Afraid of overeating, but definitelty undereating

Options
2

Replies

  • explainsitall
    explainsitall Posts: 35
    Options
    Hell mfp-ers,

    So recently I have found that I'm working out more than ever and attempting to maintain my 1,200-1,300 calories a day routine. Some days I feel stuffed at 1,200 and other days I'm famished. Some days I can't get myself to eat the 1,200 calories, because I"m afraid of gaining weight. Some days I have about 900.

    I guess I'm struggling to find a balance. I've found this week I've been quite hungry but have resisted over eating my 1,200 calories (for the most part, I went over to just over 1,300 one day). Even though I'm hungry, I refuse to let myself eat more. Is this bad? Should I eat even though I'm close to going over calories?

    I'm burning about 500 calories or more per day with 90-100 minutes of exercise. I generally do NOT use the "extra," calories I gained to eat more.

    Thank you!

    I'm the same exact way. There are some days, I just don't feel like I can physically eat the calories required for my exercise. I run daily and have been using Insanity. So on average I have between 500-800 calorie deficit. There are very few days that I hit my calories or exceed.

    Same here.

    I guess I have an insane amount of paranoia about gaining too much. Also because of family issues (lack of support) I generally only workout when I'm on breaks at work or when I'm home alone. This means I cant' do much Saturdays and Sundays (I usually can sneak my 17 minute pilates workout in).

    I just wonder if I do 5 days a week at an hour and one day a week at 30 minutes of exercise plus the correct calories if I'll actually lose weight. I'm skeptical at this point that I can even lose weight the right way.
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
    Options
    I didn't read the other posts, sorry. But p,ease be careful because if you are feeling like this,you don't want it to get worse and become an eating disorder. That's kind of how it started for me. Not everyone will have this problem but some will and if you are one of those people it could be bad.you will not gain weight by eating more and it will be helpful if you doesn't more.figure out your BMR and don't eat below that ever. Eat at TDEE -20%
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
    Options
    yes that got me secondary amenorrhea.

    EAT.
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
    Options
    Oh and i was eating 1500 kcal a day. not enough. you have to eat
  • 001010
    001010 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Don't forget about your sleep! Erratic sleep times, and/or lack of sleep, can cause those cravings and feelings of needing food.
  • luckyjuls
    luckyjuls Posts: 505 Member
    Options
    I think the most helpful information is spending a little time on MFP clicking through member's profiles and seeing just how much they eat (and workout) with amazing weight loss results. It's one thing to hear "eat more". It's another to see people doing so and having success. So find people around your age who are eating at least 1200-1700 calories a day and exercising, and see what their days are like in their diaries.

    I really didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. Hope this helps :)
  • kg4ulu
    kg4ulu Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    Preplan your meals. Every night plan the next day so you are meeting the minimum 1200. If you are hungry and have worked out, eat some of those calories. Your body is screaming at you that you need the fuel. I mean genuine hunger not boredom hunger. Like the other posters, you need minimum 1200.
  • _Thanatos_
    _Thanatos_ Posts: 166
    Options
    You're eating far too little. If you're still maintaining a calorie deficit then you are NOT overeating. Figure out your maintenance calories then plan to eat below that amount. At this rate, if you continue to eat too little you will plateau.
  • DrCaspianDoll
    DrCaspianDoll Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    Not to patronize anyone but I tried to simplify it and put it in "in layman's terms" terms its important to know actual facts (great opportunity for me to review the biochemistry for the boards!) . Just a bit of what all medical schools teach in the U.S. regarding metabolism at fasting versus starvation :

    The Fasting State:
    By 2 hrs after meal → glucose levels in fasting range (80 –100 mg/dL) → pancreas ↓↓ insulin → liver starts to degrade glycogen
    As insulin decreases, glucagon increases.
    Triglycerides in the adipose tissue are converted to fatty acids and then to glucose (and some ketone bodies)
    Protein in the muscle is converted to amino acids which is converted to glucose
    Lactate from red blood cell metabolism is converted to glucose
    Glucose is utilized in the brain and red blood cells; ketone bodies are utilized in the muscle for energy.


    The Starvation State:
    Fasting 3-5 days
    Muscle continues FA burn; ↓↓ ketone body use to save it for the brain
    Brain begins ketone body use
    Liver → ↓↓ gluconeogenesis because depleted of glycogen
    Muscle/other protein→ ↓↓ use less of it because don't want to break down muscle thus ↓↓ gluconeogenesis from muscle

    Work Cited:
    Michael Lieberman and Allan D. Marks: Marks’ Basic Medical Biochemistry: A Clinical Approach,4thEdition,Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,2013; ISBN 978-1-60831-572-7
  • DrCaspianDoll
    DrCaspianDoll Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    this was good until the "when you don't eat..." stuff popped up. Note to OP you have to not eat for 72 hours for your body to turn to muscle to get energy...and even then it is minimal.

    The TDEE - x % is a pretty effective method and you do not have to worry about eating exercise cals back....give it a shot for four to six weeks and see how it goes...

    Actually according to metabolism studied in biochemistry the body tries to reserve muscle after 72 hours of fasting.
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
    Options
    explainsitall, if you're experiencing *fear* of overeating, that suggests a problem. You can eat over 1200 calories and not gain. Based on your profile, I'm guessing we started around the same size, which means you would likely have to eat 1600+ calories and not exercise to gain.

    Don't trust the scale too much. I tend to hang on to weight for 3 weeks out of the month, then suddenly catch up in the 4th week, even though overall my eating habits and exercise habits have been the same. The scale will sometimes go up and down and it will feel random (it usually has to do with constipation, hydration, or sodium levels, among other things) and it's not a fun thing to get obsessed with. If you're starving some days, add in 100-300 calories. It will NOT make you gain weight.

    Don't fear food. Love your health, instead. :)
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    this was good until the "when you don't eat..." stuff popped up. Note to OP you have to not eat for 72 hours for your body to turn to muscle to get energy...and even then it is minimal.

    The TDEE - x % is a pretty effective method and you do not have to worry about eating exercise cals back....give it a shot for four to six weeks and see how it goes...

    Actually according to metabolism studied in biochemistry the body tries to reserve muscle after 72 hours of fasting.

    wait, what?
  • DrCaspianDoll
    DrCaspianDoll Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    this was good until the "when you don't eat..." stuff popped up. Note to OP you have to not eat for 72 hours for your body to turn to muscle to get energy...and even then it is minimal.

    The TDEE - x % is a pretty effective method and you do not have to worry about eating exercise cals back....give it a shot for four to six weeks and see how it goes...

    Actually according to metabolism studied in biochemistry the body tries to reserve muscle after 72 hours of fasting.

    wait, what?
    Look at the blog I just posted or my previous post on here :)
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    I read it and replied to your wall post. However i guess im confused by the context... are you trying to disprove his comment by saying you actually start burning muscle 2 hours after eating?
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    I read it and replied to your wall post. However i guess im confused by the context... are you trying to disprove his comment by saying you actually start burning muscle 2 hours after eating?

    NVM, the more times i read it through it is starting to make more sense.
  • DrCaspianDoll
    DrCaspianDoll Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    :smile: not necessarily disprove, just provide a source that many medical professors consider to be elite
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    :smile: not necessarily disprove, just provide a source that many medical professors consider the to be elite

    So you are saying it takes MORE than 5 days or muscle tissue breakdown occurs within 2 hours?

    Not trying to be snarky or argue, I'm burned out and running on empty right now so my comprehension sucks right now.
  • VonGerulis
    VonGerulis Posts: 7
    Options
    SLOW DOWN YOUR HORSE LADY! You might be doing more harm than good


    Ok... healthy calorie deficit causes body to consume calories from fat. It is not like you can sweat out the fat ;-)

    you do 90min a day training? too much!

    You need to reset your goals here. go for recommended weight goal 1lbs/week. Consume your calories. Do you cardio and consume also calories that you burn.

    Here's why. 1kg of human body fat is ~7700kcal. if you cut your daily calorie intake by 500 kcal per week it is 7 x 500 = 3500. That's around 0,5kg or ~1lb. So you lose this amount just by cutting the calories down.

    cardio benefits are a) your body used more calories per day b) afterburner effect

    Afterburner effect means that when you do cardio your metabolism goes overdrive for the next 24h. So i.e. your daily goal is 1500 kcal you burn 300kcal while jogging. Now you need to eat 1800 kcal (you still have the deficit so you will be losing weight anyways). PLUS afterburner burns some extra calories! so you will loose more than mfp shows you.

    When you don't eat - your body starts to starve and ,metabolism stops, body will take energy not only from fat but also from the muscles. So you might be losing more muscle mass than fat. Or even worse..you might be not even losing weight and putting your health at risk.

    On top of that, I can't see your diary. But eat foods that fill you up not just empty calories.

    In addition to all that: If you don't feel good having a diet and doing cardio.... there is big chance you will drop the entire diet+cardio program coz it will be an unpleasant experience. Read more on dieting, set good goals, reward yourself with a treat or two per week!!! it is important! and most importantly enjoy it!

    Peace out!

    I had no idea my diary wasn't public. I've changed that

    Here's some extra comments: http://screencast.com/t/UhYQRlPpiic

    I won't go over the other days in your diary... same things. Things like sandwiches can't be healthy and good for weight loss. Avoid flour products.

    Taco Bell may sound healthy.. well its not, etc etc etc Diet coke? quit that also.

    I know it is a drastic change you need to make so make it slow.

    Few examples of my meals and look at what kind of food it is and calorie-nutrional relation:

    salad example: http://screencast.com/t/uPOdIkNKsx

    wok mix + chicken: http://screencast.com/t/v2IGJGzfFxyB

    pancakes (sunday treat) : http://screencast.com/t/wdqJUjICc

    recipie: smash few bananas, add protein instead of flour, milk if you like. Dow is ready! low cal, healthy and tastes good!

    etc etc etc

    Eating is not a social thing. It is as basic as going to the toilet.

    As someone mentioned -> prepare your meals from home.


    The worst thing I guess is that you know all this stuff and you are not fair with yourself. It boils down to: If you know what you need to do why don't you?
  • explainsitall
    explainsitall Posts: 35
    Options
    SLOW DOWN YOUR HORSE LADY! You might be doing more harm than good


    Ok... healthy calorie deficit causes body to consume calories from fat. It is not like you can sweat out the fat ;-)

    you do 90min a day training? too much!

    You need to reset your goals here. go for recommended weight goal 1lbs/week. Consume your calories. Do you cardio and consume also calories that you burn.

    Here's why. 1kg of human body fat is ~7700kcal. if you cut your daily calorie intake by 500 kcal per week it is 7 x 500 = 3500. That's around 0,5kg or ~1lb. So you lose this amount just by cutting the calories down.

    cardio benefits are a) your body used more calories per day b) afterburner effect

    Afterburner effect means that when you do cardio your metabolism goes overdrive for the next 24h. So i.e. your daily goal is 1500 kcal you burn 300kcal while jogging. Now you need to eat 1800 kcal (you still have the deficit so you will be losing weight anyways). PLUS afterburner burns some extra calories! so you will loose more than mfp shows you.

    When you don't eat - your body starts to starve and ,metabolism stops, body will take energy not only from fat but also from the muscles. So you might be losing more muscle mass than fat. Or even worse..you might be not even losing weight and putting your health at risk.

    On top of that, I can't see your diary. But eat foods that fill you up not just empty calories.

    In addition to all that: If you don't feel good having a diet and doing cardio.... there is big chance you will drop the entire diet+cardio program coz it will be an unpleasant experience. Read more on dieting, set good goals, reward yourself with a treat or two per week!!! it is important! and most importantly enjoy it!

    Peace out!

    I had no idea my diary wasn't public. I've changed that

    Here's some extra comments: http://screencast.com/t/UhYQRlPpiic

    I won't go over the other days in your diary... same things. Things like sandwiches can't be healthy and good for weight loss. Avoid flour products.

    Taco Bell may sound healthy.. well its not, etc etc etc Diet coke? quit that also.

    I know it is a drastic change you need to make so make it slow.

    Few examples of my meals and look at what kind of food it is and calorie-nutrional relation:

    salad example: http://screencast.com/t/uPOdIkNKsx

    wok mix + chicken: http://screencast.com/t/v2IGJGzfFxyB

    pancakes (sunday treat) : http://screencast.com/t/wdqJUjICc

    recipie: smash few bananas, add protein instead of flour, milk if you like. Dow is ready! low cal, healthy and tastes good!

    etc etc etc

    Eating is not a social thing. It is as basic as going to the toilet.

    As someone mentioned -> prepare your meals from home.


    The worst thing I guess is that you know all this stuff and you are not fair with yourself. It boils down to: If you know what you need to do why don't you?

    Thank you for being both rude and judgmental with your "help."

    The dinner you claim I didn't prepare at home, I did.

    Whole grains are an important part of a diet aka bread in a sandwich.

    I work in a city and have to have fast food or nothing at all some weeks. That's why I choose lower calorie options and kids portions. I eat to make up for those choices.

    And then to say something as rude as I'm choosing not to do things for myself? You're the reason I want to delete my account. You were rude, not helpful. No one else felt the need to speak to me like that. You are not high and mighty. I work out 90 minutes a day and am under eating. I asked for help with that. Not for you to judge me.
  • cjlorigan
    cjlorigan Posts: 209 Member
    Options
    For TDEE "Based on your information your details, the TDEE calculator puts your daily calorie requirement at 2398"

    My BMR is "1599.99"

    I suppose all that data is still confusing to me. I know I should eat more, but its very much a struggle for me. Additionally, I was treated for mild to moderate bulimia (or bulimic behavior as I saw it) in high school. I suppose that has a lot to do with my food issues.

    This might help.


    I'm 5'7" and currenty 175# with a GW of 150.
    My TDEE is about 1998 (which is set for maintenance @ GW) based on the lightly active level.
    My BMR is 1502-1562 depending on the model.
    I know from reading IPOARM 2.0 that I don't want to go below my BMR but to lose I need to be under 1998 cal/day. I use the 20% method that takes exercise into consideration so I aim for 1600/day and I do not eat back anything. (Cuts down on all the exercise tracking through MFP)
    I just started this about 2 weeks ago so I don't have a whole lot of result information yet.


    Here's the site I used. Hope it helps!

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    Feel free to add me if you want. And my diary is open. I refuse to deny myself any foods. If it is within my 1600 for the day I eat it!! But like you I fear going over even 1600 and am usually a few under.

    Feel free to add me if you wish.

    Edit - based on your numbers I'd say you need to be netting about 1900/day

Categories