Is eating 500 calories a day unhealthy?

Ok so i've hated my weight for a longggggg time now and have been dieting for around a month and its going quite well but in the last two ish weeks I've been eating less that 500 calories. Ive not been trying to starve myself or anything I've just really not been hungry. I walk around 6 miles s day too and from school, I also go for a 45 minute run once s week and do toning exercises as often as possible. I don't want to force myself to eat when I really don't want to but I also don't want my body to go into starvation mode or whatever I drink enough water and drink 4-6 cups of green tea a day.. I was just wondering what to do I do want to be healthy.

Yes, it's unhealthy.

You likely need to be eating at least 1800 (for an active teen girl).

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Wessjatson, it sounds like you are headed down a dark path. The extreme calorie restriction (which is actually a starvation level of calories) coupled with exercise can be detrimental if it is continued for a substantial period of time.

Have you used a calculator to determine how many calories you burn? Here is one that is made for teens (Calorie Count's tools are only accurate for folks over 21). In order to lose 1/2-1 pound per week, you simply need to burn 250-500 calories more than you take in each day, as long as you're hitting the bare minimums for active teens (1,800 for teen girls).

If you continue down the road you're on, here is what you have to look forward to:

Adequate nutrition has two components, necessary nutrients and energy in the form of calories. It is possible to ingest enough energy without a well-balanced selection of individual nutrients and produce diseases that are noticeably different from those resulting from an overall insufficiency of nutrients and energy. Although all foods are a source of energy for the human body, it is possible to consume a seemingly adequate amount of food without getting the required minimum of energy (calories).

Since the body will combat malnutrition by breaking down its own fat and eventually its own tissue, a whole host of symptoms can appear. The body's structure, as well as its functions, are affected. Starved adults may lose as much as 50% of their normal body weight.Characteristic symptoms of starvation include:

• shrinkage of such vital organs as the heart, lungs, ovaries, or testes, and gradual loss of their functions
• chronic diarrhea
• anemia
• reduction in muscle mass and consequent weakness
• lowered body temperature combined with extreme sensitivity to cold
• decreased ability to digest food because of lack of digestive acid production
• irritability and difficulty with mental concentration
• immune deficiency
• swelling from fluid under the skin
• decreased sex drive

Alright thanks, I guess I'll have to force myself to eat or something.

Just to clarify with everyone I do not have an eating disorder or body dis morphia and was not purposely restricting myself, like I said I've just completely lost my appetite recently, of course I want to be healthy and dont want any of those problems, I if this continues I will begin to higher my calorie intake like I said though I doesn't see very healthy to force yourself to eat when your body is telling you not, I will go see my doctor or something I guess.

Unless you have a stomach virus, it's unhealthy to eat only 500 calories a day.  Your body needs energy to function. Thermodynamics doesn't lie.  

One of the earliest symptoms of undereating is a loss of appetite. Start eating more and that will quickly return. At this point, you'll be doing something far more unhealthy if you continue to eat 500 calories a day than you would by "forcing" yourself to eat.

If you have trouble eating a large volume of food, try eating things that are more calorie dense: nuts, nut butters, avocado, olive oil, butter, etc.

You need to raise your calorie intake NOW. There is no need to wait.

I know it's a little odd I was kinda worried. But I promise I'm not purposley restricting.

I understand all of this but how am I supposed to carry on with my diet if I'm Eating high calorie foods? More exercise?

The idea is to eat more than 500 calories a day by incorporating high calorie foods.

Edit: What are your stats? Age, height, weight?

15, 5'6, 135lbs, goal weight 105lbs.

Your goal of 105 pounds would put you at an underweight BMI of 17. That's not healthy.

You're already at a healthy weight for your height. As a matter of fact, you're in the lower 50% of the healthy BMI range for your height. While you can lose and still be at a healthy weight, it's not needed for health.

What is it about being at your current weight that you "hate"?

My thighs are huge and my stomach is so flabby!

Eat and go to the gym.  Start lifting weights.  

I Am eating, and alright I already do toning exercises quite often.

500 calories a day does not qualify as eating.  500 calories a day barely qualifies as breakfast.  If by toning, you mean pink 2-5lb dumbbells, ditch them and get to a barbell.  Lift heavy things.  

I said in the first post thing this is not my usual eating habit, before this two week period of 500 calorie eating, my calorie intake was about 14/1700 (this was at the start of my diet) And I do pilaties and yoga. And I thought lifting heavy weights gave you huge muscles?

It does if you inject yourself with testosterone and eat 3000 calories a day.

Yes it's unhealthy, trying eating food that are healthy and small amounts 5 times a day, this speeds up your metabolism, also remember excersise is the key to weight lose (:

Original Post by wessjatson:

I said in the first post thing this is not my usual eating habit, before this two week period of 500 calorie eating, my calorie intake was about 14/1700 (this was at the start of my diet) And I do pilaties and yoga. And I thought lifting heavy weights gave you huge muscles?

Unless you are eating at a surplus and/or taking steroids or testosterone, no, you will not end up looking like she-man (or without the riods, a hard core fitness model). 

In a thread on the fitness forums had a link (http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/fitness/ things-girlfriend-know-article) that said that Victoria Secret models lift weights, I doubt you or anyone think they are bulky or have big muscles. Ok she-man and VS models are two extremes but no one wakes up one day like either of them, you have to be on a serious lifting and eating routine for months or even years.

Quote from article: 

Yes, Victoria Secret models are doing squats and deadlifts.  And yes, that is completely hot.