not enough calories... good or bad?
m0jk
Posts: 133
hi im only started my diet 4 days ago, the info pack says i have to reach my calorie intake (1200) every day or my body will go into starvation mode and i wont loss weight... im having trouble balancing out my calorie in take, im eating more than i used to just smaller portions more often.. any advice welcome thanks?
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Replies
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im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.0 -
There is this massive myth about dieting (I prefer to call it lifestyle change, because that is essentially it) which says when dieting, we need to drastically reduce our calories by x amount and only eat certain foods.
This is UNTRUE.
You can put down that horrible diet yoghurt, or ready meal, or rice cake. Instead, eat calorie dense foods - they may be higher in calories than what you expect and probably higher in fat than what you expect to eat on a "diet" but rather than thinking of it as a diet, think of it as getting healthy - there is genuinely NO NEED to deny yourself foods you enjoy and make yourself do a bunch of exercises that you hate.
If you are forcing yourself to do anything, chances are you'll lose momentum and/or be discouraged. Instead, you need to find what works for you. It could be you eat more carbs/less protein or vice versa. You may need to tweak it around tonnes before you find the right method for you.
I'm sure there will be way more helpful advice on its way, but I would suggest looking at what your BMR is - that is, the base level of calories you need per day to survive - ie if you were doing absolutely nothing. You really should be eating that at the very least, whether it's 1200 calories or 2200 calories. You can then input data such as how much you work out and your lifestyle (whether you are active at work/daytime) and it will give you the calorie intake value - you can then tweak the deficit (10%/20%) according to how much you need/want to lose.0 -
Why else would i be here? Thanks for the reply btw
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Some people on here can be rude and condescending, shrug it off! The first thing you need to do is calculate your BMR, there are some great websites out there to do that for you! 1200 is too low, you need fuel for your body girl.0
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Best thing you can do is figure out what your calorie intake should be to maintain your weight. Then you cut that by 500 per day or 3500 per week. That is the formula from The American Cancer Society for weight loss of 1 lb per week. You really DON'T want to eat under your calories (it will happen sometimes just as being over will as well) but you want to try to give your body the nutrients it needs. There are also tons of articles out there on calorie cycle or "zig zag". Where you are eating more on one day and less on others, the goal is to keep your body from "plateauing" and continuing to loose weight.
Tons and TONS of education out there. Just don't believe EVERY THING you read! lol
Every one has an opinion. You do what's right for you and your body to reach your goals.
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Thanks missy i cant exercise right now for medical reasons but i need to loss the weight i have tried a few different food optimising diets that havent worked for me, thats why i thought id try the calorie control and portion sizes, so sorry if i seem a bit nieve ive not counted calories before as i was always very active 0
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hi im only started my diet 4 days ago, the info pack says i have to reach my calorie intake (1200) every day or my body will go into starvation mode and i wont loss weight... im having trouble balancing out my calorie in take, im eating more than i used to just smaller portions more often.. any advice welcome thanks?
How tall are you? The amount of calories you need in order to lose weight is going to be different between someone who is 5'3" like I am compared to someone who is say 5'7". Someone taller than me can get away eating more calories than I can and still drop weight.0 -
Thanks ladies, theres just so much information the mind boggles thanks for pointing me in the right direction oh and consider it shrugged off already, plus sometimes people dont mean it the way it reads online, it just makes me laugh 0
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im 5'9 0
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try to get as close as you can, no need to stuff urself0
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It might take you a bit to find the amount of calories, food etc that work for you, everyone is different. It took me a few months before I joined here and it's still a work in progress. I listen to my body and I'm usually able to get it that certain foods ie processed crap full of sugar make me feel like crap. Nuts, fruit, veggies, leaner meats, fish, etc make me feel good, full and plenty of energy.Thanks missy i cant exercise right now for medical reasons but i need to loss the weight i have tried a few different food optimising diets that havent worked for me, thats why i thought id try the calorie control and portion sizes, so sorry if i seem a bit nieve ive not counted calories before as i was always very active
One thing, logging food on here....make sure before you add it to your food diary that the calories, carbs, protein, portions etc are correct. There are a lot of foods that aren't. There's also a recipe option, where you can create your own recipes for foods you add a lot of different stuff to, it makes it easier to add these to your daily log, rather than having to put each ingredient in separately. Good luck on your new journey :flowerforyou:0 -
If you were active before and now not bc of the medical reasons, you're definitely going to have to cut down the amount you've been eating. Try to get to the 1200 if you can but like d9123 said, don't stuff yourself. Eating calorie dense foods will help. Keep an eye on how your weight and waist measurement is going week to week. You'll get a better idea of how your weight fluctuates especially around TOM if that effects you. If your weight and waist measurement is rising you'll know it's time to lower your intake and reassess.0
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Thanks ive been trying to keep it up as close as i can the past 2 days and this is all good info , ive been adding all the meals snacks etc. and the only thing i cant keep under is sugar .....bananas of al things grrr0
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Will do that Tina thanks. 0
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If you have 70 lbs to lose it's ridiculous to eat as little as 1200 calories a day. It can't do you any good. Go back to your MFP goal and change to 'lose 1 lbs a week'.0
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Why else would i be here? Thanks for the reply btw
You wrote that you're eating more now than you used to. I said that is doubtful because you would've been eating more to gain weight in the first place. You come here and eat LESS than you were previously eating so you can lose weight. I don't think you (or the deluded person who perceived my response as "rude" and "condescending") understood what I said.0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson0 -
Adini i know what you mean but the fact is im now on diet chef which is calorie counting and portion sized meals that are ready made and Im eating more because i never ate breakfast or snacks but had mcdonalds for example or takeaway at meals times. now im having 3 meals a day and snacks 0
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http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
There is a third version.0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson
What are you even talking about? Your experience has nothing to do with the original post.
She said she is eating more NOW.
She said NOTHING about losing weight PRIOR to MFP.
THEREFORE, it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be eating more NOW (LOSING WEIGHT) than BEFORE (GAINING WEIGHT).
FFS. Basic reading comprehension, people. Learn it before you get high and mighty over nothing.0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson
What are you even talking about? Your experience has nothing to do with the original post.
She said she is eating more NOW.
She said NOTHING about losing weight PRIOR to MFP.
THEREFORE, it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be eating more NOW (LOSING WEIGHT) than BEFORE (GAINING WEIGHT).
FFS. Basic reading comprehension, people. Learn it before you get high and mighty over nothing.
The reason people are having trouble with your statement is because you failed to insert a comma in the proper place. Commas save lives.0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson
What are you even talking about? Your experience has nothing to do with the original post.
She said she is eating more NOW.
She said NOTHING about losing weight PRIOR to MFP.
THEREFORE, it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be eating more NOW (LOSING WEIGHT) than BEFORE (GAINING WEIGHT).
FFS. Basic reading comprehension, people. Learn it before you get high and mighty over nothing.
The reason people are having trouble with your statement is because you failed to insert a comma in the proper place. Commas save lives.
Where did I fail to use a comma?0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
Eating more NOW because NOW I am trying to do it correctly.
She did say she upped her calories since she joined.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson
What are you even talking about? Your experience has nothing to do with the original post.
She said she is eating more NOW.
She said NOTHING about losing weight PRIOR to MFP.
THEREFORE, it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be eating more NOW (LOSING WEIGHT) than BEFORE (GAINING WEIGHT).
FFS. Basic reading comprehension, people. Learn it before you get high and mighty over nothing.
Eating more NOW because NOW I am trying to do it correctly.
She did say she upped her calories since she joined.I am saying I am NOW eating more calories and I would still like to lose weight NOW but in a healthier manner.
Go back and read your last sentence.0 -
im eating more than i used to
I highly doubt that if you're here because you need to lose weight.
If you're having trouble reaching your daily calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods.
Eating more NOW because NOW I am trying to do it correctly.
She did say she upped her calories since she joined.
I lost 45 pounds before I joined. Didn't realize prior to joining that going under 1200 was so dangerous.
So I upped my calories.
You can keep your so you can "highly doubt it" all you want. Judgy Judgerson
What are you even talking about? Your experience has nothing to do with the original post.
She said she is eating more NOW.
She said NOTHING about losing weight PRIOR to MFP.
THEREFORE, it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be eating more NOW (LOSING WEIGHT) than BEFORE (GAINING WEIGHT).
FFS. Basic reading comprehension, people. Learn it before you get high and mighty over nothing.
Eating more NOW because NOW I am trying to do it correctly.
She did say she upped her calories since she joined.I am saying I am NOW eating more calories and I would still like to lose weight NOW but in a healthier manner.
Go back and read your last sentence.
Her OP only says that she is eating more NOW. Now meaning what? Now after being overweight, she's eating more than she was eating is what I got from her post. Then she goes on to talk about size/frequency of meals which is even further confusing and a completely different point.
Read her post:Adini i know what you mean but the fact is im now on diet chef which is calorie counting and portion sized meals that are ready made and Im eating more because i never ate breakfast or snacks but had mcdonalds for example or takeaway at meals times. now im having 3 meals a day and snacks0 -
My thought is that you want to eat the maximum number of calories that will allow you to lose weight. Going too low is never good for you. Your metabolism will slow down if you don't eat enough; you don't want that.0
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OP, regardless of whatever was lost in translation and presumed "rude, condescending, or judgmental" (none of which applied but whatever), my advice still stands. If you're having trouble reaching your calorie goal, eat more calorie dense foods. Simple as that.0
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Hello! I cannot answer the question, "not enough calories... good or bad" because I do now know your goals, your body type, what you normally eat, how often you exercise, and your level of activity during the day. I can tell you, from experience, that starting a "diet" is like poorly introducing yourself to someone for the first time. Make a good impressino on your body!
Before I knew what I was doing I followed the website's recommendation of 1200 calories a day based on my weightloss goals. I sustained this level of caloric intake for about two weeks and then "fell off the wagon", so to speak. I lost some weight and I put it back on in three weeks.
Sometimes 1200 calories seems like a lot and sometimes it's not enough. (It depends on what you eat!) If you normally eat 2,000 a day then I would start with a deficit of 300 calories, eat 1,700 a day. If you are new to losing weight then you want to ease your body into a sustainable routine. Your body will love you when you lose weight at a healthy speed.
*If you're serious about losing weight consult a nutritionist and personal trainer!0 -
Don't mean to be a bore here, but take the slanging off a thread.
OP - don't apologise for not knowing everything immediately. Weight loss, gain and maintenance is a learning curve - some people need a few attempts to get it right, some need more/less. The most important thing is that you've recognised you may need some assistance and have come to the right place. I see both sides of this coin, but unfortunately forums lose the translation of meaning.
Feel free to add me as a friend or send a message - I'm definitely not an oracle on this weight loss malarkey (I'm constantly learning) but if I can help in anyway I will do so.0 -
Maybe she meant she's eating more than she used to because she's eating healthier lower calorie foods???? I know when I stopped all the junk, the fast food, the every night ice cream and incorporated healthier foods I realized just how much food I could eat and sustain a calorie deficit and it's a lot, more than I was before.....like the 7 oz salmon steak, 2 to 3 cups broccoli or other green veggies, the small sweet potato....that adds up to about 500 calories versus the big mac/fries that could reach to 1400. Big difference there.
In either case, there isn't any need to be condescending or rude to anyone looking for help on these forums..../shakes head
OP, you can add me to your friends as well if you'd like 0 -
omgawd what a head ache.. just to clarify for adini.. im have to eat 1200 calories on the diet ive been on for the past 4 days, im eating more quantity in food than before i started the diet to get to 1200 calories because the food i was eating before the diet (that made me put the weight on) was alot less in quantity but alot higher in calories because it wasnt healthy food.
i give up if you dont understand it because im confusing myself now lol
ANYWAY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP! ITS MUCH APPRECIATED, I am taking all this in and happy to add friends
just for info i am here to lose weight and get advice but even if i wasnt its no ones business but mine 0
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