Is it okay to stay under my calorie intake?

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Howland72
Howland72 Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if it is okay to stay under my calorie intake if it isn't way low.. I heard so many stories about calorie intake. I heard that a person should eat at least 1200 calories a day, then I heard that if you don't eat the amount you are suppose to then it makes it harder to lose weight something about starvation. I am suppose to eat around 1400 but I have been doing around 1100 sometimes 1300... I just really want to lose this weight but I want to make sure I am doing it the right way... I hope I am making sense. I have a hard time explaining myself sometimes....
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Replies

  • marfmellows
    marfmellows Posts: 18
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    The myth of "starvation mode" is overstated in our weight loss communities. There is no such thing as undereating for a few days and then going into a mythological starvation mode where you gain more weight. It's just bad science. It is true that over long periods of time (months and years) your body will try to adapt to low intake, but if you are not feeling hungry after eating 1,100-1,300 calories that's just fine.

    Listen to your body.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Why not just eat the 1400? You'll gradually decrease your intake as you lose anyway, and you should still lose at 1400 if you input your info correctly. This isn't a race.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Slow and steady wins the race.. MFP already factors in a deficit for you and then gives you the amount of calories you can eat to still lose weight. Adding more of a deficit to the one already assigned may help you lose weight but it could also stall your weight loss. Eat the 1400 and see how that works for now.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    1200 calories is a very arbitrary number. For shorter/smaller people, they can eat less. For bigger/taller people, their minimum should be much higher. I'm 5'4" and 37 yrs old. I shoot for a net of 1200 - it works well for me. When I was bigger, that wasn't enough.

    Being under by 100 to 200 occasionally is not a big deal. But if 1200 happens to be your magic number and you're routinely eating significantly less, yes it would be an issue.
  • LunaticGypsy
    LunaticGypsy Posts: 20
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    If you're not hungry and you feel fine, then I don't see how it could be a problem. If one is overweight, they have stored fat. If you aren't getting the calories you need, then your body will burn the stored fat.

    Though, you should probably take a mulitivitamin to make sure you are getting all the daily nutrients that you need.
  • JohnMessmer
    JohnMessmer Posts: 536
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    Yes it is okay to be under your calorie intake. Yes you are supposed to Net at least 1200 calories a day, but, and here is the kicker, you should determine your BMR and your TDEE and set your caloric intake based on being between those numbers. No idea what those are? Here is a site to find out what your proper settings should be: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html and here is a great place to start understanding what you need to do to be successful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Lastly remember, it is relativity easy to lose weight, it is difficult to maintain that loss, which is why you have so many opinions and so many views on what works and what doesn't.

    Good Luck, and keep striving to live a healthier life.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    if you're looking to lose 130 lb then at this stage you can do practically anything as you have the ability to supply at least 3000 calories from fat reserves. So do what suits you.

    John Barban doesn't like the arbitrary 1200 - http://johnbarban.com/weight-loss-fallacies-2lbs-per-week-and-1200-calories-per-day/
  • notmac
    notmac Posts: 89
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    I agree, unless you just are not hungry, eat your calories. I have made slow steady progress, following the guideline's/calories recommended. Some days I am under by a few, some days by 100, and a few days over. It is easier to stick to it if you make changes slowly, that you can stick to for life. Don't think of this as a diet, more as a life change. make it something you can live with.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I always eat under my amount. Doesn't really affect my weight loss, UNLESS I take in a lot of sodium. I'm not going to force-feed myself if I'm not hungry, you know?
  • Howland72
    Howland72 Posts: 16
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    Thanks for all the advice, there are some days that I am not hungry at the end of the day and I still ate plenty during the day I just choose food that was lower in calories, but then there are days that I feel that I could continue to eat more.. I remerber being on a weight watcher diet one time and they gave me numbers that I could have up too. I was told I need to eat at least the bottom number and alot of times that was even hard for me to do. If I am hungry I eat but if I'm not then I usually don't and I was just curious if it hurts by staying under. It isn't that I want to lose this weight fast. Well of course I do but I know that isn't going to happen in real life. I just want to make sure that I am doing it right so when I do lose it I wont put it back on..
  • darleyschroeder
    darleyschroeder Posts: 322
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    If it isn't everyday then I don't think it matters. Some days you might have 1,100 and others you might have 1,300. As long as it all averages out you should be fine. It takes more than 1 day to "starve". Just eat if you're hungry. If you're not hungry then don't eat, unless your calories are like 900 or something then you are good.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I agree, unless you just are not hungry, eat your calories. I have made slow steady progress, following the guideline's/calories recommended. Some days I am under by a few, some days by 100, and a few days over. It is easier to stick to it if you make changes slowly, that you can stick to for life. Don't think of this as a diet, more as a life change. make it something you can live with.

    Suppose the hunger is suppressed due to hormonal issues that can only be fixed with increased calories?
    This is a side effect of metabolism slowing in some individuals.
    Most people when they first drop cals too low, leptin plummets and ghrelin rises to make you hungry.
    Over time this isnt so much of an issue but isnt necessarily dieting correctly.

    Screenshot2012-07-02at82739AM_zps68c3876f.jpg

    Notice in underfeeding that Leptin, IGF-1, Thyroid, Protein synth....all the things you want in dieting down are pushed pretty low.
    Doing this for extended times can actually increase the time it takes to diet down so if you dont have the excessive body fat to fuel the system then try taking a day or 2 a week and hit the higher numbers.
    Eat a pizza or something.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    Yes it is okay to be under your calorie intake. Yes you are supposed to Net at least 1200 calories a day, but, and here is the kicker, you should determine your BMR and your TDEE and set your caloric intake based on being between those numbers. No idea what those are? Here is a site to find out what your proper settings should be: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html and here is a great place to start understanding what you need to do to be successful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Lastly remember, it is relativity easy to lose weight, it is difficult to maintain that loss, which is why you have so many opinions and so many views on what works and what doesn't.

    Good Luck, and keep striving to live a healthier life.

    and props!
  • saudade108
    saudade108 Posts: 33
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    I'm not a doctor or a scientist, however I find it hard to believe in "starvation mode", really. It doesn't make sense. I know that for several months I was in true starvation mode a couple years ago and I dropped weight very, very quickly. I lost 50 lbs in a very short period of time because I would go days without eating, or without eating much but then I'd have a day or two where I practically binged like crazy to make it up. I'm not saying this is healthy at all and I don't condone it, I just have a hard time believing that someone truly in starvation mode wouldn't lose weight.
  • Lisa_Grey
    Lisa_Grey Posts: 5
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    You may lose weight in starvation mode....but you won't be healthy and it will come back faster than ever and hard than ever to get off too.
  • Lisa_Grey
    Lisa_Grey Posts: 5
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    My goal is 1200/ day. I find myself having a harder time meeting that...and I work out almost every day, which means more calories to make up. Today I have eaten well, been full every time I eat, having my snacks...and now I have over 1000 calories left (after working out). Well, I can't eat a thousand calories, especially at this late time of day. Do you force yourself to eat more calories? I have found myself unable to actually eat entire portions that I have prepared for myself...and I still count it as if I at the entire serving, but still come out short at the end of the day.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    My goal is 1200/ day. I find myself having a harder time meeting that...and I work out almost every day, which means more calories to make up. Today I have eaten well, been full every time I eat, having my snacks...and now I have over 1000 calories left (after working out). Well, I can't eat a thousand calories, especially at this late time of day. Do you force yourself to eat more calories? I have found myself unable to actually eat entire portions that I have prepared for myself...and I still count it as if I at the entire serving, but still come out short at the end of the day.

    You'll have a very hard time if younwork out every day.
    3-4x a week is optimal.
  • Lisa_Grey
    Lisa_Grey Posts: 5
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    I don't understand I guess. I am not feeling like I am over doing it...I am doing a variety of things (swimming, yoga, walking/jogging, some strength training). Sometimes 30 minutes, but usually an hour. If I feel like I need to I take a break. At work I am generally at my desk, so it is nice to have some activity in the evenings. Why is 3-4 times optimal?
  • Kebby83
    Kebby83 Posts: 232 Member
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    No, you will surely die. ;)

    Just eat what you need. If you are under and you are full then cool, if not then eat more. Just try not to eat over.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I don't understand I guess. I am not feeling like I am over doing it...I am doing a variety of things (swimming, yoga, walking/jogging, some strength training). Sometimes 30 minutes, but usually an hour. If I feel like I need to I take a break. At work I am generally at my desk, so it is nice to have some activity in the evenings. Why is 3-4 times optimal?

    Its about having a plan of attack and a rest period.
    Make sure you have some lifting program in line.
    Dont make up your own!
    Walk at least 10k steps a day so if you need a 20min walk after dinner then do it!
    Sleep!
    Get 6-9 hours sleep since REM works in 3 hour cycles.
    this is when the construction workers in your body come out and repair stuff.

    Heres an outline of how I do things diet wise http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

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