Is eating under 600 calories good for you?

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  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    No, that would not be safe or healthy to eat only 600 calories a day. You should be very concerned about these people.

    1200 is the minimum recommended amount for adult women and 1500 is the recommended minimum for adult men.

    If you want to know a safe, healthy amount of calories for you to eat and lose weight then tell MFP your height, weight and activity level and eat the amount it tells you.
  • BeckyyyXxxx486
    BeckyyyXxxx486 Posts: 20 Member
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    I will hunt you down if you actually live on 600 calories a day ... that's insane!
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    HELL NO!!!!!!
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
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    No. Please dont do this. Not safe at all.
    When I lost weight the first time (before gaining again in pregnancy), I got to my goal weight on 1450 calories a day. I tried 1200 and felt sick because it wasnt enough. And I am an average size woman, I was 5'5" and 147lb when I started my weight loss, so my calorie needs are relatively low compared to many others. You can lose weight much easier on a more reasonable calorie count. You want a diet that isnt too extreme, so you can maintain it long term. Otherwise that weight will come right back.
  • tcatcarson
    tcatcarson Posts: 227 Member
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    Here's an interesting link...

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/how-many-calories-do-children-need.aspx?CategoryID=51

    600 calories a day is 3 times less than a 9 year old CHILD needs... that's your answer right there!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    OP, I find it difficult to believe that you have "a few friends" who say they are eating 600 cals a day. That is a ridiculously low # of cals, less than most medically supervised VLCDs. It would be very unhealthy, and certainly bad for your heart. Plug your stats into MFP and eat the calories it gives you. You are correct to be concerned about the health of your eating plan. Losing weight in a healthy manner requires patience, but you can do it - lots of people here have.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
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    No.
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    I eat that for breakfast.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    Itreadlightly wrote: »
    I am a 61 year old woman with an eating disorder that I can trace back to my teenage years eating less than 500 calories for weeks...

    And what is your point?

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    dbanks80 wrote: »
    Itreadlightly wrote: »
    I am a 61 year old woman with an eating disorder that I can trace back to my teenage years eating less than 500 calories for weeks...

    And what is your point?

    I think she is saying she developed an ED from eating that low. I took it as a cautionary tale.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
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    I think you already know there is something very wrong with eating only 600 calories a day.

    You didn't survive two heart attacks to malnourish yourself with a 600 cal/day diet. Your friends are mistaken about what they eat if they are doing this on a consistent basis. A few days maybe (if you're sick, having intestinal issues or trapped in an elevator with only a package of M & Ms)

    Certainly NOT a way to live and enjoy life. Your dog could probably eat 600 cal/day.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    dbanks80 wrote: »
    Itreadlightly wrote: »
    I am a 61 year old woman with an eating disorder that I can trace back to my teenage years eating less than 500 calories for weeks...

    And what is your point?

    I think she is saying she developed an ED from eating that low. I took it as a cautionary tale.

    Ditto.

    Plus, to whoever flagged it for Abuse, that post does not meet that criteria: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10007789/flagged-content-reported-posts-warning-points

    You can flag it again to remove the flag.

    If you disagree that it is a cautionary tale and would like a moderator to review the post, you need to click Flag then Report.
  • Spook_Nuke_Em
    Spook_Nuke_Em Posts: 408 Member
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    Definitely not healthy.

    My breakfast is 600 calories.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
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    No, absolutely not.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    barkleyjeffl wrote: »
    I have had a few friends tell me that they are only eating 600 calories a day. I want to lose weight but not at the risk of my body failing. So, does anyone know is this ok to do?

    600 calories is generally a prescribed diet....by a medical professional. 600 calorie diets are generally for the morbidly obese, and aren't "regular food" either. These are shakes (or meals) designed by dieticians, and likely include vitamin injections.

    Very low calorie diets play havoc with your health......don't do it.
  • Sukisumi
    Sukisumi Posts: 96 Member
    edited January 2016
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    It is extremely unhealthy.

    In my late teens and early 20s, I was obsessed with losing weight... to the extent that I developed an eating disorder. I ate 440 kcals a DAY for about 2 years! I logged everything. I would also exercise to burn 400+ kcals a day so I practically lived at a negative input.

    I became very sick. My hair started falling out, I was fainting and vomiting all of the time and it destroyed me. Trust me, I did not look good. Thin yes, good no.

    Do not do this to yourself. I wish I could have those miserable years of my life back but I never can. I have now gained 6 stone since then and I'm overweight, no doubt because I destroyed my metabolism before. I had to teach myself how to eat again because my body started rejecting food. This time I am going to do it healthily.

    Sorry for the long post but it brings back a lot of memories and it upsets me to think that other people would consider doing it too.

    Eat a healthy amount and exercise (reasonably). That's by far the best way. =) Good luck and all the best! xx
  • kiara1066
    kiara1066 Posts: 119 Member
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    Itreadlightly wrote: »
    I am a 61 year old woman with an eating disorder that I can trace back to my teenage years eating less than 500 calories for weeks...

    And that's probably why you have an eating disorder it's not healthy I hope you got the help you need. Op eating under 600 calories is not good for you. As others mentioned if under a doctors supervision some people have been informed to eat around 800 calories, but that's the extreme route the doctor choose for them. I haven't heard about eating 600 calories even with the VLCD under a doctors care personally. Eat more use the MFP recommended caloric intake listed .
  • barkleyjeffl
    barkleyjeffl Posts: 21 Member
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    I'm not about to do it. My friend is not that heavy to take that much of a big change... We have doctor in our town that people go to and he's telling her to eat only 600 cals a day... and yes every day.. not the 5:2. I think its crazy (plus my heart doctor would have my head! LOL)

    I'm eating around 1300 cals most days, others more. I want to win this contest but not at the expense of my life. I think I'm lowering my weight safely with the help of my PCP, nutritionist, and cardiologist. In 2 weeks I've lost 7 pounds.

    It just scares me for her.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I have a cousin in law that is involved with a metabolic center place. One doctor on staff. Probably graduated from med school in the Virgin Islands or Grenada.
    They told her to go on 600 or so daily calories. She had to drink their shakes and eat their bars.
    She ended up losing weight and losing $3,200.
    A year later, I saw her again. She gained all the weight back. She learned nothing.
    You should eat a lot more than 1,300 a day. That's just crazy.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    barkleyjeffl wrote: »
    I'm not about to do it. My friend is not that heavy to take that much of a big change... We have doctor in our town that people go to and he's telling her to eat only 600 cals a day... and yes every day.. not the 5:2. I think its crazy (plus my heart doctor would have my head! LOL)

    I'm eating around 1300 cals most days, others more. I want to win this contest but not at the expense of my life. I think I'm lowering my weight safely with the help of my PCP, nutritionist, and cardiologist. In 2 weeks I've lost 7 pounds.

    It just scares me for her.

    How do you know what her doctor is telling her what to eat? Because she says so? She could easily be making that claim when the doctor said no such thing.

    Also 1300 cals is too little for a guy.

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