" You are eating too few calories" message

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  • helenaj26
    helenaj26 Posts: 2 Member
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    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.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
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    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.
  • kelleymeg
    kelleymeg Posts: 24 Member
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    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.
  • iancranerocks
    iancranerocks Posts: 22 Member
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    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.

    OK--THIS is what I was trying to get at! I don't think I'm eating back my calories from exercise. I never really noticed this before. But, I'm definitely not starving myself and I exercise just about every day. This is it. THANKS!!

    Yeah, figure out your BMR. I was getting that message and lost 30 pounds, but then I hit a hard bottom and had to increase my calories to start making progress again. I rarely go below 1200 any more because for me it does cause starvation mode and halts my progress. If you do it for long, you'll start to feel the need to eat even when you're full and that's a big clue. Listen to your body.
  • kelleymeg
    kelleymeg Posts: 24 Member
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    whoops, that was supposed to read 1199
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
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    How many people are getting this message from MFP when they are done logging their food for the day?

    Just the people that are eating too few calories.
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  • VeganZombie13
    VeganZombie13 Posts: 297
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    I agree with all of those posting above. Eating only 800 calories a day is not healthy.
    Totally agree! That is starvation, imo. Losing weight is hard. It took a long time to gain it, so it's going to take A WHILE to lose it..
    DO THE work! If it was easy, ALLOT of ppl would do it.

    Take the time and workout eat healthy food and the weight WILL come off..
  • all4my3boyz
    all4my3boyz Posts: 94 Member
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    How many people are getting this message from MFP when they are done logging their food for the day?

    Just the people that are eating too few calories.

    Yup!
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
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    I ignore it. It's a CYA from MFP based on some mythical number -- that 1200 is the de facto minimum any human being on the planet should not go below. I cycle my calories over the course of a week, so 1-2 days a week I will be under, get the warning, and the rest I am not.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
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    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.
  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.

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