starving yourself.

okay so i've been on this website for about 4 months now, and have lost like.. 15-20 lbs. i've been keeping at my 1200 calories or over if i've super active certain days.

i've been starting to get more hungry recently. like hungry right after i eat. so i asked my therapist about it. she was shocked i was only taking in 1200 calories (i'm 5'4", currently 130lbs.) she told me i'm starving myself and she treats people every day with eating disorders and 1200 is not healthy at all. she said that nutrition experts require you eat a minimum of 2000 for your body to function properly.

i have heard the "2000" rule thing before, but always figured they didn't take into account wanting to lose weight. but she was so intent on telling me this is not true, even though i told her i had "done my research" and read many different websites. she said that these websites are all misinformed and this is not healthy.

i really don't know what to think. i want to hear your thoughts on this.

I think you should get a 2nd doctor's opinion.

1200 might be too low for you. It is the bare minimum and you are exercising. I think 2000 might be kinda high for a small, inactive person though. Some people's maintenance might be a little lower than that, but for most women, that is probably a good number (mine is about 2100 a day to maintain) What does this site reccomend for you, or www.phord.com/cc  ?

What is your goal? Cause you are not overweight now. Are you doing any weight lifting?

While 1200 is the absolute minimum calorie intake for a woman who is pretty sedentary, it is only unhealthy if you are not getting your required amount of proteins/fruits/vegetables/etc. It would be unhealthy to continue eating 1200 calories after you have reached your goal weight. Adults who consume 1200 calories and are morre active or not trying to lose weight are essentially forcing their bodies into hibernation.

I think your therapist needs to refer you to a specialist (such as a dietician or nutritional counselor) that can confirm her opinion if she is going to make claims like that. If I ate 2000 calories a day I would weigh 500lbs!

1200 calories is fine for now. If you are really active, eat several hundred calories more. I'm sure you know all this.

From another post, it seems like you are 19. In this case, the minimum for a woman under 21 is 1500 calories.

However, I've never heard that under 2000 is generically unhealthy. Yes, it would be preferable for everyone to workout enough to burn that much and not have to eat below 2000, but in reality, some people's bodies don't burn that much even when they do workout (or they burn about that much, in which case, eating 2000 wouldn't allow them to lose weight, if that's their goal).

2000 is the general number for the average woman to maintain their body weight. 1200 is general number the body needs to perform basic bodily functions. It is a low number, especially if you're not particularly short or you're active. I'd say you could stand to add a few hundred more calories per day and still lose.

in case anyone who's replied comes back...

i know i'm not overweight, my goal was 120. basically close to the least i can weigh and still be healthy. i'm obviously not fat by any means, but i have some extra baggage in certain areas that i don't want. i guess toning exercises might be a better way though. i just lack the motivation. :(

with my height and weight and "sendentary" lifestyle (which isn't true, but i'd rather record my activities individually so i can see their individual affects) this website recommends me a daily goal of 1200, which is what i was aiming for for these last 4 months.

from what i've gathered so far i think a better idea for me is to aim more toward 1500 or at least something a little below 2000. if i can't stand to lose any more weight, i'd like to at least stay where i am now.

thanks for all your opinions and help!

lol, hun I dont think that you are starving yourself!. Offcoarse you dont sound very overwieght to me either. I am 6'2'' and I am only taking in around 2000-2300 calories per my diet plan I weighed 345 one month ago and am 323 now. I used to bodybuild so I have alot of muscle. if you where to take in 2000 calories at your wieght and you want to lose than you need to be building lean muscle wich means working out a little more and eat Less fatty foods its ok to have high protiens. just need to balance your things out a bit and it will come off.

Ps. I did the colon cleanse thing and bought a acia berry suppliment at walgreens for like 10 bucks and lost 14 pounds this week since I took the cleanse and the suppliment. 

just a food for thought youll loose 10-20 just from doing the cleanse and it will be waste not water.

Original Post by phunny_96:

Ps. I did the colon cleanse thing and bought a acia berry suppliment at walgreens for like 10 bucks and lost 14 pounds this week since I took the cleanse and the suppliment. 

 

just a food for thought youll loose 10-20 just from doing the cleanse and it will be waste not water.

 I wouldn't recommend either.... Colon clense is another fad diet IMO so is the Acai berry.