Too FEW calories?

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  • bbateman123
    bbateman123 Posts: 67 Member
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    You need to eat more, seriously. Your body is gonna wear down with so little gas. Look for calorie dense foods, various nut butters & nuts (if you aren't allergic), cook with grapeseed or olive oil, whole milk, cheese, cottage cheese (if you are not lactose intolerant), Avocados!!.

    Get you a big jar of peanut butter, keep it with you. Eat a serving with every meal. That is usually about 200 calories or so.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
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    I find myself doing the same thing. If I exercise quite a bit, say I burn 900 calories which is pretty typical for me, I just don't feel hungry at all and end up feeling sick if I try to force myself to eat. So instead I end up eating way below my calorie intake and most of the time not eating back my calories burned either. Which doesn't do me well for workouts the next morning!

    Your energy needs are the most important thing. You can lose weight without working out, so don't make working out the priority.

    If you are really getting close to 1000 calories less than you should be eating, cut back on your workouts and make sure you get enough energy.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I am a little confused by this. I understand the calorie portion on WHY eating less good calories is bad, but the alternate calorie calculator is COMPLETELY different than MyFitnessPal (http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ ) It shows me LESS calories to be eaten than MFP, but my friend I am working out with, the calculator shows MORE calories than MFP. Is this because the other one is more accurate or should we just try to stay within the balance of the two?

    These are not the same type of calculators. Scooby is a TDEE calculator and includes all of your exercise activity. MFP does not include exercise, it is the amount of calories for your body to just function and what you need in daily life not including exercise. You must have chosen incorrect settings somewhere if Scooby gave you lower cals than MFP.
  • Goldenwoof
    Goldenwoof Posts: 535 Member
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    I'm using a Polar HRM.
  • Goldenwoof
    Goldenwoof Posts: 535 Member
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    Okay, that all makes sense. I'll make a concerted effort to bump up my food intake.

    Thanks to everyone for their input! :)
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Hiya,

    On a typical, day, I eat a good bit below the 1,590 calories that are suggested to me by the site. Even on day where I burn a lotta calories with cardio, I find myself below that number (needless to say, I'm not eating back my exercise calories on those days, either).

    What could be the negative side of this? I don't feel like making myself eat more, because on those days, I'm truly not hungry. The stuff I eat is more than enough to keep me satisfied throughout the day.

    My diary is open, so please feel free to take a look. I only started logging again this past Monday, so there are only three recent days to see.

    Thanks!

    I am guessing by your diary that you want to lose weight?

    You are seriously under eating.

    You will lose weight but you will be the same shape and a saggy version of yourself.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    There really isn't a downside, unless you find you don't have enough energy during workouts or you find you tend to binge eat bad foods. You'll lose weight, with your body losing fat and muscle (not necessarily in the ratio you'd like). Most studies find that eating slightly below your energy needs is the best model for losing weight in a sustainable way. For short periods of time, fasting, or under-eating is not unsafe or unhealthy. No need to force feed. Your body will tell you when you need more fuel (just be sure to listen).
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    You skip breakfast.
    Your lunch is a whey smoothie,

    Two things you could change straight away.

    I'm female and 5'4" and eat more than you and workout less.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    There really isn't a downside, unless you find you don't have enough energy during workouts or you find you tend to binge eat bad foods. You'll lose weight, with your body losing fat and muscle (not necessarily in the ratio you'd like). Most studies find that eating slightly below your energy needs is the best model for losing weight in a sustainable way. For short periods of time, fasting, or under-eating is not unsafe or unhealthy. No need to force feed. Your body will tell you when you need more fuel (just be sure to listen).

    No. Just no.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
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    In looking at your diary, you seem to consume much of the bulk of your calories and carbs after lunch time - maybe you can add more morning food to the program and find that you are not forcing feeding??? Try using the shake for morning snack and adding real food to lunch...a big salad or clean turkey sandwich...

    The issue for me is, if I go too many days at a large calorie deficit (ie: not eating back enough exercise calories) I fall right off the darn wagon and eat like a crazy fat person for 2 days. That's just how I roll...I do better when I keep to the goals and really make myself consume the proper amount of calories. This doesn't mean you have to be shoveling food all day, it does mean making different choices.
  • michail71
    michail71 Posts: 120 Member
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    The profile picture you have doesn't look to be anywhere near 35% body fat that you have listed. It's hard to tell from a head shot but a man at 35% should have a fat looking face.

    You need to lift weights and eat!
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
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    The profile picture you have doesn't look to be anywhere near 35% body fat that you have listed. It's hard to tell from a head shot but a man at 35% should have a fat looking face.

    You need to lift weights and eat!

    Lol.

    OP, If you get the right amount of energy, you'll be just fine. :)
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    So, from what I'm reading so far, I should be FORCING myself to eat, even if I'm not the least bit hungry? If that's the case, then that's the case, but it just doesn't seem to make a whole lotta sense (not to mention sounding awfully uncomfortable).

    Yes, but you don't have to stuff yourself. A cup of chocolate milk and a heaping spoon of peanut butter is 500 calories, not that tough, and not overly filling.

    Rigger
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
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    So, from what I'm reading so far, I should be FORCING myself to eat, even if I'm not the least bit hungry? If that's the case, then that's the case, but it just doesn't seem to make a whole lotta sense (not to mention sounding awfully uncomfortable).

    Not necessarily. Just be smart about including more energy dense foods. For example, I noticed fruit smoothies with yogurt. Replace the yogurt you currently use with Greek yogurt that has fat to it(my favorite has 9% MF and it is so, so delicious).

    Also, omelettes with egg beaters. Why not use the whole egg? You miss out on valuable nutrients by removing the yolk, as well as a significant number of calories.

    Experience: My fiance is quite thin and doesn't have a huge appetite for his calorie needs, so I got good at making his food more energy-dense this way.

    ^^^This^^^

    Also, add some butter/olive oil to your salmon and rice. Easy, healthy, and tasty calories.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    low test

    ^this...

    ...is a really bad thing.
  • Goldenwoof
    Goldenwoof Posts: 535 Member
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    I just pre-entered my food for tomorrow and adding something as simple as a bagel thin with peanut butter and an apple got me a good bit higher. I also changed my "lose 1.5 a week" to "lose 1 a week."

    This will be easier than I thought. :)

    Thanks again, all!
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Good luck on everything yeah if its a HRM burn and not a MFP calculation best to get in some good calories..wishing you the best of luck on your journey!

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