My doctor vs MyFitnessPal and calories

smalls9686

I have a serious issue on my hands my doctor has me on a 900-1100 calorie diet MFP wants me not to go under 1200. However, on days I exercise which is 4-6 days a week and I burn 500-800 and MFP wants me to eat back all of those calories. My doctor (who does specialize in weight loss)says no! She says of course if I feel hungry eat, but I should not "force myself" to eat all of them back if I am not hungry just because "the computer tells me so." But I have seen so many post that my weight lost will stall which it seems like it has. I am down 16 pounds my first month but in the last 2 weeks I have lost 4 so most of the weight I lost was in the first few weeks. I am really concerned that my weight lost will stall. My body fat is dropping so I am not losing muscle which is good. It is really hard to eat back that much calories.

So the question really isn't who to listen to, but more does anyone NOT eat all their exercise calories back and still have steady weight loss?

megsmom2

Your doctor doesn't understand MFP or how it works. Have her check out the website...I bet she'll be a beleiver!

janimei

I am not a physician and don't know your medical situation. I used to diet by eating
900-1000 calories a day, and hit many plateaus. Maybe your doctor
is treating the plateaus as natural, which they are (though very frustrating).
If you trust your doctor, follow the advice you've been given. Otherwise, a second
medical opinion couldn't hurt.
Right now, I'm losing steadily and slowly, as MFP advertises, by following the goals
MPF has set for me.

smalls9686

Your doctor doesn't understand MFP or how it works. Have her check out the website...I bet she'll be a beleiver!

Funniest thing was that she suggested that I use this site (Never heard of it until her!) to track my food and exercise to show her what I was doing when I come in for my appt. So she is very familiar with it...so that is't the issue or doesn't seem to be.

smalls9686

I am not a physician and don't know your medical situation. I used to diet by eating
900-1000 calories a day, and hit many plateaus. Maybe your doctor
is treating the plateaus as natural, which they are (though very frustrating).
If you trust your doctor, follow the advice you've been given. Otherwise, a second
medical opinion couldn't hurt.
Right now, I'm losing steadily and slowly, as MFP advertises, by following the goals
MPF has set for me.

Thanks, for your response, luckily I don't have any medical issues, I'm just fat =-P All by blood work and vitals are normal some are actually well below normal. I was considering getting the lapband and needed to attend a "medically supervised" weight loss program for 4 months for insurance to cover it. So that's my medical situation. I just am super concerned about going into "starvation" as I have read on so many post here...guess I want to know if anyone has had success that doesn't eat all their exercise calories back.

astronomicals

yopur doctor sounds like a ****ing idiot.. she told you to use MFP and now she tells you not to adhere to its protocol... time for a new doc who actually cares..

ETA:

I wouldnt be worried about "starvation mode", I'd be worried about losing a bunch of lean body mass.

LeahT84

I have a serious issue on my hands my doctor has me on a 900-1100 calorie diet MFP wants me not to go under 1200. However, on days I exercise which is 4-6 days a week and I burn 500-800 and MFP wants me to eat back all of those calories. My doctor (who does specialize in weight loss)says no! She says of course if I feel hungry eat, but I should not "force myself" to eat all of them back if I am not hungry just because "the computer tells me so." But I have seen so many post that my weight lost will stall which it seems like it has. I am down 16 pounds my first month but in the last 2 weeks I have lost 4 so most of the weight I lost was in the first few weeks. I am really concerned that my weight lost will stall. My body fat is dropping so I am no losing muscle which is good. It is really hard to eat back that much calories...side note if I drank a glass or two of wine to boost my calories would that hurt my weight lost? I currently cut out my daily glass of wine out to 1-2 on Friday/Saturday only.

I would ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician. They specialize in food and will be more likely to know what you should and shouldn't eat and how much. I know I am going to see one next week, but more because I am pre-diabetic even with my healthy lifestyle, so I am going for help to see what I could change and do differently.

DopeItUp

Follow the MFP plan, your doctor's advice sounds horrible. Especially if you don't have any sort of pressing medical issue that requires you to drop weight immediately. Hell it looks like you only have 70lbs to lose overall (and 54 to go). That's nothing! Follow the MFP plan and forget the lapband, you're doing just fine on your own.

Keep in mind, your average physician does not receive much training nutrition wise. They are not going to be authorities on the subject. See a real nutritionist if you want to have a better chance of getting good advice.

KristiLeighS

yeah, I think it is time to find a new doc! How much weight are you trying/needing to lose? 900-1100 calories in my opinion is way too low and can cause a lot of other health issues. Your body needs proper nutrition to function every day. Please, I beg of you, go find another dr. Remember that just because they were able to get a degree doesn't mean they are good at their job. I have gone to doctors and actually had to teach them how to read my blood tests. Needless to say, I immediately found a new doc.

jmmnhi

Just because MFP says you have extra calories doesn't mean you need to eat them. I set my calorie goal myself, basically at the level of calories I'll need to eat when I'm at my goal weight. I did this on my own without medical advice. Also I don't "eat back" calories that I've burned working out. I figure it's just more calories burned. Follow your doctor. MFP is another tool to use, but it is just a tool and follows a standard formula for everyone. It sounds like your doc is working with you to reach your goal and has given you very specific guidelines. I think the safest way to lose the weight is under medical attention.

Megs081211

Keep in mind, your average physician does not receive much training nutrition wise. They are not going to be authorities on the subject. See a real nutritionist if you want to have a better chance of getting good advice.

^^^THIS^^^. I have my major in nutrition and my professors (who use to be RD's but decided to go to teaching) complained all the time about doctors giving nutrition advice and the very limited training they get in nutrition (usually 1 or 2 courses). On the other hand to get my degree I had to take over 15 nutrition classes (my favorite was nutrition counseling).

smalls9686

yopur doctor sounds like a ****ing idiot.. she told you to use MFP and now she tells you not to adhere to its protocol... time for a new doc who actually cares..

ETA:

I wouldnt be worried about "starvation mode", I'd be worried about losing a bunch of lean body mass.

Well, My doc does have me doing a protein supplement 1x a day everyday no matter what and protein 30 minutes within any workout..so as far as the lean muscle goes they do seem very concerned with that part and my body fat/water/all other matter is measured once a month to make sure that I am losing fat an not lean muscle.

It does see, a bit wonky huh...but I actually went to a different doctor before that had me on a low calories diet that had me on 600-800 calories and that I felt was literally gonna kill me I had no energy and they would never tell me if your hungry eat...so the nasty words you used to describe my doc now...not so much other ones..pretty spot on.

smalls9686

I would ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician. They specialize in food and will be more likely to know what you should and shouldn't eat and how much. I know I am going to see one next week, but more because I am pre-diabetic even with my healthy lifestyle, so I am going for help to see what I could change and do differently.
[/quote]

Thanks, I saw one before and it didn't work for me...I actually gained weight (YIKES!) But thanks for your suggestion. Hope yours works for you!

PLUMSGRL

Please ask your doctor if they have read "The Smarter Science of Slim" by Jonathan Bailor. Not all "weight loss doctors" are board certified in the field, and lack the understanding of how your metabolism works. Do yourself a favor and read the book yourself, it has endorsements from medical researchers in the field (from Harvard, Johns Hopkins,ect.).
Be smart about how you treat your body, do a little research!

smalls9686

Follow the MFP plan, your doctor's advice sounds horrible. Especially if you don't have any sort of pressing medical issue that requires you to drop weight immediately. Hell it looks like you only have 70lbs to lose overall (and 54 to go). That's nothing! Follow the MFP plan and forget the lapband, you're doing just fine on your own.

Keep in mind, your average physician does not receive much training nutrition wise. They are not going to be authorities on the subject. See a real nutritionist if you want to have a better chance of getting good advice.

Sorry, I not sure if I didn't clarify this a doctor that specializes in weight lost and nutrition not a general family doctor.

neanderthin

Why would your Dr. have you on that calorie allotment, when you've lost 20lbs in the last 6 weeks?

EricMurano

You need to choose who you're going to listen to.

If you want to listen to your doctor then just use MFP as a tool to track calories and ignore the warnings.

If you want to listen to MFP then don't go to your doctor any more.

I can't tell you who is right. You have to make that choice yourself.

Celeigh12

The problem is that eating low calories like that doesn't teach you how to healthfully coexist with food, which is something you're going to have to learn to do if you want to keep it off. In my extensive personal dieting experience, any drastic swings one way or the other (too low calories or binge-level high) sets off an equal and opposite reaction. So if you eat too little, eventually you'll overcompensate to the other extreme as your body tries to find an equilibrium. You'll be most successful long term if you figure out how to live with food in the middle of the spectrum and just eat the way you'll need to eat to maintain a thinner you for the rest of your life. It's better than trying a "get thin quick and figure the rest out later" approach which rarely works for long.

Good luck whatever you decide!

terriejones

Is this doctors advice part of the "medically supervised" weight loss program? I think if you have lap-band surgery you will be on a very restricted diet so this might be to see if you can adhere to a very low cal diet. Talk to your doctor and ask why so low and not eating back your cals.

smalls9686

yeah, I think it is time to find a new doc! How much weight are you trying/needing to lose? 900-1100 calories in my opinion is way too low and can cause a lot of other health issues. Your body needs proper nutrition to function every day. Please, I beg of you, go find another dr. Remember that just because they were able to get a degree doesn't mean they are good at their job. I have gone to doctors and actually had to teach them how to read my blood tests. Needless to say, I immediately found a new doc.

Thanks for your concern, not sure how much I "need to loose yet" according to some I need to loose 100 pounds others 70. Lol, I have never been a normal weight as an adult I have been up and down and in between and always dieting or engaging in some unhealthy behavior to maintain some unnatural size so I really am trying to figure out what is a healthy weight I can realistically maintain.

I have been to ALOT of doctors some world famous (I.e. Duke University's Atkin's Diet Clinic its self) and I thought the guy was a complete and total quack. So I hear ya, a degree does not automatically mean anything. But I also, that every medical weightloss clinic I have ever been to calories are far less than any websites suggested and I am not sure if that is b/c a website legally can't suggested that b/c they are medically supervising you or if it's really not safe...you know?

I just want to know if I eat maybe only 1/3-1/2 of my exercise calories back is it going to be detrimental to my weight loss. Is there anyone here that doesn't eat all their exercise calories back?

smalls9686

Just because MFP says you have extra calories doesn't mean you need to eat them. I set my calorie goal myself, basically at the level of calories I'll need to eat when I'm at my goal weight. I did this on my own without medical advice. Also I don't "eat back" calories that I've burned working out. I figure it's just more calories burned. Follow your doctor. MFP is another tool to use, but it is just a tool and follows a standard formula for everyone. It sounds like your doc is working with you to reach your goal and has given you very specific guidelines. I think the safest way to lose the weight is under medical attention.

Thanks you very much, I really wanted to know if there were others who weren't eating all the exercise calories back and that were still losing. Have you found that it's working for you (not eating them all back?)

LadyGuenevere

I had the same question. I am on a medication that basically causes me to need about 400-500 calories less than I'd normally need. I'm 4'11, so what I need to eat to maintain a healthy weight is only around 1200 calories. After gaining almost 30 pounds on medication, I figured I'd start to lose weight if I ate around 700-800 calories a day. It definitely started to work.

However, I consulted with my doctor yesterday, and she told me I could use a diet/fitness program to try to get healthier as long as I was eating at least 1000 calories per day. Yet, this site recommends I eat 1200, which is what I was eating before medication in order to maintain a healthy weight.

I think this site is not designed to take unique situations into consideration (such as illness, medication, special dietary needs), so if you trust your doctor, I'd say medical advice is probably more valuable than a generic tool the internet offers. I have been told that unless you are hundreds of pounds overweight or have a medical issue, no doctor will recommend anyone eat under 1,000 calories per day. Mine told me I was actually sending my body into starvation mode, even if I wasn't dropping weight to indicate that, and my health would become fragile before the scale went down. Oddly, I'm using this site to make sure I eat *more* so I can lose weight and be healthy.

Some people do not need 1200 calories a day. If you're a smaller female with a slow metabolism, you may actually only maintain your weight at that caloric intake. You shouldn't force yourself to replace calories you burn...but those who consume less than 800 calories per day are at a place where anorexia becomes an issue. I'd say to do your best to reach that 1,000 calorie mark with healthy foods, and you'll stay on track. Many people are on 1,000 calorie diets for a variety of reasons. Not all people are "average".

Good luck to you!!

*Hugs*,
*~ Alayna

LokiOfAsgard

I don't know your stats(age, height etc) so sometimes, 900-1100 calories is okay. But I'm not sure about not eating back those calories from exercise

Ask. Have her explain it to you and if it doesn't sound right, tell her. Doctor's don't know everything. Do what you think is best, if it doesn't hurt you to follow her advice, I don't see why not.
But I still urge you to find out her reasonings

Ely82010

You need to choose who you're going to listen to.

If you want to listen to your doctor then just use MFP as a tool to track calories and ignore the warnings.

If you want to listen to MFP then don't go to your doctor any more.

I can't tell you who is right. You have to make that choice yourself.

Smart answer!!

You are paying your doctor, so if you don’t like his recommendation and prefer a bunch of opinions from strangers that don't know your true situation, then go for it. I wouldn’t.

And I would like to add this: maybe decrease your workouts so you don't burn too many calories. Concentrate in strength training to keep your muscles and light cardio. Above all eat healthy.

smalls9686

You need to choose who you're going to listen to.

If you want to listen to your doctor then just use MFP as a tool to track calories and ignore the warnings.

If you want to listen to MFP then don't go to your doctor any more.

I can't tell you who is right. You have to make that choice yourself.

Yeah, I worded that wrong..I expect no one to tell me what to do. I just really wanted to know if there were people who weren't eating all of their exercise calories back that were having steady weight loss still.

smalls9686

The problem is that eating low calories like that doesn't teach you how to healthfully coexist with food, which is something you're going to have to learn to do if you want to keep it off. In my extensive personal dieting experience, any drastic swings one way or the other (too low calories or binge-level high) sets off an equal and opposite reaction. So if you eat too little, eventually you'll overcompensate to the other extreme as your body tries to find an equilibrium. You'll be most successful long term if you figure out how to live with food in the middle of the spectrum and just eat the way you'll need to eat to maintain a thinner you for the rest of your life. It's better than trying a "get thin quick and figure the rest out later" approach which rarely works for long.

Good luck whatever you decide!

I hear ya, as I have had a LONG and UNHEALTHY relationship with both food and exercise as a former E/D recover. Balance I know is key...I just gotta find it. Thanks =-)

smalls9686

Is this doctors advice part of the "medically supervised" weight loss program? I think if you have lap-band surgery you will be on a very restricted diet so this might be to see if you can adhere to a very low cal diet. Talk to your doctor and ask why so low and not eating back your cals.

Nope, it's completely separate they don't do Lap-bands.

Mmmmona

Your doctor knows you better than we do and better than some generic online calculator does. Trust him/her. Or get a second opinion.

But when it comes to the advice of a medical degree vs a website, always go with the medical degree.

smalls9686

[/quote]

Smart answer!!

You are paying your doctor, so if you don’t like his recommendation and prefer a bunch of opinions from strangers that don't know your true situation, then go for it. I wouldn’t.

[/quote]

Yes, because clearly that was what I was going for. No need to be an *kitten*.

Markguns

In answer to your question: I was losing body mass and increased calories. I also ate back more exercise calories, still losing.
- I would go with your Dr., I'm sure they will adjust you as you go along. Sounds like you are being monitored closely. They know more about YOU than anyone on this site. :bigsmile:

smalls9686

Sorry if I some how gave you or anyone else the impression that I thought that your random opinion was "better" than a professional. I simply wanted to know if anyone had succees with NOT eating all their exercise calories back because I hear "the sky is falling" about it every day on this site when ANYONE says they aren't doing it.