Can a 300-500 calorie diet be healthy?
Replies
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Isabelle_1929 wrote: »I see that over the years you had episodes of "starvation" and/or low weight, and that over time, you gain everything back - plus some.
Can you see the pattern there? I guess no one will convince you that you should eat more only by talking about your health - you probably don't give a fig about your health. But maybe if I told you that you seem to be cruising on the road to chronic obesity, would that catch your attention?
No problem with dieting, no problem with your target, but where is the rush ? Why can't you eat 1200 cal /day or so ? Please explain. This is what I don't get.
Well there was only one episode of that. Thats why I thought it was important to include it- it shows just how fast I gained it back. However, I didn't stop eating by choice then... I was just depressed and didnt want to do anything.
And you are wrong. Ive already been convinced... Im not fighting anyone here. Everyone just assumes Im an anorexic nut job that wont listen. Nobody ever tried to tell me this was bad until today..
Its actually quite hard for me to remember to eat. I am on medication for a sleep disorder- its the same stimulant thats used for ADHD. That not only lowers my appetite but makes me overly focused to the point where Ill never remember something as insignificant to me as eating. Before, I would just eat a really large meal when I needed food and I viewed it as being more efficient because then I wouldnt have to remember to get food later
I will try to do a 1200 calorie diet. It will take some planning and alarms and things. But I will try it. This was just easier and more convenient to me. But if its going to hurt me in the long run, I dont have much of a choice.0 -
Try to eat more calorie dense foods if you're having trouble reaching 1200. Avocado, peanut butter, pasta, etc. That should help.0
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mikamander wrote: »Isabelle_1929 wrote: »I see that over the years you had episodes of "starvation" and/or low weight, and that over time, you gain everything back - plus some.
Can you see the pattern there? I guess no one will convince you that you should eat more only by talking about your health - you probably don't give a fig about your health. But maybe if I told you that you seem to be cruising on the road to chronic obesity, would that catch your attention?
No problem with dieting, no problem with your target, but where is the rush ? Why can't you eat 1200 cal /day or so ? Please explain. This is what I don't get.
Well there was only one episode of that. Thats why I thought it was important to include it- it shows just how fast I gained it back. However, I didn't stop eating by choice then... I was just depressed and didnt want to do anything.
And you are wrong. Ive already been convinced... Im not fighting anyone here. Everyone just assumes Im an anorexic nut job that wont listen. Nobody ever tried to tell me this was bad until today..
Its actually quite hard for me to remember to eat. I am on medication for a sleep disorder- its the same stimulant thats used for ADHD. That not only lowers my appetite but makes me overly focused to the point where Ill never remember something as insignificant to me as eating. Before, I would just eat a really large meal when I needed food and I viewed it as being more efficient because then I wouldnt have to remember to get food later
I will try to do a 1200 calorie diet. It will take some planning and alarms and things. But I will try it. This was just easier and more convenient to me. But if its going to hurt me in the long run, I dont have much of a choice.
I am sorry I was rude, but I know you are not dumb - far from it - so I was not to fall in the trap of answering your silly question.
I did not say that you are anorexic. No one can make a diagnosis over the Internet. Only a professional could do it, and suggest treatments. All I am comfortable saying, like others did, is that you do have issues with your body image and/or relationship with food, and that no diet will fix it.
I am sure that your initial post has nothing to do with losing weight. Find what the issue is. To that end, you may seek help.. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. We all get a bit "mixed up" sometimes. I sure do.
Take care. Use your intelligence. It's usually what is the most reliable when we are emotionally unstable.
(And eat more, for Christ's sake)0 -
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Not sure if you actually wanted me to answer your questions or if you were just making point.Your boyfriend, parents, and friends are supporting you and proud of you for following a near-starvation diet? What is the rush to lose all this weight? You're 21 so you have all the time in the world. Is something awful going to happen if it takes you 6 months rather than 6 weeks to lose the weight? Your "overweight" at this point is cosmetic, not health-threatening.
Yes, you will reach your goal quickly, but at what cost? Perhaps you feel fine now, but how will you feel after 10 more weeks of this diet? 10 weeks of eating between 300-500 calories a day will probably land you in the hospital, and there might even be a few folks on this forum who can tell you about their experiences there.
Here is a story of two British celebrity sisters who tried to survive on a diet of 500 calories a day, with a side order of laxatives. It worked so well for them that they publicly renounced that kind of eating lifestyle.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1209894/The-Cheeky-Girls-500-calories-day-ate.html
My parents just assume thats how you diet- my dads stopped me from eating a few times thinking that he was being helpful. My friends have been very careful not to eat in front of me, so they were aware as well. My boyfriend is just shallow. I think they all just assumed as long as I was eating something I would be fine.
Well I feel very uncomfortable in my own skin. It keeps me from doing a lot. I know that the extent of how much I am disgusted myself is a bit dramatic, but losing weight is still the best option for now (even though I have to take it slower). I just had the perspective that the sooner I lose it, the sooner I will feel better.
Thats why I asked the question here. I wanted to see if there was anybody who actually experienced negative repercussions from this, or if it was just looked down upon because its unnecessary to cut that many calories. I do know now that this wasnt a good idea...0 -
NOPE!0
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jofjltncb6 wrote: »
Could I just delete it myself? Would you all prefer that?0 -
"Well I feel very uncomfortable in my own skin. It keeps me from doing a lot. I know that the extent of how much I am disgusted myself is a bit dramatic, but losing weight is still the best option for now (even though I have to take it slower)."
I feel that this observation is very important. It sounds as if your issues are not just about food, but about yourself and your body image. These are deeper issues than just losing weight really fast; do you think that you will magically feel better if you just lose the weight? Many people who are pretty seriously overweight take time to adjust to their new selves even after they lose. Weight loss is not a quick fix key to self-esteem.
Another thing that's a little concerning is that people are avoiding eating in front of you, and that your father has made remarks about your weight and eating. Parents and friends can actually "support" a person into having an eating disorder. Usually it's the mother (I've seen mothers with 10 year old normal size girls telling them how to read labels in supermarkets and saying they can't eat this or that because it will make them fat), but it can be the father too. People with eating disorders usually have friends who also have disordered behavior around food, avoiding eating in public, pushing food around their plates, etc.
Also, there's no reason to be disgusted with yourself. You were not extremely overweight or obese at 136 lbs., just moderately so. People go through emotional and physical changes all the time and gain weight. It's not a sign of a character defect. You've lost some of the weight using extreme measures, but you can lose the rest in a more healthy way.0 -
I don't understand why people do these crash diets. It'll work but what's the point when you are 100% guaranteed to gain weight after you're done since you can't live off such few calories for the rest of your life.0
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Isabelle_1929 wrote: »mikamander wrote: »Isabelle_1929 wrote: »I see that over the years you had episodes of "starvation" and/or low weight, and that over time, you gain everything back - plus some.
Can you see the pattern there? I guess no one will convince you that you should eat more only by talking about your health - you probably don't give a fig about your health. But maybe if I told you that you seem to be cruising on the road to chronic obesity, would that catch your attention?
No problem with dieting, no problem with your target, but where is the rush ? Why can't you eat 1200 cal /day or so ? Please explain. This is what I don't get.
Well there was only one episode of that. Thats why I thought it was important to include it- it shows just how fast I gained it back. However, I didn't stop eating by choice then... I was just depressed and didnt want to do anything.
And you are wrong. Ive already been convinced... Im not fighting anyone here. Everyone just assumes Im an anorexic nut job that wont listen. Nobody ever tried to tell me this was bad until today..
Its actually quite hard for me to remember to eat. I am on medication for a sleep disorder- its the same stimulant thats used for ADHD. That not only lowers my appetite but makes me overly focused to the point where Ill never remember something as insignificant to me as eating. Before, I would just eat a really large meal when I needed food and I viewed it as being more efficient because then I wouldnt have to remember to get food later
I will try to do a 1200 calorie diet. It will take some planning and alarms and things. But I will try it. This was just easier and more convenient to me. But if its going to hurt me in the long run, I dont have much of a choice.
I am sorry I was rude, but I know you are not dumb - far from it - so I was not to fall in the trap of answering your silly question.
I did not say that you are anorexic. No one can make a diagnosis over the Internet. Only a professional could do it, and suggest treatments. All I am comfortable saying, like others did, is that you do have issues with your body image and/or relationship with food, and that no diet will fix it.
I am sure that your initial post has nothing to do with losing weight. Find what the issue is. To that end, you may seek help.. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. We all get a bit "mixed up" sometimes. I sure do.
Take care. Use your intelligence. It's usually what is the most reliable when we are emotionally unstable.
(And eat more, for Christ's sake)
Thank you, but your apology is unnecessary. You were more polite than the majority.
Well my intention was to learn what the consequences were going to be. Because typically anytime you take a short cut in life there is negative repercussions. I wanted to know how severe they would be and if I could keep this up. I suppose that was wrong of me to try and figure out.
I do have anxiety issues and am by no means "normal"- but I am not emotionally unstable. But don't worry I don't intend to stick around here. I know that somethings not right with how I think. So I need to try to fix that first.
Thank you for your advice. Im just going to gradually add more to my portions.0 -
"Well I feel very uncomfortable in my own skin. It keeps me from doing a lot. I know that the extent of how much I am disgusted myself is a bit dramatic, but losing weight is still the best option for now (even though I have to take it slower)."
I feel that this observation is very important. It sounds as if your issues are not just about food, but about yourself and your body image. These are deeper issues than just losing weight really fast; do you think that you will magically feel better if you just lose the weight? Many people who are pretty seriously overweight take time to adjust to their new selves even after they lose. Weight loss is not a quick fix key to self-esteem.
Another thing that's a little concerning is that people are avoiding eating in front of you, and that your father has made remarks about your weight and eating. Parents and friends can actually "support" a person into having an eating disorder. Usually it's the mother (I've seen mothers with 10 year old normal size girls telling them how to read labels in supermarkets and saying they can't eat this or that because it will make them fat), but it can be the father too. People with eating disorders usually have friends who also have disordered behavior around food, avoiding eating in public, pushing food around their plates, etc.
Also, there's no reason to be disgusted with yourself. You were not extremely overweight or obese at 136 lbs., just moderately so. People go through emotional and physical changes all the time and gain weight. It's not a sign of a character defect. You've lost some of the weight using extreme measures, but you can lose the rest in a more healthy way.
Well as terrible as this sounds, I did have a decent body before, and I was confident in its ability to draw attention away from my other flaws. However, the amount of discomfort I feel in public when I only have 5-10 pounds of extra weight can't be normal. So although I do believe that losing the rest of the weight will help, I know that you're right and its not going to come close to solving all my body issues. Learning to get over my anxiety is going to be a lot harder and take a lot longer than losing weight though.
I honestly dont think my friends view it as an eating disorder and they dont seem to have any issues with food. Living in southern california may be a factor in that as well. My parents are both pretty overweight, and our family doesnt have very good genetics when it comes to weight. So I think they just want me to be the exception.
Thank you for being understanding, you actually helped me a lot. I'm going to try gradually adding on more calories starting tomorrow and then eventually work some exercise into my routine once I am eating the proper amount of calories.0 -
Set an alarm.mikamander wrote: »Its actually quite hard for me to remember to eat. I am on medication for a sleep disorder- its the same stimulant thats used for ADHD. That not only lowers my appetite but makes me overly focused to the point where Ill never remember something as insignificant to me as eating. Before, I would just eat a really large meal when I needed food and I viewed it as being more efficient because then I wouldnt have to remember to get food later
Premake meals.
Don't be afraid of calorically dense food.
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I'd also add, you probably are seeing more "flaws" than folks on the street do.
I'd put money on that.0 -
Why is your goal weight in the same range you were in when you admittedly had an eating disorder?0
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It's really dangerous and absolutely will hurt you in the long run. Please check out some of the links that I posted earlier in the thread -- youreatopia.com will give you WAY more good information than anyone here can give you.mikamander wrote: »Its actually quite hard for me to remember to eat. I am on medication for a sleep disorder- its the same stimulant thats used for ADHD. That not only lowers my appetite but makes me overly focused to the point where Ill never remember something as insignificant to me as eating. Before, I would just eat a really large meal when I needed food and I viewed it as being more efficient because then I wouldnt have to remember to get food later
I will try to do a 1200 calorie diet. It will take some planning and alarms and things. But I will try it. This was just easier and more convenient to me. But if its going to hurt me in the long run, I dont have much of a choice.
Here's a very short version of why it's a bad idea: your body needs a certain amount of calories every day just to function. Breathing, circulation, etc. -- that's not including things like walking around, going to work, etc. Those basic body functions require more than 500 calories. When you don't give your body the calories it needs, it pulls them from your tissues. (There's a more scientific explanation, obviously, and you should check out some of those links because they will explain it much better than I can). Your body doesn't just use fat for this -- it also uses your muscle, bone and organ tissues. People who undereat severely, like you're talking about, end up with damage to their bones and internal organs -- anorexics who do what you're talking about for a long enough time are at serious risk for health problems like heart attacks. Don't ever do anything that could cause yourself to have a heart attack. Never, ever.0
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