is it just me?

Sweetie20oh5

When I drink one shake it gives me the 120 cal I need for each meal. I can still eat my 2 small meals and 1 big one. (Of whatever I want) lol. Am reaching my goals and I don't have to do a lot to stay full. Two shakes and three meals. Heaven.

_JR_

Thank you to those who were NOT rude to me and helping me. No I don't eat and eat and eat! I never have. I just didn't eat healthy. I'm kicking butt not eating that much. But was just curious if other people were in the same boat. I joined on here because I heard people were actually nice and supportive. Guess I was wrong! Again thank you to the people that actually do care and have a heart!

You are going to get heated responses because this site is about being "healthy" first, friendly second. Telling everyone you are on a 600 cal per day diet doesn't fall in line with the "healthy" practices this site preaches. In fact, this site has specific guidelines prohibiting extreme low-cal diets.

There are thousands of people on here who ALSO started out overweight, and managed to lose significant weight eating above 1200 calories... a safe number most studies agree with. Sorry if you are sensitive to tough love, but what you are promoting is it healthy, especially if you are trying to exercise. Your body needs fuel. If you were ever overweight before, then you were at one time capable of eating an excess of calories. It shouldn't be so hard to sneak in an extra 500+ calories per day in the name of good health.

But you're an adult. Do as you wish. Just don't expect the people who did it the healthy way to support your extreme plan.

thr33martins

UMMMMM no. Because I have common sense

Wow, a little judgmental? This is a common phenomenon with people who are losing weight, especially those who have lost it before and gained it back. (I have been down and up and down and up through two pregnancies, and every year that passes it gets harder for me...) You see your success and are so afraid to lose it that you start to eat less and less.

I guess I am, but it's true. Why would you purposely eat that little and expect to keep the weight off? it's just silly! I have been pregnant, I have kids, I have a thyroid disorder, I don't make excuses. I am becoming more HEALTHY and when the weight comes off, it comes off. Main point, I'm not rushing it and this is about being healthy, not getting weight off ASAP. I am in this for the long haul, not looking for a quick fix. Sorry if you find that judgmental, but to me, it's truth.

That IS the truth,but that wasn't what you offered in your first post. I am a fitness instructor!! I am in GREAT SHAPE! I have no disorders and I have been working out daily for years! Almost 40, I have gone through a very stressful relocation in the past year, and I have been self-medicating with food. So I am the worst-case screw-up when it comes to weight gain - pure self-pity-induced gluttony! I am just saying, to come on here and refer to someone else's problem as a lack of common sense is definitely judgmental. We all have our reasons for wanting to lose weight, for me it is vanity, because I am super healthy but I will look better and feel more confident once I lose 20 pounds. Plus, then I will fit back into my clothes...lol. In some weird way, we are all in the same boat here - the comment about her "sense" just set me off. Good luck in your journey...

tamia11

Your bmr will be at least 1300 calories per day. This is what your body burns if you do absolutely nothing all day long, Ie, what it needs just to stay alive. Including any activity you will use a lot more than this. Having your calories so low (600 will send your body into starvation, even if you are not physically hungry). Your body will try to compensate for this by slowing your metabolism and as it thinks there is not much food, will try to hang on to as much fat as possible. While you will lose fast at the start, you will end up having huge difficulties maintaining later on. Your body will also likely start eating into your muscle mass. 1200 is an absolute minimum and is too low for many people whose BMR is a lot higher. A good rate to eat is your BMR, at that rate everything you burn each day, even light everyday activities is contributing to weight loss while your body is told it is eating enough to cover basic functions and not to try to compensate.

Good luck!

As a note, when I was anorexic I was limiting myself to around 500-700cal a day, so do be careful. Thank u for this

tamia11

Thank you very helpful

Off10h8ed

I have days when I get busy and forget to grab something to eat every two hours (which is what I am for - to keep the hunger at bay and my energy going...) and sometimes have days when I'm "down and out" 'n just don't feel like eating... Those days I will sometimes not meet my 1200 NET calories.... BUT I keep Greek Yogurt, Nuts, Chocolate Peanut Butter flavored Protein mix, Apples and Bananas at home all the time... Near the end of my day, if I'm not within 100 calories or so of my NET calorie goal, I will eat whatever combination of the above foods (or something else, if desired - but those are my "go to" staples haha) to bring my NET at least near my goal... I've lost almost 80 since early January, so it seems to be working... and I am almost never "starving" like a lot of my friends are...

^This! Me too! Rasins are good too if your carbs are still in check!

tamia11

Well. I didn't mean to piss anyone off here. I will try my best to meet my net 1200 tomorrow. Thank you all

KatFerrie

I hope you find the combinations that work for you. Nobody really wants to (and many don't have the time to) always think about what to eat every 2-3 hours. It does take a little planning for some. I try to do it first thing in the morning. I will try to plan to have healthy snacks available to me and my family the week in advance, but sometimes my kids show no restraint or consideration for others in the house. LOL!
Best wishes for the days and weeks a head!

aschaldecker

Tamia, There are lots of people who will be supportive of you on here. I have a higher daily caloric intake per day and usually make it (and sometimes go a few over. But other days I am under by a few hundred. ) That said, on those days, I'm not hungry, that's why I'm under my calories. My roommate's caloric intake is 1200 and since becoming more aware of the foods she eats, she does have a hard time getting her calories in some days. We are working hard to find ways to make our calories so that we don't become counterproductive by shutting down our metabolism. Please be careful and find the a way to get your calories in. And, you're not alone just sayin'!

amy_kee

I wish that some people would lighten up a little. It is like when someone mentions 1200 calories or under around here, people get highly opinionated and suddenly all full of knowledge.


I find it very hard to eat the 1200 cal per day. I feel much better eating about 700. People are all the time telling me that I need to eat more. When they do, it really messes with my head and I go over board and eat bad for a few days in a row---eating too much food...almonds, peanut butter & bread....ugg. I'm at the end of one of these food times now and am really looking forward to getting back to eating how I want to eat. I am so unhappy, depressed, upset, and more when I go through the phase of trying to eat more for a few days. I'm really so tired of people judging me and telling me how to eat. They aren't a RD or anything. I go to a Dr and I will be going back and seeing the RD that I see in November. I sure don't go around trying to tell anyone else how they should eat. I don't feel that I'm qualified to do that. I studied other things in college. So, I have nothing to say but, to be supportive of my friends and those that I come across here on MFP.

MikeDaMotivator

Well. I didn't mean to piss anyone off here. I will try my best to meet my net 1200 tomorrow. Thank you all

Dont have to listen to everyone on here. Do what feels good and what works for you. 1200 is fine and if you are losing I say eff it and keep going. Best of luck

tamia11

Thank Mike Montana I just forced another 210 down. Now I'm at 1035 eaten and 666 left that's after my exercises

MikeDaMotivator

Thank Mike Montana I just forced another 210 down. Now I'm at 1035 eaten and 666 left that's after my exercises

Here is the trick pretty girl. Eat less but more often. Calories are not everything sorry cant convince me that they are. Eat BEFORE YOU GET HUNGRY thats my method. I eat about 8 times a day and workout hard AF so that I can do that. Small meals more often BEFORE I get hungry. If I get hungry I overeat so I just dont allow myself to get hungy.

MikeDaMotivator

Thank Mike Montana I just forced another 210 down. Now I'm at 1035 eaten and 666 left that's after my exercises

Dont eat back all those calories. Trust me. I never do. If I did Id eat about 3500 Calories in a day because according to my HRM I burn around 2600 every workout. No need to eat them back. Im not a scientist or nutrisionist Im just a fat guy that know what im talking about.

wrevhn

http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-1200-Calories-Day-Important-When-Dieting-13080864

Capt_Apollo

Thank Mike Montana I just forced another 210 down. Now I'm at 1035 eaten and 666 left that's after my exercises

Dont eat back all those calories. Trust me. I never do. If I did Id eat about 3500 Calories in a day because according to my HRM I burn around 2600 every workout. No need to eat them back. Im not a scientist or nutrisionist Im just a fat guy that know what im talking about.

well, as a former fat guy, i always eat my exercise calories back, and i lost all my weight doing that. you need to be able to fuel the machine that is your body.

i currently eat about 3,000-3,200 calories on non-exercise days, which is about my TDEE. i'm 6'3" 240lbs. i gained 15 pounds this last month due to stress, bad eating, too much booze, and no exercise. but i'm trying to lose weight by eating the right foods, not by eating less.

when i was first trying to lose weight, i did eat several smaller meals a day because it helped curb my appitite and stop my food binges at lunch and dinner. however it is not the end all be all for weight loss. i still kinda eat 5-6 meals a day because i do need to fit in at least three thousand calories a day, and i have trouble eating that much food in one sitting.

long term under eating has proven negative results such as hair loss, poor skin, and the break down of major internal organs.

EdTheGinge

I'd ignore the negative comments, I thought these boards were about supporting one and other !!!

I'm worse than you, I tend to be about 600 below my calorie allowance and that's before I add back my calories (over 1000 of them). I don't feel hungry I can genuinely say that, I drink plenty of water which feels me up, therefore I'm not going to eat just for the sake of it.

I've been doing this for 5weeks and lost 25lbs so far, so it's clearly working for us both. If it aint broke don't fix it.

sisterofseven

I understand where you're coming from :-) I too find it really hard to keep my NET calories over 1200 but generally only on exercise days - the exercise actually suppresses my appetite (or gives me something to do other than eat!) I actually enjoy working out and have time on my hands to get a fair bit of physical activity into my day. I spent 12 months before joining this site working out but not watching what I ate - guess what - I got fitter but didnt lose a thing. IMO its all about the food! So I now count the cals (honestly), I workout (with HRM) and am starting to see the results. You've had some good suggestions for increasing you're intake - give it a go, you might be surprised by the results. Good luck

Capt_Apollo

I'd ignore the negative comments, I thought these boards were about supporting one and other !!!

I'm worse than you, I tend to be about 600 below my calorie allowance and that's before I add back my calories (over 1000 of them). I don't feel hungry I can genuinely say that, I drink plenty of water which feels me up, therefore I'm not going to eat just for the sake of it.

I've been doing this for 5weeks and lost 25lbs so far, so it's clearly working for us both. If it aint broke don't fix it.

5 weeks is a drop in the bucket when it comes to healthy weight loss and developing new habits with food and exercise.

you are a guy. it is easier for men to lose weight then women by cutting out booze, drinking more water, and eating healthier and exercising.

how much are you currently eating now?

EdTheGinge

This is true, but I can only speak from my own experience. Probably about 800 a day with my allowance set at 1330. I've just cut out the alcohol and general rubbish, leaving myself mainly on fruit and things along those lines so I am eating but just low calorie foods.