500 calories diet ?

[blissfulbride]

I know everyone says not to starve yourself, because you wont lose weight. but then if that were true there would be fat anorexics.
I''m going to try this diet and ive been working out everyday on top of it burning 300cals.

has anyone been crazy enought to try it like i am ?

 

[Linda W]

500 calories a day???? That is so unhealthy!!! You would be better off eating 3 nutritious meals a day and healthy snacks. Exercising on top of that, you will drop the weight in no time.

Why don''t you join us on the Healthier Lifestyle Thread. Everyone is so wonderful and you will find so many wonderful ideas to help you lose weight.


Linda

 

[Dee*Jay]

I would think your metabolism would pretty much shut down on 500 cals and you would actually end up not loosing weight because your body would be conserving everything you put into it. I think the threshold for what your body needs to keep functioning well is about 1200 cals/day. Why not try 1200 cals and work out for a week and see if that yields any results before you go for the 500 version?

 

[FrekeChild]

Um. 500 calories a day is STUPID. If you start reading nutrition literature you''ll find out that not only does your metabolism shut down, and your body stores EVERY SINGLE CALORIE you take in as FAT, but at one point if you continue doing so, your body will literally start eating at your muscles.

I would never EVER drop below 1,000 calories a day because it''s incredibly dangerous.

Take it from an ex-anorexic.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/23/2008 3:38:40 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
I would think your metabolism would pretty much shut down on 500 cals and you would actually end up not loosing weight because your body would be conserving everything you put into it. I think the threshold for what your body needs to keep functioning well is about 1200 cals/day. Why not try 1200 cals and work out for a week and see if that yields any results before you go for the 500 version?

Ditto Linda and Dee. Personally I don't think it is advisable in any way to try to eat so few calories, and it can be dangerous!!

I have lived by working out and eating in moderation now for the past few years, and I am in the best shape of my life, and after all those years I did of crash dieting - they didn't do a thing to help me lose weight or keep it off!

 

[steph72276]

Ditto to the above...plus, no one can keep up 500 cals a day, so what do you think your body will do when you go back to eating regularly? You will most likely gain it all back plus some b/c your body will be in starvation mode and it will want to hold on to all fat in case you decide to starve it again. Trust me as someone who has been on every diet there is and finally lost 70 lbs. by eating healthy, between 1300-1600 cals a day and working out 4-5 days per week. That is the only way you are going to get lasting results. Please join the Healthy Lifestyle Thread. It is great and everyone is supportive. I know it is hard and you want quick results, but you will just end up in this same position after you go off this drastic diet.

 

[Linda W]

Freke, So glad you are OK now. That is so dangerous.

Linda

 

[Anna0499]

Date: 7/23/2008 3:48:14 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Um. 500 calories a day is STUPID. If you start reading nutrition literature you'll find out that not only does your metabolism shut down, and your body stores EVERY SINGLE CALORIE you take in as FAT, but at one point if you continue doing so, your body will literally start eating at your muscles.

I would never EVER drop below 1,000 calories a day because it's incredibly dangerous.

Take it from an ex-anorexic.

Ditto Freke! 500 calories/day is not a "diet," it's unhealthy and close to starvation. You are not taking into account that your body burns calories through its normal daily functions. It will take you longer to lose weight on this "diet," guaranteed. Also, please keep in mind that anorexics are thin but some are just as unhealthy as obese people.

ETA: I noticed that you also posted a question about the "Brazilian Diet." I would suggest that you join the Healthier Lifestyle thread and just cut out the "junk food" in your diet and focus on exercising instead of finding some "Get Thin Quick" method for weight loss. Most of those programs don't work, and if they do it happens unnaturally and you will gain the weight back anyway. If there was a fool-proof, easy way to do it we would all be doing it!

 

[Sparkle_Girl]

hey blissfullbride i am was anneroxic for 4 long years when i was younger and yes i have gone thru those days of eating even less than 500 calories a day at the time but just be careful dont do it for too long because i almost died and when i realized i had gone too far with my "Diet" i was in the hospital with tubes in me and it was almost too late.......what a horrible time in my life but i am so glad that is over.......just giving you ha heads up please be careful....

 

[miraclesrule]

500 calories a day??? That''s not going to stick over the long haul.

You are better off fasting for three days while you cleanse your colon, and then eat raw foods with minimal processed carbs as you work up to a sensible diet and caloric intake.

For instance, I do a 3-day fast every year to heal the colon that I am sure gets abused during the year when I am not as kind to my body as should with my food. (I am a fiend for the Trader Joe 100-calorie pack of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies)

After my cleanse I start with juicing and then progress to raw foods with minimal high sugar fruits by the 5th day. I stick to berries, pears, and I have to eat my pink lady apples. I am an addict for those apples. Then I am back to my normally healthy way of eating.

If your goal is long term, the 500 calorie diet will actually deter you from your goal, because your body will compensate by slowing the metabolism.

Like Freke said. 500 calories a day is STUPID. I know that sounds harsh, but it''s true.

 

[Anna0499]

Date: 7/23/2008 4:10:03 PM
Author: Sparkle_Girl

hey blissfullbride i am was anneroxic for 4 long years when i was younger and yes i have gone thru those days of eating even less than 500 calories a day at the time but just be careful dont do it for too long because i almost died and when i realized i had gone too far with my ''Diet'' i was in the hospital with tubes in me and it was almost too late.......what a horrible time in my life but i am so glad that is over.......just giving you ha heads up please be careful....

I''m so glad you have recovered from your disease, but must say that I disagree with your advice...I would suggest not doing it AT ALL. I dealt with many anorexics in my undergrad years and they never begin this type of radical and unhealthy "diet" thinking they will do it for a long time. Most think they will only do it until they lose x amount of weight, but they become hooked, thus, the reason why it is a disease. It is a slippery slope once you begin, so I would suggest not starting at all.

 

[Sparkle_Girl]

you know indy girl you are absolutely right ......i just started a "diet" in the 8th grade and then i got freakin CRAZY all through 9th - 12th grade highschool which is suposed to be the best days of your life i was so crazy about not eating and being skinny i sacrificed having any friends to not eat isnt that nuts! its like it thought if i had any friends then they would want to hang out which would lead to eating out and i didnt want to do that now so i just avoided people all together i cant believe what a mess i ended up in wow all i cared about was getting straight A''s on my report card and not eating.......wow high school really stunk all my fault....i am so glad my desease id gone.....oh and then from not eating enough for all of those years led to my heart being VERY WEAK so i ended up having heart surgery at the age of 19!!!!! im sorry i am vinting alot about this i havent talked about it in a while i guess....

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I personally know many "fat anorexics". In fact, I was one myself. Not anorexic to the point of not eating anything, but I wasn''t eating much in calories and very little of it was truly nutritious. I''m now eating between 1400 and 1700 calories a day (depending on gym time) and working out 3-5 days a week for an hour and I''ve gone from a size 12/14 to an 8 in about 4 months. I do have to point out however that the calories I''m eating I''m tracking in a calorie counter and I try to focus on eating a balanced diet full of fiber, veggies, and fruit. I''m 5''6" and still around 150lbs, but while I''ve only lost 15-20lbs, I''m significantly smaller size-wise. That''s thanks to the gym time.

You can also be fat and skinny. I was in college when I was essentially living off of soup and Xenadrine. I was 120 lbs, size 6 and I had little to no muscle tone.

 

[KimberlyH]

Blissful, you really need to work past the idea of a quick fix, and make healthy adjustments to your current lifestyle (diet and exercise) so that you can achieve and maintain long term health that has less to do with the number on a scale and more to do with overall wellbeing. Eating 500 calories a day and burning 300 calories a day is starvation. Can you lose weight doing so? Sure. Iis it good for you? Absolutely not. Why are you so averse to eating right and exercising, which will give you the best results in the long run?

 

[blissfulbride]

Thanks ladies so much ! I''m just so sick of myself that im doing whatever it takes to feel normal again. I''ve been so depressed lately that I dont care what it take to lose. I am using www.sparkpeople.com and I''ll up my calories starting next monday. I''ll keep it at 1000 !

 

[phoenixgirl]

Oh Blissfulbride, please follow Sparkpeople''s recommendations for how many calories you need to eat a day. I really don''t think 1,000 is healthy, not to mention 500 (were you saying you are going to keep eating 500 a day until Monday?). Thinking of anorexics as a model for how you want to lose weight should be a red flag to you that you are in the danger zone.

It is true that our emotions are linked to our physical shape, so yes I think that getting in better shape could help you feel better (endorphins and boosted energy and flexibility, which just make you feel "happier"), but starving yourself is not going to result in feeling better. Best case scenario, you''re really hungry and start eating smarter. Worst case scenario, you get a "high" from starving yourself and develop an eating disorder. Neither of those sounds like fun, does it?

You mentioned feeling depressed. I hope that you''ll talk to your doctor about these feelings or set up an appointment with a counselor. If you are clinically depressed, starving yourself will not make you feel better, but medication and/or therapy could.

The only sustainable way to lose and maintain weight is to eat a healthy, balanced diet of just the right number of calories and to be active. Otherwise, you will just be another yo-yo dieter who is gambling with your health.

There is no quick fix or cure for how you feel right now. But we''re here to be your cheering section as you do it the tried and true way -- exercise, healthy eating.

 

[dragonfly411]

I definitely recommend keeping it at 1000 or above. Take some time to go to sites like self magazine, fitness, etc. They have healthy meals listed and aim for a 1200 calorie a day count. That combined with exercise should do the trick. It takes a while (trust me it took me 6 months to get to where I am) but you are less likely to re gain the weight. Eat foods that help burn fat, and boost metabolism. Eat proteins to help ward off unwarranted hunger. Here''s my general meal plan:
Breakfast - 1 egg with laughing cow low calorie swiss cheese fried or scrambled into an omelet. Half a grapefruit, and some tea.
Mid morning snack : 1 apple, or 9 Quaker oat mini rice cakes
Lunch - one of the following : salad with berries of some sort, feta cheese, some flax seed sprinkled over light dressing of choice, fruit salad , chicken with veggies on the side, a big heaping plate of steamed veggies, salmon and lima beans, tuna salad or chicken salad on whole wheat with a veggie on the side, or just the chicken or tuna salad with some kind of side. Lunch is usually my biggest meal.
Mid afternoon - quaker granola bar 90 cal or celery with peanut butter
Dinner - anything similar to lunch, or some variants such as whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, risotto with broccoli and raisins, salad with chicken and some vegetable, or tacos on whole wheat tortillas. Sometimes a whole wheat burrito from Moes.
I allow myself to have that extra cookie or extra chocolate now and again, but those are a TREAT not a necessity. I work out every morning for an hour, combining cardio and strength/sculpting and also two to three nights a week sculpting. I make room for a little yoga every day but that''s not everyone''s cup of tea.
Seriously, take a look at Self, it''s been my lifeline! Ciao!!

 

[kcoursolle]

While semi-starvation diets cut the weight in the short run, they actually pack on the pounds and lead to yo-yoing in the end. They do lower your metabolism and when you start eating normally again you either binge or pack on the weight. I think staying more like 1200 you will be more likely to keep the weight off and still see semi-dramatic results.

If you really want to jump start your body I suggest doing a high-fiber, rich in antioxidants, low calorie diet for 3-4 days and then switching to a high lean protein (fish/chicken/eggs) + fruits and vegatables after that, and then slowly adding in low-glycemic carbs. For the first 3-4 days you can totally change your palate, feel full, and loose a bunch of water weight if you mostly eat just plain raw fruits and vegetables, legumes (almonds, beans, etc.) and drink lots of water. I really wouldn''t recommend going going below 1200 calories per day no matter what you decide.

 

[Anna0499]

Date: 7/23/2008 4:34:31 PM
Author: Sparkle_Girl
you know indy girl you are absolutely right ......i just started a ''diet'' in the 8th grade and then i got freakin CRAZY all through 9th - 12th grade highschool which is suposed to be the best days of your life i was so crazy about not eating and being skinny i sacrificed having any friends to not eat isnt that nuts! its like it thought if i had any friends then they would want to hang out which would lead to eating out and i didnt want to do that now so i just avoided people all together i cant believe what a mess i ended up in wow all i cared about was getting straight A''s on my report card and not eating.......wow high school really stunk all my fault....i am so glad my desease id gone.....oh and then from not eating enough for all of those years led to my heart being VERY WEAK so i ended up having heart surgery at the age of 19!!!!! im sorry i am vinting alot about this i havent talked about it in a while i guess....

I''m sorry you went through such terrible times...I think it is so prevalent nowdays and many people don''t know the warning signs or red flags to help the people who are sick. I''m truly happy you are all better now and feel free to vent anytime! I love hearing stories about how people face adversity and come out better than ever! I worked with one cheerleader who took drugs to suppress her appetite and stay up all the time so she could work out 24/7. It was so sad and we had many sessions with our sports psychologist about it...very interesting stuff though, and I was able to learn so much about what is going on in people''s minds when they have this disease. Thanks for sharing your story!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Date: 7/23/2008 4:44:07 PM
Author: blissfulbride
Thanks ladies so much ! I''m just so sick of myself that im doing whatever it takes to feel normal again. I''ve been so depressed lately that I dont care what it take to lose. I am using www.sparkpeople.com and I''ll up my calories starting next monday. I''ll keep it at 1000 !

blissful, i''m right there with you with how i feel about myself. YUK. I''m at the heaviest I''ve ever been in my life (even though i''m afraid to get on the scale, i just KNOW!). I''m pushing 170 lbs and am a solid size 12. It''s hard looking at myself in the mirror! I''d like to get down to 145-ish and comfortablly fit into my size 8 clothes again.

I made the decision not too long ago to STOP making excuses for my lazy behavor and hold myself accountable. I know what I need to do to get healthy, so now it''s up to me to do that. Sure, i''d like nothing more than to just pop a pill or take some miracle tonic, but that''s not going to fix the problem.

slow and steady is the only SAFE way to go.

 

[iluvcarats]

This is what I have learned in my life.
Skinny doesn''t make you pretty, and *pretty* doesn''t always mean skinny.

It''s all about looking HEALTHY.
I have seen plenty of skinny women who look tired, sallow, with thinning hair and dry skin. Skinny?-Yes, Pretty? (IMO) NO!

I have also seen plenty of heavier women who are gorgeous. I think it is because they are confident and happy in their own skin. I think that the sexiest women on the beach are the ones running around in their bikinis not caring about the extra roll or a few dimples. Life is too short to be miserable and cranky on a 500 calorie a day diet. Just my .02

 

[marcy]

Eating 500 calories a day is very unhealthy and will mess up your metabolism. I KNOW as I did it after college. I lost a lot of weight but quickly gained it back then some as I didn''t learn a thing about how to eat right. Go with what Sparkpeople recommends and I would think it''s at least 1200 calories a day. I usually eat about 1200 calories a day and find the weight comes off pretty steady and I can eat pretty healthy without being hungry. Don''t be hard on yourself though as that won''t make you feel any better. Just make up your mind you are going to change your eating and activity level and work on it one day at a time. Let me know if I can help in any way.

My daily routine is:

BF dry cereal and fruit
Mid morning snack 100 calories (assorted things)
Lunch about 300 to 400 calories
Mid afternoon snack 100 calories (assorted things)
Supper about 400 calories
Dessert - yes dessert - usually slow churned ice cream

I eat a lot of fresh veggies and don''t count them in my calories. Low fat cheese are good snacks.

Good luck!

 

[choro72]

bliss, I suggest you go to www.mypyramidtracker.gov and get an estimate of how much you burn every day.

Here are some numbers for you to to give you an idea of what I'm trying to say. I'm 4'7", and the last time I weighted myself in May I was 86lbs. At this body frame, my average daily calorie burned is 1900Cal. Even if the numbers aren't accurate I'm pretty sure that I don't burn under 1700Cal a day. I assume that you are taller than I am, and therefore burn more calories with all else being equal. I would rethink your 1000Cal diet.

As a person who has sea-sawed 30lbs four times in the past four years, believe me when I say I've done all of what you are trying to do. Take your time in figuring out the best balance between your activity level and meals. I know it takes time. It took me 2 months to gain 30 lbs, and 10 months to lose it. I'm still struggling with self image and controlled eating. It's not easy.

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Blissfulbride,

PLEASE don''t do this to yourself! Your train of thought is really alarming to me! Anorexia is considered an eating disorder and should be treated as a very serious medical condition for good reasons.

Here''s how your body burns food. You are correct that when calories go in and don''t get burned off, you gain weight... and you lose weight when the opposite occurs. This is the only way that people are going to lose weight.

However, your body NEEDS a certain amount of nutrients and "fuel" to function properly. Would your car work if you decided to fill your tank half full with water? No... same thing with your body.

When your body starts going into "starvation" mode, you first burn through your carbohydrate stores. Then, your body burns through your fat storage (this is where you want to be with a HEALTHY low calorie diet). After that, your body starts to burn through your muscle (this is what happens with an UNHEALTHY low calorie diet).

When you eat 500 calories a day, you''re not getting the nutrients you need (like Calicum, iron, vitamins, etc.)and when you reach that protein phase, BAD things start to happen- here are just a few:

Blood- you become anemic because you''re not getting enough iron- you''ll get cold, clammy, and tired & if you get into a trauma situation, you''re at a higher risk for bleeding. Also, you begin to lose the proteins in your blood- this messes up the osmotic pressure in your vessels and fluid will start to seem out into your abdomen, making you look pregnant or fat, but it''s all fluid.

Hair, Skin, Nails, and Bone- you will start to loose your hair, and your nails will become brittle and break- with the lack of calcium in your system. You probably aren''t going to be very stunning on your wedding day if you''re losing hair! Also, if you fall, you''ll be much more likely to break a bone! You certainly wouldn''t want to be in a cast on your wedding day.

Mood & Energy- if you truly are depressed, you need to see a doctor. Starving yourself will not make you feel better about yourself. It will make you irritable, cranky, and no fun to be around. Also, you''re losing vitamins like B vitamin that help with your energy levels.

Other complications- your body systems may start to shut down- if you''re not using your digestive system, it may start to shut down and you''ll have to be fed through your veins in a hospital. And yes, it can have effects on your circulatory system. When your body starts eating through muscle- that includes your heart. Another important consideration is a condition called refeeding syndrome- this occurs in some anorexic patients when the begin eating again and the body starts to mess up its own levels of magnesium and phosphorus because it doesn''t know what to do with the food- this can lead to other complications.

You really don''t want to do this to yourself! Please don''t consider bulemia (throwing up your food as an option either)- this will cause holes to form in the lining of your esophagus and can lead to cancer over the long term. Don''t take laxatives, either- this is similar to anorexia and can really mess up your colon by not allowing it to work correctly.

Low calorie diets work for most people because they don''t want to exercise. If you''re not burning the calories, you don''t need to eat them. You will burn FAR more than 500 in day!

In reality, you can eat AS MANY CALORIES AS YOU WANT and still lose weight- as long as you burn them off! I swam in college, and would work out for 4 hours a day... and I ate about 3000-4000 calories a day! I was very healthy and very skinny! I burned what I ate and gave my body enough to work with- it is really as simple as that.

If you burned just 500 calories more than you ate a day, you''ll burn 1 pound per week! (3500 calories = 1 pound). Just take into consideration that your body will burn close to 2000 a day without stepping foot in the gym! Just decrease your NORMAL calorie intake by 250 calories a day and increase your activity by 250 calories a day- there''s your 500 right there- very safe, very easy!!

Please take our advice! I apologize for this post being so long, but I really feel that you need some help, and I''m very concerned! Feel free to ask us any questions!

 

[blissfulbride]

Thank you all so much for all this very helpful advice, and information. I just want to let everyone know that im not clinically depressed. I guessed I used a poor sense in the words lol. How could I when Im planning the happiest event of my life. It just that I want to be the best melissa I can be on that day, and I guess im really hard on myself. My fiance tells me that all the time. The only thing that is making me feel better is the fact thank Im doing something about it. I''ve watching everything I eat, and working out everyday. I just have to get past the fact that I might not reach my goal by my birthday.

 

[claireabelle]

You''re crazy!

Your body will freak out and start rationing by slowing down your metabolism. Your body won''t let you freely burn energy if you''re not taking it in! You''ll just grind to a halt!

It really is amazing what some simple changes can make to your diet. Increase protein and limit carbs and unnecessary fats and oils.

People go from one extreme to another - but they don''t have to - if you gave a balanced, healthy diet a chance and kept up with excercise - weight will fall off you!

 

[claireabelle]

sorry I didn''t read you''re last post which has a much more realistic and positive outlook!

So what if you don''t get to your goal weight by your birthday. At least you''ll be healthy and feel fabulous.... not a complete zombie with dull skin and hair who is not getting nearly the nutrients they need to be beautiful!

Keep up the healthy stuff - you''ll do great!

 

[Lorelei]

Another thing to bear in mind along with the advice the other ladies have given you, you could get really foul breath due to your body not having anything to work with, it can smell like nail varnish remover!!!

 

[Deelight]

That''s just insane as someone who has starved herself in the past it is seriously not good.

If you want to lose weight eat healthy, cut out processed food, salt, soft drinks and excess sugar and exersize you will get there in the end there are no short cuts I find making small changes constantly make a massive difference.

Starving yourself or popping a pill is not the answer

 

[Elmorton]

Eeek - I believe in college, I looked up that I should be eating 1200 cals a day to lose weight. 500 is disasterous as everyone else has pointed out.

If you really want to lose weight, I think it''s all about the healthy snacks throughout the day. If you look at how all the fad diets (South Beach, Atkins) and even the real diets - like how you should eat for life, not just to lose weight quickly - (American Diabetes Association) are structured, all keep your metabolism going by small snacks. Almonds, celery, etc, and then proportioned, balanced meals.

One of the things that helped me a lot before I got married was getting a personal trainer. It was insanely expensive, but I loved my body after only a month or two of working out with her. She was paying attention to the places I wanted to look the best (core, arms, chest, back) and I just felt STRONG - and while my weight didn''t change drastically, I was constantly having to have inches taken in on my wedding dress because my body changed (wahoo!). I was in grad school and eating pure junk (take out every night, starving myself during the day because I''d get immersed in studying and literally forget to eat until dinner time), but just the working out made me healthier and happier, especially when I started seeing that as my "me" and "de-stress" time. I lived for those breaks from stress and wedding planning, when I could just spend an hour on the elliptical and watch TV sans guilt.

BTW - Planning your wedding is NOT the happiest time of your life. That''s pure BS. It''s hell to your body and your mind, and wouldn''t the world just be a little bit nicer if everyone else realized that?! Bottom line though - a happy bride will look beautiful if she''s wearing a burlap sack that her cottage cheese thighs sag under. Do things to make you happy and healthy, k??