I think my calories are too low...do you?

mgobluetx12
mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am 6'2, weigh 268 with a goal weight of 200. I work out 3-4 times a week, 30-45 minutes with weight training. My doctor has me on 1400 calories. I lost 12 pounds on my own during June, not working out. Here's what happened since I've been on 1400 cals and exercising:

Week 1 - Lost 5lbs. (this is where I want to be and figured what would happen at first - water weight and all)
Week 2 - GAINED 2lbs. How is this possible since I haven't eaten over or even 1400 cals any day. Wasn't water weight either.
Week 3 - Lost 1.4 lbs. Slowpoke!

I saw a post on here from a woman who is 4'11 and her doctor has her on 1200 cals...how can 1400 be right for me?

I've looked at sites online like Tiger Fitness and Livestrong.com and they both had way higher cals for someone my size and activity level.

Any advice?
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Replies

  • ihateroses
    ihateroses Posts: 893 Member
    Are you including calories you burned while working out?

    It does seem too low but even lower if thats all you eat PLUS exercise (if you work out 30-45 mins thats already 250+calories burned).
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    Obviously no one can tell you if your cals are too low or not and I would hope the doctor would know best? But here's a link to some reading that might help you. It's tfor the MFP group Eat More 2 Weigh Less. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    I do not eat back any calories burned from exercise.
  • GC_Hutson
    GC_Hutson Posts: 83
    My calories at set at 1850. I'm a 6'3, 270 pound gorilla.
  • uglyhobo
    uglyhobo Posts: 108 Member
    1400 is a little too low for a person of your size.
    1400 is very low and dangerous for you if you are exercising.
  • uglyhobo
    uglyhobo Posts: 108 Member
    I do not eat back any calories burned from exercise.
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
  • scruffykaz
    scruffykaz Posts: 317 Member
    I do not eat back any calories burned from exercise.
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    Lol! Love this link!!!
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
    Those two pounds were probably water weight. If it happened after you stated to exercise that alone could cause you to retain. Have you talked to your doctor again since?
  • TheBooBooStew
    TheBooBooStew Posts: 54 Member
    My dietician told me to up my calories from 1200 to 1400 because I wasnt really losing for a while. Then she also said if I do not notice a weight loss in 2 weeks to go ahead and up my calories to 1600, then two weeks I don't have a loss, go on up to 1800, then same 2 weeks, go up to 1900.

    When you began to exercise, your body needs more calories. Also take your inches weekly. Due to exercising you could be making muscle and muscle weighs lots more than fat.

    Good luck!
  • Fitty_Cent
    Fitty_Cent Posts: 41 Member
    If your doctor recommended this level, I don't think it would be dangerous for you.

    In my opinion, you really can't judge it by week to week. Even though you don't think it's water weight, it could be a number of things, undigested food in your guts, anything. Since overall you are down, I would say go for a few more weeks. See how much weight you have lost total in four or five weeks, and judge based on that number.

    The other thing to watch out for is not whether other people think it is right, but how you feel. Are you starving all the time, even after three weeks, or do you feel ok? If the calorie level feels like torture, be careful because this might push you over the edge into binge land. If, on the other hand, you feel satiated for the most part, then I'd say keep at this level. Best wishes.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    What type of doctor? General practitioners are not always knowledgeable with this type of thing. Consult a nutritionist if you can afford to, and always eat back your exercise calories.
  • ABQsheila
    ABQsheila Posts: 46 Member
    Most physicians have no clue about weightloss and nutrition in general. If they had the answers, we'd all be at our ideal weight.
  • InezRny
    InezRny Posts: 53 Member
    hi,

    I don't know who your doctor is, but you are basically setting yourself up for starvation in my opinion by only consuming 1400 calories. I am 5'11 and am in the same weight range as you are eating 1900 calories a day and that is just fine. I would recommend finding out why the doctor is telling you to eat so little especially since generally the recommended number should not be that low for your height and weight. Good luck!!!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    If its not a dietitian or someone specializing in weight loss then it's not a compelling reason to follow such stupid advice. 1400 is below your BMR and you're exercising.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    Thank you so much to everyone. I will check out that site because I don't understand why people eat back their exercise calories because aren't we trying to create a deficit and that's how we lose weight?

    I'm actually not starving at all and find it difficult to get my 1400 in, but with my BMR being just over 2000, it made me worry that I'm not getting enough nutrition.

    My doctor is weight loss surgeon, so I thought he would know what he's talking about. I was supposed to have my 1-month follow up appointment this Wednesday, but his wife had a baby, so he pushed be back to the 27th!!!!! I'm not happy about that because now I can't talk to him about my slow progress for another 3 weeks.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    I would say it is too low, for sure. I am only 5'10 and 126 Ibs, and with my daily 60-90 minute workout and general activity, I eat 2200-2800 per day to maintain so would lose on about 1800. I suggest slowly going up to about 1800 at your height and weight, especially if you are exercising, but make sure it is good, nutrient dense food.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Thank you so much to everyone. I will check out that site because I don't understand why people eat back their exercise calories because aren't we trying to create a deficit and that's how we lose weight?

    If you are eating 1400 when you weigh 268, you are at a deficit with no exercise whatsoever. Exercising will increase the deficit but is not creating it. It is created by cutting your intake in the first place.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    For reference, I'm 5'2", 123 lbs, muscular, and I maintain by eating 1800-2000 per day. 1600 is healthy weight loss for me. I'm a foot shorter than you.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    My dietician told me to up my calories from 1200 to 1400 because I wasnt really losing for a while. Then she also said if I do not notice a weight loss in 2 weeks to go ahead and up my calories to 1600, then two weeks I don't have a loss, go on up to 1800, then same 2 weeks, go up to 1900.

    When you began to exercise, your body needs more calories. Also take your inches weekly. Due to exercising you could be making muscle and muscle weighs lots more than fat.

    Good luck!

    Lawl

    Your dietician belongs to the EM2WL clique? Mine wouldn't even think to say something like that.

    I literally LOL'd out loud :P
  • jawheb
    jawheb Posts: 295 Member
    You need at least 1800 a day net. If you
    burn it you must add
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    thats definitely too low for me and i'm nowhere near as tall as you (i'm 5'5 and weight 192). do you know what your resting TDEE is? sometimes you can't go by online formulae. i figured out that for me, mine is a good 400-500 calories more than what calculators says it should be.

    my current TDEE is around 2500-3000 depending on if i workout. for weight loss i eat 1750-2100 calories
  • GnochhiGnomes
    GnochhiGnomes Posts: 348 Member
    If your getting all your nutrients in and your losing your desired weight each week then I don't see why they're too low.
  • eig6
    eig6 Posts: 249 Member
    My calories at set at 1850. I'm a 6'3, 270 pound gorilla.

    Wow, really? Im 4'11'' (and 3/4!) and I've lost weight eating that!

    Edit: Im genuinely surprised- not backhandedly saying you should eat more- just amazed!
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Definitely seems low to me. I am still losing some weight on maintenance at 1680 cal, plus eating back all my exercise calories, which means I end up eating 1800 to 2500. And I am only 5'5 and 131 pounds! I lost my weight eating around 1400 plus exercise cals (so averaging closer to 1700 or higher).

    You have to find what is sustainable for you. Also, if you are really committed to working out and changing your body, you need to fuel yourself properly.
  • velsbree
    velsbree Posts: 69
    If you under an MD care I would not second guess it and if you do not trust your MD get a scond opinion. If the lapband remains in place get a fill, make sure they put adequate saline in. You should be following up with the registered dietician at the bariatric surgeons office, those follow up visits are essential to your success. You will get many opinions on her related to calorie intake none are medical professionals familiar with your history
  • Jalare
    Jalare Posts: 103
    Just as a point of reference, I'm 6 feet and weigh 253. I used to lose at 1800 calories, but I recently set my calorie goal myself at 1500 but I usually eat back my exercise calories which can range from 400 - 800 calories on average. Since then I have averaged 1.5 lbs a week. I wish you all the best in figuring out what's best for your body.
  • foreversunshine1
    foreversunshine1 Posts: 46 Member
    Nice to see so many tall ladies, there I was thinking it was only me ;-)... I am 5'10, MFP says for me to lose 2 lb per week, my calories set at 1300 (1000 deficit daily, without exercise) ... I think you should definitely be eating your exercise calories back! Your 1400 is already giving you 1000 deficit (or more) per day.

    Good luck!

    ~Erin
  • wildrosejmj
    wildrosejmj Posts: 26 Member
    In my small amount of experience, I am reaching the conclusion that everyone is different and there's no perfect solution for everyone. You have all these tricks and formulas and the ways that things are "supposed to be". For me, I never believed that counting calories was going to work because I never ate anywhere near what all the guidelines said I was "supposed" to eat and I was always overweight. My weight was fairly steady for a long time though (outside of pregnancy) and I was comfortable so I didn't really care. But then I started gaining weight without any explanation. Just put on 20 lbs over 2 yrs. I tried high protein/low carb programs, I gave up caffeine, I ate more food thinking I must be doing something wrong (I just gained MORE weight). Finally a friend got me to start counting calories. The first several weeks I just recorded what I ate, making small sacrifices here and there (am I really hungry or am I just habit eating?) and being aware of portion sizes and calorie amounts. I made better choices and ate tons more vegis than ever. I also gave up cheese and chocolate because I know I should eat them anyway (tummy doesn't like them). Lo and behold, my average calorie intake was around 1300 and I started losing weight! It was amazing! I do have set backs right before my period starts, but then it all goes away again. I'm 3 months into it now and have lost almost 14 lbs. I feel great and am not hungry outside of meal/snack times. Oh, and I'm 5'7" and started at 240 lbs. Best of luck!!

    Deo Juvante, Jen
  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
    I'm on about 1400, too. AND I'm the same height as you with the same goal. It works for me, but I don't exercise as much as you so you're probably gaining more muscle than I am.

    And 1400 is if you want to lose 2 pounds a week (Like I want to), where as if you go with MFP suggestions, you should be losing 1 pound a week with about 1800-1900 calories :)

    Just change your goals and see how it goes for a week or two. Good luck!
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    You didn't lose 5 lbs of fat in one week, so the 2 lbs you "gained" really was just your water weight evening out. You didn't gain fat on a deficit. And losing 1.6 lbs in a week is awesome.

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