Vitamins and Low Cal Diet

I am a very picky eater, and trust me I have tried to learn to eat things just because I knew they were healthy, but it didn't work.  So...when I started this "healthy lifestyle" I figured I was not eating enough calories and not getting anywhere near the number of nutrients required, so I went to my doctor for guidance, who then sent me to a nutritionist.  We reviewed my diet for approximately 2 weeks and found my calorie intake was too low but what I was eating were the right things.  Obviously the first thing we did was put me on a multivitamin and added a bit more fat in my diet, primarily from peanut butter.

Everything I know and have read states you cannot go lower than 1200 calories a day, and even thats low.  I agree and I get it.  However, if you were to take a multivitamin that has 100% of the RDA for all vitamins and minerals, why would it not be okay to drop below that amount.  You are getting everything you need from the vitamins?

Hi Renee~

First off, I'm not an expert or a nutritionist, just thought I'd share my humble opinion. Vitamins are just nutrient (which we all need) but they don't contain calories (energy). 1200 calories is base amount or the lowest number of calories needed for your body to function. So regardless of the amount of nutrients the body gets you still need the fuel for your body to do all the things it does; digest food, burn fat, operate all your organs, etc.. I'm sure someone else more knowledgable than I can explain it better. But I'm sure you get the jist.

good luck

Calories aren't always counted just for the total nutrition that you need.  They provide energy your body needs to function.  You NEED that amount at LEAST just for your body to function properly.  That means for your brain to function, digestive system to function, breathing and other bodily functions that we actually don't even think about.  If you go to this website, it might explain better than I can.

http://www.globalhealthandfitness.com/calorie s.htm

In short..

Your body (for a female) requires 1,200 calories a day to function properly.  All those calories go directly to your organs, heart, etc. 

If you are not getting 1,200 calories a day, your body will start to use you muscles for fuel.

If you continuously eat less then 1,200 calories day, you will lose weight, not from burning fat, but from burning your muscle.  You can become skinny.  However, you will be a skinny fat person.  Just bones and fat.  No muscle.

+ You will become very unhealthy.

Your body will metabolize itself, almost as though it is "eating itself" if it does not get enough food.  You might lose 50 pounds in 3 months if you don't eat anything or just eat 300 calories per day, but you body will use you muscles in addition to fat to keep itself alive.

Edit: You cannot maintain that lifestyle forever.  If you do, then you will die.  When you start to eat again, the weight will come back and probably more weight will return.

Also, food had more than vitamins.  It has other things like antioxidants, phytochemicals and other material that your body needs.  We do not fully understand everything that food does for us.  It is dangerous to try to do without or with too little.

Do you want this change to last?  If you starve yourself, you will have to travel this road again.  It is better to just do it safely the first time.

Thanks for the response guys...I know you can't drop below 1200, and I know the reasons why, I have no intention of doing so...so no worries.  This is why I see a nutritionist and a my doctor.  I am doing it correctly and under guidance. 

I was just wondering what the impact vitamins have on a diet. It was only a question.

One reason is that in order for your body to process the vitamins, you must have essential fatty acids in your diet.  Those essential fatty acids are what let's your body absorb the vitamins in food or from supplements.

So even if a supplement says it is supplying 100% of some nutrient, that doesn't necessarily mean that your body is absorbing 100% of it.

I just learned this week that while your muscles can turn fat into energy (yeah!!!), the brain does not have this option.  Therefore some calories must be consumed each day just to keep the brain functioning.