Not meaning to under eat, but I do

rgrewall

So, over the years, I have adopted the "eat till satisfied" rule and even now with weight loss, I eat normal foods and mix bad with good, work out but I unintentionally find myself under eating. According to MFP, my daily caloric intake should be 1390 calories. I'm not dropping weight drastically since my body isn't meant for it. In fact only 6 pounds like 10 weeks, including (near daily) workouts. I feel fine, I eat normal portions. If my body isn't saying anything do I need to worry?

geekyjock76

Relying on hunger signs to indicate when to eat if you've chronically eaten less and less is not the best strategy. You'll notice being full at 2000, at 1900, 1800....next thing you know, 900 calories keeps you full even when eating the same foods you've been enjoying for years, just much smaller portions. This is because your resting metabolic rate slows down as well as the hunger hormones, leptin and grehlin, being imbalanced due to chronic low energy availability - providing too little energy to your body. You can call it unintentional sabotage, but it's something you do not want to continue as you naturally may lose lean body mass every decade after age 30.

MoreBean13

Relying on hunger signs to indicate when to eat if you've chronically eaten less and less is not the best strategy. You'll notice being full at 2000, at 1900, 1800....next thing you know, 900 calories keeps you full even when eating the same foods you've been enjoying for years, just much smaller portions. This is because your resting metabolic rate slows down as well as the hunger hormones, leptin and grehlin, being imbalanced due to chronic low energy availability - providing too little energy to your body. You can call it unintentional sabotage, but it's something you do not want to continue as you naturally may lose lean body mass every decade after age 30.

^agree. To add to what he said- if you pay attention to hunger, you get "hungry" at whatever times you normally eat- If you're used to eating dinner at 6pm for example, right around 6pm your stomach will start grumbling. It's not because you've all the sudden digested your previous meal since 5pm, it's because you get hungry on a schedule, indicating that hunger isn't always the best barometer for what you *need*.

rgrewall

Thanks! I know my body goes through phases and I entertain them so if it needs less for now so be it and when it needs more it will tell me. So with that being said, this eating less thing is definitely not a full lifestyle. When I eat out, I eat!

katweeks63

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8.htm

Take a look at this article that was passed on to me in a post. It may help.

lobstergirl

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8.htm

Take a look at this article that was passed on to me in a post. It may help.

^^^^Excellent article