" You are eating too few calories" message

2

Replies

  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
    I've been wondering lately if the people who are constantly saying you have to eat more are a lot younger than me. As you get older your calorie requirments are less. I think. I just do not lose weight if I eat more than 1200 a day. Any amount more. I lose if I eat below 1000 a day. I'm 44. And I'm only five pounds away from my goal weight. It gets pretty confusing how everyone has these cut and dry rules. Anyway I get that message pretty regularly.
  • Chewster001
    Chewster001 Posts: 201 Member
    I've been wondering lately if the people who are constantly saying you have to eat more are a lot younger than me. As you get older your calorie requirments are less. I think. I just do not lose weight if I eat more than 1200 a day. Any amount more. I lose if I eat below 1000 a day. I'm 44. And I'm only five pounds away from my goal weight. It gets pretty confusing how everyone has these cut and dry rules. Anyway I get that message pretty regularly.

    Same here. I'm 39, and with the 1200 calories over the last month I've lost zero lbs. The month before I lost 15 lbs. I'm exercising every day, but even with eating back some (most) of those calories, I'm plateaued. Some people don't fit into every box.
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
    I get it during certain periods of the month where I'm just not hungry, and don't want to eat just to get my calories up, when I'm clearly not hungry. Usually this happens for 1 week out of every month, where I just don't feel hungry all week. If your eating under 1200 calories, it will pop up with that message. It's because "your not eating enough calories" according to a lot of people, and mfp. I personally don't think its productive to go eat just to get my calories up when I'm not hungry, so I don't. I've lost an average of 5 lbs per month so far, and I'm pretty happy with that. I'm not starving myself, I'm not hungry, so it's not a problem for me. If you are worried about being under, nuts are a great way to get your calories up without eating a lot, and they are healthy for you. They are also yummy! :D
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
    Wow, I'm realizing how inefficient writing can be! why can't you all just read my mind or something? :)

    Just to clear any misconceptions of me starving myself--I am eating at least 1200 calories, most days more. I figured out the reason I'm getting the "message" --it's because I'm not eating back my exercise calories. I've been on this path of routine exercise for quite a while, but I haven't been tracking my eating very much...so the message is new to me.

    Thanks for your help.

    Huh. That's really weird. I've had lots of times where I don't eat my exercise cals and I have a lot left and I haven't gotten that message before. I only get it when I'm under 1200 for the day.
  • PHXBlondie
    PHXBlondie Posts: 26 Member
    It bugs me when people don't even bother to read the entire thread before they post their "advice." Read the thread, people, so you know WTH people are talking about. lol

    That message was clearly developed by MFP's legal department for liability reasons. There's a lot of exposure when you're dealing with people's health. They're trying to cover their exposure. Use common sense and if you feel good, have energy, and are losing weight - don't eat more simply because MFP's program tells you to eat more. Weight loss is not black and white for everyone. We're all different and part of the challenge is to figure out what works for US.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    then again, mfp will give you this message if you eat only 1 calorie less than your daily suggested. i literally got it when i had 1999 calories logged and my goal is 1200. lets be reasonable.

    Wow, that is not happening for me. I would be annoyed with that! I only get it when I'm about 300 under...like I said above--when I'm not eating back my exercise calories.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    It bugs me when people don't even bother to read the entire thread before they post their "advice." Read the thread, people, so you know WTH people are talking about. lol

    That message was clearly developed by MFP's legal department for liability reasons. There's a lot of exposure when you're dealing with people's health. They're trying to cover their exposure. Use common sense and if you feel good, have energy, and are losing weight - don't eat more simply because MFP's program tells you to eat more. Weight loss is not black and white for everyone. We're all different and part of the challenge is to figure out what works for US.

    I know, right? Yes, you are probably correct, it's for liability....good point!!
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    I get it during certain periods of the month where I'm just not hungry, and don't want to eat just to get my calories up, when I'm clearly not hungry. Usually this happens for 1 week out of every month, where I just don't feel hungry all week. If your eating under 1200 calories, it will pop up with that message. It's because "your not eating enough calories" according to a lot of people, and mfp. I personally don't think its productive to go eat just to get my calories up when I'm not hungry, so I don't. I've lost an average of 5 lbs per month so far, and I'm pretty happy with that. I'm not starving myself, I'm not hungry, so it's not a problem for me. If you are worried about being under, nuts are a great way to get your calories up without eating a lot, and they are healthy for you. They are also yummy! :D

    Yup. Yup. Yup. I feel this way, too. Ravenous one week, not really hungry the next...
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    Wow, I'm realizing how inefficient writing can be! why can't you all just read my mind or something? :)

    Just to clear any misconceptions of me starving myself--I am eating at least 1200 calories, most days more. I figured out the reason I'm getting the "message" --it's because I'm not eating back my exercise calories. I've been on this path of routine exercise for quite a while, but I haven't been tracking my eating very much...so the message is new to me.

    Thanks for your help.

    No....Most people responding understand that. Netting 800 is still too few for a majority of the population. Seeing as how you never gave any statistics about yourself, it is assumed that you fit into this majority.

    I am not saying that you should take advice from strangers on the internet, but maybe you could do some research to form your own opinion while also considering first-hand accounts you hear on this thread.
  • Erienneb
    Erienneb Posts: 592 Member
    I got that message the first time when I was sick the other day. My daily goal is 1800 and I just couldn't eat anything and ended up with like 900 becaue of how ill I was. So I finished my diary and it yelled at me! haha.

    I think it just auto does it for under 1200 calories. Even thuogh that's a totally arbitrary number.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I didn't even know this site had that message! Guess I'm eating either the right amount or just too much, lol. :laugh:
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    Getting this on days you don't exercise is a lot more concerning then getting it on days that you do. You can eat 1800 calories on a day you exercise and still get this message, I honestly don't believe you have to eat every single exercise calorie back, although I often do now because my BMR is so low
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
    Hunger is a funny thing. When I first started back up running last spring, I didn't track food - I ate when I was hungry, healthy stuff. I ate the occasional treat but when I'm active, my sweet tooth disappears. I dropped 5# pretty quickly, but then stagnated. I was never hungry and felt fine.

    I started tracking, and found out I was accidentally starving myself. Oops! So I started eating more, had trouble eating enough calories, but dropped another 5# easily over about a month. Yay! But I was having trouble eating all my calories and constantly got that "you're not eating enough" message.

    Saw a nutritionist, who helped redesign my calorie/meal goals. She put me on a higher calorie diet and has gotten me to start snacking (I hate snacking). Instead of "eating back" my workout calories, since my workouts vary over the week and I can't always plan precisely what they're going to be, I eat the same volume of calories every day, with very small variations based on workout (modulated by post-workout snack). I'm still adjusting, but am now ravenous all the time (and am eating more than I used to).

    Hunger is a very strange thing, that at least for me, has absolutely no relation to how many calories I actually need to consume - I think I broke my appetite :frown:
  • bestbassist
    bestbassist Posts: 177 Member
    Ignore it. Who lets a computer tell them what to do?
  • moonracer3
    moonracer3 Posts: 134
    My daily goal is 1370 and I usually hit 1200 plus a little, not including all the calories I generally don't eat back after burning them.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Sorry, I didn't mean to say I don't understand what the message is saying....what I mean is: Do you just ignore it or eat more? I'm wondering how many people are eating close to their recommended totals.

    I'm at 1200 cals per day but with exercise at the end of the day I've got 300-400 left over calories and that's when I'm getting the message.

    I get this message from time to time, but since I'm full of energy and feeling good, I ignore it. My husband has also ignored it and now he's having a low energy day and has realized he needs to eat more to have enough energy to be happy. The energy issue is a key. If you get to feeling listless, you're starving and need to eat more. People say that your metabolism shuts down when your body is starving. Not a good way to succeed at losing weight.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
    I sometimes get that message, but I usually just ignore it. You don't have to be starving yourself to get this, one time I needed only 8 more calories for my goal, and it gave me that message. I'm not gonna find something that counts as 8 calories to not get the message.


    YES. I've done this too. I'm like...."Ok, I'm 13 calories under. Not gonna root around for something thats 13 calories."

    Your body shouldn't be in starvation mode with that right?
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    I would think that message is pretty self-explanatory.

    You are obviously eating below 1200 calories otherwise it wouldn't be giving you that number.

    Uh..... Obviously no. If you aren't eating back all of your workout calories you will get that message as well. I used to get that message every freaking day, but according to my health care professional I was eating great and in the range I needed to be to reach my goals, so just ignored it.

    I only get this message is I eat less than 1200 calories. NOT NET calories. If I eat 1200 and burn 300 (net 900 calories) I do NOT get this message.
  • eve7166
    eve7166 Posts: 218 Member
    I listen to my body. If im hungry I eat if Im not I dont. I stay withing 1100-1400 calories consumed (this is before work out) I do eat some back if I need it but I dont worry if AFTER my workout I dont reach 1200 AGAIN! We are SUPPOSE to eat at a defficite and work out. The eat back thing is some new stuff I found out on here and no one has ever said anything about it. I have never had a doctor tell me to eat less calories BUT eat more if I work out. Usually its just eat less AND work out. Like I said sometimes I go over and soemtimes I dont so it kinda balances. :)
  • Juliechilli
    Juliechilli Posts: 123 Member
    I'm ignoring it for now... I try to not eat back exercise calories. When I do, I don't lose. When I get really close to goal, I will change it up if necessary.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    Getting this on days you don't exercise is a lot more concerning then getting it on days that you do. You can eat 1800 calories on a day you exercise and still get this message, I honestly don't believe you have to eat every single exercise calorie back, although I often do now because my BMR is so low

    That's true, I don't get the message when I haven't exercised!
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    Ignore it. Who lets a computer tell them what to do?

    Hahaha--good point! :)
  • LisaR86
    LisaR86 Posts: 17 Member
    I probably get this a 3-4 times a week, maybe more often on the days I work out and have 'extra calories'. I don't eat every calorie earned. Food shouldn't be a reward, the results are!
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    Hunger is a funny thing. When I first started back up running last spring, I didn't track food - I ate when I was hungry, healthy stuff. I ate the occasional treat but when I'm active, my sweet tooth disappears. I dropped 5# pretty quickly, but then stagnated. I was never hungry and felt fine.

    I started tracking, and found out I was accidentally starving myself. Oops! So I started eating more, had trouble eating enough calories, but dropped another 5# easily over about a month. Yay! But I was having trouble eating all my calories and constantly got that "you're not eating enough" message.

    Saw a nutritionist, who helped redesign my calorie/meal goals. She put me on a higher calorie diet and has gotten me to start snacking (I hate snacking). Instead of "eating back" my workout calories, since my workouts vary over the week and I can't always plan precisely what they're going to be, I eat the same volume of calories every day, with very small variations based on workout (modulated by post-workout snack). I'm still adjusting, but am now ravenous all the time (and am eating more than I used to).

    Hunger is a very strange thing, that at least for me, has absolutely no relation to how many calories I actually need to consume - I think I broke my appetite :frown:

    Oooh. Interesting, I didn't even consider that I could "break my appetite." This is something I'm NOT trying to do. I want my body to tell me when I need food. I'm not sure I want to rely on a "steady eating plan" though. I tend to be more in the moment with my food intake.

    I'm learning so much from this post! Smiles.
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    How many people are getting this message from MFP when they are done logging their food for the day?

    For the first time in about 6 months I finally feel like I'm losing some weight again, and I keep getting this message...it's not like I'm starving myself or anything. Most days I feel great with my "eating."

    So, ignore the message or heed the warning....what's your take??

    I think that 1200 is some sort of magical threshold of nutrition where if you're under then it's hard to get all the nutrition one might need. I think that MFP needs to inform you of that in the same way that exercise programs need to tell you to consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program. It helps decrease liability should someone be starving themselves and then try to blame MFP when they get sick.

    This. It's an arbitrary number set by the American College of Sports Medicine to ensure that people obtain enough food in order to have the required nutrition (ie vitamins and minerals) your body needs to function. There is actually no research behind the number. The concept of minimum calories, just like the concept of starvation mode, is grossly misunderstood by many people. According to research, in order to put your body into starvation mode, you have to drop to about 50% below your body's required caloric intake. That being said, unless your very petite, sedantary, or slight 1200 is likely a low number for you. Unlikely to put you into starvation mode unless you need 2400 calories or more a day but for the average person pretty darn low. Now if your smaller then the norm, then that is a different matter. If in doubt, consult a physician ;). Physicians have been known to sometimes put people on EXTREMELY low calorie diets (ie, 350-500 calories a day) but only under medical supervision.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
    How many people are getting this message from MFP when they are done logging their food for the day?

    For the first time in about 6 months I finally feel like I'm losing some weight again, and I keep getting this message...it's not like I'm starving myself or anything. Most days I feel great with my "eating."

    So, ignore the message or heed the warning....what's your take??

    I think that 1200 is some sort of magical threshold of nutrition where if you're under then it's hard to get all the nutrition one might need. I think that MFP needs to inform you of that in the same way that exercise programs need to tell you to consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program. It helps decrease liability should someone be starving themselves and then try to blame MFP when they get sick.

    This. It's an arbitrary number set by the American College of Sports Medicine to ensure that people obtain enough food in order to have the required nutrition (ie vitamins and minerals) your body needs to function. There is actually no research behind the number. The concept of minimum calories, just like the concept of starvation mode, is grossly misunderstood by many people. According to research, in order to put your body into starvation mode, you have to drop to about 50% below your body's required caloric intake. That being said, unless your very petite, sedantary, or slight 1200 is likely a low number for you. Unlikely to put you into starvation mode unless you need 2400 calories or more a day but for the average person pretty darn low. Now if your smaller then the norm, then that is a different matter. If in doubt, consult a physician ;). Physicians have been known to sometimes put people on EXTREMELY low calorie diets (ie, 350-500 calories a day) but only under medical supervision.

    I would be a grumpy bear at 500 calories per day! That's insane! I did see a show on some news channel that there are people that think if they severely limit their caloric intake that they will live longer...but the quality of life--no chocolate cake?!
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    There are days when I eat over and there are days when I eat under. Mine is set at 1200 so until I get down to maintenance, I would always be over (I work a lot of hours so can't always fit exercise in).
  • HurricaneElaine
    HurricaneElaine Posts: 984 Member
    I got that message today. My calorie goal is 1710 - and I was under by 600+ calories. (Had a VERY light dinner.) So I added a few more crackers to the ones I already had counted out, added 2 oz. of low-fat cheese - and then my roomer Kimmie gave me a Dove chocolate bar.

    - Then she comes back and asks "Can I have a square?" after she's eaten her whole bar - and takes TWO squares... :grumble:
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    How many people are getting this message from MFP when they are done logging their food for the day?

    For the first time in about 6 months I finally feel like I'm losing some weight again, and I keep getting this message...it's not like I'm starving myself or anything. Most days I feel great with my "eating."

    So, ignore the message or heed the warning....what's your take??

    I think that 1200 is some sort of magical threshold of nutrition where if you're under then it's hard to get all the nutrition one might need. I think that MFP needs to inform you of that in the same way that exercise programs need to tell you to consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program. It helps decrease liability should someone be starving themselves and then try to blame MFP when they get sick.

    This. It's an arbitrary number set by the American College of Sports Medicine to ensure that people obtain enough food in order to have the required nutrition (ie vitamins and minerals) your body needs to function. There is actually no research behind the number. The concept of minimum calories, just like the concept of starvation mode, is grossly misunderstood by many people. According to research, in order to put your body into starvation mode, you have to drop to about 50% below your body's required caloric intake. That being said, unless your very petite, sedantary, or slight 1200 is likely a low number for you. Unlikely to put you into starvation mode unless you need 2400 calories or more a day but for the average person pretty darn low. Now if your smaller then the norm, then that is a different matter. If in doubt, consult a physician ;). Physicians have been known to sometimes put people on EXTREMELY low calorie diets (ie, 350-500 calories a day) but only under medical supervision.

    I would be a grumpy bear at 500 calories per day! That's insane! I did see a show on some news channel that there are people that think if they severely limit their caloric intake that they will live longer...but the quality of life--no chocolate cake?!

    Never said it was any fun for the people on those diets ;). Definately not a quality of life I would strive for!
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
    I get it. I ignore it. If you work out it will come up if you don't eat your exercise calories back and if you feel good, feel fed, aren't starving yourself or engaging in unhealthy behavior, you're fine. Don't even worry about it. I say forcing yourself to eat when you're not hungry in order to keep with a digital coach is far worse than eating 'below your calories.'

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