Daily Intake

minburke

Ok so I've been below my daily intake for a few days now which I've read is bad because of starvation mode etc.. But! I'm not hungry? should I really be stuffing myself to meet these calories? I'm still eating the same amount, if not more snacks etc, but just better, lower carb foods.. Definitely not starving myself.

nachoqtpie

I've often wondered that as well. I know back when I WAS starving myself by eating only ice chips and drinking diet Dr Pepper and 1 meal a day, I wasn't all that hungry either, but I know that was only because I tricked my body into thinking I had eaten with the ice chips.

borisda

Hi' So long as your not going way under say 500 cals plus then don't stress. Try and keep it healthy, you know yourself if your taking it to far. I hope this helps

meggiemaye

This will seem like a rant, but really I'm just excited to talk about something I sort of understand! Bear with me. :flowerforyou:

You shouldn't stuff yourself, as long as you're eating 1,200 calories a day. That is the absolute bare minimum a person needs to sustain themselves. If you're not eating that well, you're doing serious damage to your body. It will cling to every calorie, convert every calorie it can straight into fat, and you'll never be able to be healthy or gain/maintain the muscle your body needs to take care of itself. Lower carbs isn't really related to the caloric intake issue. Your body also needs carbs, but your general energy supply comes from calories.

When I was first taking nutrition science classes at my university, they told us to think of our bodies as our vehicles, like a car. Each day you're going somewhere, and it's going to take you 1,200 units of petrol (the calories) to get there. If you're not hitting at LEAST that number, your car will not only not reach its destination but if you continue running it without fueling it (hypothetically...good luck getting your real car to run without gas ) it will wear down until it eventually breaks altogether.

On another note, as my nutrition science classes were part of my archaeology degree, when we study ancient bones, we can tell exactly when, down to the month, a person didn't get enough to eat. Stress lines appear on their bones which indicate it. You actually are never fully grown--you get a brand new skeleton every decade or so. So remember that you're constantly powering your body to regenerate itself, and if you don't do so adequately, you can do permanent damage. You don't want archaeologists digging you up and using you as an example to their students of a person who didn't take care of their body!

If you're having trouble meeting those calorie goals, maybe try adding in some high-cal foods which can still be healthy for you, such as fruits.

You're doing great! Just remember that if you're not eating 1,200 calories, most nutritionists agree that you are hurting your body.

ProTFitness

Everyones body if different. If your not hungry don't over eat just to get calories. If your eating Quality nutritious caloires you may feel full longer. Starvation or survial mode takes about a week or so to set in. So if you were consistanly eating to few day in day out then I would adjust. But a couple of days here and there will not hurt. Also some days you may need more calories and others you may not.
Being Consitant is the Key! Results come from that and it may take your body time to adjust

minburke

Thanks guys! I think it might be that I am eating low GI foods and trying to increase my water which might be lowering hunger. But I used to skip brekkie all together have a fairly fatty massive lunch and a high car dinner so I think the constant smaller snacking is making me feel full also. Today I've had 979 cal (601 exercise), yesterday 1702 (567 exercise) and Sunday 1304 (330 exercise) so today is the only day I've gone below the original 1200. Is that generally ok?