My doctor vs MyFitnessPal and calories
Options
Replies
-
0
-
First (and I'm not being disrespectful), I would be concerned that any Dr would tell you to eat less than 1200 calories a day! There may be a medical necessity for you to be AT 1200 calories a day, but under is dangerous (that comes from many of my own Drs being frustrated with me not reaching 1200 calories a day and constantly gaining weight).
Second, you should really follow what your body is telling you to do. Only you and your body know what is right for you. If after a workout you are hungry then eat. Pick wisely is my best advice, and make sure you are staying well hydrated during your workout.
Please, please, please talk with another Dr about a healthy calorie intake for you!!!!!
Thanks, no disrespect taken. I eat when I am hungry, and on day I work out I really do try to get at least 1200-1500. But sometimes I don't and if I am not hungry I don't fret over it. I drink 1/2-3/4 a gallon of water a day!
After I posted this I went and looked at your diary. I still think you should get a second opinion (medically, not just from us). Your eating is very nice!!! I do look at it and wonder about your protein intake. I looked through a little over a week of logging and there was only 1 day where you came close to hitting your protein, and the days you logged workouts there was no eating back, which when I was doing 1200 calories a day and going to the gym 4-5 times a week, plus walking 3 days a week I didn't do much of either (Like you, I struggled to make that 1200 calorie goal). But then I went 6 months with not only NOT losing weight, but steadily gaining 1-2 pounds a week! Talk about frustrating.... So I did start eating back about 1/2 my exercise calories. That helped with the gaining, but I still wasn't losing. After 4 months of this I changed things a little over a week ago I decided to try the TDEE method - 20%. You do not eat back exercise calories unless you do extremely intense workouts. In 2 days I dropped 3.5 pounds of water weight, and OMG the energy I've had has been amazing. I never realized that I was lacking energy until I changed this....
I have lost 50 pounds and need to lose another 50 (at least) and I know that I have royally messed up my metabolism by not eating enough, but I am working on fixing that. Are there times when I am not hungry at all... OMG yes, all day long! I am now eating 1743 calories a day, and it is a HUGE struggle to get there, however, it is very doable by the foods you choose. I have a good amount of protein with every single meal. I do carbs in the morning, and fat in the afternoon and evening (good fat from nuts and good oils).
Remember you need to listen to your body, and continue making smart food choices, but maybe switch it up a little bit. If you come to the conclusion that you do in fact need to at least try eating back your calories, choose high fiber fruits & veggies or do protein shakes. You may feel fine right now, but your body does in fact need extra fuel if you continue to eat 900-1100 calories and then workout heavily.
This is just MHO and my experience, so take it or leave it... Be healthy and good luck in your journey!
Awesome post! Thanks so much for taking the time to look at my journal I was on vacation last week and it was a STRUGGLE to say the least to eat right and get stuff in. I did the best I could do. I am actually going to print out your post an look it over, seemsvery sensible and I like that. I appreicate it. I Know I need to eat more and have been trying to figure out how I could do that with out really changing the volume but making some swaps with higher calorie foods. B-fats is hard b/c I hate EGGS so it's ususally always yogurt and fruit. Was thinking of adding milk to my protein shakes smal things like that having a cliff bar before I run that would easily give me another 3-400 calories a day. Anywho, thanks again!0 -
Hi there, prior to seeing my dietician, I was eating under 1200 calories (sometimes under 1000 calories) and exercising, and didn't lose a lb. My dietician as me on 1310 calories/day, and I've been losing 1-2 lbs/week. Even if my exercise calories allow me to eat more calories, I stick to 1310. I'm only 5 feet tall and thought that I should only eat 1000 calories, but the minimum really is 1200 calories (I tend to stick to that count on the days that I don't workout). I hope that helps.0
-
I dont eat back the calories! Why work your butt off in the gym and burn all those calories, just to eat them back?? In order to lose weight you must burn MORE calories than you consume in a day! Otherwise your defeating the propose!! I never eat back the Calories...
I agree. My best friend is a diabetic and her doctor suggested she try Medifast. Medifast has you eating between 800-1000 calories a day. Depending on your height 1200 calories can be too much. Listen to your doctor or get a second opinion from another doctor.0 -
Sorry but if your only eating say 800 calories and shave off half of it from exercise.... No one can possibly survive with so low calories and have a healthy lifestyle... You should eat back all your calories if you are are only consuming 800-1000 calories a day because even at that level, it can be classed as starvation!
Just a note to other MFP members that say you don't have to eat back your calories: the OPs calories is at an extremely low rate where macro and micro nutrients is sparse and few, even if she was to do nothing, she would lose weight in a drastic way anyway - any lower net calories and it'll affect the metabolism big time, unless it has already!
Not sure where you got 800 from. I am on 900-1100 and most days I am at 1100 before eating anything back so not sure why you are saying that. =-S0 -
The 1200 number is a mere invention of the CYA (cover your *kitten*) variety. It has no basis in medical fact, and cannot cover the enormous range in individuals, their sizes and activities.
All of my weight loss has been under medical supervision. I have weighed and logged every bit of food for over nine months. I am 6'3" tall, and currently weigh 203 pounds, only three pounds over a normal BMI. My highest weight was 475. For eight months, I averaged 1,040 calories per day. According to my activity log and fitbit, for more than half of that time I exercised considerable more, and so my daily net was below zero. This was what my doctors told me to do, and everyone should listen to their own physician. I never ate back any exercise calories. According to many on this thread, I couldn't possibly be alive from eating negative calories. So why am I? Because I was fat, and fat is energy. Anyone who is obese can do so, as long as a qualified doctor says it is ok.
I can show you charts and graphs. I never went into starvation mode, stalled, held onto fat, or any of that foolishness. My weight loss graph is a perfect, smooth, curve, utterly predictable, because I weigh all my food, honestly and precisely, and work out religiously. The past month or so I have, under doctor's recommendation, slowly increased calories to about 1600 per day, still less than most 6'3" men, and am still losing a little. I will gradually get to a normal daily intake, and weight, and fitness.
I have far more energy and activity than I have in years, in spite of eating less than those more than a foot shorter than me. How? Because I spent years eating far more than I should. You store energy so it can be used later. It's an ingenius creation, really. And if you are 70 or 100 pounds overweight, you can do what your doctor suggests, and eat less, without eating back your exercise calories. In that regard, your doctor knows what they are talking about.
Great post.0 -
You posted that your doctor specializes in weight loss, so I would DEFINITELY listen to her. I am currently under a plan (under a doctor who also specializes in weight loss) to stick to 1000 cals a day and not necessarily eat back exercise cals. I have read so much about "starvation mode" at under 1200 and I flat out do not believe it now. Now, I did hit a plateau for about 4 weeks of juggling the same 2-3 pounds, so I upped my cals for about a week to 1500, and then went back low and have lost the ones I was juggling plus an additional 3. I think my body just needed a shock. Maybe try that? It worked for me. My main point is: Listen to your doctor. Maybe ask about upping at a plateau???
Just wanted to add, I only upped my cals because so many people on here were saying I was not eating enough. So after upping them, and then lowering them shortly thereafter, I finally started losing again. I will stick to 1000-1100 a day now until I plateau again...
Best of luck!!!0 -
In answer to your question: I was losing body mass and increased calories. I also ate back more exercise calories, still losing.
- I would go with your Dr., I'm sure they will adjust you as you go along. Sounds like you are being monitored closely. They know more about YOU than anyone on this site. :bigsmile:
^^^THIS! I would always go with the doctor verse opinions of others that do not know anything about you.
But to answer your actual question. I stalled when I wasn't eating back my workout calories and then changed it up a little to eating back 1/3 of my workout calories and have been back on track losing.
Good luck!0 -
IDK how recent your profile picture is but you don't appear to be overly large. I'm not sure why you would consider a surgical solution to weight loss if you can lose weight yourself but counting calories and exercising.
That being said, I do not eat all of my exercise calories back. I do however have a higher calorie intake than you have.
It is me it's maybe 18 months or so old, I guess I don't carry too much weight inmy face but totay I weighed in at 181 but I am 5 foot 1 according to Dr . morbidly obese///or I was at 205 pounds at my largest and 200 5 weeks ago0 -
You need to choose who you're going to listen to.
If you want to listen to your doctor then just use MFP as a tool to track calories and ignore the warnings.
If you want to listen to MFP then don't go to your doctor any more.
I can't tell you who is right. You have to make that choice yourself.
I agree 100% with this poster ... you, and you alone make this choice. I am losing on a low carb, low calorie (and yes, it can def be done eating clean meat and veggies) diet. I hit plateaus, yes, but the scale keeps going in the right direction ... DOWN ... and my weight is lower than it has been since I was in my late teens and very early 20's. I use MFP to track my food and weight, check out topics I am interested in, but I do not use it as a bible for my health ... I don't think MFP is equipped to handle that, nor is it meant to replace a doctor's advice. That being said, I would go with your doctor ... of course your weight loss will slow after the first month of losing a lot of water weight and I think that 'starvation' mode is a myth (if it was real, I would weigh 500 pounds from all the low calorie diets I have been on over my lifetime) ... it's just a 'natural' plateau and your body adjusting. My $.02.0 -
Your doctor knows you better than we do and better than some generic online calculator does. Trust him/her. Or get a second opinion.
But when it comes to the advice of a medical degree vs a website, always go with the medical degree.
My cousin works for a doctor who prescribes HCG for weight loss, which is illegal. There are doctors who put feeding tubes in people for weightloss. Sure you wanna stick with that statement??
Doctors are normal people, there are plenty out there who want to make $$$ off of vulnerable people.
HCG is NOT illegal! Who told you that? I am currently using it as prescribed by my doctor.0 -
I dont eat back the calories! Why work your butt off in the gym and burn all those calories, just to eat them back?? In order to lose weight you must burn MORE calories than you consume in a day! Otherwise your defeating the propose!! I never eat back the Calories... but i do feel i have hit a platoue in my weight lsoe. I too lost more of my weight in the first 2 weeks, this is week 3 of my journey and i have 17 pounds to go and i feel im stuck at only losing 15 so far!!
All you are doing is building a larger calorie deficit. If that's what you want, then fine. But always be aware of the deficit you are creating.
It's often quoted that there is a maximum 'healthy' rate of weight loss of about 1% of your total body mass per week. That equates to -
If you are 300 lbs - a max 1,500 calorie per day deficit
If you are 250 lbs - a max 1,250 calorie per day deficit
If you are 200 lbs - a max 1,000 calorie per day deficit
If you are 175 lbs - a max 875 calorie per day deficit
If you are 150 lbs - a max 750 calorie per day deficit
If you are 125 lbs - a max 500 calorie per day deficit
Whether you create these deficits through reduced food intake, or through exercise without eating back cals, is entirely up to you.
Note that these are just maximums based on that oft quoted maximum healthy weight loss rates. Even at these rates, you can be losing lean body mass (the good stuff, that looks sexy on the beach).0 -
I dont eat back the calories! Why work your butt off in the gym and burn all those calories, just to eat them back?? In order to lose weight you must burn MORE calories than you consume in a day! Otherwise your defeating the propose!! I never eat back the Calories... but i do feel i have hit a platoue in my weight lsoe. I too lost more of my weight in the first 2 weeks, this is week 3 of my journey and i have 17 pounds to go and i feel im stuck at only losing 15 so far!!
This method in my opinion should only be done if the person has set their caloric goals as their maintenance, then dropping by 400-500 calories would be beneficial... Not when they have set their calories on a deficit already - that's just plain stupid IMHO0 -
Sorry but if your only eating say 800 calories and shave off half of it from exercise.... No one can possibly survive with so low calories and have a healthy lifestyle... You should eat back all your calories if you are are only consuming 800-1000 calories a day because even at that level, it can be classed as starvation!
Just a note to other MFP members that say you don't have to eat back your calories: the OPs calories is at an extremely low rate where macro and micro nutrients is sparse and few, even if she was to do nothing, she would lose weight in a drastic way anyway - any lower net calories and it'll affect the metabolism big time, unless it has already!
Not sure where you got 800 from. I am on 900-1100 and most days I am at 1100 before eating anything back so not sure why you are saying that. =-S
It was an example hence the word 'say 800'... Also because 800 popped into my head for some reason :laugh:0 -
I dont eat back the calories! Why work your butt off in the gym and burn all those calories, just to eat them back?? In order to lose weight you must burn MORE calories than you consume in a day! Otherwise your defeating the propose!! I never eat back the Calories... but i do feel i have hit a platoue in my weight lsoe. I too lost more of my weight in the first 2 weeks, this is week 3 of my journey and i have 17 pounds to go and i feel im stuck at only losing 15 so far!!
This method in my opinion should only be done if the person has set their caloric goals as their maintenance, then dropping by 400-500 calories would be beneficial... Not when they have set their calories on a deficit already - that's just plain stupid IMHO
Stupid is a bit harsh. More 'missing the point'. MFP revolves around managing a caloric deficit. By not eating back exercise calories, you are just increasing that deficit. As you say, that's fine at low or no deficit, but if you are 150 pounds at a 1,000 calorie deficit, then not eating back exercise cals is likely to have a deleterious impact on your health.0 -
at first I was dropping weight and then it stopped for 3 months without a loss. Then I read forums and updated my calories to 1500 instead of 1200 and I started losing again.0
-
Don't get me wrong. I love this site. It's working great for me. But Doctor > Website.
60% of the time, it works everytime!
But seriously, your doctor is accountable to you and only you. This website is based on general principles of weight loss. There could be very specific reasons as to why she wants you to eat that amount of calories.0 -
I haven't read all the responses so sorry if some of this is a duplication. I am short and started with almost 70 pounds to lose to be at the high end of a healthy BMI. IMO, if you do not have serious health concerns why are you in such a rush? What you are doing is almost certainly causing more muscle loss than is necessary, even if you are losing body fat %. Here's an example: starting weight 200, lean mass 120, so BF% is 80/200=40%. You lost 20 pounds in a month and now your BF% is 38.9%, which is lower...but it means that you just lost 10 pounds of muscle mass, because you now weigh 180 with 70 pounds of fat (70/180=38.9% BF%) and only 110 pounds of lean mass. This is just an example of course, has your doctor been monitoring your lean body mass change, not just BF%? If you lose too much lean body mass, it is going to be a real problem trying to maintain any weight loss, because you will have to eat much less just to maintain, and if you go back to your old eating habits with less lean body mass, you will end up at a higher weight than you started, eating the same as before (this is how people yo-yo and end up higher each time).
The first month of weight loss, on any plan, is likely to have much higher loss due to the initial water weight that most people lose when they reduce carbohydrates. You cannot expect this to continue.
You shouldn't need to net 500 calories a day to lose weight! I am eating 1550 per day (my sedentary TDEE at my goal weight) and eating back at least half of my exercise calories. The weight is coming off, not crazy fast (28 pounds since January), but I am OK with that because I have a lot of bad habits to unlearn and I need to be able to handle everything life throws at me eating at this level, indefinitely. When I understood the calorie level that will let me maintain at goal weight, I realized that depriving myself of everything trying to get this done, fast, wasn't the way to go, because there is no "done", no going back to the old or anything close to it unless I also want to be the old weight or more.0 -
Your doctor knows you better than we do and better than some generic online calculator does. Trust him/her. Or get a second opinion.
But when it comes to the advice of a medical degree vs a website, always go with the medical degree.
My cousin works for a doctor who prescribes HCG for weight loss, which is illegal. There are doctors who put feeding tubes in people for weightloss. Sure you wanna stick with that statement??
Doctors are normal people, there are plenty out there who want to make $$$ off of vulnerable people.
HCG is NOT illegal! Who told you that? I am currently using it as prescribed by my doctor.
It may not be illegal (yet) but it certainly isn't a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight.
The fact that a doctor has prescribed this to you absolutely blows my mind.0 -
Your doctor knows you better than we do and better than some generic online calculator does. Trust him/her. Or get a second opinion.
But when it comes to the advice of a medical degree vs a website, always go with the medical degree.
My cousin works for a doctor who prescribes HCG for weight loss, which is illegal. There are doctors who put feeding tubes in people for weightloss. Sure you wanna stick with that statement??
Doctors are normal people, there are plenty out there who want to make $$$ off of vulnerable people.
HCG is NOT illegal! Who told you that? I am currently using it as prescribed by my doctor.
HCG is also sold in WalMart I believe...never tried it but it's definitely not illegal. And Doctors *generally* want the best for their patients. Everyone is bashing weight loss doctors (and family docs as well as others), but I bet if any of you had a serious medical condition you'd magically gain faith in Doctors again. Why are a lot of people hating on Doctors? I think the lady was originally asking if anyone had success without eating back all the calories..not if Doctors suck.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 394 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 941 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions