How long is it OK to be on a less than 1200 cal diet?

stupidrobot
stupidrobot Posts: 19 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am doing a 900 calorie diet and common sense tells me that it's not healthy to do this for an extended period of time, but how long, exactly, is it ok to be on this diet? I've heard everything from three days to two weeks. As of now I'm planning on switching to a 1200 calorie diet within no more than a week.

Replies

  • stupidrobot
    stupidrobot Posts: 19 Member
    I am doing a 900 calorie diet and common sense tells me that it's not healthy to do this for an extended period of time, but how long, exactly, is it ok to be on this diet? I've heard everything from three days to two weeks. As of now I'm planning on switching to a 1200 calorie diet within no more than a week.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    That is a question best answered by a doctor or nutritionist.
  • stupidrobot
    stupidrobot Posts: 19 Member
    Well, yes, that's true, and I would certainly prefer to have a doctor answer my question, but I can't really afford to go the the doctor whenever I want, so I posted my question in the hopes that perhaps someone here had heard the answer from their own doctor or had read it in a nutrition book or something.
  • bigdane321
    bigdane321 Posts: 233 Member
    Think twice about such a low calorie diet.

    It seems like a good thing to eat less and lose faster, but it just isn't so. Lots of research has shown that a safe rate of weight loss is 1 - 2 lbs. Anything faster than that should be supervised by a doctor to make sure you are not hurting yourself, developing kidney stones, gall bladder stones, etc...

    Also, there seems to be a recommended 1,200 daily minimum calories for women that is considered safe and 1,500 calories for men.

    A better approach ~ one that is advocated by many reputable sources is to eat a balanced nutritious diet and to cut back your calories so that you eat less than you burn, and move more.
  • brife17
    brife17 Posts: 37
    i am going to a doctor soon for a check up, i will ask and let you know. if it helps my mom is a nurse and i can ask her...
  • emmarufleth
    emmarufleth Posts: 1
    If you eat 1,200 Calories a day and get a good work out in it will be like eating 700 a day and you will be dropping weight like crazy. Give yourself a month at 1,200 if you are not progressing the way you want then think about taking off another 200 calories, but we learned in nutrition class you really need to be eating about 1,200 a day. AND taking vitamins!! it is important to be at your daily value so you don't start getting sick, its hard to get all your vitamins from a 1,200 calorie diet... just a little info I learned.
  • jill
    jill Posts: 11
    Also, if you eat so few calories your metabolism will slow down and go into "starvation mode" Your body assumes there is a famine going on and will try to retain as much weight as possible, slowing your progress.

    AND, you will likely lose muscle mass as well as fat, and since muscle burns more calories than fat, it is another affront to you system. That is why the recommended MINIMUM is 1200 calories.

    I agree with the above post, try 1200 calories and see how it goes. Excercise. ANd if that doesn't work then see you Doc. or a nutritionist for further info. Really, it should work as long as you expectations are realistic.

    Good luck!

    Jill
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    I work for, among other specialists, a bariatric surgeon. Less than 1200 requires medical supervision. Our RD gives each patient an individual plan to meet his/her nutritional and medical needs. Most of those are more than 1200 calories. All of our patients try this approach before Dr. K. will agree to do any surgical intervention.
  • BodyzLanguage
    BodyzLanguage Posts: 200 Member
    edited August 2016
    http://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Use this. Just be accurate in your own input.
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    edited August 2016
    I know this site doesn't like it even for one day. You get a message telling you that it won't give you weight loss projections or post a message to your feed. I don't do it on purpose but some days I'm just not hungry. That is balanced against the days when I eat a lot.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,341 Member
    9 years is almost the record for a zombie thread.
  • inezbruce
    inezbruce Posts: 110 Member
    Ive been eating less then 1200 calories everyday for the last 3 months.
    Although 1200 is the recommended average, every person is different.
    If your eating the right foods, right amount of vitamins and minerals.. i think it depends on each individual
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    What are your stats?
    Height
    Weight
    Age

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Definitely less than 9 years.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    What are your stats?
    Height
    Weight
    Age

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    About 9 years older than when they started the thread.

    And hopefully not still on a VLCD!
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