Question regarding calorie consumption...

HangoverSquare

I started my fitness routine yesterday, in which I consumed around 1800 calories and burned off 600 while working out.

Today, I've consumed roughly 1,000 calories, and plan to work off 600 once again tonight.

MyFitnessPal tells me to consume 1500 calories per day, because I'm 220 lbs. (at 6'1'') and looking to lose 30 lbs. But, I just don't feel like eating anymore or packing on anymore calories.

What I'm worried about is my body going into starvation mode and throwing off my metabolism and my whole diet. Is this something to be worried about, so long as I eat through out the entire day and work out regularly?

BigReddHair

I struggle with MFP telling me to eat more. If I'm not hungry, I'm not going to eat more. I think the key is to regularly eat throughout the day. Your body will NOT go into starvation mode if you do that. Starvation mode occurs when you starve...not when you eat regularly throughout the day. I truly believe you can lose weight in a healthy way by eating less calories that what is recommended...it's inevitable, isn't it?

sc1572

At first, I was hesitant at eating back what I had worked off...but actually, I've found it's HELPED! If I'm not hungry, I don't eat, but if I am, I go for it!

vim_n_vigor

One day with low calories should be ok, but if you do it every day, you are not getting the nutrients and energy that your body needs to function properly. It will affect your metabolism and your overall health.

LorinaLynn

Well, I'm a 130 lb, short, middle-aged woman, and I lost weight eating 1500 + exercise calories.

If you want to lose FAT, you need to give your body the fuel it takes to hang onto your lean muscle mass.

Angelabec

I don't concern myself too much with my exercise cals, but I do try and eat at least 1200 cals per day, and try to make them fairly balanced & healthy.

Lleldiranne

I would eat back about half of your exercise calories, since MFP has already calculated a deficit (if you want to lose about a lb a week, it gives you a 500 a day deficit). But you're right in not wanting to eat empty calories. When you work out, your nutritional needs going up, not just caloric needs, so add fruits, veggies, and whole grains to your list of things for the additional calories, as well as lean proteins. A handful of nuts, a slice of whole wheat toast, or a banana can help fuel your body while providing those extra nutrients.

tigersword

I struggle with MFP telling me to eat more. If I'm not hungry, I'm not going to eat more. I think the key is to regularly eat throughout the day. Your body will NOT go into starvation mode if you do that. Starvation mode occurs when you starve...not when you eat regularly throughout the day. I truly believe you can lose weight in a healthy way by eating less calories that what is recommended...it's inevitable, isn't it?

False. If you are routinely not eating enough you are starving. Your body adjusts to that, and as part of air's survival instinct, shuts off the "hunger signal," as as far as it knows, food is scarce, and difficult to find, if you are distracted by hunger pangs you might not see food and miss it. This means you are starving yourself, but you aren't feeling hungry. You need to train your body to properly signal for food, just as someone who consistently overeats needs to retrain their body to stop calling for food when it isn't needed. People say "listen to your body." If your body was behaving the way it's supposed to, you wouldn't be here trying to fix it. Your body needs a certain number of calories, and it has nothing to do with how often you eat. If you aren't eating enough calories, you aren't eating enough calories. Otherwise, your body retains fat and burns off muscle instead.

As for the OP, you should be eating 1500 calories plus whatever you burn for exercise. So, if you burn 600, you should be eating a total of 2100 calories.

lindalou4850

i WOULD NOT WORRY TO MUCH SO LONG AS YOU EAT ABOUT 1200 CAL A DAY.i ONLY EAT MY EXTRA CALS IF i AM HUNGRY.i DON'T EAT JUST TO EAT

tigersword

^^ Actually, the OP is a male and the recommended minimum for males is 1500-1800 calories. 1200 is way too little. Again, you need to eat enough to properly fuel your body. You don't expect your car to travel a full tank of gas worth of miles on half a tank, why would you expect your body to do it?

HangoverSquare

Thanks for all of the great replies, folks.

Generally, I try not to eat after 8PM, also. For dinner, I consume vegetables, and they do a great job of filling me up, too.

I will try to come close to my recommended calories from now on, as I want to lose as much fat as possible.

melaniecheeks

Um, because a human body isn't a machine like a car?

That fuel analogy is used a lot, but it's only helpful in the most general of terms.