1000 cals per day.. is that bad?

Nolynoelia20
Nolynoelia20 Posts: 57
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
So today i started my 1000 per day from 1200 that i was doing before. Im 5'2" &150lbs. I need to loose at least 10 lbs by 9/11/11. I workout at least 3-4 times per week (burning 487 cals per 40 mins) I think that going from 1200 to 1000 will help me in this month. I hope that this will help but im not too sure about it! is also hard to eat only 1000 cals :( Any suggestions??
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Replies

  • cabul3
    cabul3 Posts: 210 Member
    Go right back up to 1200.

    1000/day is neither healthy, realistic, nor maintainable.

    The weight will STILL come off at 1200/day! It may take a few weeks longer, but at least it'll STAY off....
  • dancinblonde0099
    dancinblonde0099 Posts: 118 Member
    If you don't eat atleast 1200 Cals a day your body will go into starvation mode.
  • meli_medina
    meli_medina Posts: 594 Member
    Other than telling you that going below 1200 calories per day will most likely send you into starvation mode and do damage to your metabolism... nope!

    At the very least, make sure to eat back your exercise calories. 1000 - 457 calories = 543 calories for your body to live on, which is 1/4 of what an average person needs per day to maintain weight.

    I'd rethink my goal and make it a bit more realistic and healthy, but that's just me. :)
  • sgoldman328
    sgoldman328 Posts: 379 Member
    THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

    By dipping under 1200 calories, you're forcing your body into starvation mode. If you were to sit like a vegetable for the whole day, just breathing, you'd burn 1200 calories. You need to eat more than this.

    You need to eat calories in order to burn calories. Most people who plateau find that UPPING their calorie intake causes them to lose weight more steadily than cutting it.

    Good luck.
  • iAm_misspiggy
    iAm_misspiggy Posts: 35 Member
    I was eating 800 cals a day for a while... They guy at "THE RUSH" told me I could get away with it because i'm 5ft tall... I did loose weight, BUT now when I go up to 1200 cals I gain weight. :( & have gained weigh.
  • stxbobcat
    stxbobcat Posts: 5
    1200 calories a day is preferable. You don't want to go into starvation mode. You can be under 1200 occasionally, but don't make it a daily thing.
  • Nolynoelia20
    Nolynoelia20 Posts: 57
    thanks i wasnt too sure that i was doing the right thing.. Now i know that 1000 is not good. Any suggestions on how i can loose 10lbs in a month??
  • ajk828
    ajk828 Posts: 335
    insert food into mouth...repeat often
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Never under 1200 unless under Doctors ordered.

    1000 will slow down your weight loss not increase it!

    Eat more protein and fiber, get in all your water and exercise.

    If you have big burn days then you need to eat even more. Never below 1200 including the NET calories!
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    yes, it's not good and WHAT can be that important that 10 lbs in 30 days is gonna make or break ya? if you REALLY want to lose 10 lbs in 30 days, eat 1200 cals, exercise VIGOROUSLY 1 hr for 5 days per week, strength train the other days and eat back half your exercise calories
    NO dairy and NO fried/fast/junk food (ps, eat at least one salad every day)
    that should do it
  • pbeans
    pbeans Posts: 42
    There is no magic way to lose 10 pounds in a month. It's just eating what you are suppose to and working out. Listen to your body because it will tell you what you need. Smaller people tend to to lose it slower though...if that number isn't realistic for you in a month try aiming for one that is.
    Just please don't eat less than 1200 a day.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    Yes, it is bad.

    Instead of losing, you may even gain. Deprive your body and it won't trust you to give it adequate nutrition. It'll hang on to everything its got and maybe lay down some more.

    Or, you can give it lots of yummy, healthy nutritious food and it's more likely to work with you on this weight-loss thing.

    I didn't lose a thing on 1,200 calories a day. I do just fine losing slowly and steadily at 1,600+.
  • chicabean420
    chicabean420 Posts: 173 Member
    thanks i wasnt too sure that i was doing the right thing.. Now i know that 1000 is not good. Any suggestions on how i can loose 10lbs in a month??


    Work out, drink lots of water, eat right. And make sure you're eating back some of your workout calories so your body is still fueled.
  • Chante88
    Chante88 Posts: 12 Member
    When i was eating 1000 calories a day i was sick and grumpy and as soon as i began to up my calorie intake to 1200-1400 i felt much better. Just yesturday i worked out and burned off 1300 calories and i only ate 966 calories today all day, i was dizzy, headache and lightheaded and as soon as i ate some food with some substance i was instantly better, headace gone, lighthead and dizzyness disappeared, hope this helped
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
    Deadline Diets often fail, and see a return of the weight lost. If you can't think in terms of long-term "lifestyle" changes (food and exercise), you will, unfortunately, see a return of the weight. I do wish you all the luck though. I lost 12 pounds in a month just by paying attention to my diet and working out 3-4 days per week.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    I'm going to upset some people, but if you are only 5'2" your BMR is likely not much higher than 1200. I'm the same height as you and my NET calories are between 1000-1200 every day. I eat back my exercise calories so my net isn't ever below 1000. I have been losing consistently and without any adverse health effects for the past four months. 1200 is the minimum number MFP uses, that doesn't mean it is the magic number for everyone. Don't even take my words as the magic solution, this works for me, it may not for you.

    Also, don't focus too much on the number you are losing, focus on eating healthy and getting the nutrients you need in your body. What's the point of losing weight if you aren't healthy when you get there?
  • SimplyFreckled
    SimplyFreckled Posts: 444 Member
    10lbs by 9/11 ? easy to attain... your head weighs about. 10lbs.. get rid of that and you get rid of those 10 useless pounds! problem solved!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    Looking at your ticker you only have 10 pound to lose. If that is the case it will be difficult. Eating only 1000 a day will make it more so. I would suggest you take the focus off weight and measure yourself and shoot for changing your measurements.
  • jkleman79
    jkleman79 Posts: 706 Member
    Who really cares what the scale says...if you look and feel good then hell put on a spare 10 as long as its muscle. Stop worrying what that number on the scale is and worry what your BF% is instead thats what really counts anyways.
  • jkleman79
    jkleman79 Posts: 706 Member
    10lbs by 9/11 ? easy to attain... your head weighs about. 10lbs.. get rid of that and you get rid of those 10 useless pounds! problem solved!


    LOVE IT!!! =0)
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    I'm so tired...
  • igora_soma
    igora_soma Posts: 486
    Deadlines will only set you up to fail. Just reassess what you're eating. Take measurements first and foremost. You'll probably see a difference before the scale.

    Just take it easy and let the weight come off slowly. Or else it won't stay off...
  • paperpromisesx3
    paperpromisesx3 Posts: 67
    The calories you need to eat per day are dependent on your WEIGHT. Eating 1000 calories per day is NOT unhealthy. The calculation I use is (weight x 12 - 500) to lose weight. If I was eating 1200 calories a day, I would not be losing any weight per week. When I go in to my goals in MFP, I put in 1200 calories and it says my loss would be .1 per week. I eat between 900-1000 calories per day and am always completely satisfied. Again, this is depending on your WEIGHT. My body has never gone into starvation mode.
  • TheNewLK
    TheNewLK Posts: 933 Member
    insert food into mouth...repeat often
    .

    Chewing helps annnnnnd burns excess calories!!!
  • LadyKatarina
    LadyKatarina Posts: 28 Member
    (Not a professional here) Using a Basal Metabolic Rate calculator, based on your age, height, and weight, your body needs about 1355 calories just to keep you alive. If your activity level is "LOW", meaning you work a desk job and don't exercise, you would maintain your current weight if you ate about 1626 calories per day. Assuming you do more than sit at your desk all day, in order to lose weight you should be eating probably closer to 1400 calories per day, plus exercising. NEVER go below 1200, as so many others have said. Your body will hold onto the weight, not lose it.

    Also..your goal is to lose 10 lbs in one month? Did you GAIN those 10 lbs in 1 month? Safe and maintainable weight loss is between 1 and 2 lbs per week. You could potentially drop the 10 lbs in a month by dehydrating yourself or starving yourself or using laxatives...but that isn't losing fat, it is dangerous, and will not stay off. Set safer goals for yourself. This isn't about the number on the scale..it is about getting healthier.

    ~Kat
  • Britt2Fitjrny
    Britt2Fitjrny Posts: 558 Member
    I would say the fastest/heathy way to lose the 10 pounds in a month would be working your butt off!!! The more you work of the more weight you'll loose. Drink tons of water. And even though they tell you to eat back your work out calories. I dont always do that. Just make sure you have atleast 1200 for the day. I'm also 5'2 so i know your pain. I was at 150 but I reacently started working my butt off and now i'm done to 147. Good Luck!!
  • mark03264
    mark03264 Posts: 334 Member
    If you set up MFP right to start with then the daily calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in to lose weight. That said, you should eat close to the calorie goal MFP gives you each day including eating back most of your exercise calories. Depending on how far under the daily calorie goal you are, you are very likely to cause your body to hang onto to the fat it has either slowing down or even stopping fat loss. Sounds counter-intuitive but that's the way it is.

    Hate to say it but my only suggestion would have been to start losing sooner.
  • mark03264
    mark03264 Posts: 334 Member
    and congratulations for quitting smoking. Good for you! Keep it up. You will be so much healthier for that alone.
  • Nolynoelia20
    Nolynoelia20 Posts: 57
    (Not a professional here) Using a Basal Metabolic Rate calculator, based on your age, height, and weight, your body needs about 1355 calories just to keep you alive. If your activity level is "LOW", meaning you work a desk job and don't exercise, you would maintain your current weight if you ate about 1626 calories per day. Assuming you do more than sit at your desk all day, in order to lose weight you should be eating probably closer to 1400 calories per day, plus exercising. NEVER go below 1200, as so many others have said. Your body will hold onto the weight, not lose it.

    Also..your goal is to lose 10 lbs in one month? Did you GAIN those 10 lbs in 1 month? Safe and maintainable weight loss is between 1 and 2 lbs per week. You could potentially drop the 10 lbs in a month by dehydrating yourself or starving yourself or using laxatives...but that isn't losing fat, it is dangerous, and will not stay off. Set safer goals for yourself. This isn't about the number on the scale..it is about getting healthier.

    ~Kat

    I gained 10 lbs in 2 months bc i quit smoking & was eating everythin in site lol (my fault, i know)
  • Collinsky
    Collinsky Posts: 593 Member
    Looking at your ticker you only have 10 pound to lose. If that is the case it will be difficult. Eating only 1000 a day will make it more so. I would suggest you take the focus off weight and measure yourself and shoot for changing your measurements.

    What he said... measurements might be a better thing to look at than pounds.

    Also, unfortunately, if you're losing more than 2 lbs a week, you are almost definitely losing muscle along with fat. That's not good for overall fitness, not good for your future metabolism, and not good for your overall shape. If you have a significant amount to lose, then it can be worth that loss, but for someone where you're at, it's not a good trade off.
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