Too Few Calories...

summerholden

Now, before anyone yells at me haha.. this question may have been asked before.. but.. I am new.. and would like to ask again!

I just finished my log for today, and at the bottom it said I had eaten too few calories for the day, and it could send my body into starvation mode making it harder to lose weight - etc etc etc.. and that I should try to maintain at least 1200 per day.

With that said, my log has me at 322 calories remaining for the day AFTER my afternoon work out and dinner. It is now 8:54 at night.. and I am not hungry.... sooooo....

I know MFP is not always accurate with our calorie logs, so is it something to really fret over?....

Suggestions/Input/Comments... lets hear it


-Summer

catshark209

This happens quite a bit to me as well. I make myself eat a banana or a protein shake.

summerholden

Ya that's what I was considering.. eating a banana.. but I just am not sure if it's something I should really be too concerned about. I mean obviously I do not want any negative impact on my weight loss - so I'm just a little on the unsure side!

This happens quite a bit to me as well. I make myself eat a banana or a protein shake.

kmcrey87

I never force myself to eat if I am not hungry....but if you're hungry eat! You are going to get fifty different answers about this. Some will tell you that you must hit atleast 1200 for your net calories....I never do....and a lot of people don't. Some people have to hit it in order to lose weight though. You need to figure out what works best for your body because there is no "one size fits all" to weight loss.

Melbel85

I wouldn't worry about it. Don't force yourself to eat if your not hungry.

mark03264

If you set up MFP right to start with then the daily calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in to lose weight. That said, you should eat close to the calorie goal MFP gives you each day including eating back most of your exercise calories. Depending on how far under the daily calorie goal you are, you are very likely to cause your body to hang onto the fat it has by either slowing down or even stopping fat loss. It may not happen right away but eventually you will most likely plateau. If you have a lot of weight to lose you can probably get away with it longer but as you have less to lose your body will plateau easier.

I generally have my meals and exercise for the day planned in the morning or the night before. This way I know approximately what my exercise calorie burn will be and I plan my meals through the day to "pre-eat" enough calories so that I can just eat a sensible supper and maybe a snack. This has been working great!

Don't worry about today. Just start fresh tomorrow.

summerholden

Very true. I think that's what I'm going to do.. just give it a few weeks.. and if I'm under a little here and there when I finish .. try not to let it bother me

I never force myself to eat if I am not hungry....but if you're hungry eat! You are going to get fifty different answers about this. Some will tell you that you must hit atleast 1200 for your net calories....I never do....and a lot of people don't. Some people have to hit it in order to lose weight though. You need to figure out what works best for your body because there is no "one size fits all" to weight loss.

summerholden

Wow.. and I thought what I've been doing now was a lot of work, haha. I guess a little extra planning couldn't hurt.. I am a single mother that works full time though, but I will just try to see what I can work out best for me. I'm def giving this my all (which is the reason I am being proactive about using the message boards).

If you set up MFP right to start with then the daily calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in to lose weight. That said, you should eat close to the calorie goal MFP gives you each day including eating back most of your exercise calories. Depending on how far under the daily calorie goal you are, you are very likely to cause your body to hang onto the fat it has by either slowing down or even stopping fat loss. It may not happen right away but eventually you will most likely plateau. If you have a lot of weight to lose you can probably get away with it longer but as you have less to lose your body will plateau easier. May sound counter-intuitive but that's just the way it is.

I generally have my meals and exercise for the day planned in the morning or the night before. This way I know approximately what my exercise calorie burn will be and I plan my meals through the day to "pre-eat" enough calories so that I can just eat a sensible supper and maybe a snack. This has been working great!

Don't worry about today. Just start fresh tomorrow.

mark03264

As you said you are new to this. It really isn't a big deal once you get into it. It tends to become kind of second nature. This is just what works for me. You will find what works best for you.

By the way...Welcome!

theostlerscat

It isn't such a bad thing when you have a lot of weight to loose. It does catch up with you, however, when you get down to the last 10 lbs or so and you can't get them off. I spent 2 years at or below 1200 cal and I made my goal weight, then I started to gain weight on 1200 calories or less (with 7 workouts per week)!!

I now have to slowly increase my calories and try to reset my metabolism in order to try to loose the last 15 lbs again because I gained it back (eating too little for too long of a period of time).

It probably won't hurt you if it is sporadic, but as a long-term strategy... I have not been able to make it work.

Pebble321

If you set up MFP right to start with then the daily calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in to lose weight. That said, you should eat close to the calorie goal MFP gives you each day including eating back most of your exercise calories. Depending on how far under the daily calorie goal you are, you are very likely to cause your body to hang onto the fat it has by either slowing down or even stopping fat loss. It may not happen right away but eventually you will most likely plateau. If you have a lot of weight to lose you can probably get away with it longer but as you have less to lose your body will plateau easier.

I generally have my meals and exercise for the day planned in the morning or the night before. This way I know approximately what my exercise calorie burn will be and I plan my meals through the day to "pre-eat" enough calories so that I can just eat a sensible supper and maybe a snack. This has been working great!

Don't worry about today. Just start fresh tomorrow.

This is a marvellously sensible, rational answer.
Do this!

summerholden

Thank you very much!

As you said you are new to this. It really isn't a big deal once you get into it. It tends to become kind of second nature. This is just what works for me. You will find what works best for you.

By the way...Welcome!