Exercise Calories

Buccinator

I'm never going to understand this stuff. I walked four miles today and because of that I earned a lot of calories back, so MFP is upset that I have ate less than 1200 calories. (My doctor says I can have 2000, I usually get around 1300-1400.) I'm not hungry. I ate really well today. You can view my food diary. What should I do? Am I okay? Am I going to go into starvation mode? What's up?

rfialkiewicz

You look like you've had three very decent wholesome meals. If you don't think you can eat more or really can't think of anything more you want to eat (within reason - don't down four servings if ice-cream or anything), then don't. You're pretty close to 1200 and only you can tell your body has had enough for one day.

tierra85

i try to stay in the 1300-1400 range too. unless i have a really hard work out and im super hungry i'll eat a couple hundred calories more. I never go under 1200 because i dont want to go into starvation mode and my body hold onto my fat. But im confused about it too. I hope theres some feedback on this one! Your day looked delicious btw!!

Buccinator

Okay. Thank you. I feel fine, but it's really...upsetting?...scary? to see the little warning at the bottom of my screen saying that you've eaten less and you can go into starvation mode. I just need some reassurance.

KimSchnizleinWECHANGED

I'm also having some trouble with this whole cal thing. My doctor is upset because she says that I need to be eating 1800 cal/day to keep my metabolism going strong, but MFP has me at 1200 cal/day + the cals I get back for exercise that I haven't been using. Today my total intake was about 800 cals. ...... With my added cals for exercise had me to just over a total of about 1400 allowable cals for today .... SHEESH!! ... Did I say that right .... ? I've just decided to stick with the MFP cal intake #, and not worry too much about the whole thing. I figure that it will tell on the scale.

♥_Ellybean_♥

My trainer keeps telling me it's really important to hit your lowest calorie intake, and he freaks out on me when I don't. Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to function... so you want to make sure to at least eat your base calories.

Things I could suggest:

You could add Oatmeal for Breakfast - it breaks down slower in the body, so it won't rise your blood sugars and will keep you fuller longer

Do you eat meant? Turkey Bacon or Sausage in the morning - You could add eggs (boiled is the best most wholesome)

Also maybe a protein bar or shake in the late after noon (depending on when you work out before you workout would be good, or even after) instead of granola things or quaker mini's ... I have not found a shake I like.. but I have found Pria Protein Bars pretty good... You want one packed with Protein and as little added sugar as possible.

Your protein is pretty low... so I know my trainer would suggest a higher protein diet...and I don't know what your fiber is.. but fiber is the key to weight loss because it cleans your tracks.

Buccinator

My trainer keeps telling me it's really important to hit your lowest calorie intake, and he freaks out on me when I don't. Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to function... so you want to make sure to at least eat your base calories.

Things I could suggest:

You could add Oatmeal for Breakfast - it breaks down slower in the body, so it won't rise your blood sugars and will keep you fuller longer

Do you eat meant? Turkey Bacon or Sausage in the morning - You could add eggs (boiled is the best most wholesome)

Also maybe a protein bar or shake in the late after noon (depending on when you work out before you workout would be good, or even after) instead of granola things or quaker mini's ... I have not found a shake I like.. but I have found Pria Protein Bars pretty good... You want one packed with Protein and as little added sugar as possible.

Your protein is pretty low... so I know my trainer would suggest a higher protein diet...and I don't know what your fiber is.. but fiber is the key to weight loss because it cleans your tracks.

That's always been my problem. I'm not a meat eater. I'm not an egg eater. I'm super picky. That's why I've never done well on diets. I don't like protein much. I'm okay with protein bars and will check them out next time at the store. And oatmeal too, I've been meaning to look into that.

rfialkiewicz

It did look tasty.

I have personally felt the effects of too few calories the next day. The really crappy thing about it is that in starvation mode you loose muscle first and you begin to atrophy so you're achy and you're tight, and you're tired, omg am I tired the next day, it's like I can't wake up. I feel like I'm getting sick. However, I've found as long as I'm in the ballpark, I'm good. I let 100 calories or so bounce around if I'm not hungry enough to eat more.

Oreos always find their way in though so not much of a problem for me.

It's mostly a, "You'll know it when you feel it," sort of thing. You'll feel like crap. At least, I feel like crap. Then, once you know it, you never do it again.

Edited: because I hit the post button too soon.

♥_Ellybean_♥

What about nuts? Almonds? Peanuts? - I found a really tasty Almond w/brown sugar and cinnamon from Blue Diamond.. they are great.. they don't have alot of sugar have a decent amount of protein and act as a filler in between lunch and breakfast for me... Plus Cinnamon is known to inhibit weight loss..

Buccinator

Mmm, Oreos. I could probably fit some Oreos in there...

Buccinator

What about nuts? Almonds? Peanuts? - I found a really tasty Almond w/brown sugar and cinnamon from Blue Diamond.. they are great.. they don't have alot of sugar have a decent amount of protein and act as a filler in between lunch and breakfast for me... Plus Cinnamon is known to inhibit weight loss..

Yes, I love nuts, but the only ones I found at the store were really high in calories.

rfialkiewicz

All nuts are high in calories. They're nature's little powerhouses. In moderation, they are calories worth spending.

tierra85

kashi makes yummy cereals that are high in protein too.

rfialkiewicz

What about nuts? Almonds? Peanuts? - I found a really tasty Almond w/brown sugar and cinnamon from Blue Diamond.. they are great.. they don't have alot of sugar have a decent amount of protein and act as a filler in between lunch and breakfast for me... Plus Cinnamon is known to inhibit weight loss..

I think you mean Cinnamon encourages weight loss?

Inhibit would be to prevent it and I think Cinnamon is beneficial to weight loss and not detrimental.

♥_Ellybean_♥

What about nuts? Almonds? Peanuts? - I found a really tasty Almond w/brown sugar and cinnamon from Blue Diamond.. they are great.. they don't have alot of sugar have a decent amount of protein and act as a filler in between lunch and breakfast for me... Plus Cinnamon is known to inhibit weight loss..

Yes, I love nuts, but the only ones I found at the store were really high in calories.

They are high in calories (usually about 150-175 per ounce) BUT they are worth the calories, they will keep you full and depending on the nut are VERY HEALTHY for you. Nuts are one of the purest foods.. they are a seed right? So they can't have much in them but nature's own! They process slowly in your body so they don't elevate your blood sugar, and they will keep you full much longer! I would give them a try.. I have heard no more than 3 ounces of nuts a day tough,, 2-3 ounces is plently, like someone said moderation.

The ones I eat are 160 for 1 oz.. but really after about .5 ounces I am full and don't want to eat anymore, so they are worth it for me.

Buccinator

I'll check them out next time I'm at the store then. Thanks for the tips. Jotting down all the ideas!

rfialkiewicz

While we're discussing spices, any spices that are well... spicy, that give you heat on your tongue, will help boost metabolism, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and any chilli/hot pepper. Even table pepper (which is not actually a pepper and more closely related to the blueberry).

mikioi

Wow! iʻve never seen a warning like that on my profile?? interesting... i always feel like iʻm being rewarded for being under my calorie goal of 1200?? where do you see those warnings?

raziyad

I think your calories depend on what your deficit is. I get 1200 a day if i don't exercise and i am trying to lose about 2 lbs a week. I usually eat about 1600 calories a day with exercise. If you are not exercising...you really shouldn't be losing much more than 1 lb a week and you have to cut 3500 calories a week to lose 1 lb. If you should eat 2000 calories per day and you don't exercise you need 1500 a day to lose a pound per week. If you exercise you need to add those calories back in. If you can get a heart rate monitor, then you will know exactly how many calories you burned and how many of the exercise calories you can eat.

hope this helps

rfialkiewicz

At the very bottom of your food diary there is a button that says "complete this entry for the day". Click it and under the button will pop up a starvation mode warning if you are under 1200c.

caperapp

I agree nuts are great. So are beans. I have a friend who is a Vegan and he eats beans and legumes (those are green or white beans) of every variety every day for his protein content. The trainer that I have says that high protein is the way to go when trying to loose weight. It gives your muscles something to build with and when you exercise you burn the fat off.