Under Calories

Peyton115 · April 2011

Each day I log my meals I am always under my calorie goal. (And I promise I log everything I eat and drink) I usually consume around 800 calories per day. I am not doing this intentionally, it just seems to work out that way. Can any body tell me if this is a bad thing? I have heard and read lots on here about how important it is to use all of your calories, and how increasing your calories can even push you past a plateau. I don't want to gain weight back by beefing up my caloric intake... but am I missing out on greater weight loss opportunities by staying so far under my calorie goal? And if so, how should I go about adding calories to my diet?

Any help would be great! Thank you!!!

Heatherbelle_87 · April 2011

Unless you are under 5' and under 18, and do absolutly nothing all day you NEED to be eating 1200 calories a day to survive. If you have been loosing weight and Im assuming upping your activity level then your body desperatly needs those calories now!

meggonkgonk · April 2011

Yes, it is bad. Eat something other than diet food- get some proteins and healthy fats in there. There's no reason to be eating that little. Screw "possibly missed weightloss opportunities" you are going to screw up your organs eating that little.

allmanro · April 2011

I agree! I was on a 1200 cal diet when I first started and I dropped weight like that! But now that I am dwindling down to the last bit it has become apparent that I need to eat way more not to mention I go to the gym 6-7 days a week (not a fan of rest days...lol) So it sounds crazy but you will start to plateau...meaning you will maintain your current weight, you will also get cravings which will ruin your good work...and you will be fatigue. You must EAT!! Your metabolism your take care of the work trust it and boost it by exercising and taking vitamins. As of today I am now on a 1300 cal diet and I am going to do my hardest to eat all of them lol, but I know what you mean 100%!!

Good Luck! ♥

staciekins · April 2011

Ok...for women, the minimum deficit is 1200 cals net/day, men is 1500 cals net/ day.
All you have to do is make sure your net is a minimum of 1200 cals.
If you eat 1200 cals, then burn 400, your deficit is at 800 cals, so you would need to eat that 400 to keep it at 1200. It has been proven in numerous studies that your body CAN, but not always go into starvation mode if you do not get your minimum. Some people hit their starvetion mode after others, but it will happen. Not only can this happen, but you are also depleting your body of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy as well as fight off diseases. When your body goes into starvation mode, instead of digesting and dispelling the food you intake, it stores it because it "thinks" it needs it to stay alive. It's like your body is hoarding what it feels it isn't getting enough of.

MacMadame · April 2011

Generally, you don't want to be that low unless you are under a doctor's supervision. It's hard to get the nutrients you need on that few calories so you want someone monitoring you.

Plus, there is a point of diminishing returns with lowering your calories. Yes, you'll lose more weight than if you ate 200-400 calories a day more but you won't lose *that much* more. For example, a 500 calorie a day deficit will result in 1 pound of weight lost a week. 1000 calorie deficit should result in 2 pounds. Sometimes it does, but for some people, they are losing more than 1 pound but less than 2 pounds. And hardly anyone loses 3 pounds a week with a 1500 calorie a day deficit. 2.25 - 2.5 pounds is more likely.

So basically you are starving yourself and putting your health at risk to lose hardly any extra weight a week.

carriecolleen · April 2011

I'm having the same problem. I get close to my 1200...but then I exercise, tonight I need to eat close to 700 calories...AFTER dinner. I'm nowhere near hungry. I'll want maybe fruit this evening or a granola bar. I'm only 5 feet tall...and never really had a big appetite, but I eat small meals all day.

Peyton115 · April 2011

Thank you for the advice. Much of it was very helpful, but also, before you respond to a post please read it thoroughly. As I stated above I do not TRY to consume less than my calorie goal each day. I do not aim for minimal calories to lose rapid weight. I joined this site to lose weight healthily, not starve myself to drop pounds. My question was just that: a question. I did not know if anyone else was having the same problem as I, how bad this problem really is, or how to correct it. I did not know if adding calories meant adding weight or not, all reasons I posted for advice. I even asked how I should go about adding calories to my diet. I am not trying to starve myself, if I were, I wouldn't have mentioned it on a public post that's for sure.

Thank you to those who offered help, insight, and advice. I appreciate it very much and I certainly will start trying to add more calories to my diet right away.

MrsCon40 · April 2011

As everyone has mentioned, you need to eat at least 1,200. I'd love to help suggest how, but I need to know what you're eating now and what you could add to get you up to that level. Consider making your journal viewable!

:happy:

meggonkgonk · April 2011

Eat more calorie dense foods- proteins, healthy fats, even carbs. Nuts, oils, avacados, cheeses, fruits. Choose foods with higher calorie counts.

ie- you have oat meal in the morning (idk if you do but just for sake of example...) Add 1/2 a banana (or a whole one!), some sliced almonds and even a little chocolate (sometimes I use mini choc chips, sometimes choc backing powder).

Eat 6 oz of meat in a serving.

Eat potatoes- sweet potatoes AND even white potatoes

Don't just eat a salad as a meal. I'm not saying you can't ever, but if you have trouble eating enough, this proly won't help

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