A few hundred calories below calorie goal?

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cherith778
cherith778 Posts: 64
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, so I've been completing my food/exercise diary and have repeatedly been under the recommended intake (1200) of calories. I just stop eating when I feel full... isn't that a good thing? But yesterday I was 230 under, and today I have 360 remaining calories. I was just wondering is it safe to eat that few calories? Will I still lose weight eating the way I am now? Should I continue eating after I feel full? Eat foods with more calories? Any advice would be appreciated :)
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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Repeatedly under the mark isn't good for you unless there is some reason for it. If your doctor is on board, great. Since you're asking if it's okay, I assume you haven't spoken with a doctor. So, do that. Follow their advice and be healthy. :)
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    I am missing where OP says anything about a doctor.
  • blueblueheart
    blueblueheart Posts: 27
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    Not jumping in to give advice (because I have no clue), but curious - how often is "repeatedly"? If you look at things from a weekly rather than daily view, does it look reasonably close (perhaps you're occasionally a little over?)or are you always under goal?
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Nope, it's not healthy and looking at your picture, you don't have that much to lose. Your body is not getting its necessary nutrients.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Nope, it's not healthy and looking at your picture, you don't have that much to lose. Your body is not getting its necessary nutrients.

    Take a look at her goal?

  • zitruss
    zitruss Posts: 1
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    Maybe try to have a couple of more snacks in between? Something like a fat-free sugar-free yogurt with a teaspoon of honey or fresh fruit or maybe even indulge in a small piece of dark chocolate. I've been having a similar problem but I'm trying to eat the full 1200 calories each day otherwise I think it's just not enough calories for my body type.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited October 2014
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    If your logging is accurate, yes you'll still lose weight. People always bring up starvation mode when you eat less than 1200, but that does not happen.

    However, you're more than likely depriving yourself of nutrients eating that little. Maybe add in a bit of peanut butter (if you aren't allergic) or some oil when you're cooking to help you reach your goal.
  • cherith778
    cherith778 Posts: 64
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    blueblueheart wrote: »
    Not jumping in to give advice (because I have no clue), but curious - how often is "repeatedly"? If you look at things from a weekly rather than daily view, does it look reasonably close (perhaps you're occasionally a little over?)or are you always under goal?

    Last sunday I was 100 over. Throughout the week I hit my mark for two of the days and the rest I was 200-400 under.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    200-400 is a big range to be under calorie goal. That is a lot of nutrient dense foods.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    I definitely advise eating more than 1200, not just eating at that goal, because few people only need 1200 cals to lose weight! Especially at 18, you're still young enough to benefit from needing a bit more food.

    Your daily goal is less important than your weekly goal. So if you are under by 500 over 4 days but you wind up over by 500 the rest of the week, you balance out. So make sure you are balancing out.

    check out the links on my profile for energy expenditure calculators, exclude exercise if you're logging exercise. If you do the same workouts on a consistent basis you can include that in your calculation, otherwise don't include it. Then subtract 15-20% (22lbs isn't that much - I estimate up to 20lbs left for me, but still eating at 20% deficit, so whatever works for you. I might up to 15% deficit in Nov or Dec), and that's your daily goal! Make sure you always hit that, although if you're like 20-30 cals below it's not a huge deal. But try to get as close as possible, being over a bit is okay too. I'm usually not under by much, some days I'm a bit over, today I'm under because I couldn't weigh most of my food so I'm giving a bit of room for estimation error.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    cherith778 wrote: »
    Hey, so I've been completing my food/exercise diary and have repeatedly been under the recommended intake (1200) of calories. I just stop eating when I feel full... isn't that a good thing? But yesterday I was 230 under, and today I have 360 remaining calories. I was just wondering is it safe to eat that few calories? Will I still lose weight eating the way I am now? Should I continue eating after I feel full? Eat foods with more calories? Any advice would be appreciated :)

    Being repeatedly under 1,200 calories is not good. You should continue eating after you feel full. 1,200 is also way too low. You should be aiming for .5lb/1lb per week loss. 2lbs per week is too aggressive.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    What is wrong with having 22 lb to lose?
    I only had 22lb to lose (10 kg)

    Surely it is better to lose it than to gain another 20 or whatever so you gave enough to lose :o
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    paperpudding wrote: »
    What is wrong with having 22 lb to lose?
    I only had 22lb to lose (10 kg)

    Surely it is better to lose it than to gain another 20 or whatever so you gave enough to lose :o

    Look at some of OP photos and you will see why he said that.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    Oh ok. I thought it was just a general comment about people using MFP to lose relatively small amounts of weight.

    Carry on, ignore me please :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    edited October 2014
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    cherith778 wrote: »
    Hey, so I've been completing my food/exercise diary and have repeatedly been under the recommended intake (1200) of calories. I just stop eating when I feel full... isn't that a good thing? But yesterday I was 230 under, and today I have 360 remaining calories. I was just wondering is it safe to eat that few calories? Will I still lose weight eating the way I am now? Should I continue eating after I feel full? Eat foods with more calories? Any advice would be appreciated :)
    You only have 22 pounds to lose. If you truly eat 1,200 calories or under, of course you'll continue to lose weight. My question to you: what's the hurry? You've got your whole life to get healthy.

    You should be eating more than 1200 calories because you have so little to lose. In fact, your goals should be set to lose only .5 pounds per week. You need to eat more calorie dense foods and eat a whole lot more calories. Otherwise, you won't have enough fuel for your body, which is like trying to drive a car 40 miles with a gas tank that's almost empty.

    By the way, do you really have 22 lbs to lose? You thin in your photos.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    What is wrong with having 22 lb to lose?
    I only had 22lb to lose (10 kg)

    Surely it is better to lose it than to gain another 20 or whatever so you gave enough to lose :o

    Look at some of OP photos and you will see why he said that.

    Yup, exactly.

    I'm with you all on that. 22 pounds seems an awful lot, judging by the photos.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    OP. 3 pounds down nice. Now my question is you have 22 more pounds. Where do you exactly plan on losing that? 22 pounds of fat or muscle and fat loss? I don't get where op.

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