Eating too few calories??

amberx1127

Hi everyone! I have been using my new fitness tracker (the polar loop) with a heart rate monitor during my workouts and through using it have discovered that for the past 5 months or so I have been eating at a fairly large calorie deficit. I kind of had a feeling I may have been doing this, but was not sure until I purchased the loop. In the beginning I did loose some weight (around 8 lbs) and I am happy where my weight is now. The thing that is confusing me is that I have been maintaining this weight for a few months now, but my fitness tracker is telling me to eat more calories. I do feel hungry often, so I probably am eating at a deficit, but I don't want to gain weight if I start eating the calories my tracker is telling me I burn each day. However, I would like to eat more as I would probably feel better throughout the day. I have been eating around 1500 cals a day, and should be eating anywhere from 1700-2000 a day according to my tracker and depending on my exercise that day. If say, starting tomorrow I increased my cals to 1800 per day would I gain significant weight? Even if my tracker is telling me I burned it?

Also, I am a 21 year old female, 5'3" and 110 lbs. I workout everyday for an hour each day. Alternating between cardio and weight training.

QuietBloom

Yes, I think you should experiment with eating more. Try increasing your calories slowly by 100 or 150 a week and see what happens. My HRM really over estimates my burns, but I have no experience with the tracker you are talking about. It's possible that it might be slightly off.

marcusriedner

What you are experiencing is pretty standard on calorie deficit diets. Your metabolism will retool to the amount of fuel you give it, and if you are doing a lot of exercise it will tell you to eat more to maintain a homeostatic state.

Chances are if you increase your calories you'll put on weight unless you have rebalanced your biochemistry and metabolism. It really depends on how your body works with what you are eating. For me I lose weight eating up to 3000 calories a day if I am avoiding the things that destabilize my metabolism (grains, starches, sugars). What you may need to do is figure out what triggers your metabolism to put on weight and make a lifestyle change around that.

Staying at a calorie deficit long term is not healthy or sustainable - it will destroy your immune system.

Mr_Knight

...for the past 5 months or so I have been eating at a fairly large calorie deficit...I have been maintaining this weight for a few months now...

You aren't eating at a deficit, you are eating at maintenance.

p4ulmiller

Your metabolism will retool to the amount of fuel you give it, and if you are doing a lot of exercise it will tell you to eat more to maintain a homeostatic state.

Is this what we're calling it now? Now that we've debunked "starvation mode", you come up with new words to bamboozle everyone?!

Sarauk2sf

If you have maintained your weight, you are not at a deficit.

Actual results over-ride what calculators or devices tell you.

PikaKnight

Do you weigh your food? Do you log everything everyday?

Are you using your HRM for just steady cardio? Or are you trying to use it for strength workouts too?