1400 Calories to lose weight? I will starve-HELP!

Hi-I am mostly a Vegan ( I eat fish and shrimp a couple times a month)and know I am or have been eating too much. Have been on CC for a week and keeping track of what I eat has helped.

I classified myself as moderately active and it told me I should eat about 1700 calories a day-but then I would add under activities my gym workouts (Burning about 500). Then I thought maybe I should reduce to lightly active since I am adding in the gym activities? Then CC says eat 1400 calories.

I don't know if I can do it-how do vegans/vegetarians on this site keep their energy up on 1400 calories a day? When nut butters and nuts are so calorie dense? I eat mostly whole foods-grains, beans, veggies and fruits and nuts.

I can say I am eating less at 1700 cals-was probably getting 2500 before last week.

I am 5'6" and 152-goal is 138-

Any thoughts? Thanks so much.

how can you be close to vegan if you eat animal meat a few times a month?  mostly vegan to me means you might eat jello a few times a year or honey by accident...

you are pescatarian... live it and own it!  no shame in it, you eat what you both ethically and nutritionally wish to eat. 

as to the nutrition level, you can eat TONS of veggies on a 1400 cal diet, 2-4 tbsp of nuts/nut butters per day, and another protein source as well  lower your carb intake and you will be able to eat more volume (i.e. 2-4 servings (1 slice of bread per serving) of carbs per day as they are highly caloric and with your mostly veggie diet, not entirely necessary).

I'm sorry, but I would not even know what Pescatarian is-guess I will have to look that up.

The main point I was trying to get across is that I don't eat dairy and that is a big protein source and since I am relatively new at avoiding most animal products, I am and have been eating a ton of vegetables but I am still really hungry.  If I had peanut butter twice a day (or once and a handful of walnuts on my oatmeal) that would be about 400 calories -to build the rest of my diet around that with only 1000 cals left seems incredibly difficult and hunger inducing. Guess that's why it is so hard.

When I dieted before and was eating dairy or meat I was more satisfied with an egg or some cheese. Now I find myself ravenous.

Hi, I'm a vegeterian but i do eat dairy and fish. Guess I'll be told i'm not a vegetarian. I don't care, I just don't eat bloody animals .  Anyways I can't live without dairy, especially cheese.

I use Alpro milk (tofu milk) and the fresh kind is pretty good for your morning cereal. I also eat a lot of tofu. Very good in stir fry, usually buy the pre- made marinated ones. Or plain and I chop it up and throw it in a soup. (Which is a real filler). I started with 1800 cal, now I'm down to 1600. I don't know if I would have been able to do this right off with 1400.  Maybe you need to take it slower for your body to adjust?

good luck!

Hi Future,

I'm a pescitarian, and I'm also a runner, and I understand your alarm at 1400 calories!  I usually eat around 1450, but more on days where I exercise a lot.

I hate feeling hungry and deprived - here's a few tips I've picked up:

• Protein fills you up - try and have some with every meal - you will feel fuller for longer - low fat dairy, beans, lentils, fish
• Eat lots of fibre - again you will feel fuller for longer. 
• You can eat heaps of vegetables and fruit, and they have very few calories
• Explore the GI index.  Low GI foods release energy slower and keep you fuller for longer
• Avoid refined sugars - you will feel hungry again soon after eating them
• Try eating 4 or five smaller meals instead of 3 big ones.
• Tailor your calorie intake to your day.  For example, Sunday's I do a long run, and using the exercise tool here, I calculate that I burn over 1000 calories, so on that day I can eat a lot more and still have a defecit of 500 - 800 kCals.
• Even on light exercise days, never go lower than 1400 calories.  The hunger isn't worth it. 
• And if you  are really hungry - have a maintenence day - it's not a race to the finish, and one day won't hurt too much in the grand scheme of things.

Good luck 

Original Post by aoifek:

Hi Future,

 and fruit, and they have very few calories

• And if you  are really hungry - have a maintenence day - it's not a race to the finish, and one day won't hurt too much in the grand scheme of things.

Good luck 

 Shoot... have a few maintenence days.  I had lots of those and still got to my goal weight.  Maybe it was a bit slower than some other people, but I was happy and still reached my goal in the end.

Focus on eating lots of veggies.  Broccoli is one that really fills me up and lasts a while. 

Thank you for all the helpful posts. I would love to be back running and hope to soon-I have a knee issue- and even without that on days when I am incredibly active the 1400 seems like starvation.

Love the maintenence idea and think that if I tailor it to my activity level I will be ok. I guess I am just worried about not losing at all and being stuck here like I have been -time will tell and I will get on the scale again today!

I am a vegetarian (no animals of any kind), but also avoid most dairy because I am lactose intolerant.  I also work out 5-6 days a weeks burning an extra 500-1,000 calories each time.  I was similarly shocked when I first started counting calories when I discovered that I was previously eating over 2,000 calories a day and feeling hungry - I had a hard time wrapping my head around eating even less.  However, I have just become more aware of what I eat and the calories involved.  For instance, I like to get protein from peanut butter or cashew butter, but instead of putting it in a sandwhich (an extra 300 calories form the whole wheat bread), I put it on celery (only about 10 calories).  Not only do I still get protein from the peanut butter, but I also get fiber from the celery.  Another example is the homemade soup I just had for lunch - lots of veggies, some whole wheat orzo, and barley and I am stuffed only 250 calories.  For snack I'll have a bag of carrots - less than 100 calories.  When I need something more substantial, especially protein-wise, I have Luna bars.  I hope that helps - I know that I have been shocked at how satisfied I can be on 1400 calories. 

your answer: increase your fiber, protein and water.

Do not underestimate the power of protein filled-breakfast to curb your apetite for the rest of the day. 

There are a lot of good vegan and vegitarian protein powders out there, makes a good afternoon snack.   And the stuff they make with tofu now is amazing.  I am a meat eater but still eat a lot of tofu products b/c frankly I liek them. :)  so I know they are out there.  (My sis is a vegan)

Also 5-6 small meals is always better than 2-3 large ones.  For the waist line and the growly tummy.

<<<how can you be close to vegan if you eat animal meat a few times a month?  mostly vegan to me means you might eat jello a few times a year or honey by accident...

you are pescatarian... live it and own it!  no shame in it, you eat what you both ethically and nutritionally wish to eat. 

as to the nutrition level, you can eat TONS of veggies on a 1400 cal diet, 2-4 tbsp of nuts/nut butters per day, and another protein source as well  lower your carb intake and you will be able to eat more volume (i.e. 2-4 servings (1 slice of bread per serving) of carbs per day as they are highly caloric and with your mostly veggie diet, not entirely necessary).>>>

ITA. And I have never understood "vegetarians" *side eye* who eat fish and then claim that they don't eat animals. *additional side eye* Where does this classification come from? Fish feel pain just like cows, deer, or chicken. Eat what you want to eat, just don't try to stand on some kind of moral high ground judging others when you do the same thing.

I am a vegetarian. I don't eat meat of any kind. I also don't eat dairy because I am lactose intolerant, but I would never say that I am a vegan. Veganism involves a level of consciousness about the possible use of animal by products that I can't even begin to fathom. For example, reading every single ingredient on a MAC lipstick.

I'm an unapologetic carnivore. I'll eat meet anytime, anywhere and will use unscrupulous means to get it if I have to. I've never met a cheeseburger I don't like.

But just for the record -

pescatarian - a dietary choice in which a person, known as a pescetarian, eats any combination of vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans and fish or invertebrate seafood, but will not eat mammals or birds. Some animal products like eggs and dairy may or may not be part of a pescetarian diet plan.

Vegan - a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. The most common reasons for becoming a vegan are an ethical commitment or moral conviction concerning animal rights, the environment, human health, and spiritual or religious concerns. Of particular concern to many vegans are the practices involved in factory farming and animal testing, and the intensive use of land and other resources required for animal farming.

Vegetarian - a diet that excludes meat (including game and slaughter by-products), fish (including shellfish and other sea animals) and poultry. There are several variants of the diet, some of which also exclude eggs and/or some products produced from animal labor such as dairy products and honey.

I have increased the fiber and I put it in smoothies excetera. A good one is milled flax seed.  Only 2 tablespoons a day really helps. It really fills you up! Also it helps with that stubborn stomache weight! Remember the 2 Fs and less stress. Fiber,

good fats and reduced stress. Did you know that cottage cheese contains more protein than a steak? Thought Id throw that one out there! Good luck

Cool!  I'm a pescatarian from now on!!! too bad that hardly anyone knows what that means......

Original Post by yogidrink:

Cool!  I'm a pescatarian from now on!!! too bad that hardly anyone knows what that means......

Why would you say "hardly anyone?"  I would think "anyone" with a rudimentary knowledge of latin-based words would recognize "pes" as meaning "fish."  To me, it seems obvious.  I'm sure I'm not alone.  Just my 2 cents. 

Original Post by yogidrink:

Cool!  I'm a pescatarian from now on!!! too bad that hardly anyone knows what that means......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescetarianism

The Vegetarian Society also weighed in...

http://www.vegsoc.org/fish/

" Eat what you want to eat, just don't try to stand on some kind of moral high ground judging others when you do the same thing."

 

 I am not sure if that was aimed at me or not-but I in no way was trying to stand on any moral ground. I, ignorantly, used the wrong word in looking for weight loss support. I don't eat dairy and I don't eat meat and that provides challenges in the protein department and the feeling full department. My reasons for avoiding those foods do have some moral and ecological concerns as well as health concerns.

I, personally, give anyone credit for trying to make themselves and the earth that we live on a bit more healthy. 

Thank you for the helpful posts-I have been enjoying some celery with my natural peanut butter! And I do eat 5-6 small meals a day -it helps a great deal. 

PS- I took three years of Latin in high school-got A's. And could not recall that Pes means fish.

Umm...it was only directed at those who do aspire to occupy said moral high ground. If that's not you...good...if the shoe does fit...