Doctor's reaction with 1200 calorie diet

I'm 45 years old, 1,60m (5´2) tall and weighed 75 kilos (165 lbs) when I started my 1200 calorie diet, nearly seven weeks ago. I should add that i do no exercise whatsoever, I work at a desk all day.
I'm now 68,5 kilos (151 lbs), have been slowly loosing weight, but feel that this way I can maintain it after I reach my goal weight of 60 kilos (132 lbs). I feel fine, some days better than others. I also began drinking 1,5 litre of water, which I never used to do and I guess this had also contributed to the weight loss. I sometimes feel kinda lightheaded (especially after eating) and also worry if I should increase my calorie intake. I register everything I eat and drink on MFP and I weigh everything I eat. I guess some people might be right when they say we can miscalculate the calorie intake for some reason, being it there are so many guidelines out there.
Also, I started with 25 muscle and now am 26. Body fat started at 40!!! and I'm now down to 37, nearly 36.

I couldn't even get started on the numbers. Mine didn't like the word 'diet'. Full stop.

I always wonder why it's always been, and continues to be 1200, 1200, 1200. That has been the old saw of "minimum healthy calories" forever...for anyone. Under any circumstances...any height...activity level...etc. I just don't see how it's possible that every single person needs that exact amount in order to "be healthy and lose weight." Some people can eat way over that and lose, others need to actually eat under that and lose (usually very very petite people).

What is working for you? Stick with that, that would be my opinion (as long as it's nothing totally nutty).

When I went to a nutritionist, she literally gave me a photocopied (I kid you not...it had those tiny dots that showed that it was photocopied...remember those pesky dots from like...the 70s? LOL) "1200 calorie a day diet." I told her, "Well, that's what was recommended to me when I weighed 130 pounds and now you're recommending it to me at 195 pounds, is that really right?" She told me, "No, this is personalized for you." (How???? LOL!) It's just that same old song it's been forever...1200 is where it's at. No, I am not credentialed...but I do know that everyone's body is different. So stick with what seems reasonably healthy and nutritious, doesn't leave you feel like you're about to eat the wallpaper out of desperation, and if you're not losing on what you're eating, then it's time to consider whether you're eating too much...JMO.

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snowflake930 wrote:

I read the other day that 100 additional calories eaten per day over what you burn will be a 10# weight gain in one year.

Well, let's see...
100 calories/day x 365 days/year = 36,500 cal/year / 3500 cal/lb = 10.4 lb/year

1200. That has been the old saw of "minimum healthy calories" forever... for anyone. Under any circumstances... any height... activity level... etc

No, that's the minimum for a woman of average height, with no other medical conditions, not supervised by a healthcare professional. And anyone with a lick of common sense would figure out that someone who's more active would need more.

oberlin078 wrote:

For what it's worth, I've been told by both a doctor and a kinesiologist that it's best to eat no lower than your basal metabolic rate

I'm 5'9"-ish and currently 217. MFP says my current BMR is 1708.
I've been eating below that pretty much since January (at which time I was almost 60 lb heavier), with a few splurges here & there.
My current goal is 1400, and my weight loss doc (specialty practice) suggested I go to 1300. They & my GP are quite happy with my health, and I'm stronger & have better stamina than I have for years.

ladylovefood wrote:

hmm i want to try the one meal a day thing i know its probably bad but i need some serious help and fast , i really would like to do a fad diet just to shed some pounds that way its a little more easier to move in the gym does anyone have any suggestions ?

Yes, binge eating is a bad idea, and no, you shouldn't do it or any other fad diet.
Eat a variety of healthy food, in reasonable portions, so that you're eating 10x your healthy goal weight in calories.
Exercise at least 30 min a day.
Lose weight slowly & gradually, make lasting lifestyle changes, and you'll keep the weight off.

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To everyone saying 1,200 calories is too low as a blanket statement seems silly. I maintain around 17-1800 calories per day. Surely there are women whom 1,200 calories IS right for.

Regardless OP it's important to realize that GP's receive little to NO training in the field of nutrition. It's sad to say that this is most definitely not a field that's covered at any lengths in medical school. I don't think your doctor has enough training or knowledge on the subject to make such a statement.

If you still need more information speak to a nutrionist or someone who actually has a background in this field.

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dbmata wrote: »

snowflake930 wrote: »

Because it is. *shrug*

What I'd like to know is the probability of success over long term and keeping the weight off after 3 years for the population doing 1200 calories.

My guess would be that the probability is pretty low.

^^^Well, frankly, if you look at statistics, there is a very small majority of people who lose weight and keep the weight off after 3 years.

True, so it wouldn't be a straight forward probability, there'd be a little work involved, but overall, I would bet that the 1200 calorie group would be one of the lower performing groups, if you avoid adding in the ED crowd.

who knows though. I didn't and won't do that research, so I'll never know.

There has been research done on this. And it determined that it didn't matter HOW big or small the deficit was. People regained weight at the same rate regardless.

MrM27 wrote: »

NK1112 wrote: »

MrM27 wrote: »

Yes, binge eating is a bad idea, and no, you shouldn't do it or any other fad diet.
Eat a variety of healthy food, in reasonable portions, so that you're eating 10x your healthy goal weight in calories.
Exercise at least 30 min a day.
Lose weight slowly & gradually, make lasting lifestyle changes, and you'll keep the weight off.

Makes sense to me.

Not sure why you made it look like I said what you quoted but I didn't.

That's how the quote button put it ... I edited my quote so you wouldn't get the credit.

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dbmata wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

Here's the

dbmata wrote: »

Have any linkage? I'd be curious to see that. Or know the researcher names so I can google it?

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(14)70200-1/abstract

I believe this is it.

Thanks, I'm going to have a friend pull the whole paper for me. That's interesting. The spread shown too caught my eye. Small study, but novel.

Yep.

The nutritionist I saw explained that if your calorie intake is too low, your body reacts by lowering your metabolism so you burn fewer calories during the day. This goes back to a defense mechanism against starvation. (our 'cave dweller' past).