800 calories a day?

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kellicarter11
kellicarter11 Posts: 178 Member
in Food and Nutrition
OK HEADLINER! DO NOT BE RUDE OR YELL AT ME..

Ok so here is the deal I am not losing weight on 1200 calories a day. I know my body and I have a very slow metabolism. So therefore I am going to be starting a diet of 800 calories. I am a broke college student with only a microwave to cook in. I try to eat as healthy as I can but usually I get crap like mac and cheese or cup o noodles....Now my question if I am limiting to myself to 800 and everyone thinks I should eat at least 1200 why? I mean all I am going to do is eat more of the junky stuff. and do I really need to eat more of that?

With that being said if anyone has any HELPFUL suggestions on how to get all the nutrients I need to keep my body healthy (vitamins or something) I would appreciate being told. Thanks and be polite folks
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Replies

  • SteffieSunshine
    SteffieSunshine Posts: 61 Member
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    You would be better off just getting a can opener and eating some tuna and canned veggies than making mac & cheese or ramen noodles. Do you have a fridge? If so, get some whole wheat wraps and turkey, add lettuce, tomatoes, roasted red peppers. And definitely take a multi-vitamin and supplement your calcium too.
  • kiesh82
    kiesh82 Posts: 131 Member
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    Do you have a meal plan at school? You'd be better off eating @ the cafeteria (sandwiches, salads, fruit, veggies, yogurt, etc) than cup o noodles and such. You may not be losing weight on 1200 cals because of the amount of sodium in the pre-packaged food you're eating.
  • kellicarter11
    kellicarter11 Posts: 178 Member
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    honestly I work through the dinner shifts and have class during lunch so I pretty much on my own and I so don't have any money lol
    at work I try to eat some turkey on wheat
    and I drink lots of milk.
    DO you guys think the 800 cal plan is dangerous I am only going to do it to lose ten pounds then I will be at my goal weight and go back to maintence cals which I can usually pull about 1500 off
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I wouldn't recommend this. However if you do choose to do it you need to see a nutritionist first so you can plan to get your nutrients. It doesn't sound like you're getting enough nutrition for your calories. Either go to the cafeteria and choose wisely, or see about a modest grocery budget and buy healthy food. It's a slippery slope once you start restricting below 1200 calories. I just hope you don't regret it later. Good luck.
  • debs6
    debs6 Posts: 232 Member
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    Kelli - it might be nice if you treat people the way you would like to be treated. You can't demand that people be nice and not yell by starting your post by yelling at us- sorry, just a tip on how to treat others if you want them to respond positively to you.
  • spgabby86
    spgabby86 Posts: 323 Member
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    Do you have a meal plan at school? You'd be better off eating @ the cafeteria (sandwiches, salads, fruit, veggies, yogurt, etc) than cup o noodles and such. You may not be losing weight on 1200 cals because of the amount of sodium in the pre-packaged food you're eating.

    I agree...I wouldn't lower my calories to 800...I'd exam the foods I'm eating and the amount of exercise I'm putting in.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    honestly I work through the dinner shifts and have class during lunch so I pretty much on my own and I so don't have any money lol
    at work I try to eat some turkey on wheat
    and I drink lots of milk.
    DO you guys think the 800 cal plan is dangerous I am only going to do it to lose ten pounds then I will be at my goal weight and go back to maintence cals which I can usually pull about 1500 off

    I hope you really do go back up-- unfortunately I've seen lots of people who just continued to restrict until they were at 400 cals per day. When you do increase do it gradually and give your body time to adjust so that you won't gain your weight back overnight.

    ETA: the best way to boost your metabolism is through exercise. If you're restricting calories for a slower metabolism you usually end up slowing it more. Just FYI before you decide.
  • cocolo89
    cocolo89 Posts: 1,171 Member
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    def stay away from those food. buy the cheap sandwich bread, strive for whole wheat, get some deli meats and lots of veggies. You don't have to spend a lot to eat healthy. You can use the the veggies to make yourself a salad or other stuff...
  • kellicarter11
    kellicarter11 Posts: 178 Member
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    Sorry
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Just a warning, eating that little will only serve to reduce your metabolism further. I highly suggest you think about this before continuing this plan. There are healthy ways to increase your metabolism, including building muscle, which you cannot do eating so little.

    With that in mind, it would be a good idea to invest in multivitamins. If there is a Target near you, they have the cheapest I've seen. The Up&Up brand gummy vitamins are very good and affordable.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
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    On so few calories, you might be losing muscle weight, not fat. Think of food as fuel. If you don't have enough fuel in your car, it won't run. So 800 calories isn't enough fuel to properly make your engine (your metabolism) run properly. 800 is a crash diet. They don't work in the long run. It leads to yo-yo'ing where you lose, then gain, then end up worse off.

    I think the suggestion to see a nutritionist is a good one.
  • HotBodUnderConstruction
    HotBodUnderConstruction Posts: 420
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    Do you live in a dorm? Every dorm has a kitchen on each floor.
  • ShrinkingChelle
    ShrinkingChelle Posts: 187
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    honestly I work through the dinner shifts and have class during lunch so I pretty much on my own and I so don't have any money lol
    at work I try to eat some turkey on wheat
    and I drink lots of milk.
    DO you guys think the 800 cal plan is dangerous I am only going to do it to lose ten pounds then I will be at my goal weight and go back to maintence cals which I can usually pull about 1500 off

    How much Milk is a lot of milk? and do you log that?
  • kellicarter11
    kellicarter11 Posts: 178 Member
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    Not in my dorm. I live in a box and the only thing my dorm has is a communal bathroom)
    and at least a cup a day (I don't usually count it and its usually skim or one percent so I really eat 900 cals a day)
  • grantacconda
    grantacconda Posts: 15
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    under 1200 is starving the body - you will not lose weight
  • TracyP111
    TracyP111 Posts: 51
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    You say you need to lose only ten more pounds. Is it possible you're already at the weight your body wants to be?? Maybe you're big boned and the fitness charts are lower than they should be for you.

    Also, if it's only ten pounds, I would just eat the calories needed to maintain for a month or two, then go back to trying to lose a 1/2 pound to a pound a week, and see if that helps get you off the plateau. I just think 800 is too low, particularly since I remember being a student, and I was constantly moving from one thing to another, holding down a job, etc, and you need energy to get those things done.
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
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    I would do the 1200 calories you can get lots of food that needs no cooking, sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruits, veggies, salads etc lots to choose from Good luck
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Do you live in a dorm? Every dorm has a kitchen on each floor.

    I'm jealous of where ever you go to school. We have one tiny kitchen for a thirteen story dorm building.
  • debs6
    debs6 Posts: 232 Member
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    Typing all in upper case = yelling.
  • CaoimheAine
    CaoimheAine Posts: 195
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    I would say stay at 1200. Log everything, snack on fruit and vegies. and stop eating mac and cheese and such haha :) good luck xx
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