Under 1200 for weight-loss
Replies
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I worry about those people doing the 500 cal diet hypnosis thing atm. My friend suggested I do 500 cal a day to rid myself of a medical issue. I did it for a while but my period stopped, I got anemia and I lost a lot of hair. Thankfully I listened to my body and stopped the silliness. It’s so dangerous! I’m glad your heart has recovered.11
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »I worry about those people doing the 500 cal diet hypnosis thing atm. My friend suggested I do 500 cal a day to rid myself of a medical issue. I did it for a while but my period stopped, I got anemia and I lost a lot of hair. Thankfully I listened to my body and stopped the silliness. It’s so dangerous! I’m glad your heart has recovered.
@Hannahwalksfar
Glad you stopped!
That is crazy. Reminds me of the diet a few years back with the HCG shots and 800 calorie intake. The sick things people do to lose weight in desperation. It's really sad, because these kinds of diets produce long term (for life) health issues, especially hormone problems for females, and adrenal and thyroid problems in the future.1 -
My weightloss has slowed considerably (still happening but a much slower rate than expected) since I stopped. I’m currently on 1200 plus exercise calories and it’s consistent but glacially slow. My dr said it’s because my body is still recovering and all over the place so it’ll take time foreveryrhing to even out. Moral of the story is just don’t do it. Not worth it.5
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »My weightloss has slowed considerably (still happening but a much slower rate than expected) since I stopped. I’m currently on 1200 plus exercise calories and it’s consistent but glacially slow. My dr said it’s because my body is still recovering and all over the place so it’ll take time foreveryrhing to even out. Moral of the story is just don’t do it. Not worth it.
@Hannahwalksfar
Exactly!
And at least you're working with a doctor who's keeping an eye on your nutrient, enzyme, and mineral levels, etc!! That's always a relief to hear when it comes to stories like yours.1 -
I started overweight and was on a 1200 calorie diet for a little over 3 months. I have never done a 1200 calorie diet before but I was not exercising this time around so I followed MFP’s calculations. I am a SAHM and “exercise” for me right now is a weekly trip to the grocery store. I always made sure my 1200 calories hit or exceeded all my nutrients for the day and to take my vitamins. Since your post, I’ve spent more time researching and decided to up my calories. I don’t think I fall into the danger zone you described but it did open a new door for me to research if a 1200 calorie diet is really appropriate for most people. I need to research more but according to what I read, eating below BMR isn’t a good thing - which I was doing per MFP’s settings. This is a learning process and this post made me re-evaluate my process.16
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TheRealSlim_Shelly wrote: »I started overweight and was on a 1200 calorie diet for a little over 3 months. I have never done a 1200 calorie diet before but I was not exercising this time around so I followed MFP’s calculations. I am a SAHM and “exercise” for me right now is a weekly trip to the grocery store. I always made sure my 1200 calories hit or exceeded all my nutrients for the day and to take my vitamins. Since your post, I’ve spent more time researching and decided to up my calories. I don’t think I fall into the danger zone you described but it did open a new door for me to research if a 1200 calorie diet is really appropriate for most people. I need to research more but according to what I read, eating below BMR isn’t a good thing - which I was doing per MFP’s settings. This is a learning process and this post made me re-evaluate my process.
You bring up a good point here. Even a 1200 net calorie diet is too low for some women. A good, comprehensive article on the subject:
https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/
Some people will say, but I didn't choose 1200 calories, that's just what MFP gave me. But that's because the user chose that they wanted to lose 2 lbs/week without the body mass to support it, and MFP's floor for women is 1200.12 -
TheRealSlim_Shelly wrote: »I started overweight and was on a 1200 calorie diet for a little over 3 months. I have never done a 1200 calorie diet before but I was not exercising this time around so I followed MFP’s calculations. I am a SAHM and “exercise” for me right now is a weekly trip to the grocery store. I always made sure my 1200 calories hit or exceeded all my nutrients for the day and to take my vitamins. Since your post, I’ve spent more time researching and decided to up my calories. I don’t think I fall into the danger zone you described but it did open a new door for me to research if a 1200 calorie diet is really appropriate for most people. I need to research more but according to what I read, eating below BMR isn’t a good thing - which I was doing per MFP’s settings. This is a learning process and this post made me re-evaluate my process.
You bring up a good point here. Even a 1200 net calorie diet is too low for some women. A good, comprehensive article on the subject:
https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/
Some people will say, but I didn't choose 1200 calories, that's just what MFP gave me. But that's because the user chose that they wanted to lose 2 lbs/week without the body mass to support it, and MFP's floor for women is 1200.
Yea this was one of the numerous articles and well, blogs, I came across. I was averaging -1.6lbs per week and then about -1lb, give or take 1 or 2 ounces either way. It can be confusing when the suggested healthy loss is said to be anywhere between 1-2lbs per week. I’ve always tried for a 0.5-1lb loss in the past but I was already on the higher end/border of a healthy weight. Starting over from “overweight” was a new territory for me and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve always had my mind set on exceeding daily nutrient requirements - a lot of times I see diaries of 1200 calories that are empty calories with little nutrition. I think that’s important no matter what number your calories are. Even choosing between sedentary and lightly active was confusing to me - I learned I am actually considered “lightly active” since I lost a little more than MFP predicted each week. Even though I don’t formally do any exercise and I would call myself sedentary, I do still burn more with my daily activities around the house than I thought. It’s really important to study your trends against MFP’s suggestions, which is what I learned this time around. I feel stupid for it, but before this post I really didn’t understand what BMR was nor did I realize I was eating under it.
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TheRealSlim_Shelly wrote: »I started overweight and was on a 1200 calorie diet for a little over 3 months. I have never done a 1200 calorie diet before but I was not exercising this time around so I followed MFP’s calculations. I am a SAHM and “exercise” for me right now is a weekly trip to the grocery store. I always made sure my 1200 calories hit or exceeded all my nutrients for the day and to take my vitamins. Since your post, I’ve spent more time researching and decided to up my calories. I don’t think I fall into the danger zone you described but it did open a new door for me to research if a 1200 calorie diet is really appropriate for most people. I need to research more but according to what I read, eating below BMR isn’t a good thing - which I was doing per MFP’s settings. This is a learning process and this post made me re-evaluate my process.
@TheRealSlim_Shelly
Better safe than sorry. I just upped my calories because I was losing too fast. I've been back on here tracking trying to drop a few I've gained due to an illness.
I had my goal set for 1410... Was dropping weight way to quick for comfort, just upped to 1689, going to see if that slows me down a little.
I've definitely developed paranoia over my calorie intake... Along with my nutrients and electrolytes!
Wish you well on your weight loss journey!!1 -
🤗 Thank you for sharing your story. I am positive it will continue to help others!
💕4 -
GOSH! That is definitely a horror story. Glad you have recovered. I think we all forget that our vital organs also are stressed during weight loss. It's why I am not a huge fan of the current "fasting" craze. Or any craze for that matter. I don't think 1200 is a magic # as each person probably has their own unique # where their body is going to try to consume itself. Thank you for sharing your story.6
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If you were eating such low cals (800-1000) AND exercising every day then really you could have been around 4/500-700 cals a day. Or even less if you were exercising vigorously. Sorry to be blunt but this screams ED. Especially the part where you say you would ‘binge at 1200 cals’ then do an hour aerobic exercise after. 1200 cals is no way a binge and it’s okay to have treats and not do 2 hours of exercise in the day for them.
I’m so sorry to hear of your story.
I hope others eat and exercise safely.
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Apologies, just seen another one of your posts re anorexia4
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charl152526 wrote: »Apologies, just seen another one of your posts re anorexia
@charl152526
It's okay.
I was definitely mentally ill with eating disorder, just didn't realize it at the time. Most suffering from eating disorders are in denial or don't realize they are hurting themselves. (In their minds, they are just trying to lose a few pounds or a couple of more and think they are healthy).
In my sick mind, 100 calories of fruit was a binge. I'm in my 40s now, much better place mentally with my relationship to food and exercise. I look back and realize just how sick I was, how sick my sister was, and how our mother's mental illness influenced behaviors and thought patterns about how food, size, weight, beauty, and dieting correlated to happiness, love, attention, and keeping a mate satisfied.
LOL, when my own daughter was around 4 yrs old wearing a size 4T, my mother came to visit, told my toddler daughter she was looking chubby....OMG, I screamed at my mother that she is never allowed to comment on my daughter's weight or she would be cut out of her granddaughter's life!
I wanted my daughter to feel loved and accepted no matter what she looked like or how much she weighed, I wanted her to love herself!
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rheddmobile wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »The reason I put my size and weight is to show, dropping too low of calories and exercising is dangerous even if you're not sickly thin.
People have a preconceived notion that someone who dies from an anorexic calorie intake are so thin they are skeletal. I thought this before it happened to me.
You could weigh 175 lbs at 5'8" and heart could fail if calories are dropped too low combined with exercise... All it takes for heart to fail is a little muscle mass loss, electrolytes get too low, or electrolytes to get unbalanced. Any one of these three factors can cause heart failure from eating too low of calories, increased risks with exercise added into the equation.
Yep, absolutely! That’s how Terri Shiavo ended up in a coma as I understand it - messed up her electrolytes. It can happen very quickly!
Thank you for the warning post and cautionary tale, hopefully it will reach some of the people contemplating doing something similar.
Sorry for changing the subject but I wanted to clarify, that based on my readings and recollection of her case, that I don't think that the reason for Terri going into a sudden coma has been clearly defined. But I would appreciate if @ rheddmobile can provide me with a link or an article documenting that Terri collapsed of messed up electrolytes.0 -
@Gisel2015
I don't know this case or who Terri is. But I looked it up after it was commented here. This is one article that I read.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7318508/ns/health-womens_health/t/eating-disorder-rootof-terri-schiavo-case/
It says she ended up with heart failure and severe brain damage from bulimia, due to the dehydration from vomiting and laxatives messing with her electrolytes. I guess dehydration can be added to my original list of what causes dangerous shifts in electrolytes when combined with eating disorders.
It is scary stuff, because when you're going through it, you literally just think you're trying to drop a few pounds.6 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »The reason I put my size and weight is to show, dropping too low of calories and exercising is dangerous even if you're not sickly thin.
People have a preconceived notion that someone who dies from an anorexic calorie intake are so thin they are skeletal. I thought this before it happened to me.
You could weigh 175 lbs at 5'8" and heart could fail if calories are dropped too low combined with exercise... All it takes for heart to fail is a little muscle mass loss, electrolytes get too low, or electrolytes to get unbalanced. Any one of these three factors can cause heart failure from eating too low of calories, increased risks with exercise added into the equation.
Yep, absolutely! That’s how Terri Shiavo ended up in a coma as I understand it - messed up her electrolytes. It can happen very quickly!
Thank you for the warning post and cautionary tale, hopefully it will reach some of the people contemplating doing something similar.
Sorry for changing the subject but I wanted to clarify, that based on my readings and recollection of her case, that I don't think that the reason for Terri going into a sudden coma has been clearly defined. But I would appreciate if @ rheddmobile can provide me with a link or an article documenting that Terri collapsed of messed up electrolytes.Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »@Gisel2015
I don't know this case or who Terri is. But I looked it up after it was commented here. This is one article that I read.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7318508/ns/health-womens_health/t/eating-disorder-rootof-terri-schiavo-case/
It says she ended up with heart failure and severe brain damage from bulimia, due to the dehydration from vomiting and laxatives messing with her electrolytes. I guess dehydration can be added to my original list of what causes dangerous shifts in electrolytes when combined with eating disorders.
It is scary stuff, because when you're going through it, you literally just think you're trying to drop a few pounds.
This article covers basically what I had heard, I don’t have any special knowledge beyond what was on the news at the time. As I understand it, her parents denied she had ever had an eating disorder, but their denial seems to have been more based on what they wanted to be true than reality.
This is from the Wikipedia article on the case, and you can find the attributions there.
The cause of Terri Schiavo's collapse was determined to be cardiac arrest.[13] Her medical chart contained a note that "she apparently has been trying to keep her weight down with dieting by herself, drinking liquids most of the time during the day and drinking about 10–15 glasses of iced tea".[14] Upon admission to the hospital, she was noted as suffering from hypokalemia (low potassium levels): her serum potassium level was an abnormally low 2.0 mEq/L (the normal range for adults is 3.5–5.0 mEq/L). Her sodium and calcium levels were normal.[15] Electrolyte imbalance is often caused by drinking excessive fluids. A serious consequence of hypokalemia can be heart rhythm abnormalities, including sudden arrhythmia death syndrome.[16]2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »The reason I put my size and weight is to show, dropping too low of calories and exercising is dangerous even if you're not sickly thin.
People have a preconceived notion that someone who dies from an anorexic calorie intake are so thin they are skeletal. I thought this before it happened to me.
You could weigh 175 lbs at 5'8" and heart could fail if calories are dropped too low combined with exercise... All it takes for heart to fail is a little muscle mass loss, electrolytes get too low, or electrolytes to get unbalanced. Any one of these three factors can cause heart failure from eating too low of calories, increased risks with exercise added into the equation.
Yep, absolutely! That’s how Terri Shiavo ended up in a coma as I understand it - messed up her electrolytes. It can happen very quickly!
Thank you for the warning post and cautionary tale, hopefully it will reach some of the people contemplating doing something similar.
Sorry for changing the subject but I wanted to clarify, that based on my readings and recollection of her case, that I don't think that the reason for Terri going into a sudden coma has been clearly defined. But I would appreciate if @ rheddmobile can provide me with a link or an article documenting that Terri collapsed of messed up electrolytes.Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »@Gisel2015
I don't know this case or who Terri is. But I looked it up after it was commented here. This is one article that I read.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7318508/ns/health-womens_health/t/eating-disorder-rootof-terri-schiavo-case/
It says she ended up with heart failure and severe brain damage from bulimia, due to the dehydration from vomiting and laxatives messing with her electrolytes. I guess dehydration can be added to my original list of what causes dangerous shifts in electrolytes when combined with eating disorders.
It is scary stuff, because when you're going through it, you literally just think you're trying to drop a few pounds.
This article covers basically what I had heard, I don’t have any special knowledge beyond what was on the news at the time. As I understand it, her parents denied she had ever had an eating disorder, but their denial seems to have been more based on what they wanted to be true than reality.
This is from the Wikipedia article on the case, and you can find the attributions there.
The cause of Terri Schiavo's collapse was determined to be cardiac arrest.[13] Her medical chart contained a note that "she apparently has been trying to keep her weight down with dieting by herself, drinking liquids most of the time during the day and drinking about 10–15 glasses of iced tea".[14] Upon admission to the hospital, she was noted as suffering from hypokalemia (low potassium levels): her serum potassium level was an abnormally low 2.0 mEq/L (the normal range for adults is 3.5–5.0 mEq/L). Her sodium and calcium levels were normal.[15] Electrolyte imbalance is often caused by drinking excessive fluids. A serious consequence of hypokalemia can be heart rhythm abnormalities, including sudden arrhythmia death syndrome.[16]
Another link. But when determining a cause of death, autopsy is listed as unknown. But this is common with heart problems. The autopsy did show chemical imbalances in her body, and organ damage due to eating disorder.
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/news/20050325/eating-disorder-underlies-schiavo-tragedy
My parents would've denied that any of their three daughters battled with eating disorders. More types of denial! Especially when dealing with the death of your child.3 -
Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »@Pricklypineapple422
I wouldn't wait too long to ask for help.
Even at a primary care office, they can run a simple quick blood panel and check your electrolytes and nutrition levels and organ enzyme levels.
If coming up with deficiencies, danger is a little more predominant.
Vitamin B deficiencies can lead to muscle mass loss... Heart failure.
Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium too low can lead to heart failure. Magnesium and Potassium deficiencies can first cause muscle cramps (charlie horse).
Iron too low, can lead to anemia which changes menstrual cycles, messes with heart and circulation the body quits making red blood cells, can cause brittle hair, brittle thin nails, can lead to cardiac arrest.
A simple blood draw at the doctor's office can check all of these.
Had my appointment today, discussed my concerns. All of my bloodwork and vital signs came back normal, I'm completely healthy. And I'm going to focus on maintaining instead of losing more weight. Both my doctor and I are happy
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Pricklypineapple422 wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »@Pricklypineapple422
I wouldn't wait too long to ask for help.
Even at a primary care office, they can run a simple quick blood panel and check your electrolytes and nutrition levels and organ enzyme levels.
If coming up with deficiencies, danger is a little more predominant.
Vitamin B deficiencies can lead to muscle mass loss... Heart failure.
Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium too low can lead to heart failure. Magnesium and Potassium deficiencies can first cause muscle cramps (charlie horse).
Iron too low, can lead to anemia which changes menstrual cycles, messes with heart and circulation the body quits making red blood cells, can cause brittle hair, brittle thin nails, can lead to cardiac arrest.
A simple blood draw at the doctor's office can check all of these.
Had my appointment today, discussed my concerns. All of my bloodwork and vital signs came back normal, I'm completely healthy. And I'm going to focus on maintaining instead of losing more weight. Both my doctor and I are happy
@Pricklypineapple422
That is awesome news!!!
I focus on feeling fit and strong and try to maintain a healthy weight now too.
Learn to love yourself for who you are! People who overcome eating disorders usually realize all the insecurities were a waste of time and mentally draining. Seek happiness and health!6 -
Thank you to all of you that posted articles clarifying Terri Schiavo's situation. The ordeal of the last weeks of her life (legal fights between her parents and husband, plus political intervention), were so strong that completed negated the reality of her life and years in coma. May she rest in peace.3
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