trouble eating 1200 calories...

LeeiaL

i think i'm keeping a really good diet but somedays i have trouble eating 1200 calories, like yesterday. i'm eating 6 small meals a day and drinking plenty of water...which is leaving me not hungry but not full all day long. i feel great! completely energized, not weighed down, and thinking more clearly.

what could be so unhealthy about not eating 1200 calories a day if i'm eating all day long, healthy balanced meals, and drinking plenty of water?

Hi, there....

I think most people that have responded to your question are right. Specifically, it sounds like your metabolism has downgraded and gotten used to reduced calorie consumption.

I looked at your food dairy...it is definitely NOT balanced - I didn't see any fruits, vegetables (or very little) or the like. You have got to get your calories up.

Your breakfast is concerning. Not nearly enough calories (this should be your biggest meal of the day) and light on protein. You are also eating lots of processed, simple carb foods, which do nothing for you nutritionally. Switching to 100% whole grain bread, brown rice, 100% whole wheat pasta and other complex carbs should help.

I would start to add some healthy, complex carbs to at least 3 of your meals, protein with every meal, and some vegetables with your meals. You also need some good fats (like olive oil), which you can get from nuts like walnuts and almonds or fatty fish. You can do this easily by making a salad w/olive oil and vinegar for dressing.

It is very important to get enough calories, especially if you're working out. You need them. If you're on a weightloss plan, it can be scary..but it needs to be done. You need food to burn fat (sounds like a contradiction, I know). But if you're not eating enough, and you're burning lots of calories through exercise, your body will start to get stingy about giving up the fat, because it thinks your starving it - and it wants to make sure it has enough energy to survive. So by not eating enough of the RIGHT things, you are actually sabotaging your efforts.

cc_campbell81

this very informative post should clear up questions regarding exercise calories


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

First, let me say great, informative post and I love this site. But there's something not quite adding up for me. Maybe my numbers/situation are unique but I don't think so. I burn about 1747 calories a day just living. So, I subtract 500 calories a day to lose 1 lb per week. So far so good, MFP and I agree. Next, I try to burn 250-500 calories a day from exercise. That would still put me in the 500-1000 safe deficit range (according to the post and my nutritionist) so why would I eat those exercise calories when I am trying to lose weight?

LuckyLeprechaun

because if your deficit is too great, your body will hang on to its fat reserves.

I could go on and on, but the link really has everything listed so much better than I could say it.

my ticker is proof, I have been eating back my exercise calories from the start!

astridfeline

this very informative post should clear up questions regarding exercise calories


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

First, let me say great, informative post and I love this site. But there's something not quite adding up for me. Maybe my numbers/situation are unique but I don't think so. I burn about 1747 calories a day just living. So, I subtract 500 calories a day to lose 1 lb per week. So far so good, MFP and I agree. Next, I try to burn 250-500 calories a day from exercise. That would still put me in the 500-1000 safe deficit range (according to the post and my nutritionist) so why would I eat those exercise calories when I am trying to lose weight?

read this one too---does "just living" to you mean BMR or TDEE?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/30898-bmr-vs-tdee-what-mfp-is-telling-you

SHBoss1673

this very informative post should clear up questions regarding exercise calories


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

First, let me say great, informative post and I love this site. But there's something not quite adding up for me. Maybe my numbers/situation are unique but I don't think so. I burn about 1747 calories a day just living. So, I subtract 500 calories a day to lose 1 lb per week. So far so good, MFP and I agree. Next, I try to burn 250-500 calories a day from exercise. That would still put me in the 500-1000 safe deficit range (according to the post and my nutritionist) so why would I eat those exercise calories when I am trying to lose weight?

It really depends, maybe you are within 1000 calories from maintenance by exercising. That doesn't mean you SHOULD be at a 1000 calorie deficit. Remember, what you set your goal at is what MFP (and us) assume you want to be your loss per week. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you're in effect attempting to lose more than your plan. While this might work for some people, generally speaking, you're becoming very aggressive by doing this, and this aggressive attempt will possibly throw your body into a reduced metabolic scenario if you do it more often then not. Remember, it becomes even more important to keep your calorie deficit at a reasonable amount as you approach more healthy weights and BF%, because the closer you get to a healthy BF%, the less body fat you have to make up the difference between maintenance and your deficit, and inevitably in that case, you will start burning protein from muscle, and eventually, if that protein is not enough, your organs will begin to slow down, and your glands and organs will start producing less hormones, and hormones are what tell the body to burn calories. It becomes a vicious cycle of eating less because you need less so you eat less to try to lose weight which doesn't work anymore because your body is now in fat storage mode because of lack of sufficient calories taken in...etc.
See where this leads? This can all be prevented by staying within a reasonable caloric deficit.

cc_campbell81

I tried setting it to lose 2 lbs a week but it still gives me 1200 calories (vs 1230 losing 1lb per week) and it says you'd lose 1.1 lbs per week. I have 25 lbs to lose. I completely see what you are saying and understand why not to go too crazy. I just wanted get clarification on the eating your exercise calories part. For my situation it seems like maybe I should eat part of them but not all. Thanks for the response.

SHBoss1673

I tried setting it to lose 2 lbs a week but it still gives me 1200 calories (vs 1230 losing 1lb per week) and it says you'd lose 1.1 lbs per week. I have 25 lbs to lose. I completely see what you are saying and understand why not to go too crazy. I just wanted get clarification on the eating your exercise calories part. For my situation it seems like maybe I should eat part of them but not all. Thanks for the response.

I seriously doubt your body can sustain a 2 lb per week weight loss with 25 lbs to lose. That's a very aggressive weight loss strategy usually reserved for people who have a lot of weight to lose. I'm not even sure 1.1 lbs per week isn't too much.

cc_campbell81

Thanks for all the info. I will go back to my nutritionist and re-evaluate.

carrieberrie

i think i'm keeping a really good diet but somedays i have trouble eating 1200 calories, like yesterday. i'm eating 6 small meals a day and drinking plenty of water...which is leaving me not hungry but not full all day long. i feel great! completely energized, not weighed down, and thinking more clearly.

what could be so unhealthy about not eating 1200 calories a day if i'm eating all day long, healthy balanced meals, and drinking plenty of water?

Do what makes you feel good and healthy, thats all that counts! :flowerforyou: