How the heck do I know if I'm eating enough or too much

KurOcha

I've been counting calories for a while now and aside from days where I go out with my family and eat over/around 2,000, I've been pretty consistently eating around under my goal, around 700-1,100 calories. Of the past 30 days I've checked in, I've been under or at goal for 20 of them.

When I started I was about 210 on my home scale and then it went down to 200... but at the doctor's today I was weighed and it was 212? Was this because I had clothes on and have been doing a lot of strength training (muscle weight?) or did I just somehow manage to gain at least 2 (or 12) pounds eating mostly 700-1,100 calories a day?

Should I be eating more or just keep eating around 1,000 how am I supposed to know?

mmmicheller

I have the same problem for the past week! Although I haven't gained back any weight yet thankfully. Hope to find some help here.

LaGordita87

From what i have read you should eat at least 1,200 cals. a day as far as the scale saying you weigh more i always weigh myself 1st thing in the morning on my scale and my doctors is always different because of the clothes and the normal weight fluctuation that happens later in the day so i usually only track my weight loss/gain that i get from my scale at home.

azalais7

You might not be eating enough, *especially* if you're doing strength training. Check out the Eat More, Weigh Less group forum.

super_jade

Your home scales could be out by 12 pounds.

chellebubblz

Yes, I would wager 700-1000 is definitely too little and your body is hanging on to the stores.

perfectstartingnow

You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day. You didn't gain 12 pounds of muscle weight without intending to, that is impossible. Your home scale is probably not calibrated correctly.

hippietofugirl

That is definitely not enough calories. What will happen if you continue to eat that way is your metabolism will slow down causing you to hold onto every calorie you consume. So when you go out and eat 2,000 calories every once in a while, your body will cling on to every bit of it causing you to gain weight. Its much better for you to eat a 15-20% cut from your TDEE.

Go to this website to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

And then cut 15-20% off of that, and THAT is how many calories you SHOULD be eating to lose weight properly.

meshashesha2012

you are 200 pounds and only eating 700-1100 calories?

you are not eating enough...

eat more...

seriously...

also you're muscle gains for a newbie are only going to be 1-2 pounds at first and after that muscle is incredibly hard to build and pretty damn near impossible if you're eating below your maintenance..

definitely check out the eat more group.

KurOcha

Ok, thanks for the replies, guys. I guess I'll have to find a way to eat more.