Scared to Eat at Daily Calorie Level!

Juliedungca
Juliedungca Posts: 22 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please =)

Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You might gain a little, but it's more likely a temporary fluctuation, while your body adjusts to getting adequate nutrition. But really... it's more important to give your body what it needs and repair your metabolism if it's been damaged than to fuss over a few measly pounds.

    And when you're that close to your goal, the number on the scale doesn't matter one bit. Track your progress through photos, measurements and how clothes fit. Eat more, get a good amount of protein, and strength train, and you'll look and feel better even if the scale goes up a little.
  • imanole
    imanole Posts: 169 Member
    My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please =)

    Jules, I'm gonna try to read this when I am fully aware in the morning and can respond with some insight when I'm not half asleep after being up since 3:55am. :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    My calorie goal is 1,200. I started dieting when I was 148. I am now 120. I would like to lose another 5 or so. In the two months I've been using MFP, I have lost 16 of those pounds. In that time, I never ate over 900, MOST DAYS between 700-800. I feel awful anytime I get NEAR 1,000 calories.. am trying to overcome it and eat more... Will I still continue to lose weight at 1,200 even if my body has been used to 800 for the past 2 months since I've been on a diet? Only about 5 more to go, and I'm TERRIFIED that if i up my calories to the "healthy" level of 1200, I won't see results or WORSE, I'll gain some back. On the other hand, I also want to be healthy. Making it worse, I injured my knee and have been unable to exercise for weeks while it heals. Need some advice and encouragement, please =)
    I am also tired and afraid I'll say something stupid if I address this now. Short version: Eat more
    Look up TDEE and Look up BMR...that may help you think more logically before I wake up and start thinking logically :P
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Maybe you can up your calories slowly, like a couple hundred more each day until you reach the level you want.
  • 6spdeg
    6spdeg Posts: 394 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

    I closed it at small frequent meals
  • After developing an ED and seeing a nutritionist who wanted me to bump my 600 calories/day to 1,200 calories/day, I wanted to smack her--I thought the increase would make me gain weight. That's logic, right? Well, my body apparently doesn't agree with logic. After upping my intake, I actually lost weight much easier (not that that made the nutritionist happy...). Now, I don't know if your body won't "listen to logic" like mine, but I hope this helps quash some of your anxiety. Just because you up your intake doesn't necessarily mean you'll gain weight. =)
  • LilBritGettinFit
    LilBritGettinFit Posts: 106 Member
    Definitely check out BMR and TDEE. I wouldn't eat/net below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body needs to function at rest.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Definitely check out BMR and TDEE. I wouldn't eat/net below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body needs to function at rest.
    Depending on how you set up and use MFP That would be my summary.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

    I closed it at small frequent meals
    How far past "I would claim this that it is 100% certain in my mind...Body builders do have the healthiest diet" was that lol
  • Juliedungca
    Juliedungca Posts: 22 Member
    Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew =)
  • javagsd
    javagsd Posts: 82
    Try adding something high calorie/high nutrition that doesn't feel like effort to eat - like a handful of nuts.
  • Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew =)

    next thing is ridding yourself of the food curfew. yet another myth.
  • half_moon
    half_moon Posts: 807 Member
    Do you want to lose muscle or fat?

    Eat more! :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Do you want to lose muscle or fat?

    Eat more! :)
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRer0_1S0gHVMiWMb9Eiw6rS8p-yiX5vaYXZnDOtXVC89038KDS
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Maybe you can up your calories slowly, like a couple hundred more each day until you reach the level you want.

    Agreed.

    If your goal is to be healthy- then eating 800 or 900 cals a day is very risky - you probably won't be getting in enough nutrients to keep your body healthy and in the long run, you just won't have enough energy.

    And don't give yourself "rules" like curfews to follow - they just set up high expectations and make you more likely to fail.

    Up your cals slowly and stay off the scales while you do it.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Glad to hear you plan on eating more. No need to make yourself sick though, if you're full don't stuff yourself. The whole point of the eating more is to feel better and be healthier not make yourself ill.

    And what others said about the eating after a certain time rule, though I fully support not eating after 8. Not because I think it will make you fat, there's lots of people who eat late who have abs, but because I hate sleeping on a full stomach, I'm not like a baby at all :tongue:
  • caba7
    caba7 Posts: 11
    you should definitely be eating at lease 1200 calories per day cause if you are eating less your body goes into starvation mode and is burning off muscle instead of fat. you will not gain in fact you may notice you will drop those pounds faster than you think.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    you should definitely be eating at lease 1200 calories per day cause if you are eating less your body goes into starvation mode and is burning off muscle instead of fat. you will not gain in fact you may notice you will drop those pounds faster than you think.
    ^This is why people do not listen to eating more then 1200 calorie per day :tongue: But yes, you should in the majority of cases
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    Thank you SO MUCH! I read your post and even though I wasn't hungry, I ran to the fridge and ate some more before I hit my 8pm food curfew =)

    Ditch the curfew. You'll have more time to get your food in. The 8pm thing is a myth.
  • Aries03
    Aries03 Posts: 179 Member
    Bump
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    I think you should be looking at the bigger picture here.

    Do you want to live the rest of your life eating 800 calories per day? At some point something has to change.

    I actually don't think you need to lose any more weight. I think you should be focusing more now on your physique. Start weight training. But you have to get your food level back up to a healthy level.

    If it was me, I'd be increasing my calorie intake by 100 calories per day until I was up to where I needed to be. Increase by 100 stay there for a week or so, then move up another 100. That way you don't demotivate yourself with the scale weight (which you shouldn't even be looking at, at this point)

    Read up on TDEE and BMR. There is the eat more to weigh less group here, but my personal favorite is www.fat2fitradio.com

    Start a weight training plan.
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    Search for the thread 'in place of a road map'...look for the original posted by helloitsdan that tells you how to figure out how many calories you need. Hun, if you are exercising as well as eating that low cal you are on a dangerous path. You are not eating enough to fuel your body for its basic everyday functions and WORSE then you exercise and your body is then really low on calories and nutrients. This may not be causing problems now but sure will long term. I highly suggest some research on TDEE and BMR like others have mentioned. There is also a group eat more to weigh less on here and there is great info on TDEE and BMR that explains it all with ease. Good luck!
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
    I think you should be looking at the bigger picture here.

    Do you want to live the rest of your life eating 800 calories per day? At some point something has to change.

    I actually don't think you need to lose any more weight. I think you should be focusing more now on your physique. Start weight training. But you have to get your food level back up to a healthy level.

    If it was me, I'd be increasing my calorie intake by 100 calories per day until I was up to where I needed to be. Increase by 100 stay there for a week or so, then move up another 100. That way you don't demotivate yourself with the scale weight (which you shouldn't even be looking at, at this point)

    Read up on TDEE and BMR. There is the eat more to weigh less group here, but my personal favorite is www.fat2fitradio.com

    Start a weight training plan.

    AGREED!!!!
  • its_rierie
    its_rierie Posts: 44 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

    I closed it at small frequent meals

    He lost me when he told me that more than half of my daily caloric intake should be protein, AT A MINIMUM.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxgC_wDNfI&feature=related

    watch this vid may help you understand how everything works..

    Bump for later!
  • lesita75
    lesita75 Posts: 379 Member
    Everyone here has given some great insight! Also keep in mind that it doesn't take much to get to those extra 300-400 calories. Expample:

    10 almonds - 69 calories
    1 medium banana - 105 calories
    1 cup strawberries - 46 calories
    1 tbsp peanutbutter - 100 calories

    Best of luck to you!!!
  • Arunakae
    Arunakae Posts: 83
    This has been an issue for me as well, so I'd like to thank all of you. Lately I've been eating between 600-800 calories and I know it's unhealthy, I just get so scared. But with all of your support I'll be able to become healthier, thank you so much and best of luck to the original asker of the question :)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Some inspiration: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    Short version: I look better and wear clothes two sizes smaller at the same weight, eating twice as much as I did last time I tried losing weight.
  • Toxictwist
    Toxictwist Posts: 274
    I upped my calorie intake from 1200-1800 a week & a half ago, I felt so sick too in the beginning. But give it a few days & your body will adjust to the higher calorie intake.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Some inspiration: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    Short version: I look better and wear clothes two sizes smaller at the same weight, eating twice as much as I did last time I tried losing weight.

    this this this this. Seriously, spy on this girl, she has many a proof that eating works :P
This discussion has been closed.