I don't think I'm eating enough.

aprilgranier
aprilgranier Posts: 5 Member
edited February 2023 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, it's only been 3 days, but MFP says I should eat 1200 calories and I really don't feel like 1200 calories is enough. I only started 3 days ago, and I have actually been eating about 1300 a day. I used to live a very sedentary life (averaged 1500 steps a day, and no workouts). Now, I'm working out twice a day. One is strength/yoga/isometrics (HotWorx) for 45 minutes and the second is walking for 45 minutes (about 3.3 speed). I am eating healthy and watching macros. I feel very hungry. I am NOT eating my exercise calories. I am going to put it back to 1200 calories and eat some of my exercise calories, but I don't want to end up eating too many of them and struggle with weight loss if my info isn't accurate enough. Help.
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Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    As mentioned, you need to post your your stats. In some cases it’s ok.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,311 Member
    To begin with 1200 assumes you will eat back your actual exercise calories and being afraid you may estimate them incorrectly does not invalidate the expectation! zero is guaranteed to be an incorrect estimate!

    On top of that the 1200 likely indicates you said you should want to lose 2 lb a week

    this may or may not be an optimal or even appropriate rate of loss for you.

    Appropriate targets are part of finding a sustainable path
  • clairrob
    clairrob Posts: 38 Member
    edited February 2023
    What I find helped me gauge my recommended calories is the website tdeecalculator.net

    You put your stats in, height, weight, age, gender, body fat (if known) and estimated exercise. It will give you your estimated TDEE, your TDEE is how many calories your body burns in an average day.

    If you'd like to lose 0.5lb a week = TDEE - 250 calories a day. Or ensure you have a weekly calorie deficit of 1750.
    If you'd like to lose 1lb a week = TDEE - 500 calories a day. Or ensure you have a weekly calorie deficit of 3500.
    If you'd like to lose 2lbs a week (only if you have a fair bit to lose!) = TDEE - 1000 calories a day. Or ensure you have a weekly deficit of 7000. Don't exceed this deficit unless instructed by a medical professional.

    Your TDEE can change based on weight and body fat so recalculate after every 10lbs and adjust accordingly. Reduce your calorie deficit the closer to your goal weight you get, when you reach your goal weight increase your calories to your TDEE to maintain :)
  • clairrob
    clairrob Posts: 38 Member
    edited February 2023
    @cmriverside you are so right! I've edited my original comment, thank you for that.

    And definitely agreed, log exercises and keep mindful of the deficit created. Eat calories to ensure that the total deficit isn't too steep.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    OP: 1200 calories plus all exercise calories was way too low for me when I started, and I'm in the demographic where it could possibly be necessary (older, non-tall, sedentary outside of intentional exercise). I wasn't unpleasantly hungry, but lost too fast at first, got weak and fatigued after a few weeks. It took multiple weeks to recover once I started eating more. I was lucky that there were no worse health consequences, because there can be.

    No one needs any of that. Be careful!

    Also, yes to what Riverside said about MFP not using TDEE. If you get a TDEE estimate, and include planned in your activity level, then use that as your MFP calorie goal, don't log exercise separately on MFP or you're double counting. If you got your estimate from MFP, and didn't include exercise in your activity level (as its instructions intend), then do log any intentional exercise (or sync a fitness tracker) and eat those calories, too. Don't underfuel or undernourish yourself. (Getting the right percents for macros is still poor nutrition, if total calories is too low.)

    It's a matter of personal taste/preference, but I'd recommend a different TDEE calculator, if you want to compare TDEE estimates (which include exercise in the base calories) vs. MFP (which doesn't intend to, if instructions are followed):

    https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/

    Yes, that one I just linked looks more scary at first, because the user interface has lots of options, and it's a funny color.

    I'm suggesting it because:
    1. It has more activity level options
    2. Each activity level has a better, more complete description
    3. It gives a estimates using several research-based formulas, so you can see a range of statistical possibilities, and maybe also viscerally understand that these are all just estimates
    4. Some of the formulas let you input a body fat percent, if you're the rare person who has a good estimate of that

  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    My first thought when people say that MFP gave them 1200 a day to eat is that they said they want to lose 2lbs/wk --- which for many is too high of a rate of weight loss to really be successful. If you want to lose 2lbs/week you have to cut 1000 a day from your maintenance calories, which most people (especially if they are sedentary) simply don't have or they'd be below their BMR. So sometimes ppl just don't have much wiggle room to create a deficit.

    If you feel hungry...you need to eat. And MFP is set up so you DO eat back your cardio exercise calories so you should do that as well. MFP sets your daily calorie goal at a deficit already when you say you want to lose weight.

    You should include your age, sex, height, and current weight for people to have an idea of how to help reconfigure your daily calorie goal. But my guess would be that you can eat more than 1200 calories and still be in a deficit and lose weight. And also not be hungry like you are saying.
  • DCarney
    DCarney Posts: 38 Member
    @aprilgranier MFP often calculates ridiculously low intakes. 1200 calories is the daily recommended intake for a toddler. Are you just starting out with dieting or have your dieted for years? Are you looking for actual weight loss or are you more interested in body recomposition? What was your daily intake prior to the 1200 calories? Did you keep a food journal or log beforehand to see how much you were actually consuming? These factors ALL play a major role in what is an appropriate intake for you. MFP doesn’t know YOU, it just calculates based on a few metrics. Let me know if you have any questions or you can send me a friend request
  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 711 Member
    edited February 2023
    I have always been afraid to voice this opinion on MFP for fear of being shouted down, but I am not so sure that the calculations everyone is complaining about are a bug. First of all, they are true. If you are sedentary and trying to lose weight at anything approaching a noticeable pace (like 1 lb or so a week), unless you are obese the calorie recommendation is going to be relatively low. Like in the 1500-1200 range low. But in part I think it is set that way — with exercise calories being accounted for after — to remind you daily that you could get up and move a bit (at least many people can). While exercise is not the primary way of losing weight, it looks to me like MFP may be encouraging at least 30 minutes or so of moving to add another 100-200 calories to the roster for the day. That may actually be high for what people will burn if they aren’t used to exercising. But on the other hand, not all of us are as sedentary as we think in our daily lives.

    Just for comparison … I am 5’8” and I am underweight at the moment and trying to gain weight back after not mastering maintenance when I wanted to stop losing. I went to a nutritionist who works with my endocrinologist and had my resting metabolic rate measured with a machine in order to calculate the calorie intake I need in order to GAIN 1-2 lbs a week. After all the measuring and calculating my daily calorie intake to gain weight is only 1750 -1900 calories if I am sedentary. I am eating that much now (with settings on MfP calculated for maintenance — I was not doing any real intentional exercise lately other than walking so had my calories set at 1535 daily for maintenance by MFP but I was exceeding them regularly to try to gain back weight. So hitting an average of around 1700). It am apparently more active than I think given the eldercare that I provide for my family so should have set my activity level higher. The nutritionist says based on calculations essentially confirming what I was already doing based on MFP settings I should be eating about 300 calories more a day than I am now. Of course this makes sense because that is what I was cutting daily to lose weight too. So in my case it all comes down to not estimating my activity level correctly.

    I say this with caution, because I think people often overestimate activity rather than underestimate it, and underestimate calories consumed rather than overestimate. I weigh everything and record everything and had a long history for the nutritionist to review

    BTW I am trying to ensure bone density (calcium and vit d) so 300 extra calories for these purposes equals 1 8oz latte without sugar using low fat milk (made at home), plus either a plain greek yogurt , or about 24 almonds. I also learned of chocolate calcium supplements called adora that are just like little individual chocolates and I get to have 2-3 a day. There is also a lot more salmon and broccoli in my future!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    My first thought when people say that MFP gave them 1200 a day to eat is that they said they want to lose 2lbs/wk --- which for many is too high of a rate of weight loss to really be successful. If you want to lose 2lbs/week you have to cut 1000 a day from your maintenance calories, which most people (especially if they are sedentary) simply don't have or they'd be below their BMR. So sometimes ppl just don't have much wiggle room to create a deficit.

    If you feel hungry...you need to eat. And MFP is set up so you DO eat back your cardio exercise calories so you should do that as well. MFP sets your daily calorie goal at a deficit already when you say you want to lose weight.

    You should include your age, sex, height, and current weight for people to have an idea of how to help reconfigure your daily calorie goal. But my guess would be that you can eat more than 1200 calories and still be in a deficit and lose weight. And also not be hungry like you are saying.

    Here's more on picking a sustainably weekly weight loss goal:

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    aprilgranier wrote: »
    Ok, it's only been 3 days, but MFP says I should eat 1200 calories and I really don't feel like 1200 calories is enough. I only started 3 days ago, and I have actually been eating about 1300 a day. I used to live a very sedentary life (averaged 1500 steps a day, and no workouts). Now, I'm working out twice a day. One is strength/yoga/isometrics (HotWorx) for 45 minutes and the second is walking for 45 minutes (about 3.3 speed). I am eating healthy and watching macros. I feel very hungry. I am NOT eating my exercise calories. I am going to put it back to 1200 calories and eat some of my exercise calories, but I don't want to end up eating too many of them and struggle with weight loss if my info isn't accurate enough. Help.

    If you use MFP to set your calorie goal, exercise, but don't eat back any exercise calories, you are not using MFP the way it was designed.

    https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032625391-How-does-MyFitnessPal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

    Unlike other sites which use TDEE calculators, MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated for them and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.
  • samanthamurphy7
    samanthamurphy7 Posts: 16 Member
    It all depends on your current weight and how much and how fast you want to lose. Hunger is to be expected if trying to lose weight. Controversial to say, but its the truth. I wouldnt recommend 1200 as a long term approach. Maybe do it for a few weeks and see how you go. And it usually only gives you 1200 if sedentary, so yes I would defo eat back the exercise cals. But eat them back healthy. Best of luck. 🙏🙏🤞
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    edited February 2023
    Yep……….

    Hunger is to be expected if trying to lose weight. Controversial to say, but its the truth.^^^^^







  • sjl0210
    sjl0210 Posts: 31 Member
    1200 seems too low whatever goal you have. It all depends on your goal but eat when you feel hungry. Eat healthy, drink alot of water, eat alot of proteins and adjust carbs and fat depending on your goal. 1200 MIGHT be the right number if you on the last week before fitness contest. Add me if you want more help :)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,311 Member
    Knowing when I was hungry was not really a thing for me when I started on MFP. That took a while to sink in.

    What also took a while to sink in was that after weight loss and a good while of managing eating by MFP/Fitbit/and scale it became remarkably clear that I DID know when I was hungry.

    And, of course, I remain perfectly capable of overeating, whether hungry or not.
  • hoodlisa1979
    hoodlisa1979 Posts: 38 Member
    I'm also on a 1200 calorie a day as I wish to lose 2lb a week, I was very inactive like yourself but now do 100 mins of walking a day & some resistance band training to keep some upper body strength, I'm on week 5 and yes sometimes I get hungry especially of an evening but I stave it off with a handful of nuts (I save some exercise calories specifically for this reason) I advise using a BMR calculator to work out how many calories you need per day, if the numbers are to be believed I have a deficit of 800 cals per day, last week I'd lost 1kg but have had a week of no loss, I weigh weekly so its more difficult to work out, take a good look at your nutrition i see you are meeting macros but with what kind of foods? oats and bulgar wheat are my friends but I weigh everything to ensure I'm not going over the top, a typical day food wise is overnight oats topped with fruit, homemade squash & sweet potato soup, salmon & bulgar pilaf with greens, piece of fruit & handful of nuts. Feeling hungry is definitely a thing but if you are getting the right nutrition it subsides, don't go at it too heavy you need to be able to see this through long term, all the best
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    You need to embrace a certain amount of hunger. Your body is telling you that it doesn’t want to tap into fat stores and you’re telling it to shut the hell up, you’ll get nothing and like it. Provided the deficit isn’t too large, the hunger will subside in time. Each time you lower calories it’ll happen.

    People don’t like hunger hence why some will never lose weight. Food choice will greatly alleviate the problem.

    I disagree.

    You may or may not need to cope with some degree of hunger but this idea that it is an essential part of weight loss - no it isnt.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    You need to embrace a certain amount of hunger. Your body is telling you that it doesn’t want to tap into fat stores and you’re telling it to shut the hell up, you’ll get nothing and like it. Provided the deficit isn’t too large, the hunger will subside in time. Each time you lower calories it’ll happen.

    People don’t like hunger hence why some will never lose weight. Food choice will greatly alleviate the problem.

    I disagree.

    You may or may not need to cope with some degree of hunger but this idea that it is an essential part of weight loss - no it isnt.
    I would disagree but you’re entitled to your opinion. As you have less and less fat, hunger is what keeps people from continuing to progress otherwise everyone would be lean.

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    You need to embrace a certain amount of hunger. Your body is telling you that it doesn’t want to tap into fat stores and you’re telling it to shut the hell up, you’ll get nothing and like it. Provided the deficit isn’t too large, the hunger will subside in time. Each time you lower calories it’ll happen.

    People don’t like hunger hence why some will never lose weight. Food choice will greatly alleviate the problem.

    I disagree.

    You may or may not need to cope with some degree of hunger but this idea that it is an essential part of weight loss - no it isnt.
    I would disagree but you’re entitled to your opinion. As you have less and less fat, hunger is what keeps people from continuing to progress otherwise everyone would be lean.

    I might disagree. Part of managing ones diet is to figure out what keeps you full. The other part is expectations. If you have little left to lose then you can't expect to lose at a high rate. It will be slow.

    Your name indicates you're a bodybuilder? Then things might be different if you want to get into competitive shape. But TO is a woman who will never have such a low fat percentage, and, based on the bit she wrote not a competitive sports person where every bit of fat is a negative aspect but just an average person. So I guess we should be using average person assumptions.
    there are factors to consider. The lower the BF% the more hunger has a chance of being a factor along with deficit size and activity.

    Food choice is always a factor, however at some point there just may not be enough calories available to stave off some level of hunger. Hunger not meaning a constant state as it’s generally just at certain times. Everyone has a different “set point” of what the body will and won’t allow which will dictate what will be possible, so yes many factors…..

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