400 Net Calories for the Day: Scary Behavior

Onaughmae

I am new here but I do have to say, like "smileitmakes people wonder..." that some of us were recommended to use this site after having had bariatric surgery. And most of our docs recommend that during the weight-loss phase we keep our goal at 400-600 calories per day. Since we don't feel hunger the same after surgery, and have a restricted ability to take in food, that is actually a reasonable goal. Those of us who were long-time dieters maintaining 1200 calories per day while still being morbidly obese can tell you that what works for one person may not work for someone else. And with a minor in nutrition I knew exactly what I was doing wrong...and what I was doing right. Exericise physiology and nutritional balance are not one-size-fits-all science. Heredity, acquired metabolic changes, physical disabilities, and so on all contribute an influence on what works for an individual. So although the concern might be well-intentioned, trying to save your cohorts from future damage, all you see on here is a surface report and not the whole story of anyone's weight loss journey. Just something to keep in mind...

^^^this

mcarter99

IM on 1200 a day, and I do eat that but I choose not to eat back my exercise calories...I know that will upset some but Im almost always right around 1200

I hear alot of people say this.

And it's ABSURD!
Why engage in some miserable diet of deprivation?
I eat around 3000 calories daily and get great results.
Who is having more fun?
Who gets to eat well and enjoy life?
People act like these starvation diet are some way of being a rebel...:laugh:

No, if you want to go against the grain, eat MORE to weigh less.
Starvation diets are miserable, the results short term and they're usually unhealthy.
Go ahead and make yourself miserable - your choice.
As for me?
I just made my weekly weight and am headed to enjoy a Big Breakfast at McDonald's - 1200 + calories...ONE MEAL!
Read it and weep!
:sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:

While the chest thumping is certainly entertaining, what you don't seem to understand is that if you're losing at 3000 calories/day, you're burning more than that. So of course 1200 would feel overly restrictive to you.

Some of us burn half or less what you burn. We can't eat 3000 or 2000 and lose and that's ok because if we ate that much we would be stuffed beyond comfort because our smaller bodies and appetites don't require that much. 1200 is fine for many of us. It's not a Sausage McMuffin with cheese and hash browns and then 23 hours of starvation. It's a nice spread of healthy, filling food.

I agree that the White Knighting of the poor little starvin', stupid ladies is offensive.

NamibianRose

I saw someone who consistently netted 200 calories and less, and one day actually netted a NEGATIVE number.

What can you do though? Some people are set on doing it this way. All we can do is provide support, advice, and information. The rest is up to them.

Those who are set on doing this do not need the kind of support I see most often, though. There are way too many 'good job', 'atta-girl', "way to go" compliments being given and that just fuels the fire to continue what they are doing. Support, yes. Advice, yes. Solid information, yes. Those are things they need. But let's not congratulate those who are hell bent on doing unhealthy things and getting the results they want (in the beginning, anyway). Others (newbies) look at this and only see the scale number going down. It's better to set a good example rather than an unhealthy one. Just my two cents.

I meant support as in, try to support them to do it a better way.

Personally, the few threads I have seen of people talk about such low calorie diets, there are plenty of people who pipe up against it. Unfortunately, those threads degenerate fast into bickering between the two camps. But that's what I mean, you can support them to do it in a healthier manner, you can give advice on how to do it, and information as to why they should do it differently, but in the end, it's up to them. Unfortunately, we can't control other people, as much as we'd like to, even if it's for their own good.

cavewoman15

i had a 1000 calorie diet once, in college, when i didn't know better. i worked out for 1-2 hours every single day.

i lost 25 pounds in the first 5 weeks, and totaled 35 pounds in about 12 weeks. so yeah, it works. but, i gained every single pound back within 6 months. not a cool way to diet.

takehimaway

When I skate for an hour, then walk for probably two hours, I CAN NOT eat up an EXTRA three thousand calories, plus the 1,200 MFP gives me.

Diyah13

I can appreciate your concern. I've been using MFP for about a month now. Yes, I am seriously overweight; however, I'm still eating a LOT of food--going over my calorie alotment for the day. When my exercise is factored in, I'm usually under between 200 and 400 calories, and I can't eat another bite. I'm just plain full.

auntiebabs

Question, What if the person is like me, and we do our work out at the end of the day, I'm talking 7-8pm, the food cut off for me is no later than 7pm. What to do?

I'm a firm believer in "Rollover Calories."
If I work out late I don't worry about fitting them in on the same day.

I eat them the next day.
(Think if you worked out at 6am and ate them at 8pm on the same day you wouldn't give it a second thought.
So working out at 8pm and eating the calories at 10am is really the same thing.)

Your body still needs fuel to function properly

I, for some very unscientific reason, believe that "rollover calories" expire after 3 day, If I haven't used them by then I probably didn't need them.

marinweb

I meant support as in, try to support them to do it a better way.

Personally, the few threads I have seen of people talk about such low calorie diets, there are plenty of people who pipe up against it. Unfortunately, those threads degenerate fast into bickering between the two camps. But that's what I mean, you can support them to do it in a healthier manner, you can give advice on how to do it, and information as to why they should do it differently, but in the end, it's up to them. Unfortunately, we can't control other people, as much as we'd like to, even if it's for their own good.

We're pretty much there now in this thread too. All we can do is this:



And hope at some point they find a better way.

takehimaway

Question, What if the person is like me, and we do our work out at the end of the day, I'm talking 7-8pm, the food cut off for me is no later than 7pm. What to do?

I'm a firm believer in "Rollover Calories."
If I work out late I don't worry about fitting them in on the same day.

I eat them the next day.
(Think if you worked out at 6am and ate them at 8pm on the same day you wouldn't give it a second thought.
So working out at 8pm and eating the calories at 10am is really the same thing.)

Your body still needs fuel to function properly

I, for some very unscientific reason, believe that "rollover calories" expire after 3 day, If I haven't used them by then I probably didn't need them.

I won't roll over calories, but I will roll over food - if I I logged three eggs, and only ate two, I'll eat the next one for breakfast, etc.

blair_bear

I would love to know what distance of time qualifies as "doing this long term".

Mbishop7684

I was doing this when I first started MFP. I was given 1200 calories and I could eat those easily. BUT when I would do spin class and be done at 6:30 at night, I would have my protein shake and then not be hungry AT ALL. I would force myself to have the shake but I wasn't hungry in the least.

When you are trying to find the balance of eating healthy and infusing fruits and vegetables in your diet sometimes the calories don't actually add up to the amount of food you really are eating.

Bottom line, it is scary behavior to continually net such low numbers; however, we don't exactly know where they are in their journey. Its a journey for a reason, you try and fail, try and fail until you find what's right for you.

All we can do is be there to answer questions and support the positive behaviors and choices they ARE making. Positive reinforcement goes a LONG way.

auntiebabs

When I skate for an hour, then walk for probably two hours, I CAN NOT eat up an EXTRA three thousand calories, plus the 1,200 MFP gives me.

Do you use a Heart Rate Monitor?

How do you burn 3,000 calories?
I checked my exercise log when I was at my high weight and I came up with about 500 for 1 hour of skating and 500 for a 2 hour walk.
Are you doing something special to burn more? Or are you just estimating high?

HungerGame82

Yes we knooooooooow. SO YOU CAN HELP??? Ok, I'm being a little *****y...sorry. I tried to increase my cals very slowly to at least get them up a little more...the anxiety wasn't worth it. It looks scary to people who have always eaten normally. Obviously, pro-ana is ridiculous and would best be ignored. But the people using MFP who have eating disorders have the right to log what they ARE eating and to use the site to connect with people who struggle with those issues as well. I've recieved some great support through this site from both people in my situation and those who do not struggle with anorexia and I'm really grateful for that.

Tropical_Turtle

Well there are some like me who have had surgery who after eating and working out - we will net very low. Somedays it is hard for me to get 1200 in bare minimum before working out.

So with some there are always reasons behind it - not just starvation

ETA: My Dr would like me to eat 1200 (he just raised me to that intake from 900) so my intake will be low

marinweb

Yes we knooooooooow. SO YOU CAN HELP??? Ok, I'm being a little *****y...sorry. I tried to increase my cals very slowly to at least get them up a little more...the anxiety wasn't worth it. It looks scary to people who have always eaten normally. Obviously, pro-ana is ridiculous and would best be ignored. But the people using MFP who have eating disorders have the right to log what they ARE eating and to use the site to connect with people who struggle with those issues as well. I've recieved some great support through this site from both people in my situation and those who do not struggle with anorexia and I'm really grateful for that.

My sister was in your camp a few years ago. Its tough, but once you get over the hurdle, the fear of weight gain your life will be so much better. My advice would be this, listen to your body as you workout, eat etc, and it will tell you what it wants. Focus on eating "good foods" and don't worry about calorie counts etc. Find someone to help you, in my sisters case it was me, i drilled it into her head she could eat three times the food and not get fat with exercise mixed in. Make it a 90 day or 180 day goal to be at a certain place.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Question, What if the person is like me, and we do our work out at the end of the day, I'm talking 7-8pm, the food cut off for me is no later than 7pm. What to do?

Start eating after 7 pm unless you have a real medical reason not to? Plan ahead and eat more calories before your work out?

I work out at 10 pm most nights -- I eat anytime I am hungry but most of the time I am done eating for the day when I work out. I eat my work out calories before I work out.

svangirl

Unfortunately for some people food is a total addiction whether you are overeating or restricting. When they begin their journey at say 1500 cals, it then becomes a daily struggle to force themselves to eat that...each day trying to reduce the food more and more thinking maybe today I could do 1400, then 1300. It's an addiction like any other. When you are in this mode you don't think about the dangerous consequences, just losing weight.

I agree that some people don't post everything. I know once I reached a comfort level with my food and knowing the calories, I didn't post everything and some days I have nothing. But I'm eating a lot. Nice you are concerned for others though.

msacurrie

Very scary! Remember, we do not find out worth in numbers or in other people - we find out worth in the eyes of God - each of us created beautifully! Honor Him with your body - but do not go to extremes! If you notice these types of behaviors, please - seek help! Love and respect yourself!

God Bless!

www.NeedGod.com

BrandyLuvli

I am new to MFP & my nets have been in the 700s... but if I am full I wont eat! I never even thought of how dangerous it could or would be.. I dont notice any weakness or anything but it is true .. this is designed for to eat the necessary calories for a healthier you! Thanks for posting! I really enjoyed all the comments too thus far! .. Ill be like some of you & have to force myself to snack or eat PEANUT BUTTER! Good luck to all of you!

recoiljpr

Well OP, that's your view and you are more then welcome to it.

My 1500-1700 (My Dairy is open for anyone to look at it) calorie per day diet was approved by my GP and approved by a nutritionist as well (and I was told by both to not eat back exercise calories). My usual "net" calories are under 1000. I've been doing it for almost 2 full months now and have 0 issues with hunger, weakness, etc. The weight is continuing to come off and I feel just fine.

You have to take into account the amount of weight a person is trying to lose before saying a lower net is dangerous/wrong/incorrect, etc. A larger person like myself will not go into starvation mode eating 1,500 calories. My body has more then enough stores for it to pull against to feed itself during my weight loss. To make sure I don't shed lean muscle mass my diet is high in protein (I shoot for a minimum of 180 grams per day) and I lift weights at least 4 x a week on top of my cardio. So I seriously doubt I am in much danger of my body eating my muscles at the calorie intake I am currently at.