So sad with what I saw today I wanted to cry

Doctors (like bariatric surgery ones) prescribe 800 calorie diets. Its okay for morbidly obese people, certain considerations taken, until they reach a more reasonable weight. And you better not forget the bacon!

Absolutely it's okay. Short term and under medical supervision. Is she doing it short term or under medical supervision?

I don't know what she is doing. I just know that this means that this method is not necessarily a problem.... for the short term. And medical supervision, I don'tknow. If you are eating all healthy food and never hungry, and are morbidly obese.... why do you have to go see a doc?

Just wanted to make that clear in case there were any misunderstandings.

If this sign was on the paths where I run I'd be F'D!

Just wanted to make that clear in case there were any misunderstandings.

If this sign was on the paths where I run I'd be F'D!

I envy your ability to just whip it out and go as you please without having to squat and wipe.

Tis true, but in those 800-1000 calories, as a bariatric patient, you need more than 80grams of protein.

Starting and staying motivated the first few weeks was the hardest for me. Summer school is a month or so, right? How about stopping tomorrow and asking her if she would like someone to walk with? Maybe you can walk, and talk, and share your story with her, take a pic of yourself where you used to be.. show her it can happen! I bet she would love the support and a friend!

Good for her!

Just wanted to make that clear in case there were any misunderstandings.

If this sign was on the paths where I run I'd be F'D!

I envy your ability to just whip it out and go as you please without having to squat and wipe.

wiping's overrated

I am proud of you. Just say a prayer. I have been there to. I just weigh 260. And that much weight will make you breath hard and add pain to the joints. :bigsmile:

Going to stir the pot here...Id be more concerned if you were rigidly sticking to 700cpd because then I would assume you were deliberately denying yourself calories when your body is saying its hungry. Tbh there are many people not eating exercise calories back which leave them at a greater defecit and we arent saying they are unhealthy, we are applauding their willpower and motivation.
There are shake based diets which are GP supported which have the same low calories. The only risk is the loss of nutrients and I do think people on very low cal diets should have more fruit and veg etc.
just my thoughts-many of the comments on here are lovely. Im large and I often feel ashamed when Im out and about but to think that someone might see me and not feel scorn or digust but something more akin to hope for my future then thats a nice thought.
Good luck everyone however you are doing this. Im doing what feels right for me Im sure you are all doing what feels right for you.
x

Tis true, but in those 800-1000 calories, as a bariatric patient, you need more than 80grams of protein.

I am curious about 80? Is that regardless of their size, or does it vary with how heavy they are?

Probably a precautionary number to try to prevent extreme catabolism.

Tis true, but in those 800-1000 calories, as a bariatric patient, you need more than 80grams of protein.

I am curious about 80? Is that regardless of their size, or does it vary with how heavy they are?

Nope its a typical requirement. Unless they had the duodenal switch in which case they should be getting 100+grams of protein to make up for malabsorption.

Interesting. Thanks for mentioning.

Tis true, but in those 800-1000 calories, as a bariatric patient, you need more than 80grams of protein.

I am curious about 80? Is that regardless of their size, or does it vary with how heavy they are?

Probably a precautionary number to try to prevent extreme catabolism.

and as we all know canabalism is only ok in Miami

I don't know what she is doing. I just know that this means that this method is not necessarily a problem.... for the short term. And medical supervision, I don'tknow. If you are eating all healthy food and never hungry, and are morbidly obese.... why do you have to go see a doc?

Because it doesn't matter how you feel. A lot can be going on under the surface that only a medical professional can monitor. Unless of course you have a bloodwork lab at home to run lipid profiles and to see if your thyroid is being damaged by your VLCD.

That is something I have not heard of. I haven't heard of calorie deficit, big or small affecting the thyroid. I will read up on that thanks for mentioning it

One thing I did read (from Jillian Michaels anyway) is that processed foods and pesticides can mess up the thyroid by being hormone disrupters. So much info out there!

I was out w/ my nieces one day and we saw a guy who had to be at least 300 lbs (probably heavier). Being teens, they started to make fun of him. I was more than happy to point out to them (and see the looks on their faces) that yes, he was heavy. But it was July, and almost 100º out, and he was on a BIKE, riding hills. He was going slow, and had to stop for water a lot, and you could see what the effort was costing him. Instead of making fun of him for being sweaty and overweight, how about saying how AWESOME it is that he's out there trying to make a change for the better?? Then I pointed out that I'm heavier than I'd like to be, and their mom (my sis) has to watch her weight very carefully - they have obesity on both sides of their gene pool, so they may want to be a little more compassionate.

You know I had a feeling you were going to say that. You sound very determined, I'll give you that. And I agree that what you eat or don't eat is none of anyone's business. What's happening here I think is that people are showing concern for you because the amount you eat sounds low. Another person who posted said that its between you and your doctor. She's absolutely correct. However, when you put yourself out there, people care and will respond with honesty.

Trust me most of these people who answered negatively about the amount of calorie the OP consumed are not concerned about her. They have other motives. Most of them belong to the "eat more wt. less" group. They think what they are doing is better and that they know it all. they are like the scientology group.

Well I don't belong to that group myself. As someone who has studied the human body on a pathophysiological level, it does concern me that someone is eating so little while also burning calories through exercise. Technically they are starving their bodies of the vital nutrients that it needs to reproduce on a cellular level, if your cells don't get the nutrition they need to reproduce properly things start going wrong in your body and it can actually make you very sick in the long run. I would imagine there is no doctor who would agree to such a low calorie intake even if the person weighed 800lbs and was stuck in bed.

I know that these ladies are perfectly happy with their way of doing this lifestyle change and I applaud them for changing their lives. As a fellow human being who cares about other people whether I know them or not. I feel concerned about the negative ramifications of their calorie intake on their bodies in the long term - they may feel fine now, but who knows what it is really doing inside them.

As for the woman OP saw walking down the street, I used to be her. I couldn't walk to the end of my drive without having to stop for a rest. I know what it is like to have my knees and hips in agony because of the weight load my joints were having to hold up. I feel sad for people I see struggling to move out there. But I know how hard it can be to make the change, to believe there is an alternative healthy you to be acheived. It has taken me 6 years from the time I started to make a change to actually making the change work for me on a daily basis.

I don't think people are slating these ladies just to be mean or jumping on a bandwagon - I think anyone who is on this journey to health and fitness would be concerned if someone was doing something that may actually negate that.