Storing Fat?

Fally100
Fally100 Posts: 7
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok...so I read that if you don't get your calorie target for the day, you're body will store fat and make weight loss difficult. I mean I'm still eating, just not as much as I did, and usually only hitting just over half of the 1600 that is set. But surely....Less food + Plenty of exercise = Good?

Replies

  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    If you mean that eating too little causes fat storage, then that would be a false statement.

    But I wouldn't call Less food + exercise "good," necessarily.

    And if you're only eating 800 cals a day, you're headed for trouble. Big time.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Please clarify--so you're eating 800 calories? No, very bad if you are, in fact, eating 800 calories. Hell, as a man even 1600 is not even close to enough.
  • Fally100
    Fally100 Posts: 7
    That's with the loss for exercise....but surely if you eat just to get more calories even when you're not at all hungry, that's not gonna help losing weight? :-/
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    Ok...so I read that if you don't get your calorie target for the day, you're body will store fat and make weight loss difficult. I mean I'm still eating, just not as much as I did, and usually only hitting just over half of the 1600 that is set. But surely....Less food + Plenty of exercise = Good?

    Your body will only increase fat storage if you eat an excess of food. A negative food intake will always result in lost weight and body fat. The problem with just cutting it down to nothing is that it could eventually slow your metabolism and cause your body to lose at a slower rate and you don't want your body to start cannibalizing healthy muscle tissue instead of fat. Just take it easy and do it in a sustainable manner.

    The law of diminishing returns is basically true for everything. Let's say you want to launch a rocket into space. You would think that adding a bigger rocket would get you into space easier. The problem is that to fuel the bigger rocket you need even more fuel. To lift more fuel you need a bigger rocket. There exists a critical point where the more fuel and larger rocket are just making it take more effort to do the same thing you could do with less energy expenditure.

    Your body works the same way. Sure you can lose weight eating 500 calories a day but that's not the most efficient way do it and secondly it's not a sustainable method for weight loss. You want to do something that's easy to come down off of. If you're used to eating only 500 calories a day you'll be out of control and have no idea what to do once you get to the desired weight goal. Take it nice and easy, lose a half-pound to a pound a week and you'll only have to make a slight adjustment once you reach your goal.
  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    That's with the loss for exercise....but surely if you eat just to get more calories even when you're not at all hungry, that's not gonna help losing weight? :-/

    You still need enough food to get sufficient micronutrients and recover from your workout. Too large a deficit for too long will run you into the ground.
  • Fally100
    Fally100 Posts: 7
    Ok guys, cheers for your help.....so eat what I want, and exercise...so long as it comes in under the target?
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Ok guys, cheers for your help.....so eat what I want, and exercise...so long as it comes in under the target?

    Basically. I mean minimally processed foods, whole grains, healthy fats, and SOME treats is ideal but you'll lose weight as long as you eat the targeted amount indicated by MFP.
  • blb1230
    blb1230 Posts: 69 Member
    I can speak from experience!! When I first came to MFP, I would only eat 900-1200 calories. I would work out and burn 300-900 calories. The scales didn't move!! I was so frustrated, to say the least. Then I saw a posting about the whole, eat more to lose more, thing. So I tried it....which was difficult!! I have spent my life cutting meals to try to lose weight. Since I made this shift, I am finally losing on the scale but also inches!! I still have a hard time eating enough calories, but I am making a effort to. If my daily goal is 1500 and I work out burning 500 calories, I try to eat at least 250 back. Hope this helps!!
  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    Ok guys, cheers for your help.....so eat what I want, and exercise...so long as it comes in under the target?

    Exactly. I couldn't imagine an active adult male not losing weight on 1800 cals.
  • Fally100
    Fally100 Posts: 7
    Ok guys, cheers for your help.....so eat what I want, and exercise...so long as it comes in under the target?

    Basically. I mean minimally processed foods, whole grains, healthy fats, and SOME treats is ideal but you'll lose weight as long as you eat the targeted amount indicated by MFP.

    Again, thanks for your help :-)...Never dieted before in my life and the help is greatly appreciated x
  • Fally100
    Fally100 Posts: 7
    I can speak from experience!! When I first came to MFP, I would only eat 900-1200 calories. I would work out and burn 300-900 calories. The scales didn't move!! I was so frustrated, to say the least. Then I saw a posting about the whole, eat more to lose more, thing. So I tried it....which was difficult!! I have spent my life cutting meals to try to lose weight. Since I made this shift, I am finally losing on the scale but also inches!! I still have a hard time eating enough calories, but I am making a effort to. If my daily goal is 1500 and I work out burning 500 calories, I try to eat at least 250 back. Hope this helps!!

    Thanks :-)...I know what you mean by difficult, I feel like to hit that calorie target daily, I'll be eating loads more than necessary :-/ just weird I guess!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I can speak from experience!! When I first came to MFP, I would only eat 900-1200 calories. I would work out and burn 300-900 calories. The scales didn't move!! I was so frustrated, to say the least. Then I saw a posting about the whole, eat more to lose more, thing. So I tried it....which was difficult!! I have spent my life cutting meals to try to lose weight. Since I made this shift, I am finally losing on the scale but also inches!! I still have a hard time eating enough calories, but I am making a effort to. If my daily goal is 1500 and I work out burning 500 calories, I try to eat at least 250 back. Hope this helps!!

    Thanks :-)...I know what you mean by difficult, I feel like to hit that calorie target daily, I'll be eating loads more than necessary :-/ just weird I guess!

    not if you don't shy away from fat...

    olive oil
    nuts
    seeds
    peanut butter
    cheese
    regular bread (not diet crud)
    lowfat or regular yogurt (not nonfat)
    veggies sauteed in olive oil
    lean meat cooked in olive oil
    oatmeal cooked in milk

    just some ideas.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I can speak from experience!! When I first came to MFP, I would only eat 900-1200 calories. I would work out and burn 300-900 calories. The scales didn't move!! I was so frustrated, to say the least. Then I saw a posting about the whole, eat more to lose more, thing. So I tried it....which was difficult!! I have spent my life cutting meals to try to lose weight. Since I made this shift, I am finally losing on the scale but also inches!! I still have a hard time eating enough calories, but I am making a effort to. If my daily goal is 1500 and I work out burning 500 calories, I try to eat at least 250 back. Hope this helps!!

    Thanks :-)...I know what you mean by difficult, I feel like to hit that calorie target daily, I'll be eating loads more than necessary :-/ just weird I guess!

    not if you don't shy away from fat...

    olive oil
    nuts
    seeds
    peanut butter
    cheese
    regular bread (not diet crud)
    lowfat or regular yogurt (not nonfat)
    veggies sauteed in olive oil
    lean meat cooked in olive oil
    oatmeal cooked in milk

    just some ideas.

    Great list! These are easy snacks to get you to your calorie goal and get nutrients into your body. They are higher in calories than typical "diet food" and will help if you need more calories in.
  • Fally100
    Fally100 Posts: 7
    I can speak from experience!! When I first came to MFP, I would only eat 900-1200 calories. I would work out and burn 300-900 calories. The scales didn't move!! I was so frustrated, to say the least. Then I saw a posting about the whole, eat more to lose more, thing. So I tried it....which was difficult!! I have spent my life cutting meals to try to lose weight. Since I made this shift, I am finally losing on the scale but also inches!! I still have a hard time eating enough calories, but I am making a effort to. If my daily goal is 1500 and I work out burning 500 calories, I try to eat at least 250 back. Hope this helps!!

    Thanks :-)...I know what you mean by difficult, I feel like to hit that calorie target daily, I'll be eating loads more than necessary :-/ just weird I guess!

    not if you don't shy away from fat...

    olive oil
    nuts
    seeds
    peanut butter
    cheese
    regular bread (not diet crud)
    lowfat or regular yogurt (not nonfat)
    veggies sauteed in olive oil
    lean meat cooked in olive oil
    oatmeal cooked in milk

    just some ideas.

    Great list! These are easy snacks to get you to your calorie goal and get nutrients into your body. They are higher in calories than typical "diet food" and will help if you need more calories in.

    I will get my head round it eventually, but thanks for attempting to explain lol x
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    I imagine that as a guy, you'd like to maybe retain a bit of muscle and not be a human pretzel stick. If you're eating that little, you're not even giving your body what it needs to sustain basic daily functions. Without enough nutrients (especially enough protein, which you're *certainly* not getting by eating 900 calories a day and working 300-900 of them off), your body will shed muscle just as readily as it will shed fat. The result is what's commonly referred to as "skinny fat" - you're skinny, but you have a high bodyfat percentage and no muscle, so you just look wimpy and squishy.

    You may want to read the first post in this thread to get an idea of where you should be at, calorie-wise:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
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