Advice needed on Diary please!

nikkih7869 · February 2011

Hey everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read!

I have been reading threads about not eating enough calories.. well that seems 2 b me! I'd really appreciate peoples oppinions on my food/exercise diary and advice on how to better would b gr8! Thanks xxxxx

meggonkgonk · February 2011

Need to open your diary...

ashlee954 · February 2011

Your diary is private so I can't see what your goal is vs what you're actually doing. What I do know is you should be eating around 1200 NET cals per day. Adding nuts, cheese, and avocados is a great way to up your intake.

MsFitnFabulous · February 2011

I sometimes will eat my exercices calories and sometimes I don't. It's up to you really. And you would want to make sure that you do what is best for your body. If you feed it junk constantly it will not run properly. Try increasing your veggie and water intake. Decrease salt and sugar.

erickirb · February 2011

You are def. not eating enough. Don't skip meals and eat all or most of you exercise calories.

erickirb · February 2011

It may be up to the individual if you eat them or not. But it is not up to the individual that the program is set up that you must eat your exercise calories to meet your caloric deficit goal, which will lead to your weekly weight loss goal.
Not eating exercise calories on MFP would be like doing nutri-system and not eating the meals they provide. The program is designed that you must eat them to meet your goal, provided you are calculating your intake and calories burned correctly.

mblanch · February 2011

You need to eat more otherwise your body will put itself into starvation mode and will store fat. You will end up putting on weight instead of loosing it. You also need to make sure you get lots of vitamins and nutrients to keep you healthy - on the amount you are eating you probably aren't getting them all. You really need to make sure you eat your allowance - you seem to do quite a bit of exercise which is good but you need to be eating these calories back especially if your basic allowance is only 1200. Really wouldn't want to see you get ill.

meggonkgonk · February 2011

There is a number on your homepage (Click the MY HOME tab- look in the box labelled "Daily Summary") To the right of that big green number is a smaller number labelled net. Make sure this number is OVER 1200 calories a day. Not close to, not within 100. OVER.

Currently yes, you are probably in starvation mode.

catherine1979 · February 2011

I took a look back through a few days and I would say:

1. Don't skip meals
2. Eat more variety... there doesn't seem to be much in the way of fruit and veg and milk and protein.
3. Eat your exercise calories

emcw66 · February 2011

@erickirb Are you saying that when I exercise and don't eat those extra calories I'm hindering my weight loss process? I thought that if I reach my original calorie goal the extra calories burned through excercise are able to burn the calories/fat already in my body instead of adding more for my body to burn. Does that make sense? Am I understanding this right?

mblanch · February 2011

Should it always be over? I didn't realise this. I always try to get as close as possible whilst still being under. Will definitely take this advice

mjd0109 · February 2011

The first thing I would suggest is to quit eating white bread. Switch to wheat and whole grain everything; rice, pasta, bread, everything.

Next, drink more water! Lots more.

Eat more calories! You are not going to lose weight faster by eating less. Bad idea. Eat more more more! And not as much processed food! You'll feel better about making things from scratch plus you can flavor to taste.

You need more fruits and vegetables. A good way to get the extra calories you need is through fruit. Mix some together with some Greek yogurt and some roasted soy nuts. It's a nice, filling, healthy snack that could help you reach your calorie goal.

SamiSamiBoBlammy · February 2011

WATER WATER WATER!!! You only logged 1-2 cups most days. You should be drinking 8+ a day.

emcw66 · February 2011

What exactly is the "net" number? If mine is lower than 1200 does that mean I need to always eat my exercise calories?

SamiSamiBoBlammy · February 2011

I didn't know this either!

lodro · February 2011

I would like to question that actually. 1200 is not a magic number: some people's Calorie needs may actually be below that number, for maintenance. MFP offers general rules of thumb, but everyone is different of course.

That being said: my one tip would be: start the day with more protein, see bread as an indulgence food, a special treat.

lodro · February 2011

Strictly speaking "starvation mode" isn't a reality for most people who are bringing down their weight.

rvice2 · February 2011

He is right! MFP already has a calorie deficit. If you calorie limit is set at 1200 (and already has a deficit) you will lose 1-2 pounds per week just by eating those 1200 and not exercising. Let's say your body needs roughly 1400 calories for normal functions (breathing, digestion, etc) and you are pushing for only 1200 per day. You are already cutting out 200 calories that your body needs so you will lose weight. If you burn 400 through exercise you are only leaving your body with about 800 calories to function which is not enough and it goes into starvation mode - storing what you are eating for later.

I had a hard time with this and was on a plateau for about 6 weeks. When I finally starting eating my calories AND my exercise calories I started losing weight again and have lost each week for the last 3 weeks. I hope this makes sense!

erickirb · February 2011

When you sign up to MFP it gives you a goal based on a mathematical equation. To keep the equation (calories in vs calories out) the same you must eat your exercise calories. So eating 1300 calories and not working out is the same as eating 1700 calories and burning 400 from exercise. If you are set up to lose 2 lbs/week MFP will give you a caloric deficit of 1000 cals/day (1300 calories) if you exercise you increase that deficit by the amount you burn. so if you burn 400, your caloric deficit is now 1400 (1000+400) therefore to keep your deficit at your goal (1000) you must eat the 400 that you burned. if you don't you do risk burning muscle instead of fat and also of your body storing calories as fat as it may think it is starving and will hold on to everything you put into it. On top of that your body needs fuel to exercise, if you don't fuel you will crash and burn.

erickirb · February 2011

actually is you need 1400 as you sugested BMR your maintenance calories would be even higher. the moment you wake up and start moving you burn more than the 1400. If you BMR is 1400 your maintenance may be 1750 so if you eat 1200 you are already at a 350 cal deficit, not 200 as in you response, but the right idea.

erickirb · February 2011

Yes

meggonkgonk · February 2011

No, 1200 is not a magic number. Actually, you should in reality probably keep this number at or near your BMR so your body always has the amount of calories it needs for basic function. But that gets a little complex to explain on every one of these posts. 1200, like all other numbers in relation to your body, is an estimate. It's the low estimate of what you should be getting for your body. Starvation mode, or the triggering of your starvation response, is absolutely a reality for people who try to cut their calories to speed weightloss and inadvertantly cut them too far. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

nikkih7869 · February 2011

Thank you all for your advice! I really appreciate it xxx

Advice needed on Diary please!

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