Maintaining weight on 1000 calories a day

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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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