Why eating too little calories is a bad idea.....
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I'm one of those who is scratching my head about not losing. I've been doing this for 70 days. I log everything and measure portions. I lost 5 pounds immediately and have not lost anything since. I used MFP to calculate my calories based on 1 pound per week. I would be happy for you to look at my diary over the past 2 months and see what else I can do. I would appreciate the input.
You would probably receive more input on this by starting your own thread- many posters that regularly help people with issues like this probably won't find it here. I looked through about a week of your diary and noticed some room for improvement with your logging. It's late, so rather than breaking it down for you, here is a post I created to help new ones with their accuracy:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10640205/the-basics-of-accurate-logging#latest
You may think you can't be *that* far off, but there are many here that can attest to a food scale getting things moving again even though they thought their logging was fine. Also, I saw one day where you just logged 1500 for the day. Everybody does that once in a while, but if it happens regularly, it's going to interfere with your progress. The good news is, if that first 5 lbs has stayed off, you are losing, just at an average of .5 lb/week instead of 1. Tightening up your logging should probably fix that really easily
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@2aycocks I lost 7 pounds fairly quickly, but now I have stalled. I tried lowering my calories for the day and felt like I was going to pass out. I guess I need to workout harder. I don't know.
I don't know what kind of time-frame you are talking about here, but if it's just been a few weeks or less, you haven't stalled. Most people lose several lbs of water weight right off the bat and then it may seem like nothing is happening for a while, but the fat loss just needs some time to show up on the scale. If you are logging accurately and in a calorie deficit, the scale will catch up eventually. Do NOT lower calories, or make any changes really, until you have at least a month's worth of data to go on (and for a woman, 5 or 6 weeks, since we have all those fun fluctuations due to hormones) and even then, look at the accuracy of your logging first.2 -
My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.9 -
My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.
because many times we have seen/heard stories of people being put on VLCD diets by doctors who have provided no nutritional support; or using questionable supplements that only they sell...FWIW, most doctors unless they specialize in weight loss surgery only receive about 5 hours of nutrition training during their med school years14 -
deannalfisher wrote: »My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.
because many times we have seen/heard stories of people being put on VLCD diets by doctors who have provided no nutritional support; or using questionable supplements that only they sell...FWIW, most doctors unless they specialize in weight loss surgery only receive about 5 hours of nutrition training during their med school years
That bites. I have two MD's working with me. One is an MD, registered dietician, and internist (he holds two separate MD's). So yeah, I trust him with nutrition. The other is a plastic surgeon and dietician as well, while I never had weight loss surgery, I am getting my flap removed due to massive weight loss that I did over several years. The looser I can get my skin, the better for surgery, while remaining healthy.
My situation is far from normal and not recommend without being under very strict medical observation.2 -
deannalfisher wrote: »My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.
because many times we have seen/heard stories of people being put on VLCD diets by doctors who have provided no nutritional support; or using questionable supplements that only they sell...FWIW, most doctors unless they specialize in weight loss surgery only receive about 5 hours of nutrition training during their med school years
My situation is far from normal and not recommend without being under very strict medical observation.
Exactly... your situation is an exception. The majority of users on MFP are either doing this on their own with no professional guidance or have been given generic advice by a GP like "only eat 1000 calories" or "cut out carbs" (with the generic expectation that people won't comply, but will likely lose something anyway). We see it all the time, sadly
Posters don't typically tell people to disregard a doctor's instructions, but do encourage them to press for the reasons for such instructions (the medical necessity) and seek the help of a registered dietician. At least, this is what I've seen in my experience. 7 -
Sadly we have also seen advice thrown out by someone that is under Dr orders and very watchful care - apparently not realizing that is the case, and giving advice to others that is specific to them only.
Frequent posters will jump on such advice, and inform them that it is NOT for other new posters.
Kind of like some will use MFP with the avg weekly TDEE method with exercise included, and tell others with no caveat that they should not eat back exercise calories, that you'll never lose weight if you do that. Totally missing the fact they are the ones doing things differently.8 -
My situation is far from normal and not recommend without being under very strict medical observation.
So you see how/why a general use web site (geared to people who are NOT under strict medical observation and testing and do NOT have a time sensitive medical need that will offer them more health benefits than the risks they're taking to get there) is primarily addressing a different audience?
There are many things in life that we CAN do.
They even sound like good ideas at the time.
And yet they sometimes bite us in the *kitten*.
And then we look back and think: "hey, this ended up being a bad idea. Should have done a better cost-benefit analysis".3 -
One is an MD, registered dietician, and internist (he holds two separate MD's).
That is not quite how a medical degree works. No one goes through medical school twice - i.e., holding two MDs.
In the US what a MD/DO does, is pursue internships/residencies/fellowships that lead to being eligible for board certification in a specialty, if that is his/her end game (goal). Being dual boarded - spending 3-8++ years, twice, immersed in the guided training for a specific specialty and then sitting and passing its boards - is not as rare as it once was.
Your MD likely holds two separate board certifications (also commonly known as being a diplomate of whatever specialty). If I had to assume, it would be one from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the other from the American Clinical Board of Nutrition (ACBN or DACBN - there's an example of using that Diplomate designation). Or perhaps he was a RD (registered dietician) who decided to pursue a MD. Dunno; not my doctor so do not know what list of acronymized credentials trail after his name, or in what order.
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grinning_chick wrote: »One is an MD, registered dietician, and internist (he holds two separate MD's).
That is not quite how a medical degree works. No one goes through medical school twice - i.e., holding two MDs.
In the US what a MD/DO does, is pursue internships/residencies/fellowships that lead to being eligible for board certification in a specialty, if that is his/her end game (goal). Being dual boarded - spending 3-8++ years, twice, immersed in the guided training for a specific specialty and then sitting and passing its boards - is not as rare as it once was.
Your MD likely holds two separate board certifications (also commonly known as being a diplomate of whatever specialty). If I had to assume, it would be one from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the other from the American Clinical Board of Nutrition (ACBN or DACBN - there's an example of using that Diplomate designation). Or perhaps he was a RD (registered dietician) who decided to pursue a MD. Dunno; not my doctor so do not know what list of acronymized credentials trail after his name, or in what order.
Two MD's. One is from the former Soviet Union and not recognized in the US, the other is from the US.5 -
deannalfisher wrote: »My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.
because many times we have seen/heard stories of people being put on VLCD diets by doctors who have provided no nutritional support; or using questionable supplements that only they sell...FWIW, most doctors unless they specialize in weight loss surgery only receive about 5 hours of nutrition training during their med school years
That bites. I have two MD's working with me. One is an MD, registered dietician, and internist (he holds two separate MD's). So yeah, I trust him with nutrition. The other is a plastic surgeon and dietician as well, while I never had weight loss surgery, I am getting my flap removed due to massive weight loss that I did over several years. The looser I can get my skin, the better for surgery, while remaining healthy.
My situation is far from normal and not recommend without being under very strict medical observation.
I was on a medically supervised liquid diet before bariatric surgery. I’ll pass on a pro tip. No marathons for you. Take it easy as you will be dizzy and weak. Accept all hand holds. Best of success to you.1 -
deannalfisher wrote: »My only issue with posts like these is regarding people, like myself, who work with their doctor and are cleared for a medically supervised low calorie diet. Right now my doctor is ok with me eating 900-1000 calories a day and I work with her, a trained professional who knows my medical history. I understand there are people who really need information like this, but it really irks me when MFP tries to reset my goals that I discussed ad nauseum with my doctor.
I'm about to do that as well, also under medical care. For the next 72 days I am going to be highly monitored and on an insanly low caloric intake pre-surgery. I'm also getting a daily supplement that conatins every micronutrient I need, while having my blood work checked very regularly. Why can't some people understand that when medical professionals (doctors) put you on a diet, they do know what they are doing.
because many times we have seen/heard stories of people being put on VLCD diets by doctors who have provided no nutritional support; or using questionable supplements that only they sell...FWIW, most doctors unless they specialize in weight loss surgery only receive about 5 hours of nutrition training during their med school years
That bites. I have two MD's working with me. One is an MD, registered dietician, and internist (he holds two separate MD's). So yeah, I trust him with nutrition. The other is a plastic surgeon and dietician as well, while I never had weight loss surgery, I am getting my flap removed due to massive weight loss that I did over several years. The looser I can get my skin, the better for surgery, while remaining healthy.
My situation is far from normal and not recommend without being under very strict medical observation.
I was on a medically supervised liquid diet before bariatric surgery. I’ll pass on a pro tip. No marathons for you. Take it easy as you will be dizzy and weak. Accept all hand holds. Best of success to you.
@jgnatca
I can barely jog 3 miles at a sloths pace (I run as slow as a heard of turtles running through peanut butter, but I run). So yeah I won't be running a marathon anytime soon. I'm one a major deficit now...one week before surgery I up my calories a lot. Day before...ugh...water, nothing else. I've been told recovery from a tummy tuck (I prefer to call it belly flap removal) is a lot like a C-section...at least I won't have a newborn to look after. At least I'm listed as "ideal candidate", lost weight from eating properly & exercise, and have kept if off for a year, so per my plastic surgeon, I should recover much faster than average.
Thank you, and yes I will be accepting any and all help I can get for my recovery. My best friend has offered to come over daily just to make me lunch.4 -
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I do not understand why I see so many women on here trying to eat only 1000 calories a day. It makes no sense.
I can tell you why: ignorance! And I am not being ugly with that. I am using that word in the truest meaning of the word.
There are so many people out there selling snake oils and magic pills that people who are desperate (in their mind they have tried so many things and nothing has worked - for any number of reasons - that they reach the point of desperation....) that they want to believe anything and everything.
The only time - all things being equal - that anyone (specifically female here, in this context) should go under 1,000 calories (give me latitude here) is when they are in prep for a competition. And, then *ONLY* with an experienced coach. I am not referencing those hack on-line coaches who give 200 girls of different sizes and experience the same macros...not those chuckwagons! And that is for a relatively short period of time followed by a very nice and long reverse diet where they get "healthy" again.
Most of us to not qualify for that designation! :-)
There is just so much ignorance out there......I call it analysis to paralysis.10
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