you are eating too few calories

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jeffylabidabskimmybaby
jeffylabidabskimmybaby Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
i have been logging for 8 days now and my recommended calorie /day is 1200 but i keep on getting " you are eating too few calories". when i check on the projected weight loss, it is even higher than expected. i need advice if i really have to eat more to lose weight? im exercising and monitoring my calorie intake very carefully. im discourage in staying on my program although m already losing weight now doing it. im only confused if im doing it right. ur advise is greatly appreciated. thanks!
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Replies

  • YeOldeLancer
    YeOldeLancer Posts: 80
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    If you stick around 1200 calories a day and continue doing at least 30 minutes of intense workout 5 or 6 days a week, you will lose fat healthily and gain muscle mass. It will be slow but you will see improvements week to week. GL!
  • bhopejones
    bhopejones Posts: 37
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    I'm in school for dietetics, but I'm not an expert. (yet. haha.) But I have been getting the same message. I'll take in about 1200 or more calories per day but once I work out, I end up being several hundred calories below the recommended amount. I even eat 3 small meals/snacks plus 3 larger meals a day and I'm still under the "recommended" amount.
    SO. my advice to YOU would be this: eat when you're hungry. if your stomach is GROWLING, even if it's not breakfast/lunch/dinner, you need to eat. nothing big, nothing unhealthy, just a little something. like some chicken deli meat or a bowl of oatmeal or a handful of almonds. a lot of people make the mistake of letting their stomach growl and being LEGITIMATELY hungry (versus simply craving things or "bored eating") and they're not fueling their bodies.

    IF you're already doing this...sorry! that's all I've got for you. haha. good luck!
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
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    you might be miscalculating how many calories you are consuming. are you measuring everything out? also, a big killer is people overestimating how much they are working out, which leads to more calories in and fewer calories out than they think.
  • bhopejones
    bhopejones Posts: 37
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    wow, I forgot my bottom line. haha whoops! eat when you're hungry. if you've done that and it's still telling you that you're eating too few calories, don't listen. you're eating exactly enough for your body if you're eating when you're hungry and not eating when you're not.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If you stick around 1200 calories a day and continue doing at least 30 minutes of intense workout 5 or 6 days a week, you will lose fat healthily and gain muscle mass. It will be slow but you will see improvements week to week. GL!

    A lot of people would disagree with this, saying it's an unhealthy way to lose weight. Eating 1200 and then burning say 300 calories (from a half hour intense workout) a day leaves you netting 900, which isn't a lot for your body to function on. Your metabolism could slow down, or you might just be exhausted and feel crappy. Diets that leave you netting so low often fail because you feel particularly miserable.

    Try eating 1300-1400 a day, plus eat back the calories you burn while exercising. You'll still lose weight. It might not be as quickly as 1200 total a day would be at first, but it will be more sustainable and you'll be less likely to gain it back once you're at your goal weight. I speak from experience that I lost as quickly at 1300 and eating back my exercise calories as I did at 1200 and not eating any of them back. And it made it a hell of a lot easier since I wasn't always hungry.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
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    The 1,200 and under diet tends to build up hunger over time. I did just fine on 1,200 for two weeks. By the end of it, I was so hungry all the time. Partially the excitement of doing things differently and partially it just took my body awhile to catch up to not getting fueled properly. I uppped it to 1,300 and later again to 1,400.

    I'm actually losing MORE weight faster at the higher calorie count. I may increase the count again. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it can work. It surprised me, but it can definitely work.

    Also, eating too few calories and exercising it off is not healthy. What you'll wind up with is not real weight loss, but a body that is starving itself. I'm not a devout follower of the "1200 will kill you" camp, but much anything under 1,000 will do damage and it will, over time, get in the way of losing weight.

    We all want to think we're special and that how we do things won't affect us negatively. But bodies are bodies and some things about bodies are pretty similar across the board.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,082 Member
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    Eat. You can not possibly be getting the nutrients your body needs unless you are under a doctor's supervision.

    Don't eat less than the recommended amount here, and if you exercise eat that number.

    If you've dieted before, you've probably given up when you got sick of it, or when you felt you were having to deny yourself too many things. That's because you were hungry.

    1200 calories a day is still exptremely low. Unless you are sitting on your couch all day, you've likely miscalculated somewhere. Try reading these:


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • StrawberrySquirrel
    StrawberrySquirrel Posts: 4
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    I have had great success with MFP with a target of 1200 and coupling that with VERY INTENSE workouts. Through the course of my weight loss, I wasn't eating back my workout calories, and in fact would end the day with a deficit of 300-500 calories (on top of the deficit that the 1200 for weight loss already includes...not deliberately, actually...i just didn't know the 1200 already included a deficit). That said, I've pretty much reached my goals; I'm a VERY muscular 128 lbs; I'm anywhere from a size 00-2 depending on the store, I have never been more athletically capable (lots of plyo, weight lifting, distance and interval running; working out 7 days a week for at least an hour a day). But, while I still want to manage what I eat, so I don't regress, I am scared to change my fitness goals to "maintain" because I believe I'll gain.

    Additionally, I've started to feel strangely bloated, though I don't look that different. This could be from a recent addiction to kabocha and other winter squash (like...eating A LOT), sweet potatoes and yams (too much starch? I thought they were good carbs?...), AND/OR it could be because i'm still operating at a deficit (still even from that 1200). I am IN NO WAY lacking energy or losing fitness. I'm still really muscular, but I am fearful of my body going into starvation mode. My only real indicator or physical symptom is the bloating.

    Lots of variables, I know, but any thoughts?
  • StrawberrySquirrel
    StrawberrySquirrel Posts: 4
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    I have had great success with MFP with a target of 1200 and coupling that with VERY INTENSE workouts. Through the course of my weight loss, I wasn't eating back my workout calories, and in fact would end the day with a deficit of 300-500 calories (on top of the deficit that the 1200 for weight loss already includes...not deliberately, actually...i just didn't know the 1200 already included a deficit). That said, I've pretty much reached my goals; I'm a VERY muscular 128 lbs; I'm anywhere from a size 00-2 depending on the store, I have never been more athletically capable (lots of plyo, weight lifting, distance and interval running; working out 7 days a week for at least an hour a day). But, while I still want to manage what I eat, so I don't regress, I am scared to change my fitness goals to "maintain" because I believe I'll gain.

    Additionally, I've started to feel strangely bloated, though I don't look that different. This could be from a recent addiction to kabocha and other winter squash (like...eating A LOT), sweet potatoes and yams (too much starch? I thought they were good carbs?...), AND/OR it could be because i'm still operating at a deficit (still even from that 1200). I am IN NO WAY lacking energy or losing fitness. I'm still really muscular, but I am fearful of my body going into starvation mode. My only real indicator or physical symptom is the bloating.

    Lots of variables, I know, but any thoughts?
  • cnash1303
    cnash1303 Posts: 42
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    Check out my blog post, hope it helps.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/cnash1303/view/losing-2-pounds-a-week-464903
  • jeffylabidabskimmybaby
    jeffylabidabskimmybaby Posts: 6
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    "The higher body fat you have the bigger calorie cut you can get away with. If you feel hungry or deprived increase your calories. You already mentioned being discouraged, why?"

    because i am realy trying hard to stick to the 1200 calories but im confused if m doing it right. its very hard to estimate if im already over or should eat more since the program says so.

    I think its clearer now on how to properly do this program. il eat when hungry and just continue exercising if im over the limit. thanks so much everyone for the help. :-)
  • jeffylabidabskimmybaby
    jeffylabidabskimmybaby Posts: 6
    Options
    i have been logging for 8 days now and my recommended calorie /day is 1200 but i keep on getting " you are eating too few calories". when i check on the projected weight loss, it is even higher than expected. i need advice if i really have to eat more to lose weight? im exercising and monitoring my calorie intake very carefully. im discourage in staying on my program although m already losing weight now doing it. im only confused if im doing it right. ur advise is greatly appreciated. thanks!

    because i am realy trying hard to stick to the 1200 calories but im confused if m doing it right. its very hard to estimate if im already over or should eat more since the program says so.

    I think its clearer now on how to properly do this program. il eat when hungry and just continue exercising if im over the limit. thanks so much everyone for the help. :-)
  • JupiterSmith
    JupiterSmith Posts: 4 Member
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    Sweetie, even though it gives you guidelines. you can actually change your goal calorie intake manually and it will stop telling you youre not eating enough. I would say a healthy diet and steady weightloss would come from 1400 cals a day, and plenty of exercise. a cardio workout or a run. skipping (jump rope) also strips fat FAST. I am just starting back on my diet after my 3rd baby and have over 100lbs to lose. but so far I have lost 3lbs in 3days. i know that will slow down, but on 1400 cals you will still lose 2lbs a week xx
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    I wonder, actually. I was losing around a pound or so a week, but in the past 4 weeks I've lost double that. And obviously this was over the holidays when I wasn't being so strict about my diet. I wasn't gorging myself or anything, but I wonder if the extra calories helped give me a boost.
  • rainghirl
    rainghirl Posts: 203 Member
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    When I started I didn't use MFP, I was using Fitday which was slightly different. I went for 1500 calories a day with exercise on top of that and did not eat extra calories for the exercise. This worked pretty well for me and it was rare that I was hungry. I lost about 19 lbs in 5 months. So maybe try putting your calories up slightly and see how you go with it - the diet I was using said that you should start at 1500 calories and should not drop to 1200 unless you experienced a dramatic slow down in the weight loss - I never did so I guess it worked okay.

    There is lots of conflicting advice out there. Eat when you're hungry is definitely good advice,even if it's just a banana or a cereal bar. If you excercise you'll probably find that you have a hunger spike about an hour or so after your exercise and you should definitely eat something then as your body is telling you it needs fuel!
  • nchrty
    nchrty Posts: 57 Member
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    So you are losing weight on your program but are discouraged and thinking of giving up based on what a preset program that knows nothing about you personally says??? You need to go to your Doctor. Have a physical. Have blood work done. Ask your doctor what your ideal weight should be and how many calories you should eat per day to get there. You need to get advice on this from a professional.
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
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    Do people actually read instructions these days?????

    If you are using the figures generated by MFP you are supposed to eat back the additional calories it gives you to replace the ones you burnt when exercising. Your set calorie goal should be NET calorie intake.

    Make sure you have put in a suitable target weight loss, record food and exercise correctly. Simple.

    OR...

    You could use a more accurate method and find out your BMR and TDEE and set your calorie goal between these two figures for a healthy and sustainable weight loss. This can be done using custom settings.

    The following link is very helpful:


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

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
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    Eat when you're hungry is definitely good advice

    Did your body tell you it was full when you over ate and put on the weight?? and if so did you listen??
  • stuntpilot51
    stuntpilot51 Posts: 53 Member
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    Do people actually read instructions these days?????

    If you are using the figures generated by MFP you are supposed to eat back the additional calories it gives you to replace the ones you burnt when exercising. Your set calorie goal should be NET calorie intake.

    Make sure you have put in a suitable target weight loss, record food and exercise correctly. Simple.

    OR...

    You could use a more accurate method and find out your BMR and TDEE and set your calorie goal between these two figures for a healthy and sustainable weight loss. This can be done using custom settings.

    The following link is very helpful:


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

    Good luck :flowerforyou:


    Reading the road map is the best thing you can do right now, do the math and follow it.

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