I still don't get it

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Full4Life
Full4Life Posts: 172 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been following the diaries of my "friends" and I just don't understand how they do it. I've upped my activity level and lowered my weight loss goal to give me 1370 calories per day - half the time I feel pretty ravenous on only that. Then, on days when I exercise, even when I'm eating back the calories, I want to eat a whole pizza (I don't, just sayin'). Most days, I'm lucky if I squeak even.

Then, I look over at my friends' diaries and they're adding in 900-calorie workouts and STILL end up eating an even 1200 day after day after day. How do they do it? Why can't I do it? Especially when they're doing these extra long and strenuous workouts, how do they manage on only 1200 without passing out or eating a bus when I have a tough time maintaining my sensible 1370?
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Replies

  • _stephanie0
    _stephanie0 Posts: 708 Member
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    Then, I look over at my friends' diaries and they're adding in 900-calorie workouts and STILL end up eating an even 1200 day after day after day. How do they do it? Why can't I do it? Especially when they're doing these extra long and strenuous workouts, how do they manage on only 1200 without passing out or eating a bus when I have a tough time maintaining my sensible 1370?


    not healthy. don't follow your friends. follow YOUR gut. no one knows your body better than you. eat :flowerforyou:
  • saraphim41
    saraphim41 Posts: 205 Member
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    Practice.
  • steph1278
    steph1278 Posts: 483 Member
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    Doesn't sound healthy to me. Your body needs fuel just to maintain basic functions let alone adding exercise into the mix. I eat over 2000 calories a day and am still losing weight.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
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    I have NO idea how others do it, too! I know some days I cannot be satiated. My TDEE is like 2400 and my BMR is about 1500...so I could never eat as little as 1300/day. I feel best at about 1900-2000. I've been trying to do this for about 4 weeks now. I did have three days where I went HOG wild...but figure out of 28 days that's not so bad. I also set my goal weight to be a bit higher at 155. So that means I only need to lose about 19 or so pounds. I'm going to try and stick with 1900-2000 cal/day and not eat back exercise calories...I already figured those into my TDEE. Really trying to make this a lifestyle change so I don't keep going up and down.
  • divincenzo1
    divincenzo1 Posts: 25
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    My whole approach is eat when you're hungry. I currently do about 1200/day give or take. I'm not feeling hungry though...if I were I would eat. Everyone's body is different so it could just be you are hungry. But your not really eating many more calories than me. I find if I do a hard workout I'm less hungry than if I don't work out...yup sounds crazy to me as well but again everyone is different. Do what feels good for you and what's healthy.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
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    This site is known to way overestimate calories burned. Some say to cut whatever calories burned number they give you in half so those 900 calorie workouts are more like 450. Eat tons of fruits, vegetables and drink lots of water. Eat smaller amounts of whole grains and protein. Stay away from pure fats like butter and oil.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    When I first started weightlifting, I would get so hungry, I would eat my lunch at work by about 10AM. Then I'd go to a teriyaki place and eat a big plate of chicken or steak, and I'd feel hungry again by 2 or 3 PM. Eventually it got better...but I still get hungrier on the days I lift weights.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Some people don't log everything they eat or underestimate portions.
  • Full4Life
    Full4Life Posts: 172 Member
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    I have NO idea how others do it, too! I know some days I cannot be satiated. My TDEE is like 2400 and my BMR is about 1500...so I could never eat as little as 1300/day. I feel best at about 1900-2000. I've been trying to do this for about 4 weeks now. I did have three days where I went HOG wild...but figure out of 28 days that's not so bad. I also set my goal weight to be a bit higher at 155. So that means I only need to lose about 19 or so pounds. I'm going to try and stick with 1900-2000 cal/day and not eat back exercise calories...I already figured those into my TDEE. Really trying to make this a lifestyle change so I don't keep going up and down.
    Right. I'm doing more or less the same thing. To be honest, I'm surprised how I've managed to get down to my 1370 goal. I did it by cutting out sugar, gluten and added salt, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself for doing that. I'm pretty small (157cm/5'2") so that's probably why my count is so much smaller than yours. Still, I'm sitting there feeling real proud of having managed to fit everything in perfectly, and then I look and everyone around me is doing these daily marathons while maintaining a 1200-calorie diet.

    Seems CRAZY to me!
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    You can't do it because you probably shouldn't be doing it. Eating 1200 calories per day while burning 900 through exercise may lead to fast weight loss, but healthy weight loss is hopefully steady and not super fast. Just keep working and eating well and you'll see results.
  • airlily
    airlily Posts: 212 Member
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    Do their diaries have a lot of protein or fiber? I'm not sure. Maybe they have jobs where it's hard to eat when you really want to (I can't eat when I need to, so I wind up almost not eating all day except at noon).

    Either way, do what works for you. If you're hungry, I say eat! Just make it something healthy that will fill you up and curb your hunger. :)
  • jgsparks89
    jgsparks89 Posts: 85 Member
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    Most days, especially if I eat healthily, I have no problem feeling satisfied with my 1500 a day. When I was down closer to 1200 a day, I did feel hungry sometimes, but I just tried to choose more filling foods. I shoot for high protein, high fiber meals with just enough fat to feel satisfied. I think your body just has to learn to adjust, especially if your norm is eating high calorie, high sodium, high fat foods that is typical of the average American diet.
  • onedayillbeamilf
    onedayillbeamilf Posts: 966 Member
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    No idea. I don't think.any of my friends eat below 1,500. And I'm almost positive none of them eat at 1,200., especially after working out.
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    By burning fat mostly and not as many carbs.

    I feel hunger but can ignore it if I have something else more fun that I am doing. How? I stabilized my blood sugar levels by learning what what makes me "binge." Being hungry does not cause me to binge but eating a slice of pizza plus being hungry might. Flour (IE pizza dough) triggers a massive blood sugar surge on me. If something makes me binge, I find something that tastes as good to me that does not make me binge.

    Some are saying it's unhealthy but I say, overeating was NOT healthy either folks.

    There was an imbalance when we gained the weight and we must create a greater imbalance (because of inertia) to return to a natural state. If one does not have a calorie deficit, one cannot lose weight. That dear friends, is how it works.
  • Malozing0809
    Malozing0809 Posts: 71 Member
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    Check their protein and fiber intakes. Thoses two things keep you fuller for longer. You could try upping your protein intake, but do what works for you.
  • spangey13
    spangey13 Posts: 294
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    I didn't get it either.

    Some days I want to chew my arm off.
  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
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    After a few weeks of being hungry but cleaning up my diet my blood sugar leveled out and the hunger greatly reduced. Just stick with it you will feel better.
  • dawns_ash
    dawns_ash Posts: 1
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    Many people use water as a 'filler'. Drink a full glass before every meal and/or snack makes you less hungry...and drinking lots throughout the day curbs some hunger. Mostly, don't ignore your body but be smart about choices while eating fruits and veggies instead of high calorie/carb items.
  • Hannah645
    Hannah645 Posts: 75 Member
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    I feel the same way.

    I've been logging my food on MFP for 5 months. I have maybe 4 or 5 total days at 1200 calories, and those have all been by pure accident. I remember falling asleep early a couple of days and feeling sick to stomach on another occasion. My appetite has always been strong.

    I also have a friend who constrict her calories so much on a regular basis, that after a while she loses control and binge eats. That's scary because it borderlines on disordered eating. I know there are emotional reasons why people binge too, but don't you think that constantly underfeeding your body would make it more likely to happen?
  • bankmd
    bankmd Posts: 20
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    I exercise regularly and cannot imagine subsisting on only 1200 or even 1400 calories a day. I agree that people often overestimate exercise though. Also, I see a difference between fueling my body for exercise, and nourishing my body outside of the exercise that I do. So the base foods in my diet are generally whole foods because I think if one eats empty calories, one's body will continue to "want" food that is nutrient dense because hunger is a tool to get the macro and micronutrients the body needs. You can tell I really believe this by my attempt at times to eat liver!

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