Have a hard time eating 1200 calorie minimum

WilliamFrazetta
WilliamFrazetta Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, so I've been working at losing weight for about four weeks now. Currently I'm about 10lbs down, but I've been having a bit of a problem: I seem to struggle when it comes to eating a 1200 calorie minimum. I get full quickly and I hate feeling bloated, so I normally will eat between 800-1200 calories a day. I don't get dizzy or feel tired or even sick. I feel normal. I exercise on an elliptical for about an hour a day and even then I'm not tired. Is this a bad thing? I keep hydrated (6-8 glasses of water a day) and make sure not to eat junk food. I'm confused :/. Any input would be appreciated
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Replies

  • BlueObsidian
    BlueObsidian Posts: 297 Member
    For a 20 year old male who exercises an hour a day, that's way too little fuel for your body. How much protein and healthy fat are you eating? (If you open your diary, people can give you more specific advice)
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    I've been having the exact same problem. I guess I just have to force myself to eat more because I'm not consuming enough net calories which is starting to slow down my weight loss. Maybe you can make healthy smoothies and slowly sip on them to fulfill your caloric needs. Sneaking some olive oil or nuts on the side of your meals might help too.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    I average about 2,000 calories a day. I eat every 2-3 hours, and when your body gets used to it, you will actually feel hungry on a more regular basis. Make sure you add calorie-dense foods such as nut butters, nuts and seeds, avocado and healthy oils. I'm sure you could stomach a handful of almonds between meals or a couple of spoonfuls of nut butter, that's a couple hundred calories right there! The more your body gets used to the increase in food, the more ready it will be to accept it. Best of luck!
  • Roxyann
    Roxyann Posts: 35
    Than go to 1800 and every week cut a little more back. Your body is telling you that you are cutting back to fast. I started at 2,000 and for the lst 6 months have been at 1800 and have dropped 19 pounds. I am now about to cut back to 1700 and in a few months to 1600. You body need to get used to eatting less and doing more. If you feel hungry all the time you will give up on your weight loss and put more on, because you will not care anymore.
  • WilliamFrazetta
    WilliamFrazetta Posts: 9
    Thank you all for the replies! Thinking back on it, I normally wouldn't have eaten more pre-weight loss than I do now. Would upping my intake cause weight gain? I'll still continue exercising for an hour a day, I just don't want to think I've done all of this work so far for nothing :/

    BlueObsidian: I just opened up my diary :D. My protein intake is always close to max for the day (eggsssssssss :P)
  • serofex
    serofex Posts: 23 Member
    Get coconut oil and use it instead of margarine or other oils! It's high in calories and has a lot of health benefits. I use it instead of butter/margarine on my toast, sandwiches ,in baking, stirfrys, etc. It's a healthy fat and will add calories to your usual meals.
  • cre8freedom
    cre8freedom Posts: 63 Member
    Eat breakfast :)
  • crowunruh
    crowunruh Posts: 246 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    I suggest you read this. You are eat way to low. You will be losing muscle not fat.
  • Shadowknight137
    Shadowknight137 Posts: 1,243 Member
    Assuming you weight more than 55KG (121lb), why are you eating less than what I'd eat to lose? I'd lose weight eating 17-1800kcal sitting on my *kitten* all day.

    What's more important to you, fat loss, or just "weight" loss in general? If the latter, have fun being a smaller you. If the former, eat more. Seriously, dude.
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    My 2 year old puts away more food than that...
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    Oh, and that's a class A misdemeanor for breaking the laws of thermodynamics, I'm going to need to see a license and registration.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Your protein is too low = loss of muscle mass
    Your fats are too low = loss of libido

    Eat more.
  • KaitDW
    KaitDW Posts: 21 Member
    Looking over your diary you don't have a lot of fruits of vegetables... Can you add in more ? Your body is going to need more fuel than you are eating. Your metabolism is going to drop which is going to hurt your long term weight loss. Protein Shakes are a good option as an easy meal/snack. Feel free to message me!
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
    must be nice! lol I get really angry that im ONLY eating 1200 calories a day!! what the heck.. i dont think its bad if you arent unhealthy...
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    must be nice! lol I get really angry that im ONLY eating 1200 calories a day!! what the heck.. i dont think its bad if you arent unhealthy...

    A 20 year old guy eating less than 1,000 calories? Not bad??
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    must be nice! lol I get really angry that im ONLY eating 1200 calories a day!! what the heck.. i dont think its bad if you arent unhealthy...

    Class unhealthy? Would you say losing your muscle mass and becoming skinny fat as looking unhealthy? Because that's what's going to happen to the OP if he carries on abusing his body by eating so little. Urgh. Not good. Especially on a man. Eat and grow!!!
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    Your protein is too low = loss of muscle mass
    Your fats are too low = loss of libido

    Eat more.

    this.
    (and considering it comes from one of the most knowledgeable people on here? not a surprise.)


    listen to the lady.

    I'd guess you really ought to be netting at least 1,500 -- and that's after eating back the hundreds that you are burning while working out. so you might be needing around, say, 2,000 intake daily. about double or, some days, even triple what you are getting now, it seems.
  • extraordinary_machine
    extraordinary_machine Posts: 3,028 Member
    I eat between 1700-2100 a day...and I'm a 5'3" chick. I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. Eat, dude.
  • silversociety
    silversociety Posts: 222 Member
    I was under the impression that when you joined this website that it says how many calories you're supposed to eat. Set your goal to either one pound a week or maybe half a pound a week and at your age I'm assuming it'll give you a calorie intake of like 2k+. I'm not a biologist or anything but I'm pretty sure if you're too low your metabolism will slow down considerably to compensate (which would sucks balls).

    Beer is empty calories.... just saying...
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Eat the whole egg. :) The yolk's the best part.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,329 Member
    I am going to echo what many will and have said, 1200 calories for a 20 year old male is way too low. You need to eat much more. At that calorie level you will be losing a huge amount of muscle, and trust me, it is very difficult to put back on. You need to incorporate some calorie dense foods into what you eat, avocado, nuts and nut butters, for that matter butter. Put some cheese on that broccoli and eat more than a quarter cup of it. You are not doing yourself any favors eating so little, assuming you actually are, since I don't know how carefully you are measuring your food.
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    I would even go so far as to say that if you really do feel bloated or full after so few calories, then you should see a doctor. There are food intolerances, for example, that can cause your body to bloat or give you other uncomfortable symptoms. Sort of a protective mechanism if you are putting something into your body that it doesn't want. My husband used to be very thin and even though he would try to eat he would often just not be able to. He didn't always realize that the food was causing him discomfort, but his body would send up signals for him to stop eating. He was finally diagnosed with celiac disease, and he is now able to put on weight for the first time in his life. (He's happy about that.)

    Just something to consider. As others have said, it is not normal or healthy for a 20-year old male to be eating such a low number of calories.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    My 2 year old puts away more food than that...

    Heh heh...my thought exactly.

    If you've always eaten so little food, how are you overweight? Just curious.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    This is a fairly sexist thing to say, but when I see a post like this and it's from a dude, it just blows my mind.
    SKHzS.gif
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    My 2 year old puts away more food than that...

    Heh heh...my thought exactly.

    If you've always eaten so little food, how are you overweight? Just curious.

    That's what made me think there could possibly be something else going on, medically. Thyroid issues, even. It's not normal to be satisfied eating such small amounts of food.
  • Taterpoof
    Taterpoof Posts: 416 Member
    i'm a 5'2'' 128lb. girl and even I eat around 2,000 calories a day while still losing inches. Definitely up your calories.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Thank you all for the replies! Thinking back on it, I normally wouldn't have eaten more pre-weight loss than I do now. Would upping my intake cause weight gain? I'll still continue exercising for an hour a day, I just don't want to think I've done all of this work so far for nothing :/

    BlueObsidian: I just opened up my diary :D. My protein intake is always close to max for the day (eggsssssssss :P)

    You should be getting 1g of protein per lb of LBM to try to maintain muscle while on a deficit - you should also be doing strength training.

    If you really are in discomfort when you eat, or you have eaten this little for some time and have not lost weight - see a doctor.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Or for a different version to figure out your TDEE, as well as some great advice...check out:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/844040-raspberry-ketones-for-the-rest-of-us


    Also, if you are worried about the calorie intake, I also suggest you read this thread that has numerous people who met their goals and are maintaining. Some for years and they also provide their calorie intake and how often they work out.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/816542-let-s-hear-it-for-maintainenance


    For more information about fitness and nutrition, I highly suggest checking out and joining this group: (Read all the stickies. It's great information to know.)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/865230-resources-and-references


    For those eating below their BMR (which I think 1200 is below your BMR to be honest), not going to preach at you, but here's something you might want to look at:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/859495-if-only-i-had-known?page=1#posts-12919931


    For the whole eating under a 1000 calories, look...you are going to do what you want but check out the link below at some of the stories of people who thought it was okay (especially because they weren't "feeling" hungry a lot of times) but ended up regretting it. These links are just information for you to be aware of.http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521480-1000-calories-or-less-a-day
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
    http://www.fitwatch.com/weight-loss/3-reasons-why-eating-less-than-1000-calories-is-a-waste-of-time-3347.html


    Yes, this is can all be overwhelming and complicated , but you are more than welcome to ask questions on the post.
    One of the things that I have found that has been one of the best methods for me to get fit is to understand fitness. To understand where all these figures, etc come from.

    The good thing is once you get the hang of it - it is something you'll be aware of constantly and you'll get a better understanding about your eating habits.

    So I HIGHLY suggest making the effort to take every chance to educate yourself. Even if you don't end up going with any of these methods, calculations, etc - at least you understand what they are, where others are coming from, and maybe they will still be able to help you figure out what is best for you.
  • WilliamFrazetta
    WilliamFrazetta Posts: 9
    Alright, thanks everyone :D Looks like I'll be starting a new diet plan tomorrow haha. I'll shoot for about 2k calories. thanks again!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Another thing - it isn't always about eating more but eating "smarter". You can meet calorie goals by including foods that are higher in calories (and no, it doesn't necessarily have to be junk food or fast food). Foods like, nuts, peanut butter, eggs (which you seem to be consuming okay :D), butter (the real stuff), no low calorie items, bread (and not the low cal one type either), pastas, olive oil, avocado, protein powders, granola bars (like Nature Valley), protein bars, oatmeal, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, rice, cheese, milk, meats, etc. Maybe include some ice cream in there :)

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