People that are Starving themselves

Can't save everyone.

OP: I looove your hair.

I agree, I do stay at 1200 cals but if I exercise I eat them back. It was a gradual reduction for me from when I started so I don't think I noticed any starvation but agree with logging 800 cals and burning 500 is soooo bad for you not trying to be snarky I really do agree

I'm not sure that everyone looks at the diary before commenting. I think sometimes people have lots of friends and see that "so and so completed their diary and is under their calorie goal." And sometimes will respond "Way to go" w/ out actually looking through it.

But I do think that there are folks that either think netting 500 calories is good and aim for that and congratulate their friends for netting so low. And I think there's a difference between one or two super low days rather than every day being super low.

But at any rate I like food, so it's a pretty rare occurrence for me to get that low- and I'm just trying to not encourage super small net numbers like that if I encounter it on my news feed. Maybe they have a reason for it, maybe they don't but I don't feel like looking at someone's diary here and there gives me the right to tell them they have an eating disorder. I have friends that truly do- and honestly I think if someone were using MFP to aid them in their anorexia they'd probably close their diary, or log things they didn't eat just so that people wouldn't be jumping on them about it (out of concern, not to be a giant DB). And I think there are people that are trying to recover from an eating disorder and are posting honestly about their logs and need all the encouragment they can get.

Anywho, yeah, my goal is to not encourage super small numbers, but I'm not going to start prying and throwing out the term "eating disorder" for people who net really low, really often. If I develop a rapport w/ them I might kindly say something, but I'm not sure that my newsfeed is the place for that. (And I deliberately leave my "diet" stuff and weight loss goals off of facebook b/c I don't want to trigger those friends to fall when they are fighting so hard for normal and healthy and to stay in recovery.)

That is different. I missed that you were referring to a specific person and not just people in general who routinely net that low. My thought is that if it's triggering you to engage in something unhealthy that you probably need to disengage from this person, but if it's someone you feel like you've developed a relationship with then I would send him or her a private message and just say something like, "hey, I noticed your diary and I was wondering if you are happy with what you are eating and are you feeling good most days?" and try to offer some kind advice, but clearly you know the person you are talking about better than I do.

I'm just saying that I personally do not feel like I know enough about the people in my news feed that I would feel comfortable confronting them about it- out of fear that they'd take it the wrong way and it wouldn't help them but make it worse. It's hard enough to help those people that are my real world friends, let alone the ones I only know through MFP. But I haven't been here long and maybe when I've had more interaction with them I would.

And I absolutely agree that cheering people on for routinely (like 5 days out of 7) netting around 500 calories is not helpful. But I know that there have been days I see the generic newsfeed message pop up and say good job w/out having culled through the data in the diary.

Don't unfriend me! I rarely look at other people's food diaries. If I am reinforcing a negative behavior, I don't realize it. I will have to be more careful.

delete them, and move on. it too drives me crazy- all the threads too about 1200 cals etc....

MFP set me at only 1330 if I don't exercise. People have different activity levels. Like me, I am typically sitting in front of a computer all day so I am not burning as much calories as say a policeman would...lol. If I exercise, sometimes I will eat them back if I am legit hungry. Everyone is different and burns and loses in different ways.

Hi everyone, I'm new to all of this calorie counting stuff but I'm having a bit of a problem. Actually an opposite problem from what I thought I'd have. I log everything that goes into my mouth, and MFP gave me a goal intake of 1400 per day. As dumb as this sounds, I'm having a really hard time meeting this goal. I come in around 1000 per day, and often find days that I go drink a glass of milk or eat something when I really am not hungry just to be over 1200. I read somewhere that under 1200 was not good. I feel like I eat a lot. For example, today I had one packet of 100 cal oatmeal for breakfast and 2 Tbsp of half and half in my coffee, a banana a couple hours later. Then a frozen lean cuisine for lunch. Then a fiber one bar. For dinner I had baked potatoes, 4 oz of roast beef, and carrots. This all came in at about 998 for the whole day. I ate a pb&j 2 hours after dinner just to make it to 1400. I don't want to be eating when I'm not hungry, but I also don't want to eat too few calories that my metabolism slows. Any suggestions on what I need to change or what to do? Or is it even a big deal?

Prior to this eating change I have made we pretty much lived on fast food junk, so when I saw how many calories I was eating that way I thought I'd never be able to stay under 1400. I never thought I'd have the opposite problem. This has gone on for 3-4 days, with different food combinations. I really want to be successful here. I've lost about 6 lbs this first week, which I'm sure is just mostly water, and I'm in it for the long haul....I don't want to do any type of crash high speed diet. Please help.

If you feel okay, are drinking your water and seriously aren't hungry I don't think forcing yourself to eat is good. If you could go for a snack or small meal, cheese is always great for me to get the cals up. You are just starting out so you just have to find your grove and see what works best for you. Keep it simple. When it gets all deep, people are more likely to fall off. Learn as you go.

My motto is: If I have the extra cals and I am hungry, then I eat... if I am not hungry or don't have the cals, then I don't.

I delete them. Like you I can't stand to see that, so I give them a few days to do better, tell them why they can't continue that way, and then if they continue to starve themselves... DELETE. If they won't listen, I'm not going to help enable their eating disorder.

Many people don't look at someone's food before commenting. I always do. I'll never give a "great job" to someone who is too low. If I see it happen consistently, I'll ask them about it. Usually, I get a snarky answer, so I delete. I'm only trying to help.

I had spinal surgery last December & unfortunately have severe pain. On really bad days, I have to take narcotics. They make me nauseous & that's why I sometimes have a 300 or 400 calorie day. It sucks, because I'm hungry, but I throw up. It is interesting to see people tell me that I had a great day when I'm that low.

Whatever the case, gossiping about it on here doesn't help you or them.

It might be helpful to them if you offer suggestions or studies that show that eating a higher calorie diet is more effective. Many people still believe the old way of thinking, so it is our responsibility to make sure they are educated with the new research. But, if they continue to eat super low calorie diets, then it is always acceptable to delete them if you feel they are not supporting you. I know that I will write "great job" without actually looking at the diary, and this could be what those people who are commenting are doing. I do agree with you that a super low calorie diet shouldn't be praised; on the other hand, we shouldn't condemn them either.

I agree, my metabolism is way out of whack, I can just feel it. I am exhausted all the time and have tons of issues! Which is part of why I started this in the first place. I could try adding some good fats. I have been eating low fat everything. I probably do need more good fats. I don't think I get any of those at all.

Your metabolism is already slow or your wouldn't be full at 1000 calories per day. Eat more. My oatmeal is 150 calories and I put a tablespoon of peanut butter in it. Don't eat low fat anything, eat some avocados, more nuts, oil, fattier foods that are higher in calories. Fat is good for you and so are calories.

if you're having trouble hitting your calories then don't eat low fat anything. low fat food is just a fad the food industry latched onto. it's better (and tastes better) to eat full fat foods.

also, if you're not getting enough protein then try drinking a protein shake once a day and use 2% or almond milk. that will add a few hundred calories right there.

live and let live. if u dont like them. delete them.