Stuck in a rut - long term low calories.

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mmccallum474
mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi everyone,

I've been wanting to post for a while as I would like some advice. I am a 25 year old female, 5 ft 5 and 120 lbs. For about 4 years I have been eating 1300 calories a day, with a bit more on weekends including alcohol. I am currently maintains my weigh overall but experience 1-3 pound fluctuations over the week.

Common sense tells me this is not enough. I experienced quite low energy levels several days a week, sometimes get headaches and can get extremely agitated if I have not eaten. I have also not had a regular period in over two years. My doctor says this is nothing to worry about.

I have always been conscious of food but not to the extent I am now. As a child I was overweight and always 'chubby' but was never preoccupied by thoughts of calories.

At present I usually pre-log my calories to ensure I stay around 1300. I do wonder what would happen if I increased and deep down I think I want to try to do so but as yet I have not had the courage.

The thing that gets me most now is that I cannot eat a particular food just because I enjoy it. I know the calorie count of everything and will always go for the lower option even if I would prefer the taste of something else. The feeling of losing weight is one that I enjoy. I weigh myself daily and my mood is dictated by the number in the scale even though I know that fluctuations are normal.

I am scared that if I increase I will gain weight. On the other hand, I would like to increase my calories to see if I feel better.

Sorry for the long post. Have any of you experienced this? What happened when you increased your calories? Thanks.
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  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited June 2015
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    mmccallum474 wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    I've been wanting to post for a while as I would like some advice. I am a 25 year old female, 5 ft 5 and 120 lbs. For about 4 years I have been eating 1300 calories a day, with a bit more on weekends including alcohol. I am currently maintains my weigh overall but experience 1-3 pound fluctuations over the week.

    Common sense tells me this is not enough. I experienced quite low energy levels several days a week, sometimes get headaches and can get extremely agitated if I have not eaten. I have also not had a regular period in over two years. My doctor says this is nothing to worry about.

    I have always been conscious of food but not to the extent I am now. As a child I was overweight and always 'chubby' but was never preoccupied by thoughts of calories.

    At present I usually pre-log my calories to ensure I stay around 1300. I do wonder what would happen if I increased and deep down I think I want to try to do so but as yet I have not had the courage.

    The thing that gets me most now is that I cannot eat a particular food just because I enjoy it. I know the calorie count of everything and will always go for the lower option even if I would prefer the taste of something else. The feeling of losing weight is one that I enjoy. I weigh myself daily and my mood is dictated by the number in the scale even though I know that fluctuations are normal.

    I am scared that if I increase I will gain weight. On the other hand, I would like to increase my calories to see if I feel better.

    Sorry for the long post. Have any of you experienced this? What happened when you increased your calories? Thanks.

    Just ran your info and your maintenance calorie goal, with NO exercise, is 1,550 calories a day. So something isn't right here. Are you accurate in your tracking? Are you weighing your food? Also the missed period thing is concerning. I'd get a second opinion on that from a different doctor. There may be something deeper going on here that's causing issues.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    If you're accurate with your logging, try upping your calories a little. Put your numbers into MFP and try it. If you're low calories long term, your body will adjust by making you tired.

    When I went from loss to maintenance, I first just raised my calories by 250 (a 250 calorie deficit). I didn't gain weight, so just stayed there. But later, when I raised it to what it should have been, I STILL didn't gain weight. I could have been eating more all along.

    Try it for a month and see what happens. Less and it doesn't give it a fair trial. But nothing awful can happen in a month. And you may be pleasantly surprised.
  • mmccallum474
    mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you Sara and nxd10 for your replies.

    I do accurately log and weigh food, quite meticulously, so I know my intake is correct.

    I have been thinking about increasing by a small number for a while now so I think I will try that.

    When everything's written down it gives you a bit of a reality check!
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    I agree, this doesn't sound right. I know about 5 people who had eating disorders but ate 1600-2000 (no exercise) and were at emaciated weights (BMI<15). Stories like yours support the idea that bodies can get used to low calorie amounts and then actually maintain on way less. I think if you upped your calories you could maintain on more. I maintained on 1200-1400 for months after I lost most of the weight. Then I was frustrated I wasn't losing so I gradually increased to 1700-1800 and bam started losing 1lb a week again until I got to goal weight.
  • mmccallum474
    mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
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    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    I think if you upped your calories you could maintain on more. I maintained on 1200-1400 for months after I lost most of the weight. Then I was frustrated I wasn't losing so I gradually increased to 1700-1800 and bam started losing 1lb a week again until I got to goal weight.

    Thanks

    I'm interested to hear about your experience. Did you gain initially when you upped calories or experience any bloating/digestion issues?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    four years of eating 1300 calories sounds like you have adaptive thermogenesis and have lowered your metabolism through chronic dieting.

    I would suggest adding 50 calories a week for four weeks until you get to around 1500 and see if the slow increase helps you maintain your current weight at the higher intake. You may gain a little water weight from increased calories but that is not fat.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If 1500 is the expected maintenance level and 1300 is what you are eating most of the time but your eating more on the weekends, you may not be that far off. I don't know what those weekend calories add up to, but 1400 additional calories on the weekend would bring the average up to 1500. That would only require that Saturday and Sunday both be 2000 calorie days. The alcohol is just empty calories, so that won't help with the low energy problems.
  • DeeDeeS13
    DeeDeeS13 Posts: 28 Member
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    I agree with what appears to be a consensus - add a small amount of calories per day (200+/-) for a week or so and see what that does for you. I've done that with good results. For me, I find adding protein calories is best. And I too indulge in moderate alcohol, but am careful with those calories. Good luck!
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Assuming you are truly maintaining on 1300: your low energy levels are part of a cycle. If you eat a little more, you'll likely have more energy and thus move more/do more. So try it. You don't have to go crazy and add loads of extra calories per day. Perhaps aim for 1500 for a few weeks as a test.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    Are you doing strength training or do you have a good set of muscles? With some muscles you can eat more food as they need more energy. According to calculators my maintenance calorie level should be at around 1520 or so, but I'm maintaining at 1900 at the moment plus my workout calories. It's cool when you can eat so much food :smile:
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    I'm the same height but 10 lb heavier than you, but also 14 years older. While I do work out quite a bit (often twice a day weights/running or biking, weights/aerial practice, running/aerial practice, etc.), my maintenance is 2200-2300 cal/day.

    I maintain by eating lower calories during the week and more on the weekends, but if I go too low during the week (1600-1700/day), my energy drops but I don't necessarily lose weight, and often make up for it on the weekend. Lately, I've been trying to eat more during the week, like closer to 1800-2000. Eating more gives me more energy for sure and definitely makes my workouts better. Keep in mind I tend to eat 2500-3000 on the weekends, so that my daily intake spread over a week equals a daily consumption of maintenance calories.

    Just food (haha) for thought. Like others have said, try upping your calories slowly and see how you fare.
  • mmccallum474
    mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for all of your very supportive comments.

    I am going to increase to 1500 for the next few weeks and see how I go. Science tells me I shouldn't gain real weight but of course this is not a science!

    It's strange getting used to more food, but hopefully I will get hungrier as the days go on!
  • Jenn_L_K
    Jenn_L_K Posts: 2 Member
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    Have you thought about seeing your doctor or a therapist? I am not one at all but much of what you said makes me think red flags of obsessive type eating disorder ...
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    mmccallum474 wrote: »
    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    I think if you upped your calories you could maintain on more. I maintained on 1200-1400 for months after I lost most of the weight. Then I was frustrated I wasn't losing so I gradually increased to 1700-1800 and bam started losing 1lb a week again until I got to goal weight.

    Thanks

    I'm interested to hear about your experience. Did you gain initially when you upped calories or experience any bloating/digestion issues?

    I initially gained about 5lbs but then it went down within a few weeks.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I agree with seeing a doctor, fear of gaining weight and eating more is not normal or healthy.
  • mmccallum474
    mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for the comments.

    I think I've fallen into the trap of relying on the food diary to count calories too much and have ended up ignoring my own hunger cues.
  • kprobert2
    kprobert2 Posts: 2 Member
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    Managing weight is tough. Good luck with it :)
  • kailyw05
    kailyw05 Posts: 80 Member
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    I'm wondering if you may be consuming a lot more than you think on weekends? On nights out with friends where there are snacks (chips, cheese and crackers, nachos, etc), maybe a bbq, and casual beers I can easily consume 2000 calories in that evening alone. Alcohol is super high in calories and if you drink to feel a "buzz" you'll consume at least 600 calories (1 bottle of wine, 4-5 beer, or 5 double vodka waters). Just a thought as to why you actually maintain on such a low number.

    For me when I eat more I feel more energized and tend to move a lot more throughout the day. I don't feel like skipping workouts because I don't really feel tired. In February I ate 1200-1300 calories per day and didn't exercise and lost a pound a week. After that I started a workout program and increased my calories to 1400-1500 calories and still lost a pound a week. Now I eat 1500-1700 calories per day, exercise 6 days a week and still lose approx 0.5 lbs per week. (I am 25, 5'4 and 130 lbs). It takes some playing around with, but overall I think you will feel better and still maintain if you eat more and move more. Oh, and I still have drinking/snacking binges with friends about once or twice a month which is why I only lose 0.5 lb per week. I still log those nights to the best of my ability and try to limit them as best I can, but I will not give them up.

    So, my advice is log your weekend drinks/snacks when you do increase your calories (if you don't already) to make sure your weekly calories in = your weekly calories out.
  • mmccallum474
    mmccallum474 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thanks for your comment.

    That certainly is a good theory. Alcohol is one of the things that quickly add up and quite often results in late night snacks.

    I also have a larger dinner on a Saturday along with alcohol so that bumps up my calories too. A Thursday/Friday is the day I feel the worst which makes sense as by then I have had 4 or so days of lower calories.

    For the last week I have increased to 1400 - 1450 and have maintained at 119 pounds. Quite amazingly, this is the lowest end of my usual range of 119 - 122 lbs. My energy levels are slightly better and I also feel ready for my meals, especially breakfast.
  • jmorm
    jmorm Posts: 3 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Hey there OP,

    I'm in a similar situation, except I've been losing since September of last year and can't seem to draw the line and say 'enough is enough'. My calorie intake has become less and less in recent months due to the thrill I get in seeing my weight go down (despite also knowing my weight fluctuates). I can relate to daily weigh-ins and counting calories in the mind, as well as not enjoying food due to those unconscious calculations. It has completely affected my energy levels as well as my state of mind, studies and even relationships. If you feel like this is something growing beyond your control and you are having trouble getting on top of it, I really urge you to visit the nutritionist and/or possibly a counsellor to figure out something that will work for you. Every person has different needs in terms of calorie intake as well as macros.

    Please don't let it get as far as I have!

    Good luck and well done on your achievements so far :) Be proud of yourself and how far you've come in your journey!

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