Is my calorie intake too low?

Warthog111
Warthog111 Posts: 5
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 6'0 and about 180 lbs, I just started counting calories the start of March and when I started MFP suggested 1700 - 1800 calories, so I've been eating at that amount for about 2 weeks now. I should be losing around 1.5 - 2 lbs a week, the first week I went down around 1.5 - 2 pounds like I should but this week the scale hasn't changed. I know scale is a tricky due to water storage and what not but is 1700 - 1800 too low for a guy my size? I've googled this issue and a lot of people in other forums have said eating that low is going to destroy your metabolism, put you into starvation mode etc. etc. etc. I go to the gym 7 days a week (5 days of lifting with 15 mins cardio and 2 days of 20 - 25 min cardio) I know that may seem intense but I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off so when I'm off from work going to gym is only physical thing I do. Should I try eating at a higher calorie intake to get my metabolism going again or what?

Replies

  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited March 2015
    If you were eating too little, you would be losing more. One week is too soon too judge, if this continues, you are eating more than you think.
  • pinkteapot3
    pinkteapot3 Posts: 157 Member
    You really need to do it for at least four weeks before judging. Starvation mode is a myth though. If you persistently don't lose, you'll need to eat less. But it's far too soon to judge if that's the case for you.

    I'm only aiming for 1lb/week and I tend to lose 2lbs one week, then stay the same, then lose 2lbs, then stay the same...

    Some people only weigh themselves monthly because weekly measuring can be misleading in terms of the overall picture. Your weight can easily fluctuate by a few pounds day to day due to water retention. If you happen to weigh on a higher day, you can think you haven't lost, but if you'd weighed the day before you would have done.

    While a lot of people champion weighing less often than weekly, I actually tend to weigh daily. This gives me a better picture. Sometimes, come Friday morning (official weigh and log) I haven't lost, but I know that every other day that week I was a pound lower. I then know the scales will catch up the next week.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I'm 6'5", 228 lbs and my daily calorie allowance is 1600. I'm doing just fine.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Warthog111 wrote: »
    I'm 6'0 and about 180 lbs, I just started counting calories the start of March and when I started MFP suggested 1700 - 1800 calories, so I've been eating at that amount for about 2 weeks now. I should be losing around 1.5 - 2 lbs a week, the first week I went down around 1.5 - 2 pounds like I should but this week the scale hasn't changed. I know scale is a tricky due to water storage and what not but is 1700 - 1800 too low for a guy my size? I've googled this issue and a lot of people in other forums have said eating that low is going to destroy your metabolism, put you into starvation mode etc. etc. etc. I go to the gym 7 days a week (5 days of lifting with 15 mins cardio and 2 days of 20 - 25 min cardio) I know that may seem intense but I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off so when I'm off from work going to gym is only physical thing I do. Should I try eating at a higher calorie intake to get my metabolism going again or what?

    Your metabolism is fine and starvation mode doesn't exist in the way that dieters like to use it

    if you have had a recent change-up in exercise that can cause water weight fluctuations for muscle repair

    you should be eating back some of your exercise calories too if you're following MFP method
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    nihilpanzergod wrote: »
    i do 2-3 hrs of rigourous cardio a day and i eat 1000-1200. and idk y im not losing. i track everythjing

    Nope

    your logging is off

    or you have underlying medical issues
  • Warthog111
    Warthog111 Posts: 5
    Thanks guys, I've read a lot about destroying your metabolism and starvation mode from not eating enough but seems that so many people on MFP community are under 2k calories and doing fine. I usually don't eat back my calories unless I did intense cardio that day.
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