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Real Life Nutrition Questions Answered

Real Life Fitness Questions Answered

Emma Brown
Nutritionist

Janet Aylott
Nutritionist

Kelly Marshall
Fitness Consultant

Q.

GP says 1400 cals is too much...

Hi
I posted this on the general board and everyone recommended that I ask you, so here goes.
I have just been to see my gp to get more info on PCOS and other issues, and she told me that "1400 kcals a day is really quite a lot" in spite of the fact that I burn around 400 per day on the exercise bike and then whatever else I do is added to that (walking, housework etc.). So she is basically saying that I should be on less than 1000 kcals per day.
Surely not?
Very annoyed and incredibly frustrated.
Melis x

A.

Our expert says...

Hi Melis

Most health professionals don't ever recommend going below 1000 calories a day, but if you DO have PCOS (it's not exactly clear from your question), losing weight is harder, so your doctor may be taking this into account in her recommendations

Our system is all about giving slow steady weight loss, in a way that's sustainable because you won't feel too hungry, whilst also providing enough calories to ensure adequate nutrient intake if you eat in a balanced way

For people with large amounts of weight to lose, going below 1,400 calories as a general rule is not sensible for sustainable long-term weight loss which is why this is always our minimum recommended calorie intake. But if you've been on the plan for a longer time and plateau'd, or have less to lose in the first place (particularly if your lifestyle is fairly sedentary) then you can reduce your intake down to 1,200 calories per day if you wish. To this, I could add that if you have a condition that makes it more difficult for your to lose weight - such as diabetes, PCOS, or a thyroid malfunction, 1200 calories is likely to produce results that 1400 won't.

The main thing to remember is that weight loss is not about speed, but sustaining your healthy eating plan. Even on 1400 calories you should still slowly get towards your goal. Are you saying you have lost no weight at all ? And if so how long have you been on the plan? These are questions it would be helpful to have a bit more information on because even with the cards stacked and having 1400 calories a day I would have expected SOME weight loss.

One other thing to bear in mind though: when you have PCOS the type of food you eat can be just as important as the quantity. Reducing your carb intake and making sure the carbs you do have are the very slow-releasing sort (lentils, pulses, oats, grainy breads and whole wheat pasta) could help enormously,

I hope this helps ease your annoyance and frustration, but do contact me again if you have further details to tell me about your diet which you think might help me to answer your question in a bit more targeted way,.

Best wishes

Angela

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