Is it okay to eat about 1000cal one day?

kiela64
kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I've had a bunch of over days lately, my last week was full of them (my goal is 1450 for 1lb/week). I just finished dinner and saw that I was just under 1000 calories. If I don't try to hit my goal, but just eat if I feel I need to and leave it there, would that cause a problem (ie hungry tomorrow, decreased metabolism, etc)? My doctor told me that if I eat at a low calorie level and then increase it to a "lower rate of weight loss" (for example up to 1600 from 1300, which was my goal at the time) that I would gain weight because of "metabolic damage". Would one day impact that, or not really?

Replies

  • HippySkoppy
    HippySkoppy Posts: 725 Member
    No 1 day of being at 1000 calories won't cause your metabolism any problems.

    Move on from this and eat normally, you'll be fine.
  • vivelajackie
    vivelajackie Posts: 321 Member
    People adjust their calories all of the time. I was at 1500 and went up to 1950 and still lost weight. Now at 1850 and managed to knock off 4lbs. I wouldn't suggest going under 1200. That's probably what the majority of folks will advise as well. It's basically the baseline of what is healthy regarding keeping your body fueled.
  • Bex_hostie
    Bex_hostie Posts: 52 Member
    No I don't think so. I'm no professional but in my experience of I've had a really heavy day, and I'm talking like if we order a massive pizza & im 1000-2000 over my 1200 - then ill lease off slightly the next day & only have 800-1000 calories. Then as from next day back to my 1200. It hasn't done me any harm yet. My boyfriend is one of these that is naturally slim & just maintains his weight, from one week to the next, for months, for years. And I've noticed he eats what he wants when he wants. Mostly healthy but when he does indulge and massively, he eats very little the next day xx
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    No. Consider your weekly average--a low day balances a high day.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kae612 wrote: »
    I've had a bunch of over days lately, my last week was full of them (my goal is 1450 for 1lb/week). I just finished dinner and saw that I was just under 1000 calories. If I don't try to hit my goal, but just eat if I feel I need to and leave it there, would that cause a problem (ie hungry tomorrow, decreased metabolism, etc)? My doctor told me that if I eat at a low calorie level and then increase it to a "lower rate of weight loss" (for example up to 1600 from 1300, which was my goal at the time) that I would gain weight because of "metabolic damage". Would one day impact that, or not really?

    Not at all. It's perfectly fine to have a day with lower calories to balance out a day where you went over by a bit.
  • Werk2Eat
    Werk2Eat Posts: 114 Member
    You could literally eat like 500 calories a day for 6 days and then on the 7th day eat 6000 calories and you would lose like 2lbs/week or more.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,342 Member
    Think about this logically. If you got the stomach flu and had a day where you couldn't eat, do you think it would cause metabolic damage? Our bodies are way more resiliant than that.
  • Chubby_to_Cut
    Chubby_to_Cut Posts: 25 Member
    One day you're fine you just don't want to make it a habit since you'll start to lose the energy that your body needs.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
    I think you're fine. I'm no expert of course.... :)
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    It's fine for a day or two and many people do it once in awhile so no harm.
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  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    The thing with Doctors - they are medical geniuses, that I can't deny. But when it comes to weight loss and diet advice, their knowledge isn't the most reliable.. For example, when I first discovered I was overweight - my doctor said to me "Just go for run's and don't eat carbs". After joining MFP, I can see how unhelpful this was.

    If you eat under by a day or two - you aren't going to cause metabolic damage. If I 'accidentally' (rarely happens.. but still) eat substantially under my target, people around me will say "I bet your metabolism is WRECKED". Really they have no idea what they are talking about. This just isn't how it goes.

    Make sure you DON'T eat under 1200 calories for health reasons. But in answer to your question, no - you aren't going to gain weight from increasing from 1000-1300. You are still at a deficit..
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
    I ate around 1000 for a few days this week because I had the flu and had no appetite. I was forcing myself to eat and tried to focus on getting protein in. I'm making up for it now my appetite is back! It's not something to aspire to or do consistently, but I doubt a once off will cause permanent damage.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,701 Member
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    Think about this logically. If you got the stomach flu and had a day where you couldn't eat, do you think it would cause metabolic damage? Our bodies are way more resiliant than that.

    Yes this ^^

    About a month after I started here, I got the flu and for 2 days I was probably down around 500 cal/day. I also wasn't doing much more than lying in bed those days either.

    When I felt better, I resumed my usual eating, and was fine.

    And I lost the same amount of weight that week as I did the week before and week after.

  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    okay, thanks guys! I ended up having a snack before bed, and it put me to just under 1200. I figure as long as it's in that ballpark then it's not a big deal? :)
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  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    One day, in the scheme of things......you're fine.
  • grim_traveller
    grim_traveller Posts: 625 Member
    There's nothing magic about 1200 calories. MDP came up with that number to cover their *kitten* in case they ever got sued. The warning is the same for everyone, from 6'5" to 4'9". It's a meaningless, made up figure.
  • LinCharpentier
    LinCharpentier Posts: 1,120 Member
    Maybe you would like to keep track of your calorie intake for 7 days and divide it will give you an idea if your in your caloric range.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Also, consider the fact that most doctors only have a few hours of nutritional training. The undercutting calories and metabolic damage that he's speaking of is the type thing that anorexics do when sustaining a low-calorie trend, over the long term. It's the same type of thing seen in starvation studies, and in people who've been held captive and starved.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    One day over or under doesn't make much difference.

    Personally, I'm over and under all the freaking time. I'm more and less hungry on different days, so I eat more or less. Works for me.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    People fast all the time with no ill effects, so no, 1000 calories for 1 day won't matter in the least. Even 1000 calories for a week probably won't matter.

    1000 calories consistently over weeks will possibly lead to malnutrition and muscle loss, but that is still partly dependent on your size.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited September 2015
    grim_traveller wrote: »
    There's nothing magic about 1200 calories. MDP came up with that number to cover their *kitten* in case they ever got sued. The warning is the same for everyone, from 6'5" to 4'9". It's a meaningless, made up figure.

    Negative ghost rider. Those minimums are actually derived from a few sources such as the National Institute for Health and Harvard, unless you are under the supervision of a doctor.

    Realistically, the lower your intake, the harder it becomes for the average person to address all of their nutritional requirements. And if you continuously fail (not one day), overtime the issue can compound and your body can become deficient.

This discussion has been closed.

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