Is 490 calories a lot?

[Anonymous]

I'm not skinny or anything, but I had 490 cals today. I had a whole grain pb sandwich and a fiber bar. I feel like I've eaten a lot.

[Couter]

If you keep eating like that, you are going to have severe health problems in the next 5-10 years.

Calories aren't the only thing your body needs to function, without a properly balanced diet that includes all of your vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, carbs and fat that your cell tissue needs to function healthily and effectively, your cellular functions will start to degrade, your immune system will weaken, and your body will start to shut down.

Examples:

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) aids the body metabolize food into energy, as well as contributing to skin and eye health.

B2 Deficiency can cause cataracts, dermatitis, hair loss, mouth lesions, seizures and sensitivity to light

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Supports energy metabolization

B5 Deficiency can cause abdominal pain, eczema, immune system impairment, insomnia, low blood pressure and muscle spasms

Vitamin B12 is used in creating new cells in the body, helps break down fatty and amino acids, and supports nerve cell function

B12 Deficiency can cause Anemia, intestinal disturbances, mental disturbances, mouth lesions, and spinal cord degeneration

These are 3 of the 14 essential vitamins your body requires to be healthy, on top of that, there are 15 minerals your body also needs. I could list all of them, but I hope this is enough to make you understand. If you don't start eating a balanced diet, (which should include up to 2000 calories, distributed between carbs, protein and fat), you will develop serious health problems.

I'm not saying you might develop them, I'm saying you WILL, the human body simply can't function properly without these things. That's why they are called ESSENTIAL vitamins and nutrients, they are essential to life.

You're young, so your body is able to cope without these nutrients for the time being, but it's putting an extreme amount of stress on your body. In a matter of years you could be on half a dozen different medications for conditions like Anemia, Diabetes, Heart Disease and more than likely cancer.

Cancer is nothing but malfunctioning cell tissue that is no longer able to perform any of the functions it is supposed to, and can do nothing else but make copies of itself, until you've got a malignant tumor.

A good way to get cancer is to rob your cell tissue of the energy and nutrients it needs to function.

So I guess in short, if you want to die by the time your 30, 490 calories a day is just perfect. I'm honestly not trying to scare you, I'm trying to help you understand the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. This goes to all you girls out there on a myriad of different diets. When dieting became prevalent in women, so did breast cancer. It's not a coincidence.

[aMuse]

That's about one healthy meal. Most people eat 3 meals a day around 500 calories a piece when they are dieting and have about 2 snacks in between at maybe 100 calories each. That's 1700 for the day (for a man). A woman should go no lower then 1200 per day, which might consist of 3 400 calorie meals.

[aMuse]

When you are in starvation mode you don't really feel hungry, but your metabolism slows to a crawl and your body is eating itself alive...

[missannabee]

I think you know that it is actually not a lot, which is why you came to have people tell you that it is very little.

I'm going to guess that you usually eat fewer calories than 490, and today you felt like a failure because you ate more, so you wanted some people to reassure it wasn't too much.

I know how much eating disorders can suck you in and warp your perception and completely take over your life but, as I'm sure you know, they're very dangerous. If you are restricting that much, I suggest maybe talking to a therapist about why you feel the need to do that.

And if none of that is true, then ignore it, I guess. But I'm not sure why'd you be asking this question otherwise unless you were trolling.

[LonelyandInTheDark]

No woman... You should have at least twice the amount of calories everyday...

I used to eat 400 calories per day way back when- I felt like all the energy was sucked out of me, I felt like a ghost. The most stupid, desperate thing I have ever done (among other things)

[ambertaylor]

As your under 18, 490 calories is not sufficient enough especially as your body is still growing. Recommended calorie intake for a woman per day is 1200 so I'd up your intake if you wish to remain healthy.

[sketchy]

For a whole day's intake, that's not nearly enough. Even if you're trying to lose weight, you can still have 3 times that amount (more if you exercise a lot). It's not just that the calorific content is far too low, but it's also going to be deficient in pretty much every other kind of nutrient too.

[Anonymous]

That's not a lot and you'd be a fool to convince yourself that's a lot.

It's a meal.

Let me guess, you've been sitting on your computer chair all day and that's why you're not hungry. That's your metabolism slowing down and your muscles being eaten away to stay alive. That won't cut it.

[kheserthorpe]

When I crash diet, I eat about 700 (600+ from protein) calories a day most days, and maybe 2800-3000 once a week. At that level, I'll drop 3 lbs a week, which most people consider too fast.

Does that answer your question?

[saragee27]

That's the amount that I had for breakfast lol. Eat some fruit, veg and protein or you're gonna get scurvy girl!

[tenniselbow]

That is way too little for just a day! You have not eaten "a lot" and it sounds like those were "clean" calories as well (made up as healthy foods) so you're doing fine! That was the amount I was eating a year ago when I had anorexia. Please take it from a girl who's been there, done that that it's NOT worth it! You really should be eating 1,200 calories a day MINIMUM. Listen to your body! If you want to lose weight, you'll have better luck with eating 1,200 calories a day than 500.

[madmisskelly]

That is not enough calories at all, that isn't even half of what you need for a whole day.

[foolycooly1001]

That is way below the normal basal metabolism for a woman.

[JennaMaee]

If that's a lot then holy man iv eatin A LOT today!...Iv had an egg, some soup, chips, ice cream, popcorn! Already, and I'm feelin kinda hungry again(:

[Alanaaa]

you need like 2000 cal's a day :s don't be dumb. Just watch what you eat, don't just stop eating,

[LoveBambi]

That's like a fraction of how much I eat daily and I'm skinny.

[Asker]

I'm trying to lose weight

[LoveBambi]

Not sure how much you need to consume when dieting, but 490 is a low number.

[Cynthia325]

for what you ate its a lot of calories, peanut butter is the cause of it.

[lucky24]

its good for one meal but not even close to last an entire day

atleast for my meta

[cazza3]

Is that all you've eaten all day

[Asker]

Yes

[cazza3]

Waay too little. I understand you're trying to lose weight but starving your body doesn't work. The body will always try to protect itself and as its been starved the next time it receives food it will store it as fat. Any weight you might lose will not stay off.

[kmhco]

That is like nothing!

[jesoer]

Well, totally depends on how much you burn..