"Too Few Calories?"

_SpeshK_ · May 2010

Hi all,
My question is a little silly but I just want some advice...and if there are any nutritional "experts" out there I'd appreciate the input!

I recently lost about 30 lbs and then for the past few months I've been fluctuating 10lbs up and down...I get it, I get it, my "plateau" as they say. But in the past few weeks I have really kick-started myself back into gear so that I can continue to lose weight, keep it off, and keep moving. ANYWAY, the months where I was slacking off, I had many binge episodes...some days they were just, awful. I'd have two weeks where I ate pretty well...two weeks full of satisfying disgusting cravings.

ANYWAY my inquiry is.... now that I'm getting myself back on track---having been going through a pretty rough patch lately--
some days I just don't feel like eating(which is a GREAT feeling--helps me make healthy decisions!) I wake up...generally at about noon I go to the gym for 30 minutes-1 hour of cardio, some days do a little weight lifting, hit the sauna, shower, then go to work around 3 where my work is usually pretty sedentary (I.E. I'm at work right now, hahaha). So, somedays I just eat some fruit, a PowerBar or something before the gym, some protein afterwards(almonds, lean meat) and then at work I might have a 500-cal dinner at most...usually consisting of a large red apple, a cup or two of steamed veggies, and probably some lean cuisine pasta dinner or something easy to cook at work...and after that I really don't have the urge to eat and unless I can tell my body is wiped out or something, some days I don't eat more than 1000 calories. When I go to enter in my information on my food diary and hit "complete today's entry," I will occasionally get the "You're eating too few calories...putting your body into starvation mode" message.
Now believe me, I understand the importance of eating enough every day...etc. But, REALLY, is it a terrible thing to happen a few days every week if I'm paying attention to my body? AND if what I do eat has significant good nutritional value? "Quality is better than quantity?" Obviously it should not go on for months, or even weeks, or even consistently for a week...but ESPECIALLY coming from a time of binging episodes and high-sugar, high-fat intake, is is really a bad decision to only be eating 1000 calories a day once to three times per week?

chanstriste13 · May 2010

i would say that yes, it's bad. i'm certainly no expert, but you might want to consider that you may not be feeling hungry because your metabolism is down. from the research i've looked into (not extensive, but not b.s. either), if you are eating properly, you should feel hunger every 2 to 3 hours because your metabolism is revved up. just my two cents, but everyone is different. good luck!

KiriKiriKiri · May 2010

Hi Kelsey,

I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means

but I have done a ton of research and I have also lost a lot of weight, on my own and naturally. I am within a healthy weight range and only have a few pounds left to loose. I had reached a plateau as well so I completely understand your frustration, but you gotta keep on trucking! So the computer tells you that you are eating too few calories...do you feel satisfied? Are you eating when you are hungry? Honestly? Bottom line is that you need to be fueling your body so that you can loose weight. Sounds crazy, but you actually have to eat to loose weight. Aim for higher caloric content in the earlier part of the day, rather than the night... but as long as you are not going to be "hungry" and feeling starved, than I would not worry. Trust the signals from your body... sometimes we let others tell us what is "right" and "wrong" rather than just trust and listen to our own bodies!!! Good luck...and you will get there!

KiriKiriKiri · May 2010

Hi Kelsey,

I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means

but I have done a ton of research and I have also lost a lot of weight, on my own and naturally. I am within a healthy weight range and only have a few pounds left to loose. I had reached a plateau as well so I completely understand your frustration, but you gotta keep on trucking! So the computer tells you that you are eating too few calories...do you feel satisfied? Are you eating when you are hungry? Honestly? Bottom line is that you need to be fueling your body so that you can loose weight. Sounds crazy, but you actually have to eat to loose weight. Aim for higher caloric content in the earlier part of the day, rather than the night... but as long as you are not going to be "hungry" and feeling starved, than I would not worry. Trust the signals from your body... sometimes we let others tell us what is "right" and "wrong" rather than just trust and listen to our own bodies!!! Good luck...and you will get there!

rello · May 2010

Are you only eating 1000 cal and doing your weight's/ cadio program at the gym? If so your body will start to break down your muscle as a form of energy.
Eating 1000 cal a day will slow down your metabolism and put your body into starvation mode, making your body hold on to it's fat's stores. Maybe that's why you have had those period's of binging.
I agree it's necessary to get the calories form good source (fruit, veg, protein etc) no point eating a chocolate bar just to get over the 1000 cal mark.
I don't think it is a problem if it's happening every now and again but a few time's a week i think could become a problem.
If you are finding it hard to fit in anymore food, maybe you could see a dietitian for some advice.
Good luck

_SpeshK_ · May 2010

Thank you all for your input. I truly appreciate it! I will definitely take the advice on getting more calories in beggining to mid-day and not in the evening. I'll also keep monitoring my body and feelings during the day to make sure I'm adequately fueling myself.

LaTerri · May 2010

Your binging might be a result of this other extreme behavior... Do you notice a pattern of eating to much for a few weeks, no enough for a few weeks and then just right for a few weeks? I think listening to your body is important, but if you think your body is telling you it only wants that little of food, you might not be listening to your body, but to your emotional brain, which feels guilty about the recent binging...

I think less than 1000 calories is ok under certain circumstances, and the intake you described does not qualify. If you are doing cardio and working out like you say on those days... it is really not enought.

My advice would be to try to stick to a 1400ish a day intake and make sure you are eating enough protein. It does not sound like you are, but I am a big advocate of a higher protein diet when trying to shed fat... but that is just my take on stuff.

I am no expert, but recently I reduced my BF% from 23 to 17 in 6 weeks with the help of professionals, of course... so just going off of what they explained to me... sounds like you need to bump up your calories even if you don't feel hungry with some extra protein.

popplylily · May 2010

i would guess its a reaction to the binging wks.. you feel bloated for ages afterward and genuinly dont feel hungry.. the body goes into a fewer cals week or so.. im on one now.. im just not hungry and forcing 1500 isnt going to work . but as a regular thing... nahs def try and eat more xxx

"Too Few Calories?"

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