1500-calorie eaters?

Hi teens! I have recently upped my calories from 1300 to 1500 and I am a lot more satisfied. I know I am losing weight the healthy way but will I lose weight? Has any one lost/ is losing weight with this many calories? If you have please tell me and maybe add how much exercise you do? I do about an hour and eat 1500(duh.) but I feel like I won't lose weight.

Well, considering 1500 is the minimum a teen should eat in one day I'm sure you'll lose weight.

1500 is the minimum intake recommended for a very thin, totally sedentary teen.  If you're here because you're overweight and if you're doing an hour of exercise a day then you're neither very thin nor sedentary..... 

Check your stats through this chart and read off the numbers of 'very active' and 'moderate activity'....  http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html  Take an average of the two & deduct 500 - 700 cals for weight-loss.

I personally have regular 1400 calorie days, but before I'm crucified, I should say that I incorporate 2 weekly high days, 3000 and 2500 cals respectively, which works out to about 1800 average per day. (These are to raise leptin levels and keep my metabolism running normal). I absolutely do not lose weight eating more than this, even fresh off months of higher (2500/day) calorie eating.

I didn't mean to explain that so much there... I figured I should to avoid angry replies though.

Anyway, my advice is to stick with the 1500 cals, or maybe even go slightly higher and see how it works at first, then decrease slowly if you're not having success. I used to lose weight eating 2000 cals/day, then hit a plateau. Instead of decreasing cals, I increased my protein consumption and lowered my carb consumption to more moderate levels. I also started doing HIIT (High intensity interval training, you can google it for more info) a couple times per week. At that point, another 20 pounds dropped away, straight off of a plateau. Eventually I have had to decrease calories more, but when you consider over 65 pounds lost, it's no surprise that I'd be burning less.

Also, try to make sure that the carbs you're eating are complex carbs, such as fruits and veggies, whole wheat grains, beans and legumes, etc. Junk-food types of carbs will make fat loss much harder because of the hormonal effects they have on the body.

Weight lifting will also be a big help. Don't worry, you won't get big and bulky (You won't even gain any muscle at all, it will just help you keep the muscle you do have right now). Just remember to start light and focus on proper form.

A calculator can't solve things for you, your body will adapt to that calorie level. Changes such as increasing protein/lowering carbs, changing what type and what intensity exercise you are doing, cycling calories and/or carbs, will all contribute to avoiding the sort of adaptation that causes the weight loss forum to be filled with frustrated threads about plateau woes.

Well, I do the treadmill every day but every few days I switch from different heights( like 1.0 2.0, etc) and do a different exercise video.

so, when I hit my first plateau I should lower carbs and increase protein? Like what % carbs and protein?

 You need more to eat if you're to be in good health and that's your top priority.  Once you've stabilised your weight on a reasonable amount of food, then work out if you need to lose weight.  the ratio of carbohydrates to proteins really won't make any difference to the outcome.

Original Post by crazyperson01:

Well, I do the treadmill every day but every few days I switch from different heights( like 1.0 2.0, etc) and do a different exercise video.

so, when I hit my first plateau I should lower carbs and increase protein? Like what % carbs and protein?

Changing the incline and such is good, though your body gets good at the movements themselves. It would be best if you could change the type of workout you do altogether every once in a while, for example by using a different machine.

It depends on your current percentages. If you're eating, say, 60% carbs and 15% protein, try changing to 50% carbs and 25% protein. That being said, even a smaller increase/decrease of protein/carbs will help.

Protein will also help you hold on to the muscle you have while dieting, which is important and will guarantee you don't become "skinny fat". 

Original Post by gi-jane:

 You need more to eat if you're to be in good health and that's your top priority.  Once you've stabilised your weight on a reasonable amount of food, then work out if you need to lose weight.  the ratio of carbohydrates to proteins really won't make any difference to the outcome.

I don't like when people go around and authoritatively repeat their opinions which are based on subjective experience. The "calorie balance only" model of weight loss is inaccurate and a gross over-simplification of the process of fat reduction.

As such, I am always prepared to provide scientific studies that back up my claims. Higher protein and moderate to low carbs is a more effective choice for weight loss, weight maintenance, and health.

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v28/n1/abs/ 0802461a.html

http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/21/1 /55l

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cps idt=1182009

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/3 /425.ful

And so on...

I too am curious if any girls have lost weight on this amount. I know it's unhealthy to eat less, but when I eat 1500 I maintain. I have to eat 1400 and a lot of busting my butt to loose anything. Maybe my metabolism is shot to hell then. But have any girls here lost weight on that amount?

Original Post by ibez:

I don't like when people go around and authoritatively repeat their opinions which are based on subjective experience. 

 And I don't like it when people completely mis-read the problem and instead post multiple weblinks as soap-boxes to stand on.  (Search hard enough on the internet and you can prove black is white....)

The OP is struggling because they don't eat enough for their age/size/level of activity.   When you have a situation like that it's not the ratio of macronutrients that is the most pressing thing to correct.  Indeed, given how nervous the OP sounds about coming out of a starvation diet, any encouragement to find other things to obsess about could well plunge them even further down the disordered eating route they're clearly at risk of.

Original Post by aimingtoloose:

I too am curious if any girls have lost weight on this amount. I know it's unhealthy to eat less, but when I eat 1500 I maintain. I have to eat 1400 and a lot of busting my butt to loose anything. Maybe my metabolism is shot to hell then. But have any girls here lost weight on that amount?

My metabolism was damaged badly due to disordered eating for 5 years. But so far, my weight actually went down from 59kg to 58kg and it stayed there after increasing my calorie intake from 400-700 calories a day to the current 1,500-1,900 a day. Mind you, I try to only eat the 'good stuff' and avoid junk and I exercise for an hour a day. I was determined to change my lifestyle a month ago.

My weight went from 58kg to 61kg to 59kg to 58kg in this 3 weeks. Talk about weight flunctuations... But so far, it looks as if my metabolism is getting on better now compared to a month ago. I have hunger pangs that I never experienced for so long, and I do believe that I keep up with this good work and try to eat more and exercise enough, I will hopefully strike a balanced weight for my body. (I'm 5'7")

So.. yeah, I think you can definitely lose weight with 1,500 calories but you must give yourself time and put in the effort to eat better each day. My personal goal is to be able to eat 2,000 calories a day and exercise an hour a day and get down to 120-125 lbs healthily - I'll give myself no deadline but every day is a progress. Good luck and keep faith.

Original Post by girlabsolut:

Original Post by aimingtoloose:

I too am curious if any girls have lost weight on this amount. I know it's unhealthy to eat less, but when I eat 1500 I maintain. I have to eat 1400 and a lot of busting my butt to loose anything. Maybe my metabolism is shot to hell then. But have any girls here lost weight on that amount?

My metabolism was damaged badly due to disordered eating for 5 years. But so far, my weight actually went down from 59kg to 58kg and it stayed there after increasing my calorie intake from 400-700 calories a day to the current 1,500-1,900 a day. Mind you, I try to only eat the 'good stuff' and avoid junk and I exercise for an hour a day. I was determined to change my lifestyle a month ago.

My weight went from 58kg to 61kg to 59kg to 58kg in this 3 weeks. Talk about weight flunctuations... But so far, it looks as if my metabolism is getting on better now compared to a month ago. I have hunger pangs that I never experienced for so long, and I do believe that I keep up with this good work and try to eat more and exercise enough, I will hopefully strike a balanced weight for my body. (I'm 5'7")

So.. yeah, I think you can definitely lose weight with 1,500 calories but you must give yourself time and put in the effort to eat better each day. My personal goal is to be able to eat 2,000 calories a day and exercise an hour a day and get down to 120-125 lbs healthily - I'll give myself no deadline but every day is a progress. Good luck and keep faith.

Thank you-that really encourages me! Good luck and good job!

Original Post by girlabsolut:

Original Post by aimingtoloose:

I too am curious if any girls have lost weight on this amount. I know it's unhealthy to eat less, but when I eat 1500 I maintain. I have to eat 1400 and a lot of busting my butt to loose anything. Maybe my metabolism is shot to hell then. But have any girls here lost weight on that amount?

My metabolism was damaged badly due to disordered eating for 5 years. But so far, my weight actually went down from 59kg to 58kg and it stayed there after increasing my calorie intake from 400-700 calories a day to the current 1,500-1,900 a day. Mind you, I try to only eat the 'good stuff' and avoid junk and I exercise for an hour a day. I was determined to change my lifestyle a month ago.

My weight went from 58kg to 61kg to 59kg to 58kg in this 3 weeks. Talk about weight flunctuations... But so far, it looks as if my metabolism is getting on better now compared to a month ago. I have hunger pangs that I never experienced for so long, and I do believe that I keep up with this good work and try to eat more and exercise enough, I will hopefully strike a balanced weight for my body. (I'm 5'7")

So.. yeah, I think you can definitely lose weight with 1,500 calories but you must give yourself time and put in the effort to eat better each day. My personal goal is to be able to eat 2,000 calories a day and exercise an hour a day and get down to 120-125 lbs healthily - I'll give myself no deadline but every day is a progress. Good luck and keep faith.

how much exercise do you currently do? are you maintaining your weight or still losing on the 1500-1900? what determines whether you eat on the lower or higher end?

Original Post by chrissy1988:

how much exercise do you currently do? are you maintaining your weight or still losing on the 1500-1900? what determines whether you eat on the lower or higher end?

Hey Chrissy,

I am currently working out 6 days a week, alternating gym and run/walk. When I go to the gym, I work out for 90 minutes (60 mins cardio - bicycling or eliptical, 30 mins weights) and when it is my running+walking days, I do it for 45 mins.

Sometimes, I feel really too tired from working at the nightclub but I still go for a walk for about 60 mins in the afternoon. I don't have the exact routine - I just go by how I feel and if I feel REALLY lazy, I'll make sure that I get out of the house and motivate myself to at least have a walk.

I am currently maintaining my weight at 128 lbs - but it's only my full 3rd week progress of trying to fix my metabolism and eating habits so I am glad I didn't gain overall since I also quit smoking a pack of cigs and went down to 1-2 sticks a day.

What determines whether I eat on the lower or higher end? I don't know... I log my calorie intake as I eat along the way and some days, it just happens to be 1,900 and some days at the lower range of 1,200ish. Usually when I go to the gym, I will eat a snack afterwards to re-fuel, even when I don't really feel particularly hungry.

So far, I am very pleased with the outcome - it was SO daunting for me to start eating more than 1,000 calories a day when I had been surviving on just 400-700 calories a day just 3 weeks before this!! But right now, I want to learn to trust my body more.. even though I am NOT willing to relax on my work out routine, but I will do so when I feel like I can adjust my calorie intake and my work out accordingly. Hopefully, in months to come, I can get it up and running to burn 2,000 calories a day and 4 days of work out instead of 6. It's frustrating sometimes to see that I am just maintaining my weight while I work my ass off and eat the current amount of calories I'm taking in, but I must understand that I abused my body so badly for over 5 years already.. it's a miracle that it's stabilizing now in just 3 weeks of hard work... I must have patience..

Yeah, that's my answer to your qns... it's nice to just share this bit of my life to all of you. Makes me feel more determined and motivated to keep going and not fall back into my old habits, as tempting as it is.

I lost on ~1800/day while just making myself be more active (walking more, just moving more, living), no exercise routine or anything; if that helps. :)

Original Post by lynnlette:

I lost on ~1800/day while just making myself be more active (walking more, just moving more, living), no exercise routine or anything; if that helps. :)

it does, thank youu:]