Not eating all calories

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lolw811
lolw811 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone

I am just wondering if there is any advice for the amount of calories i am eating.

It says I am meant to be eating 1200 cals a day, but right now I have 188 remaining and have had all my main meals. If i don't eat these will my body store fat or will it not effect me?

As for a while i thought it might help me lose weight more quickly, but having read some topics i have read that the body can go into starvation mode if you don't net at least 1200 cals?

Any advice would be great. Because although I have lost some weight i'm not losing it quickly, and also my mum is really struggling to lost weight but she does have an under active thyroid which may be her reason.

Thanks
Laura

Replies

  • melleyd
    melleyd Posts: 432 Member
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    You won't go into starvation mode by eating 188 calories less than your goal. :)
  • KLP75
    KLP75 Posts: 21
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    I don't eat all my calories and I've been loosing weight.
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
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    Definitely eat your calories!!! Especially if you are working out, you must eat them back. MFP has your calorie range set at a 500 calorie a day deficit which over the span of a week you would lose a lb. If you are working out and burning say 300 calories, it's dipping you too low, you have to eat them. You don't want to lose it fast anyway, it usually always comes back on if you do it that way!
  • peggybrant
    peggybrant Posts: 144 Member
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    as long as you don't make a habit of it your good. Often I don't hit 1200 because I am eating better quality foods and way more often than I use to so I'm simply not hungry. What I've decided to do is make my breakfast and lunch when possible higher calories that way I can get close with dinner.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    It depends on your body. Being under your calories once in a while won't slow your weight loss, but for some people 1200 isn't enough. I know that I didn't lose when I ate that little, I need a couple hundred calories more.
  • jennifir
    jennifir Posts: 197 Member
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    I agree....I also think that it is good to fluctuate the amount of calories you eat each day. To keep your body on top of it and to keep it from going into starvation mode. I don't mean go over 1200 though...but fluctuate within a couple hundred...if you only eat 1000 today...eat 1150 tomorrow....I had a nutritionist tell me that once. Not sure if its true, but it made sense.
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
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    you won't go into starvation mode with that little bit of calories BUT if you do it everyday, over a period of time, you will! AND, eating less calories will make you lose faster YES but you won't keep it off! You won't eat like that forever!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Ok here is the deal- 1 time, it won't hurt you- starvation mode, or famine response, get kicked in after sustained undereating.

    THAT being said, generally speaking your calorie goal should not be at 1200. 1200 is as low as MFP will let you go, so generally, if you put in your settings and it says "1200", you should go in an reset your goals to less lbs per week- slowing your weight loss and decreasing your calorie deficit.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    What time is it where you are? The time stamp on your post says 12:43 pm and it is 3:54 pm where I am. If you're only eating 1200 calories a day, it's really not a good idea to go under as 1200 is the minimum you should be eating. Are you working out? If so you should be eating those calories too on top of the 1200.

    So whether it is 1pm or 4 pm where you are, why are you done eating for the day? I would imagine there are days that could happen, not feeling well, have too much work to do, but I don't think it's good for your body to eat all of your calories early in the day and then spend so many hours without any food. Just my two cents.
  • lupuslady
    lupuslady Posts: 99
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    I have to struggle to eat my 1300 calories, after reading all the advice about starvation mode. I just decided to do what is best for me. If I hit 1100 a day I am happy. Due to disablities I do not get a lot of excercise so this works for me. It is sort of like getting a lee way. Good luck, you will figure out what works for you.
  • karen4777
    karen4777 Posts: 35
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    I have lost over 100#. I found that I lost more weight when I ate the majority of my calories each day.
  • lolw811
    lolw811 Posts: 27 Member
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    im in Liverpool, England. and it's 9.20 pm here. I had my last meal at 5.30pm. Sometimes I might snack on a piece of toast around about now but most of the time i jst stop eating.
  • lolw811
    lolw811 Posts: 27 Member
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    im in Liverpool, England. and it's 9.20 pm here. I had my last meal at 5.30pm. Sometimes I might snack on a piece of toast around about now but most of the time i jst stop eating.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Is your photo your current weight? If so, you may well find 1200 is the option you get for every amount of weight loss you chose. I found it only upped my calories if I put to lose half a pound a week! I lost a lot more than that though, sticking to a net of 1200, so I'd eat that toast
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    im in Liverpool, England. and it's 9.20 pm here. I had my last meal at 5.30pm. Sometimes I might snack on a piece of toast around about now but most of the time i jst stop eating.


    Ah ok, I figured the time thing had to be wrong cause I would be STARVING if I stopped eating at 1pm or even 4.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    I sometimes don't eat all my calories because I really only do eat when I am hungry. However I often find on the next day that I'm more hungry and will eat slightly over. So I don't tend to worry about being slightly under/over. As long as I'm eating roughtly the right amount.

    If you're always easting under though that is when you need to worry. Constantly being under your goal will start to slow your metabolism and while you will lose weight as soon as you go back to normal eating you'll put it all back on and maybe some more on top of that.

    So you have a choice. Lose a lot of weight now by under eating and get it all back later when you go back to eating normally or eat the right amount and manage to maintain your weight when you start eating normally.
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
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    Hey from a fellow UK follower here!!

    I dont always hit my 1210 target, some days Im 100 under, or like today im 31 over. I worried too much about this at the start (especiall of going over) but as long as its not an ongoing thing your ok. If you fancy some toast in the evening then eat it, but if you dont then certainly dont force yourself either!!
  • lolw811
    lolw811 Posts: 27 Member
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    Yes it's my current photo/weight. It only gives me the option to have 1200 until i say i won't to maintain then i get more.

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