Is 1400 calories a day healthy?

Hi, I'm new here. I have a question. I want to lose 40 pounds by next summer, and I'm not that active. According to the calorie target tool on this website, I should have a limit of 1368 calories a day. Note: The last 2 times I dieted, I was on 2000 and 1800 calorie diets, and I wasn't able to hold it. Should I just discipline myself more, or should I stick to 1800, like I'm doing now?

What is your height, weight, gender, age, if I may ask? This said, if you have been on a 1800-2000 diet and lost on that I would not drop to 1400. But with stats I can give you a better answer.

I second what lalabanana said.

Also, I should add: don't view it as a diet, view this as a lifestyle change. A balance of complex carbs, proteins, healthy fats, dairy/dairy alternatives, fruit and veg through your day in snacks and in meals, with treats and otherwise mixed in with reason. Moderation is key in these things, because if you go "Okay, this is what I can't have!" you're more likely to slip up eventually. Believe it or not you can have your cake and eat once in a while!

Aha. Taking info from another post of yours: CC isn't accurate for anyone under 21 as under 21 year olds are still growing. You're a college fresher, which makes you 18, I believe? Thus, using this calculator for teens http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html, a girl of 18, 173 (taking your middle number), and 5'8 burns:

2040 calories sedentary
2470 calories lightly active

The best way to go about it is to take 500 from your sedentary number and then add any exercise burn to that. Never have a deficit greater than 1000 and never below 1500 calories, the reccomendation for a teen/under 21 year old. This said, to remove 500 calories from your sedentary number would put you at 1500 calories which is bare minimum for your age. As you have a goal of a 40lb loss by next summer, I think it would be more rational for you to take about 250 calories from your sedentary number - so, around 1800 calories - for a loss of 1/2 a lb a week. If you wanted to burn more, you could add in exercise instead of cutting calories instead, but again, never so your burn is under 1500.

A breakdown of 1800 calories:

Breakfast 500
Snack 1 150
Lunch 500
Snack 2 150
Dinner 500
Total 1800

As just one example. If you go with that and the suggestion I posted above - enjoy things in moderation and balance your meals; don't say "no" to things; lifestyle change, not diet! - you may find it less of a struggle. I hope this helps and if you have any more questions please do ask. :]

If you are not exercising and you want to 40 pounds, then 1400 calories is what you are going to have to limit yourself.  Most females, unless they are exercising like crazy or over 6 feet tall, should not have more than 2000 calories.

Tips:

Don't skip breakfast. 

Eat high fiber, high protein foods - for they will make you feel fuller. 

Drink alot of non-calorie beverages. 

Chew gum 

Stay away from cabohydrates at night - cabohydrates are a great energy source, but if you eat them and don't do anything physically active, then you will most likely store the carbs as fat. 

Original Post by lalabanana:

Aha. Taking info from another post of yours: CC isn't accurate for anyone under 21 as under 21 year olds are still growing. You're a college fresher, which makes you 18, I believe? Thus, using this calculator for teens http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html, a girl of 18, 173 (taking your middle number), and 5'8 burns:

2040 calories sedentary
2470 calories lightly active

The best way to go about it is to take 500 from your sedentary number and then add any exercise burn to that. Never have a deficit greater than 1000 and never below 1500 calories, the reccomendation for a teen/under 21 year old. This said, to remove 500 calories from your sedentary number would put you at 1500 calories which is bare minimum for your age. As you have a goal of a 40lb loss by next summer, I think it would be more rational for you to take about 250 calories from your sedentary number - so, around 1800 calories - for a loss of 1/2 a lb a week. If you wanted to burn more, you could add in exercise instead of cutting calories instead, but again, never so your burn is under 1500.

A breakdown of 1800 calories:

Breakfast 500
Snack 1 150
Lunch 500
Snack 2 150
Dinner 500
Total 1800

As just one example. If you go with that and the suggestion I posted above - enjoy things in moderation and balance your meals; don't say "no" to things; lifestyle change, not diet! - you may find it less of a struggle. I hope this helps and if you have any more questions please do ask. :]

Whoa, that's a lot of math! Haha, but I like math, so that's Ok. I understand that when I diet that I shouldn't limit; last 2 times I tried, I stopped because I had to limit. The first time, I didn't know how many calories were in a pizza slice at a restaurant, and I didn't know if I'd be able to eat for the rest of the day. The second time I stopped, It was on the road to a place in Pennsylvania, and my family stopped at an Arby's; the food I wanted there would have taken up half my calorie intake by noon, so I cut it out.

When I try to diet, I count calories in order to try and limit what I eat in a day-- There are times where I'll just eat a bag of cheese doodles in a sitting. >.<   So, to keep me from going nuts like that, I count calories.

Now, I do have access to diet pills (One-A-Day), but I don't want to use them unless I really have to, where I don't see much progress; if it's 6 months later, and I'm still in the 165-170 range, there's something wrong! So, in short, here's what I'm trying to say: Should I use them if no progress is made over the next few months, and if so, should I work out a certain diet around it (such as more protein, more carbs, etc.)?

Original Post by nutritionmike:

If you are not exercising and you want to 40 pounds, then 1400 calories is what you are going to have to limit yourself.  Most females, unless they are exercising like crazy or over 6 feet tall, should not have more than 2000 calories.

Tips:

Don't skip breakfast. 

Eat high fiber, high protein foods - for they will make you feel fuller. 

Drink alot of non-calorie beverages. 

Chew gum 

Stay away from cabohydrates at night - cabohydrates are a great energy source, but if you eat them and don't do anything physically active, then you will most likely store the carbs as fat. 

 Thank you for the tips! These could help me stick to my dieting easier. I never knew that protein foods make you feel fuller; I thought that was carbs! I'll start using these tips. Thanks again! ^.^

I would do what lalabanana said. It sounds just about right. A teen shouldn't go below 1,500 because they are still growing. So 1,500 should be the lowest you ever go.

About the diet pills..dont use any diet pills...they are a bunch of BS. Once you go off them, you regain some of the weight you lost because the aid you had to lose the weight in the first place is no longer there. Stick to natural stuff, like just following a good healthy balanced diet, with the required deficit (of no more than 500 cals)  and you will see the pounds come off slowly but surely AND keep them off ;)

Nutritionmike: That would be applicable if she weren't under 21. Under 21, she is still growing.

To the OP: Diet pills are often placebos and nonsense and won't help you. If you get a balance of all the essential food groups, a good ratio of about 50-60% carbs, 10-20% protein and 25-30% fats, then you'll be good. Also, back to that thing about no limits? If you have a day where you eat over your calories or up to maintainance, brush it off and keep going.

Have you ever heard of a "cheat day"? One day a week or a fortnight eating more or even not counting for one day won't kill your loss as long as you don't go absolutely overboard and can even help speed your metabolism. And if you just have one bad day it's the same mentality: brush yourself off and get back on track the next day.

Original Post by amberliraven:

Now, I do have access to diet pills (One-A-Day), but I don't want to use them unless I really have to

One-A-Day Weight Smart? Those aren't diet pills, those are vitamins that are supposed to be taken when dieting and exercising. They won't cause you to lose weight.

Original Post by lalabanana:

Nutritionmike: That would be applicable if she weren't under 21. Under 21, she is still growing.

To the OP: Diet pills are often placebos and nonsense and won't help you. If you get a balance of all the essential food groups, a good ratio of about 50-60% carbs, 10-20% protein and 25-30% fats, then you'll be good. Also, back to that thing about no limits? If you have a day where you eat over your calories or up to maintainance, brush it off and keep going.

Have you ever heard of a "cheat day"? One day a week or a fortnight eating more or even not counting for one day won't kill your loss as long as you don't go absolutely overboard and can even help speed your metabolism. And if you just have one bad day it's the same mentality: brush yourself off and get back on track the next day.

I've heard of a cheat day, but I'm kind-of afraid to have one because of the fact that with the last 2 times I tried losing weight, I technically had a cheat day and ended up cheating ever since. I didn't know it could speed up your metabolism, though, that's really interesting to hear. I think once it's more in my system and I'm used to doing this lifestyle change, I'll think about having one every now and then. For now, I'll just take it slow, day by day... while working on college papers... >.<

Original Post by emilyd22222:

Original Post by amberliraven:

Now, I do have access to diet pills (One-A-Day), but I don't want to use them unless I really have to

One-A-Day Weight Smart? Those aren't diet pills, those are vitamins that are supposed to be taken when dieting and exercising. They won't cause you to lose weight.

Really??? Oh, so THAT's why my dad got them... teehee >.< Well, since 2 others told me they're BS anyway, I guess I won't take them. If anything, then, I'd take laxatives... actually, scratch that, no I wouldn't... I'm looking for weight loss, not malnutrition. >.<  Guess I gotta do things the old fashined way, but at least it'll be the healthy way, right?