Under 1200 for weight-loss
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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.
Amen. I remember it well. It was horrid what she had to go through at the end. I bawled my head off thinking about her dear parents and that entire struggle.0 -
I don't remember the case. But reading through it now, that's horrible.
Reminds me of when my husband died. His family started pushing for feeding tubes, even though the doctors said he would never walk, talk, or be able to feed himself, that even if he gained consciousness and the ability to breathe on his own, he would've had severe brain damage. After a lot of talking it over, everyone agreed to end life support.
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Emma. What is your current cal amount you are eating for weight loss and what rate are you losing? I saw your post about Keto being unsustainable for you so just curious as to your current plan.3
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Pricklypineapple422 wrote: »While scary, I think your post has been really good for me to read. I'm struggling, just trying to lose "the last couple lbs." I have a healthy BMI (19.9), but I still feel I need to lose more weight. I work out 5 or 6 days a week. I don't eat enough to be considered healthy. So many people have told me they are concerned about me, I have people asking if I am anorexic. I tell myself and others I am healthy and just trying to better myself, but when I think about it I truly don't have a healthy relationship with food right now. I've been waiting to see a counselor and have an appointment made, it is a 3 month wait. Losing weight can definitely be a slippery slope... I see my primary care next week and am going to try and get the courage to talk with her about some of these issues I'm facing. Thank you for posting, it has scared me enough to make me fight for help.
Three month wait?! You could be dead by then (if your issue was severe enough). What the heck is the holdup?1 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Emma. What is your current cal amount you are eating for weight loss and what rate are you losing? I saw your post about Keto being unsustainable for you so just curious as to your current plan.
@SummerSkier
Right now, I am still technically doing keto. But a clean version with daily consumption of veggies and fruits (nectarines, peaches, plums, etc.). Trying to shift into maintenance soon, upping carbs and proteins a little.
My calories were set at 1410 lightly active and eating back some exercise calories. Was dropping at a very fast rate (too fast). So, I upped calorie goal to 1689. Which has slowed my weight-loss down a little, still losing but closer to probably to .5 to 1 a week.
Coming in daily around 1500- 1700 calories.
I posted success pictures under success stories, thread titled 1 1/2 month on keto (posted when I was gung-ho keto-thinking it was best woe ever, lol) warning pictures are graphic and do show the deformed stomach.
@duskyjewel
Pricklypineapple got in to see her primary care doctor, they ran a blood panel, her blood work all came back normal, and she is going to try upping her calories and maintain her weight, instead of trying to drop more. Which is all awesome news!!
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If anyone checks out the thread under success stories, I posted a collage of face pics down in thread. It shows my silver steak in hair. Woke up with a silver steak the morning after being told chances were I was going to die from the heart failure. I try to dye it, but it almost always shows.
Stretch marks and loose skin, never go away, no matter how much I lose. Always have a flap on lower stomach that hangs over.
In that thread, I go into heart failure a little, about distorted image.
Another note on calories: I am a little paranoid about calorie intake. I panic if I end up near 1300. I always try to get in at least---very minimum 1300 (even on days tired from work, or not hungry).
Generally not a problem, but some nights, I'm sitting at 1100, exhausted, tired, not hungry, and force myself to fix something over 200 calories.9 -
Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »cheryldumais wrote: »Thank you so much for sharing your story! You probably saved some lives. Best of luck in your continuing journey.
@cheryldumais
Thanks,
And yes, I have already received messages from girls saying they are upping their calories after reading my story! That they were eating near 1000 or under, first time trying to diet and had no idea this was possible.
So, a positive update!!!
@Emmapatterson1729 - i have upped mine, and also my protein. i did not take my protein intake seriously until this very day. i have just recently started doing weights and am under the supervision of a qualified trainer. i am 5'8" and 132 lbs. i have major health issues, and this trainer is fully aware of all of them. (however she didn't ask me my macros or anything of that sort. *which i will mention to her when i see her next time*)
i nearly fainted while i was lifting today , even though i ate before i went to the gym. she was very concerned and asked if i'd eaten. we stopped then and there, as she sent me home. my husband berated me for not eating enough and told me to smarten the hell up. and here i am reading your story.
i am thankful you're here to share what transpired with you, Emma. i wish you the best of health and happiness always!
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@Emmapatterson1729 thanks for posting this. Going personal and having the courage to share gives the issue the "punch" it needs to hit home for many.
I will bookmark this thread for reference.
Wondering if it's possible to change the title to get more clicks. (I hate "click bait" and that's not what I'm suggesting). But perhaps if the title let the readers know this thread is something extremely unique compared to other threads, it may help more readers see this who need to. Maybe "How Under 1200 Calories Almost Killed Me" or something. Sounds dramatic, but it would be a great wakeup - especially for lurkers.
Further, I would recommend that with a title like that (or similar), the mods could make it a sticky.
Your story is gold.8 -
Silentpadna wrote: »@Emmapatterson1729 thanks for posting this. Going personal and having the courage to share gives the issue the "punch" it needs to hit home for many.
I will bookmark this thread for reference.
Wondering if it's possible to change the title to get more clicks. (I hate "click bait" and that's not what I'm suggesting). But perhaps if the title let the readers know this thread is something extremely unique compared to other threads, it may help more readers see this who need to. Maybe "How Under 1200 Calories Almost Killed Me" or something. Sounds dramatic, but it would be a great wakeup - especially for lurkers.
Further, I would recommend that with a title like that (or similar), the mods could make it a sticky.
Your story is gold.
Interestingly, I think those that are looking for quick tips/fixes would actually navigate to threads like this because of the title (it looks very similar to the countless others), but in this case it's a very good thing. Sadly, I think this same type of audience would brush aside any thread sounding like it could threaten their desperate plans...
@Emmapatterson1729 : I think your story delivers a very powerful ambush of home truths on the reader (me included), messages to just re-evaluate any not so great ideas, and I'm another person who's grateful that you've chosen to share your experiences. Thank you.4 -
Your post was very informative...thank you and I wish you strength & happiness!2
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Thanks All.
I put that title, because I know when I was suffering mentally from anorexia, it's the kind of title I would have clicked on.
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collectingblues wrote: »Emmapatterson1729 wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Goodness, I’m very sorry you had to go through that and are still living with the consequences. May I ask a question? Like you, I’m 5’8” and 135 is very near ideal healthy weight for me (actually most calculators say 137). How were you maintaining at that weight while eating 1000 calories and being active? Adding in the exercise you describe, I would be losing about a pound a week if not more. Were you losing weight when you were eating that little, or is there some medical reason you weren’t?
I was wondering about this as well. When I graduated from high school, I was 5'9" and 130 lbs and was very active. I was a very enthusiastic eater and still struggled to keep my weight up. OP, over what time period were you eating & exercising at those levels? How much weight did you lose in that time?
@try2again
I had been thin my entire life without effort, had been athletic: tennis, volleyball, and swim team. I had been active duty Air Force.
I gained a little weight with a pregnancy (miscarried). Maybe six months, a little less. Had lost 10-15 lbs. Sorry, this was over 20 years ago and an extremely stressful time of life, and my memory before heart failure doesn't stand out as much. Due to the traumatic events, the details around the actual heart failure stand out the most.
Heart failure wasn't caused by how much I weighed at my height/age or what size I wore. These factors had nothing to do with my heart failure... It was caused due to the low calories combined with exercise.
I understand that. I am just surprised that at such a low calorie level, over a significant amount of time, that your weight did not drop to concerning levels, as @rheddmobile pointed out.
At any rate, I am very sorry you had to experience this, and it's a warning that many on MFP should heed. It's frustrating to hear people say something to the effect of, "I can't be hurting my body- I feel great"... right up until they don't.
She does say that she periodically binged. I bet that unless she logged those binges, weighed and tracked, blah blah blah, that she was averaging more calories than she thought.
Water weight can also have an impact, but I agree with you that the low calories don't appear to actually be as low as the OP thought they were...
But yes. Very sorry you experienced this, Emma.
Your comment also made me think of refeeding syndrome, another situation people should be aware of:
https://www.healthline.com/health/refeeding-syndrome
Well this is terrifying and makes me want to significantly increase my calories (1500 a day, up to 1900 on weekends) just because yikes.3 -
I don't lose weight unless 800 cals OR low carb. I have an underactive thyroid and bottom of the range T3, cannot get the active hormone in the UK. Slim and ate normally before diagnosis.
T3 is rarely tested and would not show up on a normal thyroid panel. Because I had a high TSH I was prescribed T4. Low T3 makes it difficult to lose weight, can be further lowered by exercise and affects the heart.
Sorry but unless the composition of the diet here is poor it doesn't seem to explain heart disease.
Glad you are well now.1 -
I don't lose weight unless 800 cals OR low carb. I have an underactive thyroid and bottom of the range T3, cannot get the active hormone in the UK. Slim and ate normally before diagnosis.
T3 is rarely tested and would not show up on a normal thyroid panel. Because I had a high TSH I was prescribed T4. Low T3 makes it difficult to lose weight, can be further lowered by exercise and affects the heart.
Sorry but unless the composition of the diet here is poor it doesn't seem to explain heart disease.
Glad you are well now.
Are you under a consultant endocrinologist? You should be prescribed the active form if you're unable to convert levo sufficiently. It's not acceptable to be left having to only consume 800cal/day. T3 is still available to those whose biochemistry demonstrates its requirement. The vast majority are fine on T4 only; GPs in the UK are notorious for underdosing however. It took me 2 years to get my GP to up my dosage from 100 to 150mcg levo - she actually didn't know there is a recommended dosage per kg body weight.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-421797652 -
I don't lose weight unless 800 cals OR low carb. I have an underactive thyroid and bottom of the range T3, cannot get the active hormone in the UK. Slim and ate normally before diagnosis.
T3 is rarely tested and would not show up on a normal thyroid panel. Because I had a high TSH I was prescribed T4. Low T3 makes it difficult to lose weight, can be further lowered by exercise and affects the heart.
Sorry but unless the composition of the diet here is poor it doesn't seem to explain heart disease.
Glad you are well now.
T3 is tested in other countries, and appropriate remediation can be prescribed. I won't speak for all of the US, even, but the full panel was a absolutely routine thing, with my doctor. (I'm severely hypo, but T4 works for me.) Even now, in the context of TSH tests every 6 months, he re-runs the full thyroid panel periodically, just in case, especially if symptoms arise or revive.
Heart damage is a known risk from rapid weight loss. It can lead to major negative consequences, especially if there is a pre-existing (but possibly silent/unknown) heart problem. Bad composition of the diet is not an essential factor, though of course it could potentially make the situation worse by increasing the physical stress more, on top of fast loss, excessive exercise, or other physical stressors that may be going on.
For the hypothyroid people, this is a good thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10767046/hypothyroidism-and-weight-management/
For impatient people who think extremely fast weight loss is always a great thing, the thread we're in here is a good thread.7 -
I'm on 150 Levo but eventually persuaded my GP to test for T3. I was 0.1 above the referral level. I stopped the 800 in favour of low carb, averaged 1400 a day on non fasting days with two days a week fasting. Still lost about half a pound a week but eventually lost a stone. Plus once used to it was less hungry and generally felt better.
Struggling with low carb now for some reason. I have one portion a day but previously no bread,crackers. rice, pasta or white potatoes for 3 months. Still ate eg beans and lots of veg.1 -
Never under logging my exercise again. I'm so sorry this happened to you. Thanks for sharing with us and helping x6
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@elmusho1989
Me too! I just sorted out my settings and put my exercise in for today.
@Emmapatterson1729
Thank you for posting this. I have totally changed my attitude to being overweight and learning to love my body. Your story will make sure I do this safely.
Also a friend of mine just had her gall bladder removed so I am wondering if she was dieting, which she probably was.2 -
Im at 1100 calories or less per day, high protein, I feel great!1
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LilianaV22 wrote: »Im at 1100 calories or less per day, high protein, I feel great!
You may feel great now. That doesn't mean you'll still feel great in a couple of months time. Under-eating is really really really not recommended. Unless you are very very short (as in quite a bit under 5') and really don't have much (or any) weight to lose, 1100 cals is far too low.9 -
Strudders67 wrote: »LilianaV22 wrote: »Im at 1100 calories or less per day, high protein, I feel great!
You may feel great now. That doesn't mean you'll still feel great in a couple of months time. Under-eating is really really really not recommended. Unless you are very very short (as in quite a bit under 5') and really don't have much (or any) weight to lose, 1100 cals is far too low.
Agree. Let me tell you that it is very dangerous. I know. I did not listen or believe anyone and been eating steadily less for a long long time. Im going to post my story-
This is not a game and under eating for a period of time WILL CATCH UP TO YOU! Please trust me on this. I finally had enough wake up calls and because of where I have NOW found myself I am done and thanking God I may still have a chance to be vital.12 -
@VegjoyP
Oh my! This has been what I have been doing for a very long time. I have in the last 3 weeks fallen back into the 800-900cal/day range. I need to stop. I used to be an endurance athlete who could not lose weight. I am now learning that I was starving myself. Probably why I would get such terrible muscle cramps at the end of my races.
I appreciate this thread!6 -
I had tears in my eyes after reading this because this was me minus the heart fail at 18. Two hours on the treadmill and eating too little. I didn't look anorexic because I ate too much carbs and then punished myself for it. I am 33 now And quite overweight but I'm not going down that road again.😭6
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@Frompumpkin2cinderella
We can do this... I made a rule for myself that I have to eat at least 1200 per day and if I get to my daily goal of 1400 then all the better. It is a mind exercise for me.
I have not had any heart issues but used to swim miles and hours and only eat between 800-1000 cal/day. I thought that since I was overweight then I would exercise more and eat less. I guess my body got used to it. I wasn't tired but my weight slowly creeped up.
Be kind to yourself.5 -
I am 66 years old; I have eaten about 500 cal sometimes; but the most of the time I get close to 1000 cal. I workout six days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I was born with my heart problem; I have BP and a colostomy for 35 years. I am 4'10" in height I started at 141 pounds. So far I have lost 8 pounds. When I first started Sparks I weighted 180 pounds and I lost down to 120 pounds. I have a two years old great grand-daughter that could climb out of her play pen so I stop workouting. Now I have started back and she is my workout buddy. I have to loss the weight because I know the problems my other family members are suffering from. I can have the same problems; so I watch what I eat and exercise.1
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Emma,
Thank you for sharing your story. You are brave for putting it out there.
I tend to eat low ( try to stay at 1200) as it’s the only way I seem to lose weight. I do have higher days and don’t feel guilty about it.
I hope I’m not damaging this beautiful body. As a type 2 diabetic I’m trying to get healthier and get off meds . I’ve lost 50 pds in 3 yrs so I think I’m doing ok but will pay more attention to eating more.
Thank you ❤️
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Theres a lot of holes in ops story and not much of it adds up. just saying.0
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For those of you that have daughter/son in middle school, do a little monitoring on their eating habits. If eating disorders happen, it will usually start when they go through puberty and their bodies start changing. With social media being the measuring stick for many kids, it's NOT unlikely that many will do things like under eat, bulimia, etc. if they feel they are overweight even if they aren't.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I thank you for sharing this, every time I congratulate myself for going under 1200 calories a day I’ll remind myself of this and the risks associated with doing that4
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I cannot say this enough lately - the 1200 calorie guideline was created in 1918. 105 FREAKING YEARS AGO! We need to abolish this archaic myth from our minds, myfitnesspal calculators, and what we teach our children about health. Less calories does not equal better health. Please everyone who eats at that or lower, really do your research on healthy calorie amounts.
I recently discovered reverse dieting and I have nearly tripled my calories and have not gained any weight but I feel more amazing than ever. I wish all of you the best.2
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