Perhaps this is blunt and rude but in my view you will be a flabby mess before long because all of your muscle (and plenty of bone) is being used to feed your body. YOU ARE CANABOLIZING (i.e. eating) YOURSELF so that you're body can keep going.

What's even more ridiculous is that you believe you will somehow be able to keep the weight off after slowing down your metabolism to this extent and never learning the proper amount and foods to eat to stay a healthy weight.

We are relying on personal actual anecdotes AND scientific evidence to prove our points..what are you basing your theories on?

Sorry to say, but that's the exact same amount of calories (maybe a tiny more) that I ate for years when I had full blown anorexia. I almost didn't live. My digestion and liver were almost completely shut down, my thyroid burnt out, and I stopped getting my period. After awhile, my hair started falling out. The bottom line is that you can fool yourself, but you can't fool your body . . .it's smart. Our bodies our are still back in B.C. times. Like others said, your body needs at least 1200 to just survive. Even infants need that much. Good luck!

That sounds awful scaramouche, I hope you're feeling better these days. Can't figure out if the original poster is anorexic (sure hope not!) or he's just impatient. I mean, he can't wait just a few months longer to reach his goal? I just don't get why some people think they must starve to lose weight. You can still eat plenty AND get the weight off relatively quickly. And hey, if you were overweight for a long period, what's a few extra months to be healthy?

Thanks so much Mami, i'm much better! It's something i've dealt with since i was about 12 (now i'm 18). But i agree, a few extra pounds is nothing compared to your life itself . . . something I've had to come to realize. The only way to keep it off is healthy moderation, really.

I'm so glad you're better Scaramouche. Gosh, you were so young with this issue. That is just frightening! If you don't mind sharing, I was wondering how you got yourself better.

Mami- you're so sweet! I don't mind sharing at all. I was down to 89 pounds a few different times throughout those years and i knew that if i didn't do something, i wouldn't make it. They were going to send me away for treatment, but i cooperated very well and was treated as an outpatient. I went to a ton of doctors....hemotologist (blood levels were almost nonexistent, and had sclerosis of my liver from tissue damage), endocrynologist (for thyroid and loss of my period), nutritionist, eating disorder specialist, and counselor. It was the hardest thing to go through because in the re-feeding process you're body just tells you to binge and then i gained over 50 pounds and freaked out. So now i've lost it the healthy way (which has been hard since it seems like it's taking so much longer than what i'm use to). I get bloodwork done every few months and see my nutritionist every few weeks. Unfortunately, insurance companies refuse to pay for eating disorder rehabilitatioin because they say that it's "your fault", and not a major problem. It's something that breaks my heart because some people don't live becasue they can't afford treatment. I really want to write to the government health department and maybe get a petition started this summer when i've got the time. This is such an epidemic now. Over half the people i've met have disordered eating/body issues of some sort. But i'm as healthy and happy as ever...just glad to be alive, really. I wonder alot why it had to happen to me, but i think God's trying to use my as an instrument to help other people and get it noticed. Thanks again, you have no clue how much I appreciate your concern!

You might want to look into the Shangri La Diet. Your plan sounds a bit like that one. The main thing I got out of the show that I saw on that diet is that you really eat little "real" food (I couldn't do it for a day, not that I tried!). The man that came up with the plan isn't a doctor, so take it for what it is. I didn't see anything on the show about what to do after you got to goal.

I do want to add, I am much like the person who posted above..I started dieting at age 19 at 150 lbs (I was thin!! What was I thinking?!?) I lost 20 and gained back 40. I continued that cycle, off and on for 20 years. I now weigh 230 lbs at age 39. I believe dieting has truly messed my metabolism up. So BE CAREFUL!

I just can't believe insurance companies these days. We're talking about an honest-to-God disease that kills people! Grrr! Evil, evil HMOs!! Let me know if you get that petition going; I'll sign! Congrats on your recovery, btw!

Mami: I think a combination. I'm his age, and sometimes I get so impatient with my weight loss that I could scream. I just have to keep repeating to myself, "Didn't come on in a day, ain't gonna come off in one either," "You're worth the time, you're worth the time," over and over and over again.

Thanks so much! Will do.

Thanks scaramouche. That is really harrowing. Luckily you somehow changed your mindset and that was the key to your recovery. That really is quite outrageous that this is not covered..we should all email our congressional representatives!