Eating well below my BMR

HunterDC22
HunterDC22 Posts: 4
edited January 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All,

I have been using my fitness pal for about 2 1/2 weeks now and I have lost a little over 10lbs. I started eating smaller portions and only drink water now. So not huge changes, but significant ones. I used to drink coke like water almost. I also reduced starchy foods like potatoes.

I am pretty active and am currently walking/jogging/or strength training at least 1 hour a day. Most days is 2 hours though. I have also started choreographed dancing to mix it up a bit.


My BMR is 1900 everyday. The most I really consume 1200 calories a day then with exercise i knock out maybe 500 or more netting somewhere around 600 each day.

For Example here is what I had on Monday to eat:

Breakfast:
3 Egg White Veggie Omelette: 109 calories
1tsp Cottage Cheese in the omelette: 25 calories
3 Turkey Sausage links: 120 calories
2 Cups of Water: 0
Total: 254

Lunch:
2 Slices Double Fiber Wheat Break: 100 calories (50 a piece)
2 oz of ultra thin turkey: 50 calories
2 cups of water
Total: 150

Dinner:
1/2 Brown Rice: 150 calories
1/2 steamed spinach: 20
1 Cup of Broccoli steamed with no salt: 31
1 clove of garlic: 8 calories
1 tsp Olive Oil: 30 Calories
5 oz ground turkey: 188
2 cups of water
Total: 427

Snacks:
Banana: 150 calories
Milk Chocolate Skinny Cows: 240 Calories
6 cups of water

Total Total: 1221
Exercise Total: 499 calories burned for an hour of light jogging.
Net: 722 Calories
Remaining Calories: 1178

I only ate the skinny cows so I would be over 1200 calories.

My problem is that I am not hungry. I'm actually very content with my new lifestyle and feeling better. I just knocked out the bad drinks and am trying to eat less. And add in green veggies over white stuff. I am loosing weight slowly but surely; however, I keep hearing that eating under your BMR is bad. I am really excited about this and I am trying to do it right so if anyone has any insight into this problem it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
    Are you going for weight loss or HEALTHY weight loss?
    Eat what you NEED to eat unless you want to see a lower number
    But a fatter looking body.
    Losing muscle is a real thing, not a myth.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It's not really necessary to eat more food if you just eat little smarter. Bump up each meal by a few hundred calories. Use whole eggs and add an ounce of cheese to your omelette. Add some peanut butter or a handful of almonds to your snack. Put some avocado on your sandwich at lunch. There are plenty of calorie-dense foods available to boost your intake without filling your stomach.
  • HunterDC22
    HunterDC22 Posts: 4
    That is great advice! Thank you Dianne! I made the decision to switch to almost all health alternatives to my food. Like Whole Eggs to egg whites, white bread to rye, etc. But that makes sense to add some calorie dense food every once in a while. I appreciate the feedback!
  • shortie_sarah
    shortie_sarah Posts: 177 Member
    The replies to this thread will help me too. Sadly, I'm doing the same thing. I have been eating way under my calorie goal but it's tough to eat more than that because I'm feeling so full off of what I do eat. The first response did it for me..the one about losing numbers but also losing muscle mass. And thanks Diane, that is very good advice. There are things I could do to amp up the cals a bit :smile:
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
    I find myself in the evening after all meals struggling to find healthy things to eat to get the calories near my personal goal.
    I originally set my goal calories at the low 750 and was actually eating more like 450 to 500
    With encouragement from my wife and a doctor I increased to 1000 and now 1200 but seldom reach those levels.
    *SARAH* commented yesterday on my post that I "need to eat more food" so I did late in the evening to get over 1100.

    I was losing weight quickly but it has slowed a lot but I have little concern as long as I am burning more calories than I take in, I know I will lose weight but certainly have no plans to increase my goal calories any more for now.

    I have stopped logging in my exercise on here and am keeping track of it separately.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    MFP isn't about trying to eat the fewest possible number of calories. It's about learning to eat at a healthy level for your body - not too much and not too little.

    So you do need to eat all of your base calories and at least half of your exercise calories. Here are some ideas for adding healthy calories:

    Chicken with the skin
    Steak
    Cheese
    Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
    Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
    Fruit,
    Peanut butter or other nut butters
    Nuts
    Avocado
    Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
    Dark chocolate
    Salmon
    Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
    Olive oil
    Smoothies
    Granola/sports nutrition bars
    Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal)
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Pay honest attention to how you feel. Energy levels and moods.
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    It's not really necessary to eat more food if you just eat little smarter. Bump up each meal by a few hundred calories. Use whole eggs and add an ounce of cheese to your omelette. Add some peanut butter or a handful of almonds to your snack. Put some avocado on your sandwich at lunch. There are plenty of calorie-dense foods available to boost your intake without filling your stomach.
    MFP isn't about trying to eat the fewest possible number of calories. It's about learning to eat at a healthy level for your body - not too much and not too little.

    So you do need to eat all of your base calories and at least half of your exercise calories. Here are some ideas for adding healthy calories:

    Chicken with the skin
    Steak
    Cheese
    Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
    Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
    Fruit,
    Peanut butter or other nut butters
    Nuts
    Avocado
    Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
    Dark chocolate
    Salmon
    Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
    Olive oil
    Smoothies
    Granola/sports nutrition bars
    Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal)
    These. If you truly aren't feeling hungry, you can eat healthy foods that are still high in calories. This will get you to a healthy caloric intake without forcing you to shovel down a ton of extra food. A lot of people follow this kind of plan to get their calories in check without eating a ton more.

    Good luck!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    It depends on the individual, but it's not unhealthy to eat below your BMR, especially if you are obese. Dietitians have said this here, doctors have been quoted saying the same thing. So long as your diet is healthy and you have sufficient energy, it shouldn't be a problem. You should never eat just to meet a generic standard. It's great if you are recognizing a feeling of satiety and honoring.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    That is great advice! Thank you Dianne! I made the decision to switch to almost all health alternatives to my food. Like Whole Eggs to egg whites, white bread to rye, etc. But that makes sense to add some calorie dense food every once in a while. I appreciate the feedback!

    Keep in mind that whole eggs are healthy...in fact, ounce for ounce they're one of the most nutrient dense whole foods on the planet...but most of that nutrition is in the yolk. By avoiding the yolk, you'e actually getting less nutrition. BTW, if you're worried about the cholesterol, the whole '80s dietary cholesterol raises your cholesterol thing has pretty much been debunked. Our bodies produce thousands and thousands of MG of cholesterol on it's own...having a couple of eggs is akin to dropping a penny in a vault with a billion dollars in it.

    The problem is that so many people equate fat = bad...so stuff like eggs get demonized...as do nuts and nut butters, etc. When in reality these foods are very, very, very nutritious and good for you. Not to mention, you need these fats...you need them for proper motor function, brain function, nervous system function, and these types of fat also combat heart disease. Too many people cut out all of the fat and that's why they can't meet their calorie goals. They think they're being healthy, when in fact, they're malnourishing their bodies because their bodies need that fat.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    That is great advice! Thank you Dianne! I made the decision to switch to almost all health alternatives to my food. Like Whole Eggs to egg whites, white bread to rye, etc. But that makes sense to add some calorie dense food every once in a while. I appreciate the feedback!

    Keep in mind that whole eggs are healthy...in fact, ounce for ounce they're one of the most nutrient dense whole foods on the planet...but most of that nutrition is in the yolk. By avoiding the yolk, you'e actually getting less nutrition. BTW, if you're worried about the cholesterol, the whole '80s dietary cholesterol raises your cholesterol thing has pretty much been debunked. Our bodies produce thousands and thousands of MG of cholesterol on it's own...having a couple of eggs is akin to dropping a penny in a vault with a billion dollars in it.

    The problem is that so many people equate fat = bad...so stuff like eggs get demonized...as do nuts and nut butters, etc. When in reality these foods are very, very, very nutritious and good for you. Not to mention, you need these fats...you need them for proper motor function, brain function, nervous system function, and these types of fat also combat heart disease. Too many people cut out all of the fat and that's why they can't meet their calorie goals. They think they're being healthy, when in fact, they're malnourishing their bodies because their bodies need that fat.

    Thank you for pointing this out. I have been on many diets in the past ..... back in the day fat = bad. All fats were treated pretty much the same.

    I now accept that fat is NOT bad (finally) .... that I need fat in my diet. It takes people awhile to change sometimes.
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
    It's not really necessary to eat more food if you just eat little smarter. Bump up each meal by a few hundred calories. Use whole eggs and add an ounce of cheese to your omelette. Add some peanut butter or a handful of almonds to your snack. Put some avocado on your sandwich at lunch. There are plenty of calorie-dense foods available to boost your intake without filling your stomach.

    This. You will feel better, have more energy and your hair, skin and fingernails will look better! Remember that to lose weight and NOT gain it back, you will have to eat sensibly for the rest of your life. You are in a "honeymoon" phase right now - (we all do it!) - and you will soon enough feel hungry again. Eat sensibly instead of "diety" and you will lose weight, but remain satisfied, HEALTHY and keep your energy levels.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I find myself in the evening after all meals struggling to find healthy things to eat to get the calories near my personal goal.
    I originally set my goal calories at the low 750 and was actually eating more like 450 to 500
    With encouragement from my wife and a doctor I increased to 1000 and now 1200 but seldom reach those levels.
    *SARAH* commented yesterday on my post that I "need to eat more food" so I did late in the evening to get over 1100.

    I was losing weight quickly but it has slowed a lot but I have little concern as long as I am burning more calories than I take in, I know I will lose weight but certainly have no plans to increase my goal calories any more for now.

    I have stopped logging in my exercise on here and am keeping track of it separately.

    You do realize that your body is using calories all the time .... not just when you are exercising. Your heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. all need calories to function properly.

    Your body can get some of the nutrients it needs from stored body fat ..... but many important nutrients are stored in muscle tissue. If you are reducing muscle AND fat at the same time ..... you are not reducing body fat as a %
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
    Hello All,

    I have been using my fitness pal for about 2 1/2 weeks now and I have lost a little over 10lbs. I started eating smaller portions and only drink water now. So not huge changes, but significant ones. I used to drink coke like water almost. I also reduced starchy foods like potatoes.

    I am pretty active and am currently walking/jogging/or strength training at least 1 hour a day. Most days is 2 hours though. I have also started choreographed dancing to mix it up a bit.


    My BMR is 1900 everyday. The most I really consume 1200 calories a day then with exercise i knock out maybe 500 or more netting somewhere around 600 each day.

    For Example here is what I had on Monday to eat:

    Breakfast:
    3 Egg White Veggie Omelette: 109 calories
    1tsp Cottage Cheese in the omelette: 25 calories
    3 Turkey Sausage links: 120 calories
    2 Cups of Water: 0
    Total: 254

    Lunch:
    2 Slices Double Fiber Wheat Break: 100 calories (50 a piece)
    2 oz of ultra thin turkey: 50 calories
    2 cups of water
    Total: 150

    Dinner:
    1/2 Brown Rice: 150 calories
    1/2 steamed spinach: 20
    1 Cup of Broccoli steamed with no salt: 31
    1 clove of garlic: 8 calories
    1 tsp Olive Oil: 30 Calories
    5 oz ground turkey: 188
    2 cups of water
    Total: 427

    Snacks:
    Banana: 150 calories
    Milk Chocolate Skinny Cows: 240 Calories
    6 cups of water

    Total Total: 1221
    Exercise Total: 499 calories burned for an hour of light jogging.
    Net: 722 Calories
    Remaining Calories: 1178

    I only ate the skinny cows so I would be over 1200 calories.

    My problem is that I am not hungry. I'm actually very content with my new lifestyle and feeling better. I just knocked out the bad drinks and am trying to eat less. And add in green veggies over white stuff. I am loosing weight slowly but surely; however, I keep hearing that eating under your BMR is bad. I am really excited about this and I am trying to do it right so if anyone has any insight into this problem it would be greatly appreciated!

    Thank you in advance!

    You probably calculated your BMR using a generic online calculator, yes? Then it is probably wrong. I used the online calculator and after two months of gaining weight, I went to a doctor, then a dietician. Together, they calculated my actual BMR to be a whopping 800 calories less than the online calculator said it was!

    My advice is to go to a doctor and dicuss a healthy weight loss plan with him/her.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    That doesn't sound like enough food for any 22 year old man I have ever met ( apologies if you are a physical dwarf).

    Also; eating egg whites as opposed to the whole egg makes baby jesus cry.
  • mjl54
    mjl54 Posts: 127 Member
    your a Male and 22 only eating 1200 calories.:noway: eat MORE. your body will thank you and you will drop the weight
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