People going way under on calories

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  • annastacia10
    annastacia10 Posts: 106
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    I fall below my calorie goal many days, but not on purpose. I just don't want to stuff myself full of food at 8 or 9 at night. I try to be very careful about my eating and only recently have been able to NOT get the warning that I am eating below my calorie goal, you might be reaching starvation mode, etc. Don't be hard on them because they might really be trying to eat to meet their goal. It just worked out for me that I had no idea how many calories I would consume at dinner time, so I was conservative during the day. Now I have learned to eat raw broccoli and celery all day long so that starvation mode thingy doesn't come up anymore.
  • SuzetteMerashino
    SuzetteMerashino Posts: 27
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    No, I'm guilty of not eating nearly enough calories and working out until I'm dead and my friends say it to me. They just say it and it's fine so I eat more and work out a bit less.
    It needs to be said so say it, you're being helpful, it won't work if you're not eating properly so it's all good. It's part of the reason we all joined, so someone would watch out for us and make sure we're doing what we can do achieve the desired results. I'm always grateful to hear such advice and your friends should be too!
  • reegordon
    reegordon Posts: 97 Member
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    I would say it depends on each individual person. If they come across as a reasonalbel person who doesn't mind accepting your advie (and may even be thankful for it), then I would say something. If they seem like a know it all and won't appreciate your advice, I wouldn't worry about trying to help them.
  • Crystals422
    Crystals422 Posts: 382 Member
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    Thank you everyone for all the great feedback. I think I will wait a little while longer and if they don't seem to be loosing weight and are always way under then I will bring it up.
  • annastacia10
    annastacia10 Posts: 106
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    And I might add too, that I didn't always know if I would have the energy after a 10 hour plus day at work to exercise after I got home. This is a lifestyle change for me, not a diet so it has been a learning process. I was so afraid of going over my calorie goal, that I would not eat as much as I probably should have during the work day. Now that I realize no matter how tired I am after working, I am still going to exercise and get some of those "eating" calories back, I eat all day long. But healthy, good for me food. But until I realized this, I was going under calorie goal. My point is, don't assume you know their thought process...nicely ask why they might be coming up short on goal, then suggest ways for them to get the healthy food in during the day their bodies need. I had to learn it on my own, but if I had some guidance early on, I might be further ahead on my goal of being happier and healthier.
  • UneJolieFemme
    UneJolieFemme Posts: 86 Member
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    I agree it depends on how you say it. You never know what people are going through in their lives, so keep that in mind...
    How would you feel if a friend would randomly message you/comment on your diaries when you eat too much and not as clean
    as you should ?
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    I personally always eat close to my needed calories, but sometimes I click the complete diary early in the day, even though I am not done eating and actually I click that button several times per day.... just out of habit. So if my friends check my diary early on, it may not look like I at all my calories, even though I NEVER go under....I make sure to take advantage of all the calories I am allowed!
  • Autumn1206
    Autumn1206 Posts: 126
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    I don't know about saying something, unless you know them in real life, and then I would have an offline conversation with them. If they are only your friends on MFP, then I would question, personally, if it was my place to make that observation. I'm all about being supportive, and in the absence of being able to do that, I would just say nothing. Could be they're just not logging everything accurately too, and they just want to feel like they are doing better. Do their weigh ins reflect drastic weight loss that would support drastically under-eating? Just some food for thought, anyhow :) Good Luck and stay healthy!
  • aleeroley
    aleeroley Posts: 14
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    It depends on why the person is even on here. Sometimes I go under my suggested cal intake and sometimes I go WAY over but, I'm not concerned with the cal so much. I'm traking my fiber intake and my fitness progress. My doctors say I should have 35g of fiber per day (this isn't polite to mention but) if I don't...I only "go to the restroom" once a week! Sometimes I have to buy prune juice like an old person and one a day prunes and I'm only 26! What's it going to be like when I AM old?!
    I'm also on here to track fitness progress because I'm military so it's sort of my job to be fit. "Fit to fight!" And I LOVE LOVE to work out.
    I think people should chill out a little on stessing about cal, sugar, or carbs. Just make it simple: Hungry?...eat. Full?...stop. Craving?...indulge. And then keep a healthy active lifestyle :)
  • gardea
    gardea Posts: 75
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    My first week on here I wasn't meeting even close to my goal due to exercise. One MFP friend told me I wasn't eating enough, which I did know, and that I would go into starvation mode. I wasn't upset that she did it. She was very polite. I politely responded thank you and told her I was working on it, but had just started the program. I didn't think she was trying to be rude, just helpful. I do agree though, if you don't actually know what you can say to a person, they may take offense to it. I would wait until they complained about not losing weight then say something. If they are losing and you tell them otherwise, they are not likely to listen to you and will take offense.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    My personal view is that people should eat their calories to stay healthy, especially if they are exercising, but I can respect the fact that everyone is at a different place in their weight loss journey and there could be a million different reasons why they haven't eaten them. I don't see it as my job to be the calorie police, it's not my body!

    I don't congratulate people for "being under their calories" unless I know a bit about them and have actually looked at their diary for the day. I also don't congratulate (in fact, usually don't comment at all) if people burn enourmous amounts of calories because I can't understand how that can be healthy either. It may be right for that person, but without knowing that for sure, I'm not going to say "great job" randomly.

    I'm much more likely to comment when someone posts an actual update saying "I'm so happy that I ran for 25 mins today" or something like that.
  • DebbieMc3
    DebbieMc3 Posts: 289 Member
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    I see some of that too and don't say anything.
    If anything, I would ask why they are eating so little.

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