Very confused....

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Liss_Bee
Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
I have been on MFP for a few months now, lost pretty well on it. The thing that is confusing me currently is when I finish my daily log and it tells me "If everyday was like today you would weight...in 5 weeks." and it goes up and down depending on if I meet my calorie intake or not. Usually I'm under, just because I'm not always hungry for more food. But it's telling me I'm going to put my body into starvation mode? I'm not even hungry, also when I DO meet the amount of calories or just a few less, the weight I would be in 5 weeks is substantially higher then when I am under! Just confusing, I'm trying not to look at it, but since my doctor will not let me exercise right now it's difficult to not. Hope she clears me after this week! LOL, never in my life thought I would be excited to work out again.

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  • einzig
    einzig Posts: 12 Member
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    I've seen someone before post that they couldn't met their calories, and someone explained this to them. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to run properly, if you're not hitting that amount of calories you may be hurting yourself instead of helping yourself. If your body goes into starvation mode, it means it doesn't have enough calories to run and will stop you from losing weight to protect itself.

    They suggested that you replace some of your 0 calories items with higher calorie items, like use LOW FAT instead of NO FAT. Also, try finding a treat you really enjoy that can give you that extra boost in calories if it's needed. Consider it a treat for succeeding, and it will help boost you to those calories you need.

    I've also read some people say that by eating a little bit more (1500 calories instead of 1200, etc) they lost more weight. The human body is a weird thing. Good luck!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    ignore it
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    I do all of the above, I honestly try to meet the goal and I fully understand needing to eat all the calories as well as a variety of food. I do this, but I'm not going to force myself to eat when I'm simply not hungry? I will try to just ignore it. LOL! Defiantly good advise. =]
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
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    That warning is there for a reason - it's not healthy to eat such low calories. If you're not giving the calories it needs to support basic function, you're going to screw up your system. Not to sound mean, but you didn't get to the point you need to lose weight by eating such low calories which means you are capable of eating more (and provided you don't have a physical health condition that limits the amount of food you can eat such as having had bariatric surgery). Add an oz or two of meat to your meals, drink a glass of milk, eat full fat instead of low/no fat, have ice cream. This is a good post about finding out what your calories should be set at and why it's important to eat: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    Or don't hit "complete this entry" and you'll never have to see the warning again.

    Also, your aversion to eating more could be a sign of a disordered eating problem and you should seek help for that.
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    Look I know I didn't get here by eating healthy, but I never ate much. I never exercised before now either. I usually eat all but 100 calories, that is not all that much. I fully agree that people will look at me and think that I was a pig before and just stuffed my face with junk food, but it is completely wrong. I come from a family that has weight issues, yes sometimes it is genetic. I am trying very hard to eat all the calories it tells me to. I was merely commenting on the message that I get from the "if everyday was like this..." I think that is the main concern NOT how many calories my body takes in. I listen to my body and some days I may hit the mark on the intake and some days I'm under. I'm not going into starvation mood by missing 100 calories in a day.....
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    No way do I have an eating disorder, and you should not use that term lightly. I eat very healthy, it is not an aversion to eating, I simply don't eat a lot.
  • linsdog
    linsdog Posts: 94 Member
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    The you would weigh X in 5 weeks is a simple calculation based on your calculated maintenance weight. If you are at a deficit it takes that times 5 weeks worth and calculates your total caloric deficit and states it in pounds. The lower you are for a day the more weight it will calculate you can lose.

    As far as starvation mode or otherwise....do a search as it has been proven to be a myth. It is not necessary to eat low calories but works for some people. There are dangers associated with it so familiarize yourself before too long.
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    How is it that doctors put people on crazy diets where they are only allowed 700 or less calories? I'm not even worried about how I'm not eating that last 100 calories, what I was trying to get across is that message could be a deterrence for some others. I'm quiet sure that listening to my body and eating more calories when it is craving them or less when not is working just fine. Gesh.
  • Isocopter
    Isocopter Posts: 3 Member
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    I go under 1200 (what it says will put you in starvation mode) by about 100 cals on days I don't exercise, which is only about two days a week. I was worried about going into starvation mode/ not being able to function by so far, nothing like that has happened. I would just ignore it.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    Better watch out OP. Once you see that warning you have exactly 6 minutes and 23.4 seconds to get those extra calories in before you go into starvation mode. It is a real thing you need to watch out for. You will know you hit it when you suddenly feel light headed, you instantly start gaining weight followed by instantly pooping yourself and finally pass out. Fortunately 6 minutes and 23.5 seconds is just enough time to clear your internet cache from all the porn you've been looking at and run to the refrigerator and quickly eat a piece of bread to get those 100 calories in....seriously nothing worse than your family finding you passed out with soiled pants trying to get to your porn stash....I don't recommend pushing it.
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    Oh darn, and here I was hoping to wake up after a near death episode! Lol, also my porn doesn't come off the internet. =] I kick it old school!
  • KingRat79
    KingRat79 Posts: 125 Member
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    If you are struggling to get your calories in a bit of planning earlier in the day can help. Record you calories as you eat rather then at the end of the day, that way you know if your on course to hit your goals. Also by spreading your calories out evenly through out the day it makes it easier. If you make sure you eat 3 well balanced meals per day it shouldn’t be that difficult to hit your calories. If you are still struggling then eating foods that are dense in calories will soon get you to your goal. As an example 25g of peanut butter (a spoon full) is about 150 calories or 50 grams of oats is about 200 calories.
  • Liss_Bee
    Liss_Bee Posts: 187 Member
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    Ok, as I have said before, I'm simply not hungry. I always plan my meals for the whole day at the beginning of my day. I have had my day planned today since I was logging my breakfast. I'm still at 161 calories left and that is with having two snacks. I refuse to stuff myself full of something else if I am full? It is not like I'm going under by hundreds of calories here. THAT WAS NOT MY POINT! I give up LOL! The responses have been fixated on the fact that I am full... Did you ever think that possibly the foods I am choosing are filling and healthy? I have anemia and understand the correct foods to eat. Blah, I'm done with this topic. Wish I could just delete it at this point. -.-
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Be cautious when using hunger cues to determine whether or not you are truly meeting energy needs since serum leptin decreases as one chronically restricts calories. Leptin is the primary hormone that regulates energy balance. Thus, when serum leptin levels deviate enough from baseline, hunger cues can be disturbed and inaccurate which may cause a person to gradually eat less.
  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
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    Better watch out OP. Once you see that warning you have exactly 6 minutes and 23.4 seconds to get those extra calories in before you go into starvation mode. It is a real thing you need to watch out for. You will know you hit it when you suddenly feel light headed, you instantly start gaining weight followed by instantly pooping yourself and finally pass out. Fortunately 6 minutes and 23.5 seconds is just enough time to clear your internet cache from all the porn you've been looking at and run to the refrigerator and quickly eat a piece of bread to get those 100 calories in....seriously nothing worse than your family finding you passed out with soiled pants trying to get to your porn stash....I don't recommend pushing it.

    It sounds like he's speaking from experience... especially about the porn. I'd listen to him if I were you...

    But seriously... If it bugs you, don't close out your diary at the end of the day. It won't affect how many days you've logged in. However you won't get the validation that you finished logging your food and exercise for the day & were under your calories, and getting the kudos from your friends. Unless you eat and exercise exactly the same way every day, then every day will not be like today... It's just a tool to try and motivate you to keep logging in every day and be under your calories.

    Try to meet your calorie and exercise goals every day. If you're +/-100 calories on a given day it's not the end of the world. And you hit the nail on the head when you said people under a Dr's care are on 700 calorie diets, it's not advisable to do that on your own long-term. There are people having weight loss success on 5:2 intermittent fasting and they only eat 500-700 calories 2 days a week, but more on the other 5 days... Personally I think I would be very cranky on those two days, but it's an interesting concept.

    Chill-ax, it sounds like you're doing fine.
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