Really need advice!!!

skinimin

I exercise 6 days a week and burn 500 calories each time I exercise (I have a treadmill so that measurement is accurate). I also do abdominal crunches, about 20 every second day. At the moment my daily calorie net intake is an average of 640 calories after exercise. I know my average net calories consumed is not very high but I am never starving or hungry. I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and one or two healthy low cal snacks everyday. The food I eat always consists of high fiber, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and usually some meat in my dinner. My portion sizes may seem small too some people but I never ever find myself hungry during the day and am always full/satisfied after each meal I eat.

The thing is, according to all the maths of nutrition/weight loss, I would supposedly be losing weight with this lifestyle. Which is probably bad considering my measurements (171cm, 47kg, a BMI of 16.1). But I am never starving or hungry and I don't think I should force myself to eat more food. I don't get lethargic or any of the supposed symptoms or side effects of being underweight and have actually had a BMI of about 17 for most of my life as I am naturally thin. The only time I ever started putting on weight was my first two years of uni when I was eating lots of junk food all the time and not exercising, which is not healthy! So I'm confused, according to basic nutrition etc I am unhealthy but at the same time healthy. Anyone have any thoughts advice or comments??

Also, if you wish or are planning to get all worked up about me possibly having an eating disorder can you just send it in a message instead please. I don't have one but I'm sure there will be people who feel the need to address me about it anyway.

peachletcream

well, maybe you are losing weight and gaining muscle? cos i think that would even it out? maybe? do you drink lots of water? cos i think that why i forget to eat..

leslielove

just chill out on the workouts a little bit and you should be fine. you probably do need to eat a little bit more but if you're upping your net by reducing your 'workout calories' then its the same effect.

but yeah, you should probably eat a little more. and either your food logging is waaaay inaccurate/incomplete or you need to reevaluate what you're eating. mcdonalds and redbull does not constitute healthy, high fibre, low sodium anything. you need a lot more protein, especially for the calories you're burning. you need more carbs and more good fats.

if you have access to a nutritionist i'd suggest a visit because you need to completely revamp your perception of 'healthy' as it relates to food.

CallejaFairey

well, i looked over you food diary. you don't eat as healthy as you like to think you do :P i would say it's because you are not eating consistantly, and actually have a lot of junk type food in there. maybe go back and look over your diary yourself, see that yes, you don't eat a lot of food, and the days you seemed to have high calories, were days you had quite a bit of junk. 6 poptarts in one day :P even though i don't have experience being small and trying to lose weight, but from all the posts on here i have seen, the smaller you are, the harder it is to lose that weight, the stricter you need to be on the types of food you are eating, as well as the amount.

lacroyx

ditto with the above. you say you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday but your diary isn't saying that.

squeaktones

i am not really sure what advice you are looking for. are you wanting affirmation that you are healthy because of your eating and exercise habits? i think the only person who can answer that for sure is your doctor and an actual licensed nutritionist. you should take along your food and exercise journal and go in for a check up and get your blood levels checked, as long as they are ok and your doctor says what you are doing to yourself is ok then do it. i learned from my nutrionist that no one should start a diet or exercise regieme unless they consult a doctor first. the diets we might think are ok and that we feel fine with may not be as good for us as we think, i know my eating habits sure weren't and still aren't always the best but now i am working on it.

skinimin

just chill out on the workouts a little bit and you should be fine. you probably do need to eat a little bit more but if you're upping your net by reducing your 'workout calories' then its the same effect.

but yeah, you should probably eat a little more. and either your food logging is waaaay inaccurate/incomplete or you need to reevaluate what you're eating. mcdonalds and redbull does not constitute healthy, high fibre, low sodium anything. you need a lot more protein, especially for the calories you're burning. you need more carbs and more good fats.

if you have access to a nutritionist i'd suggest a visit because you need to completely revamp your perception of 'healthy' as it relates to food.

Um I know mcdonalds isn't healthy did you actually look at more than one day? Did anyone look at more than one day? I know bread isn't healthy but I eat the wonder white that has added minerals vitamins and fiber. I don't know why my diary on here isn't showing all the breakfast lunch and dinners I've logged because I have logged them. Sunday in australia has not ended yet and it is not even dinner time right now. I eat a fruit and a vegetable for lunch everyday, bran or two slices of toast for breakfast and vegetables and some meat for dinner. I give myself some slack on the weekends because I am not a healthy eating robot and I am only 20 so my youth affords me that luxury.

Mads1997

I looked at nearly a weeks worth and have to agree not very healthy at all. Sorry

kwardklinck

Your eating looks pretty inconsistent. You might try eating at least 1500 calories a day since you work out so much. The thing that glares at me is the Red Bull every day. Maybe you're not hungry because of that. Have you tried going without it? Do you drink your 8 glasses of water every day? You say you're not losing and you want advice, but then you argue with everyone who tries to help. You might want to think about whether you really want to lose weight or if you're just asking for attention because you're skinnier than the rest of us.

mrb_9110

I looked at two+ weeks of your diary and you may think you are eating enough, but it's definitely not balanced. I don't know if Australia has a food guide pyramid or something like it, but you can easily find the US's online.try to get in enough grains, fruit, vegetables, meat and beans, and some good fats.

On another note, you say you don't have an eating disorder but right on your profilr you say you've developed" binge habits". You really should so a registered dietition and talk to your healthcare provider before continuing on this eating style.

kacarter1017

You need to have a higher net caloric intake for the day. Your body isn't going to lose weight at those low calorie levels. And, taking into consideration the limits of BMI measurements, you may not have much weight to lose and it might be possible you need to focus more on toning than weight loss.

tlnester

You have in essence put your body into "starvation" mode, which is why you do not drop weight on such a low calorie daily intake, though you have no weight to lose. Anything below 1000 calories per day alerts the body to slow metabolism and hold onto it's reserves. 640 calories per day is just not enough. If you are going to exercise you should up your caloric intake to at the very minimum 1500 calories if you are burning 500 a day. Your metablolism will thank you for it, and as you get older, it will work harder to keep you at a healthy weight if you give it enough fuel along with exercise.

kmeekhof

I looked at 2 weeks of your diary. You may think you are eating healthy choices, but you are not. First of all you say you are not "starving" that is why you don't eat more, but in reality you are starving. Your body needs more fuel that 500-600 net calories a day. Everything you consume is going straight to storage because your body is afraid the day is coming it wont get any food at all.

2 celery sticks and a kiwi is not a good lunch. You need some protein, and some complex carbs in there. Just because white wonder bread is enriched with vitamins does not make it a good choice, you need to find a bread where the first ingredient is 100% whole wheat flour.
You say you are young and your body can afford slacking on the weekend.... you are not giving it what it needs through the week! Take care of your body now, so when you are older your body will thank you!

Take a look at my diary if you want.

peachletcream

just chill out on the workouts a little bit and you should be fine. you probably do need to eat a little bit more but if you're upping your net by reducing your 'workout calories' then its the same effect.

but yeah, you should probably eat a little more. and either your food logging is waaaay inaccurate/incomplete or you need to reevaluate what you're eating. mcdonalds and redbull does not constitute healthy, high fibre, low sodium anything. you need a lot more protein, especially for the calories you're burning. you need more carbs and more good fats.

if you have access to a nutritionist i'd suggest a visit because you need to completely revamp your perception of 'healthy' as it relates to food.

Um I know mcdonalds isn't healthy did you actually look at more than one day? Did anyone look at more than one day? I know bread isn't healthy but I eat the wonder white that has added minerals vitamins and fiber. I don't know why my diary on here isn't showing all the breakfast lunch and dinners I've logged because I have logged them. Sunday in australia has not ended yet and it is not even dinner time right now. I eat a fruit and a vegetable for lunch everyday, bran or two slices of toast for breakfast and vegetables and some meat for dinner. I give myself some slack on the weekends because I am not a healthy eating robot and I am only 20 so my youth affords me that luxury.

dont be so mean to people that are trying to help you, stop looking at what they say as negative, its hard to see how people come across via the internet because its not faqce to face and you cant see or hear a persons tone or facial expressions.

and however pop tarts are yum there full o sugar

leslielove

just chill out on the workouts a little bit and you should be fine. you probably do need to eat a little bit more but if you're upping your net by reducing your 'workout calories' then its the same effect.

but yeah, you should probably eat a little more. and either your food logging is waaaay inaccurate/incomplete or you need to reevaluate what you're eating. mcdonalds and redbull does not constitute healthy, high fibre, low sodium anything. you need a lot more protein, especially for the calories you're burning. you need more carbs and more good fats.

if you have access to a nutritionist i'd suggest a visit because you need to completely revamp your perception of 'healthy' as it relates to food.

Um I know mcdonalds isn't healthy did you actually look at more than one day? Did anyone look at more than one day? I know bread isn't healthy but I eat the wonder white that has added minerals vitamins and fiber. I don't know why my diary on here isn't showing all the breakfast lunch and dinners I've logged because I have logged them. Sunday in australia has not ended yet and it is not even dinner time right now. I eat a fruit and a vegetable for lunch everyday, bran or two slices of toast for breakfast and vegetables and some meat for dinner. I give myself some slack on the weekends because I am not a healthy eating robot and I am only 20 so my youth affords me that luxury.

i looked at over 2 weeks of your diary sweetheart. fruit and vegetable is a side, not a meal. and before you ask for advice, it helps to give a clear and accurate picture of your situation.

don't ***** at me because your diary is incomplete. all i can see is what is there, and it's not "healthy" from a calorie intake, nutrient, or pattern standpoint.

Elzecat

I could not view your food diary, but the comment someone wrote about you drinking Red Bull made me curious, so I looked up the nutritional content (I don't care for energy drinks so I had no clue what exactly was in them)...aside from the fact that it has a few vitamins and minerals, and low in calories, it is fairly high in sodium for a not very big beverage. I thought I was eating healthier myself the past few weeks...but then realized that I was eating a ton of sodium, even in healthy foods. That is one possibility for not losing weight. Even though MFP "allows" for a certain amount of sodium, I am trying to get in under that number when I plan my meals.

I also agree with some others that have posted that you may not be eating quite enough calories with all the exercise you're doing. If you're really, truly "not hungry", then maybe not "more" food but different foods? Again, couldn't view your food diary so I can't say much more than that. If you really think you are eating healthy and still not losing weight...maybe talk to a nutrition professional. They may be more educated in this area than most of us on here.

I do think the "binge" behavior you remarked about is a red flag for you that you may be causing yourself health issues down the road. I think we all binge once in a while, I know I certainly do. But regular binging...not good for your body. Just something to think about. And please remember that you've posted publicly on a web site asking for advice--you may not like the advice you get, but all of the people here are also struggling with weight loss and are just trying to help. We're not trying to be mean or hurtful. People are concerned because you are young and we don't want to see you make the same mistakes that many of us have made

Good luck!

Ellen

aecryan

Do not trust the calorie counter on your treadmill. It is not accurate at all! Even if you enter your height and weight, many treadmills and exercise equipment adds an "after burn" calorie total which is bunk. Use the calculators on MFP with the mph and minutes or a heart rate monitor.

My treadmill said I burned almost 900 calories when I actually burn just under 600.

amber_hanners

just chill out on the workouts a little bit and you should be fine. you probably do need to eat a little bit more but if you're upping your net by reducing your 'workout calories' then its the same effect.

but yeah, you should probably eat a little more. and either your food logging is waaaay inaccurate/incomplete or you need to reevaluate what you're eating. mcdonalds and redbull does not constitute healthy, high fibre, low sodium anything. you need a lot more protein, especially for the calories you're burning. you need more carbs and more good fats.

if you have access to a nutritionist i'd suggest a visit because you need to completely revamp your perception of 'healthy' as it relates to food.

Um I know mcdonalds isn't healthy did you actually look at more than one day? Did anyone look at more than one day? I know bread isn't healthy but I eat the wonder white that has added minerals vitamins and fiber. I don't know why my diary on here isn't showing all the breakfast lunch and dinners I've logged because I have logged them. Sunday in australia has not ended yet and it is not even dinner time right now. I eat a fruit and a vegetable for lunch everyday, bran or two slices of toast for breakfast and vegetables and some meat for dinner. I give myself some slack on the weekends because I am not a healthy eating robot and I am only 20 so my youth affords me that luxury.

from what you wrote above hun u are definately not eating enough what you quoted above for ur daily meals is about the equivalent of what u should be eating for one meal.

jules0516

If this is your pic, I think you're beautiful the way you are. I am by no means a professional, but if you are almost skipping meals all together or eating out alot it will eventually catch up to you. This was me when I was 20..now I'm here to lose. Good luck to you!

FatDoctor

Ok. Lets keep flies separate from hamburgers. You can be healthy and to continue to have low BMI. You can be healthy and to continue to have normal BMI. You can be unhealthy with any BMI. You can think what you are healthy, but that can be not true. In ideal world it is best to be healthy with normal BMI. My suggestion is - not to rely on your own opinion of the state of your health and have it checked thoughtfully. And if you want to have your BMI corrected please see a nutritionist. Usually their suggestion would to include protein high energy supplement drinks (they will tell you which ones) between meals.