How Do You...

[tlgoblue]

live on < 1000 calories/day!?

I have eaten 800 already and I am hungry! I read with complete awe (and admiration) posts from some of you who get by on 1000 calories or less. Are you hungry all day? Does your stomache shrink after a time? Are you all doing Atkins? Just what is your trick? I would really like to accelerate my loss, but I already work out about 1.5 hours/day, so I guess I'll need to cut cals. but how?
Any info on what I might expect or tricks to get through it would be appreciated.

Keep the Faith!
Tracy

 

[John In Illinois]

Tracy,

Those of us on Atkins do not count calories at all. Rather , the only thing we have to watch is Carbs....and Carbs only.

 

[ohMom]

Less than 1000 cal/day seems unhealthy to me! I think 1200 is a good place to be in you want to count calories. I heard once to take your weight x 100 and that what it takes to maintain. So you cut back some from there to lose; or your goal weight x 100 if there isn't a huge difference?

Be careful, I have done the rotation diet (yes I've tried them all too) where you eat 600/900 cal each day for the first week; and I only made it through once. I couldn't workout at all; was very shaky and grumpy. I just wasn't healthy!

If you deprive your body of too many calories you will lose muscle, and muscle keeps your metabolism going.

you don't want to do that!

enough lecturing, sorry. If you really want to stay there I would say drink hot tea; and yes your stomach will shrink (that happens with any "diet" where you are eating less consistently); eat low cal/ high fiber veggies.

 

[ahutton]

My doctor has said all along you have to be careful about eating too few calories - your body just goes into starvation mode. If you are eating healthfully and exercising but the scale is stuck he recommended adding some lean protein - you have to have a certain amount or your body won't burn what you do eat. He suggested something like an extra can of tuna a day (3-4 oz. of lean protein).

 

[babar]

800-1100 hundred calories a day is fine for me. I'm full when I eat that. I am a small person, and the weight I want to lose is some that I've gained by having a stressful year. In order to lose those last 10 - 15 pounds, I have to cut what I eat by 500 calories (or exercise to burn that much) of what I normally eat. I normally eat between 1300 to 1600 calories a day. I might not even want to lose 15 pounds, I might think I look gross. Who knows? But I know I need to lose some.

My doctor says what I am doing is just fine, in fact I told him what I normally eat, and now what I am eating, and he said I'm actually eating healthier!!

Sorry, but I can't force myself to eat more than I am, it just happens the things I am choosing are healthier for me, and just seem to have less calories. I don't know....you can see in my journal what I eat (i'm guessing that's where you saw I eat that many calories ) I'm going by the portion sizes on the food, and stopping when I'm full.

andrea

 

[blanq]

Tracy,

I think 800-1000 calories might be too low for you. No wonder you are starving! You are on a heavy duty exercise program, and you need to eat, or your body will think it's starving and your metabolism will slow down to compensate for that. I am eating 1200 calories a day, and I exercise an hour per day. One thig that might help is to mix up your calorie level; increase by a few hundred calories and then decrease it, and so on. I would suggest including enough protein and plenty of fiber through complex carbohydrates to help you stay full. Also, maybe spreading your calories out throughout the day might help. As your sig says: Keep the faith!

Linda

 

[nativetxn]

Andrea, I know that we are all relieved to know that you are under a doctor's care. You must be a very tiny young woman.

Good for you for taking hold of your weight <i>now</i> instead of waiting like I did until you had much more to lose.

Do you work in the medical field? I know that eating less than 1,000 calories a day slows down my weight to imperceptible amounts. (Yes! I tried it everyone ) I suffered from hunger and it wasn't worth it to lose .25 pounds a week. I increased my calorie intake and I started losing 2 pounds a week. That convinced me. Eating less than 1,000 calories a day just doesn't work for me.

I'm glad it is working for you. Be sure and stay healthy though and see your doctor often, just to be safe.

OH! And please make sure you don't get pregnant while eating this extremely low calorie diet that could be very, very bad.

Good luck with this

Katholyn

 

[babar]

well, I ate a piece of cheese (another 100), and later when I go out, I'm sure my calorie count for the day will go up to about 1150 or so.

it's hard for me to eat more than I do when I'm not hungry. That's where I get into trouble. I grab chips or something just to munch on.

I guess I'll have to get an extra yogurt or piece of fruit or two in a day to up my calories.

I guess I don't see the difference though, I could easily drink two pepsi's and get to 1200 calories. Is that any better? Also, if I decided to keep posting my journal, I'm sure you'll see that somedays I'll go over 1100 or 1200 calories. It all evens out. I mean, isn't that sort of like when you bank points for WW?

thanks for your concern guys.

 

[TigH]

I couldn't do it! I've read that a woman should NEVER eat at less than 1200 a day!!! (but that may just be an average, I'm sure shorter people could swing it on less and taller people should have more?)

I think I am averaging about 1200 a day. I just wouldn't feel right about eating less than that. I want to make sure my metabolism stays revved up!

 

[glo]

I have been trying Alex's challenge and have been following it to the T. I am not very hungry and my calorie count has been around 1000...ot just under. I am eating cheese, meat, and no carb stuff, and heavy cream. Have not stepped on the scale will wait til Wednesday.

 

[tlgoblue]

Thanks for all the input! I have no intention of going below 1000 calories. Right now I feel safe between 1200 and 1800. I know that's a fairly large range, but I average about 1500/day. That leaves me with an average calorie deficit of 500 calories/day or a one lb/week loss. That is just fine with me, but I was thinking of trying to stay between 1200 and 1500, to help things along. The day I posted I had already eaten 800 calories and had not had dinner. Knowing what I was going to have for dinner was going to put me over 1200, I was wondering how I would survive. I was wondering if those of you who restrict to < 1000 had any suggestions to stem the hunger.

Please don't think I was thinking of going < 1000 and I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I know that would not work for me, but some can do it and I was just wondering how. Thanks again to all!

Keep the Faith!
Tracy