Under/Overshooting

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atomsforpeace
atomsforpeace Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
I told MFP I wanted to lose 2lbs/a week. It gave me a Calorie limit of 1890 a day. That was 4 weeks ago. Today I've lost between 13-15 lbs so far, with quite a bit still to go.

My issue is this: I only eat about 1300 calories a day, and do about an hour of intense cardio 5 days a week. I experienced some slight fatigue last week but otherwise I have been fine. Anyone forsee adverse effects from eating way under my max calories and gaining back roughly 1000 calories a day through exercise?

Thanks for any tips or advice.

Replies

  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
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    Yes, you'll probably plateau faster. You'll get to a point where it will be harder to lose on that amount of calories. You should up your calories.
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
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    Hi...love your icon "Moms for Peace. I have also set a goal of 2lb loss per week. My plan set me up at 1240 cals per week. I never burn my added exercise calories. I do a 2 hour power walk three times a week. The other days I power walk for an hour. A few times I have exceeded my 1200 limit most days I am under. I have lost 32 pounds since December 4th. So far no adverse issues that I am aware of.
  • getson2010
    getson2010 Posts: 19 Member
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    I don't know much about this because I just started, but the minimum is 1200. So, you're getting over the minimum. The only thing that I'd be slightly worried about is if that the minimum for everyone or for sedentary people? Because if the minimum is higher for active people, then you may not be getting what you need. And, if you don't get what you need, you're body might bug you for more to eat later on and hold on to fat making it difficult to lose weight.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    Yes. If you are male you shouldn't be eating less than 1600 NET calories per day (that mean you would have to eat back some calories burned during exercise). If you are female then you shouldn't be going under 1200 NET per day.

    Please read the links in my signature: "Links in MFP you want to read over and over again." It explains the effects of going too low on calories for too long and what it can do to your metabolism and overall weight loss. You will lose more lean muscle mass than fat. Your body will hold onto fat while eating into your muscles for fuel.

    You can lose weight doing this but overall isn't good for your health and you end up losing more muscle than fat.

    If you are eating 1300 and burning 1000 that leaves you with 300 NET calories for the day (maybe I'm misunderstanding). This will hurt you.
  • its_betty
    its_betty Posts: 104 Member
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    If I understand correctly, you are only eating 1300 calories a day, but burning off extra through exercise. If that's right, you should probably be eating more. Your body needs fuel to have SUSTAINABLE weight loss and maintain a healthy metabolism. If you consistently net too few calories over a long time (under 1200/day for most women, 1500/day for most men, depends on the individual), you risk slowing down your metabolism and making losing more weight or maintaining a healthy weight harder in the future.

    You are already losing weight very fast. The studies I've seen tend to show that fast weight loss is more often regained, while people who have slow weight loss coupled with a change in lifetime habits are more likely to maintain their new healthy weight forever.

    Besides, a bit more food will give you more energy so that you can kick butt in those intense workouts and still feel great!
  • atomsforpeace
    atomsforpeace Posts: 14
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    Yes that's right. 1300 consumed, minus about 1000 going 5 days a week.

    My goal is not to go on a diet and lose some weight and then do whatever I want after that. I know that if I treat it that way I'll gain everything back asap, and I do have something like 70lbs total I'm trying to get rid of.

    From that standpoint, what its_betty and hpsnickers1 have said typify the general response here, and I'm going to take that advice. I guess there's no shortcuts to adopting a change in lifestyle.

    Thank you all for your input and help.

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