am i doing this all wrong?

sammer825
sammer825 Posts: 50 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hey everyone

I have been on this program for almost 20 days (go me) and i am down 8 pounds (again, go me :)) i get to eat 1200 calories a day, i eat around 1000-1100 a day and really do seem to eat a lot. you can check out my diary.. but my question is, am i really "starving" my self if I'm not eating exactly 1200 calories? I seem to be losing weight and still eating quite a bit of food everyday. i usually have a few snacks a day. do you think my weight loss will come to a halt or will i be okay? please please help, and nothing too negative :)

Replies

  • adaybetter
    adaybetter Posts: 51 Member
    Yep you need more cals. Your body will hold on to the fat when you don't eat enough because this is what it needs to live. Try adding one more snack.
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Oh you won't starve on 1200 or less, but at 21 years old, your body needs a lot more fuel than that. It's not about how you are feeling at the moment - but about what eating so little might do to your health over time. Are you meeting your macros (proteins, fats, carbs) every day? If not, then you are definitely not meeting your nutritional needs.

    I'm a 56 years old and I eat between 1600 - 1800 calories a day. I am losing about 1 pound a week. Read the link above and decide for yourself whether what you are doing is in the best interest of your health and will be sustainable when you are at your goal.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    The 1200 calorie minimum for sedentary women has less to do with weight loss and "starvation mode" and more to do with nutrition and dietary adherence. It is very difficult to get enough fat, protein, vitamins, etc on such a low calorie diet.

    The good news is that it's easy to boost your calories! Ditch the diet foods and switch back to the real versions. Add a handful of nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, cheese, etc. to your diet.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    Unless you're very petite (I'm talking under five feet tall) or are dieting under a doctor's supervision due to medical issues, you should eat a minimum of 1200 calories just to support basic body functions. It looks like you're trying to get enough protein, at least, but it's really hard to get enough of anything when you're eating so little.

    It's not so much that your weight loss will stall. It's that you're doing bad things to your body by under-eating in the long term, depriving it of nutrition. Sure, you'll be thinner faster, but you'll have brittle hair and nails, no energy, pasty skin, a short temper, and probably be flabbier than you started out because your poor body will be cannibalizing your muscles. Not pretty. And to top it off, it's hard to sustain that kind of calorie deficit, so you're more likely to give up (probably in a dramatic "I don't care. I'm eating all the pizza in town!" way).

    You're young (meaning your metabolism is better than an old lady like me) and you don't have a lot of weight to lose. At a minimum, make sure you get at least your 1200 calories (and eat back exercise calories). But seriously consider resetting your MFP goal from 2 pounds a week to 1.5 or 1 and enjoy the occasional ice cream. You'll still be slimmer by bathing-suit time, and you'll be a lot happier getting that way.

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