Am I eating too little?
GeoBaybee
Posts: 69 Member
Hello, I am a 24yr old female who's starting weight was 161 on May 31st. I am 5'5". I am down to 140 as of today. I lead a somewhat active lifestyle. I wear an Apple Watch and it tells me that I burn around 2200-2400 calories a day. I go to the gym and do low-medium impact workouts 3-4x a week. I have been pretty strictly following 1300 calories, the most I've gotten up to during this journey is 1660 (eating back some exercise calories). I do find myself wanting more food, but not letting myself have it. I also am noticing loose skin in my midsection from 21 lb loss in 6 weeks. My goal is 115-120 lbs by fall. Should I be eating more, as I feel hungry a lot, or should I keep up with my current routine and I will eventually get used to it?
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Replies
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You could add a couple of hundred cals and still lose.0
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In just over five weeks you have lost 21lbs - yes of course you are eating too little.1
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21 lbs in 6 weeks? Seriously?0
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Technically 5 weeks, as I just started my 6th week yesterday, but MFP set me to 1200 calories and people from the community have reccomended eating back half of exercise calories. My exercises are only burning around 400 calories...0
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Technically 5 weeks, as I just started my 6th week yesterday, but MFP set me to 1200 calories and people from the community have reccomended eating back half of exercise calories. My exercises are only burning around 400 calories...
Well that was spectacularly bad advice then!
You know you set a weight loss goal, you know you have lost far, far too fast.
Eat more - simple as that.2 -
If you are hungry a lot then it sounds like you need to eat more
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Yes.
If you are hungry, eat more.
If you are losing more than 2lb per week, eat more.
Ask yourself why you are limiting more than necessary? Because that can become a destructive habit. Your body needs food. Food is good. Food is important. Food is wonderful. And weight loss comes with bad side-effects if you do it too fast. It is not a race.
Definitely eat more.3 -
You're definitely undereating. With only 20-25 pounds left to lose, shoot for losing 0.5 to 1 pound per week.0
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The "eat back 50-75% of exercise calories" is just a guideline because it's hard to be really accurate in figuring out haw many extra calories the exercise is burning. Now that you have seen a trend, you can know that you are definitely burning more than 50% (because you are losing so fast).
In your situation, I'd definitely be increasing my food intake - try eating all of those exercise calories and see how it goes.
Remember the figures you get are only estimates based on averages, so may need adjusting for you. Aim to lose half to one pound a week and adjust the food so you are getting that - you might find it helps with the loose skin too if you loose slowly.1 -
CattOfTheGarage wrote: »Yes.
If you are hungry, eat more.
If you are losing more than 2lb per week, eat more.
Ask yourself why you are limiting more than necessary? Because that can become a destructive habit. Your body needs food. Food is good. Food is important. Food is wonderful. And weight loss comes with bad side-effects if you do it too fast. It is not a race.
Definitely eat more.
^^this.
Fall is only about 2-3 months away. Trying to lose 25 lbs by then is too aggressive of a goal for someone at your current weight. Is it more important just to see a certain number on the scale, or to develop healthy habits that you can stick with for life in order to keep the weight off? I like the idea that weight loss mode should look a lot like maintenance mode, meaning you're using your newfound knowledge in the best way possible. What you're doing currently is unstainable for the long haul.
ETA: Loose skin is often one of those bad side effects of losing too fast, mentioned above.2 -
21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol 0
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21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.0 -
She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
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She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
At the same height and similar weight, doing 2 a days a the gym and very strict low calorie diet, the best I was able to hit was 1.5-2lbs a week.1 -
How accurate is your logging? I only ask because I'm also 24, 5'5", currently 160ish. I'm eating between 1200 and 1400 per day and I'm not losing anywhere as fast as that. I think I'm pretty accurate (although there's always room for improvement) so this makes me curious if you're actually overestimating what you're eating.0
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She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
The math doesn't make sense to me either, which is why I created this post. I'm not lying about my loss, it's a genuine question that I needed advice for because I was surprised to see the scale dropping so fast. I wasn't looking for any hate or criticism. Isn't this supposed to be a place I can come for help without being torn apart by people criticizing or questioning my truth. My doctor did put me on 25 mg Lasix (diuretic) daily to reduce swelling that I've accumulated from having high blood pressure. I am new to this and thought I was doing everything right with the guidance on MFP. Thank you for those that helped me in a kind way with good advice.0 -
How accurate is your logging? I only ask because I'm also 24, 5'5", currently 160ish. I'm eating between 1200 and 1400 per day and I'm not losing anywhere as fast as that. I think I'm pretty accurate (although there's always room for improvement) so this makes me curious if you're actually overestimating what you're eating.
I think I have been logging accurately. I always try to stay well below on carbs/sugar/fat, but have been troubled with going over on sodium. The first week, I lost 6 lbs, the second week I lost 2, the 3rd week I lost 1, the 4th week I lost 4, last week I lost 8 in one week, that's when I got concerned. I didn't do anything differently last week either...0 -
Yes, that 8 pound loss 5 weeks in is concerning. Please change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings0
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She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
The math doesn't make sense to me either, which is why I created this post. I'm not lying about my loss, it's a genuine question that I needed advice for because I was surprised to see the scale dropping so fast. I wasn't looking for any hate or criticism. Isn't this supposed to be a place I can come for help without being torn apart by people criticizing or questioning my truth. My doctor did put me on 25 mg Lasix (diuretic) daily to reduce swelling that I've accumulated from having high blood pressure. I am new to this and thought I was doing everything right with the guidance on MFP. Thank you for those that helped me in a kind way with good advice.
@GeoBaybee
No one has torn your apart. or even questioned your truth.
You are now mentioning a prescribed diruetic which is likely the reason why you dropped some of the weight quickly which would also answer the questions people had about your calorie deficit. That fact makes all the difference.2 -
I didn't say you were lying and I wasn't criticizing you! It's just crazy that you're losing so much, I was just saying that I wouldn't be able to do that in a million years haha, I like food too much and I can't make myself exercise enough. Sorry if it came across like I was being rude
She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
The math doesn't make sense to me either, which is why I created this post. I'm not lying about my loss, it's a genuine question that I needed advice for because I was surprised to see the scale dropping so fast. I wasn't looking for any hate or criticism. Isn't this supposed to be a place I can come for help without being torn apart by people criticizing or questioning my truth. My doctor did put me on 25 mg Lasix (diuretic) daily to reduce swelling that I've accumulated from having high blood pressure. I am new to this and thought I was doing everything right with the guidance on MFP. Thank you for those that helped me in a kind way with good advice.
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She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
The math doesn't make sense to me either, which is why I created this post. I'm not lying about my loss, it's a genuine question that I needed advice for because I was surprised to see the scale dropping so fast. I wasn't looking for any hate or criticism. Isn't this supposed to be a place I can come for help without being torn apart by people criticizing or questioning my truth. My doctor did put me on 25 mg Lasix (diuretic) daily to reduce swelling that I've accumulated from having high blood pressure. I am new to this and thought I was doing everything right with the guidance on MFP. Thank you for those that helped me in a kind way with good advice.
People are trying to make sense of such a rapid weight loss - the intention is to understand the puzzle.
It's not hate or calling you a liar. No-one has torn you apart!
You didn't mention the diuretic so people are making the assumption of the approximate usual correlation of 1lb loss = 3500 cals to lose a pound of fat.
Losing a pound of water = zero calories.
Honestly think the best route is to talk to your Doctor not strangers on the internet.
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You may be OK - was the 161 when you were retaining a lot of water and swollen? Then after that the doctor put you on a diuretic? So your body is carrying less water now? Maybe you had an enormous whoosh - water weighs about 8lb a gallon.
Has your rate of weight loss slowed, was it really fast to start but now going steadily? Do you feel you have enough energy?0 -
being on diuretics could explain some of this. Maybe it would be a good idea to go back to your doctor, check your blood pressure again and see what she thinks of you progress? If I were you, I'd slow down to a goal of 1lb. a week and add some strength training if you haven't, losing that fast could mean you are losing muscle mass as well as fat.0
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Hummm. When I was your age, I had already developed habits that led me down the path to serious obesity. I suggest that you explore the behavior that lead to your weight gain. Have you always been overweight, or did you gain over the last couple of years? At 24 I was still out to eat everything I wanted whenever I wanted. It's taken me years to accept that I am no longer seventeen years old. Is it possible that you have gained because you haven't adjusted your relationship to food as you've gotten older?
Since you posted here and were upfront about your fear of not eating enough....well, do you think that you maybe already know the answer to your question? You aren't eating enough. You're hungry. And you're worried. And reaching out, which is a good thing.
Don't let the brash responses put you off too much. Some people mean well but are tactless. Others don't mean well and are A-holes. Others will pounce on a post and start arguing and promoting their own agendas. But if you stay on the boards you will meet some really nice folks who will help you in meaningful ways.2 -
According to math you can eat more and still lose. If you are hungry please eat more. No need to make yourself suffer. I'd add an extra 300 calories. It will be like getting a small meal back or 2-3 decent snacks. I found this out from personal experience...the longer I stayed in a very high calorie deficit, the more likely I was to have a massive binge one day and eat everything in sight. I also couldn't sustain it and gained a bunch of weight back.
Better to eat a bit more so you aren't so hungry and lose a little slower.
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She would need a 2000 calorie deficit everyday, seems impossible to me for just one day, let alone all 7 days of the week for multiple weeks, but who knows3dogsrunning wrote: »21 pounds in 5 weeks means you've been losing 4 pounds a week which is twice as much as the (maximum) recommended amount to lose per week is so yes you should eat more. If you can I don't see why you wouldn't I wish I could eat more lol
I can't even fathom how that is possible even accounting for a drastic drop in carbs/water weight.
The math doesn't make sense to me either, which is why I created this post. I'm not lying about my loss, it's a genuine question that I needed advice for because I was surprised to see the scale dropping so fast. I wasn't looking for any hate or criticism. Isn't this supposed to be a place I can come for help without being torn apart by people criticizing or questioning my truth. My doctor did put me on 25 mg Lasix (diuretic) daily to reduce swelling that I've accumulated from having high blood pressure. I am new to this and thought I was doing everything right with the guidance on MFP. Thank you for those that helped me in a kind way with good advice.
People are trying to make sense of such a rapid weight loss - the intention is to understand the puzzle.
It's not hate or calling you a liar. No-one has torn you apart!
You didn't mention the diuretic so people are making the assumption of the approximate usual correlation of 1lb loss = 3500 cals to lose a pound of fat.
Losing a pound of water = zero calories.
Honestly think the best route is to talk to your Doctor not strangers on the internet.
Yes to all of this.. especially going back to the doctor.
Leaving off medication prescribed by a doctor in her OP that absolutely has everything to do with the weight loss can only leave the community grasping at straws and of course out right saying this rate of loss is dangerous. Nothing wrong with that.0 -
I would definitely recommend that you go back to your doctor, if you are on lasix and losing all the wt(water weight probably), more likely you are also flushing out your electrolytes( including your potassium)and that could be really bad for your health.0
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