Dear "I don't associate with those who eat under 1200 c"...
x_JT_x
Posts: 364
I am relatively new to MFP (after a short stint of giving MFP a try last year and then stopping) and have spent quite a bit of time these last couple of weeks reading posts here and trying to educate myself as to the best approach to lose weight and become healthy and fit. I have learned a great deal and truly appreciate those who work in the health and fitness fields or those who have done research in that area that are kind enough to post and share their knowledge. I have benefited from that information and I thank you.
But there is one recurring theme that I've seen in a number of posts that I'd like to address. I've seen a lot of " I don't associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200" or 'Don't 'friend' me if your calorie intake is under 1200.'
Please try to remember that not all folks who eat below 1200 calories do so intentionally. Nor are they all doing it as a means to quick weight loss. Sure there are those that do so for that reason but generally they are simply uninformed and don't know any better. Unless they've spent time researching the issue, it makes total sense to believe that the fewer calories consumed results in weight loss. Another point to consider, many folks have mitigating factors that results in a low calorie intake. I'm one of those people. Until I started spending a great deal of time reading the posts here I had no idea and thought I was doing the right thing. I thought that all I needed to do was restrict my caloric intake and exercise. I now know that isn't true. However, try as I might, I have a hard time eating above 1200 calories. Why? A number of years ago I had abdominal surgery (not gastric bypass but surgery to repair a true medical issue). The result of that surgery prevents me from eating large amounts of food at one time so my caloric intake is limited. If I space small meals throughout the day - my surgeon told me to eat 6 mini meals rather than the customary 3 meals a day - I might be able to reach 1300 calories. But I don't always have the time to devote to stopping to prepare food and eat 6 times a day. Sure, I could eat junk and reach that goal but is that healthy? No. So I choose to eat healthy and be resigned to the fact that many days I will fall under my calorie goal. It isn't because I want to, nor do I believe it is a good thing.
For those of you who might feel envious that I have a natural calorie restriction, don't. I am no different than you. If I eat junk, I gain weight. In fact, despite being limited in the amount of food I can eat, I am still overweight. Partially due to prior poor food choices and partially due to my metabolism having slowed significantly due to underfeeding (I am a classic example of the 'Starvation Mode' thread Banks posted a couple of weeks ago). So much so that even with my limited calorie intake, I still gain weight. It's incredibly frustrating to physically not be able to eat, yet still be over weight and continue to gain weight even though I eat relatively little. I am no different than all of you struggling to get healthy. I must still be very selective about what I eat. I must still exercise and work my body to see results.
I am trying very hard to up my calorie intake while still making healthy choices, but it's hard. Very hard. So please don't pass judgment and make blanket statements about how you don't associate with or befriend people who eat under 1200 calories. While there are certainly those that are informed about the dangers of underfeeding and stubbornly continue to ignore documented fact of the harm they are doing themselves, many of us realize the detriment to our bodies that low calorie intake causes and are doing our best to become healthy, just like you.
But there is one recurring theme that I've seen in a number of posts that I'd like to address. I've seen a lot of " I don't associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200" or 'Don't 'friend' me if your calorie intake is under 1200.'
Please try to remember that not all folks who eat below 1200 calories do so intentionally. Nor are they all doing it as a means to quick weight loss. Sure there are those that do so for that reason but generally they are simply uninformed and don't know any better. Unless they've spent time researching the issue, it makes total sense to believe that the fewer calories consumed results in weight loss. Another point to consider, many folks have mitigating factors that results in a low calorie intake. I'm one of those people. Until I started spending a great deal of time reading the posts here I had no idea and thought I was doing the right thing. I thought that all I needed to do was restrict my caloric intake and exercise. I now know that isn't true. However, try as I might, I have a hard time eating above 1200 calories. Why? A number of years ago I had abdominal surgery (not gastric bypass but surgery to repair a true medical issue). The result of that surgery prevents me from eating large amounts of food at one time so my caloric intake is limited. If I space small meals throughout the day - my surgeon told me to eat 6 mini meals rather than the customary 3 meals a day - I might be able to reach 1300 calories. But I don't always have the time to devote to stopping to prepare food and eat 6 times a day. Sure, I could eat junk and reach that goal but is that healthy? No. So I choose to eat healthy and be resigned to the fact that many days I will fall under my calorie goal. It isn't because I want to, nor do I believe it is a good thing.
For those of you who might feel envious that I have a natural calorie restriction, don't. I am no different than you. If I eat junk, I gain weight. In fact, despite being limited in the amount of food I can eat, I am still overweight. Partially due to prior poor food choices and partially due to my metabolism having slowed significantly due to underfeeding (I am a classic example of the 'Starvation Mode' thread Banks posted a couple of weeks ago). So much so that even with my limited calorie intake, I still gain weight. It's incredibly frustrating to physically not be able to eat, yet still be over weight and continue to gain weight even though I eat relatively little. I am no different than all of you struggling to get healthy. I must still be very selective about what I eat. I must still exercise and work my body to see results.
I am trying very hard to up my calorie intake while still making healthy choices, but it's hard. Very hard. So please don't pass judgment and make blanket statements about how you don't associate with or befriend people who eat under 1200 calories. While there are certainly those that are informed about the dangers of underfeeding and stubbornly continue to ignore documented fact of the harm they are doing themselves, many of us realize the detriment to our bodies that low calorie intake causes and are doing our best to become healthy, just like you.
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Replies
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I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.0
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I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.
Hallelujah!!0 -
One thing to bear in mind is that people who don't want MFP friends who eat under 1200 calories aren't necessarily passing judgement. There are a lot of people on this site who are either recovering from full blown eating disorders, or who have simply spent their entire adult life going from one very low calorie fad diet to another and are trying to do things differently. For some of those people, seeing people on their friends list who are on a very low calorie diet can be a massive trigger for their own behaviour. That's not the case for everyone, but it might explain some of the "no friends eating under 1200" statements.0
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It seems like most of those folks also tend to believe that THEIR way is the ABSOLUTE RIGHT WAY and don't understand that not everyone starts from the same points. What works for someone isn't what works for everyone else.0
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I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.
Pro ED???
not getting enough cals can be detrimental even if you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. For one it is very difficult to get enough fat and protein on an extremely low caloric intake (<1000), and not getting enough of these 2 can have serious side effects.0 -
I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.
/\/\/\ This. I see some people easily meeting their calorie goals but often those foods contain half the nutrients that my calorie low foods contain. I eat small meals all day long and try to keep it as clean as possible. This last week wasn't a very good example :laugh: but hey. I believe people can net below 1200 and still be healthy. It depends a bit on what they eat to compensate.
To add: I also believe you shouldn't be eating far below 1200 cals for a long period of time. And always listen to your body.0 -
I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.
Hallelujah!!
You may not, and that's up to you to decide what to believe. But I've lived it, and I know first hand what it did to me.0 -
I agree and well a set calorie like 1200 is just silly because the number is relative to you body size.. While that would be way to low for a big person, for me it's barely below my BMR? So am I in starvation mode for eating at BMR. Since we tend to actually eat 100-200 calories more than we THINK we do, I log less on purpose because really it's just an estimate and serving sizes can legally go OVER in calories but not under, so they always error in the OVER direction.
The whole thing is just silly.0 -
One thing to bear in mind is that people who don't want MFP friends who eat under 1200 calories aren't necessarily passing judgement. There are a lot of people on this site who are either recovering from full blown eating disorders, or who have simply spent their entire adult life going from one very low calorie fad diet to another and are trying to do things differently. For some of those people, seeing people on their friends list who are on a very low calorie diet can be a massive trigger for their own behaviour. That's not the case for everyone, but it might explain some of the "no friends eating under 1200" statements.
You may well have a point there. Thank you for bringing that up.0 -
I won't take people that eat 1200 or less because I would not be a very good support.
I believe it has long term negative side effects. Do what ever you want and I will do whatever I want. It is not because we are not a good match that it make me a bad person.0 -
One thing to bear in mind is that people who don't want MFP friends who eat under 1200 calories aren't necessarily passing judgement. There are a lot of people on this site who are either recovering from full blown eating disorders, or who have simply spent their entire adult life going from one very low calorie fad diet to another and are trying to do things differently. For some of those people, seeing people on their friends list who are on a very low calorie diet can be a massive trigger for their own behaviour. That's not the case for everyone, but it might explain some of the "no friends eating under 1200" statements.
That is also true. I don't have a problem with anorexic, but I am a (recovering?) binge eater.0 -
I love what you said about how people who are new here might not know and will do this thinking its right....This is so true! Also, it's usually pretty easy to tell if people are eating low caloric content bc of an eating disorder or not...Based on the type of posts they have, anyway.0
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I agree, and for those who dnt believe in starvation mode that's all great but I have experienced it. Once i started "dieting" in middle school i started eating healthy and barely eating (my family ate out maybe once a year, and that was through ordering pizza, and i was overweight because i just ate alll the time even wen i was not hungary) and what I did eat i was throwing up. I must have been taking in about 900-1000 calories a day and working out 2-3 times a day everyday. yea i lost weight but then hit a wall. I increased my workouts for months and nothing happened, not to mention I felt weak and SICK all the time.
And if starvation mode dsn't happen, then I guess those who are anorexic are healthy.0 -
I agree with most of this but i don't believe in starvation mode and i don't belive that a low-calorie lifestyle is particulary bad for health if those cals are made up of nutrient dense food.
Pro ED???
not getting enough cals can be detrimental even if you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. For one it is very difficult to get enough fat and protein on an extremely low caloric intake (<1000), and not getting enough of these 2 can have serious side effects.
^^^AMEN0 -
I think WHAT THEY MEANT was eating disorders.:huh:0
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One thing to bear in mind is that people who don't want MFP friends who eat under 1200 calories aren't necessarily passing judgement. There are a lot of people on this site who are either recovering from full blown eating disorders, or who have simply spent their entire adult life going from one very low calorie fad diet to another and are trying to do things differently. For some of those people, seeing people on their friends list who are on a very low calorie diet can be a massive trigger for their own behaviour. That's not the case for everyone, but it might explain some of the "no friends eating under 1200" statements.
You may well have a point there. Thank you for bringing that up.
It is absolutely the reason I have had to remove from my FL - I used to binge and purge and I can get very obsessed and extreme and have to keep my competitive edge under control - the people om my list are all taking a healthy approach with a good attitude towards food and I have been called out when my calories dip a bit - and I appreciate that a lot - but if I had someone on a VLCD it makes me very uncomfortable as I start thinking "hmm wonder if I could drop mine a bit" I appreciate we all have different approaches, but for me I want to stay focused on a healthy balanced approach - this is the first time I have felt happy with the way I am choosing to lose weight.0 -
I agree and well a set calorie like 1200 is just silly because the number is relative to you body size.. While that would be way to low for a big person, for me it's barely below my BMR? So am I in starvation mode for eating at BMR. Since we tend to actually eat 100-200 calories more than we THINK we do, I log less on purpose because really it's just an estimate and serving sizes can legally go OVER in calories but not under, so they always error in the OVER direction.
The whole thing is just silly.
Unless you have a lot to lose you should be eating below BMR anyway, and even if you have a lot to lose there is no reason to eat under BMR as you will lose eating that amount of calories, as long as it is under TDEE.0 -
I'm one of those people: I dealt with anorexia for nearly a decade, requiring medical treatment and hospitalization when I was 15. On top of that, I have no thyroid, so permanent hypothyroidism.
Between the two, I generally go by the rule: there IS such a thing as starvation, but not what people on IF, or even JUDDD or AF, do. And I have many issues with my metabolism.
That being said, I'm in the same boat. I get full very easily, I have trouble eating 1200 or above unless I'm eating out or literally forcing myself to eat. But I try, because I know quite a bit from my stints in medical treatment.
I've been defriended when I point out to people, "you know 700 calories EVERY day isn't a benefit because of a., b. and/or c." If those people defriend me, I don't think it's because they "didn't know better." I think they don't want to know better.
And it's triggering. Once you have an ED, it never goes away. It's just "in lapse," "in treatment," or "recovering." It's hard to be fully recovered, and I don't know a single person who feels he or she truly can have a relationship with food without moments of guilty, panic, and anxiety. So when I see someone eat like that, and they're caustic about it, I'm going to get out of there. I tried JUDDD to try and "control the control," but even that was too triggering.
So, I approve of this post, and understand it. But I also know that there's quite a few people on here that deal with triggers, and looking at one of the FIRST replies to this post, you can clearly see someone that's probably pro-ana/mia.
This site gets frustrating when you're looking for health, and you get met with, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" or "everybody's different, so that means I can buck standard scientific knowledge when I myself have no scientific, medical, or researched background."0 -
Pro ED???
not getting enough cals can be detrimental even if you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. For one it is very difficult to get enough fat and protein on an extremely low caloric intake (<1000), and not getting enough of these 2 can have serious side effects.
Pro Ed- Good greif no. I can only talk about my experience - I'm petite- 5ft0 and small framed. I don't think you can have a blanket figure for every body shape/ type/ weight/ gender. I prefer to listen to my body- if I'm hungry (whatever time it may be) I'll eat, and try to ensure that something i eat is healthy (e.g. celery sticks and nut butter, cubed porkloin steak, big bowl of berries etc.). I'd never force myself to eat if I wasn't hungry just to meet a target. That way if i do want something unhealthy now and again its okay- I won't beat myself up over it.0 -
I'm on MFP stricly for myself...not for other people's ideas or judgements on what or how I should be doing it. Each person is different and what works for one might not work for someone else. When it comes down to it, we are all here on a journey to better ourselves. For those that constantly judge if what you are doing is right or wrong,..they have no impact on my daily life so I just let it blow through one ear and out of the other. I can appreciate good advice, but in the end it is up to me on whether or not that advice will help me out or not. I see people who like to criticize caloric intake but when you take a look at their food diaries, they eat alot of crap to get their numbers high. If you are eating alot of vegetables and lean meats, your calories will not be high yet you are still eating healthy and clean. Just do what makes you feel good and keep on moving!0
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Dear this thread, you should talk to this thread going on now http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/735718-if-eating-under-1200cals-is-so-bad and yell at each other for fun, LOL!
The best thing to do is find similar-minded people to you on MFP whether that be the barely 1200 group or the almost 2000 group - do what works for you as we could go back and forth all day on studies on starvation and the real effect as dramatic or mundane as determined by the results of countless studies.
Weight Watchers BTW is <1200 cals regularly, 18-22 pts or 29 pts+ is 1000-1250 in cals - trust me, I've counted enough times and swapped out foods for lower-carb ones (so you can’t say it’s the TYPE of foods) and it still always ends up the same, under eating according to many studies but yet it works. Or at least that's what Jennifer Hudson tells us
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I'm on MFP stricly for myself...not for other people's ideas or judgements on what or how I should be doing it. Each person is different and what works for one might not work for someone else. When it comes down to it, we are all here on a journey to better ourselves. For those that constantly judge if what you are doing is right or wrong,..they have no impact on my daily life so I just let it blow through one ear and out of the other. I can appreciate good advice, but in the end it is up to me on whether or not that advice will help me out or not. I see people who like to criticize caloric intake but when you take a look at their food diaries, they eat alot of crap to get their numbers high. If you are eating alot of vegetables and lean meats, your calories will not be high yet you are still eating healthy and clean. Just do what makes you feel good and keep on moving!
well said0 -
We need to remember that some of the people that don't want to be friends with others who are on ultra low calorie diets may be doing so for their own well being. I'm friends with some that eat less than 1,200 a day and there have been others that I've unfriended as time has gone. It bothers me to see someone eating french toast and a starbuck's coffee for breakfast and then half a whopper from Burger King and that's it for the whole day. Seeing that day after day eventually gets to me. I try to encourage them and when i can, that's great, and I've been successful on occasion, but I've also had them hide their diaries. I have another that told me she had stomach issues. I be she does. There are others that eat 1,200 calories, but whine that they're starving and cranky. If you eat calorie dense junk you will be starving and cranky at 1,200 calories. I eat healthy, unprocessed whole foods and I feel like I eat all day.....and it's everything I can do most days to stuff 1,200 calories in me, but I do it. This works for me and it makes me happy because I don't want to be skinny, I want to be a healthy, fit thin. There's a big difference in those two goals. We're all different. Most of the people on here just want to be skinny, although there are a bunch of body builders, too. The bottom line is I think we all do what makes us comfortable, even when we're loosing weight. Some people love me and some want to unfriend me and that's cool with me. Whatever works for you! We're all individuals and I'm not going to get upset because someone on here doesn't agree with me.0
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A very good post--thank you.
You make an excellent case against the "all calories are alike," just exercise and restrict calories to create a deficit and you'll lose weight. For many of us, that just doesn't work.
I took the liberty of looking at your diary, since it was open. You seem to be following the conventional diet of high-carbohydrate, low-fat, low-protein, with plenty of grains and fruit. Does your medical condition/surgery make it difficult for you to eat foods with more fat and protein? If not, you might have better luck with a higher-fat, moderate-protein, reduced-carbohydrate diet, particularly cutting out sugar and grains. You would then be able to get a higher caloric and nutrient density in the limited space you have. Fat doesn't make you fat, nor does it cause heart disease; and reasonable amounts of protein won't ruin normal, healthy kidneys.
Best wishes to you.0 -
One thing to bear in mind is that people who don't want MFP friends who eat under 1200 calories aren't necessarily passing judgement. There are a lot of people on this site who are either recovering from full blown eating disorders, or who have simply spent their entire adult life going from one very low calorie fad diet to another and are trying to do things differently. For some of those people, seeing people on their friends list who are on a very low calorie diet can be a massive trigger for their own behaviour. That's not the case for everyone, but it might explain some of the "no friends eating under 1200" statements.
Well stated and very perceptive!0 -
I never knew there was a big issue on the site about how much everyone was eating. When I signed up for MFP it just suggested that I eat 1200 calories a day, and I assumed it was based off my height (just under 5') and my weight (118lbs). Am I supposed to manually change it or something?0
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I have a friend who is under doctor and nutritionist orders to eat a goal of 900 calories a day. You can't just take the 1200 mold and apply it to everyone. Each person's ideal calorie intake is unique to that person.0
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Pro Ed- Good greif no. I can only talk about my experience - I'm petite- 5ft0 and small framed. I don't think you can have a blanket figure for every body shape/ type/ weight/ gender. I prefer to listen to my body- if I'm hungry (whatever time it may be) I'll eat, and try to ensure that something i eat is healthy (e.g. celery sticks and nut butter, cubed porkloin steak, big bowl of berries etc.). I'd never force myself to eat if I wasn't hungry just to meet a target. That way if i do want something unhealthy now and again its okay- I won't beat myself up over it.
Pro ED???
not getting enough cals can be detrimental even if you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. For one it is very difficult to get enough fat and protein on an extremely low caloric intake (<1000), and not getting enough of these 2 can have serious side effects.
I agree that a blanket figure is crap, but having said that for the majority of people the minimum amount they should consume is above, or well above, the 1200 minimum that MFP sets. For someone really small 1000 may be appropriate, and for others the minimum should probably be in the 1600-1800 range or possibly more. And those that should have a min of 1800 that are eating 1200 can do some major damage to their bodies.
This is why the best approach is finding your TDEE and eating a % of that, 80% if you have a fair bit to lose (higher BF%) and 85-90% of that is you have a lower BF%.0 -
I am surprised everytime I hear folks deciding how many calories an individual should eat. I am very petite and on a 1000 calorie diet under a doctor's supervision. So, if my doctor feels that 1000 calories is appropriate for me, I tend to go with his opinion. I am on vitamin supplements and am having a physical next month with blood work to "check" my hemoglobin, cholesterol and whatever else they check. LOL I have also lost 30 pounds since May 26th. When I saw my doctor two weeks ago, he told me to take two weeks off, so my body wouldn't become used to the 1000 cals and I did. I gained a tiny .8 lbs, definitely noooo big deal and I feel quite rested and psyched up to lose my last 20 pounds.
Calorie intake has to do with an individual's BMR, activity level, overall health, amount overweight etc. There is no one size fits all for 1200 calories being the perfect amount. I have also never gained weight (nor had to lose it) before so I hardly have an eating disorder... I am on a diet that a nutritionist at the VA designed for me. High protein and healthy. No junk or fast food.
Why does anyone feel it is their "business" to decide how many calories someone else should eat? I don't even look at people's food journals because their eating choices don't influence mine, since a nutritionist designs my meals. Also, what about the exercise "maniacs"? I can't imagine burning 450 -800 calories/day "exercising" but I see a lot of folks that do and I could care less... I just wonder how their joints (knees, backs etc) can take all that "exercise but I guess they aren't 51 like I am.
Peace to all and good luck with your healthy weight loss choices. Would a disabled person confined to a wheel chair need over 1000 calories to lose weight or would you consider them sedentary...?0 -
I never knew there was a big issue on the site about how much everyone was eating. When I signed up for MFP it just suggested that I eat 1200 calories a day, and I assumed it was based off my height (just under 5') and my weight (118lbs). Am I supposed to manually change it or something?
It is based off that somewhat, with the biggest impact being your weekly weight loss goal. And the goal MFP gives you assumes you will also be eating back 100% of the calories you burned from exercise, as MFP ignored your planned exercise when assigning calories.
Here is a good reference, if you have over 100 lbs to lose you can lose more than 2 lbs/week safely, that being said it is best to set a realistic safe weekly loss goal and:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
Or as stated above, eat at a % of TDEE that fits your current BF%.0
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