Is 1043 calories a day too few?

So THAT'S where people are getting it when they say "MFP says 1000-1200 is the minimum." Thanks for the screenshot!

Also, if you can lose on 1200 calories per day why not eat AS MUCH as possible to still lose as opposed to risking osteoporosis, anemia, muscle loss, disruptions to your fertility, etc.?

I think you will lose some muscle no doubt and might be feeling more tired than you would expect

Rachel1534 wrote: »

I am 29 years old. Female. 5'1". Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Two anxiety medications. A two year old child. I'm 158.5 right now. I'm wanting to get to 132 by September 27th. Quick I know, but I want to slim down some before my beach vacation. I've lost 15 pounds all together. I was doing it really slowly, but I got some motivation by planning this last minute vacation. I'm not having any trouble eating that amount of calories and I'm still able to ride my stationary bike for 30 minutes a day. I just keep reading things about "starvation mode" and the body hanging onto fat. I personally don't think 1043 calories are too few for me, but what is y'all's opinion?

You want to lose 25 pounds by September 27, 2015? What happens on this day that is so important that you must be 25 pounds lighter? You can have fun on this beach vacation without being 25 pounds lighter. In fact, if you do lose 25 pounds in that short of a time, chances are you will not be able to have a lot of fun. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it's the truth.

September 27 is about 8 weeks away. 25 pounds divided by 8 weeks would come out to a loss of about 3 pounds a week. That goal is aggressive and not realistic at all. Since you have a medical issue that messes with your metabolism, you need to be talking to a specialist about your weight loss goals.

Starvation mode is a myth as to us common dieters, and your body only holds onto fat if you eat over your total daily energy expenditure.

1043 calories IS too low. You only have a little bit of weight to lose, therefore your goals should only be set to lose a half a pound a week. Weigh your food, log everything you eat, log your exercise and eat only about half your calories back, and you will lose weight...on more than 1043 calories a day.

Hey, I dont know if you are reading these still, but I am in the same boat with the hashimotos. I am also short. You may not lose that much weight by that date, you may, depending on what your thyroid does. But please dont make yourself crazy about it. Depending on what the thyroid is doing it could go a bit crazy. It controls your metabolism.

I think if I had listened to my body and not tried to eat 1200-1700 calories a day when my medications were still being adjusted I would not have gained as much weight.

There is a Thyroid group on here that I am part of:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/753-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

and you may get better advice about calories and stuff there, check it out.

You should also talk to your doctor or endocrinologist about eating that little per day, and tell them how much weight you are trying to lose in the timeframe you are trying to lose it. They can also tell you what you should and shouldn't be eating.

Good luck and stay healthy

DoreenaV1975 wrote: »

@DeguelloTex I think she may be referring to online calorie calculators. I have used several different ones and I have had many tell me to eat below 1,000 calories.
Is it safe? Probably not...
But as a short girl, if you type in that you want to lose 1-2lbs a week... less than 1200 does get recommended by calorie calculators.

Also, an FYI - you can manually set your MFP calorie goal...
1200 is the least it recommends but you can technically put in any number you want.

This is all just for informational purposes ^^


Oops...my bad... I just noticed she said MFP says this...
disregard my comment then

Calorie calculators tell me to eat ~950 cal a day. Ignore and move on. 1200 is the bare minimum. Yes, 1000-something is too low, OP. You'll be fine for a bit but then you'll start burning out. And even with that count, (If it's accurate) you'll likely not make your goal. Eat the deficit MFP gives you (1200 at least) and accept you started dieting too late to get your required weight loss. Have fun on vacation, regardless, because who cares? Are you ever gonna see those people again?

Rachel wrote:

I am 29 years old. Female. 5'1"... I'm 158.5 right now. I'm wanting to get to 132 by September 27th.
... I just keep reading things about "starvation mode" and the body hanging onto fat.

1- You're short enough that 1000/day _might_ be OK short-term. What does your doctor say?

2- Losing 26 lb in 2 months isn't realistic, unless you're morbidly obese, which you're not.
You'd be better off focusing on weightlifting, and eating at a slight deficit, so you'll lose some fat, build some
muscle, get strong, lose inches, look marvelous.

3- Read this. Then read it again. Bookmark it so you can use it to explain to other newbies what "starvation mode"
is and is not. What you're thinking it is, it's not.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

The body needs energy (calories) to run.
It prefers to use glucose (blood sugar, easily-available carbs),
then it prefers to use glycogen (slightly more complex carbs stored in liver & muscles),
then it prefers to use fat,
and as a distant 4th it uses protein (muscles).
{Yes, we're all burning some of those all the time, but that's generally the order they're used.}

Burning muscle is starvation.
Part of the reason it's 4th is that it's an inefficient conversion. The body gets more energy per gram of tissue from
the other sources.
Also, it's a hail mary, hoping you will find (and EAT!) food before you lose so much muscle tissue that you can't
move, or can't eat, or can't breathe, or your heart stops.
It takes a long time of eating way below your healthy range to get there.

The body WILL NOT "hold onto" _any_ calories (fat) if you're eating below maintenance.
(Use a little common sense.)
If it did, anorexia wouldn't be deadly.
Neither would famine.
POW's would be robust, not walking skeletons.



This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of
various foods to eat to maintain that weight.
https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

It says that to maintain your current weight you need 1430 cal/day if you were inactive, and your BMI is 29.9
At 132 your BMI would be 25, which is almost in the healthy range and you'd need 1312 cal/day inactive.
So you're currently about 400 below maintenance, which is a bit much for the little you want to lose.
If you did 1200 you'd still be below maintenance, even for your goal weight, but arriving there would be at a
healthier (slower) rate.



Then read these:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1