Why Weight Loss from 800 Calories a Day is Almost Never a Good Idea
You already know that cutting calories and following a low-calorie diet are important steps when you want to achieve weight loss results. But is it smart to cut back to just 800 calories a day? Most of the time, no, this is not a good idea. Keep reading to learn why.
A Bit of Background on Very Low Calorie Diets for Weight Loss
According to WebMD, very low calorie diets are those that fall anywhere from 800 calories a day to around 1,500 calories per day. Many times, people will give a very low-calorie diet plan a try when they want to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
These diets are designed to be followed for a really short span of time, and they often consist of meal replacement products that are formulated to help you get 800 calories or less every day. Alternatively, they might restrict you when it comes to the foods that you can eat every day in order to keep your calorie intake so low. It’s intense and challenging!
Why Consuming a Mere 800 Calories a Day Is Not Wise
Your body needs calories in order to thrive, so going on a weight loss plan that has you consuming just 800 calories a day will likely not give your body all of the calories that it needs. This is especially true if you’re also leading a physically active lifestyle that includes cardio and strength training routines, as your body needs those calories to get through your workouts!
Plus, when you follow such a restrictive diet for several weeks, you increase the risk of experiencing side effects, such as:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Gallstones
And, if you are eating a really small quantity of food, and there isn’t enough variety in terms of what you’re eating and drinking, you also raise the risk of malnutrition. Yikes! Remember, you need to get a range of vitamins and minerals, in addition to calories, to maintain health and wellness.
How Many Calories Should You Be Eating for Weight Loss?
If you want to achieve weight loss, you shouldn’t only eat 800 calories a day. Instead, figure out how many calories your unique body needs, based on factors like your size, age, and activity level. Then, keep in mind that you need to create a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day to lose a pound of fat each week. You can achieve this deficit by eating right and being more active by doing calorie-burning workouts. You don’t need to go to extremes!
