Not Enough Calories?

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  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Your diary isn't open.

    If you don't have much to lose, two week stalls are normal. Keep eating most of your exercise calories, but you have to accurately weigh and measure your foods and liquids. I'm assuming you don't have a lot to lose since you say you want under 150, so every calorie really does count at this point.

    Cheat days are fine as long as you log it all accurately and stay under your weekly goal. Make sure you get enough protein since you're working out so much, too. You say you're losing inches, and that really should satisfy you, especially if you're losing weight for aesthetic purposes.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Still can't see your diary.

    Over-estimating exercise burns using an HRM is one of the most common problems on MFP. The bottom line is that if your weight is stable for a number of weeks, you are not really running a deficit, so it's time to take a fine tooth comb to the numbers and see where the problem is.

    Probably best to wait for diary to open up before adding more...
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    Its open correctly now. Sorry, I must have hit the wrong button. Thanks again for you all taking the time to help me out.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Ok, I see it now. :drinker: For yesterday you have ~400 calories for about an hour of "walk/run" on the treadmill. How far did you walk, how far did you run, and what was the incline on the treadmill?
  • chasetwins
    chasetwins Posts: 702 Member
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    Diary is still closed - how tall are you and how much do you weight now? I am 5'5 currently 166 and eat about 1550 calories per day. Monday - Sunday. I have 2 rest days work out the other 5.. I am currently burning between 300 - 450 cals for each workout. I have been using the TDEE method all though MFP actually gives me the same calorie goal. I do NOT eat back exercise calories. 1550 is my max and I very rarely go below that.

    I stalled for a couple weeks, changed my workout only and started losing again. If you a re hungry a lot you are depriving your body of something. If you are eating enough - you are eating the wrong stuff. :)

    The only times I get hungry is if I go below my calorie goal

    Edited to add - posted before you opened your diary lol
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    im really confused
    ive just started dieting because i wanna lose weight for summer and ive been eating around 1200 cals a day but working off between 600 and 700 usually, is that wrong or?

    im around 20stone and 6'2"

    Um, yes. That' isn't very healthy.

    You're only netting 5-600. I bet you could be netting 3x that and still safely lose weight.
  • Brige2269
    Brige2269 Posts: 354 Member
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    What does your diary look like? Do you eat your exercise calories? How many pounds are you trying to lose? How tall are you?
    This, and readjust your MFP everytime you lose 10 pounds.
  • chasetwins
    chasetwins Posts: 702 Member
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    First thing I spotted - the milk :/ while milk in moderation is fine you seem to use a lot of calories for chocolate milk and on one day had it as dinner. I would be STARVING

    You need more nourishing items for meals - protein and veggies!! Breakfast lower the amount of milk if you must have it and have an egg with whole grain toast. Dinner always have a serving of protein with at least two servings of veggies and or fruit (veggie preferred for sugar purposes)

    You will stay fuller longer switching things like that out.

    I also saw..weekends are a sore spot lmao - mine too!! I have a harder time on weekends. If you must...absolutely MUST eat fast food right now..opt for something besides a big mac :/ Have a chicken salad with only half the dressing (dressings are usually loaded with cals & fat) Or at least opt for the chicken sandwich no condiments.

    Changing the things you eat will have a HUGE impact on how you feel.
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    I ran a mile at 4.5 1 incline, walked .75 mile at 3.5 1 incline, ran 4.5 at 4.5 1 incline. I don't do much incline because I am recovering from a tailbone fracture. Now outside I can run fine up and down hills. The treadmill just bothers my back more. The calories burned is based off my HRM not the treadmill.
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    I am very limited to veggies I can eat. Apples and Oranges are really the only thing I can tolerate. Roughage is a killer for me as I have ulcerative colitis. I drink the milk to get some calcium as my body does not absorb vitamins. They pass whole. I can't stand plain milk :)
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    So, I have been eating 1200 calories since Dec 26 and am now not losing any weight. I workout at least 5 days a week for at least 45 min. It's either Kickboxing, Spin bike, run/walk and then weights. My HRM shows on average 300 calories each session. I am wondering if I am not eating enough calories. One, my stomach is growling a lot more now lol. I am most always under my calorie intake. And no loss in almost 2 weeks :(

    Any suggestions?

    So have you lost 6 pounds since Dec 26th?

    If you lost 6 lbs the first 2 weeks, then none the next 2 weeks, that is just your body adjusting. Or else it is your TOM. Give it more time.
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    And yes last Sunday was a killer. I was not having a good day and had that lovely big mac. Usually if you see I don't eat out much at all.
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    Yes 6 lbs.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I ran a mile at 4.5 1 incline, walked .75 mile at 3.5 1 incline, ran 4.5 at 4.5 1 incline.

    That's a pretty solid running pace. It looks like your burn estimates are in the right ballpark.

    Overall, it looks like to me like you're losing at right about the rate you should be losing at, based on your food and exercise.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Yes 6 lbs.

    You lost 6 lbs in one month. Congratulations! Keep it up and check your weight in another week. You don't have that much to lose, so your loss will be slower than someone larger.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    I ran a mile at 4.5 1 incline, walked .75 mile at 3.5 1 incline, ran 4.5 at 4.5 1 incline.

    That's a pretty solid running pace. It looks like your burn estimates are in the right ballpark.

    Overall, it looks like to me like you're losing at right about the rate you should be losing at, based on your food and exercise.

    Yup.

    Diagnosis is, please be patient.

    Also, you can up your calories a little more. Increase your protein intake. It's hard to get enough macronutrients when you're only eating 1200 calories.
  • sydkel29
    sydkel29 Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks Mr_Knight! I want to be at 140 by March 1. I know my diet looks strange to most but I try to get the most nourishment from things I can tolerate. I allow myself small cheats and I record them. If I didn't, I would eat a whole candy bar ;)

    I will just be patient. Not my best attribute.
  • jess135177
    jess135177 Posts: 186 Member
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    To accurately count the calories you are eating you need to get a food scale. "1 chicken breast, medium apple, medium orange" are estimates and can be off by hundreds of calories within a week. Food scales are pretty inexpensive and will give you a much more accurate idea of what you are eating.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    I am very limited to veggies I can eat. Apples and Oranges are really the only thing I can tolerate. Roughage is a killer for me as I have ulcerative colitis. I drink the milk to get some calcium as my body does not absorb vitamins. They pass whole. I can't stand plain milk :)

    A lot of UC sufferers have great luck with eliminating gluten from their diet. Reduces the inflammation in the intestines.

    ETA inflammation can also mask weight loss. Try replacing some carb calories with healthy fats like avocados and olive oil. That should help with water weight and inflammation.
  • iamaviking007
    iamaviking007 Posts: 23 Member
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    Hi...... I'm no expert at losing weight but did want to let you know something that I have noticed while my sister and I have used MFP last year and then gave up........ We were both eating the recommended calories and also exercising alot by riding our bikes outside, I worked myself up to being able to go on a 23 mile ride so I was exercising. We both lost a little weight at first and then our weight loss stopped and we were both complaining of starving at the end of the day even though we ate our exercise calories back. Anyway, this made me give up. I had read things about BMR and TDEE on MFP but didn't want to follow it because I thought it looked like too many calories and I wanted to lose weight asap............ Well, I just came back to MFP to try again this year and I found this great post here in the community that I think is going to help me be successful this year so I thought I should share it with you. I have already spent one week eating the suggested calories that MFP worked out for me and I was feeling sick and having anxiety symptoms, my sister says she always feels that way too when she cuts down on calories. The amount of calories I am supposed to eat to maintain the weight I am now is around 3000 and I was cut down to around 1400 ..... if you go to the calculator at the link I post you may find like me that you are cutting your calories too low. You are never supposed to eat below your BMR, which is your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is your MINIMUM calorie requirement that your body needs JUST TO FUNCTION and keep your organs functioning properly. Anyway there is more to it than that but I have now increased my calories on MFP manually to my BMR and then when I exercise I will eat some of those calories back ( TDEE) .... from what I understand your body will hang onto everything you put into it if your not providing it with enough calories and you will mess up your metabolism.... here's the link for you to learn yourself as I did not explain it as well as they do.......... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them

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