Scared to Eat at Daily Calorie Level!

Juliedungca

My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please

LorinaLynn

You might gain a little, but it's more likely a temporary fluctuation, while your body adjusts to getting adequate nutrition. But really... it's more important to give your body what it needs and repair your metabolism if it's been damaged than to fuss over a few measly pounds.

And when you're that close to your goal, the number on the scale doesn't matter one bit. Track your progress through photos, measurements and how clothes fit. Eat more, get a good amount of protein, and strength train, and you'll look and feel better even if the scale goes up a little.

imanole

My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please

Jules, I'm gonna try to read this when I am fully aware in the morning and can respond with some insight when I'm not half asleep after being up since 3:55am.

CoderGal

My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please

I am also tired and afraid I'll say something stupid if I address this now. Short version: Eat more
Look up TDEE and Look up BMR...that may help you think more logically before I wake up and start thinking logically :P

drmerc

Maybe you can up your calories slowly, like a couple hundred more each day until you reach the level you want.

6spdeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

drmerc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

I closed it at small frequent meals

ClearAsMud94

After developing an ED and seeing a nutritionist who wanted me to bump my 600 calories/day to 1,200 calories/day, I wanted to smack her--I thought the increase would make me gain weight. That's logic, right? Well, my body apparently doesn't agree with logic. After upping my intake, I actually lost weight much easier (not that that made the nutritionist happy...). Now, I don't know if your body won't "listen to logic" like mine, but I hope this helps quash some of your anxiety. Just because you up your intake doesn't necessarily mean you'll gain weight.

LilBritGettinFit

Definitely check out BMR and TDEE. I wouldn't eat/net below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body needs to function at rest.

CoderGal

Definitely check out BMR and TDEE. I wouldn't eat/net below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body needs to function at rest.

Depending on how you set up and use MFP That would be my summary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

I closed it at small frequent meals

How far past "I would claim this that it is 100% certain in my mind...Body builders do have the healthiest diet" was that lol

Juliedungca

Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew

javagsd

Try adding something high calorie/high nutrition that doesn't feel like effort to eat - like a handful of nuts.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew

next thing is ridding yourself of the food curfew. yet another myth.

half_moon

Do you want to lose muscle or fat?

Eat more!

CoderGal

Do you want to lose muscle or fat?

Eat more!

Pebble321

Maybe you can up your calories slowly, like a couple hundred more each day until you reach the level you want.

Agreed.

If your goal is to be healthy- then eating 800 or 900 cals a day is very risky - you probably won't be getting in enough nutrients to keep your body healthy and in the long run, you just won't have enough energy.

And don't give yourself "rules" like curfews to follow - they just set up high expectations and make you more likely to fail.

Up your cals slowly and stay off the scales while you do it.

CoderGal

Glad to hear you plan on eating more. No need to make yourself sick though, if you're full don't stuff yourself. The whole point of the eating more is to feel better and be healthier not make yourself ill.

And what others said about the eating after a certain time rule, though I fully support not eating after 8. Not because I think it will make you fat, there's lots of people who eat late who have abs, but because I hate sleeping on a full stomach, I'm not like a baby at all

caba7

you should definitely be eating at lease 1200 calories per day cause if you are eating less your body goes into starvation mode and is burning off muscle instead of fat. you will not gain in fact you may notice you will drop those pounds faster than you think.

CoderGal

you should definitely be eating at lease 1200 calories per day cause if you are eating less your body goes into starvation mode and is burning off muscle instead of fat. you will not gain in fact you may notice you will drop those pounds faster than you think.

^This is why people do not listen to eating more then 1200 calorie per day But yes, you should in the majority of cases

skylark94

Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew

Ditch the curfew. You'll have more time to get your food in. The 8pm thing is a myth.

Aries03

Bump