Am I not eating enough?

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kollar100
kollar100 Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!
Goal goal is set at 1200. I workout for about 2 hours a day/4 days a week. I know I'm suppose to be eating more because I'm working out. My problem is, I haven't eaten my 1200 a day since I started this app and it won't update in my news feed because I'm getting a notice that tells me that this isn't healthy. I'm not starving myself but I don't want to over eat either. Advice please :)
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Replies

  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Eat more! You will burn out. Eating back some/all of your exercise calories (measure them as accurately as possible!) is the way MFP is set up. Netting 1200 is FAR from over eating.

    Are you accurately logging as well? As in weighing your food?

    And read these:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1399829/step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
  • kollar100
    kollar100 Posts: 17 Member
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    I say over eating because I'm already full with being under 1200 calories and I stay very active. I log everything that I eat. I don't eat back my workout calories because I want to lose weight, not maintain it. I workout in the morning after I drop the kids off at school but don't log my workout till nighttime because I don't want to eat back those calories. I do weigh everything that I eat and scan all the barcodes. I've lost almost 6 pounds since the kids went back to school but only 2 since I started back with the app. . . Which that weight doesn't really count as weightloss because the body fluctuates so much.
    I was home with my kids over the summer and we also took a very long vacation. . . . So eating right was hard to do when u spend 90 hours in the truck in 2 weeks. . . . I did do salads when we sat down but more junk food than anything else. I gained 18 pounds over the summer which has had me a little depressed and mad at myself.
    I'm kinda stick and don't know what to do. . . .
    (sorry, this kinda turned into a venting session)
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Just because you're not hungry doesn't mean your body isn't starving - if you're eating less than 1200 cal it's very difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs.

    If you're struggling to meet your goal, try adding more fats (many people cut these too low initially). Just a tablespoon of oil can add an extra 100 cals. Nuts, avocado, peanut butter are good higher calorie options too.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    That's not how MFP works

    It's designed for you to eat back your exercise calories otherwise you don't full your exercise but recommend you eat 50% of MFP estimates as they are generally far too high

    You didn't get overweight being unable to eat over 1200 calories. So adjust your diet

    But tbh if you can put on 18lbs in a single summer when you think you're doing ok there's an issue that accurate consistent logging should help

  • kollar100
    kollar100 Posts: 17 Member
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    I weigh 188 and I'm 5-2. . . Workout 4 times a week at the gym for 2 hours each day and do workouts at home on my 'off gym' days. How much should I be taking in a day to lose weight. . . About 1-2 pounds a week? I need to be back at 140.
  • drewlfitness
    drewlfitness Posts: 114 Member
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    You need to eat your goal, every day. That is, your NET goal. So if you workout for 2 hours and burn 800 calories or whatever it is that you burn, then your new NET goal for the day is to consume 2000 calories.

    This is how to fuel your body correctly, and this will also aide you in "correctly" losing weight. Yes, in order to lose weight, you must eat. If you choose to eat less than 1200, and that doesn't even include exercise calories, then you're malnourishing yourself which throws hormone levels off and also can actually slow your weight loss due to your body choosing to keep/store what little food you do give it.

    I would make sure your macros are set appropriately, and take cans of tuna to the face if you run out of ideas or time to make food.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    The calories you're given by MFP are your deficit. Eating them doesn't mean you're maintaining. As the pp have said, it's designed for you to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    I'm wondering about the accuracy of your logging if you say you're eating under 1200, very active, not eating back any calories and feeling full.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited August 2015
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    kollar100 wrote: »
    I weigh 188 and I'm 5-2. . . Workout 4 times a week at the gym for 2 hours each day and do workouts at home on my 'off gym' days. How much should I be taking in a day to lose weight. . . About 1-2 pounds a week? I need to be back at 140.

    Why are your workouts so long?

    What are you doing?

    Are you taking rest days?

    I'd recommend

    1) do minimum 2 x 30 minute cardio sessions (hr up) a week for basic cardio vascular health - log 50% calories from machines / MFP

    2) 3x a week follow a progressive heavy weights programme like stronglifts 5x5 - log as 1 calorie

    3) take at least one rest day

    Tighten up your logging and judge it over time (6-8 weeks) before adjusting

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1

    And for back to basics

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    kollar100 wrote: »
    I weigh 188 and I'm 5-2. . . Workout 4 times a week at the gym for 2 hours each day and do workouts at home on my 'off gym' days. How much should I be taking in a day to lose weight. . . About 1-2 pounds a week? I need to be back at 140.

    I get the sense that you want this weight loss to happen ASAP. The weight didn't go on in a week, it won't come off in a week. You need to be patient and accept that progress may not be as fast you want. Exercising for hours and eating a dangerously low amount of calories is not a recipe for consistent, sustainable weight loss.
  • ibnfaqir
    ibnfaqir Posts: 139 Member
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    You will burn out and will have to start over again.
  • louise5779
    louise5779 Posts: 82 Member
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    You need to eat your goal and eat back some of your workout calories. Maximum 50%.

    I don't see anything wrong with doing a 2 hour cardio workout. That's what I do 5 mornings a week. Some people just have a long endurance. I often watch people at the gym who get on each machine for 5 minutes and leave after a total of 30 minutes. That just doesn't work for everyone and I wouldn't call it a work out but a warm up! I don't feel like I have worked out unless I'm doing 2 hours or a distance run outside.

    Please remember everyone is built differently no way could I cut to 30mins x 2 per week of cardio.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    louise5779 wrote: »
    You need to eat your goal and eat back some of your workout calories. Maximum 50%.

    I don't see anything wrong with doing a 2 hour cardio workout. That's what I do 5 mornings a week. Some people just have a long endurance. I often watch people at the gym who get on each machine for 5 minutes and leave after a total of 30 minutes. That just doesn't work for everyone and I wouldn't call it a work out but a warm up! I don't feel like I have worked out unless I'm doing 2 hours or a distance run outside.

    Please remember everyone is built differently no way could I cut to 30mins x 2 per week of cardio.

    If your objective is endurance great - There's nothing wrong with it

    But if you're doing it because that's what you believe you have to do to " lose weight" or get a healthy level of exercise then your basic knowledge on fitness is not accurate
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
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    How are you dtermining your calorues burnt? What are you really doing in those 2 hours? I'm also 5'2" and have 10-15 more to lose. It is taking longer but I want it to be forever this time.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    You are making this too hard. Eat what MFP recommends plus 1/2 your exercise calories. Track your calories accurately using a digital scales. That's all there is to it.
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    drewlamonte wrote: »

    This is how to fuel your body correctly, and this will also aide you in "correctly" losing weight. Yes, in order to lose weight, you must eat. If you choose to eat less than 1200, and that doesn't even include exercise calories, then you're malnourishing yourself which throws hormone levels off and also can actually slow your weight loss due to your body choosing to keep/store what little food you do give it.

    This isn't true.
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 644 Member
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    not feeling hungry during the first week or so is typical. You have plenty of stored fuel in your muscles and liver. Once you run out of stored glycogen your body will tell you to eat.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If you're really eating less than 1200 calories and working out, then you need to eat more. But we're really bad at knowing how many calories we're actually eating. Even if you use a food scale, your calorie count won't be exact. In any case, if you aren't hungry, that is an indication that you're eating more than you realize. Hunger is the body's natural way of telling you when you need to eat. Don't eat just to reach the goal calories. You'll either start getting hungry at some point, or you aren't really eating less than 1200 calories.
  • kollar100
    kollar100 Posts: 17 Member
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    I know it sounds like I'm starving myself. . . I'm not. I feel full with what I eat. By what everyone is saying, I need to add calories.
    My workouts consist of 30 minutes on the treadmill (sometimes more), the resistance machines and another cardio machine such as a stationary bike or elliptical. I am only able to go to the gym 4 times a week because of mine and my kids schedules. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have leg days and Wednesdays and Fridays I have arm days.

    My calories burnt - I go off of the machine that I'm using. I enter my weight and it periodically takes my heart rate and it keeps track of my calories burnt. I do log my weights into myfitnesspal but it doesn't count calories because it's a 'strength' and not cardio.
    I also do jumping Jacks, squats, switch kicks, planks, etc on my off days at the gym.

    I know this weight won't come off quick. . . I'm sorry if I made it seem that way. I have been struggling with my weight since I had my 2nd child, 5.5 years ago.

    I log EVERYTHING that I eat and usually only have water. I stay away from cokes. I base my calorie intake based on what myfitnesspal says when I scan Barcode and the actual label itself.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Are you weighing everything you eat? As in checking that the grams you're eating match what you're logging?

    The machines and MFP are very inaccurate at giving a calorie burn. That's why most people suggest only eating back a portion of exercise calories.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    kollar100 wrote: »
    I know it sounds like I'm starving myself. . . I'm not. I feel full with what I eat.
    Those have little to nothing to do with each other.

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