Netting too low?

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  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    I am not going to eat Oreos or ice cream just to get my calories up to 1200. I have been told I am fine by a doctor so I dont worry about it.

    If you're thinking about eating Oreos or ice cream to fill in calories, then you might as well not eat them - you'll be healthier without them.

    If you want to experiment with eating more (which, obviously, you specifically don't and you're following your doctor's advice, but more generally speaking...) it's important to add HEALTHY food for the extra calories. That doesn't mean you can't eat sweets, but they shouldn't be empty filler to reach an artificial caloric guideline.

    The whole idea of this site is to regulate your intake, feed your body just enough to keep it energetic and healthy, with a sufficient deficit to slowly lose weight over time, then a minor adjustment at the end to maintain the new weight. Once you get your fat, carbs, and proteins in reasonable balance, and you're drinking lots of water, your body will tell you what it needs. If you feel full, stop eating. If you're hungry, eat more. Use the diary to make sure you are getting all the nutrients and the proper balance of calories (fat/carb/protein balance) your body needs, and any hunger you feel is real, honest hunger and you should feed it.
  • lady_in_weighting
    lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
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    Can i suggest high kcal protein shakes which have a balance of carbs and protein. These will give you the extra kcals and nutrients your body needs without feeling full! (:
  • embclark
    embclark Posts: 186 Member
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    Can i suggest high kcal protein shakes which have a balance of carbs and protein. These will give you the extra kcals and nutrients your body needs without feeling full! (:

    Thanks! I have ordered a protein shake to start drinking after my workout. It just took me a bit longer to find a gluten free soy free one...
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
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    Yep, I think your net might be too low. When I started, MFP put me on 1200 calories. The 1st week, I felt fine. The 2nd week, I felt not so fine. The 3rd week, I felt tired and struggled in certain workouts that I had completed the previous week without problems. Of course, I lost weight. But I didn't feel that what I was doing was sustainable. So I read a bit more and upped my calories to just above my BMR. Unless you are a very petite woman (say, ~5 feet, small frame), you should probably net more than 1200. However something to keep in mind is that MFP overestimates exercise calories and most people underestimate food calories. I found this article helpful in calculating the burn for running since it accounts for net calories: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html (it also gave me a better idea of what I might've burned on the elliptical). If you want to get very accurate with the food calories, you'd likely have to get a scale and avoid eating out. You probably don't have to do this to see results, but you may want to just eat a bit more.

    If you have only 10 more lbs to lose, you should probably aim for half a pound per week. You will still get down to your goal; it'll just take a bit longer. And you will lose less muscle than if you tried to drop 2 lbs a week (or whatever your goal is). Eat some nuts, add another spoon of olive oil to your meat/salad/etc. Oh and make sure you are eating a good breakfast. I've seen many people on here asking about how to up their calories and are only eating a 200 calorie breakfast. I also like the idea of adding a protein shake after workouts.

    There's a lot of debate on here about netting too few calories and "starvation mode" (some of it quite nasty, on this thread). "Starvation mode" may be a bit strong of a word, but human bodies will adapt to lower calories--which is why many people lose less weight than expected based on their diets (even minus the water weight). "Adaptive thermogenesis" is probably a better term (you can google this to see that this does actually happen). So if you cut your calories too low, your body will likely slow your metabolism. Oh and most doctors will not prescribe a VLCD unless you are severely overweight. If your doctor says it is ok to consume such few calories when you only have a few pounds to go, I would suggest speaking to a nutritionist and seeking a different opinion.
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
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    Can i suggest high kcal protein shakes which have a balance of carbs and protein. These will give you the extra kcals and nutrients your body needs without feeling full! (:

    Thanks! I have ordered a protein shake to start drinking after my workout. It just took me a bit longer to find a gluten free soy free one...

    I've used the Garden of Life Raw Meal. Honestly, it's not the best tasting stuff ever. But it is -free of mostly everything. It is a bit pricy, though, so I am looking for a substitute (I am lactose intolerant but okay w/ soy or gluten).

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