Eating under calorie goal?

stephuhhkneexo
stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, I'm fairly new to this.. :ohwell:

I've just started in to my sixth week using the app, and it's working beautifully for me. I've lost 17 lbs and 7 inches overall. Not bad, I know, but I still worry. My question is - I'm generally eating under my calorie goal. I have it set at losing 2 lbs a week, and it puts me at 1840. I have yet to go over 1400 though, sometimes just shy of over 1200. I've heard people say that eating too few calories will store them as fat. I just wondered if anyone had any input on this. Thanks so much in advance. :wink:

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If I ate 1800 calories every day, I'd blimp up to a million pounds.

    Everyone is different.

    If your doctor approves and you feel strong and healthy on the 1400, do that. If it stops working, you can always change it up. :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    There is nothing wrong with 1400 calories so long as your getting your nutrients. If you're exercising you can earn extra calories when you're hungry. WTG on the loss thus far.
  • stephuhhkneexo
    stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
    Thank you guys. I just had so many people saying that if I wasn't eating closer to my calorie goal I would hold fat, but it just seemed like too much food.
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
    My only concern is can you keep it up long term?

    You will lose alot to start with but your loses will decrease, couple that with frustration about not eating as much you could end up binging.

    However if you are happy and can keep it up long term and you are getting enough nutrients and aren't eating less than 1200 then you'll be fine.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    eating too few calories does not result in fat gain - that's just daft :laugh:
  • stephuhhkneexo
    stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
    I just keep hearing about 'starvation mode' and my body holding onto everything because I'm not getting enough. Also, trust me, if I feel like a 'binge' is coming on, I don't stop myself from indulging a little, as long as I'm not going over my calories.
  • jennnnn2u
    jennnnn2u Posts: 133
    My only concern is can you keep it up long term?

    You will lose alot to start with but your loses will decrease, couple that with frustration about not eating as much you could end up binging.

    However if you are happy and can keep it up long term and you are getting enough nutrients and aren't eating less than 1200 then you'll be fine.

    This.
  • mikeshockley
    mikeshockley Posts: 684 Member
    Wow...17 pounds in that short of a period of time. Nice work! My daily calorie goal is 1970 (to lose 1 pound a week). I've been using MFP for three weeks and I've lost 6 pounds, as I usually come in at or below my daily goal. And I'm not walking around starving all the time.

    You gotta do what works for you and keeps you healthy.

    Keep up the good work!!
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,861 Member
    I've been eating under my MFP reccommended calories for 5 months now, to the point where a couple months ago I custom set my macros and calorie goal to something that worked better for me.

    As long as you are hitting your macros and eating a good variety of food (for micros), and you feel good, it is fine.
  • FemWeight
    FemWeight Posts: 96
    Hey, I'm fairly new to this.. :ohwell:

    I've just started in to my sixth week using the app, and it's working beautifully for me. I've lost 17 lbs and 7 inches overall. Not bad, I know, but I still worry. My question is - I'm generally eating under my calorie goal. I have it set at losing 2 lbs a week, and it puts me at 1840. I have yet to go over 1400 though, sometimes just shy of over 1200. I've heard people say that eating too few calories will store them as fat. I just wondered if anyone had any input on this. Thanks so much in advance. :wink:


    I've been reading up on this and I'm told for a woman we need to eat no less than 1200 calories a day unless over seen by a doctor. And for a male no less than 1500 calories a day :)
  • MoveitlikeManda
    MoveitlikeManda Posts: 846 Member
    I started using MFP to count my calories 6weeks ago today, and on tuesday when i weighed in it brought me to 14lb loss so far.

    i hardly ever come in at my daily goal, im usually atleast 200 under sometimes a bit more (mfp has me at 1800)

    I usually come closer to daily goal when iv been to the gym the day before but still am usually under.

    also going by my friends news feeds on here everyones usually says "completed food diary and was UNDER calorie goal" yet all seem to be losing nicely
    so i think as along as you dont feel like you are not eating enough and you have plenty of energy its fine
  • stephuhhkneexo
    stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
    I started using MFP to count my calories 6weeks ago today, and on tuesday when i weighed in it brought me to 14lb loss so far.

    i hardly ever come in at my daily goal, im usually atleast 200 under sometimes a bit more (mfp has me at 1800)

    I usually come closer to daily goal when iv been to the gym the day before but still am usually under.

    also going by my friends news feeds on here everyones usually says "completed food diary and was UNDER calorie goal" yet all seem to be losing nicely
    so i think as along as you dont feel like you are not eating enough and you have plenty of energy its fine

    Thank you. That's what I've been seeing everywhere too, but like I said I have other people - who aren't trying to lose - down my throat about it, so I just wanted to get some opinions from people in the same boat. My friend started this a year ago and has lost 70 lbs. At some points, she would only eat 800 calories a day and I would never, ever do that. She was feeling light headed and dizzy all the time and I told her she was foolish. It was a fear that drove her like that. She now eats appropriately and is doing much better.
  • MoveitlikeManda
    MoveitlikeManda Posts: 846 Member
    I started using MFP to count my calories 6weeks ago today, and on tuesday when i weighed in it brought me to 14lb loss so far.

    i hardly ever come in at my daily goal, im usually atleast 200 under sometimes a bit more (mfp has me at 1800)

    I usually come closer to daily goal when iv been to the gym the day before but still am usually under.

    also going by my friends news feeds on here everyones usually says "completed food diary and was UNDER calorie goal" yet all seem to be losing nicely
    so i think as along as you dont feel like you are not eating enough and you have plenty of energy its fine

    Thank you. That's what I've been seeing everywhere too, but like I said I have other people - who aren't trying to lose - down my throat about it, so I just wanted to get some opinions from people in the same boat. My friend started this a year ago and has lost 70 lbs. At some points, she would only eat 800 calories a day and I would never, ever do that. She was feeling light headed and dizzy all the time and I told her she was foolish. It was a fear that drove her like that. She now eats appropriately and is doing much better.

    without going through 6weeks of diary (lol) i think the lowest iv ever been is around 1300/1400.
    my biggest problem when i started was i felt like i was over eating .
    Before using MFP i would have coffee all day and the a MASSIVE evening meal (usually a take away)

    so to start eating breakfast/lunch/dinner i felt like i was just always eating even though under calorie goal.
    now though i have got used to how im doing things, and its working really well. but there are still times that after iv put in my meals and the odd snack its still comes under and im like "where the hell am i ment to fint more in?"

    which is funny because i think if my daily goal was actually 1300/1400 id be hugary and find it hard to stay under lol
  • stephuhhkneexo
    stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
    I totally know what you mean. Also, on Sundays, I plan my day and my food around having a cheat meal - high in calories but I plan my day with very low calorie options so that it fits within my goal. Keeps me sane, satisfied and on track. Also, I weigh myself everyday. I know that I shouldn't, but it keeps me knowing what my days caused and how my body works with different strategies. Lately I've been waking up and first thing in the morning drinking 1Tbsp of honey and 1 tsp of cinnamon with a little hot water in it. Also, lemon water. Keeps me energized, and I feel less bloated. I've also noticed less fluctuations. As for exercise - I swim. One hour, three times a week, constant movement. I do laps and tread water and use pool noodles for resistance exercise. I love it, because it's low impact and fun too. :love:
  • violasmith85
    violasmith85 Posts: 274 Member
    It evens out for me. I usually under my goal each day but at the end of the week I have a treat day ( I don't use the word cheat, as it gives me a wrong mental feeling about it) so I end up going over for that day. but over the whole week i'm still under by about 100 cals for the entire week. I'm losing weight, and feeling good.
  • stephuhhkneexo
    stephuhhkneexo Posts: 7
    It evens out for me. I usually under my goal each day but at the end of the week I have a treat day ( I don't use the word cheat, as it gives me a wrong mental feeling about it) so I end up going over for that day. but over the whole week i'm still under by about 100 cals for the entire week. I'm losing weight, and feeling good.

    That's awesome! That's exactly why I have that day too, so that I don't binge. If I didn't TREAT myself sometimes, I would go insane and eat my entire house including the drywall. This keeps me in check, and happy about it.
  • OneGoodBean
    OneGoodBean Posts: 48 Member
    I looooooove swimming. Seriously I could just swim all day long and feel totally fine.
  • disturbed_s
    disturbed_s Posts: 40 Member
    This has been really interesting to read, I'm semi worried I'm not eating enough even
    Though when I look at my diary I am eating regularly and good amounts. MFP put me at 1200 cals (I'm short) but I bumped it upto 1370 or something, and I'm still struggling to find what else to eat. I'm wondering if I should see a nutritionist as I really don't know what to do haha. Well done on your loss that's awesome ????
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
    I eat 600-800 below my goal every day..... (Adjusted for exercise)
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
    If you eat less than you burn, you will lose weigh. Period.

    You can, however, wreak havoc on your metabolism if you severely under eat for long periods of time, which is where the starvation myth comes in. I don't know how little you have to eat or for how long, but I think you are safe at 13-1400. If it's working for you, go with it. If some days you feel hungry, eat a little more. As someone mentioned above, it may not be a comfortable calorie range long term, but you can adjust as you go!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Only in the wealthier countries would it be possible to convince people that eating less makes you gain weight...and that eating MORE food will make you lose.

    People who are ACTUALLY starving would never say, "Gosh, I can't eat more, because then I'll lose weight."

    It's almost sinful how we toss that "starvation" word around, considering how many people are actually starving. :(

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