Don't bite my head off here.....

elijhasmomma · August 2012

OK, so here's the deal. Obviously I'm not great with fitness, or I wouldn't have let myself get to the weight I am now at 5'9. So..yes, I have mfp set to lose 2lbs a week, so I know I already have a 1,000cal deficit a day. My TDEE is 2485. I am sedentary. When I'm not doing my workouts, I am on the couch or in a chair doing homework on my lap top. Might be up playing with my son, but not so much that it would cause such a big difference.

Here's the deal, I burn anywhere between 700-1200 cals a day when I do my workouts. (I know some may say well hey, you're not sedentary, you're lightly active blah blah..no, I'm really not ok?) I usually do my biggest burn after my son goes to bed and I have more time. I eat throughout the day-I swear I do. I usually eat about 1700-1800cals a day but of course after my evening workout, I'm down to netting mmmmm about 250-700 cals. But the thing is, since I'm doing the biggest workout before shower and bed, I'm not hungry throughout the day. My first workout is done right after lunch so I get hungry, have a snack, eat dinner. Work out, cals get low so I have a light snack and then shower and bed....

Is it REALLY that bad that I'm netting that low before bed?:huh: I'm not hungry..I feel fine. We're talking about somebody who is in the 40's for a Body Mas Index-yup they classified my fat *kitten* (pun intended) as obese. :grumble:

And hey, I don't need smart *kitten* comments, I don't need negativity. Constructive criticism is always welcome, or I wouldn't be asking, but I read a lot of these forums and some of you people can be real JERKS.:grumble:

So as a foreword-if you have something smart to say you can just shove it..mkay? :bigsmile:

lyttlewon · August 2012

If you can't eat back enough calories maybe reconsider the level of activity you are doing in comparison to your body's ability to fuel itself with what you feed it.

acm130 · August 2012

I work crazy irregular hours and often work out at night, sometimes my "dinner" is at 10 p.m. I don't think it matters it's the net effect over 24 hrs. There's a lot of information out there, but honestly, for me the best thing has just been consistency. Working out, no matter what time of day it is, is working out. You'll find your "sweet spot" in terms of energy in, energy out, just stick with it and don't give up:)

tmauck4472 · August 2012

I personally don't think it's bad, but eat very low calories anyways, to the point of negative net most days with exercise.

JessyJ03 · August 2012

OK, so here's the deal. Obviously I'm not great with fitness, or I wouldn't have let myself get to the weight I am now at 5'9. So..yes, I have mfp set to lose 2lbs a week, so I know I already have a 1,000cal deficit a day. My TDEE is 2485. I am sedentary. When I'm not doing my workouts, I am on the couch or in a chair doing homework on my lap top. Might be up playing with my son, but not so much that it would cause such a big difference.

Here's the deal, I burn anywhere between 700-1200 cals a day when I do my workouts. (I know some may say well hey, you're not sedentary, you're lightly active blah blah..no, I'm really not ok?) I usually do my biggest burn after my son goes to bed and I have more time. I eat throughout the day-I swear I do. I usually eat about 1700-1800cals a day but of course after my evening workout, I'm down to netting mmmmm about 250-700 cals. But the thing is, since I'm doing the biggest workout before shower and bed, I'm not hungry throughout the day. My first workout is done right after lunch so I get hungry, have a snack, eat dinner. Work out, cals get low so I have a light snack and then shower and bed....

Is it REALLY that bad that I'm netting that low before bed?:huh: I'm not hungry..I feel fine. We're talking about somebody who is in the 40's for a Body Mas Index-yup they classified my fat *kitten* (pun intended) as obese. :grumble:

And hey, I don't need smart *kitten* comments, I don't need negativity. Constructive criticism is always welcome, or I wouldn't be asking, but I read a lot of these forums and some of you people can be real JERKS.:grumble:

So as a foreword-if you have something smart to say you can just shove it..mkay? :bigsmile:

You're causing yourself more harm in the long run. The body needs fuel to continue doing the activity you are doing. If you don't feed it properly it doesn't run properly. Period. Eat more. If you have trouble putting high volume in try eating higher calorie foods (GASP! I know). You really don't want to shut down your metabolism and after awhile of eating so low when your weight loss stalls you will be left wondering what's going wrong. Eat... I know it's weird to eat more to lose weight but you need to. It's how this is going to work for you long term.

lyttlewon · August 2012

Oh and what does it look like if you go by week? Are you netting a good value at the end?

cartrat · August 2012

if you're hungry, you're hungry. if you're not, you're not. just listen to your body's natural cravings. don't feel like you have to answer to complete strangers just because you netted a small amount of calories. like you said, there are some self-righteous people on here who think they know all about food and everyone's body because they read a bunch of stuff on the internet. and then there are people who are just along for the ride and practice diff'rent strokes. you're not going to screw up anything if your body is telling you that it doesn't need anymore food. you would have to do some crazy damage to screw up your metabolism. in fact, some sources say there's no possible way to screw it up. just do what makes you happy and healthy.

pastryari · August 2012

Your diary isn't open so it's difficult to try to help you.

So I'm going to answer the basic/simple question with a basic/simple answer.

Eat more calorie dense foods.

Pebble321 · August 2012

If this is a one off, don't worry about it, just eat a bigger breakfast the next day or just let it go.
If this happens on a regular basis - then as I see it you have two choices:
- start planning your meals for the day so you eat more during the day to ensure that your body is well fuelled for the exercise you do.
or
- cut your exercise intensity or duration to something that balances better which how much you choose to eat.
Exercise is great for your physical and mental health but maybe you are doing more than is necessary. Exercising intensely while not eating enough isn't going to be good for your health in the long term.

(And - an unsolicited suggestion here - if you want positive answers, you'll probably get more if you post your question in a positive manner. Assuming that everyone on here is rude, is just...... well.... rude!)

subcult · August 2012

Eating 1800 calories doesn't. Sound crazy low to me.

clrrrr · August 2012

if you're hungry, you're hungry. if you're not, you're not. just listen to your body's natural cravings. don't feel like you have to answer to complete strangers just because you netted a small amount of calories. like you said, there are some self-righteous people on here who think they know all about food and everyone's body because they read a bunch of stuff on the internet. and then there are people who are just along for the ride and practice diff'rent strokes. you're not going to screw up anything if your body is telling you that it doesn't need anymore food.

this. eat when you're hungry, and be mindful of whether what you're eating is appropriate to fuel the activities that you have planned until the next time you eat. calories in, calories out.

loftus2005 · August 2012

I say, if its working for you then keep doing what you are doing.. Everybody is different. If you aren't losing and you think you should be try to eat a few more calories thru out the day! Listen to your body, I think thats most important!!!

dad106 · August 2012

So you don't want rude people.. but yet you tell people to shove it.. Pot calling the kettle black anyone?

Anyway, back to your question.. if it's one day, no I don't think it will be a problem.

My question is, are you basing your calories of TDEE or what MFP gives you? If it's TDEE then exercise is already included, and you don't need to eat those calories back. If it's based of what MFP gives you, then you should prob. eat some of those calories back depending on how much you need to lose.

Also, how are you calculating exercise? Because 700-1200 calories for workouts sounds a bit out there..

fat214 · August 2012

This is me just not 5 9" I'm 5 4". I want to know too.

phynyxfyre · August 2012

Sounds like you have something that is working for you. Be confident in your choices. You know your body better than anyone else, so if you are full, don't eat any more.

wildcata77 · August 2012

if you're hungry, you're hungry. if you're not, you're not. just listen to your body's natural cravings. don't feel like you have to answer to complete strangers just because you netted a small amount of calories.

This times 1000. People who stay naturally thin throughout their adult lives follow this practice. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you are not. It really is that simple, unless you are training for something. Some days I'm close, some days I'm over, today I'm over 500 under because I swam late, ate some popcorn, drank some water, and don't feel the need to shovel food in before bed.

sydnisd183 · August 2012

maybe try having a protein shake in the evening?. 2 scoops of protein, 1/2 c. cottage cheese and 1/4c. greek yogurt and some water, (or milk) blended. add some frozen fruit to the mix if you want.

i understand how it is......i just did not feel like eating today. i do heavy weight training sessions using compound movements 3x a week. i also run 3 mi. 3x a week. i run outside here in Houston and it was 102 at 6pm. by the time i get home i don't want ANYTHING to eat haha so i make myself drink these shakes so at least i get something in

Nerdy_Rose · August 2012

How sure are you of the accuracy of your calorie burns?

thompsonpyl · August 2012

I think you just need to keep an eye on your body. Make sure you are getting plenty of water. If you aren't hungry don't force yourself to eat; however, if you notice that the scale is not dropping or that it's increasing, your body is probably going into starvation mode and holding onto the calories. A lot of people recommend a protein shake after an intense workout. Today, I ate a kid's size cup of Chobani Greek Yogurt. It's only 100 calories, with 8 grams of protein. I also drank about 24 oz of water, though not all at once. Best of luck.

gabi_ele · August 2012

I have been there done that a couple of times. If i would have kept off the weight I have lost over the years there would be nothing left of me. The problem is can you live like this (eating 250 to 750 cal net) for the rest of your life? What happens if you can't keep up with your exercises for some reason( injury, time restrictions whatever).
I remember being on 700 cal. a day, losing weight like crazy and keeping it off for a little while and as soon as I was not watching it crept up and up and up and all of a sudden I was back to my former weight and then some. I have jo joed myself from a size 14 to a 26 over the years. Maybe right now it's not hurting you as much, but look into the future.
Just my 2 cents worth and you can do what ever you feel like ...

nz_deevaa · August 2012

If you've got a lot of weight to lose, then it's likely not really a problem. FOR NOW.

It might get to be a problem in the future, but if you feel good, your not tired, and you are losing consistently, then keep doing what you are doing.

If you get to a point (like I did), that you're weight loss stalls, your tired all the time and your hair starts falling out, then it's time to up the calories.

However, if you don't have a lot of weight to lose, I'd set my goal much less aggressively.

somedaysoon84 · August 2012

700-1200 calories is a lot of burn. don't use the MFP calories burned, they are super duper high. i was using them for a while, and pretty much stopped losing.... did some checking around, and it was about 200-300 calories off everyday. that's HUGE when you're working out 5-7 days a week. and eating them back.

the problem is, if you aren't putting enough fuel to the fire, it will burn out. BUT i wouldn't consider 1800 calories low by any means. and if you aren't getting as many burned calories as you think, you may be on the right track. i'm set to 1200, and i eat back most of my workout calories, so that puts me in the 1500 ish range daily.

Meraid · August 2012

if you're hungry, you're hungry. if you're not, you're not. just listen to your body's natural cravings. don't feel like you have to answer to complete strangers just because you netted a small amount of calories. like you said, there are some self-righteous people on here who think they know all about food and everyone's body because they read a bunch of stuff on the internet. and then there are people who are just along for the ride and practice diff'rent strokes. you're not going to screw up anything if your body is telling you that it doesn't need anymore food.

this. eat when you're hungry, and be mindful of whether what you're eating is appropriate to fuel the activities that you have planned until the next time you eat. calories in, calories out.

Can't this be dangerous to go by though? My friend is developing an eating disorder and told me that she can go awhile without eating and not feel hungry. Although now she says it's developing into pain.

Ghilber · August 2012

My goal is 1880 and I rarely eat anywhere near that on weekdays. I have 3 scrambled eggs for breakfast, a spinach, chicken breast, chickpea, cucumber, avo salad for lunch and approx 200g rib fillet and 3 veg for dinner (a mix between carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn and potato) I also have fruit, usually bananas and at the moment some oranges and a cuppa soup as snacks if I'm hungry. Plus usually 3 coffees per day (no sugar). I'm rarely hungry, and if I am I have one of my snacks cuppa soup or fruit and It's usually only 1200-1400 calories per day. I would have to go out of my way to eat up to 1880.

Plus when I exercise I net way below my goal calories.

I'm getting plenty of good foods, I feel great and I think to push myself to eat up to this 1880 that an App has selected for me is just silly.

Weekends are different because I might go out for dinner or have some beers or something.

st0rmch4s3r · August 2012

i have found out by experience only that it doesn't matter when you eat, it's what you put in your mouth...i eat something every two hours i am awake, it helps my metabolism...i weighed 325 in april this year and i'm down to 294...when i eat, i'll eat like a tomato and a cucumber or a couple of fruits, i have even had a small bag of chips, between my "main" meals, but sometimes i just eat fruit and veggies and some type of meat during the day...i have also cut back a lot on sodas, my dr told me to drink g2 or powerade zero, to me it tastes like weak koolaid, but every now and then i will drink a coke, i'm also type 2 diabetic, i take insulin and oral meds and i still eat my chocolate, but not as much as i used to, but anyhow i hope this helps you and anyone else who reads this...

hooperkay · August 2012

I think you should do whats best for you. I play tennis at night so I'm in the same boat. I get done at 9-10. I'm not coming home, taking a shower, and then eating... no way. I eat during the day anywhere from 1200-1800 calories. Some days I burn 1400-2000 calories from exercise. There is no way I can eat that much! I am eating healthy foods and I'm not gonna eat high calorie stuff just to get more calories in. I feel great and I'm losing weight at a good pace. I've even added high protein bars/ powders to my diet to add calories with protein. Problem is finding ones with low sugar?? I'd say eat like 6 300 calorie meals and if your hungry add a few more to one or more meals. I feel like if your not maintaining you exercise to lose, and eating those back are counterproductive. Everyone has their own opinion. Change what you do, listen to your body, and find what works for you!! If you don't eat enough then you'll be tired, hungry, and irritable.

elijhasmomma · August 2012

Oh and what does it look like if you go by week? Are you netting a good value at the end?

For the first week (july 27th thru aug 2nd) i netted 4,759cals but burned 7,432cals.
For the week just ending (aug 3rd thru aug 9th) i netted 4,947 cals and burned 6,222 cals...

My daily nets usually hover in the 700's but now i fele bad so I made myself eat a piece of sausage and bread LMBO :grumble:

this is craziness. i know i cnt sustain life this way, but as im so overly weight..le sigh-i am 277lbs as of july 23rd at 5'9...i want to work on droppin as much as i can quickly, then tapering off to start the 1-2lbs a week loss and start lifting. I feel fine, I never feel weak or that I am going to pass out. If my numbers are correct...

I had a weekly deficit the first week of 20,068 which is = to 5.7lbs and this past week i had a deficit of 18,496 = to 5.2lbs. I honestly TRY to eat. But before I got pregnant and gained all this weight (i use to be 180)-i was running 1-2 hrs a day and only eating 1600 cals a day and dropped like 24lbs in a month. (i was 220 before the loss) then i got pregnant., I didnt calculate or monitor. I simply wrote down what I ate to make sure it was 4meals of 400cals each.

kjw1031 · August 2012

If you don't eat enough then you'll be tired, hungry, and irritable.

Well this made me laugh out loud after having read the original post!

spazz_face · August 2012

I always net low, really low. usually <200, today it is 86. I am eating big healthy meals, I am not hungry, and I am losing weight. I am happy with that. Different strokes. If what you are doing is working for you go for it. If i did the whole eat what you burn id be eating 2500cal a day and that idea is horrifying for me.

Pebble321 · August 2012

if you're hungry, you're hungry. if you're not, you're not. just listen to your body's natural cravings. don't feel like you have to answer to complete strangers just because you netted a small amount of calories. like you said, there are some self-righteous people on here who think they know all about food and everyone's body because they read a bunch of stuff on the internet. and then there are people who are just along for the ride and practice diff'rent strokes. you're not going to screw up anything if your body is telling you that it doesn't need anymore food.

this. eat when you're hungry, and be mindful of whether what you're eating is appropriate to fuel the activities that you have planned until the next time you eat. calories in, calories out.

Can't this be dangerous to go by though? My friend is developing an eating disorder and told me that she can go awhile without eating and not feel hungry. Although now she says it's developing into pain.

I think "eating when hungry" is another one of those things that works really well for some people and not so well for others.
Personally, "eating when hungry" for lots of years led me to be obese. Eating around about the (net) calories that MFP recommends for me has seen me lose lots of weight and keep most of it off for almost a year. to get used to just how much food my body needs in a day to keep me at a healthy

It sounds as though your friend has lots of issues going on, and in her situation, waiting to be hungry sounds like a very bad idea.

Healthy_Melva · August 2012

My best loss that lasted the longest followed the motto of "eat only when you are hungry, and don't eat more than you should for your stomach size." In this way of eating, we gauged our stomach size based on the size of our fist. That doesn't sound like much food, but after a while it was about how much I needed. I got hungry every 4 hours, and I ate what I wanted, so long as I didn't overeat. I lost 60# and kept it off for 3 years. I had a clinical depressive episode and gained it back in about 3 years.

This time around, I'm following MFP's suggested calories in and calories out formula with the exception that I only eat back 1/2 my exercise calories. This is working for me.

About extreme exercise and not feeling hungry-- my husband falls into that niche. He lost 50# over the past year or so, but just couldn't get that last 10-12# off. I convinced him that he isn't eating enough food, so he has been eating more and has started losing again.

In my humble opinion, his extreme exercise habits suppressed his appetite, so he never felt hungry. It took him a while to get to where he would eat at least two meals a day. Now he is up to three. He expends so many calories that I try to get him to eat a snack, but no luck so far. He is much less irritable and sleeping better now that he is eating more calories.

I hope this helps.

Don't bite my head off here.....

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