Is anyone else ashamed to meet their daily goal?

I mean as far as Caloric intake. I for example, have to consume 1200 calories a day. It's becoming increasingly easier to reach that goal, as most times I go at least 500 calories under that. I'm ashamed when I'm only 140 calories away from having consumed 1200 calories. Does anyone else get that way?
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Replies

  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Sounds as if you should be seeking some sort of therapy or assistance, as striving to eat 700 calories is not exactly healthy or sensible.
  • mvl1014
    mvl1014 Posts: 531
    I feel worse when I get super close to my goal, but I also feel bad when I'm too low. I have a sweet spot I shoot for.

    You sound like you're probably running on the low side.
  • jetabear10
    jetabear10 Posts: 375 Member
    Unless you just lay around in bed all day, 1200 calories is too low.

    Your body may go into starvation mode and you may end up gaining weight instead.

    You need to be careful esp. as someone who had eating/diet pill issues.

    Please see the help of a professional nutritionist.
  • zeebruhgirl
    zeebruhgirl Posts: 493 Member
    Not healthy, you have to eat your 1200 lady.
  • newmooon56
    newmooon56 Posts: 347 Member
    No.
    I can see how this site can cause some ppl to be obsessive. I track, do the best I can to plan and continue to read about nutrition and fine tune this tool to work for me. I do not take every little number so seriously. Not healthy if you do.
  • Pandasarecool
    Pandasarecool Posts: 508 Member
    Unfortunitly, I have that problem as well... Still don't know what to do....
  • Gimpdogg
    Gimpdogg Posts: 163 Member
    I eat my goal but never my exercise calories, that's the little comprimise i've made with myself... I don't feel guilty when I do it that way.
  • I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    I have 1250 daily I'm supposed to eat. I always eat those. I try to eat my workout calories, but that doesn't always happen because I will not stuff myself. Guilty or not though, I won't let myself go too hungry either.

    I've personally found that this works for me.
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?

    As someone who is a recovered anorexic..get the therapy early..trust me!
  • waronmyfat
    waronmyfat Posts: 322 Member
    I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?

    your body will go into starvation mode and when you do eat it will take that food and store it as fat... eat your 1200 calories a day
  • rm830
    rm830 Posts: 531 Member
    I know what you mean...however, my goal is 1630 and I usually feel bad if I end at higher than 1500. I couldn't do less than 1200....I'd starve!!
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?

    To maintain your weight you'd probably be adding 250 to 500 calories more... You're already at a deficit. Whenever you find yourself feeling guilty, remember the deficit you're already at.
  • HeatherSLosinIt
    HeatherSLosinIt Posts: 79 Member
    I only feel bad about reaching my goal if I look at it at the end of the day and see 900 of those calories is from Mountain Dew. Then I feel guilty as hell. If I can look at it, see that I ate a nice range of foods, and feel no need to munch late at night, then I am happy.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?

    As someone who is a recovered anorexic..get the therapy early..trust me!

    I agree, for the same reason. Don't let yourself slip so far you waste years trying to get back to a healthy relationship with food. You are slipping down a dangerous path. 1200 is the absolute MINIMUM you should be eating. It is bad to regularly not be meeting it, not an accomplishment as it means you are treating your body like crap and not fuelling it well enough for it to perform even the most basic of functions.
  • Every. Single. Day.
  • Try going into the tools bar on MFP and find your BMR...That will tell you the minimum amount of calories you should really be eating (subtract 500 if you'd like to lose 1 pound a week...I wouldn't suggest going any lower than that)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    If you feel ashamed to eat the minimum calories you need to be healthy, and it's keeping you eating well below your goal calories, it's time to seek therapy for your eating disorder. Eating in a healthy manner should not be a shameful experience. Please get help. :heart:
  • vmekash
    vmekash Posts: 422 Member
    Not to be a smart @ss, but it sounds like you're "ashamed to..." eat the number of calories you're supposed to be eating each day.
    Honestly, this makes no sense to me.

    I don't always meet my 1200, but I always aim for it. Sometimes I'm a little under, sometimes a little over, but usually w/in 100 calories close. Oh, and that's NET calories -- so on my cardio days, when I burn the most calories, that means I get to eat that many more calories, which is awesome. :bigsmile:
  • I was striving to lose 2 pounds each week, and was given a daily goal of 1,200 calories. :noway: I stuck with it for a few weeks, but found that I started to not lose as much weight, and also felt that I was depriving myself. I just changed my goal today, and I'm confident that I will begin to lose more weight, and be a lot happier/fuller, too!! :happy: Sometimes you have to eat to lose, so that your metabolism doesn't go too far down and cause your body to go into 'starvation mode'!! I also agree that you may need some kind of psychological help if you're letting your caloric intake harm your body [by not eating enough food to fuel it]. :frown:

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  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
    I definitely have psychological issues with going over my goal calories for the day. BUT I also know the importance of properly fueling my body and know that having too few calories will cause more problems long term. So I take my calories and add 50-100 to them (custom settings) and then I know I will be better able to NET my goal calories and not go over!!!
  • I feel the same way a lot....because i walk for exercize 4 days a week and work as a waitress it says I should eat 1700 calories a day. That makes me feel disgusting and fat but I will try to do it anyway. I HATE HATE HATE and I even forced myself to eat more food today just to be closer to that 1700 goal. :
  • Lilphoenix
    Lilphoenix Posts: 7 Member
    Holy moley, do I ever agree with you! I used to eat around 700-800 a day for years, and I wondered why I wasn't looking weight! Even now, it takes a lot of willpower some days to get in at least 1200. I understand the feeling you're talking about, it feels like if you're meeting it, you're not losing weight, you're staying where you're at. At least for me, according to this site, 1500 ish is my allotment for a day, to lose 1/2 lb week. I don't think I've ever met that goal, but don't let that make you think I'm not trying!
    Since I've bumped up my intake, over time I've actually lost inches, even if I feel "fatter". It's mind over matter, just keep trying. I eat a dozen little meals because I still struggle with eating over 300 in one sitting. Just keep swimming, find a support system; it gets better.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    It's not impossible to lose weight if you undereat but it is really taking risks with your health and wellbeing - you can end up with nutritional deficiencies because you aren't eating enough, and you may find that you don't have enough energy to keep doing all the things you want to do in your day.

    And if you REALLY undereat for long enough you can seriously damage your body. There isn't one set number of calories that is the "breakpoint" for everybody, but 1200 cals is a general guideline to a minimum for a healthy adult to eat. If you are really small you might be healthier on less than this, but you are going to have to eat well to make sure you get all your nutrients on this low calorie amount. Chances are that you can be healthly and lose weight eating a whole lot more, especially if you are active.

    The smart thing to do is to eat enough to stay healthy, while maintaining a moderate calorie deficit so you can lose weight.
    And if you are feeling really guilty about eating, maybe professional help is is a good idea.
  • Yes, most days. For the past 14 months my limit was 1200 per day, but most days I was barely making 1000 cals.

    As of today, MFP adjusted my limit to 1411 (as I'm so close to my goal) and I laughed - there is no way I will eat even more! I mean, we all have "bad" days, but with my everyday lifestyle, it's just not possible.

    Eat what you feel comfortable with, but do TRY to reach at least 1000 cals. Your body can't work if it's in starvation mode, but recognise that when you eat really cleanly, it's hard to build the calories in the diet! :D
  • DeathKitty23
    DeathKitty23 Posts: 64 Member
    Im not even hitting 1200 everyday tbh...I get the gults when im too close to my goal :( (I count everything including the milk in my tea)
    I have a lot to loose so it probably wont harm me too much just now but might do further down the line
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    Not ashamed, but darn it is really hard some days to reach my MFP food calories. So this week I started upping my breakfast and lunch calories with additional servings of healthy food. I have added chia seed to my morning greek yogurt along with oat bran. If I am under at night, I eat another one of the same if under my minimum. Some days eating to net zero including my exercise is not a problem, other days, getting to my minimum food is hard because I am just not hungry. That's why I am using MFP - holding my self accountable to eat right!

    I have done a 180 from last December. I had gotten in the habit of skipping breakfast and eatting a junky lunch and then had been starving for dinner. I am glad I reversed the trend. But I have learned to evaluate every week what I ate, How I felt, and making modifications as I go.
  • I'm pretty big and I usually fall below my goal.... my goal is only 1,500 calories which is tiny for me, but I usually only get like 1000 and I'm pretty satisfied o.o.
  • moomaq
    moomaq Posts: 24 Member
    Therapy?? Really?? Get help if you feel you need it, but NOT if someone on this site cant get their head arround eating 700 - 1000 calories a day.

    When i joined this site, because i have been watching my eating i was eating 800-900 a day, and i really had to make an effort to eat more. I have had to buy yougurts and have roast seed @ my desk to nibble on. These food i would never have eaten but i have done this to try to up my calorie intake.

    Exercise & healthy foods, if you are exercising and on 700 calories a day, you will loose your muscle 1st and keep the fat. This is totally counter productive. where if you eat your calories and exercise you will loose the fat and have a beautiful toned healthy body.

    i hope this helps.
  • jetabear10
    jetabear10 Posts: 375 Member
    I've heard once that it was unhealthy to consume under 1200 calories but maybe I do need some kind of therapy, because I kick myself mentally if I get anywhere near it. I'm assuming it really is impossible to lose weight if I continue going under the 1200 goal?

    You are correct. If you continuously eat below 1200 (and, in your case, dangerously low) you will and up doing more harm than good.

    I really urge you to go seek the help of a professional nutritionist and consult your Doctor.