22 year old, 165 lb. male @ 1,220 calories per day - safe?

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shawnreisner
shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So after a week of trying out only eating ~1,220 calories per day, I'd say I feel pretty good. My energy levels are normal and I'm only hungry for a little while at the end of the day leading up to dinner, and sometimes just before going to bed. Besides that small and tolerable amount of physical hunger, I've been craving snacks, and I've given in a couple of times. Each snack was between 80 and maybe 400 calories. On days I run, I eat back my exercise calories. My running hasn't slowed down, which I began doing the same day I began my deficit. I ran for 30 minutes straight for the first time in my life on Thursday, 6 days after I started my deficit, and I could hardly run for 90 seconds at the beginning of the year (I've been running off and on this year). I've been meeting all my macronutrient requirements, too. I seem to be losing weight, although it's likely a deceptive number with such a small number of days to sample from. I would very much like to continue at this rate every day since I feel fine, so long as I follow the "listen to your body" advice that I hear around here often. However, I don't want to endanger my health by eating too few calories.

Given this information, what advice would you have for me? I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. Thanks!

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  • shawnreisner
    shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
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    Bump.
  • shawnreisner
    shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
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    You guys.
  • ATGsquats
    ATGsquats Posts: 227 Member
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    Terrible idea, recalculate please.
  • shawnreisner
    shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
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    Would you care to elaborate please? I'd like to understand why, given that I'm above the suggested daily minimum of 1,200 and my body isn't telling me to eat more.
  • defauIt
    defauIt Posts: 118 Member
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    What's your height?
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    What are you trying to do here with that plan? I mean, what is your goal? You have to be losing a lot of lean muscle mass with the regimen you're describing. We need to know more details, like your height, for one.
  • shawnreisner
    shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
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    I'm trying to lose fat, somewhere between 15 and 20 pounds. I'm 5'10".
  • shawnreisner
    shawnreisner Posts: 15 Member
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    Also, how can I just burn fat and avoid burning muscle? Should I start lifting as well?
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    Just because you are a male & I don't know your height or weight, i'd go 1500 calories.
  • defauIt
    defauIt Posts: 118 Member
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    For you stats, 165 and 5'10", your BMR should be around 1826. I wouldn't go lower than 1750 + eating exercise calories back.

    If you have a condition that results in a lower metabolism and you have a valid reason to believe your BMR is lower than 1826, you can try going at 1500 + eating exercise calories back. I definitely wouldn't go as low as 1220 + eating exercise calories back.

    What you're doing right now is eating at a fairly massive deficit given how little weight you want to lose.
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,972 Member
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    You are a 5'10" male, right? Why do you want to weigh 140-145? To answer your question, no it's not safe. And I would add that it is also not necessary. If you want to look more trim, eat more and start lifting.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Also, how can I just burn fat and avoid burning muscle? Should I start lifting as well?

    Yes, lifting weights will help you to retain more lean mass while on a deficit. Eat more calories and protein. Your deficit is extreme for someone so close to goal, especially a young male. You don't want to cannibalize your muscle. :flowerforyou:
  • aarondnguyen
    aarondnguyen Posts: 270 Member
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    Too much cardio. Too little calories.

    If you're a male (and I'm assuming you are), start some weight training. You're actually doing a form of cardio when you work out if you do anything more than 3 reps and get your heart rate going.

    You can lose fat while preserving muscle by consistently eating at a MODERATE calorie deficit while doing weight training.

    I've seen plenty of girls that do nothing but cardio when they enter the gym and their end results are always the same -- although their weight is "ideal", they're still "skinny fat".
  • ctzanderman
    ctzanderman Posts: 1 Member
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    "I'm only hungry for a little while at the end of the day leading up to dinner, and sometimes just before going to bed"

    "and my body isn't telling me to eat more"

    Yes it is.

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