Need to talk about the calorie issue

Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Need to talk about the calorie issue
9
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 7:49pm

There has been a lot of talk about calories lately (Maggie and Cathy have both talked about their dr's limiting their calories).  This confuses me a bit.  I have always heard that you NEVER want to take your calories below approximately 1400 per day since you risk slowing down your metabolism (this is for a moderately active person).  That number might be even higher for a very active person/athelte.  This idea played out on the biggest loser TV program just the other other day when the people that cut their calories too much (under 1,000) hardly lost that week.  When they brought it up, they lost weight.  I listen to Gillian Michaels pod casts and she freaks out when people talk about going below 1400 calories (she assumes that people are getting at least 30 minutes of exercise 5x per week).


So, what do the doctors say about the longterm effects of a 1,000 calorie per day diet on your metabolism?  It just seems like such a "quick fix" that could have long term consequences. 


Thanks for any input or clarification!  As I get older, I need to understand how I am going to maintain my weightloss!!


Lisa.


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-30-2007
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 9:16pm

Hi Lisa-


I was kinda wondering the same thing!

       

Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 9:42pm

My worry would be that I would keep lowering my calories and resetting my metabolism so that I would then need even less calories - it could be a vicious cycle.


My hope is that I can maintain my weight loss by maybe adding in a bit more exercise to compensate for

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 10:23pm

You are absolutely right about cutting calories too low.

Our metabolisms slow naturally as we age, and the best fight against the slowing is putting on MUSCLE! Lots and lots of MUSCLE! As long as you're eating clean, healthy meals and fighting the metabolic slow down by doing adqueate strength training, you shouldn't have to cut calories to dangerous levels, as lower calories leads to lower metabolism = easier weight gain.





Lilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 10:27pm

Hi Lisa,


My doctors have never recommended 1,000 calories per day.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Sun, 02-17-2008 - 11:01pm

Patty,


I weight train about 5 days a week with pretty heavy weights.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Mon, 02-18-2008 - 7:32am

"My worry would be that I would keep lowering my calories and resetting my metabolism so that I would then need even less calories - it could be a vicious cycle."


Hi Lisa, I think about this too,

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Mon, 02-18-2008 - 7:40am

"As I get older, I need to understand how I am going to maintain my weightloss!!"


Lisa,


Here's that thread I was talking about.

Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Mon, 02-18-2008 - 12:22pm

Thank everyone for the input!


Now that I am 40, I want to be very careful how I handle things.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Mon, 02-18-2008 - 12:44pm

Me too, Lisa!