When you see friends under eating...

CakeFit21

What should you do when you see MFPeeps under eating, coming in under 1200 by, say, more than 150- 200 calories all the time? By all the time I mean, almost every day. On top of that adding serious calorie burning exercise,(at LEAST 500 cals)? Do we wait until they complain about not losing weight, or bring it up before hand?

I was a person who, for months, could not get it through my head that I had to eat more to lose weight. I would cry over the scale and kill myself with more exercise and feel like some kind of alien when everyone else was having success. I don't want others to go through this, HOWEVER, I know it can be a really hard thing for people to accept. So, what should I do?

AnnaPixie

To be honest, I think there is enough info on here for everyone to know it's not good to go under 1200. If someone is taking no notice of the MFP phylosphy, I'd say they are doing so on purpose.

Unless you think they are new and dont know any better?

I suppose you could always pose the question : "you know MFP recommend a minimum of 1200, don't you?"

And then take it from there?

good luck :flowerforyou:

LOVINMYSELFISIMPORTANT

I eat 1000 calories a day and leave 200 extra calories just in case I dont add my stuff right or something and I loose weight. I have lost 2lbs a week In 5 weeks

LOVINMYSELFISIMPORTANT

plus I take vitamins just In case I dont get nutrician that I need

MamaBudda

I am one of those that under eat not because, I am worried about over eating but because, to put as many calories as it tells me I can have I would be eating non stop. The closest I come to eating as much as is said, is on the weekend when I go out to eat with my husband at The Oceans Asian Restaurant. :blushing:

LOVINMYSELFISIMPORTANT

I agree I eat every couple of hours and I think Im healthy as a horse I have so much energy and feel great!

aippolito1

I flat out tell them! I'll usually just say something like, "It's recommended that you eat at least 1200 so I'd encourage you to really eat whatever MFP is recommending for you and no less" and I tell them what I went through and for me, that was leaving 200-400 calories (sometimes base, sometimes just exercise calories) and how I didn't lose and the second I started eating my recommended and my exercise calories, I lost. I'm still that way! I have to eat all my calories or I won't lose.

CGerman

I used to comment on friends who were consistently eating below the 1200 calorie mark (sometimes seriously below) and I've had some pretty awful backlash. Since then I tend to keep that opinion to myself. The sad part of that is, some people are truly open to suggestions on how to improve their diet - but since I can't tell that (unless they've asked obviously) I just have to bite my tongue.

KarenBorter

The 1200 calorie limit is for women. There is a general 1500 calorie limit for men. This is a guideline but it's pretty widely shared. This is the MINIMUM needed by our bodies to maintain healthy organs and to maintain muscle. If you go under those amounts you risk health risks. If you are under a doctors care and they say 1200 calories is too much and you need less to survive then by all means go with it, but frankly, I would starve at less then that.

Karin, I sometimes send someone a private note usually entitled "unsolicited advise" and kinda kid around about it while letting them know I am concerned.

It's tough, as they say mileage may vary and everyone has their own mind made up about how to lose weight. I personally dont' know how someone can sustain for a very long time with under 1200 calories and no exercise. and if they ARE exercising and still only eating less then 1200 calories they are losing muscle not fat ... so they will see the weight drop off faster then say "see?! I told you MY way works". You can only do so much

Thanks for the add request btw!

dragonfly__

I am not a "chronic under eater" but I do certainly dip low on occasion and infact do strive to stay below the 1200. I think you shouldn't point it out unless they first mention something such as not losing, feeling dizzy, or being hungry all the time. I think bringing it up unsolicited could cause people to become defensive.

TXmama

It's a really tough concept, psychologically, and I think most of us who have dieted for YEARS will resist it no matter how many times we hear it (I've been guilty of it myself sometimes even though I DO know better!!!) so I think, honestly, telling them (gently) is fine but I doubt it will do any good. It is one of those things that people will need to come to on their own, one of those "aha!" realizations that people, unfortunately, have to just experience for themselves. BUT, I don't think there is any harm in prodding in the right direction!

KarenBorter

I used to comment on friends who were consistently eating below the 1200 calorie mark (sometimes seriously below) and I've had some pretty awful backlash. Since then I tend to keep that opinion to myself. The sad part of that is, some people are truly open to suggestions on how to improve their diet - but since I can't tell that (unless they've asked obviously) I just have to bite my tongue.

If people are consistently under I will send them a private note (as said above) otherwise I just don't say anything ... I posted a blog today about this very subject

Natural

i probably wouldn't say anything unless they asked. i assume people "know" what they are doing. heck even MFP says if we're eating too few calories if we're under by a lot when we click complete diary. after a few months, when they ask how come i'm not losing weight, that might be a better time to look at their diary and offer a suggestion. unless someone asks, i personally would leave them be.

ps - but i do tell my coworker she is NOT eating enough and runs 3.3 miles almost every day. people i know, i'll speak up.

boogie17

I eat 1000 calories a day and leave 200 extra calories just in case I dont add my stuff right or something and I loose weight. I have lost 2lbs a week In 5 weeks

i'm the same as you..only differnce is my dr. has me on a 1000 calorie diet. i've been on it since may. but really never paid attention as much til now. there are day's when i eat over the 1000 calories, or eat 900 a day. but i'm fine with that and exercising. it all depends on who the person is and how they are. but i think i'm fine cuz, my dr. gave it to me..and i check in with her once a month.

6Janelle13

i am one of those constantly under even when i don't try. but i think for some it may be what they are tracking. i see sugars, sodium, fat, carbs, protein and total calories. often i run into the one set is too high but the others are so low. i'm still learning how to balance it and some days i can't.

Dtrmnd1

I have NO idea how people don't eat all their 1200 cals! I guess Im just a girl who actually enjoys food!
If you know them personally not just on MFP mention it, otherwise I think your post will serve sufficient. They know enough to know what they are/not doing.

gupton11

You can maintain your muscle mass on as little as 800 calories a day as long as you are resistance training. Not that I am advocating anorexia.

http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/maintain-muscle-mass-on-800-calories-per-day/

I personally use short 24 hour fast a couple times a week and on those days I only eat 4-6 hundred calories, and every other day of the week I tend to eat between 1200-1600 with the exception of one day on the weekend when I might hit 1800-2000. I also workout 1.5-3 hours 6 days a week.

CakeFit21

Thanks guys, I'm just not going to say anything... for now. BUT if I see them asking why they haven't lost weight i will speak up. It is such a personal thing! I don't want to offend and there really is enough stuff on this site for people to figure it out. I just wonder if some folks just have tunnel vision when it comes to this stuff. We get caught up in what we always thought we knew about weight loss.

KarenBorter

For those of you who read my blog I revised to read "Under their BMR" rather then under 1200 ... since everyone is different.

PatriciaO

Sometimes I think we focus so much on staying within our calories we may not notice we are not eating enough. I want to know if someone sees I"m missing something. A lot of work goes into staying on the program. :smooched:

PatriciaO

I would gladly post my dairy if I can figure out how.

maurierose

Sometimes it helps to keep in mind some people might not be the average height, too - people around 5 feet may or may not need less than the recommended allowance..... if it's a friend, and I see they've dipped below their norm, I'll ask (maybe they had a tough day, aren't feeling well, etc..... I know when I've had a day like that, knowing someone cares and notices makes a world of difference), but I try VERY hard to not come across as judgemental or accusing....... who knows if I've succeeded at that or not, though? :ohwell:

It's nice that you care - some people welcome that, some don't...... all of us here have our own journeys....

:flowerforyou:

brockly25

all you can do is tell them and hope they listen ..... i was in that boat .... this frist week 16 lbs and then i though eat less work out more loss more lbs.... when i was doing 700 cal and 1000 cals a day and workout like a mad man... the next week 2 lbs ... i was floored .. what???? why ????? i read and read the internet ... what am i doing wrong ????? and i see im putting my body in

Starvation mode is a state in which the body is responding to prolonged periods of low caloric intake levels. During short periods of caloric abstinence, the human body will burn primarily free fatty acids from body fat stores. After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat.

so i went back eatting my 2000 cal and sometimes more and workout the same and now the 3th week 9.6 lbs lost
have to tell your body its ok lets lose the weight ....