Back to 1000 calories
 

Back in the old days, before WW, South Beach, etc., your mom's diet rule was 1000 calories. Well, I've done it all and I swear, at my age right now (57) I can't seem to drop anything until I get to 1000 calories. It seems severe to me, but finally the scale is moving. I do exercise -- yoga, weights, cardio -- and it would seem that exercise and 1400 or so should work, but it doesn't. There just isn't an easy way:-(:(

Hi Claudia!
i share your pain! i am on very low cal, low fat life style too, but the weight just does not want to drop off!!!!:mad:
i have been reading some of the other threads and thinking maybe i should follow a low carb diet. i love carbs and i think if i limit my carb intake, i hopefuly might see some result. now my mission is to find low carb food items.
i never knew my calorie intake for the day was so low!!!! based on my fitday food journal, most days i just had 700 or less calories! and i'm not dropping any weight either! i think i have really messed up my metabolisam and have to get it to start working somehow!

Good to hear that others are in this boat too. FitDay has helped me eat fewer carbs -- I go for eggs, chicken breasts, green salads, and make a smoothie of greek yogurt and whey protein with frozen blueberries. Also nuts...but not many:-) Anyone else just not losing unless you really lower the calories?

I am struggling with the same problem. I have managed to lose 9 pounds but have hit a plateau. I am primarily vegetarian so my carb intake is high. Maybe start lifting weights or exercising more vigorously? Any less calorie intake and I start to feel so tired.

I'd just be careful to vary your calorie intake every few weeks, maybe take a week off and eat a little more. Going too long on such few calories will put your body into a starvation state and every little bit you eat will be turned to fat because your body isn't sure when the next bit of food might come.

I was able to get some results by changing the number of meals I eat a day. I eat 4-5 meals with more calories and then every couple of weeks move to 7ish meals with less calories in each.

I do watch my carb intake really closely, but I also watch my sugar intake and that includes the amount of fruit I eat. I know fresh fruit is great for you, and certainly a better 'sweet' than candies and chocolates, but it still has sugars so I'm careful about the amount of fruit I eat.

I was going to suggest that. Actually, for an average person (healthy weight, no offense to anyone) it's when you start getting around 1000 calories or lower that your body goes into starvation mode.

A better idea is to slowly get your body down to a healthy 2000 calories (the average recommended daily amount). It's likely not that you are getting too many calories, but that they come from foods that aren't good for you.

It is never recommended to go below 1200 cals a day. That is the lowest anyone should/can go without your body going into starvation mode.

I think I would rather be fat and fit then eat only 1,000 calories/day. At anything less than 1,200 I'm beastly, mean, light headed to the point of passing out and doomed to diet failure. I've been dieting pretty seriously since December 26th and so far I'm down 69 pounds, and I have to say that what boosts my weight loss better than anything is adding more exercise, and making sure 30% or higher of my daily calories come from protein. I've found that I can eat as many as 1,700 calories and still drop on the scale if I put in a really good workout and keep my protein intake above 30%. And when I say "a really good workout" I'm talking 700-1,000 calories of burn.

dropping 69 lb, since December? good for you!!! i have to drop 30 lbs and has been trying forever, and still gaining, instead of loosing!:mad:
but oh well, that was before the fitday. this is the second week on fitday, the first week since eating smartly, and will see tomorrow how well i have done!:)
a question for you almeeker, what workout burns that much calories?

Right there with you on the bolded part!!!