strict calorie counting

Hey everyone,

I am 5ft. 8 and weigh 143 lbs. I know that this is considered a healthy weight, however I am not satisfied. For the past month I have eaten approximately 1200 cal./day but I was seeing absolutely no results. So this past week I on average consumed 700-800 cal. per day and lost about 3 pounds. If I continue doing this until I reach my goal weight of 125 pounds but then up my calories back to around 1200 and increase my excercise will I most likely gain everything and more back, or no? Or can I live off 700-800 per day for the rest of my life? Any suggestions would be great... thank you

i say eat about 1300-1500 but excersise ALOT im talking about an hour or two a day of VIGOUROUS excersice you will raise your metabolism and u will be able to eat more calories.....

brouw1ll, I know this is not what you want to hear, but you are ruining your health.  You can't provide your body the nutrition it needs on 700-800 calories.  You can't even do it on 1200 calories.

Be wise.  Care more about your health than your appearance.  I'm not saying to be disinterested in how you look, I'm just saying, make it second in priority to your health. 

Is this extra weight recently gained? or have you been holding steady for awhile?  If it's the first, then figure out how many calories you need to be at the weight you want, make that your calorie budget, and add more exercise -- either more often or more intensity.  If it's the latter, then lost the weight by eliminating just 100 or so calories a day, and also add in the exercise.

Once you lose your health, it is very hard to get it back again.  So, be wise.  Take care of your health, first, and the weight will take care of itself.

You probably could get the body you want JUST by exercising and forgetting about the calorie counting. You probably weren't losing anything at 1200 because your body probably needs MORE than that to live. Another reason why you didn't lose weight is because it's HARD to fight nature, and nature says that is a PROPER weight for your body. That's why it took drastic measures (i.e., starving). So, like I said, I would go for exercise -- that'll reshape you. Forget the starving, which is what you're doing at 700-800 per day. 5'8" and 125 is insane ... unless your body sits at that weight naturally. Anybody that's at that height and weight naturally is probably wanting to GAIN weight. 

I don't know if it helps but i realized i forgot to say that I am a female, 19 years old and used to be very active and in athletics. I used to work out most days of the week, but now I am seeing better results by just cutting my calories.

So, you don't workout anymore? You don't want to or you can't?

No, I should and I plan on picking excercising back up. So you believe that if I increase my calories and work out around 3-4 times this week and stick to it that I will look ok?and on the path to being healthy?(how many calories do you suggest me eating w/o me gaining the 3 I already lost)  . Maybe I don't need to be 125 pounds but I still don't want to be 143, I hate being 143.

any suggestions?

I am at your exact weight and age and height. It's frustrating to me that I can't lose weight. I gain muscle like mad. I look like a man, biggest quads and calves in the world, but I'm just built, not thin like I want to be. It is so hard in my opinion to be happy at 143. I just want to be thinner. I understand you, but being unhealthy is scary. Just take care of yourself!

Hey I am about the same height (5"8, age: 18)

I completely understand. I have a small-medium frame and I use to be 148 back in May of last year. I didnt cut calories at all but completely changed my exersize habits during the summer and lost about 5 pounds by just being active. I am currently about 139-140 and I want to be in the 130-135 range. I work out everyday for at least an hour and I mix up cardio and strengthening.

I eat between 1600-2000 calories a day. I tried restraining them more but it was too difficult and I didn't feel like I could keep that up for the rest of my life. I was always tired and stressed. So 1600-2000 works great. I stagger my days. On weekends if I go out with friends to eat it's closer to 2000 on weekdays its lower. If I were you I would get on an exersize plan immediately, this helps a lot. But you CERTAINLY need to be eating more. You can't make 700-800 calories a lifestyle and losing 3 per week is too much. Be patient. It takes me a long time to lose weight because I've always been of a more muscular build. So be patient, eat HEALTHY and speed up your metabolism with eating frequently. I hope this helps.

Well its nice to know that there are other ppl in the same situation as me! I am planning on eating around 1500 calories and then excercising daily.... hopefully I can lose 5 pounds before summer. I know that I am not seen as "fat" to many... I just would rather be seen as the slender one... not the normal girl with big thighs and a sort of soft stomach. I think by staggering my calories tho from high to low and then excercising tho might help more and be a little more healthy. Thanks again.... keep me posted tho if either one of you see dramatic results or with whats working for you!