What if my doctor gave me my cal intake?

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BeautyQueen90
BeautyQueen90 Posts: 145 Member
My doctor gave me a calorie intake of 1200 mfp added 80 so my daily intake is 1280 I'm satisfied I haven't been the type of person to eat alot or have a appetite... Is my cal intake considered as starvation? I wouldn't want to do that and I don't feel like I'm starving.... Is that a problem? please help is my doctor wrong?

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  • DecemberNick
    DecemberNick Posts: 64 Member
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    Well, your doctor has a closer relationship with your health than we do so I would always defer to her/him. The only thing I'd want to be sure of is that your doctor is aware of your activity level. If she/he was just recommending a magic number that works for other patients, that's not going to work as well for anyone with moderate or frequent exercising. I'm also curious as to which field of medical practice this doctor is in? Your general practice doctor isn't going to be as insightful as a nutritionist. Perhaps you can be referred to a nutritionist?

    A good bet is to arm yourself with information. Use the TDEE calculators you can find in the description of this group and get a general idea of what your energy expenditure is. If you can approach your doctor or nutritionist with some idea of where you think you should be calorically, it will be a much better discussion.

    If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask him/her. If your doctor just blurts out, "1200!" ask how that number was arrived to, get the breakdown. If they can't, then you should probably find another source of information.
  • DecemberNick
    DecemberNick Posts: 64 Member
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    Sorry, on reflection, I don't see any TDEE calculators in the group description. Just google some up and try them out. That will tell you what you use in a day.

    To answer the question I failed to the first time, I wouldn't think of things in terms of "am I in starvation mode?" The question is, "Am eating enough to achieve the best nutrition for my body and encouraging my metabolism to burn more calories?" When you find your TDEE, it will tell you what you need for proper nutrition. Subtract from that how much you're trying to lose. If that number is higher than 1200, you may be depressing your metabolism and telling your body that it needs to hold on to its energy stores for fear of starvation.

    To some degree, as the volume of calories you consume approaches zero, think of your body getting slower and slower in order to conserve whatever energy it has. Once you are at true starvation, it will do anything in its power to keep you alive including putting a clamp on your metabolism.
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
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  • BeautyQueen90
    BeautyQueen90 Posts: 145 Member
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    Thanks alot.
  • jaeone
    jaeone Posts: 649 Member
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    Would her intake of 1200 be before or after workout calories? This lady does HUGE WORK OUTS LIKE OVER 1000 CALORIES BURNED? Shes a Divabeast!! :glasses: Just wondering?
  • sedosher
    sedosher Posts: 142 Member
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    Would her intake of 1200 be before or after workout calories? This lady does HUGE WORK OUTS LIKE OVER 1000 CALORIES BURNED? Shes a Divabeast!! :glasses: Just wondering?

    I'm not her doc...but no one should net below 1200 in my opinion...but really I don't think you should net below your BMR. So if she is burning 1000 per day she should be consuming 2200 or she will DEFINITELY go into starvation.

    And on a side note, I work in healthcare very closely with physicians and in my professional opinion most physicians do not fully understand all the diet and nutrition topics like a dietician or nutrionist...unless they are a weigh loss/management physician. And even then it is ALWAYS best to be your #1 advocate...take your docs advice, do your own research and then present the info to your doc so you can discuss together! :)
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    There is a discussion on here on TDEE...it is probably at the bottom of the TOPIC list...lol

    Nick you should know I would have a full breakdown on THAT!!! lol

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
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    That's kinda low IMO. My doctor took my exercise into consideration and told me 1650-1750 which I thought was a lot but...I'm trying my best!!! :-)
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    Would her intake of 1200 be before or after workout calories? This lady does HUGE WORK OUTS LIKE OVER 1000 CALORIES BURNED? Shes a Divabeast!! :glasses: Just wondering?

    Think about it like this....would it be ok to eat 200 cals a day and not workout???? That is what she is doing...same thing eating 1200 and burning 1000.