Under 1200 but not hungry?

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Right, so I've stopped binging and eating ridiculous amounts of junk food, but now I'm having trouble eating even 1200 calories. I'm not especially concerned when I'm a bit under that-- I'm quite short with a small frame, so I think 1000 is probably closer-- but there are days when I only net around 600. And then thing is that that's not for the most part intentional; I'm just not hungry enough to eat anything else.
And I know that eating that few calories is supposedly bad for you, but your brain can still function properly at 600, yes? And I never felt faint or dizzy or tired. If anything, I feel like I have more energy now that I'm eating less, but healthier. Anyway, advice? What can I do to meet my goal? Or is it bad that I'm eating the amount that I'm eating?
(As a side note, I haven't got a scale, so I don't know if I'm losing weight. It also hasn't been a very long time.)
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Replies

  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
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    No. It can't.
    Right, so I've stopped binging and eating ridiculous amounts of junk food, but now I'm having trouble eating even 1200 calories. I'm not especially concerned when I'm a bit under that-- I'm quite short with a small frame, so I think 1000 is probably closer-- but there are days when I only net around 600. And then thing is that that's not for the most part intentional; I'm just not hungry enough to eat anything else.
    And I know that eating that few calories is supposedly bad for you,


    but your brain can still function properly at 600, yes?


    And I never felt faint or dizzy or tired. If anything, I feel like I have more energy now that I'm eating less, but healthier. Anyway, advice? What can I do to meet my goal? Or is it bad that I'm eating the amount that I'm eating?
    (As a side note, I haven't got a scale, so I don't know if I'm losing weight. It also hasn't been a very long time.)
  • yaseyuku
    yaseyuku Posts: 871 Member
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    Eat more calorie dense food. 600 will slow down your metabolism in the end. I did that for a long time and my metabolism is terrible now.
  • leahartmann
    leahartmann Posts: 415
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    Eat. More!! I know it can be difficult, when your stomach is use to not to eat, but then you have to reverse it. Do not eat below 1200 net, if you in any way can avoid it. If it´s too difficult for you, then up your calories by 50-100 a week, until you reach your goal. But do eat more! You will have a lack of vitamins, minerals, essential oils for you brain and a lot of other stuff. Eat. More.- In my oppinion.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    Please eat more. Find something calorie dense like peanut butter, nuts, something to help increase your caloric intake at the end of the day. This is very unhealthy.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Right, so I've stopped binging and eating ridiculous amounts of junk food, but now I'm having trouble eating even 1200 calories. I'm not especially concerned when I'm a bit under that-- I'm quite short with a small frame, so I think 1000 is probably closer-- but there are days when I only net around 600. And then thing is that that's not for the most part intentional; I'm just not hungry enough to eat anything else.
    And I know that eating that few calories is supposedly bad for you, but your brain can still function properly at 600, yes? And I never felt faint or dizzy or tired. If anything, I feel like I have more energy now that I'm eating less, but healthier. Anyway, advice? What can I do to meet my goal? Or is it bad that I'm eating the amount that I'm eating?
    (As a side note, I haven't got a scale, so I don't know if I'm losing weight. It also hasn't been a very long time.)

    noone is going to tell you that 600-1000 is ok.

    infact its so not ok that it breaks the rules of this forum because its a VLCD diet, which are very, very bad for you, and anyone, ever.

    heres an excert from an article:

    Let’s look at some of the uncomfortable side effects of very low calorie diets:

    Dry mouth
    Headache
    Dizziness
    Fatigue and weakness
    Cold intolerance
    Dry skin and nails
    Menstrual irregularities in women
    Hair loss
    Constipation/diarrhoea
    Irritability and confusion
    Inability to concentrate
    Muscle breakdown
    Problems with nerve and muscle function due to an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes

    Conditions such as osteoporosis, anaemia, gout, gallstones, clinical depression, heart problems, renal failure, and liver disease
    And, it appears the lower your calorie intake, the greater the likelihood you will experience some of these side effects.

    source: http://www.dietriffic.com/2009/05/14/very-low-calorie-diet/


    so yeh.... really bad. theres no wiggle room, no doubt and you are not magically different from everyone else. its very very bad for you.

    LOVE. THYSELF. EAT. MORE.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Hi there. I want to explain something to you about hunger, that most people in our first world society today simply don't understand.

    Hunger for the most part is a habit. It is also very misunderstood. On one end of the spectrum it gets mixed up with boredom, thirst, and a billion other inputs. On the other, its simply completely ignored. The readily available supply of food, along with our various lifestyles (some of us have totally sedentary jobs, yet exercise 10-12x a week, while others are very active for work, and don't exercise at all, etc.) we have today have worked together to muddy the signal.

    Because of this...in our modern world, fueling your body based on your level of hunger makes absolutely zero sense. Most likely, you'll either be eating way too much, or way too little.

    Hope this helps some.
  • slyrat
    slyrat Posts: 28
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    If you can make yourself eat more, you'll start wanting to eat more. I felt like I was subsisting just fine on >500 cal a day and was never hungry, but then I decided I wanted to start lifting and gradually upped my calories to ~1700-2000. The first few days were hard to meet that goal and I felt way too full, but your body adjusts. It'll become much easier, and it's much better for you!
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
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    I've been eating under 1200 for three months on the advice of my dietician and doctor. I do not reccommend this for anyone else as it was a specific plan that was made solely for me. It has been working for me. I am also just not hungry. My dietician and my doctor both agree that the TDEE calculators on here are extremely generous. It tells me I burn 2300 a day just sitting in my chair. (Yeah, right!) My doc and dietician have both agreed that my TDEE is around 1000, on a good day. I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day), they both say I should eat at 1200 to lose weight. I feel good at that amount. I have lots of energy and I feel healthy.

    Some days it's hard to get there. Rice is high in calories and quick to make. Also pasta.
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
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    What made them decide that your TDEE was around 1000? That is extremely abnormal. I'm wondering how they came up with that.
    I've been eating under 1200 for three months on the advice of my dietician and doctor. I do not reccommend this for anyone else as it was a specific plan that was made solely for me. It has been working for me. I am also just not hungry. My dietician and my doctor both agree that the TDEE calculators on here are extremely generous. It tells me I burn 2300 a day just sitting in my chair. (Yeah, right!) My doc and dietician have both agreed that my TDEE is around 1000, on a good day. I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day), they both say I should eat at 1200 to lose weight. I feel good at that amount. I have lots of energy and I feel healthy.

    Some days it's hard to get there. Rice is high in calories and quick to make. Also pasta.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    She's probably confusing TDEE with BMR. Unless maybe you have a medical problem?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    Your TDEE is the energy you expend during your day (not including exercise).
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
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    What made them decide that your TDEE was around 1000? That is extremely abnormal. I'm wondering how they came up with that.
    I've been eating under 1200 for three months on the advice of my dietician and doctor. I do not reccommend this for anyone else as it was a specific plan that was made solely for me. It has been working for me. I am also just not hungry. My dietician and my doctor both agree that the TDEE calculators on here are extremely generous. It tells me I burn 2300 a day just sitting in my chair. (Yeah, right!) My doc and dietician have both agreed that my TDEE is around 1000, on a good day. I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day), they both say I should eat at 1200 to lose weight. I feel good at that amount. I have lots of energy and I feel healthy.

    Some days it's hard to get there. Rice is high in calories and quick to make. Also pasta.

    Well when you sit on the couch for 12 hours and then sleep for 12 hours, you don't expend a lot of energy.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    Your TDEE is the energy you expend during your day (not including exercise).
    I include my exercise in my activity level when I calculate my TDEE. Never heard of anyone not including it, unless they plan on eating exercise cals back. Most people's BMR is higher than 1000 a day....can't imagine walking & talking all day long & not burning more than 1000. But I suppose you're not most people, eh? :smile:
  • freebirdjones
    freebirdjones Posts: 237
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    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    This! Some good snacks to get your cals up! Don't eat under 1200!
  • freebirdjones
    freebirdjones Posts: 237
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    Also, if your journal was public I am sure you can get good tips =)
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    Your TDEE is the energy you expend during your day (not including exercise).


    It includes exercise. You just described BMR. TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure which is self explanatory.
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    Your TDEE is the energy you expend during your day (not including exercise).


    It includes exercise. You just described BMR. TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure which is self explanatory.

    Ah makes sense. thanks.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I am not very active, obviously. But with my exercise (I try to burn 1000 cal a day),
    Burning 1000 calories through exercise and you consider yourself "not very active"??? :huh:

    If you are burning 1000 cals a day in exercise, then your TDEE is far above 1000.

    To the OP - as other have said - eat more calorie dense foods - dip sliced apples in peanut butter, snack on a handful of raw almonds or walnuts, add avocado to eggs, salads or sandwiches. Lots of good cals in small portions of those foods, so you get to goal without feeling like you're stuffing your face. :smile:

    Your TDEE is the energy you expend during your day (not including exercise).

    Did that ultra qualified dietitian/doctor of yours tell you this?
  • victoire713
    victoire713 Posts: 720 Member
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    Hey there,

    It sounds like u undershrunk ur stomach. Also sounds from some of ur symptoms, sounds like ur on ur way or have an eating disorder. So I think high carbs and high protein will help balance that out, but plz don't forget the fruits and veggies.