My mom told me today that she thinks I'm starving myself. I'm really not, though. I usually eat about 800 calories a day. I'm a 15 year old girl, 5'2.5", and want to be down about 20 pounds from where I'm currently at (143, at last weigh in) by the end of June, beginning of July. Help? I run 6-7 days a week, at least a mile a day, if that helps.

Your mom is right. The minimum SAFE intake for the day is 1200 calories. And that is for an adult. And it's still really low. Your body at 15 years old is still growing and you need to get lots of nutrients. I don't see how you could possibly get what you need on 800 calories a day. That is a STARVATION level.

It's not for me to say whether or not you should lose weight, but I would very strongly suggest you talk to your doctor and ask what you should do. If you need to lose weight, then he/she can help you locate a HEALTHY program of nutrition and exercise.

Please, even if you don't agree with your mom or with me, take care of yourself. That means eating well and healthy and ENOUGH food. You might be able to just stop eating junk and replace it with good food and you will be healthy and well.

I would have a concern wether you are headed into an eating disorder at worst, and inadequate nutrition at best.

Barb

Okay, thanks. My mom and I made a compromise to up it to about 1100 That way, I can eat everything *I* want and not feel deprived and she can feel secure.

I agree. 800 calories per day is waaayyyy too low for a growing teenager, especially one who runs 6 days a week! It truly is.

Please bump your calories up to at least 1200 calories per day. Every reputable organization/doctor/website/weight loss plan recommends AT LEAST that for a grown adult trying to lose weight.

You don't want to do any damage to your growing body by partaking in unhealthy ways of weight loss (extreme calorie restriction is dangerous and unhealthy). Please take care of yourself.

I agree with angelskeep. 1200 is the minimum to stay healthy and that is without exercise. There are so many health problems that can develop when your body isn't getting the calories/nutrients it needs. You often don't realize what is going on inside your body until it is too late. I know women who started losing their hair by starving their bodies. Too few calories can actually cause your weight loss to stop as your body goes into starvation mode.
Please take care of yourself.

Honey, you aren't doing yourself any favors. Eating 800 calories a day is a good way to end up fat. First of all, your body is going to be in starvation mode and desperately trying to hang onto energy, especially as a growing 15 year old. That means, your metabolism WILL slow down, making it easier to gain weight. Second, I don't care how great your will power is, you won't be able to stay at 800 cal forever, your body's need for food will eventually win the fight with your brain. It's like trying to hold your breath, your brain can tell your body to not breathe, but eventually, the body will win. So you'll probably binge. Binging on a slowed metabolism = weight gain.

You only get one body, and starving yourself as a teen is a good way to have a whole list of problems later on.

1100 cal is better, but still below the minimum. I'd talk to your doctor before going below 1200. I bet be wouldn't recommend it.

Hey there, what's the rush? You didn't gain the weight overnight, why not focus more on being healthy and nourishing your body? What are those 800 calories made up of?

Ditto, Ditto! I agree that you are going way too low in calories for a young girl. And what is the rush? Weight taken off that fast usually comes back just as fast. Please reconsider your time frame as well. Learn some new healthy eating habits and how to keep them for life and you will really have accomplished something!

Yeah, in addition, when your body goes into starvation mode, you stop losing weight, so it's counter-productive. Are you doing any body-image work? It's important, especially at your age, to develop a good body image and self-esteem.

My mom and I talked a bit, and I'm bumping my intake to between 1100-1200 a day. My mom has been doing this for years, so I think she knows best... That and she said that picking up a few hundred more calories might enable me to continue at the pace I was before I plateaued last week. Thanks everyone

I'm also 15, and I do run 5 times a week. I know you may want to lose the weight quickly, but it's good that you're boosting it up to the 1100s. I also would talk to your doctor. See what he/she thinks. I too will be making a doctors visit here shortly just to be safe and get me some vitamins while I'm at it.

As a mom I'm just sooo happy you talked to your Mom!

Kudos to you for talking to and listening to your Mom! I have to agree with her any everyone else here that you definitly need more calories. 1200 is considered a safe yet low calories intake for an adult. I'm not sure what the difference would be for a teenager.

I would recommend thinking more in terms of what you're eating throughout the day not just looking at the total calories. You can eat alot of fresh fruits and veggies which are healthy and lower in calories than some other options. Remember, weight takes time to put on and even more time to take it off. This isn't going to happen overnight, take your time with it. The MOST important thing is that you're healthy.

Take Care, Good Luck!