intro & help on too little calories

kittyEyre

Just found the site yesterday and I am really excited. This site is just what I was looking for a new way to look at thing and track and a way to connect to others.

I am 44, have had 3 children and always had a few extra pounds. My husband is one of those who gained a stomach and is frustrated that he can't lose it. So we are both looking for some way to shed that weight.I am 5'2" and 205lbs and am moderately active.

When I input yesterdays meals and exercise and hit compute I was amazed when it said I had eaten too little calories.
How do you deal with something like this? I ate too much protein according to its calculations but they were not fat or low fat and I was below my fat allowance

Any suggestions welcome..

khall83

i am always over in protein - every single day. I wouldnt worry about that too much unless you are WAY over and you arent doing anything with it (exercise) I stay within my calorie allowance, sometimes i eat some of the calories back - sometimes i dont, just depends on how hungry i am and how active i was that day. i've almost lost 50lbs so i figure i've gotta be doing something right!

Sailatsorf

I usually have a bit of nonfat yogurt as a snack if I need to bump my calories up over 1200. I wouldn't worry too much about being over on protein - worry about your fats and your sodium.

That said, welcome to the site! It's a great place to lose weight. Especially if you've got some friends to talk to on here and post your progress often, it'll keep you going.

Tarin626

Welcome! I sent you a friend request :-)

I don't usually have that problem unless I go long times between meals and then eat a late dinner. But this is a great tool and community to help figure it all out!

erickirb

If you use the default settings use the protein as a minimum and the carbs as a maximum number. When it comes to too few cals, if you are under your goal, eat or drink more. You should not be under 1200 net (1200 plus what you burn from exercise) too few calories over a period of time can have a bunch of negative side effects.

Monalisa85

Hi,

I'll get that when I'm under 1200 calories. There are lots of other folks that have been here awhile and have a better understanding of it all that I do not. The main thing when I began was I began to see where the calories were and seemed it's mostly fast foods that works against me. Good luck to you! Just keep tracking.

janlee_001

Welcome. Yes, I understand your confusion. Just when I think I got it figured out I don't. BTW - you can change which items show up i.e. sodium, protein, carbs.....

mhouston2011

Welcome!!! Just like the other two ladies said, don't worry about being over in your protein..it can actually be a wonderful thing to help with weight loss....however, really take a hard look at sodium...mine was a shocker when I first started tracking everything and I couldn't definitely tell a difference in how I felt day to day and how my clothes fit just by keeping that number in check. You have come to the right place... feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like!

mell6355

You will find out quickly that a lot of the "experts" will ask to see your diary. You can go into your set up and make it public. If you share your diary people can give you better, more specific to you advice!

Heres my 2 cents! I also was under or WAY under on my calories.
I have changed my settings and goals, what I considered lightly active was really more like nothing at all. I have never counted my steps but what I thought was a lot of getting up and around at work really wasn't. I also came to terms with my height (thought I was 5'11") apparently I am only 5'10". I went from 1550 calories allowed a day to 1300 and now I am much closer everyday to where I should be.

I also try to rationalize the calories earned from exercise. I think some of them are a little high. Depends on how hard you are really working at them.

elleloch

You can add me as a friend if you want! I would be way under my calories if I didn't snack. I snack so much, lol. I always make sure I have a wide selection of snacks in low, medium and high calorie ranges on hand so when I plan my meals for the day I know what to eat to close up the gap.

californiagirl2012

Just found the site yesterday and I am really excited. This site is just what I was looking for a new way to look at thing and track and a way to connect to others.

I am 44, have had 3 children and always had a few extra pounds. My husband is one of those who gained a stomach and is frustrated that he can't lose it. So we are both looking for some way to shed that weight.I am 5'2" and 205lbs and am moderately active.

When I input yesterdays meals and exercise and hit compute I was amazed when it said I had eaten too little calories.
How do you deal with something like this? I ate too much protein according to its calculations but they were not fat or low fat and I was below my fat allowance

Any suggestions welcome..

It really depends on your RMR. This tool always says that for me because it does not seem to recognize that my RMR is only 1380 and at 5'1" with a LBM of 104lbs a 2000 calorie a day maintenance plan will never work for me if I want to stay fit.

I find this quote helpful:

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (from The Body Centric Eating Guide in The Venus Index manuals)

The 1200 calorie minimum works fine for taller people. It does not work for short people like me when we have excess fat to lose. That is not enough of a deficit for us to lose any significant weight.

I did it at age 50 and I'm still maintaining at almost 52. While my methods may not work for everyone because there is no "one size fits all" it seems to be helping many other short women like myself --> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/740340-i-lost-60-lbs-at-age-51-anyone-can-any-workout

mayasgroove

Hi, welcome! I am always over with my protein intake on a daily basis and I find it okay because I always feel full but not heavy. I tend to avoid consuming too much carb and I try to keep it down under 135g, at least that's what my nutritionist told me.

For over two weeks now I have lost 9lbs just by staying below my daily calorie allowance and watching the carb content. So far, lowering my carb count has been effective, and of course combine it with exercise! I do plain walking for 30 mins each. Don't worry, you'll get there.