Too few calories is bad... But how few??

go52182

So everything we read says we need to "eat to lose"... also if we don't eat enough calories it can be detrimental to your progress, goals and health. I just get so confused because here on MFP when you complete your day about 200-300 calories less the app praises you and tells you you'll lose 5 lbs in 5 weeks! Other days you hit your macros goal and it tells you that you'll only lose like three lbs in 5 weeks if every day were like today. And to me when that happens, frankly it p*sses me off and doesn't make me feel good and accomplished. So obviously eating less is better. But my goal is 1588 a day, where is the danger zone?? I want to eat less, but I don't want to hurt myself.

kimny72

1. That "In 5 Weeks" thing is just a gimmick and you really can just ignore it. I actually stopped closing out my diary to avoid seeing it because it made me irrationally angry
2. If you are male, you should eat a minimum of 1500 net cals, if you are female a minimum of 1200 net cals. These are generally arrived at based on the ability to get a bare minimum of nutrients and essential macros.
3. Beyond that, how much of a deficit you can safely carry depends on your current stats. What is your gender, height, and weight? Do you log your exercise?

go52182

I’ve stopped closing out my days, too!! I’m female and got my macros and calories from iifym.com. I was surprised it gave me 1588 to play with. I’m training for a 5k and am pushing myself pretty hard 6 days a week so I answered that I cannot carry a conversation, working really hard. I think that’s why it thinks I need so many.

I am 5’3.5” and 137lbs. I do log my exercise but I don’t dip into the extra calories it gives. I’ve been playing with my calories: eating right around 1,500 sometimes 1,200. I just don’t know what’s best for me. The weight on the scale truly doesn’t affect me anymore, I used to be obsessive. Seeing what MFP says about weight is part of the reason! I just want to be lean. And I’m not sure if I should be eating right at 1,588 or less to achieve my lean goal.

kimny72

So you don't have much weight to lose. You really shouldn't be losing more than 1 lb per week, or a 500 calorie deficit. Aiming to lose more would be risking more muscle mass than you'd want to. Honestly, 0.5 lbs (a 250 cal deficit) may fit your goals better.

1500 calories is NOT a lot. I am barely lightly active and I lost weight eating 1500 cals. If you are training for a 5K you really need to make sure you are fueling your workouts. In the short term I would say eat AT LEAST the calories a TDEE calculator like IIFYM gives you for losing 1 lb per week or less. And then once you are a few weeks in, go by your weight loss. If you are losing more than an avg of 0.5 lbs or 1 lb per week, eat more. Losing faster than that will be more likely to make you skinny, not lean, and affect your performance athletically.

go52182

Yes, I did know I need the extra macros to fuel my training for the 5k. But it came about in the middle of my fitness journey so my brain is still thinking about the deficits. Perhaps I need to focus on eating close to my 1,588 right now until after the 5k then maybe not have more than a 250 calorie deficit after the event.

I really appreciate your help, Kim.

-Jennifer

paperpudding

1588 is not a lot of calories to lose 1lb a week.

I am about same height and you are probably younger than me (most people are) and you sound more active.

and I lost on 1460 - so sounds right that you would be on about 100 more than I was.

go52182

1,588 is hard for me to wrap my head around. It’s always been an even 1,200 here on MFP. So it seems like a heck of a lot but I know especially right now I do need about 1,500 to keep me fueled!

extra_medium

If you're training for a 5k are you logging your exercise? That will add calories to your total.

And of course the most simple answer is to eat 1588 for a week or two and see if you're gaining, losing or maintaining.

cwolfman13

go52182 wrote: »

1,588 is hard for me to wrap my head around. It’s always been an even 1,200 here on MFP. So it seems like a heck of a lot but I know especially right now I do need about 1,500 to keep me fueled!

You get 1200 with MFP because exercise is not included in your activity level and assumes a sedentary overall lifestyle...it's also something you get when you select 2 Lbs per week which at your weight wouldn't be a particularly good idea.

You get more calories with IIFYM because it includes exercise in your activity level...TDEE calculators also typically give you a % cut from TDEE rather than an X Lbs per week target so you're comparing apples to oranges right there.

With MFP, you would log purposeful exercise and eat additional calories to account for that activity...since you're using a TDEE calculator, your exercise is already included in your calorie targets so if you logged exercise and ate back those calories you would be double dipping...you only do it with MFP because it's not included up front.

The two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other if you're doing them right and comparing apples to apples in regards to rate of loss.

And no...1500 calories isn't a lot of calories.

Don't pay any attention to the 5 weeks thing...it's a total gimmick and assumes weight loss will be linear and that every single day will be exactly the same which is completely impossible.

jgnatca

By the way, some of the consequences of too few calories show up after the fact. About six weeks afterwards you might have hair loss, brittle nails, etc. Muscle damage is harder to see. So please stick to the daily recommended minimum.

go52182

jgnatca wrote: »

By the way, some of the consequences of too few calories show up after the fact. About six weeks afterwards you might have hair loss, brittle nails, etc. Muscle damage is harder to see. So please stick to the daily recommended minimum.

I definitely don’t want to eat too little, I just want to slim down and be healthy. I will stick to the minimum. Thank you for your concern

go52182

cwolfman13 wrote: »

go52182 wrote: »

1,588 is hard for me to wrap my head around. It’s always been an even 1,200 here on MFP. So it seems like a heck of a lot but I know especially right now I do need about 1,500 to keep me fueled!

You get 1200 with MFP because exercise is not included in your activity level and assumes a sedentary overall lifestyle...it's also something you get when you select 2 Lbs per week which at your weight wouldn't be a particularly good idea.

You get more calories with IIFYM because it includes exercise in your activity level...TDEE calculators also typically give you a % cut from TDEE rather than an X Lbs per week target so you're comparing apples to oranges right there.

With MFP, you would log purposeful exercise and eat additional calories to account for that activity...since you're using a TDEE calculator, your exercise is already included in your calorie targets so if you logged exercise and ate back those calories you would be double dipping...you only do it with MFP because it's not included up front.

The two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other if you're doing them right and comparing apples to apples in regards to rate of loss.

And no...1500 calories isn't a lot of calories.

Don't pay any attention to the 5 weeks thing...it's a total gimmick and assumes weight loss will be linear and that every single day will be exactly the same which is completely impossible.

You know, that all makes a lot of sense, MFP vs IIFM. I appreciate your reply and the information. I’ll stay safe and keep my daily total around 1,500, maybe a little more.