Do you reach your calorie goals?

RonandDi
RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been pretty good about logging everything and how much I eat to the best of my abilities. I rarely reach my recomended goals. Last week I was 1750 calories under for the week. I know in the grand scheme of things that isn't a lot per day, but I am barely meeting my projected weight loss.

I was just wondering if anyine else is eating less than recomended without seeing drastic results.

Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Easy ways to add some calories. Peanut butter and a glass of milk.
    Nuts. Cook with olive oil. Avocado on your salad.
  • Poprocket_2012
    Poprocket_2012 Posts: 142
    Apart from on xmas day i've always been under my calorie goal
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I do and enjoy all of my 2500 calories.. Sometimes more, lol.
  • notreallytrillian
    notreallytrillian Posts: 77 Member
    If you eat too little then your body may be going into starvation mode and clinging to your fat with desperation because it thinks you won't get enough food to survive. If you up your calorie intake you might see faster results. Try to eat more healthy calories. When I am having trouble meeting my daily intake I usually add a tablespoon of olive oil to my dinner or grab a handfull of nuts. I usually come in about 100 calories under my daily goal to leave room if I forget to log something or don't weigh it correctly. Good luck!
  • rob1976
    rob1976 Posts: 1,328 Member
    I finished with 2 calories to spare yesterday.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    BTW, you are not supposed to eat below what is recommended and dropping calories too low can make results harder to get. And with 16 lbs to lose, you should be aiming for about 1/2 lb per week or about a 20% reduction from your TDEE. Also, what is your exercise routine and how many calories are you eating?

    Below is a good link to why eating too little can harm your results.


    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,218 Member
    People are here because they've eaten too much over the course of their lives, have you forgotten how to eat?
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    I hear a lot about the "starvation mode", but to be honest, I find it kind of hard to believe that taking in 1200 calories rather than 1400 will put you into starvation mode. But then again, there are a lotof people much smarter than me when it comes to nutrition.

    Did you mean one half pound per week or one to two pounds per week? I have been averageing the one to two pounds per week. My exercise routine has been a half hour on the treadmill 5 mornings a week.

    As for forgetting how to eat, not me. But I have been cutting back on the portion sizes at supper and more fruit for lunch. I really haven't cut anything out completely, just rationed back on the portions.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    "starvation mode" is not a particularly good term to use. What happens is you will have a metabolic slow down. Your body adjusts to match the level of calories you give it. The hormones that regulate hunger get messed up. You cause cortisol to rise, that is a stress hormone and it causes your body to hang on to its fat stores. When you restrict your calories too much, and exercise, you put too much stress on your body.

    1200 calories isn't appropriate for everyone. MFP sets that as the default minimum. The setting where you tell it you want to lose x amount per week overrides your particular energy requirement numbers.
  • thingal12
    thingal12 Posts: 302 Member
    grab a burger and fries for lunch and you'll be set.
  • Strobins05
    Strobins05 Posts: 716
    My logging is horrible on here however, I'm aware of the calories I put in and out of my mouth due to counting cals for almost five years, LOL. As a beginner I would advise you to eat your daily cals and log everything. This prepares you for success of logging and learning the cals of what you put in your mouth. But to answer your questions, yes I reach my calorie goals, it's just not reflected in my logging at all times. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    You are losing 1 to 2 lbs per week consistently? That is pretty aggressive results... and you don't think you are doing that well?

    I'd say your expectations might need adjustment.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    oh, and fwiw, I agree with you on the starvation mode thing. If you have a decent amount of fat to lose, I think you are in no danger of starvation mode over a couple hundred calories.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Most of the time, I have no problem consuming my calories (or more). Lately I'm not feeling well and have no appetite, so yes - it's been a struggle to get even 1100 calories a day (and I do include nuts/nut butter in my daily menu).
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Uhm. This is a male, not a 5'0 woman. I think 1,200 is definitely way too low, since he is not obese, he is within 16 pounds of his goal.
  • bbgughj
    bbgughj Posts: 219 Member
    People are here because they've eaten too much over the course of their lives, have you forgotten how to eat?

    Yes ! Now that I've cut out all the fast foods , soda pops , chips ...... It's a learning process !
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    You are losing 1 to 2 lbs per week consistently? That is pretty aggressive results... and you don't think you are doing that well?

    I'd say your expectations might need adjustment.

    I'm not dissapointed with my results, very happy actually. All I'm saying is that I am having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that if I eat more, I will continue to lose the same amount, or more.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You are losing 1 to 2 lbs per week consistently? That is pretty aggressive results... and you don't think you are doing that well?

    I'd say your expectations might need adjustment.

    I'm not dissapointed with my results, very happy actually. All I'm saying is that I am having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that if I eat more, I will continue to lose the same amount, or more.

    Your weight loss will likely slow down. Or, you will keep losing it all until you get to your goal weight, and then you will not be able to maintain that weight without sticking with the very low calorie diet. Which is unhealthy and will damage your metabolism.
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    Uhm. This is a male, not a 5'0 woman. I think 1,200 is definitely way too low, since he is not obese, he is within 16 pounds of his goal.

    Correct. And I'm in no hurry to lose the last 16 pounds. Just trying to learn as much as I can. Like I said, is there really a benifit to eating 1400 rather than 1200? Asuming I'm not going hungary or feeling any ill effects.
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    You are losing 1 to 2 lbs per week consistently? That is pretty aggressive results... and you don't think you are doing that well?

    I'd say your expectations might need adjustment.

    I'm not dissapointed with my results, very happy actually. All I'm saying is that I am having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that if I eat more, I will continue to lose the same amount, or more.

    Your weight loss will likely slow down. Or, you will keep losing it all until you get to your goal weight, and then you will not be able to maintain that weight without sticking with the very low calorie diet. Which is unhealthy and will damage your metabolism.

    Thanks. I feel like I could continue to eat the way I do now without any problem, but like you said, I don't want to keep losing weight to the point of being unhealthy. I figure it will be a little trial and error to find out just how many calories will keep me at that weight.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Uhm. This is a male, not a 5'0 woman. I think 1,200 is definitely way too low, since he is not obese, he is within 16 pounds of his goal.

    Correct. And I'm in no hurry to lose the last 16 pounds. Just trying to learn as much as I can. Like I said, is there really a benifit to eating 1400 rather than 1200? Asuming I'm not going hungary or feeling any ill effects.

    Set your profile to lose 1/2 pound per week. Now how many calories does it tell you to eat?
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    2080, not counting exercise.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    There you go. You can easily eat a lot more than 1200-1400 and still lose weight.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    It's not starvation mode you have to worry about, considering to takes 3 days to even see signs of metabolic slow down, it's depletion of lean body mass that is worrisome. The more muscle you lose, the more weight you will need to lose to meet you imagine goals. Additionally, the less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism, the less support for your joints and body frame and etc... You don't want to lose muscle, you want to lose fat. Unfortunately, you probably have already lose a good amount of muscle since you had little to lose.

    Whats your exercise routine?
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    half hour on the treadmill (5min walk, 20 min jog, 5 min walk) thena about 10 min of light resistance band work with some push ups 5 days a week. I'm not saying that I'm NOT burning muscle, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Everything is getting easier.
  • janemcd67
    janemcd67 Posts: 35 Member
    Hi I am up and down around the goal. But I blew it over xmas. And I gained weight. Will there be a big banner saying

    "HEY EVERYONE, THIS ONE GAINED 6lb OVER HOLIDAYS"
    ??

    Back on the straight and narrow and I got rid of 3 of those suckers again.

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