Obviously, there is a big difference between 800 Calories intake a day and doing very little and 800 Calories intake and doing, say, a 12 k run that uses up 1000 Calories. Is the value of 800 the net calories?

Normal amounts of exercise, 10 000 steps is included in 800 calories. Real strenuous exercise doesn’t seem recommended at the beginning of the 800 cal. diet.

From the FAQ here :

Can I exercise while on this diet?

It is important that you do, to boost mood, burn fat and preserve your muscles. I don’t recommend you run a marathon, but jogging is fine and walking is great, particularly if you have bursts where you push yourself. (Go to our exercise section to find out more)

Thanks for the reply, shalimar. I’d found that FAQ, but it doesn’t really help – a 12 k run is normal for me – I count it as jogging, but obviously there are a lot of calories used up. Seems to me you need to allow for the calories used up in exercise, otherwise, even with just walking the dog, Pilates etc (about 200 Calories each), you’d be effectively taking in only 400 Calories a day, which is very little.

I think that’s the whole point. 800 calories is less than anyone needs daily, which is why you lose weight. I do about 10k steps a day and when I was sticking to 800 cals lost nearly 3 stone. I’m maintaining now, so still doing the same number of steps and exercise, not eating carbs and not really counting calories and have stabilised nicely. Touch wood!

Just this morning i was reading The complete guide to fasting, healing your body through intermittent, alternate day, and extended fasting” by Jason Fung, MD with Jimmy Moore.

They contend that while there may be a period of training your body to use the fat stored in your body as energy … the fat is what will burn instead of glycogen. … pp. 243-245 …. if you can find the reference.

I google this …. and found this page … hope it links and explains a few things for you.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-and-exercise-fasting-23/

Hi, Bissell, I know that’s the whole point, but there’s a big difference between +800 calories and -200 calories 🙂

I think its about using your judgement on what is right for you
I regularly walk 10-15k steps a day, and don’t add that back, but on days when I do a LOT more exercise (like a 15 mile walk or two hours kayaking), I do have more to eat if I feel I need it.
And last night, when I’d eaten out & had wine, I did choose to walk home rather than getting the bus, although my calories weren’t particularly high for the day.

Hi Frog,

I think you’re right,though they should explain this in the theory (I’m a research biochemist). They presumably knew in the original study by Taylor how much exercise the patients were doing. I normally do about 10 k steps a day, but then need to add on other exercise sessions and several short runs of about 4-8 k a week and one 12 k one. I’m at day 3 and was absolutely starving yesterday with additional dog walking and keep fit! I’m starting at 72 kg, so don’t have masses of kg to lose. About 3 years ago, I’d already brought my weight down by 9 kg from 81 kg in 3 weeks by eating less and have kept it at that, but then found I had diabetes! So am now on the low-carb stuff as well!

But we are not really at minus 200 calories – think of it as a bank account. We are drawing on our reserves of which we have plenty. We should be adding in the good nutrients and ‘spending’ from the savings account for energy.

Yes listen to your body as Frog says about extra for a lot of exercise, find your own pace.

Brilliant point Avila

I have a fitbit and burn 2000 calories per day just breathing and walking 10k steps (with the occasional swim and run in there). What our body uses when it runs out of glucose to burn is our fat stores (I’m sure you know this). Most have us have plenty. When they have really run out then of course we will need more calories, but calories from fat to keep our bodies burning fat and protein for nutritional value. I saw a Ted talk recently – our bodies do not need carbs. Not a single one. They are quite happy to burn fat until the cows come home. So if you’re starving it could be plenty of reasons but it is more likely to be that you need more fat to eat, especially since you have so little to lose. If you need to concentrate on reducing blood sugars rather than lose weight then I would suggest you increase calories but keep carbs as low as you can.

Good luck – keep us posted