Would you drop to 900 calories per day at your doctors advice?

Options
whatatime2befit
whatatime2befit Posts: 625 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just wanted some others thoughts. I mentioned to my doctor today (getting a standard checkup done), that i'm on 1200 calories a day, and that my weight loss has stalled over the past 4-5 months. He said I should drop to 900 calories per day.

A bit of background. I've lost 57 lbs to date (since Feb/14). I'm 5'1, went from 224 lbs to 167, still around 30ish lbs to lose.
I have no obesity related illnesses at all, i'm actually quite healthy (no heart problems, no high BP, etc). He told me I have the BP and heart rate of an 18 year old.

Basically, the only reason to drop my daily calorie allotment would be to lose weight, not for any other medically necessary reason. Would you do it? 900 cals a day is not much, i'm just worried that it would be not healthy in the long run to do this.

Thoughts?
«134

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Wtf.

    No.

    Do not do this.

    This is the sort of amount that people with gastric bypass eat... and they have to use vitamin pills and are constantly tired.
  • shamcd
    shamcd Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    You may want to find another doctor. I can't believe he actually suggested this with a straight face.
  • HannahInHawaii
    HannahInHawaii Posts: 173 Member
    Options
    Heck no! Just try changing some of your food choices to break the plateau.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    No. Especially since I've been eating 1800 calories a day & I still lose weight. Are you sure you're eating 1200 calories? Do you weigh/measure all your food & drink? If you aren't, you're most likely eating more than you realize.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    My thought is that the Doctor probably doesn't believe you are actually only eating 1200 calories and not losing weight.
    Did you show him/her your food diary?
  • taminanny
    taminanny Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Funny little thing I learned on this journey called life - doctors are not always right. I would not drop that low because it is not sustainable and will probably make weight loss harder in the long run. Good for you for questioning that wisdom. I had a doctor once tell me that walking doesn't count as exercise if you are pushing a stroller. Another said all my excess weight would "just fall off" if I just walked 30 min, 3 times a week (because that has worked so well for the 35 years I have battled with my weight). Sometimes they just get it wrong.
  • DaveAkeman
    DaveAkeman Posts: 296 Member
    Options
    Unless there is somebody on here with a medical license, I would listen to your doctor. Or get a second opinion (from a doctor . . . not from the internet). Yeah, it sounds pretty severe, though.

    Here's where I'm guessing he's coming from:

    Nobody can accurately log food. I know there are people who weigh everything, etc. But all you have to do is search for "apple" in the MFP database and look at the wide range of nutrition info to know that there is no way that your calorie log is perfectly accurate. In fact, I read a study a while back where NUTRITIONISTS were asked to log their food, and NONE of them could do it with less than about 15% error, and they were, in general, low. The NUTRITIONISTS were eating 15% more calories than they were logging!!! (Non-nutritionists, like you and I, were more like 25% low, even when they weighed all their food, etc) So, while you THINK you are eating 1200 calories, the reality is that you are probably eating a couple hundred more than that. Your doctor probably thinks that, based on your plateau, your 1200 number is inaccurate. So, when the doctor says to cut to 900 calories, what he really MEANS is to cut 25% out of whatever you are eating.

    Of course, I am not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV. My suggestion would be to follow medical advice, or get a second (medical) opinion.
  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
    Options
    Why would you believe a bunch on internet strangers over your Doctor.
    Eating 900 calories a day is less than 1200 calories. You would lose more weight.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Options
    sijomial wrote: »
    My thought is that the Doctor probably doesn't believe you are actually only eating 1200 calories and not losing weight.
    Did you show him/her your food diary?

    That's exactly what I was thinking.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Options
    I cant really get past the fact you claim to be 30lbs overweight, in the obese category and you cant lose on 1200 calories. Id agree with what sijomial said in that he doesnt really believe you are at 1200. Whilst I might question any professional, then he will be prepared to explain his reasons and address your conerns if you ask him why. All this find another Dr and no is rather reactionary without knowing the full facts.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    Options
    I'm short as well and, after I lost 20 lbs, I stalled out as well. I had to drop to 1100 and then 1050 calories per day (and not eat back my exercise calories) to start losing weight again. It all depends on multiple factors -- your age, your height, your activity level, and how much you have to lose. If 900 cal/day seems too drastic, maybe start with 1100 and go from there until you figure out what works for you. You can eat 1000 cal/day and still be healthy.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Sure. Especially at your size, with responsible medical supervision or good understanding of what you're doing, there's nothing wrong with dropping to 900.

    That said, I would open my diary first, to see if the problem doesn't lie elsewhere....
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Options
    900 calories is ridiculously low unless you are under the care of a physician who is monitoring this regularly. And it shouldn't be followed for very long. I still think it is a bit extreme. Are you sure you are eating only 1200 calories? Do you weigh (not measure) and log EVERYTHING? Do you have cheat days/meals you count? If you are honestly eating only 1200 calories you should try to eat more...yep eat more. You can cut for so long you could stop losing. Based on your current stats you could eat 1400 calories a day and still lose weight (more if you are exercising). I commend you on your weight loss up to now, but would caution the 900 cal diet.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    No. I would not go below 1200 calories as my goal. I would not feel good about a doctor that suggested this without a dire medical condition or trying other things first. Maybe you should seek another doctor's opinion.

    I would check that you are logging food and exercise accurately and choosing accurate entries.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    Options
    No, I'd take a break and reverse diet back up to where your maintenance should be...hang out there for a bit and then cut again.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    Options
    No, I wouldn't.
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    Would you even be comfortable eating that few calories a day? That's only 300 calories per meal and no snacks. :/

    IMO, if I had to cut that low it would end up with me eating everything in sight within a couple days - complete opposite of what's trying to be accomplished.
  • victorprocure
    victorprocure Posts: 17 Member
    Options
    I would ask another doctor and not the internet
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Options
    How did you lose 57lbs? Has anything changed since you lost that? Changed exercise? What you eat?

    All the people saying you're clearly eating more than 1200 seem to have skipped over the bit where you've lost 57lbs. Obviously your logging was great and then all,of a sudden you're eating more than you think. Yep, you'll have to adjust your calories for the weight loss you've had, but unless you're really sedentary then 900 calories is too low.

    I'm taller than you, but I eat 1600+ to lose, but I am very active.
  • besee_2000
    besee_2000 Posts: 365 Member
    Options
    I would suggest cycle. Your body got adjusted to the 1200kcal and you are at the plateau. Change up the style of exercise. Try 900 cal one day and 1500 another because at the end of the week you are still averaging 1200. Have the higher days that you do a harder workout. Are you getting enough sleep? Try carb cycling. Sometimes you just need a carb load day to confuse your hormones.

    If you go to 900kcals everyday, what happens when you plateau at that? It will happen. Do you drop to 700kcal? Try 900kcal but is your goal to lose weight or eat as much as you can and still lose weight and sustain?

Categories