I feel sorry for women

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  • nataliescalories
    nataliescalories Posts: 292 Member
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    I eat lots of food at 1200, loads and loads of vegetables, fills you up and it still feel indulgent, but I really really love vegetables. I'd sooner eat a tray of roasted parsnips, carrots, mushrooms and onions that consider a bag of greasy chips. So I don't feel unfortunate at all. The only shame is that I had to cut out standard yeasty bread, but I have some on Sundays if I'm hungover :D

    I am with this poster. I am on 1100-1200 calories a day and do not eat any "diet" foods--just whole, unprocessed, organic foods. Tons of veggies. I am completely satiated and only feel hungry about half an hour before a meal. I do have PCOS and Insulin Resistence. I have been in the BOD POD and have used indirect calorimetry to find out my actual TDEE. It is VERY low and I would not go near starvation mode until under 900 calories for an extended period of time. I really hope people will stop blindly attacking people with low caloric intakes. You have no idea how varied metabolisms can be and how balanced their nutrient intake can be. Please try to be more considerate of this in the future.

    Take this as an example:

    "The basal metabolic rate varies between individuals. One study of 150 adults representative of the population in Scotland reported basal metabolic rates from as low as 1027 kcal per day (4301 kJ) to as high as 2499 kcal (10455 kJ); with a mean BMR of 1500 kcal (6279 kJ). Statistically, the researchers calculated that 62.3% of this variation was explained by differences in fat free mass. Other factors explaining the variation included fat mass (6.7%), age (1.7%), and experimental error including within-subject difference (2%). The rest of the variation (26.7%) was unexplained. This remaining difference was not explained by sex nor by differing tissue sized of highly energetic organs such as the brain.[9]

    Thus there are differences in BMR even when comparing two subjects with the same lean body mass. The top 5% of people are metabolizing energy 28-32% faster than individuals with the lowest 5% BMR.[10] For instance, one study reported an extreme case where two individuals with the same lean body mass of 43 kg had BMRs of 1075 kcal/day (4.5 MJ) and 1790 kcal/day (7.5 MJ). This difference of 715 kcal (67%) is equivalent to one of the individuals completing a 10 kilometer run every day.[10]"

    See the Wikipedia entry for BMR to see the exact sources.

    TDEE/BMR calculations are just estimates based on average metabolisms. For example, even the online BMI calculators (with exceptionally precise measurement of inches) gave me a number 7% higher than actual body composition testing. Sometimes caloric increases aid in weight loss, for some, seemingly severely low caloric intake is absolutely necessary. Either way, you can have a 1200 calorie regime that is optimized and much healthier than a 2400 calories regime that is full of crap food. It's all what you make of it.

    These discussions bashing 1200 calorie diets are honestly extremely cruel and make those like me feel extremely unwelcome on MFP. Certainly there are people on 1200 calorie diets attempting unrealistically fast weight loss and harming themselves. BUT, that's not all of us. Since when have hyperbolic statements done anyone any good?
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    To lose 2 pounds a week (that's a deficit of 1000) I'm netting 1800. But I can eat up to 2300 and still lose 1 pound a week. Plus, I just started lifting, so I could probably eat even more. I'm sure my maintenance will be pretty high. We don't need your pity. :tongue:
  • AuntieKT
    AuntieKT Posts: 235 Member
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    Pfffft....I feel sorry for PEOPLE who think they have to eat minimal calories in order to lose weight. Men and women.

    I eat 2000 on average and lose weight every week. On the 1st March it will be my 1 year anniversary of my weight loss journey and so far I've not experienced an actual plateau. Sure I've slowed down in the weight loss department but that is completely normal and I'm still losing weight no matter how small that loss is.

    OMG, MY anniversary is March 1st too! Way to go on sticking with it this long and congrats on the weightloss. I also have not had any plateau.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    My endocrinologist told me that even if I manage to get down to a reasonable weight, that it's likely I'll only be able to eat 1100ish calories a day to maintain it EVEN WITH 30 min/cardio a day. That's why I am having weight loss surgery... Because an eternity of eating 1100 calories a day and feeling hungry all the time just feels so harsh.
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
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    I maintain on about 1950 and I'm 112lbs...So not all women eat small amounts!!
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
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    I went for a run yesterday and decided to get McDonald's to make up the calories. Then when I weighed in this morning I discovered that I was down another 1.2lbs for the week. Woe is me!

    Without exercise I'm at 1460 but then again I sensibly set my goal to .5 lb a week, which most people don't seem to do and end up swinging for the fences with 2lbs a week and starving.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
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    You can stuff your sorries in a sack, mister! (Hope you're a Seinfeld fan.)

    I eat 1800-2200 a day on maintenance and I am loving life! 5' 5", 125lbs.
  • Siege_Tank
    Siege_Tank Posts: 781 Member
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    Thus there are differences in BMR even when comparing two subjects with the same lean body mass. The top 5% of people are metabolizing energy 28-32% faster than individuals with the lowest 5% BMR.[10] For instance, one study reported an extreme case where two individuals with the same lean body mass of 43 kg had BMRs of 1075 kcal/day (4.5 MJ) and 1790 kcal/day (7.5 MJ). This difference of 715 kcal (67%) is equivalent to one of the individuals completing a 10 kilometer run every day.[10]"

    So full of win.. I am blinded by your awesome, completely cited, evidence based, rational, common sense epic post.

    To all the people reading this post thinking that they should be eating more, First ask yourself if you are hungry more often than not, and differentiate between bored hungry and actual hunger.

    This is not a magic formula where you have to find a "sweet spot" somewhere between your BMR and your TDEE, this is a one size fits all approach to losing weight - in the exact same fashion as you gained it. You eat more, you weigh more.

    If you can overeat by 500 or 1,000 calories a day to blimp up, then you can certainly UN-eat at any kind of rate that your willpower will allow for you to slim down.

    I wonder where the OP's sources and citations are... what kind of studies she has read to reach her conclusions?
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    I sensibly set my goal to .5 lb a week, which most people don't seem to do and end up swinging for the fences with 2lbs a week and starving.

    It really depends. I eat 1800 plus exercise calories to lose 2 pounds a week. Ain't nobody starving over here. If I was only losing .5 pound a week it would take me over 6 years to reach goal. I'm patient, but not that patient.
  • keshiabug1
    keshiabug1 Posts: 150
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    I let MFP calculate it for me, and it told me to eat 1200 calories! I felt good & really didn't feel starved, but due to me starting insanity I am eating a little more!
  • imthejenjen
    imthejenjen Posts: 265 Member
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    i hate how everyone talks crap on 1200cals/day. SO ANNOYING! Guess what? For some people, they really do get FULL on 1200 a day. jeez.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
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    I eat 2300-3000 calories EVERY DAY. Don't feel bad for me. Feel bad for the bish's who don't lift and mistakenly THINK they need to eat 1200 calories to lose. LIES!
  • lillby430
    lillby430 Posts: 1
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    i'm also 4'11'' and i agree, it's so not fair, haha. i freaking love food, but i just don't get to eat as much, being this little. to make matters worse, my boyfriend's 6'1'', and it pretty much depresses me to think how many more calories a day he gets to enjoy -_-
    Nope you are so right!!

    I am 4' 11" and according to MFP I have a BMR of 1224 cals a day so if I had a lazy day and ate 1500 cals I would actually GAIN weight!! Not fair huh!!

    I probably have less of an appetite than one of you strapping chaps mind you so that helps!! and exercise is an absolute must!!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I mean this in the most genuine sense and only as it relates to weight loss. I hear all the time in these forums how women need to eat 1200 calories to lose, and 1400-1500 to maintain, etc. I am at maintanance right now, I work construction, and I lift and do cardio 3-4 times a week. Therefore, I eat about 2400 calories / day. I can't imagine looking into a future of eating only 1400 calories a day for the rst of my life in order to maintain my goal weight. Maybe I shouldn't feel so bad becasue women's bodies just don't require as much fuel, but I can eat 1400 calories after 6pm without blinking an eye. Does this depress any of you guys as much as would me, or am I overreacting?

    Don't feel bad for me! I maintain (5'9" - 135 lbs) on 2200-2500 calories a day. I can eat 1400 calories in my dinner and evening snacks without blinking an eye, too. And I'm 40 years old. And I have a desk job.
  • unchainedzulu
    unchainedzulu Posts: 44 Member
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    wow, my MFP calculated my goal to be 1200 calories. i'm enjoying the food i eat. i dont feel hungry, and apart from yesterday when i went out, i'm hitting the target bang on each time.

    which really makes me wonder - what do you guys eat?? lol because i don't feel like i'm missing out on anything?
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
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    That depressed me!

    Thank you! Thank you very much!

    :angry: :sad: :tongue:

    MFP calculated mine at 1510 per day. I'm totally good with that.
  • Ncharles2013
    Ncharles2013 Posts: 16
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    i eat 1290 to loss weight.
  • Liatush
    Liatush Posts: 627 Member
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    I am currently eating 1200 to lose. I think in order to maintain I will have to eat about 1400-1500. I am not sure if I can keep that up for the rest of my life in order to maintain my goal weight, but I guess I will worry about that when I get there....

    In the meantime, I'll just sit here and chomp on carrots... lol
  • kutterba
    kutterba Posts: 107 Member
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    I don't feel sorry for me, but it does depress me sometimes when I'd really, really like to eat 1400 calories at a sitting. Think Macaroni Grill...mmmmmm! Dinner & dessert could top 2400 EASILY!

    Thanks. I accept your sympathy. :flowerforyou:
  • CoachJake83
    CoachJake83 Posts: 108
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    Nah, your vision of what women need to eat to lose weight is way off, and it varies depending on their height, weight, age, and how intense their workout program is.

    A 20% calorie deficit to a 4'11" woman for example, yes, might be 1200 calories or 1000 even, but to her, it will feel exactly like your calorie deficit of say, 2000,2200.

    During my bulk I could easily look at your 2400 calories, while I'm eating 3500 and say "Man I feel sorry for this guy" but it's all relative.

    On a higher level, take an olympic swimmer who eats upwards of 10,000 calories a day just to maintain or add some fast twitch muscle strength. He's not going to feel sorry for someone who eats 3,500, or 2400, it's all relative hehe.

    If a safe deficit for a woman is 1200-1000 calories, it'll feel exactly like your 20% calorie deficit does at 2,000.

    It's like saying "I feel sorry for my pet mouse, it only eats 20 calories a day! Man it must be starving!" It's not, it's all it needs! lol

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