Eating around 800 cal a day

Hey guys, I know I will probably recieve a lot of negitivity about this but for around 4 weeks now I've been dieting and exercising aiming to get a few kg off and get a healthy body but I've only just relaised that I think I've been eating far too low. I think I eat around 800 cal a day which for the past 4 weeks has seemed great. I eat great healthy food all the time and never feel hungry or anything but apparently it's too little according to everyone. I have seen my dr but he didn't ask how many calories I eat a day, just how much I've lost which is about 8 kg now in 4 weeks which he was really happy about. I have tried to eat a bit more each day but I'm finding it really hard considering what I eat now keeps me really full and I feel like I'm force feeding myself. So mu question is if I'm feeling fine, is around 800 cal a day too low and will it cause physical damage to my body? This number will fluctuate too. Sometimes it's over 800, sometimes under. I know how 1200 is supposed to be the minimum but I just don't understand how this could be the case for everyone because lately I have felt better than I ever have health wise. Thanks!
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Replies

  • ansonrinesmith
    ansonrinesmith Posts: 741 Member
    1) You think you are eating 800 calories? Are you not tracking them?
    2) Not sure what your weight and activity level is, but 800 is likely to low to sustain your body. In turn you will be burning internal things like muscle and organ tissue.
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member
    When I read the title I was like "woah nelly, she needs to eat more" but if you're eating healthy and full I don't see the problem. I didn't look at your food journal or anything but I tend to think of quality over quantity, if I go over eating food that's good for me I don't stress and if I'm way under eating good food that fills me up I don't stress either. That being said, I would ask your doctor about it....if he thinks you've been having healthy weight loss I doubt it's a problem (just my OPENION though)
  • jill___
    jill___ Posts: 188 Member
    That's all I eat too -- and I burn at least 700 doing cardio everyday. In my opinion, if you feel full and satisfied, you shouldn't force yourself to eat 1200 calories. If you're full, your body is telling you to stop eating.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    That's all I eat too -- and I burn at least 700 doing cardio everyday. In my opinion, if you feel full and satisfied, you shouldn't force yourself to eat 1200 calories. If you're full, your body is telling you to stop eating.

    ^^Wow...seems like a one-way ticket to a weight loss stall (i.e muscle loss and depressed metabolism). I suggest you read this article:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • 800 calories is a bit low for the 'average' person. However, I say if you don't feel hungry and there are no ill effects, there's no reason to change it. As for things you hear about how it can damage your body, the straight truth is humans have stored fat for a purpose, so it can be used when energy is needed. Your body would not begin to break down your vital organs until virtually every ounce of fat was gone from your body.
  • I don't track them to the T. I know around about how much I eat and it's around 800 a day. Sometimes 1000, sometimes 600. And I'm 77 kg and 5'8. My bmi is 27.30 but should be around 22. I'm also 21 years old.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Read this as well:

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/10/31/141794801/losing-weight-a-battle-against-fat-and-biology

    Food is not the enemy. No need to starve yourself to get to your goal weight. I've lost over 50 lbs by eating at a reasonable calorie deficit (no more than 500 per day), working out and eating my exercise cals. You do yourself no favors by starving yourself.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I don't track them to the T. I know around about how much I eat and it's around 800 a day. Sometimes 1000, sometimes 600. And I'm 77 kg and 5'8. My bmi is 27.30 but should be around 22. I'm also 21 years old.

    If you are 77kg and you dropped 8kg in 4 weeks, and your doctor applauded this behavior, I would find a different doctor, perhaps one that cares about your best interests.

    You need to increase your calories. I would start by doubling them. Choose calorie dense foods to help make this happen. Have a bowl of ice cream (srs).
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    wow, 800 calories is like my breakfast
  • RNMDFF
    RNMDFF Posts: 153 Member
    It depends on your body. When I was eating 800 cals a day. I felt like my muscles were so tired all of the time but that got better when I upped my calories. Some can eat 2500 calories a day and be ok same with easting 800. It's up to you. and as long as you feel good you are probably fine
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00616

    I'm just gonna start posting this every time someone asks if they're getting enough calories :)

    Pretty solid info for everyone there. The Mayo Clinic is one of the best in the States. Their website is one of my favorites for getting great medical info written so that a non-medical person can understand.

    Good luck.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    It depends on your body. When I was eating 800 cals a day. I felt like my muscles were so tired all of the time but that got better when I upped my calories. Some can eat 2500 calories a day and be ok same with easting 800. It's up to you. and as long as you feel good you are probably fine

    ^^NO adult human is supposed to live off of 800 calories...a two year old needs 1000. But hey, they're an adult, when their weight loss stalls, I hope they consider eating more and begin thinking about their health more than how fast the number drops on the scale.
  • Okay thanks so much to everyone who answered! I've decided to try and up my intake even if I feel like I'm forcing myself. I'm doing this to be healthy and the last thing I want to do is damage it! I'm just going to start with adding almonds to my diet to get the calories up without filling myself up to much. If anyone has any suggestions as to what I could eat that would be great but once again thanks everyone! And thanks for not being so judgmental or confrontational too :)
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Oh... and this is the most relevant part, quoted from the website that I linked below. I quote:

    Very low calorie diets. These diets drastically cut your daily calorie intake, usually allowing you between 400 and 800 calories a day. These are sometimes called modified fasts because your food intake is so low and because they're generally liquid diets. Your doctor may recommend a very low calorie diet if you need to lose weight quickly before a medical procedure or if you have serious health problems because of obesity. Don't try a very low calorie diet on your own. You need close monitoring by your health care team to avoid complications and to make sure you're meeting your nutritional requirements.
  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    7 years ago, I was on a 800 calorie diet through high school in order to lose weight fast. I ended up DESTROYING my thyroid and reproductive system.

    It isn't worth it. Up your calorie intake, eat higher calorie/higher protein foods.
  • Ultra low-cal diets can seriously backfire. Once your body decides its "starving" (not you being hungry, but outright dieing from low nutrition) it will slow your metabolism down to a crawl to protect itself. Without the calories to sustain itself it will impact your workouts then cannibalize to muscle tissue to survive which will reduce muscle mass that will slow metabolism even more=vicious circle.

    Feed yourself the right things. Low carb veggies, complex carbs, lean meats, healthy oils. Make sure it's enough so you aren't hungry, and aren't stuffed-just nice and comfortable. Be sure you aren't undermining all your efforts by trying to do too much as fast as possible!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Beating the BMR horse!
    Dont eat below BMR.
    Youll do less damage to your body eating a whole pizza and slugging down a barrel of coke!
  • Ultra low-cal diets can seriously backfire. Once your body decides its "starving" (not you being hungry, but outright dieing from low nutrition) it will slow your metabolism down to a crawl to protect itself. Without the calories to sustain itself it will impact your workouts then cannibalize to muscle tissue to survive which will reduce muscle mass that will slow metabolism even more=vicious circle.

    Feed yourself the right things. Low carb veggies, complex carbs, lean meats, healthy oils. Make sure it's enough so you aren't hungry, and aren't stuffed-just nice and comfortable. Be sure you aren't undermining all your efforts by trying to do too much as fast as possible!

    ^Exactly. Eating so few calories will just make your body store everything you ingest and therefore lose no weight, and possibly gain it. It's probably not good to force yourself to eat if you are full, so instead I would suggest finding a food that is higher in calories, but still small in portion. That way you aren't stuffing yourself, but you are giving your body enough calories to sustain itself. If this diet IS causing you to lose weight, then you are probably not eating the right foods. There are a lot of foods that we consider healthy, like salad and celery, that have very little nutritional value.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Eye-opening read: Living With Obesity At 700 Calories Per Day!

    Take a look, even though you are not obese. This article shows how people manage to stay overweight despite eating an overall extremely low cal diet. Long-term, this combined with occasional binges actually makes people gain. beware.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/238282-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing-redux?hl=700+calories

    good luck.
  • kandrews24
    kandrews24 Posts: 610 Member
    Lack of appetite is a sign of a slowed metabolism. Are you still losing weight? Is that your goal? Try taking it up to 1,000 daily and see what happens.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Lack of appetite is a sign of a slowed metabolism. Are you still losing weight? Is that your goal? Try taking it up to 1,000 daily and see what happens.

    I give up.

    More like take it up to 1800-2000 and watch the weight drop.
    Restart your metabolism!

    Its like wrapping a belt around your chest so you can only get half the air you need to breathe!
    Eating below your basal rate is starving your body!
    Eat and eat more!
    Even if its a couple empty calories.

    EAT!!!!!
  • PBJunky
    PBJunky Posts: 737 Member
    Lack of appetite is a sign of a slowed metabolism. Are you still losing weight? Is that your goal? Try taking it up to 1,000 daily and see what happens.

    I give up.

    More like take it up to 1800-2000 and watch the weight drop.
    Restart your metabolism!

    Its like wrapping a belt around your chest so you can only get half the air you need to breathe!
    Eating below your basal rate is starving your body!
    Eat and eat more!
    Even if its a couple empty calories.

    EAT!!!!!

    You're the dude promoting all the broscience on the site?

    OP: First of all when you deprive your body of nutrients your body will start stripping down your body in order for it to survive. Due to this your body will start releasing a stress hormone called cortisol that will promote catabolism, the breaking down of muscle. You'll notice a loss but you'll be doing so much damage to your body that in a few months your immune system won't be able to fight off a common cold ,that can eventually lead to your death. Don't be stupid and get your act together, you want to do this the healthy way.
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  • Shannonigans84
    Shannonigans84 Posts: 693 Member
    You may feel full with so few calories..but that doesn't mean your body is getting enough to function properly. I'm a strong advocate of not eating below your BMR level. We need a certain amount of calories just to function without doing anything..why on earth would it make sense to eat less than that?
  • lovelyl0ve
    lovelyl0ve Posts: 25 Member
    I'd just like the add as someone who has suffered from an eating disorder, that 800 calories a day is very similar to the intake of anorexics. People don't realize that, but we don't suffer from complete starvation (some do, but not all), and the average intake is probably around 500. And, the thing is, you can't trust your body to tell you that you're full, not always. When you eat little, your body adjusts to it. I would go days without eating and feel no hunger whatsoever. Hunger goes away. So, long story short, even if you aren't hungry, you do need to eat more. 800 feels great at first, but slowly, it wears you down. And you don't want to get stuck in the cycle of lowering and lowering your intake, because it's hellish. If you're full, try eating some healthy but calorie dense foods. Some nuts, nut butters (everyone knows how amazing peanut butter is), some dark chocolate, full fat dairy, grains. You'll be getting extra nutrients and your body will thank you. Stay healthy!
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    i am 4'10" and 97.5 pounds and i eat 800-1000 calories per day...and I am trying to lose.

    I think if it is working for you, that is what matters. I know a lot of people will disagree with what you are doing, but it is your life and we are not all the same. Do what works best for you.

    I would personally suggest just making sure to eat a bit of each food group (if you are not doing that already) to make sure you are getting a well-balanced daily meal. Honestly, I doubt everyone preaching gets all their vitamins simply through higher intake of calories...I can eat a donut and up my calorie intake by 300, but what nutrients am I getting? LOL.

    So again, my suggestion is to review what you are eating and make sure you are eating good foods. I think it is possible to eat only around 800 calories per day if you are eating very healthily (ex. fruits, veges, a few grains, fish, some cheese, a little beef etc).

    I think a lot of people tend to jump to way too many assumptions on this site. I have never been your height or weight, nor been in your shoes. While I might assume you would want to eat more, I can never know as well as you.

    Good luck!
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    Without meaning to sound rude - you obviously ate far more than 800 cals a day to become overweight, so how can eating more than that make you feel like you are force feeding yourself?

    I am much shorter than you and I lost weight eating between 1200 and 1600 a day, and on the days I ate 1200 I was starving!!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    It's great that you recognized you need to eat more. I would suggest peanut butter, nuts, cheese and other calorie dense foods to up your cals without filling you up too much. If you eat salads and soups you can add a tablespoon of olive oil for an extra 120 cals. oh and dessert :drinker:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Probiotics help with bloat and that not so fresh tummy feeling!
  • umachanxo
    umachanxo Posts: 926 Member
    Ask your doctor.
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