Under Calories

thebrokentide

MFP keeps yelling at me every single day because at the end of the day with what I eat and how much I work out it says I'm under calories. Except I feel like I'm eating more on this diet, just better things. For example yesterday had four pieces of bacon, eggs, an apple for breakfast, then soup and almond milk for lunch, then tuna fish, quinoa, celery and edameme for dinner.

Is it really bad to be under calories if you're eating three meals a day, enough, and not hungry?

Forty6and2

If you open your diary, you might get more feedback.

Tentative answer: yes, you probably should be eating more to fuel your exercises. MFP already factors in that you want to lose weight, thus eating back the calories you burn will still have you in a deficit and you will still lose weight. This assumes that the calorie burns are accurate and you're measuring your heart rate instead of just going off of height, weight, and age.

Anyway, open your diary and I can give you more specific feedback

thebrokentide

If you open your diary, you might get more feedback.

Tentative answer: yes, you probably should be eating more to fuel your exercises. MFP already factors in that you want to lose weight, thus eating back the calories you burn will still have you in a deficit and you will still lose weight. This assumes that the calorie burns are accurate and you're measuring your heart rate instead of just going off of height, weight, and age.

Anyway, open your diary and I can give you more specific feedback

How do I open my diary?

Forty6and2

Settings>diary settings>either public or MFP members only

Forty6and2

yes as long as you are still losing weight and not drastically cutting calories without doctor supervision

Not true. Depending on how much you weigh vs a healthy weight for your height, you want to lose a certain amount per week to be healthy. For instance, if the OP is within 25 lbs of a healthy weight, she should not be losing 2+ lbs a week because that is above a healthy rate for her. If she is within 100+ lbs of a healthy weight, that rate of loss would be fine.

OP, here is a good resource with all kinds of other links for you to check out. This has helped me immensely.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

thebrokentide

Thanks for the link. I went ahead and made my diary public.

Forty6and2

Thanks for the link. I went ahead and made my diary public.

Ok, yeah you're way to low to be in healthy range especially considering that you work out. What are your height and current weight?

diannethegeek

Do you have a lot of half logged days or have you really had less than 600 calories 7 days this month?

1200 calories is the bare minimum recommended to sedentary women and many people should be eating more than that. That has more to do with nutrition than weight loss. The less you eat the harder it is to get enough fat, protein, calcium, iron, and other vitamins and minerals into your diet. Supplements can only do so much to help with this and sooner or later you could start to see negative effects from this (muscle loss, bone density loss, brittle hair and nails, fatigue, etc).

That said, your logging is pretty spotty, so it's hard to tell whether you're eating enough or too little.

thebrokentide

Thanks for the link. I went ahead and made my diary public.

Ok, yeah you're way to low to be in healthy range especially considering that you work out. What are your height and current weight?

I'm around 5'3" and 165 lbs.

thebrokentide

Do you have a lot of half logged days or have you really had less than 600 calories 7 days this month?

1200 calories is the bare minimum recommended to sedentary women and many people should be eating more than that. That has more to do with nutrition than weight loss. The less you eat the harder it is to get enough fat, protein, calcium, iron, and other vitamins and minerals into your diet. Supplements can only do so much to help with this and sooner or later you could start to see negative effects from this (muscle loss, bone density loss, brittle hair and nails, fatigue, etc).

That said, your logging is pretty spotty, so it's hard to tell whether you're eating enough or too little.

I've had my MFP for months and would randomy put stuff in. I really didnt start keeping track til a few days ago.

Forty6and2

Thanks for the link. I went ahead and made my diary public.

Ok, yeah you're way to low to be in healthy range especially considering that you work out. What are your height and current weight?

I'm around 5'3" and 165 lbs.

Ok, so you are within about 25-30 lbs of your goal weight, I assume? You should probably start trying to lose about a half pound a week at this point. This will increase your calories, but don't fear! You can fill them up by using higher calorie foods if you're feeling too full. You can add things like nuts and beans that are fairly high calorie but nutrient dense.

If you are aiming for a lower weight, say about 35-40 lbs, you can still lose at one pound per week healthily.

I guess your question was more about adding in some calories, so I'll address that too. You can add peanut butter to almost anything, add in some drinks with calories (milk, juice, coffee, etc) and oils and dressings. You really should be eating more to make sure your body is doing what it needs to do.

dont_tap_my_aces

at your height and weight, 1200 kcals a day isn't horrible if you are trying to lose about 1.3lbs a week (assuming TDEE around 1850kcals)

you could change your goals in the settings page. Click on My Home at the top left, then click Goals and Change Goals.

_HeartsOnFire_

you don't need to show your diary to anyone if you don't want to. calories are calories and its ok to be under

Please stop. I'm not trying to be mean, and this is not an attack, but your advice can be harmful. You keep telling people it's okay to be under, when you don't know how many calories they are eating at all. If a person was only eating 600 calories a day, then no, it's not okay to be under, because they are already way under eating.

I know you are new and you just want to help.

diannethegeek

you don't need to show your diary to anyone if you don't want to. calories are calories and its ok to be under

A day here and there below your calories is fine, but a blanket statement that it's always okay to be below your calories is bad advice and dangerous in the wrong setting. Severe cases of undereating can lead to hair loss, brittle nails, muscle loss (including the muscle of the heart), bone density loss, vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, and other problems.

Please keep in mind that there are plenty of impressionable posters reading and lurking here who might take your advice to heart.

thebrokentide

you don't need to show your diary to anyone if you don't want to. calories are calories and its ok to be under

Please stop. I'm not trying to be mean, and this is not an attack, but your advice can be harmful. You keep telling people it's okay to be under, when you don't know how many calories they are eating at all. If OP was only eating 600 calories a day, then no, it's not okay to be under, because they are already way under eating.

I know you are new and you just want to help.

I wasn't eating 600 calories a day. That was based off being I started using MFP fully.

_HeartsOnFire_

you don't need to show your diary to anyone if you don't want to. calories are calories and its ok to be under

Please stop. I'm not trying to be mean, and this is not an attack, but your advice can be harmful. You keep telling people it's okay to be under, when you don't know how many calories they are eating at all. If OP was only eating 600 calories a day, then no, it's not okay to be under, because they are already way under eating.

I know you are new and you just want to help.

I wasn't eating 600 calories a day. That was based off being I started using MFP fully.

I wasn't saying you were. I was trying to give an example to the person who posted it's okay to be under. She's not seeing the big picture, or doesn't realize that there are some that do eat only 600 - like in another thread the girl was netting 400 and she told her it's okay. Yeah, no.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you were.

_Pseudonymous_

you don't need to show your diary to anyone if you don't want to. calories are calories and its ok to be under

She asked for our assistance and having her diary open is the best way for us to help assess the situation and offer the best advice available. And it is one thing to be under goal (which is already set well below our TDEE) but within reason. it is also okay to be above TDEE within reason. What you want to do is eat as close to goal as you can, not as low under as you can. Eating too far under goal sets one up to fail because then it is more likely to go on a binge and throw everything off. It is better to eat more and in a sustainable manner than it is to be too restrictive and rebound harshly.

itsadogslife

Its not terrible to be under calories, if you're goal is fat loss you should not be eating back your workout calories that get burned. HOWEVER, you can expect some degree of muscle loss if you aren't tracking your macros. Also, if you are severely below your calorie goal, eg. your base need is for example 1500, you workout and burn 700, but you only eat 1200 then you are in a deficit of 1000 calories. That's a lot to be under for a day. A couple days a week like this would be okay, but you will mess up your metabolism if this is the "norm" for you. I would have a higher calorie day once or twice a week to offset the low calorie days.. maybe up it to a maintenance 1-2 a week the day before a heavy weights day. Just my two cents.. I'm not a trainer or anything, just from my own reading up on said subject.

itsadogslife

PS. I wouldn't use the scale if your goal is fat loss/muscle gain.. some people weight the same or more but are epic shredded compared to where they were a year ago... I'd use measuring tape and jeans.. I weigh the same as I did 6 months ago, but my workouts are significantly more strenuous and I upped my leg press to 350 lbs.. I LOOK leaner but my weight says otherwise. Just somethin to keep in mind.. scales are evil and can mess with our confidence/brains.

InevitableButterfly

Forty6and2

Its not terrible to be under calories, if you're goal is fat loss you should not be eating back your workout calories that get burned.

MFP already sets you at a deficit. Too high of a deficit is a bad thing. Yes, you should eat back some of your exercise calories

I would have a higher calorie day once or twice a week to offset the low calorie days.. maybe up it to a maintenance 1-2 a week the day before a heavy weights day. Just my two cents.. I'm not a trainer or anything, just from my own reading up on said subject.

Or just maintain your reasonable deficit consistently and still lose weight

If you lose weight by creating too large of a deficit, you're losing fat as well as lean body mass. You want to maintain as much lean body mass as possible, which requires a REASONABLE deficit

rm33064

It's ok to be under some if that's what you want as long as you feel good and aren't hungry. Don't let all these people take you to task like they're experts or something. Even the real experts with medical degrees who study these things do not normally agree with each other. The most important thing is that you listen to your body. If you are cutting your calories too much you're going to feel it and it is not going to feel good. If you feel good and have plenty of energy doing what you're doing then keep doing what you're doing. If that changes then make changes. At the end of the day we are all different and there is no black and white right way and wrong to lose weight in healthy manner.

diannethegeek

rm33064 had it right on the nose. listen to YOUR body. if your not hungry you do not need to eat. if you are full you do NOT need to eat more. if you are eating so little that harm will start being done to your body you will feel it. otherwise its silly to eat when you are not hungry

Hunger: still not the best indicator that someone is getting enough to eat.

Why on Earth would you recommend that someone wait until after they're noticing negative effects? The damage has already been done at that point.

Forty6and2

eating under does not set you up to fail if your not hungry. if you continuously keep yourself hungry and you have zero self control then yeah you are more likely to binge smh

As Dianne pointed out in another thread, hunger signals can be halted from eating too little for too long or exercising excessively. Hunger is not the best indication that your body needs energy and she is right when she says that you shouldn't wait for the bad side effects to start treating your body properly.

I'm trying to say this in the nicest way possible, so please don't take it as an insult. You still have quite a bit to learn (I see you're new here) so I think you should read up on some of the threads on here before giving advice. The advice you're giving is irresponsible and it could potentially lead somebody to unhealthy choices when setting calorie goals.

Forty6and2

It IS ok to be under and I will not stop. I worked with a DIETICIAN. Its fine to be under as long as you are getting the proper calories and nutrients for you. People are going off BASE guidelines. Everyone is different. She needs to see a dietician or doctor because everyone here is going off of generalized information. Im not new either. Ive used mfp on and off. im just back. I will continue to tell people the truth.

Oh, you're not new? Then I take back what I just said, you're just going around giving people terrible advice. In that case, I guess I can just sit back and hope that you get banned from the message boards for advocating dangerous diets.

shanisha321

I worked with a nutritionist and a personal trainer. I need to eat 1130 calories a day to lose. For months I was eating minimum of 1200 and on days I worked out I was eating more and did not lose a pound. I would eat around 1400-1500 a day. I was running 4 days a week and nothing. I've dropped now and still continue to exercise and I am losing about a pound a week. I am within 30 lbs of my goal weight.

diannethegeek

honey just see a dietician. people freak over 4, 5 and 600 calories when they do NOT know a back story or the persons personal nutritional needs. if you are not hungry don't eat. this board is consistently showing itself to be a place for impersonal generalized advice that really has no bases on each person as an individual. its all numbers numbers numbers. if you feel there is something wrong go see a doc. if you feel full and fine and healthy keep up the good work and don't change what your doing. Good luck

Are you really going to suggest that 400 calories a day is healthy? VLCDs can be fine in very specific cases and while under a doctor's supervision. The original poster does not seem to fit into that category.

400-600 calories a day is not okay for anyone who isn't under a doctor's supervision. It's not possible to get enough nutrients at that level. A day here and there below your calories is fine, but long term eating like this is going to lead to deficiencies and complications.

Again, hunger cues can be suppressed by a variety of factors, including prolonged undereating. It's part of the reason that so many people with eating disorders report not feeling hunger at all. You cannot use hunger as the only sign that you're getting enough to eat.

Forty6and2

honey just see a dietician. people freak over 4, 5 and 600 calories when they do NOT know a back story or the persons personal nutritional needs. if you are not hungry don't eat. this board is consistently showing itself to be a place for impersonal generalized advice that really has no bases on each person as an individual. its all numbers numbers numbers. if you feel there is something wrong go see a doc. if you feel full and fine and healthy keep up the good work and don't change what your doing. Good luck

Says the person who doesn't even ask to see the diary before assessing the situation.

Also, you should fire any dietitian who gives you this advice. It's terrible.

tmm_0127

The lowest I've ever seen MFP recommend, intake-wise, is 1200... it'll prompt a message letting you know that, based on general dietary guidelines, you are undereating. Even if you're only a few calories under, it'll still give you that message.

paperpudding

MFP keeps yelling at me every single day because at the end of the day with what I eat and how much I work out it says I'm under calories. Except I feel like I'm eating more on this diet, just better things. For example yesterday had four pieces of bacon, eggs, an apple for breakfast, then soup and almond milk for lunch, then tuna fish, quinoa, celery and edameme for dinner.

Is it really bad to be under calories if you're eating three meals a day, enough, and not hungry?

It is ok to be under your calories by a small amount - and over by a small amount (realistically, would be very hard to hit exactly x amount every day) - if your weekly average is within a few hundred of goal you are probably doing ok.

It is not ok to be consistently under by huge amounts.

Your aim is to be as close to goal as possible as often as possible.
and if you used MFP method to work out your calorie allowance you should eat back at least some of your exercise calories

psuLemon

OP, lets provide some context because obviously you are going to get some misguided information in this thread. At this point, we need to know more information about you to understand how "under" you truly are and make you aware of potential shortcomings based on some peoples recommendations currently. So we know your height, weight and age, but won't don't know your current workout schedule (length and number of days), what you do for a living or your medical conditions (if any).

Since I don't know that information, i will provide some data points to make it easy to understand. This assumes you have a desk job like most of us. If you have an active job or SAHM the deficit you would be currently eating at would larger. This also assumes you are an average person.

Your BMR or basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn if you slept 24 hrs) is around 1571 calories. Using the Harris-Benedict formula, if you were sedentary, you would have an activity multiplier of 1.2, which means your daily TDEE or total daily energy expended (maintenance calories would be:

1571 x 1.2 =1885

Looking at your diary and seeing that you are eating about 1000 calories a day, that would give you a deficit around 885 =/- 200 calories. That is a big aggressive for even a sedentary person. Additionally, the fitness community recommends higher protein % than basic RDA standards (which MFP follows). Given the fact, if you were sedentary and only getting about 50% of the protein you really need, there is a strong chance you will increase the amount of lean body mass (muscle, fibers, bone density, tissue, etc...) during your process. Loss of lean body mass, means a slower metabolic rate; both from a basal and resting standpoint.

Now if you were lightly active your multiplier would be 1.375 (this is 3 to 4 hours a week) and if you were moderately (5 to 6 hours a week) your multiplier would be 1.55. The multipliers are against your BMR.

Currently, we already would suggest increasing protein to around 1g per lb of lean body mass.. roughly 70% of your weight in grams of protein. Next, we would question if you do resistance training. Protein + resistance training will help maintain your metabolic functions and reduce your loss of your lean body mass.

Next, hunger signals. Unfortunately, they are very unreliable to listen to. In fact, based on eating frequency and volume of food, you can modify it. You can see the difference in signals if you compare a person eating 6 meals a day vs interim fasting where they eat all their calories in a 4 hour window.

Listening to your body: this also isn't sound advice. Unfortunately, our bodies are reactive when it comes to issues. What I mean, you generally don't know until it's too late. So that means your body won't tell you are malnourished until it's too late.... i.e - hair falling out, poor skin, brittle nails, exhaustion, etc... Heck, if you want an extreme example of why your body sucks... look how many people get stage 4 cancer before they figure it out. It's one reason you are supposed to get regular checkups. The proactive approach to health and fitness is always better than the lets wait and see crap.