Am I eating to little?

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Replies

  • JessicaP327
    JessicaP327 Posts: 64 Member
    Just wanted to give a general THANK YOU for all of you that have posted on this thread. Esp those who pointed us in the direction of calculators, etc.

    I had no idea about BMR and TDEE before reading this, and I was also concerned that my cal intake was too low (thinking about food all day and feeling like I had to eat every 2 hours).

    I found this to be very helpful and, although I am concerned that if I add more cals I will gain weight, I think that this (body storing fat making it difficult to lose if you're not getting enough cals) makes more logical sense than what I am believing.

    So THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE! :heart: :happy:
  • _AllieCat_
    _AllieCat_ Posts: 515 Member
    1. Find TDEE
    2. Subtract 20% and that's your calorie target

    ^
    THIS. Thank you to who suggested this to her.
  • mryak750
    mryak750 Posts: 198 Member
    however the biggest loser contestants lose at an alarming rate and I'm sure the caloric intake is under 1700
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    however the biggest loser contestants lose at an alarming rate and I'm sure the caloric intake is under 1700

    Ooooh boy...

    *waits for flood gates to open*
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    however the biggest loser contestants lose at an alarming rate and I'm sure the caloric intake is under 1700

    Ooooh boy...

    *waits for flood gates to open*

    I'd follow the road to the map link. Also, about the biggest loser - thought this was an interesting interview about it...

    http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/09/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-1-of-3/
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    however the biggest loser contestants lose at an alarming rate and I'm sure the caloric intake is under 1700

    Ooooh boy...

    *waits for flood gates to open*

    I'd follow the road to the map link. Also, about the biggest loser - thought this was an interesting interview about it...

    http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/09/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-1-of-3/

    Exactly. Totally unrealistic and edited to make we the little people think its feasible.
  • rw4hawks
    rw4hawks Posts: 121 Member
    I'm curious about this too. I'm at 1250 right now and exercise 45-60 minutes/5 x weekly, also lifting some, however I feel very energetic and I'm not hungry. So if I feel good at this calorie level, can my metabolism be low regardless?

    Increasing cal is so against everything that I've been told throughout the years and it's very scary to think about trying.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Increasing cal is so against everything that I've been told throughout the years and it's very scary to think about trying.
    Look at the weight loss tickers at the bottom of every post from the people who are advising it - do you really think they're all lying and have gained weight rather than losing it?

    It's against everything you've been told throughout the years because conventional wisdom is that you have to starve yourself...have to suffer....when "on a diet" to lose weight. Definitely not the case. If you're exercising that much, you certainly have the caloric expenditure to support more than a 1200 calorie intake.
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    How do you find your TDEE? Someone refresh me please?

    There are more complicated ones, but I like this simple calculator best http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    This one is simple, but I do not believe it is good for someone (like me) who is obese as it does not take body fat percentage into account.

    Since I have a high percentage of body fat (an estimated 48%) my TDEE is quite a bit lower than a woman who is my height and weight with mostly muscle. Muscle makes the body a more efficient calorie burning machine, which means that someone who is the same height and weight, but with more muscle, can handle a more calories than those of us whose body makeup contains a higher ratio of fat.

    I would suggest visiting In Place of a Roadmap group and taking a look at the BMR / TDEE spreadsheet in the stickies. You plug your measurements into the spreadsheet to get an estimated body fat percentage and then the spreadsheet calculates your BMR and TDEE based on your height, weight and body fat.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm
  • claudetteshaz
    claudetteshaz Posts: 1
    Thanks everyone, I'm a newbie and after two weeks on 1200 cals (hungryyyyyy) and with only 1lb gone, I was beginning to think it was just something wrong with me! Lol, up to 1500 - let's see what happens:)
  • ajfc1971
    ajfc1971 Posts: 258 Member
    bump
  • mimiyo1980
    mimiyo1980 Posts: 37 Member
    Hello - thanks for the info on here. I have done all my calculations (based on the 'road map' guide) and think i am ready to commit to this. I had 50lbs to lose, i have lost 13lbs but nothing for the past few weeks and then I have upped to 1500-1700 this week, 3 x cardio and lifting a week, and have gained 1lb. I am thinking about setting it all on MFP and then just not weighing in for a month because i am starting to get stressed out that I am not making progress. Is a bit of weight gain in the begining normal? Should I give it a month to adjust? ANy suggestions welcome :0S
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    1. Find TDEE
    2. Subtract 20% and that's your calorie target

    This is what I do. TDEE - 20% = 1017 C. If I go over, I gain.

    My TDEE is 1991, so minus 20% is 1592. I generally eat around 1700 but then with exercise it brings it down to around 1500 marker, is this right, or should I eat at 1500 and not include the exercise cals? Thanks.

    Edit: to say my BMR says 1659. x
  • mimiyo1980
    mimiyo1980 Posts: 37 Member
    1. Find TDEE
    2. Subtract 20% and that's your calorie target

    This is what I do. TDEE - 20% = 1017 C. If I go over, I gain.

    My TDEE is 1991, so minus 20% is 1592. I generally eat around 1700 but then with exercise it brings it down to around 1500 marker, is this right, or should I eat at 1500 and not include the exercise cals? Thanks. x

    Do either or. Either eat 1592 and eat exercise cals back or eat 1700 and dont. Don't do both.
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    1. Find TDEE
    2. Subtract 20% and that's your calorie target

    This is what I do. TDEE - 20% = 1017 C. If I go over, I gain.

    My TDEE is 1991, so minus 20% is 1592. I generally eat around 1700 but then with exercise it brings it down to around 1500 marker, is this right, or should I eat at 1500 and not include the exercise cals? Thanks. x

    Do either or. Either eat 1592 and eat exercise cals back or eat 1700 and dont. Don't do both.

    Thanks I've been eating at 1700 for the last couple of months and started incorporating weights, I'm trying to stick with this, as my weight is going up and down, but hoping the inches will come off. Kinda demoralising when your trying hard and the scales don't reflect it but hopefully the tape measure will. x
  • mimiyo1980
    mimiyo1980 Posts: 37 Member
    1. Find TDEE
    2. Subtract 20% and that's your calorie target

    This is what I do. TDEE - 20% = 1017 C. If I go over, I gain.

    My TDEE is 1991, so minus 20% is 1592. I generally eat around 1700 but then with exercise it brings it down to around 1500 marker, is this right, or should I eat at 1500 and not include the exercise cals? Thanks. x

    Do either or. Either eat 1592 and eat exercise cals back or eat 1700 and dont. Don't do both.

    Thanks I've been eating at 1700 for the last couple of months and started incorporating weights, I'm trying to stick with this, as my weight is going up and down, but hoping the inches will come off. Kinda demoralising when your trying hard and the scales don't reflect it but hopefully the tape measure will. x

    Too true... i need to keep calm and carry on!
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    however the biggest loser contestants lose at an alarming rate and I'm sure the caloric intake is under 1700

    Here is a study I found interesting, especially considering TBL's Dr. Huizenga's name is on it.
    http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/early/2012/04/24/jc.2012-1444.abstract?papetoc

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