Too Few Calories?

I've been on about a 800-1000 calorie diet for the past 7 months. I've
lost 60 pounds in doing so. I'm a bit scaired though because I've just
started reading articles about weight loss and I'm reading stuff like
1000 calories are too few, etc. and I'm actually seeing
recommendations of things like 2000 calories. What I've found is that
when I eat even 1500 calories in a given day, I don't lose weight, but
when I eat around 1000, I do. I'm pretty young (26) and I don't don't
exercise or work out too much. In fact, I spend most of my time at my
dest working on my research.

Oh and one more thing. I'm not starving myself. In fact, I have a rule
that whenever I'm hungry I eat something. Its just that I eat things
like steamfresh brocolli, which has 120 calories per bag, steamfresh
Asian Medely which has 120 calories per bag, Fat Free Ball Park Beef
Franks (50 calories per Hot Dog), Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat
Bread (50 calories per slice), Puffed Wheat cereal (60 calories per
serving), Fat Free Pringles, etc.

With these foods, I've got to almost FORCE myself to eat more than
1000 calories per day by doing things like going to a fast food
resteraunt or ordering a pizza. So am I doing something wrong?

On Dec 10, 3:40 pm, wrote:
I've been on about a 800-1000 calorie diet for the past 7 months. I've
lost 60 pounds in doing so. I'm a bit scaired though because I've just
started reading articles about weight loss and I'm reading stuff like
1000 calories are too few, etc. and I'm actually seeing
recommendations of things like 2000 calories. What I've found is that
when I eat even 1500 calories in a given day, I don't lose weight, but
when I eat around 1000, I do. I'm pretty young (26) and I don't don't
exercise or work out too much. In fact, I spend most of my time at my
dest working on my research.

Oh and one more thing. I'm not starving myself. In fact, I have a rule
that whenever I'm hungry I eat something. Its just that I eat things
like steamfresh brocolli, which has 120 calories per bag, steamfresh
Asian Medely which has 120 calories per bag, Fat Free Ball Park Beef
Franks (50 calories per Hot Dog), Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat
Bread (50 calories per slice), Puffed Wheat cereal (60 calories per
serving), Fat Free Pringles, etc.

With these foods, I've got to almost FORCE myself to eat more than
1000 calories per day by doing things like going to a fast food
resteraunt or ordering a pizza. So am I doing something wrong?

Gosh, we eat a lot of the same stuff. I like the Nture's own Light
bread though with only 40 cal. It is also high fiber. I also like
Puffed wheat ...just the plain rice cereal, no sugar added, but I add
some Fiber one original which is sweetened with aspartame so it
sweetens the puffed wheat. I also eat the fat free Olestra pringles.

800 calories does sound too few for anyone, provided you are counting
calories well, I wouldn't go below 1000 ever. Better yet, try to find
a time slot to exercise at least 3X a week and eat a little
more...perhaps 1200 calories minimum. An exercise period for me takes
1 hour and I burn about 450 calories....the machine says I burn 300
calories on the treadmill and the rest is just a guesstimate.

My maintenance calories are 2000 a day, but I exercise moderately 6X a
week. I am male, 5'8" exactly and weigh 135.

How tall are you? Height is the thing you might want to start with to
determine minimum caloric intake. Tall people get to eat a lot more
than the rest of us. dkw

On Dec 10, 3:41 pm, wrote:


I've been on about a 800-1000 calorie diet for the past 7 months. I've
lost 60 pounds in doing so. I'm a bit scaired though because I've just
started reading articles about weight loss and I'm reading stuff like
1000 calories are too few, etc. and I'm actually seeing
recommendations of things like 2000 calories. What I've found is that
when I eat even 1500 calories in a given day, I don't lose weight, but
when I eat around 1000, I do. I'm pretty young (26) and I don't don't
exercise or work out too much. In fact, I spend most of my time at my
dest working on my research.


Besides being a sedentary individual, you dont say if you are male/
female, your age, height and current weight which are all factors in
how many calories to consume. Not everyone should be eating 2000
calories a day.
You have to have some decent muscle to feed, which if you dont
exercise, you are most likely lacking.So are you at a point that you
want to stop
losing weight? If you know that by eating around 1500 calories you
dont lose any weight, then thats a good starting point to swing your
calories up to when you have an exercise or active day.
But on inactive days, you are most likely better at your current
intake. What you need however is VARIETY.


Oh and one more thing. I'm not starving myself. In fact, I have a rule
that whenever I'm hungry I eat something. Its just that I eat things
like steamfresh brocolli, which has 120 calories per bag, steamfresh
Asian Medely which has 120 calories per bag, Fat Free Ball Park Beef
Franks (50 calories per Hot Dog), Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat
Bread (50 calories per slice), Puffed Wheat cereal (60 calories per
serving), Fat Free Pringles, etc.


Sounds a little bleak tho. Like a students menu with a microwave.
Get some real vegetables. Add in some fruits. Go with some extra
protein sources. You know, VARIETY. Read labels and use a source
likehttp://www.calorieking.com/foods/ to stick to your calorie
levels.
Dont be afraid to explore your nutritional options.


With these foods, I've got to almost FORCE myself to eat more than
1000 calories per day by doing things like going to a fast food
resteraunt or ordering a pizza. So am I doing something wrong?


You do NOT have to resort to fastfood to up your calories. Thats like
a lie you are telling yourself to stay in your comfort zone. For
example, add in
some type of nuts to your daily food intake - they are not only good
for you (oils,
fiber etc) but they are also nutrient/calorie dense. As are dried
fruits as an
alternative to fresh fruit. Grains are also a good addition, from
oatmeal to different
types of rice, you can use them as a side dish to your vegetables. Add
in some
GOOD variety and you wont think of fastfood as an alternative to your
current eating.

joanne

OK, let me clarify things. I'm a male 25 years old. I'm 5'10".
Initially I weighed 230, now I'm down to 170.

And I should probably rephrase what I said earlier. When I hit 230, I
got really mad because I was supposedly on a "high fiber" diet that
wasn't working. So instead I just said I'd eat more vegetables. And I
found the steamed broccoli and fell in love with it. So for 4 out of 7
days a week, I'd eat nothing but broccoli, and I loved it. Then after
a while I figured I may be eating too much broccoli, or not enough of
the other veggies, so I started to mix it up more, and throw in some
different colored veggies. I do love steamed veggies. They're so easy
to fix. I also love creamed spinach and Boca Burgers.

The main thing I was concerned about was that, I keep reading these
online calorie things and they all say that eating 1000 calories can
be bad because you don't get the nutrients. But all I'm eating are
veggies, so how can I not be getting the nutrients? If I were to go
above 1500, I'd have to add something like more meat or just more
meals in general. And, also, I've lost the 60 pounds in 7 months, but
I haven't been on a 1000 calorie diet every day. Most days when I go
out with my friends to eat, I eat 1500 - 2000 calories, but that only
happens maybe Friday and Saturday. THe other days I stay at home in
front of my desk chewing on broccoli or carrots or spinach or corn or
maybe some chips.

one more thing. I was thinking about the possibility that I've been
losing muscle and not fat. Most of my weight was in my lower body. Dor
instance, I was a size 42 pants, and now I'm down to a 32. I was
trying to get down to about 165. The main question I had back when I
started this was would I be able to keep this up, and now thats the
easy part. I've found so many low calorie meals that I enjoy that its
easy to keep this up. I just wonder if people are right when they say
I'm not getting enough nutrients.

I was reading a book on Friday that said that to be 165 and an
inactive male, I should eat 165*13 calories per day. Thats about 2145
calories per day. Thats almost triple what i'm eating right now. I've
got no problem doing that, but I kinda wonder if I should aim to be
even smaller, say 150...

On Dec 10, 6:37 pm, wrote:
one more thing. I was thinking about the possibility that I've been
losing muscle and not fat. Most of my weight was in my lower body. Dor
instance, I was a size 42 pants, and now I'm down to a 32. I was
trying to get down to about 165. The main question I had back when I
started this was would I be able to keep this up, and now thats the
easy part. I've found so many low calorie meals that I enjoy that its
easy to keep this up. I just wonder if people are right when they say
I'm not getting enough nutrients.

I was reading a book on Friday that said that to be 165 and an
inactive male, I should eat 165*13 calories per day. Thats about 2145
calories per day. Thats almost triple what i'm eating right now. I've
got no problem doing that, but I kinda wonder if I should aim to be
even smaller, say 150...

yes, this information should be about right for you...2145 calories
for a sedentary lifestyle. I really suspect you are not accounting for
your calories quite right. In fact, I'm fairly certain you average way
more than 800 cal a day, or you would likely be writing this from a
hospital bed. You did mention eating more on the weekends, so that
might bring your average way up. If you are eating out, it is very
easy to misjudge your calories, and this error is almost always on the
low side.

Getting calories is not a problem. You certainly don't have to eat
more meat...or any meat for that matter. Look at all the whole grains
like oatmeal or brown rice. Add blueberries, strawberries (usually
frozen this time of year), or just eat more of your whole wheat
cereal. It's great stuff. Baked potatoes are simple, cheap and great.
You can use the fat-free Promise margarine at only 5 cal per
tablespoon on it. A real treat is 8th Continent Light chocolate soy
which has only 90 calories per cup which is just 10 cal more than skim
milk, but it tastes great and gives you good protein too. Green beans
are filling, loaded with protein and fiber and very low cal at only 70
cal for an entire can. I would shoot for eating more food and not add
high-cal food though. Obviously you did have a slight weight problem
before and since you have been losing by eating lots of veggies, I
would stick with that and not slip into high-fat, high-sugar foods
like fast food, peanutbutter, cookies, ice cream, pop, desserts. I'm
sure you would still lose weight on 1500 cal even without exercising,
but you wouldn't have to starve. Eventually, you need to eat something
like 2145 or hopefully a little more if you can begin exercising. dkw