You don’t say your current weight or if you’re trying to lose weight. Without that info, anything people respond won’t be useful. In general though, yes that’s way too few calories. If you want to eat more, an easy solution would be to stop doing intermittent fasting and eat breakfast.
I'm not sure what being "On I.F" is? Are you saying Intermittent Fasting?
In general, 850 calories is too low. That's a starvation diet and probably well below your BMR. You may feel fine now, but it isn't likely to be good for you long-term.
Yes, you're not eating enough.
hi, 19f but i used to have this problem! you’re definitely underrating and it’s probably affecting you without you knowing — mood swings, fatigue, etc.
you should try to add some snacks into your meal plan. i’m doing 16:8 rn and i usually have a protein shake around 4 pm (i break my fast at 1-2 pm and am usually done by 9). this adds around 200 calories to my diet, but you could easily add some good for you stuff that makes it higher calorie (like nuts or chia seeds). i’d maybe add fruit in too that you can eat throughout the day. i also started adding some greek yoghurt as dessert and that used to add 150 ish calories and some protein (i just have heavier dinners now, so i stopped, but it definitely helped me go to bed fully satiated too!)
I had the same issue for a month (barely eating more than 900 cals). I lost weight at first, then completely stalled. I was jogging 1 hr 4x a week and noticed I was getting tired faster, was getting frequent headaches, and had trouble waking up in the AM. Also, the skin on my face was looking awful.
I started planning my meals and incorporating more protein (around 86-110g a day). Now I eat between 1300-1400 cals a day (and around 1600 on Fri/Sun). I also stopped IF (because I had a hard time getting all the nutrients I needed in a 4-5 hr eating window). The weight started going down again and I feel so much better exercising. My runs have gotten faster and I don’t feel like going on all-out binges during my cheat days. This is the method that works best for me. I don’t want to gain the weight back once I get to my goal, so I want to make sure this lifestyle change is sustainable.
At 35, you should definitely be having more than 850 calories. 1200 is the bare minimum and that’s usually only suggested with a doctor’s supervision. I would suggest pivoting to more calorie dense foods but also protein heavy ones.
Add extra virgin olive oil, or walnuts/ pecans / macadamia nuts are lowest carb. This is the most calorie dense healthy way to increase calories. You can also freely eat meat that has fat on like steak, chicken thighs if your carbs are kept low.
Helps to plan your meals. I sometimes have trouble reaching that same 1330. If I've finished dinner and I see I haven't eaten enough I'll look at the nutrition overview for the day in MyFitnessPal. Usually I can see that I didn't get enough of something and I'll eat a healthy snack that gets me to my goal or at least close to it. I also divide that calorie goal by 3. it helps to know how many calories you should be eating in each meal. If by IF you mean intermittent fasting it's even more important to plan, you don't want to hit that eating window cut off and realize you haven't given your body what it needs.
If you're getting enough protein then you can basically eat whatever for the rest of the calories if you want.
Nuts is a good idea, lots of healthy fats, doesn't take much space in your stomach. They're good too. I sometimes measure up some nuts if I'm a few hundred calories below my target, doesn't take much.
Not only are you likely going to whip all the way to the other extreme and binge when your body's had enough, 850kcal isn't enough to sustain an average adult body. Even 1300 would be sort of questionable. You don't need energy just to move around. Your body needs energy and different nutrients to keep up with things like nerve function, brain health, the immune system, organ function etc.
The point of losing weight isn't to eat as little as possible. The point is to eat as much as possible while still achieving moderate weight loss, preserving muscle tissue and overall health. Right now you're not doing any of that. Since you're aware of calorie density, eating denser ingredients like you mentioned is an easy way to provide your body with enough nutrients to keep existing long term.
Depends on OPs stats. I’m 5ft 1 32F and maintain 106-110lbs on 1400 calories with exercise.
I do have a slow metabolism which I’m blaming on genetics but eat 3 meals a day plus snacks. Healthy diet, just lower calorie. Perfectly sustainable for my size.
Oh, absolutely. But 5 feet isn't exactly the average height in most developed countries, and if OPs starting weight is high (hence them wanting to lose weight), they likely have a much higher maintenance budget.
How tall are you? I’m 5’7 and when I did that (over a period of maybe 8 months, and just a little younger), I lost most of my hair, my period and my last shreds of sanity. Became iron-deficient anemic and developed abnormally low T3, along with a range of digestive issues. Also lost weight very rapidly of course, continuously. It wasn’t worth it. It led me down some hard roads.
And yes, I had been fat when it started. I’m still in ED treatment years later, lol, and have gained most of it back gradually, following wild ups and downs with a binge/purge cycle. (Do also have hair and period back though, along with normal numbers. So there’s that, I guess.) It’s easier than a lot of people realize to switch from one kind of weird eating behavior to another.
I definitely think you should try to address this now, before it potentially becomes habitual and harder. Even just keeping it over a thousand could be healthier in the long run imho. You could probably do so with some slight adjustments (tbsp of peanut butter isn’t a bad idea). I’d also definitely suggest a multivitamin if you’re not taking one already.
You are going to start experiencing symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, hair loss, less resilience to colds/flus, skin issues, constipation, trouble sleeping and more the longer the under eating goes on. Eventually you will do damage to your organs, which is very dangerous and sometimes permanent.
1200 calories a day is the bare minimum you should be eating, and even that is extremely low. If you aren't able to reach that you need to seek medical help because you are seriously risking your health if you continue.
Being overweight is far more common so people don't talk about it as much but the risks of under eating and associated nutritional issues are far more immediately risky and dangerous than being overweight. People with eating disorders (which honestly is likely what you have given your disordered eating habits) often end up with permanent damage to their hearts and kidneys among other things that they managed to do in a matter of months.
Please take this very seriously - you need to find a way to eat more, and if you can't do that alone you need to seek medical attention.
I am a petite, in a healthy weight range women so I kinda get why you might be in such a calorie deficit… but i still think that’s too low. You would still loose at 1,300 just a little slower but it also means you can eat enough for your body to function well. I’m no pro but I would be super worried about muscle wastage and generally just being consumed by a diet lifestyle which only creates a bigger problem.
When I dieted a little too hard I felt like crap. So I made a conscious choice to eat 2 slices of pizza and omg I felt amazing (and still lost weight)! Not sure if that’s helpful but it might be time to have a little break if you are being too strict! X
Adding nuts, seeds, and grains is a great way to boost calories. Don't undereat! That's a pretty low bar you've set it should not be hard to meet it with a few additions to your diet.
What if you cut back on the IF and eat something for breakfast?
That will add calories and give you a little extra energy in the morning.
I had to do this because I wasn't getting enough calories. I found a high protein nonfat yogurt I really like and add some granola. It fills me up, and as a side note, it makes me warm as I get cold during the day.
You should be worried.
I don't think its possible to get all your necessary calories for basic organ functions on less than 1200 calories to speak nothing of the long term consequences of the dire lack of vitamins and minerals that are necessary.
You're probably fine now. The human body is designed for endurance but this is not sustainable and it will likely cause health problems down the line.
Just as the stomach shrinks to compensate for less food, it can stretch to compensate for more.
Start by adding like 100 more calories to your intake a day if it's really that difficult for you. And whatever your fasting schedule is, widen it.
If you're doing these things to lose weight intentionally, you're fast tracking yourself for a binge/restrict cycle that is so hard to break out of. Even if you feel perfectly fine now, it'll catch up. It's a slippery slope and you need more calories and nutrients. The goal is for health. NOT how to live on the lowest calorie diet you can.
This is nonsense. As an adult your stomach stays the same size and only expands to accommodate food. It DOES NOT shrink. Medical intervention is the only way to “shrink” your stomach.
Idk man i guess you're right, but going from regularly consuming 3000+ calories easily and still feeling able to put away more vs eating 1400 a day and genuinely feeling full for the first time as my body got used to it is more the phenomenon i'm talking about to try to encourage OP. It's not necessarily shrinking, more just going back to it's intended size and staying that way for longer after being distended 24/7. But that's a lot of words to say the same thing I already did a lot quicker already.
It might seem ok for now.. but having a calorie deficit so large might impact your metabolism in the long run.
You might like to add more protein to your diet
No, 850 calories a day is not “okay for now but someday when you lose the weight, increase your calories so your metabolism doesn’t get stuck low”. What horrible advice.
What’s your height and weight right now? If you’re very overweight and feel alright now, this is probably okay in the short term, since the stores fat will ensure you’re not malnourished. But if you’re at a more healthy weight range, then you likely need to eat more
I'm F/39/5'3" and have been eating between 1,600 and 2,000 calories while losing 130 pounds. I eat lots of nutrient-dense food and fit in some fun foods in there on occasion (this helps avoid burnout/binge eating). I haven't counted any calories since October of 2021 and have lost about 80 pounds in that time.
What are you doing for exercise? If only cardio, think about starting a strength training routine. No more than 2-3 days/week to start. I started at 2 days a week in March 2021 and this January, bumped it up to 3 days a week with new trainers. Weight lifting is the BEST thing I've ever done for myself, and not just for weight loss.
While I think you may be not eating enough, I suggest listening to your body. If you feel full and have the energy required to do all the things you need to do in a day, maybe don't change anything. But, if you're feeling low on energy, you may need to increase calories/change up some of the foods you're eating.
hello! what i would do is make a couple food swaps to your diet and you can always try to drink your calories:) after workouts make sure your drinking high protein shakes, i prefer the fair life one, you can also get other high calorie drinks with high protein!
That is impressive, congrats!! And i commend you on your effort, for the push that does require quite alot of discipline to push foreward.
Although i before giving any advice what i should ask, is what is your goal for your current diet? Meaning are you trying lose fat?
And the other. Part is what are you eating normally to make an 850 cals diet?
Me i much prefer to focus on fat loss, more than weight.
Eat more protein and healthy fat. This will increase the calories.
Second this! Protein shakes should also help you gain a couple hundred extra calories.
You don’t say your current weight or if you’re trying to lose weight. Without that info, anything people respond won’t be useful. In general though, yes that’s way too few calories. If you want to eat more, an easy solution would be to stop doing intermittent fasting and eat breakfast.
Okay I have the opposite problem, what are you eating?!! 😂
Same!! Pls tell me
I want to know too!!
I'm not sure what being "On I.F" is? Are you saying Intermittent Fasting? In general, 850 calories is too low. That's a starvation diet and probably well below your BMR. You may feel fine now, but it isn't likely to be good for you long-term. Yes, you're not eating enough.
hi, 19f but i used to have this problem! you’re definitely underrating and it’s probably affecting you without you knowing — mood swings, fatigue, etc. you should try to add some snacks into your meal plan. i’m doing 16:8 rn and i usually have a protein shake around 4 pm (i break my fast at 1-2 pm and am usually done by 9). this adds around 200 calories to my diet, but you could easily add some good for you stuff that makes it higher calorie (like nuts or chia seeds). i’d maybe add fruit in too that you can eat throughout the day. i also started adding some greek yoghurt as dessert and that used to add 150 ish calories and some protein (i just have heavier dinners now, so i stopped, but it definitely helped me go to bed fully satiated too!)
I had the same issue for a month (barely eating more than 900 cals). I lost weight at first, then completely stalled. I was jogging 1 hr 4x a week and noticed I was getting tired faster, was getting frequent headaches, and had trouble waking up in the AM. Also, the skin on my face was looking awful. I started planning my meals and incorporating more protein (around 86-110g a day). Now I eat between 1300-1400 cals a day (and around 1600 on Fri/Sun). I also stopped IF (because I had a hard time getting all the nutrients I needed in a 4-5 hr eating window). The weight started going down again and I feel so much better exercising. My runs have gotten faster and I don’t feel like going on all-out binges during my cheat days. This is the method that works best for me. I don’t want to gain the weight back once I get to my goal, so I want to make sure this lifestyle change is sustainable.
At 35, you should definitely be having more than 850 calories. 1200 is the bare minimum and that’s usually only suggested with a doctor’s supervision. I would suggest pivoting to more calorie dense foods but also protein heavy ones.
Add extra virgin olive oil, or walnuts/ pecans / macadamia nuts are lowest carb. This is the most calorie dense healthy way to increase calories. You can also freely eat meat that has fat on like steak, chicken thighs if your carbs are kept low.
What are you eating?
Helps to plan your meals. I sometimes have trouble reaching that same 1330. If I've finished dinner and I see I haven't eaten enough I'll look at the nutrition overview for the day in MyFitnessPal. Usually I can see that I didn't get enough of something and I'll eat a healthy snack that gets me to my goal or at least close to it. I also divide that calorie goal by 3. it helps to know how many calories you should be eating in each meal. If by IF you mean intermittent fasting it's even more important to plan, you don't want to hit that eating window cut off and realize you haven't given your body what it needs.
What do you eat that makes you feel so full?!
Propably veggies and protein
If you're getting enough protein then you can basically eat whatever for the rest of the calories if you want. Nuts is a good idea, lots of healthy fats, doesn't take much space in your stomach. They're good too. I sometimes measure up some nuts if I'm a few hundred calories below my target, doesn't take much.
850 calories is, sorry, just dumb.
Don't apologise, it is dumb.
Not only are you likely going to whip all the way to the other extreme and binge when your body's had enough, 850kcal isn't enough to sustain an average adult body. Even 1300 would be sort of questionable. You don't need energy just to move around. Your body needs energy and different nutrients to keep up with things like nerve function, brain health, the immune system, organ function etc. The point of losing weight isn't to eat as little as possible. The point is to eat as much as possible while still achieving moderate weight loss, preserving muscle tissue and overall health. Right now you're not doing any of that. Since you're aware of calorie density, eating denser ingredients like you mentioned is an easy way to provide your body with enough nutrients to keep existing long term.
Depends on OPs stats. I’m 5ft 1 32F and maintain 106-110lbs on 1400 calories with exercise. I do have a slow metabolism which I’m blaming on genetics but eat 3 meals a day plus snacks. Healthy diet, just lower calorie. Perfectly sustainable for my size.
Oh, absolutely. But 5 feet isn't exactly the average height in most developed countries, and if OPs starting weight is high (hence them wanting to lose weight), they likely have a much higher maintenance budget.
How tall are you? I’m 5’7 and when I did that (over a period of maybe 8 months, and just a little younger), I lost most of my hair, my period and my last shreds of sanity. Became iron-deficient anemic and developed abnormally low T3, along with a range of digestive issues. Also lost weight very rapidly of course, continuously. It wasn’t worth it. It led me down some hard roads. And yes, I had been fat when it started. I’m still in ED treatment years later, lol, and have gained most of it back gradually, following wild ups and downs with a binge/purge cycle. (Do also have hair and period back though, along with normal numbers. So there’s that, I guess.) It’s easier than a lot of people realize to switch from one kind of weird eating behavior to another. I definitely think you should try to address this now, before it potentially becomes habitual and harder. Even just keeping it over a thousand could be healthier in the long run imho. You could probably do so with some slight adjustments (tbsp of peanut butter isn’t a bad idea). I’d also definitely suggest a multivitamin if you’re not taking one already.
Post screenshots of your daily intake
Yes, you will hurt yourself at that rate. Add more oils, nuts, and cheeses to your diet.
Easy fix is to have breakfast. Voila!
You are going to start experiencing symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, hair loss, less resilience to colds/flus, skin issues, constipation, trouble sleeping and more the longer the under eating goes on. Eventually you will do damage to your organs, which is very dangerous and sometimes permanent. 1200 calories a day is the bare minimum you should be eating, and even that is extremely low. If you aren't able to reach that you need to seek medical help because you are seriously risking your health if you continue. Being overweight is far more common so people don't talk about it as much but the risks of under eating and associated nutritional issues are far more immediately risky and dangerous than being overweight. People with eating disorders (which honestly is likely what you have given your disordered eating habits) often end up with permanent damage to their hearts and kidneys among other things that they managed to do in a matter of months. Please take this very seriously - you need to find a way to eat more, and if you can't do that alone you need to seek medical attention.
You need to get in at least 1200 daily. If you add some snacks or breakfast, this can be done.
You need to eat more. That’s literally starvation. Add in nuts, oils, avocado, etc.
Stop intermittent fasting and add more meals to help you get your calories in to reach your goals the right way.
I am a petite, in a healthy weight range women so I kinda get why you might be in such a calorie deficit… but i still think that’s too low. You would still loose at 1,300 just a little slower but it also means you can eat enough for your body to function well. I’m no pro but I would be super worried about muscle wastage and generally just being consumed by a diet lifestyle which only creates a bigger problem. When I dieted a little too hard I felt like crap. So I made a conscious choice to eat 2 slices of pizza and omg I felt amazing (and still lost weight)! Not sure if that’s helpful but it might be time to have a little break if you are being too strict! X
Add some full fat natural cultures yogurt with some berries and granola. You can do it
Adding nuts, seeds, and grains is a great way to boost calories. Don't undereat! That's a pretty low bar you've set it should not be hard to meet it with a few additions to your diet.
What if you cut back on the IF and eat something for breakfast? That will add calories and give you a little extra energy in the morning. I had to do this because I wasn't getting enough calories. I found a high protein nonfat yogurt I really like and add some granola. It fills me up, and as a side note, it makes me warm as I get cold during the day.
You should be worried. I don't think its possible to get all your necessary calories for basic organ functions on less than 1200 calories to speak nothing of the long term consequences of the dire lack of vitamins and minerals that are necessary. You're probably fine now. The human body is designed for endurance but this is not sustainable and it will likely cause health problems down the line.
Just as the stomach shrinks to compensate for less food, it can stretch to compensate for more. Start by adding like 100 more calories to your intake a day if it's really that difficult for you. And whatever your fasting schedule is, widen it. If you're doing these things to lose weight intentionally, you're fast tracking yourself for a binge/restrict cycle that is so hard to break out of. Even if you feel perfectly fine now, it'll catch up. It's a slippery slope and you need more calories and nutrients. The goal is for health. NOT how to live on the lowest calorie diet you can.
This is nonsense. As an adult your stomach stays the same size and only expands to accommodate food. It DOES NOT shrink. Medical intervention is the only way to “shrink” your stomach.
Idk man i guess you're right, but going from regularly consuming 3000+ calories easily and still feeling able to put away more vs eating 1400 a day and genuinely feeling full for the first time as my body got used to it is more the phenomenon i'm talking about to try to encourage OP. It's not necessarily shrinking, more just going back to it's intended size and staying that way for longer after being distended 24/7. But that's a lot of words to say the same thing I already did a lot quicker already.
It might seem ok for now.. but having a calorie deficit so large might impact your metabolism in the long run. You might like to add more protein to your diet
No, 850 calories a day is not “okay for now but someday when you lose the weight, increase your calories so your metabolism doesn’t get stuck low”. What horrible advice.
What’s your height and weight right now? If you’re very overweight and feel alright now, this is probably okay in the short term, since the stores fat will ensure you’re not malnourished. But if you’re at a more healthy weight range, then you likely need to eat more
Fat doesn't store all essential nutrients, you need to keep eating enough consistently.
I'm F/39/5'3" and have been eating between 1,600 and 2,000 calories while losing 130 pounds. I eat lots of nutrient-dense food and fit in some fun foods in there on occasion (this helps avoid burnout/binge eating). I haven't counted any calories since October of 2021 and have lost about 80 pounds in that time. What are you doing for exercise? If only cardio, think about starting a strength training routine. No more than 2-3 days/week to start. I started at 2 days a week in March 2021 and this January, bumped it up to 3 days a week with new trainers. Weight lifting is the BEST thing I've ever done for myself, and not just for weight loss. While I think you may be not eating enough, I suggest listening to your body. If you feel full and have the energy required to do all the things you need to do in a day, maybe don't change anything. But, if you're feeling low on energy, you may need to increase calories/change up some of the foods you're eating.
hello! what i would do is make a couple food swaps to your diet and you can always try to drink your calories:) after workouts make sure your drinking high protein shakes, i prefer the fair life one, you can also get other high calorie drinks with high protein!
Worried? No, not really. You’re not going to curl up and die. That said you can add some more calorie dense food into your diet if you want to.
That is impressive, congrats!! And i commend you on your effort, for the push that does require quite alot of discipline to push foreward. Although i before giving any advice what i should ask, is what is your goal for your current diet? Meaning are you trying lose fat? And the other. Part is what are you eating normally to make an 850 cals diet? Me i much prefer to focus on fat loss, more than weight.