Maintaining weight on 1000 calories a day

Harriet91Beaumont
Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I haven't posted here before but I just wanted to get something off my chest today :persevere:

Background: I am a 25 year old female and I have been dieting since around mid-november. I was not overweight but I think I had a binge-eating disorder, as I regularly binge ate till the point of stomach pain. It started as 1 day per week then increased over time to almost every other day, sometimes every day. My wakeup call was when I binged in the airport before a flight then suffered horrific pains mid-air due to the air pressure. I weighed around 53.5KG to begin with and I am 1.55m. So my BMI was 22.

I started dieting mid-november and the total relief of stomach issues prevented me from ever looking back! But then I suffered some horrible family problems and stresses which made me lose my appetite and ended up eating only a couple of 100 calories a day for a while. The weight dropped off initially but when I realised how unhealthy that was I pulled myself together and tried to eat 1000 calories a day. I continued losing weight, but more slowly, but when I actually counted my daily calory intake it turned out I was only eating 700 - 800 still! So now I have been strict about having around 1000 calories a day. Still keeping an eye on my fat and sugar intake, and yes I really am including absolutely everything I eat. Inititally I lost almost another KG and reached 49KG just over a week ago but weighed in today and was still 49KG! I was hoping to lose another 1 or 2KG as my "natural" weight before the binging was 47 - 48KG. The thing is, it is widely talked about that eating less than 1000 or even 1200 calories a day is unhealthy, but being so small as I am, and disabled so I barely move, even the calory calculator admits that I would need to eat 907 calories a day to lose weight! :tired_face:

I feel like I KNOW my body, and for me, 1000 calories feels more than satisfying, and I am not getting hungry. Is it really so that I have to keep my calory intake above 1000 even with my life style? Does one size really fit all?

Replies

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    How tall are you? What is your activity like? How tight is your logging?

    It's not a question of "one size fits all" - 1200 is the bottom of the scale and is too little for most people, to be honest, as a maintenance intake it will only work for those who are very short and a bit older. Unless you are extremely short it seems like a very low intake at your age.

  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    one size doesn't fit all, BUT it is generally suggested that aiming for 1200 calories is the best way to ensure you are getting enough nutrients.

    As a short person (I am about 5 cm shorter than you) my calorie needs are low, but my BMR according to this and most other sites is still 1246 calories a day. The BMR calculation is how many calories your body needs to fuel itself if you were in a coma. To calculate ACTUAL calorie needs (referred to as TDEE) I would need to use the formula 1246 x 1.2 = 1495.

    1495 is the number of calories I need to exist without doing any significant exercise. If I were disabled this would STILL be the amount of calories I should be consuming. To lose weight I have two realistic options (whilst remaining healthy) - do lots of exercise to allow me to eat back some of the calories; or have a very small deficit of no more than 250 calories a day and lose weight slower.

    The point of my calculations is to show you that even though you are small, you ought to be eating more. Given that you have been eating SIGNIFICANTLY lower calories for a time, it is unlikely you have been taking in adequate nutrients over that time which is why it is even MORE important you eat above the 1200 calorie suggestion.

    Try and gradually increase your calories, eat some healthy fats if you don't feel hungry. And combine this with a talk to a medical professional.

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    For a very small disabled person, it is possible for that 1,000 calories per day is the appropriate amount. 1,200 is the bottom of the scale for women, but the charts are generally based on women who are above the 5th percentile in size and who have full mobility. I would suggest talking to your doctor.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    could you open up your diary so that people can take a look and possibly give you thoughts on what would be tweaked?

    settings>diary settings>click radio button that says public
  • Harriet91Beaumont
    Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks for the replies everyone. I actually suspect I have never really eaten "enough" since I feel that I probably eat more now that I am tracking than I ever did before, as I am being more strict about it, eating on time and not skipping meals. I don't have any health problems that would impact on my weight, I did recently have full blood work done at the doctors and everything is totally normal there. I don't take any medicines either. I will open my diary to public if anyone wants to see but I must admit some of the foods I have logged are in Finnish language since I live in Finland, but I will try to keep them in English today.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    you aren't tracking everything..there are partial days, days without anything...

    If you "never ate enough" how did the binge eating come into play (to the point of you being in pain) sounds like you were eating lots.

    The thing is this...you don't need to "diet" if you are mid range BMI but if you are tracking to ensure you are eating enough and aren't bingeing (not sure how tracking helps with that) then track...how much you eat will define if you maintain your weight with your stats...

    that's why you track to find out how much you can eat and either gain/lose/maintain....but you have to track accurately and all the time to figure that out.
  • Hello_its_Dan
    Hello_its_Dan Posts: 406 Member
    OP are you on any medication?
    Have you talked to a professional about the binge eating?
  • Harriet91Beaumont
    Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
    edited February 2017
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    you aren't tracking everything..there are partial days, days without anything...

    If you "never ate enough" how did the binge eating come into play (to the point of you being in pain) sounds like you were eating lots.

    I realised after I wrote that how contradictory it was. What I meant is before the problem with binging started, I didn't really eat more than I do now that I am tracking (if as much)

    I don't track every day admittedly but to be totally honest I usually eat more or less the same every day.
    Dan_Rollins_ACE_PN wrote: »
    OP are you on any medication?
    Have you talked to a professional about the binge eating?

    I am not on any medication and I don't want to see a doctor for a mental problem. I haven't binged since november anyway.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Are you logging your food on a food scale, and are sure you are currently eating 1000 calories per day? If you are eyeballing portions and not logging everything that passes your lips, it's possible you are eating more than you think.
  • Harriet91Beaumont
    Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
    Ninkyou wrote: »

    Why wouldn't you seek professional help for a mental problem? That should be the first thing you do.

    Well maybe I would if I had a significant problem but I can't see that I do have, as far as I can see, I nipped it in the bud.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Are you logging your food on a food scale, and are sure you are currently eating 1000 calories per day? If you are eyeballing portions and not logging everything that passes your lips, it's possible you are eating more than you think.

    Yes I am using a scale, and I even changed the battery to be sure it was working because it seemed so wrong haha!

    Maybe it is just this week that I have maintained, it is my time of the month and that might have an impact I suppose. Hopefully I can shift the last kilo or so slowly but surely in the next month or two.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    Oh yes TOM causes water retention for most.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Harriet91Beaumont wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »

    Why wouldn't you seek professional help for a mental problem? That should be the first thing you do.

    Well maybe I would if I had a significant problem but I can't see that I do have, as far as I can see, I nipped it in the bud.
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Are you logging your food on a food scale, and are sure you are currently eating 1000 calories per day? If you are eyeballing portions and not logging everything that passes your lips, it's possible you are eating more than you think.

    Yes I am using a scale, and I even changed the battery to be sure it was working because it seemed so wrong haha!

    Maybe it is just this week that I have maintained, it is my time of the month and that might have an impact I suppose. Hopefully I can shift the last kilo or so slowly but surely in the next month or two.

    Oh, it's this, for sure! I go up about 4 pounds every month and then it comes back off afterwards. But 1000 calories is still too low.

    I'm (nearly) 42 years old, 5'9", 177 pounds, and can lose steadily on 1960 calories. (I'm currently maintaining on ~2300 per day.)

    Going so low-cal is not helping anything. You'll eventually crash and burn and eat everything in sight. By eating a little more, you will lose slower, but you'll have a better chance of actually reaching your goal. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
    It is entirely plausible that being your size and with your physical disability (you did not name what type of disability but I'm assuming one that significantly limits movement from your posts...please correct me if I am wrong!) that 1,000 is appropriate for you to lose. However, with that being said, I would still double check with your doctor or a nutritionist about that amount. If you go to a dietitian, you could broach the subject of binge eating, and how you nipped it in the bud but want to make sure you don't start on that path again. Registered Dietitians can be very helpful with that. He/she might have insight into why you started based on what you say (situational due to life circumstances, or were you lacking in a nutrient and your body was compensating in the only way it knew how...making you want to eat).

    I totally understand not wanting to speak to someone about binge eating, especially as you've had a few good months now. Understand that if that was you responding to stress or pain though, that your mind may try to do the same in the future as a coping mechanism. Talking to someone as a way to learn new coping mechanisms would still be beneficial and applicable now.

    But for sure, start with a Registered Dietitian and go from there.

    BTW, TOM can add several pounds to your weight. Don't put all the emphasis on your weight though. How are your clothes fitting? That is also a good indicator of how you are doing.

    Best of luck!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    It sounds like you are verging on anorexia. Stop trying to lose weight. Eat 1200 for a while and see what happens. If you eat too little, your body will start breaking down muscle for fuel. You can lose hair and teeth. You can end your periods, which really screws up your hormones and can lead to brittle bones. You were able to stop the binge eating, but replacing it with not eating isn't progress.

    @spiriteagle99 you get this person is disabled right?

    quote from the OP "but being so small as I am, and disabled so I barely move"
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    OP, you are really close to your goal weigh. it will come off more slowly as the closer you get, the more stubborn the pounds are to let go. And you're already so tiny. I would just keep your diary steady, focus on what you CAN do given your limited mobility, and keep it all tight.
  • nightengale7
    nightengale7 Posts: 563 Member
    edited February 2017
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    It sounds like you are verging on anorexia. Stop trying to lose weight. Eat 1200 for a while and see what happens. If you eat too little, your body will start breaking down muscle for fuel. You can lose hair and teeth. You can end your periods, which really screws up your hormones and can lead to brittle bones. You were able to stop the binge eating, but replacing it with not eating isn't progress.

    Glad someone had the bravery to write this. Exactly what I was thinking, it sounds like OP went from one eating disorder to another...No matter what OP, you need to see your doctor about your eating habits. ETA: I realize the OP is disabled, but there are other disabled people on MFP who still eat quite a bit more than this, which is why I suggest having a doctor review her eating habits to make sure she is in fact eating enough.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    For those of us not on the metric system:

    OP's CW = 49 kg = 108 pounds
    1.55 m = 5'1"
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    For those of us not on the metric system:

    OP's CW = 49 kg = 108 pounds
    1.55 m = 5'1"

    For which a calculator shows the BMR to be 1287 calories/day. Due to the disability, we can expect that she may be even less active than a traditional "sedentary" definition, so predict a daily calorie burn somewhere in the 1300-1400 range.

    She's pretty tiny, so 0.5 pounds/week should be the fastest weight loss goal - a 250 cal/day deficit. Subtract that from 1300-1400 and you get an intake of 1050-1150 cals/day.

    So, maintaining at 1000 cals/day seems unlikely - but if the OP is on the lower end of the metabolism distribution curve, it could be a reasonable number for conservative weight loss. This is because (1) she's tiny and (2) she's extremely inactive - and should therefore not be projected to the general population. With so few calories to work with, she'd also want to be very very conscious of good nutrition.

    Since she's already at a healthy weight, she may not need to lose any more weight - but that's not something any of us can assess via forums. Maybe adopt the strategy of eating "maintenance for goal weight" calories (remembering the low activity - so maybe subtract 100 cals from "sedentary") and accept that loss will be slow?
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    You really need to talk to a nutritionist who can address your own special circumstances. Maybe make an appointment and print out your posting here to take with you.

    If your high BMI was 22, it doesn't sound like you were ever actually bingeing, although you may have been trying to get too much in at one time. My husband has that problem - he doesn't eat all day, then he comes home and eats until his stomach hurts. I came home late one day and he sounded kind of proud that he had just finished off a whole bag of chicken nuggets...an hour or so later he was in pain.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Denial is not just a river in Egypt. It is possible that you have nipped your problems in the bud, but that does not mean that the root does not still exist. That aside, I would talk with a professional at least about what would be appropriate calories for you.

    Is one size fits all true? Usually when dealing with a calorie deficit, but there are extenuating circumstances here and there. 1200 minimum is touted to ensure that your body is receiving proper nutrition to it which is why a cry goes up when people are under 1200 (and those people that believe in starvation mode, ugh).
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Dietician. OP should see a dietician if we're talking about professional dietary advice. Nutritionist is not a protected term and I'd fear they'd have little to no clue about disability and a lot of the advice we see people given by nutritionists on this forum alone would make me give them a very wide berth.

    OP, although you are disabled, we don't really know how truly sedentary you are. Someone in a self propelled wheelchair for example would actually be burning quite a few calories vs someone largely bed/housebound.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    And at your tiny size I'd be more inclined to go for a happy medium of 1100 calories of nutritionally dense foods. Losses will be smaller and harder to see but I think will make deficiencies a little less likely.
  • Harriet91Beaumont
    Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks for all the replies. I should have been more specific when I said I am disabled. I am mostly house bound and I do not use a wheelchair. I try to move about as much as I can but the most exercise I can manage is walking around 1 - 2 km on a good day at a very slow pace, so I don't think it would have much impact on my fitness level. It is worrying that people think I might end up with a nutritional deficiency, which is what I am worried about and the main reason I posted in the first place. Another worry I have is the risk of disease through fatness that I probably have around my organs, since I am inactive. This is why I feel the need to get rid of as much body fat as possible through diet, since exercise isn't really an option, I certainly don't have anorexia! I don't want to get diabetes or heart-disease, and those things run in my family.

    I haven't seen a dietician but I did speak to a personal fitness trainer and they told me not to go below 1000 a day though I shouldn't need much more than that with my activity level. I do try to eat highly nutritious foods and I take multi-vitamin and calcium suppliments. Also vitamin D fortified foods as the government in my country recommends because of our short day light hours. So I will have to stick to 1000+ and just hope for a slow weight loss or forget about that extra kg or 2. Thanks for the advice!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    a personal fitness trainer is not a professional when it comes to food/nutrition recommendations - you really need to go and see a registered dietician (or whatever they are called in your country)
  • Harriet91Beaumont
    Harriet91Beaumont Posts: 10 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    a personal fitness trainer is not a professional when it comes to food/nutrition recommendations - you really need to go and see a registered dietician (or whatever they are called in your country)

    I really think that is unnecessary and am positive my GP will not refer me to a dietician because I maintained my weight for 1 week....but sure, I will ask what they think. Some responses have been a little OTT.
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