Safe to do 1000 calories?
ayshakool
Posts: 16 Member
I am petite (5 ft tall) and i currently weigh 152.6 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds so far while having on 1200 calories. My maintenance calories suggested is 1670 calories to not lose any weight. If i keep my diet to 1200 calories then my weekly calorie loss would be 3290 calories only, meaninf that I won’t even lose a pound per week. I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds but then that would mean to have 1000 calories. Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
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Replies
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Lost 9lbs in what time frame?
And no, 1000 calories is not safe or a good idea.16 -
What is your activity level? The maintenance seems low as I am 4’11” but maintain on 1800 calories and still try to not go under 1300 when eating in a deficit.
Are you doing any weight training or other physical activities?0 -
Why are you in such a hurry to lose?8
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The faster you try to lose, the more likely you are to be unnecessarily sacrificing muscle. Just under a pound a week is a perfectly reasonable goal. Also, as elphie asked, how long has it taken you to lose 9 pounds at 1200 calories? Your actual progress at 1200 calories is much more meaningful than an online calculator or algorithm's prediction of what you will lose at 1200 calories.5
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I have lost 9 pounds in 7 weeks. I just have started to go to gym (doing stationary bike for 30 mins give me 100 calories). I got a baby so i cant make to gym every day sadly. I dont have any personal trainer either! Jist giving it a try on my own. I am hypothyroid patient. I was used to be pretty skinny (100 pounds) five years back but all of sudden, i gained weight. And i got to know about my thyroid issue three years later. I have been taking medicine for it and its under control now. And since i have had baby, i didnt get chance to work on my diet plan. Now i have started it and i am happy to see the results. I would love to lose it all fast; i know that slow weight loss is the best in the long run. Thanks0
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I have lost 9 pounds in 7 weeks. I just have started to go to gym (doing stationary bike for 30 mins give me 100 calories). I got a baby so i cant make to gym every day sadly. I dont have any personal trainer either! Jist giving it a try on my own. I am hypothyroid patient. I was used to be pretty skinny (100 pounds) five years back but all of sudden, i gained weight. And i got to know about my thyroid issue three years later. I have been taking medicine for it and its under control now. And since i have had baby, i didnt get chance to work on my diet plan. Now i have started it and i am happy to see the results. I would love to lose it all fast; i know that slow weight loss is the best in the long run. Thanks
So you have seven weeks of data suggesting you lose at least a pound a week on 1200 calories. I wouldn't worry about whoever or whatever suggested that your maintenance calories are 1670, since your own data suggests that your maintenance is more like 1840 calories. (9 lbs X 3500 cals/lb divided by 7 weeks divided by 7 days = 643 calorie daily deficit. 1200 + 643 = 1843)9 -
Don't drop your calories, you will not be able to get enough nutrition on fewer calories. Since you are having difficulty finding time to exercise more, you can try increasing the intensity of your cycling. You also might try YouTube fitness videos from home for the days you are unable to get to the gym.
Eat back some of your exercise calories when you go into a deficit greater than 3500 / week. At your weight, you don't need to lose faster than a pound a week. I know it seems slow, but remember you will have to maintain your new habits for the rest of your life, or the weight will come right back when you return to the habits which made you overweight in the first place. You have a whole lifetime to live in your body, be patient.
Hopefully losing will be easier now that your thyroid medication is where it should be! Good luck!6 -
No, it’s not safe, and no, you don’t need to do it. I’m just under 5 feet tall and lost weight on 1200 calories plus exercise. You do not need to eat fewer than 1200 net calories.3
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suzannesimmons3 wrote: »In a word no.
The funny thing about wanting to lose fat, not muscle, while under-eating with inadequate nutrition is that you lose muscle from not eating enough and gain fat from binging.7 -
Hey we're about the same weight and height! I'm 4'11" and about 140. We should do this together!!!! I don't trust the low calories, my fitbit says I burn 1700-2300 a day depending on my level of activity, so I wouldn't feel safe going that low, plus you would be going below your BMR, if my bmr is 1300-1400 I would think yours is about the same, in a nutshell, its not safe to go below that. Your body goes into starvation mode and will hold onto your body fat because it thinks you're dying. When I was 17 I did that stuff and it took 6 months to lose 5 lbs and as soon as I started eating normally I gained more back. It ruins your metabolism, and your self esteem.14
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You're losing 1 lb per week which is a kind of perfect rate of loss. Keep doing what you're doing. Congrats on your success so far10
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According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.0
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I am petite (5 ft tall) and i currently weigh 152.6 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds so far while having on 1200 calories. My maintenance calories suggested is 1670 calories to not lose any weight. If i keep my diet to 1200 calories then my weekly calorie loss would be 3290 calories only, meaninf that I won’t even lose a pound per week. I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds but then that would mean to have 1000 calories. Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
Women should have a bare minimum of 1000 calories to 1200 calories. I am 4 foot 10 myself, and eat about 800 calories to 1200 calories per day, some days I splurge though. It's really up to the BMI chart and what's right for you.13 -
The MFP community does not recommend going under 1200 calories per day as a rule due to the scientific literature that associates potential health problems with going below that threshold.
If you are considering consuming less than 1200 calories per day, please consult with your physician. There is a question of risk.5 -
No, not healthy, not sustainable.1
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According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.
where are you getting that info. for men it should be no less than 1500 net. and for women no less than 1200 and thats for those who are very short,sedentary or elderly or a combo of the 3.2 -
DivaDreamer77 wrote: »I am petite (5 ft tall) and i currently weigh 152.6 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds so far while having on 1200 calories. My maintenance calories suggested is 1670 calories to not lose any weight. If i keep my diet to 1200 calories then my weekly calorie loss would be 3290 calories only, meaninf that I won’t even lose a pound per week. I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds but then that would mean to have 1000 calories. Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
Women should have a bare minimum of 1000 calories to 1200 calories. I am 4 foot 10 myself, and eat about 800 calories to 1200 calories per day, some days I splurge though. It's really up to the BMI chart and what's right for you.
BMI has nothing to do with how many calories you need to eat. it has to do with age,sex,height and your activity level. those who are more active will need more calories. those who weigh more can eat more calories when they first start out. no one should do less than the minimum unless they are an outlier or under the care of a doctor.6 -
DivaDreamer77 wrote: »I am petite (5 ft tall) and i currently weigh 152.6 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds so far while having on 1200 calories. My maintenance calories suggested is 1670 calories to not lose any weight. If i keep my diet to 1200 calories then my weekly calorie loss would be 3290 calories only, meaninf that I won’t even lose a pound per week. I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds but then that would mean to have 1000 calories. Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
Women should have a bare minimum of 1000 calories to 1200 calories. I am 4 foot 10 myself, and eat about 800 calories to 1200 calories per day, some days I splurge though. It's really up to the BMI chart and what's right for you.
what has a BMI chart got to do with calories?5 -
I am petite (5 ft tall) and i currently weigh 152.6 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds so far while having on 1200 calories. My maintenance calories suggested is 1670 calories to not lose any weight. If i keep my diet to 1200 calories then my weekly calorie loss would be 3290 calories only, meaninf that I won’t even lose a pound per week. I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds but then that would mean to have 1000 calories. Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
nope, with only a few pounds left to lose you should be aiming to slow down your weight loss, not increase it.3 -
Is it okay thing to do? I want to lose my fat, not muscles!
The bigger the deficit the higher the probability of muscle loss.
Be patient, look beyond this period of weight loss and aim to get to goal weight in the best shape you can be rather than getting to goal weight the fastest you can and then being disappointed with the results.
It's sad the number of posts from people that achieve the weight loss they dreamed about and instead of being delighted are upset they don't look how they expected to look.7 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.
where are you getting that info. for men it should be no less than 1500 net. and for women no less than 1200 and thats for those who are very short,sedentary or elderly or a combo of the 3.
I’m not saying I agree with it, but MFP even says 1,000 is bare mins
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You’ll only get that message if you log under 1,000. If you log 1,000 you probably wouldn’t get it. I do think that’s for extreme outliers - like maybe if you’re 4’9, bed bound, and 92. I could not find a balance in my diet where 1,000 would possibly get me enough nutrients unless my entire diet was meal replacement shakes.5
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.
where are you getting that info. for men it should be no less than 1500 net. and for women no less than 1200 and thats for those who are very short,sedentary or elderly or a combo of the 3.
I explained in my original message when that message appears. Read it again. If u have questions re-ask me.
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WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.
where are you getting that info. for men it should be no less than 1500 net. and for women no less than 1200 and thats for those who are very short,sedentary or elderly or a combo of the 3.
I’m not saying I agree with it, but MFP even says 1,000 is bare mins
Thanks for replying with the photo. I thought my original post explained when that alert appears but maybe not if you've never seen it.0 -
WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »According to MyFitnessPal, "For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men." You'll get this message if you try to complete a daily entry and your calories are not enough. Although, 1000 is pretty low and hard to maintain in my opinion. I would just up your workout to burn an extra 100+ as oppose to cutting calories.
where are you getting that info. for men it should be no less than 1500 net. and for women no less than 1200 and thats for those who are very short,sedentary or elderly or a combo of the 3.
I’m not saying I agree with it, but MFP even says 1,000 is bare mins
Thanks for replying with the photo. I thought my original post explained when that alert appears but maybe not if you've never seen it.
That warning is really meant as a last ditch effort to posters who are already logging under 1000 calories to caution them. The lowest calorie target that MFP will set is 1200 and so to post that 1000 is the minimum could potentially encourage someone like the OP who is tempted to go for a low calorie target in order to lose weight quickly, disregarding the concerns about getting adequate nutrition and potential side effects like hair loss, fatigue, brittle nails, sallow skin, etc.
So while there is this technicality, it is confusing and could be misconstrued as supporting OP and others considering this approach so I wish people would not bring it up in threads like these.8 -
At your height, you may be able to make 1000 work for you. I know it sucks being short and trying to lose weight, it can be very sloooow. But if you find that 1000 isn't enough and you're feeling too hungry or end up bingeing as a result, you may want to stick to 1200. Keep in mind, these are all "net" calories - you'd eat back the calories you burn through exercise.
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At your height, you may be able to make 1000 work for you. I know it sucks being short and trying to lose weight, it can be very sloooow. But if you find that 1000 isn't enough and you're feeling too hungry or end up bingeing as a result, you may want to stick to 1200. Keep in mind, these are all "net" calories - you'd eat back the calories you burn through exercise.
OP is losing at a perfectly normal healthy rate on 1200 cals, she has no reason to reduce them to 1000 other than impatience.10 -
TavistockToad wrote: »At your height, you may be able to make 1000 work for you. I know it sucks being short and trying to lose weight, it can be very sloooow. But if you find that 1000 isn't enough and you're feeling too hungry or end up bingeing as a result, you may want to stick to 1200. Keep in mind, these are all "net" calories - you'd eat back the calories you burn through exercise.
OP is losing at a perfectly normal healthy rate on 1200 cals, she has no reason to reduce them to 1000 other than impatience.
True. But if OP finds that her hunger levels are manageable at 200 fewer calories and she's able to get the nutrients she needs, then I don't see the issue. I know sub-1200 is greatly frowned upon, but I think a scale approach to minimum calories would be more appropriate. No fewer than 1000 for 5'2" and under, no fewer than 1200 for 5'5" and under, no fewer than 1400 for 5'8" and under, etc. A 5'9" woman eating only 1200 calories would be more dangerous than OP eating 1000, IMO.
Anyhoo - I know this is a delicate subject and don't want to argue, so hopefully OP will do what's right for her!9 -
Just the fact that you are asking should tell you NO!0
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