I'm just really worried

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8/7/11 10:06 P

That sounds pretty low, E...and yes, you've gotten some excellent advice so far. When I was younger, I used to eat 800-900 calories...and I was always hungry! One shouldn't be losing more than 1-2 pounds a week for optimum health, or so I've read in many sources. Usually, it's all but impossible to get in the nutritional quality you need from your food at so small a caloric intake.

Why not gradually work yourself up to 1,200, which is considered to be the minimum amount you should have? I'm unable to do intense aerobic workouts, so I lost all my weight at 1,200. These days, I'm eating around 1,500 - and I've found that to be completely satisfying. I'm not at all hungry, nor am I tempted to return to my old habit of binge-eating.

If you find you cannot lose weight at 1,200, have your doctor look into the possibility of a low thyroid or other metabolic problem. I lost 1-2 lbs. early on, then about a pound a week as I neared my goal. Then I added calories back at 100/month more, until I stopped losing weight.

What's gratifying is that this took much less time than I'd originally thought it would! Good luck to you, E - all the best!

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8/7/11 9:13 P

Although everyone has different metabolisms and you maybe need less calories depending on your height/weight/activity level, it is next to impossible to get all the nutrients you need by consuming 900 calories or less. For women, the general rule is 1200 calories minimum a day.

Eating less, like said above, can wreak havoc on your metabolism, perhaps not now but when you are older. If you are working out at ALL, you HAVE to nourish your body or it will start to eat what's available to it: organs, muscles, things of that nature. This can put you at risk for injury and disease.

Try to get at least 1100-1200 a day, you won't blow up, I promise!

Edited by: NICB87 at: 8/7/2011 (21:14)

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8/7/11 9:10 P

Yes, it is dangerous to not eat enough. You actually slow your metabolism down, while actually storing fat and losing muscle (opposite of what you want to do). Also, your body doesn't receive all the necessary nutrients that it needs, so you are missing out on those as well as the energy needed for your body to perform the daily functions (heart beating, muscles contracting, etc). Here's an Ask the Expert Q&A that addresses this as well: www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_expe
rts.asp?q=58 . Also, as this happens, your body conserves energy and doesn't actually send out the proper hunger signals, which is likely what you are seeing happen when you say you are completely full at such a low amount of calories.

If you have trouble meeting your nutritional needs, then please take a look at this article for some easy tips on increasing your calories: www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_art
icles.asp?id=593 .

Coach Denise

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8/7/11 9:03 P

I hear a lot of people saying that you shouldn't go below your suggested calorie intake or you risk putting your body into starvation mode and can't really lose weight. I usually eat between 800-900 calories sometimes lower but rarely and with what I eat I am completely full and I eat snacks in between meals. I just want to know if how I am eating is dangerous.