Is a 1000 calorie diet harmful?

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Replies

  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    fascha wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    tqdho96lrq4k.png

    Actually according to this upon complete information a diary entry on mfp...

    NIH says 1000-1200 is the minimum for women...

    I doubt they mean anyone 5'5" with barely weight to lose

    This. Just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you SHOULD do it...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited April 2017
    Libby283 wrote: »
    tqdho96lrq4k.png

    Actually according to this upon complete information a diary entry on mfp...

    NIH says 1000-1200 is the minimum for women...

    And it would really depend on a number of factors as to whether or not it was appropriate...and the lower you go, the more likely issues will arise.
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,817 Member
    OP says that's her net intake, so what's her gross?
  • emmastewen123
    emmastewen123 Posts: 6 Member
    Your weight/height does not require to go down to 1000 calories. You are not properly fueling your body. You can eat healthy foods to have nutrition and healthy weight loss.

    You can check this for healthy weight loss.
    http://www.fitgirlway.com/2017/03/13/how-to-lose-weight-fast-5-best-weight-loss-foods/

    I hope it helps!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Using the new NIH calculator the lowest they will go is 1000 calories.

    https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/bwp/index.html

    There is also no mention of eating back exercise calories. However they do ask for your activity level.

    Side note...I am not endorsing a diet below 1200. I can't last long term on 1200 long as well 1000.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
    I did a 1200 calorie diet for years with no issues. Yesterday I was way less and felt fine. I have lost 5.2 lbs in 10 days.
  • KittyPandaBunny
    KittyPandaBunny Posts: 18 Member
    I mean if you're eating more than 1,200 then burning it with exercise and you're not hungry, you're probably fine. Otherwise, I'd recommend eating more!
  • SunflowerDaisey
    SunflowerDaisey Posts: 54 Member
    MichSmish wrote: »
    OP says that's her net intake, so what's her gross?

    If I burn 300 calories exercising. My total calories is 1300. If I don't exercise that day I do 1000.
  • SunflowerDaisey
    SunflowerDaisey Posts: 54 Member
    Wow. This information has been really helpful. I often eat below my target of 1230 calories. Usually between 1050 and 1150. My fat and protein is usually not enough. I thought if 1230 is good then 1100 would be better. I started with 70 pounds to lose and have lost 26 since the end of December. I guess I thought the weight loss is not fast enough so fewer calories would help. This makes total sense. I'm still learning.

    This is what I was thinking too.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
    fascha wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    I did a 1200 calorie diet for years with no issues. Yesterday I was way less and felt fine. I have lost 5.2 lbs in 10 days.

    Except the issue where this diet worked so well for years you're back with the need to lose 5lbs in 10 days. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think your diet worked very well if you keep having to redo it

    Not that it is your business... But food is not why I am dieting. I tend to drink my calories.

  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    edited April 2017
    Let me just start by saying: No judgment here. We are all big boys and girls and can eat what we want. :)

    However, I am in awe of the willpower it must take to eat 1000-1200 calories eveyday. Especially long term!
    I exercise 6x a week so maybe my appetite is bigger? I have trouble staying under 1600 calories a day. MFP set my baseline calories at 1360. I take one exercise rest day a week (no extra exercise calories - I hate those days!) and I ALWAYS go over. It is hard to eat that little!

    Oh well, I am still loosing. 36 pounds so far! :)
  • heiliskrimsli
    heiliskrimsli Posts: 735 Member
    Do you exercise? I ask simply because (to me at least) your weight/height doesn't seem excessive and at worse (again IMO) you'd be "curvy".

    OP is overweight: BMI is 25.63.
    fascha wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    tqdho96lrq4k.png

    Actually according to this upon complete information a diary entry on mfp...

    NIH says 1000-1200 is the minimum for women...

    I doubt they mean anyone 5'5" with barely weight to lose

    If being at the top end of normal is the goal, "barely any" is 5 pounds to just squeak a 24.9 BMI, and up to 40 before hitting "underweight".
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    Hello. I'm 5'5 154lbs. I have been eating 1000 calories net. I always meet my protein and carb goal. I don't always meet the fat goal. I eat really healthy and get lots of vitamins. I also take a vitamin tablet just in case. I also don't binge on junk to gain everything back. Is this diet okay or harmful?

    If you're not going to eat enough fat, you're wasting money on vitamin tablets, and any veggies or other food you're eating whose main benefit is fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    I'm meeting the macros guys. Every now and then I don't meet the fat.

    Are you saying MFP actually let you set a goal of only 1000 calories (it's not supposed to)? If your goal is higher, then either your macros are set improperly or you are using bad database entries, because you could not be meeting your macros most of the time and yet be consistently low on calories. Your calorie goal should equal 4 (P goal in g + C goal in g) + 9 (F goal in g).

  • SunflowerDaisey
    SunflowerDaisey Posts: 54 Member
    Do you exercise? I ask simply because (to me at least) your weight/height doesn't seem excessive and at worse (again IMO) you'd be "curvy".

    OP is overweight: BMI is 25.63.
    fascha wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    tqdho96lrq4k.png

    Actually according to this upon complete information a diary entry on mfp...

    NIH says 1000-1200 is the minimum for women...

    I doubt they mean anyone 5'5" with barely weight to lose

    If being at the top end of normal is the goal, "barely any" is 5 pounds to just squeak a 24.9 BMI, and up to 40 before hitting "underweight".

    I want to get to 130 at least. Less if I can
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Calories are a unit of energy...your body requires energy to function properly...dieting in general isn't optimal...VLCD less than optimal in providing for your body's energy needs. Part of proper nutrition is actually fueling your body, not just macro/micro nutrition.

    VLCDs most often result in advancing adaptive thermogenesis...it does this by shutting down "non-essential" functions...things like growing hair and nails, menstraul cycle, etc...effectively your body just slows your metabolism down by shutting things down to be more efficient given the lack of energy coming in...you also lose more lean mass than otherwise, further slowing metabolism...there is a finite amount of fat that can be oxidized to compensate for energy deficiencies...so the body will compensate by other means as necessary.

    VLCDs should be under the observation of medial professionals for these and many more reasons.

    The OP is not eating anything close to a VLCD. She's eating far more.

    https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/weight-control/very-low-calorie-diets/Pages/very-low-calorie-diets.aspx
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    Libby283 wrote: »
    tqdho96lrq4k.png

    Actually according to this upon complete information a diary entry on mfp...

    NIH says 1000-1200 is the minimum for women...

    Well looky looky. I guess we won't die eating below 1200 after all. ;)
  • MysteriousLeigh
    MysteriousLeigh Posts: 15 Member
    Maybe this is none of my business, and this is my first post here, but I tend to eat under 1100 calories every day. I've been doing that for nearly two months now, making sure to eat *over* 1000 calories so that I don't get a warning from MFP. I don't get hungry often, and if I do, I switch things around in my meal plan. I didn't realise this was considered so terrible by this community.

    I also didn't realise setting your own macro goals was terrible either. I'm watching my carbs and MFP automatically sets them far too high, so I lowered them.

    Although I've seen someone say that the overwhelming negativity towards OP is because she has such little weight to lose. I have far more to get rid of, so maybe the rules are different for me.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Back before WW switched to points, they had an exchange system (So many protein exchanges, carbs, etc). And they gave you three plans to choose from. One was 1000-1100, one was 1200-1400, and one was 1500-1600 (I think. I'm remembering from over 20 years ago now.) However, they warned us even then that the lowest calorie option should not be followed for more than 2 consecutive weeks before switching to a higher plan for at least a week.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    I want to get to 130 at least. Less if I can

    @SunflowerDaisey We have similar goals. I am 5'3" and want to get down to 130 pounds. I started at 183 and I am now down to 146 lbs. FYI - I am eating A LOT more than you and I am still loosing about a pound a week. I share my diary with friends. If you want to take a peek - send me a friend request. :)

    Just curious. How many calories do you average in a day?
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    You can check this for healthy weight loss.
    http://www.fitgirlway.com/2017/03/13/how-to-lose-weight-fast-5-best-weight-loss-foods/

    I hope it helps!

    Sorry, but green tea and grapefruit are not magic fat burners.

    And any piece that says "studies have shown" or making vague references to studies that may or may not exist (without linking them directly) is really pulling the info out of their *kitten* to suit their agenda. :)



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