Do i HAVE to EAT!?

lovelycamacho

heybales wrote: »

Because of your normal monthly weight variations - waiting to see what happens eventually over time may be too late if very undereating that it would initially sound like.

Don't imagine a body is going to be happy with a 50% deficit, with or without exercise.

Also - do you have a reasonable rate of loss selected for amount to lose?
Faster isn't always better, rarely gained fast, don't attempt to lose fast.
If that was case, cut off a leg or arm and be done with the weight loss.
What are your stats height/weight/age?

So 7 days a week exercise - 30-45 min.

Not totally useful info to help with.

You going into the gym or the sidewalks and doing the social stuff on the phone while slowly walking 2 mph (seen many doing that) merely to move more (which could be good, but not for great calorie burn)?

Or something that is difficult for you (2mph walking for vast majority would quickly become not difficult)?


And what exactly is saying to eat 2200 calories?
Fitbit, Garmin, other?
You set a personal eating goal?

What is your daily life activity outside of exercise, job and other 6-8 hrs and weekends?

Mfp says 2200 cal.

Other than work. I cook, clean, chase kids and sleep lol. I walk a lot at work. Im a cna. A lot of lifting and pulling. Im 5"10 so i get the HEAVY patients. Total care. They cant movee, so i roll them... Pick them up, pull them up in bed, transfer them. All that.

Nony_Mouse

Okay, have you fallen for the very common mistake of cutting out all high calorie foods and loading up on low cal stuff?

Try incorporating more high calorie, nutrient dense things like full fat dairy instead of low fat, nuts and nut butters, oils in your cooking or salad dressings, avocado...

Oh, look, here's a whole list I nabbed from another thread

Foods:
Avocado
Nuts, granola
Olive/Coconut Oil (as a dressing or to cook in)
Peanut/Almond/Pumpkin/etc butter
Butter, dressing and spreads
Greek Yogurt (higher fat options)
Cheese (put that crap on everything or eat a brick of it)
Creams (sour cream, cream cheese)
Ice cream, chocolate, candy
Chocolate/Strawberry milk
Bagels (I use P28 protein bagels and top with peanut butter and jelly/jam)
Pancakes (if you want a "healthier" version, then go protein pancakes)
Waffles
Muffins/Scones
Syrup, honey, jams, fluff, Nutella
Marinade all meats - especially oil based marinades
Add sauces to foods
High sugar fruits (pineapple, banana, mango, apples, etc...)
High calorie protein bars (Cliff Builder, Cliff Energy Bars, etc...)
High calorie protein drinks (put in milk)
Red meats (Buffalo, Bison, Steak, 80/20 Hamburger, Duck, Ribs)
Dark Fish (Salmon,Tuna)
Bacon (thick cut)
Eggs
Starches (potatoes, corn, etc..)
Pizza
Rice
Couscous
Honey Buns
Pudding
etc...

dwilliamca

I would recheck the setting for activity level. With the stats you posted, your BMR is 2028. If you chose moderate activity level that would be 2028*1.55=3143-1000 calories to lose 2 lbs/week or 2143 calories (which is close to what you are seeing). That activity level may be higher than you want it and could be misleading if you are adding on exercise as well. Lightly active will give you 2028*1.37=2778-1000=1778 cals. That sounds like it might be closer to what you are wanting to eat, then you can add on your exercise and not eat back the calories if you like. A thousand calories is way too low for you, so make sure you at least log 1200. Better if you can come up with some wholesome calories to add up to what MFP calculated for you. As you lose weight your number will drop automatically to match your weight. Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

lynn_glenmont

dwilliamca wrote: »

I would recheck the setting for activity level. With the stats you posted, your BMR is 2028. If you chose moderate activity level that would be 2028*1.55=3143-1000 calories to lose 2 lbs/week or 2143 calories (which is close to what you are seeing). That activity level may be higher than you want it and could be misleading if you are adding on exercise as well. Lightly active will give you 2028*1.37=2778-1000=1778 cals. That sounds like it might be closer to what you are wanting to eat, then you can add on your exercise and not eat back the calories if you like. A thousand calories is way too low for you, so make sure you at least log 1200. Better if you can come up with some wholesome calories to add up to what MFP calculated for you. As you lose weight your number will drop automatically to match your weight. Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

Yes, a thousand calories would be way too low, if that's what OP is actually eating.

However, it's more likely that OP is underestimating calories in, and eating more than the reported thousand-ish calories. OP is losing only 2 to 2.5 lbs a week eating around a thousand calories, which would suggest OP is completely sedentary or even literally comatose at the BMR (2028 kcal) you calculate. Yet OP reports a job that involves lifting patients (and likely on one's feet most of the time), plus chasing kids at home and working out 30 to 45 minutes every day.

Also, 2 to 2.5 lbs a week is less than 1% of OP's current body weights, so the results don't suggest an excessive deficit.

OP, could you clarify how long you've been losing 2 to 2.5 lbs a week?

You say you use food scales. Are there foods you don't bother to weigh? Do you double check the database entries you use to be sure they're accurate.

kommodevaran

If you're overweight, you are very capable of eating way more than 2200 calories in a day.
If you're overweight, your hunger and satiety signals are not reliable enough to be the only gauge as to whether you are eating appropriately. Undereating for a few days has no effect in the long run. Undereating for more than a few days always leads to overeating later.
If you're overweight, you will have a tendency towards underestimating calorie intake and overestimating calories burnt from exercise.

This is why it's so difficult to estimate food intake and stick to an appropriate calorie goal. This is also why we have to track food intake, and do it honestly and consistently, and stick to the healthy calorie goal.

Need2Exerc1se

If you eat that low on regular basis:
* you will likely be malnourished
* overtime you will likely feel the effects of that malnourishment and may binge eat to compensate
* you may give up thinking the whole diet process is too difficult
* you may start to lose your hair and have skin problems

If you eat that low for one day not much will happen.

deannalfisher

Dustin6047 wrote: »

There's no way 2200 calories a day will make lose weight. Reset your activity level to something reasonable.

how do you know this? I lose on 2200 (female, 5'3", moderately active - I maintain on about 2600avg)

heybales

lovelycamacho wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

Because of your normal monthly weight variations - waiting to see what happens eventually over time may be too late if very undereating that it would initially sound like.

Don't imagine a body is going to be happy with a 50% deficit, with or without exercise.

Also - do you have a reasonable rate of loss selected for amount to lose?
Faster isn't always better, rarely gained fast, don't attempt to lose fast.
If that was case, cut off a leg or arm and be done with the weight loss.
What are your stats height/weight/age?

So 7 days a week exercise - 30-45 min.

Not totally useful info to help with.

You going into the gym or the sidewalks and doing the social stuff on the phone while slowly walking 2 mph (seen many doing that) merely to move more (which could be good, but not for great calorie burn)?

Or something that is difficult for you (2mph walking for vast majority would quickly become not difficult)?


And what exactly is saying to eat 2200 calories?
Fitbit, Garmin, other?
You set a personal eating goal?

What is your daily life activity outside of exercise, job and other 6-8 hrs and weekends?

Mfp says 2200 cal.

Other than work. I cook, clean, chase kids and sleep lol. I walk a lot at work. Im a cna. A lot of lifting and pulling. Im 5"10 so i get the HEAVY patients. Total care. They cant movee, so i roll them... Pick them up, pull them up in bed, transfer them. All that.

So someone else did the math correctly - and that likely is correct Activity Level of Moderately Active I'd suggest for that much daily activity - nurse and kids.

The food logging is probably the issue.

And you should be able to support that 1000 deficit for now - but the workouts count too as extra burn.

Life lesson regarding weight control MFP is trying to help with.
You do more, eat more.
You do less, eat less (that's the gotcha for most as they age).

In a diet a tad less in either case.

You likely are eating more than you think - to your benefit - but probably not enough to not negatively effect yourself eventually. You need to log better and eat closer to sustainable level to keep successful.

Many good ideas given. You've probably lucked out for now because you have a decent amount to lose. That won't always be the case - and even now not good idea.

So besides the 2200 goal on days you don't exercise - oh wait, there aren't any.
So you should always be eating more.

But what are your 7 x 30-45 = 263 weekly minutes of exercise?

Strength training, aerobics classes, martial arts, swimming, walk the dog, ect?

If walking for instance, daily goal likely closer to 2400, so not much more.
But if pretty intense calorie burning, could be more.

hesn92

I don't get it. How did you get to the point where you need to lose weight if you have trouble eating all of your calories

sarahlifts

are you over weight? If so how did you end up there if you just cant possibly eat close to or more than 2200?

eating below 1200 calories a day will leave you malnourished.

Stop filling up on low calorie volume foods until you need it. With 2200 calories you can still enjoy a burger and lose weight at an appropriate rate.

you will reget getting so low so early into your weight loss. You will lament all the wonderful foods you could have had and enjoyed.

I for one am on 1650 cals and losing 1 lb a week and tonight I'm having steak and potatoes Wednesdays are so exciting!

EAT MORE

lovelycamacho

Hey guys! So i stuck to my calorie intake (2200); i do aerobics & cardio 6-7 days a week. I was eatting low calorie food(s) and id never be able to meet my calorie goal since id be so stuffed from eatting so much.

So since i switched to high calorie nutrient-dense foods ive been able to meet my cal goal and satisfy my hunger. Shockingly ive been losing over 2.2 to 3lbs. But thank you guys for all your help.

I got myself checked too and its normal for me to loose this fast sincr i was an athlete. If i do get hungry, i have the ok to eat 2,600 cal. But thats 2 much food 4 me. Lol. Thank you MFP family!!

middlehaitch

Woohoo great to hear you took on board what was written and everything is going well.

Cheers, h.

heybales

Great change and results. Workouts probably feel stronger too.
Your body probably got unstressed and is losing water weight at first.

Just recommend don't keep that rate of loss when you have less to lose - no matter how good it feels.

Because with your workouts - it won't be fat only once you get below probably 30-40 lbs left.

If you can't eat more - then do less.
Make the workouts less frequent but stronger and harder - that'll transform the body more anyway.