I have never gained weight by eating too few calories. Sometimes I just don't have time with work, sports, family and other activities. I don't do it all of the time though... however when I do I drop a pound overnight because I am so active. It's not that I am afraid she will not lose weight, it's that she needs to really be focused on the nutrition of what she is eating. Also, I would wonder why a doctor would want to get her metabolism used to 1000 calories a day, to me that sounds horrible. If she drops the weight, what will happen when she starts eating 1600-2000 calories a day? I would assume she would gain. I am not a doctor and it sounds like she should make an appointment with a nutritionist.

I also assume she needs to lose weight for health reasons, and if she's not used to a low calorie diet she is going to be moody and light headed until her body adjusts to the restricted calories. That's also the reason why over time extreme calorie restriction will backfire on most people.

**EDIT** I don't think I answered your question.  However if your friend has medical problems caused by her weight then a doctor might give a low calorie range.  Only because the risk of the weight induced condition is greater then the risk of a low calorie diet.  That's the only time I would agree with a low calorie diet (I would never say under 1200 though).

If she does not have any severe health risks in her current condition get her to see a nutritionist for a second opinion or encourage her to join this site!

Also, do you know FOR SURE her doctor put her on a 1000 calorie diet? Is it safe to say she knows what you went through and knows you would not support her calorie restrictions she has placed on herself? I would talk to her more and have her set up an appointment with a nutritionist (sounds like she has insurance?).

I used to think eating 800-1000 calories a day was the only way to lose weight... BOY was I WRONG!

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS ARE RIGHT, AND IT SEEMS EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FIND OUT, if you eat the right foods, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT, and only eat like 1200 or less calories. my post will probably be deleted though.

um. i eat 1200. and aint promoting undereating.

i am just saying when the doctor tells you to, DO IT. duh.

Original Post by heatherx33:

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS ARE RIGHT, AND IT SEEMS EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FIND OUT, if you eat the right foods, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT, and only eat like 1200 or less calories. my post will probably be deleted though.

 

um. i eat 1200. and aint promoting undereating.

i am just saying when the doctor tells you to, DO IT. duh.

I said DOCTORS <- hence more than one :]

Actually, heather, you said "when the doctor tells you to." Singular. Not plural. Nice try, though. <3

Bleh. Whatever DOCTORS, thats what I mean.

I am from hawaii, we speak "pidgin" :]

Sorry ah.

Okay this is my opinion.

Eating 1000 calories a day is low. If you talk to a couple of doctors and nutritionalists and they tell you to do it, then you should. They are the EXPERTS not a the people on this website that is for sure. So if you need to eat 1000 calories for a health issue or want to lose weight and your doctors and nutritionalists test you to see how many calories you should eat a day, and where you would be safe at and keep testing you to make sure everything is okay, then why would that be bad? Seriously I dont get it?

Is it because all the books you read, anyone ever tell you that not all books are correct just a bunch of people trying to make money.

Also EVERYBODY has a different body, and how they burn their calories and how their body takes to certain foods, for instants diabetics, or kids with autism that cant eat some food or they will be autistic, and that is true. Sometimes just by changing an autistics kids diet they will be not autistic anymore. So it really depends on you. 

I dont advise any one to eat under 1200 calories if they havent spoken to a doctor, and have you ever noticed before starting a diet, or diet pill or exercise program they say to speak to your doctor first? Yes indeed that is true.

They have all the tests to find out what is right for YOU, and everyone else that comes in to get the tests done. Your test wont be accurate for your best friend. Maybe you will be advised to eat 1100 and she will be advised to eat 2100 calories.

50% of doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class.

Because doctors are not nutritionists. In fact, most doctors have not taken a class involving nutrition -- many medical schools still do not require students to take any basic nutrition or nutrition-based disease classes, and the ones that do have only done so in the last ten years.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. I'm not trying to insult anyone's doctor...at least, not directly.

I have a very biased opinion because my mother is a nutritionist, and this is a subject that makes me very angry. : P Do not go to the doctor about nutrition or diet related questions. That's not what they're for. ick.

I dont know why people think that you will GAIN weight if you eat less than 1200 calories a day, the only reason you dont do it is because it isnt safe without your health being monitored by a doctor, I'm sure the doctor would tell her to eat more if she complained of fatigue, dizziness and so on so I'm sure your roomie is safe

Hey guys didn't you know that doctors are ALWAYS right? THEY ARE SUPERHUMANS AND YOU MUST LISTEN TO THEM ALWAYS. THEY NEVER MAKE MISTAKES NEVER NEVER!

/sarcasm off.

Original Post by enzyme1:

I dont know why people think that you will GAIN weight if you eat less than 1200 calories a day, the only reason you dont do it is because it isnt safe without your health being monitored by a doctor, I'm sure the doctor would tell her to eat more if she complained of fatigue, dizziness and so on so I'm sure your roomie is safe

You probably WON'T gain.  But that doesn't mean there aren't other side effects.  The biggest one being that you screw up your metabolism and end up in yo-yo dieting.

Think of your body like a smart car.  If you constantly only give it 5 gallons, but you need to go the distance of 7 gallons, then it's going to turn off the AC, the radio, etc.  When you start giving it the 7 gallons that it needs, it's worried that you won't keep doing that, so it stores the extra 2 and keeps running off 5 like it had been doing.  It takes months and months of you giving it 7 for it to realize, well, maybe I can turn the AC and radio back on.  But by the time you hit that point, you're back at the same weight you started, or higher.

(The AC and radio going off = moodieness, lethargy, constant exhaustion, etc for those who might not get my analogy.  I'm pretty bad at these things, haha!)

Original Post by johan3a:

50% of doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class.

And 80% of all stats are made up on the spot :P

eating 1000cal won't make you gain... BUT when you start eating normally again, then you will gain.

been there; done that.