it not only from your fat stores but also from your muscles and bones(including your teeth). Also you will be putting a strain on your heart which in turn will stress the rest of your system out. Seriously, you are setting yourself up for disaster in the long run. Tomorrow comes faster than you think.
I'm not trying to discourage you from losing weight, but there are better(and more enjoyable) ways of doing so.0 -
^^^^^^ChrisM8971 wrote: »Looks like a fantastic muscle burning diet to me
(*) THIS (*)
Crash diets remain the fastest way to lose weight, because of how effective they are at burning muscle. They just eat into your lean body mass which stifles your metabolism which can affect your hormone balance...and you gain all the weight right back plus a little more.
Maybe you should consider MFP recommendations. Just a suggestion...0 -
totaltully wrote: »Thanks for the inputs guys (and the other stuff the intertubes *will* throw at you ). Will just say again - this works for me, have a slow metabolism (my guess is 1800 calories is my BMR.
Will add more protein - right now it is from milk and nuts.
Doing stuff like this is what slows your metabolism down.
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totaltully wrote: »Thanks for the inputs guys (and the other stuff the intertubes *will* throw at you ). Will just say again - this works for me, have a slow metabolism (my guess is 1800 calories is my BMR.
Will add more protein - right now it is from milk and nuts.
You're supposed to eat at least your BMR unless on a medically supervised diet.
Also, it's "interwebs", not "intertubes"
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totaltully wrote: »Folks
Am 190 lbs @ 5'11 (shooting for 165). Wanted your thoughts on my diet which has worked well when i stick to it - end up losing about 2-3 lbs a week. The idea is to stay under 1000 net calories a day.
Routine:
- Early am workout (cardio 400-600 cals). Add a post lunch walk for another 125 cals if possible
- Cup of chai (70 cals) and almonds right after. Chai is great for post work out recovery
- 5 dried figs (Costco) -> 100 cals
- A pear for lunch (high in fiber) around noon -> 125 cals
- Apple for snack (3pm) - > 100 cals
- Another cup of chai and a light snack -> 150 cals
- 400-600 calorie dinner.
It is around 6 pm or so that i get net positive calories for the day. My energy is great (for now at least).
The only times i have to manage my hunger pangs is between 4 and 6pm. Everything but dinner is close to natural form.
I want you to track this in MyFitnessPal, and then go to your nutritional reports. Please take a look at the amount of vitamins you're getting.
It is VERY important to get NUTRITION.
Example: A lack of Vitamin B12 can cause potential permanent dementia because your brain uses B12 to rebuild. I found this out the hard way when I went to the doctor because I suddenly felt drunk out of nowhere while at work. (Had the issue after my gallbladder removal)
Many things depend on proper nutrition, so I want you to actually look at your values, and then look into the amount of nutrition you're supposed to be getting each day. If they don't come close, then your body is not going to just lose fat, it is also going to lose muscle, hair, health, hydration, neural connections, complexion, fine motor skill control, etc.
Don't be irresponsible about this. May I please recommend a few resources for you to check out?
http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/faq#wiki_diet_details
http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398
http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit
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I think you are going to get a lot of "hater" replies with this post...
That said, your approach worked for me and continues to work. I started at 194 (but I am 5'3.5") and I am currently at 104, I was a size 18 (tight) am now a size 0. I started nearly 3 years ago and still use a 1200 daily calorie plan to maintain. More than doubled my energy level since I started and maintain a higher than average energy level to date. I eliminated virtually all sugar from my diet and try to maintain high protein...
Everyone talks starvation mode... I think that varies on the person. Please keep in mind all people are different. I don't weigh and seldom measure my food BECAUSE I AM ON MAINTENANCE. But I do log my food daily and weigh myself often (possibly too often... LOL).
Best of luck in your weight loss journey!
Out of curiosity, what does your maintenance and bodyfat % look like now?
And you do understand the poster is a male netting/eating less than a 1000 calories, right?
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