Very low daily caloric needs

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jennyct10
jennyct10 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I wear an UP band, so I know I burn between 1400 and 1700 calories a day moving at an average of 5000 steps. At this time, I am recovering from a broken ankle, so I cannot exercise. We are told not to go below 1200 calories, so that means I am only running a 300 calorie deficit. I cannot even lose one pound a week... The strange thing is that I retain so much water (my BP is low, so I am not taking in tons of salt) that I can gain 5 lbs in a week not changing my intake. Then it takes a week to lose that and I am back to square one. It's not a one way direction.

My question is when I feel better, I plan on upping my activity, but if I workout 300 calories worth and I don't eat it back, I am at 900... how is my body getting it's nutrients then? Why can't I just eat 900 calories now? On the other hand, if I exercise and I eat it back, other than gaining muscle, how is that helping me lose weight? Isn't it the same as just eating 1200 calories?

Replies

  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    Chances are that you have your goal loss set too aggressively. Most people need more than 1200 calories a day. What is your height, weight, and goal weight?
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    You have less than 10lbs to lose. Ideally your goals should be 0.5lb/week loss which means a 250cal deficit.
  • jennyct10
    jennyct10 Posts: 15 Member
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    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(

    Even with 30lbs to lose, you want to lose at a rate of a half pound per week. Two pounds per week is simply too aggressive for how little you need to lose. Additionally, I wouldn't put too much weight into a nutritionist's advice, as many of them do not have proper training.

    Read these threads for more guidance:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(

    No. I don't. We would all love to lose 2lbs a week, but it is not a realistic goal unless you have more than 75lbs to lose, It is an aggressive goal.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(

    You'd have to be at a 1000cal deficit to lose 2lbs a week so no. Not doable. The closer to your goal, the slower weight loss becomes.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    And as I said before. You have less than 10lbs to go so you are looking at a 0.5lb/week loss which is a 250cal deficit.
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(

    You'd have to be at a 1000cal deficit to lose 2lbs a week so no. Not doable. The closer to your goal, the slower weight loss becomes.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    And as I said before. You have less than 10lbs to go so you are looking at a 0.5lb/week loss which is a 250cal deficit.

    ^^This
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Options
    I've been to a nutritionist and they said 1300 was OK. I would love to lose 2 lbs a week, and you'd think it would be doable, right? My height is 5'5" and I'm over 168. I want to lose at least 10 for the short term, 30 long term. I've been trying for over a year, and was losing very slowly last summer until the water weight thingy (I think it's hormonal - it happens once a month, but it brings me right back up).

    Like I said, I hold water because I can't get my rings on and my legs get edema. I've been to the doctor and they have no clue. My blood pressure is normal and my heart's been checked out. It's like being padded with a fat suit - I'm starting to have joint and digestive problems because of this weight! I feel like I'm drowning :(

    You'd have to be at a 1000cal deficit to lose 2lbs a week so no. Not doable. The closer to your goal, the slower weight loss becomes.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    And as I said before. You have less than 10lbs to go so you are looking at a 0.5lb/week loss which is a 250cal deficit.

    ^^This

    To correct myself...You have less than 30lbs to go (I'm assuming with the 2lbs already lost on your ticker). And if you are already forced into a sedentary situation, than trying to be aggressive with your goals is even worse for you, in my opinion.

    Aim for 0.5lbs/week.
  • jennyct10
    jennyct10 Posts: 15 Member
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    So when I add exercise, do I have to "eat back" the calories?
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    So when I add exercise, do I have to "eat back" the calories?

    You definitely should. How much you eat back depends on what you use to measure your calorie burn. If you use MFP logging or the machine (depending on what you do) it is highly likely that the estimate is too high. In those cases, I would set up a certain percentage to eat back just to account for the fudge. If you are using a heart rate monitor, your estimate will be much more accurate and you can safely eat back around 75%+ of those calories (if not all).
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    So when I add exercise, do I have to "eat back" the calories?

    Yes. You are looking to net 250cals below your maintenance. So if your maintenance calories are 1700, then you'd want to be netting around 1400-1450.


    Netting is calorie intake - exercise calories. The formula can be found on the Goals Page of MFP.

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