Not enough calories...but not hungry either.

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pichu_318
pichu_318 Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to eat 1200 net calories a day, but I find myself exercising a lot. I'm just not hungry enough to do it some times. I am more likely to eat 1200-1700 (on average) calories a day, but that is not net calories. I really like exercising, and I don't want to stop....

I am also choosing to go for easy healthy foods as a lunch especially. My lunch usually consists of baby carrots, cucumbers, celery, and ranch (which I really enjoy and it's really filling!), however when I don't have dinner with my family I have a REALLY hard time making my net calorie goal. I tend to go with the easy and healthy choice of veggies.... But when I go out I am not afraid of getting a burger and poutine...but sometimes I still don't make my calorie goal D:

Anyways back on topic.... Today I made it to -5 net calories so far, I told my boyfriend and he said that we'd get a burger or Taco Bell or something....I'm kinda afraid that my body will give out, but even when I don't make my calorie goal by a large margin I feel really good. Throughout the day, but I have noticed that I am unable to sleep very well. Could those be linked?

I guess to summarize my random thoughts.... should I be force feeding myself even if I'm not hungry? Should I be worried about my health? Is it because of my diet that I am unable to sleep?
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Replies

  • PatheticNoetic
    PatheticNoetic Posts: 905 Member
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    I pretty much feel the same way. I'm on that lower calorie plan and I don't feel like I"m suffering. I eat back my work out calories. I'm not all that fussed so far. However, I'm considering upping my calories anyways because I want to avoid hitting a plateau later on and- I don't want to run into any problems when I'm done losing weight and I'm just in maintenance mode.
  • Jsneel
    Jsneel Posts: 24 Member
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    I would recommend eatting as close to 1200 calories a day. I've heard that when we eat less than that it can effect our metabolism...Almost like your starving your body so it holds and stores stuff. Also I recommend vitamins along with close to 8 glasses of water daily. Your body needs the 1200calories. (Check with your doctor )
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    You want to be very careful about getting adequate nutrition. Especially when you are eating mostly low calorie, high volume foods, your body may be confused. All of your vital processes depend on your getting enough nutrients. I just posted a topic on bone density and the effect of many months of low calorie eating. You are never too young to start being concerned about this.

    You don't have to eat all low calorie food and then go out and eat some crap just to get your calories up. Plan meals and snacks that combine a variety of foods including, nuts, meat (if you eat it), dairy, fruit, veg, and whole grain. You cannot live on rabbit food. For example, I make a delicious and healthful steak stir fry that combines small amounts of meat with lots of broccoli, peppers, onion, and carrot. I throw in some walnuts and serve over brown rice.

    Experiment. Hummus, whole eggs, nuts, nut butters, veggies sautéed in butter and lots of other things will bring your calories and nutrients up.
  • Eva1991H
    Eva1991H Posts: 14
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    I think you should just listen to your body. Eat when your hungry (definitely every 3-4 hours), work out as much as you want. Just be positive. I think if your still eating and not feeling hungry your going to be fine. Have a cheat meal once a week to make your metabolism go faster. But thunder than that, it's not like your going to eat like this the rent of your life so if you want to lose some weight. Just don't stress and listen to your body. Everyone if different, you know what you need the best.
  • meltedsno
    meltedsno Posts: 208 Member
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    I am in the same boat as you.... eating when I am not hungry is what made me fat in the first place. I don't think that I have eaten my entire quota of calories in a day since I have started back on MFP last July 1. It doesn't make sense to me to stuff myself with food (whether good or bad) in order to meet the daily calorie requirement if I am not hungry. I take a multi vitamin, calcium supplement, and vitamin D supplement. The food choices I make are good choices (lots of steamed fish and chicken breast with a big variety of steamed vegies, along with other foods....I walk a lot ... at a minimum... 5 miles a day...usually average 8 miles.... 15K-20K steps... each and every day. I choose not to weigh on the scale regularily... weighed last July 1 and then again on November 22-- lost 52 lbs between that time.... haven't weighed since, but can say that for the very first time in my life, I am wearing a size 10 jeans... bought a pair yesterday and have NEVER, EVER fit into a 10... and I am 58 years old... will weigh again when I am buying a size 8 and then work on maintenance.... lots of people have given me the "starvation mode" talk but I am not starving.. my body is getting all the nutrients it needs...more important, I like the choices I am making and the food I am eating and I can see myself following this food plan the rest of my life....
  • loondog
    loondog Posts: 1
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    wow, how long did it take you to lose that much weight??? I want it all off NOW!!!!
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I also have a low appetite. It hasn't always been this way, but it is at the moment.
    I guess when the appetite returns I'll dig in.
    I hardly exercise so I'm not burning much anyway.
    I think we should be listening to our bodies.
  • meltedsno
    meltedsno Posts: 208 Member
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    LOL Loondog... I hear you.... that was my atitude for a very long time.... it wasn't until I finally came to a realization that only I can make this happen. It took me just under 5 months to lose 52 lbs .... let me add this: I would not have weighed on that day except that I had fallen down a flight a stairs and required surgery to fix a broken wrist and was weighed as required before surgery. I actually chose not to look at the scale and told the nurse i didn't want to know. It was when i came out of surgery and was in recovery, that I told my "significant other" that I think I am ready to know where I am at weight wise. When the nurse told me what my weigh in was, I broke down in tears. They thought I was crazy.... there is no words to explain how I felt at that moment, realizing I lost 52 lbs just eating "normally" for the first time in my life.... from that point, still needed to lose 35 lbs or so... am thinking I lost about 15 lbs of it. It will happen for you too.... !!! Just take each day as it comes.... be honest with your logging on MFP, and up your activities a little... :-)
  • pichu_318
    pichu_318 Posts: 36 Member
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    Okay, so just wondering...if I get enough nutrients does it matter where my calories are on the scale? If I try to get as close to 1200 as I can (even if some days I'm at as low as 400 to as high as 1600, but I am getting all the nutrients I need is that better than nothing? I'm really just all around the net calorie wagon...... On weekends it's me making my own food, and I don't really like eggs, nuts, cheese, or meat....so I have no problem spending my weekend eating veggies ^^;. Some people said that I have to get my nutrients up though, on those days that I would have 400-700 calories should I be taking vitamin supplements, or will that not help me at all and what I really need is the calories? In that case should I try to just drink my calories in fruit juice or something?
  • kelleybean1
    kelleybean1 Posts: 312 Member
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    "I am also choosing to go for easy healthy foods as a lunch especially. My lunch usually consists of baby carrots, cucumbers, celery, and ranch (which I really enjoy and it's really filling!), however when I don't have dinner with my family I have a REALLY hard time making my net calorie goal. I tend to go with the easy and healthy choice of veggies.... But when I go out I am not afraid of getting a burger and poutine...but sometimes I still don't make my calorie goal D:"

    Where's the protein? Your diary is closed, so we can't see if you are eating a balanced diet, or just a bunch of rabbit food. Make sure you are getting enough protein.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    You need protein. Such a huge deficit and low protein and you'll just lose all your muscles.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    Pichu: "I don't really like eggs, nuts, cheese, or meat."

    Just curious but what did you eat to get fat? Include some of that, just not as much as you did when you were overeating. No one got fat eating carrots and celery. You don't have to cut out all the foods you like or used to eat, just don't overeat them.

    (Edited to add quote)
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    Wow, except for one reply you are getting bad advice. You need to eat a balanced diet, not all vegetables. A balanced diet. That means fruit, dairy, meat, grains, and vegetables. You cannot get all the nutrition you are lacking from a vitamin. If it were that easy non of us would be here. And 400 calories is not even enough for a baby, let alone a young adult (I am assuming you are18). And no, drinking your calories will not help either. You NEED to NET at least 1200 calories a day but preferably you should net your BMR, which MFP can calculate for you. If you started eating more than vegetables your appetite would come back.

    I believe you are on the course of disorded eating if you do not already have an eating disorder. You need to speak with a doctor or dieticien to help you set up a meal plan that meets the requirements for a young woman your age with your activity level. I'm 40 and losing steadily on 2000 calories a day. The best way to meet your nutritional requirements is with food and real food.
  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
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    I think you should just listen to your body. Eat when your hungry (definitely every 3-4 hours), work out as much as you want. Just be positive. I think if your still eating and not feeling hungry your going to be fine. Have a cheat meal once a week to make your metabolism go faster. But thunder than that, it's not like your going to eat like this the rent of your life so if you want to lose some weight. Just don't stress and listen to your body. Everyone if different, you know what you need the best.

    NO.

    How you "feel" is not always a reliable indicator. Work with as many FACTS as you can:

    --Have you had your resting metabolism rate tested (simple, non-invasive test @ doc's ofc)?
    That would be the most accurate starting point for figuring out the right daily caloric goal, as opposed to online calculators.

    --http://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences//retrieve/pii/S0166223613000064?cc=y#MainText
    You don't need to have an eating disorder to have an appetite that's not in sync with your body's needs. There's nothing wrong with putting your intellect in the driver's seat, especially while sorting things out.

    I'm not advocating forcefeeding or saying 1200 cals is EVIL. Because really, YMMV. However, worth taking a hard look at what's going on (and of course if macros/nutrients are being met)
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    Okay, so just wondering...if I get enough nutrients does it matter where my calories are on the scale? If I try to get as close to 1200 as I can (even if some days I'm at as low as 400 to as high as 1600, but I am getting all the nutrients I need is that better than nothing? I'm really just all around the net calorie wagon...... On weekends it's me making my own food, and I don't really like eggs, nuts, cheese, or meat....so I have no problem spending my weekend eating veggies ^^;. Some people said that I have to get my nutrients up though, on those days that I would have 400-700 calories should I be taking vitamin supplements, or will that not help me at all and what I really need is the calories? In that case should I try to just drink my calories in fruit juice or something?

    i'm confused because you said you have no problems eating a burger or going to taco bell but you don't like meat? what kind of burgers are you eating? 400 calories is insanely low, even 700 calories is crazy low. how much weight are you trying to loose? how old are you? how tall are you? it's important to eat a healthy balanced diet. food fuels your body. if you're only giving your body half the fuel it needs you can't expect it to run at 100%
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    You need protein. Such a huge deficit and low protein and you'll just lose all your muscles.

    Ding ding ding! We have a winner.

    Eat the food, or you'll just turn into a thin flabby mess.
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    first make sure you are weighing all your food. To *kitten* wheteher you are eating enough you need to know how much you're actually eating.

    However by what you describe it sounds like you're not getting enough in. Eat a chicken breast with your salad. Have some cheese for snack. Your body needs fuel to do all these workouts (which you should continue if you enjoy), so give it! You are on a dangerous path here and yes, you shoudl make yourself eat more. Maybe not in volume but in calorie dense foods, such as peanut butter, avocado, nuts cheese.

    Nothing wrong with eating a burger or eating out, it will not stall your progress if you don't go over your calories consistently

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/310489-the-reason-why-starving-yourself-will-not-work

    Eat fish or get a protein shake. You are doing damage to your body as it will start burning through the muscle you have and you will end up weak, flabby and it will be difficult to return to where you are now.
  • pichu_318
    pichu_318 Posts: 36 Member
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    Okay, so when I said I didn't like meat I am just not huge on meat. I like more processed forms of hamburger meat and beef, but I have always hated pork, lamb, chicken, turkey,steak, bacon, etc etc etc.

    19 years old, 170 cm, and my original goal was to lose 85ish ibs (AKA be 120ish ibs)....but really that's just the lowest I'd want to go. If I am more than that, but incredibly content with how I fit clothing then I don't care to lose that "extra few pounds" P:

    I think the hardest part about this is that I am eating like a normal human would :/ I think my problem is the amount of exercise I like to do versus the amount of food I eat. I will admit there has been one day where I just didn't feel like eating, but a few days later all I wanted to do was eat XD.

    Also, how long does it take to get an eating disorder? I have only been calorie tracking for just over a week....is that long enough or could I have always had it and not even thought about it :S I never really thought that I had one because I don't have a problem eating or where I go to eat or what I decide to eat ^^;

    I was looking at my charts today, and I've noticed that everyone is right. My protein is really low, but it isn't because I've been restricting myself....I've never ate a lot of protein P: does it matter more to eat more protein when you start calorie tracking? :S
    Should I be tracking things like Potassium, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin A and C, and Fibre? I've noticed that I am usually under by significant amounts for those....

    Does anyone have any good recipes for smoothies? I was thinking I could maybe do a greek yogurt smoothie with grapefruit in it. What else could I add to it for it to be higher in any of the above nutrition? What other kinds of smoothies would be good for any of these? Should I maybe invest in protein bars? What kinds of supplements do people suggest? (I would rather not have to eat peanut butter, peanuts, avocados, cheese and crackers, and most ways to cook meats....like I will eat them....but they are so gross) I do like fish, so maybe I should be cooking my own separate supper of fish on my days off? Is breaded fish okay? It isn't that I don't like fish I just don't have a job at the moment....had to move pretty recently and haven't found one, but I am buying my own health food groceries. I don't want to buy anything that is going to break my bank if I stay jobless for a while......
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
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    Okay, so when I said I didn't like meat I am just not huge on meat. I like more processed forms of hamburger meat and beef, but I have always hated pork, lamb, chicken, turkey,steak, bacon, etc etc etc.

    19 years old, 170 cm, and my original goal was to lose 85ish ibs (AKA be 120ish ibs)....but really that's just the lowest I'd want to go. If I am more than that, but incredibly content with how I fit clothing then I don't care to lose that "extra few pounds" P:

    I think the hardest part about this is that I am eating like a normal human would :/ I think my problem is the amount of exercise I like to do versus the amount of food I eat. I will admit there has been one day where I just didn't feel like eating, but a few days later all I wanted to do was eat XD.

    Also, how long does it take to get an eating disorder? I have only been calorie tracking for just over a week....is that long enough or could I have always had it and not even thought about it :S I never really thought that I had one because I don't have a problem eating or where I go to eat or what I decide to eat ^^;

    I was looking at my charts today, and I've noticed that everyone is right. My protein is really low, but it isn't because I've been restricting myself....I've never ate a lot of protein P: does it matter more to eat more protein when you start calorie tracking? :S
    Should I be tracking things like Potassium, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin A and C, and Fibre? I've noticed that I am usually under by significant amounts for those....

    Does anyone have any good recipes for smoothies? I was thinking I could maybe do a greek yogurt smoothie with grapefruit in it. What else could I add to it for it to be higher in any of the above nutrition? What other kinds of smoothies would be good for any of these? Should I maybe invest in protein bars? What kinds of supplements do people suggest? (I would rather not have to eat peanut butter, peanuts, avocados, cheese and crackers, and most ways to cook meats....like I will eat them....but they are so gross) I do like fish, so maybe I should be cooking my own separate supper of fish on my days off? Is breaded fish okay? It isn't that I don't like fish I just don't have a job at the moment....had to move pretty recently and haven't found one, but I am buying my own health food groceries. I don't want to buy anything that is going to break my bank if I stay jobless for a while......

    You don't have an eating disorder. Being under your intake for a week doesn't mean you have a psychological disorder.
  • FitMelody4Life
    FitMelody4Life Posts: 106 Member
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    I realize this sounds harsh but you just sound like a lot of excuses right now. All I see is a list of foods you don't like (and that list is long). You need to have an honest look at yourself and your relationship with food.

    Learn to cook and learn to prepare foods in ways you will enjoy them. Get a healthy cooking cookbook or search recipes online. You obviously ate real food before when you were heavier so make dishes you enjoyed but put a healthy twist on them.

    It’s really not that hard but you have to WANT to be healthy and right now you sound like you are giving yourself a million excuses to go down an unhealthy path. There have been a ton of great suggestions in this post, so take some of the advice and COMMIT!

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