What do you think?

twink3110
twink3110 Posts: 51
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Before I found this website I went to a nutritionist and started dieting with her and lost 30 lbs in 10 weeks. I've got bad feet so I don't exercise (I'm hoping taking off weight will help the feet and exercise will come into play then) I am busy I just need to take a sit down break periodically. Anyway I'm eating well but only taking in 800 to 1000 calories daily. I'm full and satisfied, but everyone freaks out that I'm eating so few calories........................my nutritionist thought is was fine. What do you think and why?

Replies

  • twink3110
    twink3110 Posts: 51
    Before I found this website I went to a nutritionist and started dieting with her and lost 30 lbs in 10 weeks. I've got bad feet so I don't exercise (I'm hoping taking off weight will help the feet and exercise will come into play then) I am busy I just need to take a sit down break periodically. Anyway I'm eating well but only taking in 800 to 1000 calories daily. I'm full and satisfied, but everyone freaks out that I'm eating so few calories........................my nutritionist thought is was fine. What do you think and why?
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    Really? It could be that you are not exercising but I have never heard of a nutritionist say it was fine. I had a nutritionist too and I worked in a Fitness club and no one ever promoted eating less. Granted, some people get away with that because they eat tons and tons of healthy foods like fruits, veggies, tofu, beans, etc. And it seems like you can eat a lot of foods and still be under 1200 calories.

    So you are eating 800 to 1000 calories now but what about prior to your weight loss? I bet you were pulling in a nice 2000 calorie diet. i know I was to have gained so much weight.

    30 lbs in 10 weeks also sound like a lot... that is 3 lbs a week and everyone is raving about how 1-2 lbs a week is normal. But then again everyone of us is built differently, so who knows how much lbs a person can actually lose in one given week.

    I am not too sure what to say.
  • Cowboy
    Cowboy Posts: 369 Member
    When you eat too few calories, your body goes into "starvation mode". It slows down your metabolism so that it can "survive". It burns muscle and damages organs. It causes your body to become insulin resistant thus throwing your blood sugars out of whack, which leads to high and low mood swings as well as heart and cognitive problems. Also, when you do begin to eat a normal amount of calories, your body has become so used to starving, that your metabolism is sluggish and does not use those calories, but stores them as fat. Since you've already broken down muscle to "survive" you have less muscle to burn the calories, and more fat.
    Sciientists and doctors now are finding that fat actually has its own hormonal system and causes even more fat to be stored and other myriad metabolic problems which can lead to coronary artery disease and diabetes.
    You cannot lose weight in a healthy way by starving yourself. You cannot sustain that weight loss even if you do, and any nutritionist who is worth his or her salt will tell you that. Unless you are morbidly obese and in danger of imminent death, the ONLY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT, KEEP IT OFF AND BE HEALTHY IS TO EAT APPROPRIATE NUMBERS OF CALORIES AND INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL TO BUILD MUSCLE TO BURN THE CALORIES.
    Please, please do not damage your body permanently for a temporary fix. Hang in there and do it right. Your health and you are worth that.
    Cowboy
  • annathelu
    annathelu Posts: 127 Member
    I would argue if you're nutritionist, who is certified I presume, says it's fine, then it's fine. Maybe get a second opinion from another doctor.
  • Newmein08
    Newmein08 Posts: 58
    When you eat too few calories, your body goes into "starvation mode". It slows down your metabolism so that it can "survive". It burns muscle and damages organs. It causes your body to become insulin resistant thus throwing your blood sugars out of whack, which leads to high and low mood swings as well as heart and cognitive problems. Also, when you do begin to eat a normal amount of calories, your body has become so used to starving, that your metabolism is sluggish and does not use those calories, but stores them as fat. Since you've already broken down muscle to "survive" you have less muscle to burn the calories, and more fat.
    Sciientists and doctors now are finding that fat actually has its own hormonal system and causes even more fat to be stored and other myriad metabolic problems which can lead to coronary artery disease and diabetes.
    You cannot lose weight in a healthy way by starving yourself. You cannot sustain that weight loss even if you do, and any nutritionist who is worth his or her salt will tell you that. Unless you are morbidly obese and in danger of imminent death, the ONLY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT, KEEP IT OFF AND BE HEALTHY IS TO EAT APPROPRIATE NUMBERS OF CALORIES AND INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL TO BUILD MUSCLE TO BURN THE CALORIES.
    Please, please do not damage your body permanently for a temporary fix. Hang in there and do it right. Your health and you are worth that.
    Cowboy
    I agree with Cowboy
  • twink3110
    twink3110 Posts: 51
    Really, my nutristionist encouraged it. I was sent to her by my Dr. who also goes to her. Its kind of scarey to add calories when I have been losing so well and doing good. But I get the same feed back from everyone. That its not a wise or safe way to diet. I told her my calorie intake and she (my nutristionist) said that was the best calorie intake, just not to drop below 800. And the people that have gastric bypass eat only about 500 calories dly, so I figured as long as I take my vitamins it would be fine. But thanks for the advise. I do have a couple friends that our Drs. and I'll consult with them. Thank you again I appreciate your time you took to advise me.
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    I am not sure how much you weigh but 800 calories sounds crazy to me. Just crazy. I am eating so healthy now and I have a hard time sticking to a 1200 diet.

    I dont know. Maybe she promoting a rapid weight loss at the healthiest level she could think of. I can understand that she may have wanted to promote your weight loss and get you started but I don't know, it just doesn't sound right.

    I am not a nutrionist but from everything I learned in Nutrition-Biology class in college is telling me that 800 calories is not good for the long run.
  • goochinator
    goochinator Posts: 383 Member
    I think the important thing is to eat at a level you can stay at for the rest of your life. So many 'diets' do that- they restrict calories, fat, carbs, whatever....and then we go off the diet, consume 'regular' eating and gain it back...seems silly to me.
    If you can eat 800-1000 cals for now and then eat a bit mroe for maintaining, then do it- I've always heard never dip below 1200 calories, but there are so many myths, 'experts', opinions, etc. that its hard to tell whats right.
    Good luck!!
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    I think the important thing is to eat at a level you can stay at for the rest of your life. So many 'diets' do that- they restrict calories, fat, carbs, whatever....and then we go off the diet, consume 'regular' eating and gain it back...seems silly to me.
    If you can eat 800-1000 cals for now and then eat a bit mroe for maintaining, then do it- I've always heard never dip below 1200 calories, but there are so many myths, 'experts', opinions, etc. that its hard to tell whats right.
    Good luck!!

    I agree with you. Obviously the limitation is working for you and the doctor doesnt see anything wrong with it but the most important is that that you continue on a healthly lifestyle forever. In a few years, you can't just go back to eating, say, 2000 calories and think your body wont absorb ever lb of it.:smile:
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
    What is going to happen is your body will become accustom to the 800-1000 calories. Then you start eating more you will put weight back on. I would talk to a differnet nutritionist. I use to cook in a nursing home and we had several people on "weight control" diets and they never were allowed to go under 1200.
  • diannholland1965
    diannholland1965 Posts: 782 Member
    800 calories is not exactly starvation mode. (Note the words not exactly please.)
    It is VERY VERY CLOSE, but not exactly starvation mode.
    You are also not working out enough to have 800 calories be starvation mode. (At least that is what you stated I am going with that.)
    If and WHEN you do start working out more THEN 800 calories WOULD be starvation mode.
    You are right, GBP people and Lap Band people are only getting MAYBE 500 calories a day.
    But that is the extream. and I would not suggest you try that and also try to function. I will say however that the people that are GBP and LB are not exactly functioning normally the first few weeks either.
    Sometimes they are stuck in bed, they are not allowed to lift anything more then 5 to 10 pounds, they often are dizzy and sometimes sick. :sick:
    Boy that sounds fun dosn't it? they also do not have the option of going back to eating normally again.
    If they tried they would have obstruction and vomiting and pain, Sometimes if they are really dumb, they might have to go back in and have more surgery to remove what they eat.
    Again I say. GEE this sounds like fun.
    But for the people that do not HAVE GBS or LB we have every oportunity to go back to eating normally. Then comes the YoYo dieting that does not work. BECAUSE you where only eating so many calories and your body is trying to hold on to as many fat grams as possible. (See hibernating bear.) THEN when you do go back to eating all of the colories will almost be like 2 times the amount. because you will not be burning anything. your body turned that off to save energy.
  • KimberlyLisa
    KimberlyLisa Posts: 1
    Each person has different circumstances. That being said, although cutting your calories to this amt is helping you to lose weight it is going to reduce your Basil Metabolic rate (the amt of calories your body burns at rest to maintain your weight). Your body will become accustomed to a lower intake of calories so if you increase your calories at a later period of time, your body will not be accustomed to burning that amt and you will more than likely gain weight. Balance is key. With this information in mind, you also need to listen to your own body. If you are full and satisfied, that is great. Do not force any more foods into your diet if you are full and satisfied just to increase your calorie intake. I'm sure your nutrionist is helping you to chose the proper foods that would benefit your body the most with the calories you take in. I would suggest making sure you are having some healthy fats with higher calories in small portions regularly in your diet. Nuts, avocados, olive oil...etc.
  • dulceluva
    dulceluva Posts: 728 Member
    I also agree its not starvation mode because a person can eat so many foods and still be under 1000 calories (like vegans for example) but vegans also know where to get proper nutrient sources.

    Just do what you feel comfortable with and and if you beleive its a healthier lifestyle than the one that put you over weight than continue but when that day comes and you have reached your goal, you will need to maintain that loss and up your calories a bit.

    I am in a lot of pain too when I exercise and I put it off for so long and now here i am 70 lbs later. I am excerising now, even thought it hurts.

    A little at a time.
  • my3kids
    my3kids Posts: 59 Member
    i also have feet problems and i do circuit training everyday has nothing to do with my feet. no thati have lost 80 pounds i also use the treadmill 50 min a day and feel great.
  • FUZZBUZZ4
    FUZZBUZZ4 Posts: 334
    no worries i only have about 700 cals a day.. its not that bad i think u have to worry wen it gets to like 400 cals.. i also asked some nutritionists.. put it this way.. are u finding yourself really hungry and fatigued??
  • azlips2003
    azlips2003 Posts: 45 Member
    Have you tried swimming? I bet that would be an excellent exercise for you! :flowerforyou:

    As far as the calories go - if you are virtually inactive, and hitting closer to 1,000 than 800 calories per day, you're not far off the 1,200 mark that a lot of us are striving to hit. I end up somewhere between 100-300 calories short almost every day.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    The higher your body fat, the lower you can take your calories. Also, if you don't exercise, you're not in that great of danger. It's really not the best way to lose fat, but if you can't exercise at all then you do need to really cut your calories. However, many nutritionists have different ideas about their profession (just like in any job) and if she's making you feel uncomfortable at all, you can always ask a couple others.

    Do keep in mind that hunger is not indicative of your caloric needs. Extremely obese people still get hungry, and anorexics can feel satisfied on an apple a day. Just feeling sated doesn't mean you're eating the right amount.
  • twink3110
    twink3110 Posts: 51
    I do have a gym membership and durring the summer I swam about 3 times a week for 45 minutes at a time. I love swimming and its the one exercise I can do that doesn't hurt. Matter of fact it makes me feel good. Its just that It got so cold and the gym swimming pool got so busy. You are right though, its the exercise I need to start back doing. I need to find the time and just make it work. Thanks!!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories