If they are regulars on this forum, they've no doubt come across the "eat more" threads. I was here less than a week before I came across my first and I've seen plenty since.

The way I see it, telling them to eat more will do no good. I think of it the same way I do with my Christianity. The best way to spread the "Word" is by your actions, not by bombarding them with scripture or weight-loss info. Some people just get stubborn and dig their heels in even more. Most people will not even consider eating more lose weight until they've exhausted all their other options.

If they hit a stall and whine about it, then they've opened the door. That's when you can step in and give them a link here and/or the In Place of a Roadmap group.

I know a lot of people don't keep people on their friends list who prescribe to low-calorie diets. I might get to that point, too, but not yet. I have one young gal on my friends list who struggles to consume more than 800 calories a day. She's trying to get in 900, but mentally it's a challenge. When I see her hit 900 calories, I congratulate her for her milestone.

In the end, though, I think you need to do what is best for YOU. I am usually the first one to step in and do things for others, partly because I enjoy it and partly because I have a sick need to be needed. But now, I'm trying really, really hard to put me and my health first. After all, if I can't take care of myself, I won't be able to take care of someone else.

I'm one of the people who MFP told to eat 1200 calories or less. I typically go over, but not by much. This enabled me to lose 46 lbs when I did P90X last year. How many calories do you all recommend for someone who is 5'2",weighs 124 lbs, and does Insanity?

I borrowed the workouts from friends and did not get the nutrition guides. I was 168 lbs and that's way too heavy for someone with a 5'2" frame. 124 lbs is very healthy. And why so rude? I joined this group and asked a simple question in hopes of learning something!

Have you tried the scooby calculator that is mentioned in the stickies or the roadmap spreadsheet????? It should give you a pretty accurate idea on calories but the main thing to remember is not to underestimate your activity level which is what most people do.

I'm sure that most people here would agree that at your weight and height a small deficit would be recommended. I'm 5ft 2 as well but have a few more pounds on you which includes quite a bit of muscle though and I eat 2000 plus a day and have seen great changes, oh and the 2000 is with my deficit already deducted.

I've been doing this for over a year once I totally stalled doing weight watchers which would of equalled 1200 or less cals amd netting super low due to huge cardio burns.

Just my two cents. It may be for you and may not but eating more is a real "head" thing, I know it was for me in the beginning.

Update:

I was trying to encourage my 600-calorie MFP "friends" to eat more. There was one gal that I actually cheered for when she ate 900 calories. But then she'd go back to eating 600, 700, 500 ... I finally realized that I was wasting my time and theirs by looking at their diaries, reading their page notices and posting on their profiles.

So, now I have decided to delete any obvious anorexia-eaters from my friends list.

I also decided to delete MFP "friends" who continuously go MIA for days at a time. This is because I tired of posting little "Where are you?" "I hope all is OK" notices over and over again on the same profiles. My time can be much better spent encouraging the friends on my list who are serious about their health.

I need to remind myself that I'm on MFP for MY health. I'm not here to save someone who does not want to be saved.

That said, I'd love to be here to catch someone when they trip or pick them up when they fall -- so long as they are serious about continuing their journey to good health. And I hope that I have a few friends in my list who will be willing to give me a helping hand when I need it.

I tend not to comment too much on people when they're not eating enough, although I will mention to people if I see them eating nothing but junk.

I do, however, try to comment positively on people doing exercise and eating at a sensible deficit and share (possibly a little too often) that I'm losing weight at 1900+ calories a day.

I have a mfp friend who keeps her diary private, but based on her exercise and the amount she claims to eat, she is netting NEGATIVE calories (i.e., burning 2,000 calories in workouts and only eating 1200 calories for the day). She passed her goal weight about 20 pounds ago, so I'm a bit worried. I have tried to encourage her to take at least one rest day a week, but she usually only takes one rest day every two months or so. I have also told her about my success with eating more, but that doesn't seem to persuade her. I usually don't delete friends (unless they never log in), but I feel I have no choice here. Some people are just going to do what they want to do.

I have a friend who has been at this a while and is still losing at a steady rate but only eats about 700 calories, sometimes less. Workouts state this person burns 500 a session on avg and exercise calories are not eaten back. I've considered deleting this person several times but it's hard because a nice person and I just don't have the heart.