Fear of calories

rgr625
rgr625 Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
So, I just started watching what I eat LAST week andjoined the gym Monday. It NEVER fails, when I start working out I get this crazy "fear" of calories. I know you have to eat, but still in my mind the less calories I consume and the more cardio and strength training I do the quicker ill be happy with my self image. ( I know its not safe to loose weight too fast)
Example...today I had less then 300 calories :( and burned 348 on the elliptical but did a circuit workout. But I wasnt hungry so I didnt eat.

Replies

  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    You burn a lot of muscle doing that. The key is to lose weight and minimize muscle loss so that you can reduce your bodyfat percentage. Low bodyfat percentage is what gets rid of love handles and fat around the stomich. Just have a moderate deficit and exercise, minimum net calories for a female is 1200 calories. So if you workout and burn 300 calories you have to eat 1500 calories to net 1200. Undereating like what you are doing for a long period of time will mess up your metabolism and that takes time to recover. A slow metabolism will result in you gaining weight at very low calories.
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
    You need to make yourself eat more, and if it's really a struggle you need to see a doctor about it. Eating 300 cals a day is a quick route to illness and burnout. Those kiddies in your photo are relying on you, don't do anything stupid.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I used to starve myself intentionally because it made me feel in control. Now I feel in control of my diet because I have a calorie TARGET not a calorie LIMIT. So my goal is to do my best to hit that target, and a 'perfect' day is now hitting it bang on. It's about resetting the way you think. You can do it - if I could, you can.

    x
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Sigh. :noway:
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    This is not coming from a place of preachynes - just science.

    FOOD IS GOOD. FOOD IS FUEL.

    The better you eat the more fuel you give your body for your exercise. You will burn more and sustain it for longer.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,224 Member
    That is a popular fail, good luck.
  • ncmedic201
    ncmedic201 Posts: 540 Member
    Don't be afraid of food. Food is what fuels you so you can exercise and have that body you want. Not eating is going to make you tired and look sick. Is that the image you have of what you want to look like? Not to mention it's much harder to get to that goal weight when you're starving because you'll either quit from frustration and hunger or your body will quit for you.
  • saschka7
    saschka7 Posts: 577 Member
    How the heck can you even work out if you've consumed only 300 calories that day? I wouldn't be able to get out of bed, much less drag myself to the gym.
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
    Your body will start using your muscle for energy which therefore means you lose not only fat but muscle as well... And anything you do eat your body will hold on to because its fearing its next meal won't come.

    Nothing worse then being "skinny fat" - look it up. Keep going with this if you want no body tone or shape and to look great in clothes but unattractive naked.

    Eat food, just change your mentality to eating the right nutritious foods! Your body will love you for it Nd work more productively, you'll feel so much better and get much better workouts too with having more energy.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
    Keep it up like this if you'd like to die
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
    The normal formula is to burn (use up during the day) more calories then you take in ... so, just stay active , exercise routinely and the weight will fall off normally... and stay off longer..:wink:
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    So, I just started watching what I eat LAST week andjoined the gym Monday. It NEVER fails, when I start working out I get this crazy "fear" of calories. I know you have to eat, but still in my mind the less calories I consume and the more cardio and strength training I do the quicker ill be happy with my self image. ( I know its not safe to loose weight too fast)
    Example...today I had less then 300 calories :( and burned 348 on the elliptical but did a circuit workout. But I wasnt hungry so I didnt eat.

    I know what you mean. At some point last year, a thought did enter my mind of "if I eat less, I'll lose weight quicker". You just have to stay focused and have faith that doing it the MFP way will work best in the long run.
  • Lobster1987
    Lobster1987 Posts: 492 Member
    So...when's your funeral?

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