What's with the starvation warning?!?!?!

fifibox

So frustrating when I do under my calorie count it tells me I'm not eating enough I could be putting my body into starvation mode and not getting all the nutrition I need.

But then everything else I go to eat would put me OVER my net calories.

What the hec am I suppose to do? It's pretty hard to find something that's exactly 100 calories so I don't go over but also don't get told I'm starving myself!

What's the answer people???

:sad:

melaniecheeks

Well, I wouldn't stress out about the "exact" business! None of the calories you recorded or the exercise that you burned was exact either - everything is an estimate.

Grimmerick

it's ok to be slightly over or slightly under, it would be silly to try to be dead on each time, it's just saying that you don't want to be really far above or below your goal.

sarahs440

a few nuts or some peanut butter. they make 100 cal packs of cookies and snacks. hope this helps!

twooliver

Personally I think it's MFP's way of covering their butts...it's more hype than anything....I ignore it....Until I stop losing I refuse to eat back the calories burned....

erickirb

So frustrating when I do under my calorie count it tells me I'm not eating enough I could be putting my body into starvation mode and not getting all the nutrition I need.

But then everything else I go to eat would put me OVER my net calories.

What the hec am I suppose to do? It's pretty hard to find something that's exactly 100 calories so I don't go over but also don't get told I'm starving myself!

What's the answer people???

:sad:

I would argue that going slightly over on cals (0-100) is better than coming in under them. If your goal is to lose 1 lb/week you have a deficit of 500 cals built in so going over on your MFP cals by say 30 would still leave you with a deficit of 470, even more if you goal is to lose more than 1lb/week.

wendehaynie

research this information for yourself so you can see all of the scientific evidence. but eating under 1200 calories a day causes your body to go into starvation mode & conserve. if you are eating the 1200/daily, don't worry about the warning. if not, you will be hurting yourself in the long run and will stop loosing weight. in the end....be healthy while you are loosing. good luck & keep up all the good work

amylynn96

I dont take it seriously...i agree with the "its just mfp trying to cover their butts if someone died from starvation dieting and someone tried to sue the site"......theres a dramatic under ur calorie and then theres huge workouts that add on so many extra calories. Obviously i hope a lot of the people here are aware that weightloss is harder if you dont eat some calories back....just do it healthily. I admit i refuse to eat back 800 or more cals after my workouts. Not when i know my eating was A + all day and i know i ate enough and feel good.

wanttobeslender

Hi, I just joined mfp but have dieted just about all my life. I wasn't aware that one was suppose to eat back calories burned. I thought that as long as you ate your 1200 cal. the burn off was what success you made for yourself in order to have a deficeit for a given day? As far as worring about an exact number...don't. A few less today a few more tomorrow, as long as you "shoot" for that number, I say. I'm thinking it takes a couple days of deficeit eating to put your body into that mode. ???

Rubie81

Slightly under is fine, just ignore the warning.

miss_jamaica

research this information for yourself so you can see all of the scientific evidence. but eating under 1200 calories a day causes your body to go into starvation mode & conserve. if you are eating the 1200/daily, don't worry about the warning. if not, you will be hurting yourself in the long run and will stop loosing weight. in the end....be healthy while you are loosing. good luck & keep up all the good work

Starvation mode is often misunderstood:

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501

sargent1976

I wouldn't worry about it too much. As long as you are not WAY under you should be fine. If you are still losing weight then you aren't in starvation mode. If you're hungry then eat them, and if you aren't then don't. Good luck.