Under calorie goal everyday

why don't you just eat some extra food?

Me too.... I am happy with this but will it slow my weight loss down?

Yes, but this wouldn't be "just to eat", it would be to fulfill your calorie requirement.

why don't you just eat some extra food?

I don't think she was asking how to "fix" not eating enough calories. She was asking if it was unhealthy.

Are you not eating those exercise calories back? I used to go 300 - 400 under my goal of 1200 pretty frequently and it took 3 months but I hit starvation mode and haven't lost a pound in over 2 weeks. I'd suggest trying to eat back those calories. It's pretty easy to make back 500 calories too. A cup of oatmeal and a large (6oz) banana is ~450 calories already.

It can be unhealthy if it causes your body to go into to starvation mode. U will normally know this because u will plateau in your weightloss. If u r still losing than u r probably fine. Try eating small high calorie foods like nuts or adding some olive oil to other things.

It can become a problem if the resulting deficit is higher than what your body is comfortable with, and if you're not getting good nutrition.

I'd recommend reading the following threads that discusshow MFP calculates cal goals, metabolism and why it's important to fuel the body properly.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat

I have set my calorie goal to 1500 calories but never seem to meet it. I know it's ok to be under but I'm under about 500-700 calories quite frequently. I've been exercising everyday so that plays a factor but I was wondering if this pattern is unhealthy.

If your target is 1500 and you are falling short by 500-700, that means you are eating 800-1000 calories a day. Let's assume you burn 300 calories per workout. Your NET is now 500-700 calories a day. That is NOT enough. You are not giving your body the fuel that it needs to survive. Read the links in my signature for some more detailed explanations but the bottom line is, yes, that pattern is unhealthy. You NEED to eat more!!

You are not giving your body enough nutrients. You are starving your body, which is not healthy in the end.

why don't you just eat some extra food?

I only eat when I'm hungry. I try not to eat just to eat.

See the problem with this is a big part of the reason many are on MFP are to retrain themselves to eat- we tend to build bad habits of over eating, our bodies' signals for when and what to eat become kind of screwy. It can just as easily NOT tell you are hungry when you need food as it can tell you to eat when you need nothing.

It is pretty unhealthy to be that far under and it will slow your metabolism (throwing of the calculations of MFP and other similar sites in terms of how much you need to eat to lose) and make it more difficult for you to lose .

I would say train your body first- plan out what to eat and when to make sure you do get to enough calories. And then when you've trained your body back to a healthy place and healthy habits, THEN listen to your body's hunger signals. But to depend on them after however long of messing them up, I just think that's expecting a lot from your body.

My goals have been showing every day that I still need to eat about 600-700 more.
My goal mpf goal is 1400. My personal goal is 1200.
I think the biggest factor is eating back workout calories.
Will this put my body into starvation mode?
What should I assume is going to be the safest calorie count for me?

Try to eat your "GOAL" calories as NET. This means 1400 PLUS your exercise calories. You can make a range, say between 1200 and 1400 (PLUS exercise). As you lose, MFP will lower that 1400, to keep you losing at the same rate. When it gets down to 1200 or 1250, this should signal to you that your body needs you to lose more slowly (ie less than a lb per week). At this point you should look up your BMR and aim to eat roughly this many calories (Still plus your exercise calories) every day.

Does that make sense?

Edit to add: there is an equation on your home page-- GOAL FOOD - EXERCISE = NET Try to make NET match GOAL

It doesn't make sense to me. My calorie goal set by MFP is 1250.If I eat exactly that each day I don't lose any weight.If I cut back and eat 1200,I still don't lose any weight. So I go exercise which I'd love to do every other day but have 2 bad knees. I can add 300 extra calories from exercising. If I eat them or if I don't I still do not lose weight.I'm just maintaining and have been for 2 months.Any idea's out there on what the problem is?

You may have your goals/settings incorrect. Try reading the first two threads I posted previously that discuss guidelines for healthy, realistic goals/deficits, and then go back and check your goals/settings.

Also, since you have very little to lose, you have less wiggle room, both in calories (ie not too little and not too much) and quality of food. Also, if you aren't including strength training, you should, as what you're largely trying to do is improve muscle mass and strength. :flowerforyou:

Edit: Forgot to include the post I was replying to.

i notice that everyone is telling you to eat your cals back but you must remember that youdont have to just eat you can also DRINK them back try using whole milk with your protein shake if you have them or drink a bottled milkshake as the cals are higher but becareful as they might raise other factors aswell it is an juggling act but if you tkae care and remember fluids also hold cals you should be able to sort that problem i sometimes do it if i go below as i like to try to keep between 1200 and 1400 even though mpf is teling me that i should be looking at 1810 a day

All I have ever heard from every doctor and nutritionist is for adults to never eat less than 1200 calories a day. Some days I am lower than that and I force myself to eat something healthy to get to at least 1200.