Weight Loss, Healthy Amount Of Calories

Pennemt21
Pennemt21 Posts: 5 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, this is actually the first discussion I've ever started so bare with me haha. I'm an EMT so fast food has always been the go to for me and in just the past few years I have put on quite a bit of weight due to it. I finally decided I was disgusted with the way I look so I went too my doctor and was prescribed Adipex, a hunger suppressant, and a multi vitamin. Which I have taken regularly for about 2 weeks now, I feel great and my caloric intake has went way down and no more fast food with all the meal prepping I do. I'm currently eating about 800-1000 calories and I am completely full with about 4 meals a day. I'm well over 100 grams of protein most days, around 30-40 grams of fat, 40-70 Carbs, Sodium is usually less than a 1,000mg. Around 10 grams of sugar, all my vitamins are high in percentages. So I guess the advice I'm seeking is this okay to eat like this, while only taking in 800-1000 calories, but still good nutritional wise ?

Thanks, Cody

Replies

  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    Hi Cody :)

    It's great that you're making changes to your lifestyle for a happier, healthier you! What I will say - 800-1000 is far too few calories for a man. I don't know your stats and I am not an expert so can't advise on an appropriate calorie intake for you but I believe men should not eat less than 1500 (Others - please correct if wrong). Try and bump up your calories by adding a few pieces of fruit to your day - or some light snacks here and there to keep your energy levels up. You may feel fine now but your body does require more than that to keep working as it should be.

    Wishing you the best of success!
  • MaybeLed
    MaybeLed Posts: 250 Member
    VLCD are not reccomended here, 1500kcal is the minimum reccomended for a man.

    Noone here will (should) tell you that's an OK number, since you're already under the care of your doctor can you get a referral of a dietician to support you? You can't be the only person taking an appitite supressant so I'm sure there are people who specialise.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Pennemt21 wrote: »
    So I guess the advice I'm seeking is this okay to eat like this, while only taking in 800-1000 calories, but still good nutritional wise ?

    1,500 is the minimum recommended for men and 1,200 the minimum recommended for women.
    800-1000 calories would be a very low calorie diet. It is not sustainable or healthy to do for more than a very short time.
    My advice is to enter your age, gender, weight, height, daily activity level (without exercise) into my fitness pal. If you are 50 lbs or less overweight choose to lose 1 lb a week. If you are 50+ lbs overweight you might choose 2 lbs a week. Eat the amount of calories MFP tells you.
    If you exercise log it and eat a portion of your exercise calories.
    Are you logging your food? You may be underestimating calories for the amount of food you say you are eating. Log everything as accurately as you can. Use a food scale, choose correct entries in the database.

    If you have trouble getting to 1500- http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

  • Pennemt21
    Pennemt21 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks for the advice, I just wasn't sure if I was in the right range or not. And yes, I log everything down to a T on my food intake on MFP. And have a Fitbit Blaze to track down my daily exercise to record on MFP.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    How many pounds do you need to lose to reach your goal weight?

    When you put your stats into MFP, how many calories a day does it give you?
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    If your doctor is supervising your diet/weight then low calories are ok. However as others have said, very low calorie diets unsupervised are not recommended.
  • Mini_Medic
    Mini_Medic Posts: 343 Member
    Cutting out fast food is a great thing! The benefits you will feel right away when you eat better even without a calorie deficit. Fellow ems here, so I understand the struggle! I gained 40 plus lbs with my first night shift gig. The places that were open were gas stations, waffle house, and Taco Bell. Not good! I've lost it and feel so much better, the job is tough enough without carrying extra weight! You can do it, just put your mind to it and don't deprive yourself in the name of fast loss. Make changes that you can keep up when you get the weight off and for the rest of your life, not just temporarily. I made that mistake and regained it all only to have to go through losing it all again. It's easier to plan in treats and yummy "off limits" foods occasionally, than to cut them out and then binge later when the cravings get bad. Slow and steady is much more manageable and sustainable! Good luck with everything!
  • Pennemt21
    Pennemt21 Posts: 5 Member
    Kshama2001 At the weight I'm at right now I'd need to lose 70lbs to get to the weight I'm wanting. My calorie goal is at 2200, at the end of each day my exercise and my food intake leaves me with about 1500 calories left. Thanks Mini_Medic I appreciate it, glad to hear your keeping it off and doing good.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Pennemt21 wrote: »
    Kshama2001 At the weight I'm at right now I'd need to lose 70lbs to get to the weight I'm wanting. My calorie goal is at 2200, at the end of each day my exercise and my food intake leaves me with about 1500 calories left. Thanks Mini_Medic I appreciate it, glad to hear your keeping it off and doing good.

    So why if your calorie goal is 2200, are you eating 800-1000?
  • Pennemt21
    Pennemt21 Posts: 5 Member
    It's what it's set at, it's not like I'm trying to starve myself or anything. With the new medications I'm on I really just feel more full, I eat 3-4 times a day with one snack 3-4 hours apart.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    How much weight did you lose in week two?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Pennemt21 wrote: »
    It's what it's set at, it's not like I'm trying to starve myself or anything. With the new medications I'm on I really just feel more full, I eat 3-4 times a day with one snack 3-4 hours apart.

    Did you attempt to use MFP to lose weight through diligent logging prior to going on the appetite suppressant? I'm generally not in favor of those, as I don't think it teaches healthy habits about portion size, food selection, etc. I know that many people have tried and failed at weight loss and thing that going on these type of medications is their final recourse, but I'm not sure what you have tried in the past.
  • Pennemt21
    Pennemt21 Posts: 5 Member
    I have lost 13lbs total so far, no I started MFP whenever I started the medication.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    I would definitely not recommend eating that low. The faster you lose, the more lean mass you lose per pound of fat mass lost.

    The goal should be to come in as close as possible to your target calories, not far below.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
    I would.follow doctors orders .. also have a plan to stop taking meds when your ready .. surely your not gonna be on pills for life .. congrats on your good start .. good luck
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