I subscribe to Jillians newsletter and this was a recent post. Really interesting, especially on how to get your metabolism back on track. 1400 cals 5 hours of exercise a week. Yikes. Read on chickies.
Are You Eating Enough?
You're all trying not to go over your allotted calorie amounts for the week, but how many of you are having trouble eating enough calories? It may not seem like a big deal to consume a hundred or so fewer calories than you're supposed to each day, but that's a dangerous — and incorrect — assumption.
It is absolutely 100 percent essential to eat enough calories! If you don't, it will destroy your metabolism. It's like telling your body that you're starving. If your body thinks it's starving, your metabolism will shut down.
Not eating enough calories will also force the body to cannibalize muscle and hold on to fat. The body considers muscle to be expendable during periods of starvation, and it considers fat to be necessary to insulate your organs for survival.
Finally, a deficit of daily calories will lead to a horrible cycle of yo-yo dieting. You'll starve yourself and end up losing muscle, and when you begin to eat the right amount of calories, your body will pack on the pounds in anticipation of another "famine."
What can you do to break the cycle? If you're a woman, set your calories at 1,400 steady — don't vary them. I almost NEVER say that, but in order to get your metabolism back up to speed and set your body right again, you're going to need consistency and time.
Stay on this calorie allowance and exercise at least five hours a week. You probably won't lose weight for at least four weeks, but the good news is that you won't gain either, and hopefully we will have gotten your metabolism back on track permanently. After about four weeks or so, you should start to lose weight, and then you can begin to vary your daily calorie intake — as long as you never drop below 1,200 calories. Now, go get something to eat!
wow. you know I kind of knew all that but I really find it hard to actually follow it. I think that for me and some friends who are trying to lose weight we know that we need to eat enough but naturally we keep reverting back to the old 'eat less' mentality. The part that got me was when she said:
Finally, a deficit of daily calories will lead to a horrible cycle of yo-yo dieting. You'll starve yourself and end up losing muscle, and when you begin to eat the right amount of calories, your body will pack on the pounds in anticipation of another "famine."
What will it take for all this to actually stick with me ?!
I have a friend that has a horrible time trying to lose weight. Part of it is thyroid problems, but last time I talked to her she was back on her 'shake' diet where she only eats 600-1,000 calories a day. I wanted to cry when she told me that. I pointed her this way, but I don't think she's made it over yet.
What drives me mad is for half the month, I have trouble getting 1,400 calories a day. I'm not starving myself, I'm just not that hungry. The other half of the month, I am ravenous and can hardly stay under 1,600 calories and I am *starving* almost the entire time. I know it is all related to TOM but it drives me nuts.
Maybe 1400 hundred calories a day is great for someone 5'2 but what about someone 5'10? Is this recommendation for someone trying to lose 100 pounds, 50, 20? I think that advice is polarizing and one size fits advice is suspect. 1400 calories a day would destroy my metabolism because for me it isn't enough food.
I agree with you kimmie. I'm 5'11 and I've tried eating just 1400 cals a day and I'm STARVING!!!!!!!!! That's why I added "yikes" to this post. My blood sugar drops really low on too few calories and I just can't take it.
I think she's talking about women with only 10-20 lbs to lose.
Losing over that has it's own set of "rules." When I was at my highest I lost just fine at 1700 calories and I was estimating big time, so it might have been more.
Once you get close to goal, 1400 doesn't sounds like a bad number though. I eat between 1400-1500 and I still lose, with only walking as my exercise. I think you just need to realize that when you get close to goal it may come off slower.
Regardless, everyone's body is different, so listen to your body! What the "experts" tell us are usually very generalized rules. You shouldn't feel like you're starving all day.
I think she's talking about women with only 10-20 lbs to lose.
That's what I was thinking, too. My other thought was that she was talking to people who let their calories go too low - not people who have a hard time going low enough.
Everyone's body is different - if you can lose weight at 2000 calories a day - more power to ya!
One last point, 1400 calories can be a LOT of food or a very small amount of food depending on what kind of food we are talking about. Jillian is all about organic whole foods - this tends to give more volume for the calorie buck. But I'm only 5 4...so I'll shut up.
Did you notice she didn't say to stay on 1400 calories permanently, just long enough to get your metabolism back on track and then you can add calories back.
I believe the 1400 calories suggestion is for people who have been starving themselves (accidentally?) and not realizing how much they are messing up their metabolism.
For someone who has only been eating 500-1000 calories a day they should not immediately jump up to 1700 calories (or whatever). They need to slowly ease their calories back up so their metabolism has time to adjust and repair.
I listen to Jillian's radio show every week and she never advises "everyone" to do any sort of "one size fits all" nutrition and/or fitness program. But for people who have jacked up their metabolism the advice is typically the same and involves slowly getting the calories back up.
Jillian Michaels Calorie Counting Advice
