Under eating

melpinklv

Hey Guys

I am struggling to eat over 1200 Cal per day, but seem to be eating a balanced amount of breakfast lunch and supper. I am also not loosing any weight, dispute being just above 1200 per day (I am very careful not to eat under this for the fear of starvation mode). Is there a chance that I should be eating less than this? Or what other mistake could l be making?

Thank you
Melissa

caribougal

Hard to answer without seeing your diary.

tRiNaBeAnZz

It depends on what you are eating. I eat 1200 cals a day, but sometimes I also have a hard time getting to that! Especially if I am eating healthy foods. Plus, I add cardio workouts to the mix, and I am 300-400 cals under 1200 for the day. I have to make myself eat more - - and a lot of MFP users say you are starving yourself, but I don't agree. I am not starving.

On the other hand...If I eat fast food, and drink a few glasses of wine, I am at 1200 very quickly.

mockchoc

It's not hard at all. Open a jar of peanut butter and you'll add tons of calories in a minute or two. I eat 1700-1900 and lose and it's 99% healthy.

fit4lifeUcan2

It depends on what you are eating. I eat 1200 cals a day, but sometimes I also have a hard time getting to that! Especially if I am eating healthy foods. Plus, I add cardio workouts to the mix, and I am 300-400 cals under 1200 for the day. I have to make myself eat more - - and a lot of MFP users say you are starving yourself, but I don't agree. I am not starving.

On the other hand...If I eat fast food, and drink a few glasses of wine, I am at 1200 very quickly.

Exactly!! I am not starving either. I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. Enormous salads with about 3 oz or more of cut up chicken breast or a 3 or 4 oz piece of salmon on top. These foods are filling and stay with you but are not heavy making you feel sick. At least I would feel sick if I had a heavy meal like a burger and fries plus I would use up my daily calories with one meal. I drink water all day other than my coffee in the morning. I rarely ever drink any alcohol only because I don't care for it but when I do have a glass of wine that puts me over the top. But get on my stationary bike or go for a walk and I make up for that one glass of wine. I have treats every day. At least one square of dove dark chocolate. That reminds me... I didn't get my chocolate today! Hey I feel ripped off!! :sad:

cmriverside

At age 22 and with about 12kg to lose, you should be eating way more than 1200 calories a day.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804485-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Colleen118

Eat More! I didn't believe it eiher and then I upped my cals to 1700 at the start of this month. I haven't been able to work out in two weeks due to seriously increased work hours (retail is my 2nd job) so the decision to sleep takes winner position there, but even with no working out and increased cals, I have lost weight. Or at least volume... I went to put on a pair of slacks this morning that I was wearing "loosly" two weeks ago and they fell off of me. I went to the thrift store on lunch hoping to find something in a 12 and discovered all but one pair of those were too big and I was out of time to go abck and search for 10's....

Not saying eat unhealthy calories, just that you might need more calories from healthy sources

petstorekitty

At age 22 and with about 12kg to lose, you should be eating way more than 1200 calories a day.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804485-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Thanks for posting these! Really helpful info!

EvilShenanigansTX

I started at 1350 per day and lost for the first two weeks, then I hit a wall and did not lose for three weeks. I upped my calories, based on a metabolic assessment, to 1550 - started wearing a Fitbit, and I eat most of my exercise calories - taking me to around 1800 per day on average - and I have lost a steady 1.5 pounds per week since. I just hit the 20 pounds lost mark!

You can eat and lose weight. I recommend you read this - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 - it changed how I think about weight loss. It is scary at first but I swear it works.

cwolfman13

1200 calories is for the birds...literally, only birds could survive on 1200 calories...ok, not really but you get the drift. I agree with others; at your age and current weight, you need to be eating more...I don't think you really need to lose; if you're not happy with your body composition then start lifting.

mwest11

I have days where I don't get over 1200 calories with my exercise deficit. I don't feel hungry and I know I have had balanced, healthy meals all day. But then a couple days later I might eat over calories by the same amount or so. Look at it over a weeks time, not just day by day. Lately, I have been just listening to my body a little more. If I am hungry, I eat more. If I am full, I don't. That's my input.

shougnette

hi,
I have the same problem,, i used to be vegan and have a very unbalance diet (no offence to how eat that way, i just didnt manage to make it work) i ate mostly veggies,bread, and loads of pasta/ rice to feel full. also i was all one to 0% stuff and wouldnt of accept a drop of fat to pass my lips (i thougth that was a good way to loose weigth...) Recently i've started a really balance way off eating and have reintroduce meat, fish and cheese and even dark chocolate or nuts for the afternoon snack but i hardly reach 800 cal/day!!! but i feel full all the time, and dont feel deprive at all and have energy all day. So it wouldnt be a problem for me but i fear slowing my metabolism and putting my body in starvation mode (even if i dont feel starved!!) Could it be possible that my body dont need that much (maybe coz i my metabolism is already mess up by my previous unhealthy eating for years??
Hope one of u have a clue thank u in advance !!

melpinklv

Is there a possibility that I may be understating my cal consumption? Like that my diary does not really reflect what i eat? There's a tv program here in South Africa called Secret eaters, i dont kno where else it airs, though it sounds British. These people do not realize how much they are eating, and they are gaining weight.

Because I dont ever go hungry...

EvilShenanigansTX

Is there a possibility that I may be understating my cal consumption? Like that my diary does not really reflect what i eat? There's a tv program here in South Africa called Secret eaters, i dont kno where else it airs, though it sounds British. These people do not realize how much they are eating, and they are gaining weight.

Because I dont ever go hungry...

Do you actually weight and measure your food? It is amazing how much people overestimate portion sizes. I recommend you invest in a kitchen scale, if you have not already, and measure what you eat. Also, do you log everything you consume? Drinks, a piece of candy, and such? Some people make the mistake of eating a cookie here, a candy there, and it adds up.

melpinklv

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Do you actually weight and measure your food? It is amazing how much people overestimate portion sizes. I recommend you invest in a kitchen scale, if you have not already, and measure what you eat. Also, do you log everything you consume? Drinks, a piece of candy, and such? Some people make the mistake of eating a cookie here, a candy there, and it adds up.
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I do try to log everything, but measuring is a good tip, I will try that. Thank you