Calorie Deficit - Seems to be a hot but confusing topic.

drop_it_like_a_squat

From perusing her diary, I doubt that the OP is eating too little because she is eating copious quantities of clean food.

A calorie is a calorie, no matter if the food you eat is "clean" or not. Calories = energy. Not enough calories = not enough energy. You can eat 20lbs of cotton wool every day, that still doesn't mean you're eating enough.

OK maybe someone could give me some direction there...? If I'm eating until I feel full so I don't overeat, but I'm not meeting my required calories, what next? Should I substitute some water with a caloric protein drink maybe? I love Whole Body Green, and a variety of protein drinks.

Eat more calorie dense foods.
If you really struggle to eat enough, ditch the cardio. Cardio is not going to increase your muscle mass, neither is it helpful to keep existing lean body mass. It is a great tool for fitness (endurance etc.) and to add some extra calories to your daily goal. If you still want to do it, do less so you have to eat back less exercise calories.

mwal74

eat more calorie dense food - full fat milk & dairy, higher calorie meat (beef/pork instead of chicken/turkey) higher calorie fish like salmon or tuna, peanut butter is always a winner, and in all honesty a bit of cake or icecream every so often wont do any harm!

I see. My first reaction was to wrinkle my nose. I hate milk, haven't had it since I was a kid :laugh: The meat issue is a big one for me. I've been a vegetarian for 5 years, and have just started reintroducing meat into my diet in the last couple of months. I will shoot for more meats. I love salmon and tuna. Peanut butter is awesome, thank you.

mmm... second person to recommend cake or ice cream. Just gotta remember to do those in moderation now. Before I would eat about half a cake (9x13 cake pan) and when I had ice cream, I made sure to dump a couple hands full of m&ms into it. Obviously not the intelligent thing to do

mumblemagic

I am logging every bite, every drink. I don't really drink anything but water and protein drinks. I haven't had soda in years, I hate the crap.

Seriously?! Cookies and ice cream to up my intake and still lose weight?! Now you're talking!!

And thank you so much for constructive advice!

Glad I could be helpful.

I know cookies aren't that great for you but if you're eating an otherwise healthy diet you should let yourself have treats. Everything in moderation. As long as you maintain the MFP calorie goal you will still lose weight.

I feel that people have been mean here, unnecessarily so. Not entirely sure why people got so irate about your diet choices! Worried is fair enough as I'm not sure that you're eating enough, but angry - why? You're not hurting them! Maybe people are jealous that you feel full on less than 1200..... Honestly I am a little bit too

drop_it_like_a_squat

From perusing her diary, I doubt that the OP is eating too little because she is eating copious quantities of clean food.

A calorie is a calorie, no matter if the food you eat is "clean" or not. Calories = energy. Not enough calories = not enough energy. You can eat 20lbs of cotton wool every day, that still doesn't mean you're eating enough.

I agree 100%. I was simply pointing out to the previous poster that is unlikely to be the case here, as she was suggesting that perhaps switching to eating clean was why the OP is feeling full.

Aw okay, sorry. Didn't read all the previous posts & got your sentence wrong.

geekyjock76

The reason she is feeling full on so little net calories is primarily due to leptin serum concentration levels decreasing along with the LEP-R receptors becoming unreliable in monitoring changes in leptin levels. In short, her hunger cues are disturbed and not reliable in terms of meeting energy needs. Additionally, her body's proficiency in burning the optimal amount of calories throughout the day is decreasing at a considerable rate relative to the degree and duration of restriction. The result is, over time, she needs to eat less and less to maintain her weight. These are common side effects from chronically restricting calories via a semi-starvation diet and, combined, is also what leads to obesity relapse once one increases calories back up to adjusted maintenance.

mwal74

Eat more calorie dense foods.
If you really struggle to eat enough, ditch the cardio. Cardio is not going to increase your muscle mass, neither is it helpful to keep existing lean body mass. It is a great tool for fitness (endurance etc.) and to add some extra calories to your daily goal. If you still want to do it, do less so you have to eat back less exercise calories.

Thank you for pointing that out! I hurt my foot last week (not enough stretching, too much exercise at once, plantar faciitis, yay) and I've been doing a lot of floor work (crunches, obliques, leg lifts, pushups etc...) instead of the cardio. I'm still losing weight at a good pace.

You may have just helped me fix my issues!! :drinker: :flowerforyou:

darrensurrey

Peanut butter is my "go to" source of calories. 1 jar, 1 spoon. There's no video.

TavistockToad

Peanut butter is my "go to" source of calories. 1 jar, 1 spoon. There's no video.

there should totally be a video!

Cindyinpg

From perusing her diary, I doubt that the OP is eating too little because she is eating copious quantities of clean food.

A calorie is a calorie, no matter if the food you eat is "clean" or not. Calories = energy. Not enough calories = not enough energy. You can eat 20lbs of cotton wool every day, that still doesn't mean you're eating enough.

I agree 100%. I was simply pointing out to the previous poster that is unlikely to be the case here, as she was suggesting that perhaps switching to eating clean was why the OP is feeling full.

Aw okay, sorry. Didn't read all the previous posts & got your sentence wrong.

No problem. :flowerforyou: I'm half asleep, and it's 3am here, and I'm using MFP as a sleeping pill, so I doubt I've contributed anything too coherent. :laugh: Night all, good luck, OP. :yawn:

darrensurrey

Peanut butter is my "go to" source of calories. 1 jar, 1 spoon. There's no video.

there should totally be a video!

But would it be real PB or fake?

TavistockToad

eat more calorie dense food - full fat milk & dairy, higher calorie meat (beef/pork instead of chicken/turkey) higher calorie fish like salmon or tuna, peanut butter is always a winner, and in all honesty a bit of cake or icecream every so often wont do any harm!

I see. My first reaction was to wrinkle my nose. I hate milk, haven't had it since I was a kid :laugh: The meat issue is a big one for me. I've been a vegetarian for 5 years, and have just started reintroducing meat into my diet in the last couple of months. I will shoot for more meats. I love salmon and tuna. Peanut butter is awesome, thank you.

mmm... second person to recommend cake or ice cream. Just gotta remember to do those in moderation now. Before I would eat about half a cake (9x13 cake pan) and when I had ice cream, I made sure to dump a couple hands full of m&ms into it. Obviously not the intelligent thing to do

they were just examples theres plenty of other higher calorie stuff you can have - avodaco, nuts, olives/olive oil etc etc

as for being able to eat cake/ice cream, a lot of people on here follow IIFYM, maybe look it up?

mwal74

I feel that people have been mean here, unnecessarily so. Not entirely sure why people got so irate about your diet choices! Worried is fair enough as I'm not sure that you're eating enough, but angry - why? You're not hurting them!

My thoughts, too! I'd had such a great first impression with MFP, and received so much great support for my first 4-5 days, and when I came home from the grocery store and saw some of these attacks, I honestly began to wonder if I really should be here after all.

Maybe people are jealous that you feel full on less than 1200..... Honestly I am a little bit too

This made me giggle. I've never been a big eater. I knew I was doing wrong when I was just eating junk all the time and totally not caring about myself... at all...

Thank you so much for making me laugh tonight! :bigsmile:

tigersword

I found this article today and thought it explained calorie deficit, burning fat, and retaining muscle quite well.
http://beta.active.com/fitness/articles/weight-loss-101-how-to-calculate-a-calorie-deficit

Here's the way I understand it; please let me know if I am mistaken.

MFP tells me I should eat 1350 calories. Honestly, I have a difficult time eating that much without getting sick or feeling like I'm ALWAYS eating! I lowered it to 1200, because that's more realistic for me. I still manage being under by 50-150 every day but I'm never hungry. I do take vitamins and I eat healthy foods, so I don't feel that my nutrition suffers.

So I eat ~1100 calories per day.
I drink 4-6 20-oz bottles of water per day.
I exercise on the gazelle (elliptical) and burn 700 calories. (gauge says 1,200 but I hear they're usually off, so I round down by just under half)
So my net calories are 400.

But because I ate 1100 calories and my deficit is 700 calories, I'm still eating enough to remain healthy and rarely eat extra due to working out or "make up my deficit" as some say. I feel like that is my sweet spot for burning fat without sacrificing muscle, as the article states.

You're doing the exact opposite of what that article says. Then again, you believe you were building muscle doing excessive cardio, so I shouldn't be surprised. You're actually set up to be losing more muscle than fat. The deficit (calories burned - calories eaten) is supposed to be 300-500 calories, not the net intake (calories eaten - exercise calories.) you're completely ignoring the fact that you burn calories just being alive, not just exercising.

TavistockToad

Peanut butter is my "go to" source of calories. 1 jar, 1 spoon. There's no video.

there should totally be a video!

But would it be real PB or fake?

for me, real every time!

MexicanOsmosis

I certainly wouldn't call what she's been eating "clean". Yes, there seems to be varying definitions, but I don't see hers fitting that category. What I do see in her diary though, is her going over in carbs but staying well under in protein. I also see a reliance on Special K shakes and bars with maybe 1 meal of "actual" food. Ditch the shakes and bars as your main food source and go for some real food. You may find that you'll still feel plenty full and actually match your calorie goals.

GemmaRowlands

I've just had a read through your diary. I assumed that being full on 1,200 meant you were eating lots of things like maybe veg that feels like you're eating a lot but actually only equates to maybe 100 cals for a full plate or something. This isn't the case. A lot of what you're eating sounds like junk! Bars, toasties, bagels.. what?

I'm the last one to pretend I'm perfect, because I'm really not.. but most people are good at telling people what they should do, without necessarily taking the advice themselves, haha.

I can't understand how you went from being able to eat so much junk food to be so overweight, to only being able to eat such a small amount.

Eat proper meals! Structure them! When I first started, I was something like this..

Breakfast:

2 x poached eggs with some cooked tomatoes (no oil)
Yogurt with a spoon of oats
Cup of tea

Snack:

Banana

Lunch:

Chicken breast salad with lots of cucumber & tomatoes
Apple

Snack:

Flapjack (I make my own, not like the greasy ones you buy)

Dinner:

Lots of veg with either fish or some meat (better either turkey or chicken, but I sometimes had pork or something)
Boiled potatoes
Fruit salad

Evening Snack:

Small chocolate bar (99 cal ones)

..And as I reached my goal, I simply upped the portions of the things I have, and sometimes I'll treat myself to a bun with either lunch or dinner, or maybe a proper chocolate bar, or a full calorie hot chocolate. A treat a day on top of meals similar to above is how I maintain.

The things you're eating can't possibly be giving your body everything you need. Where's your fruit and veg? You need nutrition! Plus, fruit has quite a lot of energy, so that should help .

gigglesinthesun

just out of interest, are you entering all of the separate component into the recipe maker and then determine the calorie content?

It is just when it says tuna sandwich is that your entry for a tuna sandwich or somebody elses? Also you have a black bean chicken chili 2 servings for 172 calories. Just how small are your servings? I do a 2 bean chili (without chicken) and that comes in at about 196 calories per cup.

Are you weighing everything and measuring the liquids? It's just I eat pretty clean and when I started here I logged in at 1100 when I used my measuring cup or estimated. I then switched to itemised logging and weighing and my calories jumped to 1350, so clearly I wasn't as accurate as I thought I was. Now I am 122 pounds and lightly active and I don't work out, which is why those calories work for me. You are 195 pounds and you work out for 2h a day. If you were really only netting 400 calories you wouldn't feel fine, you would feel hungry, you would be exhausted. The fact that you are cheerfully plodding along, not logging any binges indicates that you most likely underestimate what you eat and probably overestimate how much you burn.

I have no doubt that there are people on this site who happily live off 2 salad leaves and who work out 5hs a day and worry whether they can have a piece of celery afterwards, but whether that is sustainable in the long run is questionable. The idea is that you find a lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life. Good luck :-)

melaniecheeks

I have to agree, all those Special K bars aren't my definition of clean eating, sorry.

darrensurrey

Peanut butter is my "go to" source of calories. 1 jar, 1 spoon. There's no video.

there should totally be a video!

But would it be real PB or fake?

for me, real every time!

You'd never know. Unless you starred in the video.

elyelyse

MFP tells me I should eat 1350 calories. Honestly, I have a difficult time eating that much without getting sick or feeling like I'm ALWAYS eating! I lowered it to 1200, because that's more realistic for me. I still manage being under by 50-150 every day but I'm never hungry.

If you are having trouble meeting your calorie goal, you are probably in "must only eat healthy low fat low cal foods because I'm dieting" mode which happens to a lot of us when we start trying to stick to a calorie deficit. Unnecessary...eating calorie dense foods full of nutrients and healthy fats is good for you.

It's really easy to find 100-150 calories in a small serving size (though based on your post you actually need a lot more than that)
Approximately 22 cashew nuts = 180 calories
1 ounce of cheese (approx 1 slice)= 100
one tbsp of peanut butter = 100
1/4 cup granola = 125-250+
Cook your food with olive oil, use full fat dairy instead of low/no fat items...

Or, go eat some ice cream. Or a cookie. Or a piece of chocolate. That's totally fine too.

Eta: after reading the rest of the thread I'm glad to see you are open to suggestion and willing to take advice! Please note...my comment included yet another vote for cookies lol.

sdbec

HI
MY NAME IS MARG AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS... THAT I HAVE BEEN EATING 1000 -1200 CALORIES EXERCISE USE LITE WTS.. AND I RECENTLY WENT TO A PERSONAL .T AND NUTRI. AND HE TOLD ME ALONG WITH EVERY ONE ELSE I AN MOT EATING ENOUHG~~~ WHEN YOU EAT 1200 AND BURN SAY 500 IN EXERCISE YOU ARE THEN AT 700 CAL. STARVING YOUR BODY! BUT...... I HAVE UP MY CALORIES TO 1500 FOR 2 WEEKS AND I WT MYSELF TODAY UP 2 LBS SO I AM AS CONFUSED AS YOU... :{

jeffpettis

Was going to comment about some of your previous posts but you have received some good advice already... You just have to pick through it and follow it.

My only question is, you say you have been losing weight consistently and I remember something in one of your posts about losing a pound a day or something like that. You just joined MFP a few days ago right? And you started out at 195 and have logged 3 pounds lost? Not sure you have been doing any of this long enough to know if anything is working or not... Just my observation... Good luck!

pusspot

This

Whilst a calorie is a calorie whatever you eat... thats perhaps not a prticularly healthy diet overall with all of those bars
I had thought that i was eating pretty much without processed food until a 'clean eater' pointed out that all bran and weetabix were very processed. Who knew !!!??? I thought i had been eating the healthiest cereals known to man !!!

More fruit and veggies might contribute to you feeling more sprightly and still be low in calories??

xxmarysmxx

Just decided I am not getting involved.

yup...

elyelyse

HI
MY NAME IS MARG AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS... THAT I HAVE BEEN EATING 1000 -1200 CALORIES EXERCISE USE LITE WTS.. AND I RECENTLY WENT TO A PERSONAL .T AND NUTRI. AND HE TOLD ME ALONG WITH EVERY ONE ELSE I AN MOT EATING ENOUHG~~~ WHEN YOU EAT 1200 AND BURN SAY 500 IN EXERCISE YOU ARE THEN AT 700 CAL. STARVING YOUR BODY! BUT...... I HAVE UP MY CALORIES TO 1500 FOR 2 WEEKS AND I WT MYSELF TODAY UP 2 LBS SO I AM AS CONFUSED AS YOU... :{

If you were eating 1200 and went up to 1500 all at once, yes at first you will put on weight until your body adjusts. Its a better idea to go up slowly. 1300 for a week or 2, then 1400 a week or 2, then up to 1500

cad39too

Did you actually read the article in the link you posted.

If you did, I am sure you would have worked out that regardless of whether you feel better eating at 1200 kcals or below; you actually need to be eating more than that.

nomeejerome

I feel that people have been mean here, unnecessarily so. Not entirely sure why people got so irate about your diet choices! Worried is fair enough as I'm not sure that you're eating enough, but angry - why? You're not hurting them!

My thoughts, too! I'd had such a great first impression with MFP, and received so much great support for my first 4-5 days, and when I came home from the grocery store and saw some of these attacks, I honestly began to wonder if I really should be here after all.

Maybe people are jealous that you feel full on less than 1200..... Honestly I am a little bit too

This made me giggle. I've never been a big eater. I knew I was doing wrong when I was just eating junk all the time and totally not caring about myself... at all...

Thank you so much for making me laugh tonight! :bigsmile:

OP:
I did not see people getting angry or attacking you. What I did see was a handful of blunt answers and people offering some information why you are doing it wrong. I can guarantee the people who have seen success are not jealous that you feel full on less than 1200 calories. Read the link provided earlier in the thread and read all of the links in it.

ndj1979

if you feel "sick" eating 1100 calories a day ..re-examine your relationship with food and seek help...

out/

ndj1979

I have to ask, how it is you have trouble eating at least 1200 calories? No offense but you didnt get to a place where you need to lose weight by under eating. i know I didn't. What is your plan after you lose the weight?

I echo this. Boy, all of us ate way over our calorie allotment to put on weight, therefore I don't understand how eating some healthy calories can be difficult.

Many of us don't have big stomachs - we got fat on sweets, pastry, sweetened drinks etc, not on big quantities of food. When switching to a clean diet you can feel full on 800 calories a day - for a while. It's just an adjustment period, that I personally don't see needing to be "fixed" as long as you know what's going to come next.

actually, you get fat from eating more calories then you/we/us burn ....you can eat sweets and drink 'sweetened drinks" and still lose weight...

elyelyse

Maybe people are jealous that you feel full on less than 1200..... Honestly I am a little bit too

Most anorexics feel not at all hungry on 600 calories (total) or less a day...it's because they have broken the mechanism that controls hunger cues and hormones. So, don't be jealous.