1,230 calories a day...

meganlc0
meganlc0 Posts: 34 Member
edited July 2016 in Food and Nutrition
So, MFP says I should eat 1,230 cals a day to lose 2 pounds a week.

At 1,230 cals a day I am SO hungry that I'm painfully nauseous and I lose about 1 pound a day...

Any ideas as to why this happens to me would be appreciated. I'm not very active, I don't get it. I've tried tapering down my calories to ~1,200 but still get the same thing.

Replies

  • meganlc0
    meganlc0 Posts: 34 Member
    I should mention that I do not eat 1,230 calories a day. I've tried but obviously can't and won't do it. I have my calorie goal set to 1,800 right now which has me losing almost nothing weekly and I'm ok with that. I just find it bizzare that I feel that way eating a seemingly reasonable amount of calories.
  • MarissaBlevins220
    MarissaBlevins220 Posts: 123 Member
    This is an app, so it's not going to be completely perfect... you may have a higher metabolism than people your age/size, there are so many factors, and what is healthy for one person may not be for another. Just find what works for you and rock it. If your able to have more calories while still losing weight just set your goals to that, but if you feel like your starving and miserable you're not going to have a good experience. Hope you figure out what works best for you! Hang in there, you got this! Maybe just try setting it for less weekly weight loss and see how you feel on those calories.
  • MarissaBlevins220
    MarissaBlevins220 Posts: 123 Member
    Also I've noticed that if I get all my calories from carbs and sugar i feel like complete crap but if I eat more protein and fiber I feel full, and tend to eat less when im putting good quality calories into my body. So the calories may technically be the same amount but you body will process it completely different.
  • merritttu
    merritttu Posts: 2 Member
    Have you tried flexible dieting? Macro counting? Its not as restrictive and has good results. However, I use it along with workouts as well.
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    Clearly that's not a sustainable goal for you.
    Try setting MFP for 1 pound a week loss, and you will get a more realistic number.

    Or, as you know that at 1800 you aren't losing, you could just try cutting a little bit from there, maybe 1700 and see how that works for you.

    You need to find something that is sustainable... and I know that 1200 would never work for me.
    I've been losing slowly but steadily eating around 1600 - 1700*. That's net calories so when I exercise more, I eat more.

    *I'm almost 50, 5"4" and currently 86kg.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited July 2016
    As pebbles is saying, you need to set your goal somewhere between maintenance and undereating. 1230 calories may have you lose 2 pounds per week, IF you could sustain it, but you probably can't (and if you could, it'd be more muscle than fat) and what you are experiencing is your body telling you that. There is a range between 1200 and 1800. Use it.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited July 2016
    Change your goal from 2 pounds per week to 1 pound per week and you'll be at 1730. This is not a race. If it is sustainable, you're more likely to stick with it.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    So set a more reasonable goal - .5 - 1lb a week.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    If your calorie goal has you losing faster than expected, it's likely that you're either eating less than you think you are (so an error in measuring calories in) or burning more calories than your activity level plus logged activity would estimate (so an error in measuring calories out).

    Is your activity level sedentary? Are you logging activity and eating back those calories? Is there a chance that you are under-estimating what you're eating?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    How much weight do you want to lose? If you have less than 50 lbs to lose, 2 lbs per week is a very aggressive goal, which is why you got such a low calorie goal. Also remember you are supposed to log your exercise and eat back some of those calories on top of your calorie goal.
  • kendahlj
    kendahlj Posts: 243 Member
    What exactly are you eating? If you're eating foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients, it might explain why you're always still hungry...
  • meganlc0
    meganlc0 Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks to all who have left their 2 cents here!

    I know a lot about nutrition and I'm eating a very balanced diet (although my macros are usually off by ~5%+/- because getting protein as a vegetarian with many food allergies is pretty hard-I do my best though)

    To be at a normal BMI I need to lose ~90 pounds. Currently I'm not really exercising at all as health problems really limit my mobility. I am only lightly active 3 days a week when I'm at work, mostly sedentary the rest of the week.

    I really don't think I'm eating less than I'm logging. I don't weigh my foods but I did for many years and do occasionally to make sure my portions are still in reality.

    I took the advice of mamy of you and have set my goal to .5 lbs a week and it has me at 1900 cals (I'm eating closer to 1600-1800 though). I would absolutely eat less if it didn't make me so uncomfortable.

    I'm just going to plug along at 1500-1900 cals a day and hope that I can lose and maintain my sanity!
  • norie92
    norie92 Posts: 115 Member
    Hey, just keep in mind it takes extra calories to sustain any excess fat on your body. Eat decently well, go for maybe .5 or 1 pound a week and the weight should come flying off. Don't expect overnight results though, it happens slow and steady.

Categories