how many cals are too few

my metabolism is slow. i know this. every since i stopped swimming competitivly i have had no metabolizing abilities. and i eat accordingly; load up on the veggies, skip the processed foods.. but today, for the first time, i literally added up every single calorie (or close to it) and came up with just under 900 cals. i'm not sure this is an accurate picture of a normal day (i'll do it for a week before i decide what's "normal" for me) but i am wondering, could this be hurting my metabolism even more?

Mon. Sep 26, 7:27pm

900 is nowhere near enough

Our bodies are interesting things. Too many calories, we balloon. A few too few, and we lose weight. WAY too few, and we stop losing weight altogether. With only 900 calories in your diet each day, your metabolism is probably almost at a standstill. This is the body's reaction when it thinks there is a drought or that it is in starvation-mode. It tries to conserve every calorie for fuel (to fight off dinosaurs, I guess), believing that food is scarce and it must conserve to maintain energy. Having a slow metabolism to begin with, you're eating so few calories that your metabolism doesn't have enough energy-producing food to maintain bodily functions. I would seriously advise you to visit a dietician. Talk to someone who knows the specific limitations for every body's individual situation. They can build a diet that centers on foods you like, foods that are in line with your metabolic challenges, foods that represent a balanced diet, and foods that will get you enough calories to lose weight but stay healthy.

Monday, September 26, 2005, 7:46 PM

I've heard NEVER go below 1200 and that's if you're very tiny...lots of websites like www.self.com have calorie calculators....most women need about 1800 to survive I've heard!

Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 4:55 AM

thanks

thanks everyone. i re-calculataed my cals at the . end of the day last night and it was up to 1200, so i guess it's not that bad. i think i really need to do better at eating a little bit, and often. i'm going to spent the rest of the week really focusing on my cal intake and see what the average is. next week i'll readjust accordingly.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 9:29 AM

Try adding some bananas- they're relatively high-cal because of their natural-sugar carbohydrates (107 calories each), but they're non-fat and are filled with potassium and are just generally yummy-good for you!

Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 10:46 AM

brilliant banannas

i love them. that's a perfect addition. in fact, i'll eat on right now.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 11:48 AM

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