To think eating 1500 cals daily is unsustainable?

[savedbythewell]

And if you disagree, how do you do it?
How do you satisfy your appetite and what weight loss is reasonable monthly, if three stone overweight

I'm only 5 foot tall and 8st 11, so 1400 is more than enough for me, I don't feel hungry on that! More than 1500-1600 and I'd put weight on, and after losing 51lb a few years back I wouldn't want to do that again!

@CaliforniaDrumming

Will never understand why eating 3 meals a day of non processed food with plenty of fruit, protein and veg- roughly 400 to 500 calories each- plus a snack is now considered diet culture. I would call it avoiding diabetes and heart disease in your 50s culture. I do this. It is not a diet.

Absolutely. All that ‘protect the NHS’ bullshit with covid, when what the nation really needs to do is eat a healthier unprocessed diet (and do some exercise ) to really protect the nhs. Obesity increases risk of everything - dementia, cancer, heart disease, strokes.

If we truly learn to live ourselves we would take better care of our bodies.

@SexyLittleNosferatu I would truly love to be able to do that, I really would. But I'm a single parent, I'm all my daughter has in the world. I have to prioritise my health, and losing weight is the best way for me to do that. And that's not because I believe being fat is inherently unhealthy, but because evidence shows that the medical profession miss health problems in fat people because they blame all symptoms on their weight, and because I know it will be better for my mental health if I'm able to date at some point and I know that will be harder while I'm overweight, and because I need to progress in my career and we know from evidence that fat people get passed over for promotion and and and. The world is not built for fat people. And I can't change the world. But I can change me. What else would you suggest I do? (And that's a genuine question, not a snarky one.)

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread who have to eat sub-1500 calories a day to lose weight. So you’re burning less than that? That’s crazy. For me, this totally proves that reducing calorie intake over time reduces your BMR so you have to eat less to stay a healthy weight.

@CaliforniaDrumming

Will never understand why eating 3 meals a day of non processed food with plenty of fruit, protein and veg- roughly 400 to 500 calories each- plus a snack is now considered diet culture. I would call it avoiding diabetes and heart disease in your 50s culture. I do this. It is not a diet.

Yes!

@pattish

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread who have to eat sub-1500 calories a day to lose weight. So you’re burning less than that? That’s crazy. For me, this totally proves that reducing calorie intake over time reduces your BMR so you have to eat less to stay a healthy weight.

I don't think that's true.

Let's say my tdee is 1800 (as I'm short) and I eat 1500 a day to lose weight.

You need a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1lb of fat. That means it's going to take me more than 10 days to even lose one pound. I'm still losing - my metabolism is working perfectly, I just haven't got a big enough deficit for the noticeable weight loss that most people want when they are on a diet. To lose 2lb a week you need a 7000 calorie deficit - that's 1000 calories less per day than you're burning.

Assuming I do not much exercise I'd need to eat 800 calories a day just to lose my desired 2lb a week

Nothing to do with your metabolism being broken.

“ Assuming I do not much exercise I'd need to eat 800 calories a day just to lose my desired 2lb a week”

Exactly what my GP told me. Said she sees a lot of people for whom weight loss is only possible at that kind of calorie level.

exactly. I know that those numbers are scary, but knowing that it does just come down to the numbers (and energy in vs energy out) and not some intangible magic is really empowering.

@SausagePourHomme

exactly. I know that those numbers are scary, but knowing that it does just come down to the numbers (and energy in vs energy out) and not some intangible magic is really empowering.

Haven’t read the whole thread, will do tomorrow

But seeing the reality is what made me decide to stop trying to lose weight.

Off the back of this thread I kept a proper track today, and I came in at 1465. That’s being sensible but in no way restrictive. I had porridge with almond milk and honey for breakfast, hummus and avocado wrap for lunch, half a Kit Kat mid afternoon, fish, chips and peas for my dinner, and about half a pint of skimmed milk in coffee through the day. I feel plenty full on that. And I could cut it down without feeling hungry if I swapped for a veg heavier / carb lighter meal in the evening.

@SausagePourHomme

Minnesota starvation experiment.

[quote Eeksteek]@SausagePourHomme

Minnesota starvation experiment.[/quote]
The starvation experiment is not like me, a fat adult woman of free will, deciding to slightly limit my food intake to control my weight.

There's never been a time in history when food was so abundant and everywhere. People's calorie intake would have been restricted for all but the most wealthy. Limiting calories is nothing new, and the alternative for me is poor health and limited lifespan. I have to do it.

Its all very well saying we shouldn't have to restrict. For some people that's great, for others like me, it is necessary in order to get healthy.

my understanding of both the minnesota study and the one on prisoners of war was that there was no long term effects physically however their mental health suffered long term.
oddly there seems to be 101 youtube claims to all sorts from benefits to detriments.

@pattish

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread who have to eat sub-1500 calories a day to lose weight. So you’re burning less than that? That’s crazy. For me, this totally proves that reducing calorie intake over time reduces your BMR so you have to eat less to stay a healthy weight.

Don’t think you’ve entirely understood what “proof” is if you’ve come to that conclusion from the level of detail in the posts in this thread.

@Madre123

We have cut out carbs, sugar, processed foods etc...we now eat a balanced diet...fruit, veg, salad and meat or fish every day.....it's easy

See I like to hear other peoples take on things. As I am on a weight loss programme via the GP. And you know with the NHS, it is all about the healthy living plate. So telling you that your diet should mostly consist of fruit/veg and complex starchy carbs 🤷🏻‍♀️ With a little protein, dairy, fat, then sugary things as tiny of course. We were told the body does not need that protein if at all 🤦‍♀️ Okay, they are trying to help you build healthy habits, rather than cut out whole food groups.

But years ago after being diagnosed with PCOS, within those first few years, I was diagnosed Metformin, I used to walk a lot anyway, plus ten years younger, so makes a massive difference in terms of what you were doing in your life then and metabolism etc.
And I ate breakfast/lunch, sometimes an actual hot dinner, but I must admit I usually just ate sweet things in the eve, after work feelings, not good I know. I changed some bits around, cut things out/added in other things. Still had carbs but changed a few things. And I lost 3 stone! Plus I was trying to add more protein too, so something must of worked!

@CaliforniaDrumming

Will never understand why eating 3 meals a day of non processed food with plenty of fruit, protein and veg- roughly 400 to 500 calories each- plus a snack is now considered diet culture. I would call it avoiding diabetes and heart disease in your 50s culture. I do this. It is not a diet.

Three years ago I ate 1500-1600 a day to lose weight after a stressful situation (I was in the healthy zone but upper region). I went underweight and very ill.

Eating that low was diet culture for me. I developed intolerances and allergies as a result of undereating.

I think your advice is better tweaked to three filling meals a day and wholesome, unprocessed food. By including calorie amounts in your post you’re overlooking that a lot of people eg 6 foot women like me need a lot more than that per day. What we need to learn is to eat good food, to eat what we need and stop when we’re full.

@NumberTheory

I’ve posted before that there is scientific evidence of this - a quick Google will find it. So yes, ‘proves’ in this sense is a figure of speech, but I think you know what I mean.

Why else would there be people eating fewer than 1500 calories a day (in some case sub-1000) who are still not losing weight? A personal with a healthy BMR who isn’t completely sedentary will burn more than that.

And I think the refusal of some to believe that restrictive diets mess up your metabolism shows how psychologically damaging focusing on calorie counting is. It makes you obsessed with numbers and you miss the actual solution, even if it’s right in front of your nose.

I walk 10k steps a day and lift weights 3 times a week. I still need to eat less than 1500 calories a day to lose weight. Weight loss at anything above 1200 calories is slow and so intermittent it can be undone by one birthday party or whatever.

I don't understand what the suggestion is for people like me. Maybe I have fucked up my metabolism, who knows. But it is what it is and I am where I am. What else can I do in order to lose weight? Because this - counting calories religiously and ensuring what I DO eat is mostly protein, veg and good fats - is the thing that has worked for me consistently and medium term (haven't got to long term yet!) - and I genuinely can't see that anything else would work.

Just for fun, I entered my diet for the last 3 days. Easily between 1300 and 1600 each day. I eat well and healthily.

However, I didn't add the bank holiday ciders and large quantities of cake. So yes, it's v easy to eat that number of calories- if you don't eat treat things. As I apparently only burn 1600 calories a day, I just need to be mindful.

I think a lot of people graze more than they think too. Dh always comments on my chocolate habit and says he can't understand why his big belly isn't going, when he doesn't eat it.

No, but I often find him with a mouth full of cheese or whatever, if he's passing the kitchen. I know chocolate is bad for me, so I'm aware of eating it. A blob of cheese here, a slice of bread there... dh doesn't see that add up. And apparently he only eats 3 meals.

If your trying to lose weight eating 1500 calories is a decent amount. Your not going to starve as you body has enough stored.
Pick lean meats and fish, good quality carbs and plenty of vegetables some fruit plus some good fats.
For years we've lived in portion distortion. Meat should be as big as your palm, veggies like 2 cupped hands and carbs about as big as a fist.
2000 cals for a female is loads.

[quote pattish]@NumberTheory

I’ve posted before that there is scientific evidence of this - a quick Google will find it. So yes, ‘proves’ in this sense is a figure of speech, but I think you know what I mean.

Why else would there be people eating fewer than 1500 calories a day (in some case sub-1000) who are still not losing weight? A personal with a healthy BMR who isn’t completely sedentary will burn more than that.[/quote]
Physics is physics. Energy has to come from somewhere. If you don't put it in your mouth you body has to use its fat stores.

@pattish

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread who have to eat sub-1500 calories a day to lose weight. So you’re burning less than that? That’s crazy. For me, this totally proves that reducing calorie intake over time reduces your BMR so you have to eat less to stay a healthy weight.

The problem is more our sedentary lifestyles. When I started WFH, I was shocked to discover I barely get 2000 steps a day if I have a day when I just stay at home and work. If I go for a 30-40 minute walk, I can increase this to around 5000-6000 steps which is still a low level of activity compared to someone with a more physical or active job. Obviously I try my best to be more active than this but it's not easy for various reasons (time, cost etc.)

When food packets say most women need 2000 calories a day, they are not talking about the middle aged 5ft2 tall desk workers who definitely don't need anywhere near 2000 calories a day.

It's also ridiculously hard to get steps in. I'm in my feet in work from 8-5 and I barely get to 5000. Feels like I've walked miles though (which I do at weekends)I do lots of micro movements though- lots of kids off stepping side to side, such I don't think counts.