800 calories a day?

I'll be honest... I would do a serious evaluation of your food and your activity level. If you're busy (and I suspect you are), then it is very possible 1200 calories isn't enough. If your body feels like it is starving because of a lack of proper nutrition, it won't lose weight. It will hang onto all that it has for fear you will just plain stop feeding it. Starvation mode doesn't happen overnight, but long term severe calorie restriction will result in a slower metabolism and other negative symptoms (some people report thinning hair or hair loss, some report a feeling of general "blah", etc).

I wouldn't lower your calories.

I would, however, log ALL of your food and drink for an entire week to get a good idea of how much you are REALLY consuming. It is a proven fact that most people underestimate the food they consume. Also, stop drinking your calories. You need to use those calories on real food - not on milk.

I just think it is time to REALLY evaluate what you're doing. I think once you take an honest look you may find things are far different than you think they are.

As for too much sodium - it will cause your body to retain water. However, not everyone is negatively affected by sodium - I'm one of those people. I can consume large quantities of sodium and be just fine. So, not everyone has to worry about it.

THIS! I don't loose on 1200, at first I did but once my body got used to it the loss stopped and I got very frustrated. Upping my calories to 1400 however saw the weigh coming off steadily again. Some of us need more than others to keep our metabolism going x

MyFitnessPal strongly recommends that users follow the calorie guidelines automatically assigned by the site, unless they are under the direct supervision of a doctor.

800 calories is too low. If you lose the 10lbs then nearly double your calories the weight will almost certainly come flooding back on. The less you have to lose, the smaller the deficit should be and there's a very good chance that 1200 is not enough and is the reason you are not losing. Set your weight loss goal at 1/2lb a week, eat as close to your allotted calories as possible and at least a portion of your exercise calories.

Any and every article I ever read about weight loss says for women not to eat below 1200 calories and for men not to eat below 1500 calories because this is the minimum amount of calories you can eat and still get your vitamins and minerals if your eating well rounded meals, once you dip below this number you can start to put your body into starvation mode and vitamin deficiency mode which will be defeating your goal of health and a leaner body. I've also met with 2 different board certified hospital nutritionist who said the same thing in their teaching to me about nutrition last year, you must eat enough to sustatin your health but little enough that you can lose with in combination with exercise. Please meet with a nutritionist if your able to if not speak with the health advisors on campus or seek one out at least for a one time counsel that you can afford to pay for it is well worth it just find one at the hospital so you know their legitimate and properly trained. You can even ask this question of the nutritionist on sparkpeople.com if you sign up over on that board as well.

As far as affordable but healthy food while living on the dorms, whole wheat bread, peanut butter, oatmeal, brown rice does well in the microwave, eggs if you have a fridge to store them in I microwave them all the time spam a bowl mix them so they don't explode while cooking, drink no more than 2 -3 cups of milk per day you said you were drinking tons full adult women usually don't need more than 2 cups unless you're a teen then 3 cups. By in season fruits there more affordable, carrotts keep well, also potatos can be microwaved. I also like the suggesstion of can tuna, also pinto beans in a can or any others. And when you can't keep lots of fresh veggies can are always a good alternative such as corn, strean beans etc just rinse them if your concerned about the salt. Can you have a crock pot in your room.if so you can buy the dry beans in the bag there cheaper and you can cook half or a whole bag in a small crock pot but that's only good if you have a little fridge to store left overs in if not back to the can version. Lots of reasonable healthy options I would lay off the noodles and mac there the worst and there full of carbs which don't help your cause.

Best of care on your journey, health first )

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.

Good advice.

I've been in that situation as a young dieter myself - desperate to loose weight and not seeing the results I wanted quick enough. But by reducing my calories below 1200 I simply sent my body into starvation mode, slowed my metabolism and force my body into gaining or maitaining weight. Plus not eating enough is no fun!!

I then did it the right way. Eating healthy and balanced (and as a former poor uni student I know its hard, but there are cheap healthy options like those suggested above - it just takes longer to search the supermarket isle to come up with new ideas. After a while it even becomes fun) and exercising, I lost 10kg. Unfortunately, I then graduated, saved up and went travelling for 8 months - I now have 5kg of that back lol.

Dont waste time and effort doing it the wrong way. Good luck!

Just be careful not to lose muscle mass if you've got such a low caloric goal. I am poor and can get to 1100 - 1200 per day before exercise and losing weight 2-3 lbs per week. My quick eats are as follows: part skim mozzerella cheese sticks, turkey breast sandwich slices, cucmbers, raw almonds, natural peanut butter, premier nutrition protien bars, premier nutrition protein shakes, low-fat/non-fat cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and for dinner usually some seafood or chicken breast and more leafy green vegetables usually steamed.
I split these foods up and eat 5 times a day between 200 - 300 calories every 2 or 3 hours. I'm never hungry and very satisfied. Hope part of these ideas help a little.

I dont know if anyone already said this but if you want to keep eating ramen just put half the seasoning packet. Thats will cut the sodium down by A LOT! plus it still taste good =] add some veggies too yum!

It should be fine as long as you're getting enough animal fat, which is what your body will use as energy. Milk, cheese, meat (not always lean meat) will give you lots to burn. And couple every meal with lots of different-coloured vegetables.
Your body does not burn calories, it burns sugar, carbohydrate and fat - reduce your intake of the first two of those and your body will go into ketosis, where it flips from being a carb-burner to a fat-burner. You will then burn the fat you ingest (which incidentally tastes gorgeous) and your body fat.

Dreadful idea, impossible to get nutrition on 800 a day, even more so if you eat empty calories.

Much better to eat cheap natural stuff like tuna, natural yoghurt, whatever meat (turkey?) and veg (carrots?) is cheap and aim for 800 net calories a day by doing exercise and not eating the exercise calories.

Plus exercise is free!

A 3 mile run should use up around 300 calories and take around half an hour AND speed up metabolism.

800 calories will slow your metabolism more as the body goes into starvation mode cause it thinks there is a famine. Hope you work out something cheap and healthy. Gotta get those fruits and veggies in somewhere, and cheap proteins like eggs, tuna. Having low GI, and less carbs also helps lots, and avoid the processesed foods. I used to have heaps more processed stuff but it really does slow down your body as the liver has to process it all. For info on how you can boost your liver to burn more fat see Dr Sandra Cabots web site: http://www.liverdoctor.com/index.php?page=liver-diet
I need to look at it again too ! eating the foods she recommends is really good detox too.
She is amazing ! her books have lots of cheap healthy recipees in them too. You could even freeze some meals for those busy times.

I know how busy being a student is, when i was studying my first degree I had two jobs, and full time uni studies to juggle not to mention trying to fit in social stuff ! Fast food/ processed foods can be so easy but all the rubbish in them the toxins really do build up in your body as it takes the liver longer to process it, and if its busy procesing that junk it doesnt process fat as efficiently.

You will figure out what works best for you !

Good luck :happy:

It might be sodium content you are eating. Lowering it to 800 will not help you lose weight. Choose healthier options. Sandwiches, salads, fruits, veggies. Limit mac n cheese.