AshleyC1023 wrote: »

Dragonwolf wrote: »

AshleyC1023 wrote: »

I am eating around 1400 calories a day

That's the OP's statement, and it being a rant she said she's thinking that she should just drop to 500 a day. I took that as more of a "what else can I do" as a frustrated statement. I think you read my 700-800 calorie response because I do have days where that's all I can force down. But it evens out with other days where I eat more.
Being below average height does add some difficulty when you hear drs preach about 2000 calories a day. We are smaller and thus our bodies are "more efficient". You feed a Chihuahua a lot less dog food than a Great Dane, and the Great Dane will starve if it's fed like a Chihuahua, and the Chihuahua will become obese if it eats like a Great Dane.

Fair enough on the 700-800. You're right, that was your statement, and not hers.

However, I never once said or even implied that she should eat 2000 calories, so please do not read my responses with that assumption. I specifically acknowledged that her intake will be on the low end of what's generally considered "safe" when height is taken out of the context. What I did say was to be mindful of the level of the deficit, because in her frustration, "increase your deficit" could be rationalized to "it's okay to eat 500 calories," when 500 calories is too much of a deficit for anyone and results in nearly 1000 calories short of what she's consuming now. You did mention 1200 for yourself, but we're dealing with a frustrated person, here. In that state, it's very easy to jump to "well, if 1200 works, and they say they do okay on 800, isn't more better? I am making up for lost time, too." That is why I tried to make sure to emphasize that if the deficit is already moderate, consider other methods.

I actually never said you did say that either. The general 2000 calorie a day diet was a generalized statement - ie for someone of average height and weight and I suggested the keto calculator to help adjust for the OP's size and weight. I actually said that before you even replied in the thread. I totally get the frustration with it, it says I can eat 1560 a day to maintain in a sedentary state. I will gain on that much for certain. I also said that some days I only eat that, but I make up for it on other days and it evens out - the general goal of that statement is to not stuff yourself just because MFP says you need a minimum of 1000 calories (that's their cut off to not give you the "you're not eating enough" warning). It took me several days to realize I don't NEED to stuff myself past satiate and that it's ok to be lower as it will vary day by day. I've definitely found that there is a balance, and that too many calories doesn't equal any kind of body or scale victory. What's too many? It's different for everyone, I guess I"m just saying the key to it is to adjust as needed. If you aren't losing at 1400, drop to 1350 and see if that helps. When your calorie budget is already lower than the "generalized normal" that you hear doctors and all suggest, of course you're going to be frustrated when you eat 1500 and don't maintain, but gain. That's one of the biggest misinformations I see is that you "need" 2000 calories a day (and I don't mean from you Dragon, but any diet crap magazine) to maintain, when they don't account for anything for the individual. I mean on a general "2000 calories" suggestion, it is easy to think that at 1500 you will lose (being a 500 calorie deficit on paper) when in reality, you're actually on your maintenance number.

OP, my diary is open and you're welcome to look. You can see how some days, I'm just not hungry, or I ate something really high in fat for breakfast and lunch and barely eat at dinner. I've also had more than 1 day that "looked good on paper" but I felt miserable from overeating. I've also had days over 1200 calories as well.