I'm Eating Below My Calorie Goal - IS THIS BAD?

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arianamzai
arianamzai Posts: 36
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, so this is the second day of my fitness pal for me and I noticed that I am eating below the suggested daily calorie goal.
Is this a bad thing? I just can't find the strength to eat more, i'm already eating above my usual intake from before I joined mfp.

Yesterday I ate about 900 calories less than the recommended amount and everything I ate was healthy and clean.

If it means i'll lose weight more effectivly then i'll force myself to eat more but if it's not a major factor then I'd like to know...thanks!!

Replies

  • jessicasarle
    jessicasarle Posts: 8 Member
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    Same thing here. I've been using MFP for about a month and I'm usually 200-400 calories under my goal. The main problem with not reaching your goal is your body going into "starvation mode". You won't loose any weight because your body is holding onto everything it can. I've never tracked my calories before so I'm not sure how my deficit is affecting me yet but I have lost 4 lbs this month. My problem is I eat when I'm hungry and like you I would have to force myself to eat the goal. Also my calorie deficit is usually ends up being what I burned while exercising. Hope someone else has more info on this because I'd love to know as well.
  • mwiechel
    mwiechel Posts: 77 Member
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    It depends, how many calories are you eatting?
  • arianamzai
    arianamzai Posts: 36
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    MFP recommends that I eat 1880 calories per day..after I exercise it goes up to 2280 and I'm consuming about 1400 calories
  • andiroot
    andiroot Posts: 43
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    MFP recommends I eat 1200 net calories per day and I'm struggling to get to there. Most days are around 1200 but the workouts subtract and leave me around 900. I'm planning on adding a 2nd lunch to my (now) really long workdays because 900 is far too little, but I'm constantly eating small healthy meals. I just don't eat a wole lot of carbs & sugars other than breakfast oatmeal and apples for snacks.

    Are we doing this right?
  • jqh23
    jqh23 Posts: 311 Member
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    If you are using the calories that MFP gave you, you are supposed to eat back those calories. Eat healthy fats like avocado, use olive oil, duck fat, or coconut oil to cook to add up your calories...
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
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    the most effective weight loss eating plan is to eat the most possible that still results in weight loss. when the weight loss slows or plateaus cut cals further.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    MFP gives you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. This means when you do exercise you make the calorie deficit even larger.

    Too large a calorie deficit is a recipe for muscle loss. Many people workout to maintain muscle while dieting ..... when you don't FUEL your workouts (eating more) ..... you are actually working out to PROMOTE muscle loss.

    Now here's the tricky part ...... MFP and many machines overstate calories burned. If you are doing cardio & using a heart rate monitor, this is pretty close . HRMs are not accurate for calculating strength training..... many people take a % of MFP numbers (say 70%) .... test that awhile .... and then increase/decrease as needed.

    Going below calories once in awhile is not a big deal, but plan better for cardio days ....or "bank" calories for the weekend. Plan to eat a portion of your exercise calories.

    If you have trouble meeting goals still ....... calorie dense foods (nuts, nut butters, dairy, avocado, olive oil)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    MFP gives you a calorie goal that includes a deficit for weight loss or per your stated goal (lose, maintain, gain)...you do not need to make it bigger by exercising more, etc. MFP is a NEAT method calculator (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...so exercise is not included in your activity level when you set your goals...it is extra activity that needs to be fueled. NEAT method calculators are commonly used by individuals not accustomed to working out and lacking in a consistent fitness routine as the NEAT method is doesn't rely n any exercise whatsoever for building a calorie deficit...it's all in the diet.

    You don't have to necessarily eat back every single calorie...in fact, I recommend at minimum 50% and optimally around 70-75% or so. Calorie burns, whether from a data base, HRM, machine, whatever...they're all estimations so I always left a little room for estimation error.

    Don't listen to the starvation mode stuff...it is widely miss-understood; however, eating a severe calorie deficits will lead to greater loss of lean body mass and muscle along with the fat...most people who eat at severe calorie deficits are ultimately unhappy with their body composition when they get to goal weight due to being a higher BF% relative to that particular body weight due to burning off a lot of muscle.
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 413 Member
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    when the weight loss slows or plateaus cut cals further.

    Or eat more because the reason you plateaued in the first place was because you weren't eating enough. Happened to me.
  • arianamzai
    arianamzai Posts: 36
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    Thanks for the help everyone.....lots of new info that helped me out! Appreciate it. :heart:
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    MFP gives you a calorie goal that includes a deficit for weight loss or per your stated goal (lose, maintain, gain)...you do not need to make it bigger by exercising more, etc. MFP is a NEAT method calculator (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...so exercise is not included in your activity level when you set your goals...it is extra activity that needs to be fueled. NEAT method calculators are commonly used by individuals not accustomed to working out and lacking in a consistent fitness routine as the NEAT method is doesn't rely n any exercise whatsoever for building a calorie deficit...it's all in the diet.

    You don't have to necessarily eat back every single calorie...in fact, I recommend at minimum 50% and optimally around 70-75% or so. Calorie burns, whether from a data base, HRM, machine, whatever...they're all estimations so I always left a little room for estimation error.

    Don't listen to the starvation mode stuff...it is widely miss-understood; however, eating a severe calorie deficits will lead to greater loss of lean body mass and muscle along with the fat...most people who eat at severe calorie deficits are ultimately unhappy with their body composition when they get to goal weight due to being a higher BF% relative to that particular body weight due to burning off a lot of muscle.

    Fantastic explanation
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    when the weight loss slows or plateaus cut cals further.

    Or eat more because the reason you plateaued in the first place was because you weren't eating enough. Happened to me.

    me too!
  • kourte2012
    kourte2012 Posts: 4
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    My calorie goal is 1600 for weight loss (1pd per week) most days (including exercise) i usually have about 500-600 calories remaining by the end of day with a net calorie btw 900-1300 one day even got up to 1500. Am i creating a deficit?

    Also i scan EVERYTHING i eat & put in how ever many servings i ate of it so my food intake calories are pretty accurate.
    Im just wondering if I'm on the right road to weight loss by my calculations!

    SN: iv never been into calorie counters but i'm at that last STUBBORN 10-15 pd that i need off in my midsection to be where i want to be & i thought this would help me become more strict!
  • bbbgamer
    bbbgamer Posts: 582 Member
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    if you are not hungry don't eat....
  • JaxDemon
    JaxDemon Posts: 403 Member
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    . The main problem with not reaching your goal is your body going into "starvation mode"

    Old miff which as been proven wrong by programs such as lean gains, EatStopEat.
  • DefyGravity810
    DefyGravity810 Posts: 34 Member
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    I had this problem too actually, found I was eating too little when I joined. I started eating more and lost weight faster than I was eating less. Personally, I exercise at the end of the day so I don't use the MFP calories because I don't know what I'll need to eat back. I use my BMR at the suggestion of some people on here which is much higher than what MFP suggested I eat. It's hard to hit higher calories goals and still eat healthy but here's a few healthy higher cal foods if you need a boost:

    Skim milk (calcium is obviously important and even skim milk is around 100 cals)
    Natural nut butters
    Nuts
    Avocado
    Olive oil
    Dark chocolate
    Quinoa
    Brown rice
    Banana - about 120
    Mango - also about 120

    Also, I upped calories by slightly increasing portion sizes of proteins and whole grains carbs when I ate them, like maybe adding an extra ounce to my serving size.

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