1200 Gross Cals, 1000 net...ok??? Also, need flat belly tips

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EpiGaiaRepens
EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm gonna start with my question and then give background: I recently changed my settings so my "goal" caloric intake is 1,000 cals/day. If I exercise 200 cals and then eat 1200 cals that day (eating my exercise calories), it seems like the MFP program doesn't freak out about the possibility of starvation mode. Does it make sense that as long as I'm eating 1200 cals, regardless of how much I work out, it's ok in terms of starvation mode?

I lost 40 lbs using MFP's set up where I my net cals for any day was 1200 and I could eat more if I exercised. I hit a wall around 140 lbs which I managed to plow thru using HIIT exercise. But now I'm stuck at 135. I'm shooting for 125 or whatever makes me have a flat belly for once in my life! (btw, my "average" weight as an adult has been about 155 so 135 is already pretty smokin' on my muscular frame!)

So I guess question #2 is: does anyone know how to get a flat belly? I find a lot of people seem to have all the answers to getting their flat tummy "BACK" (after the baby or whatever) but I want to hear from someone who, like me, NEVER IN ALL THEIR LIFE had a flat belly until they did X. And then tell me what X is. Cuz I have done crazy stuff like not eat for months and work out like crazy and do fad diets and never in all my life ever have I had a flat tummy. My current theory is that I just have to keep plugging away at my over all body fat percentage (in a healthy way this time) until my belly finally goes the way of my "girls" (poor things could use a funeral at this point!). My way of plugging away at my body fat percentage is to eat low calorie (1000 per day) and do HIIT. I don't really do tummy exercises...it seems like there are mixed opinions about whether or not those work. Also, I've heard that cutting out carbs does the trick but I'm not sure if that's just a calorie issue or if carbs somehow magically turn into belly fat. Any help would be appreciated on any of the above issues!

Either msg me or post here with your tales of magical wizardry that makes that belly disappear!
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Replies

  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    So I guess question #2 is: does anyone know how to get a flat belly? I find a lot of people seem to have all the answers to getting their flat tummy "BACK" (after the baby or whatever) but I want to hear from someone who, like me, NEVER IN ALL THEIR LIFE had a flat belly until they did X. And then tell me what X is. Cuz I have done crazy stuff like not eat for months and work out like crazy and do fad diets and never in all my life ever have I had a flat tummy. My current theory is that I just have to keep plugging away at my over all body fat percentage (in a healthy way this time) until my belly finally goes the way of my "girls" (poor things could use a funeral at this point!). My way of plugging away at my body fat percentage is to eat low calorie (1000 per day) and do HIIT. I don't really do tummy exercises...it seems like there are mixed opinions about whether or not those work. Also, I've heard that cutting out carbs does the trick but I'm not sure if that's just a calorie issue or if carbs somehow magically turn into belly fat. Any help would be appreciated on any of the above issues!

    Either msg me or post here with your tales of magical wizardry that makes that belly disappear!

    I am no expert about your first part, so the second part I can maybe talk to you about.

    I had a little pooch in the lower belly around freshman year of HS. Sophomore year was my second year of volleyball, so we were doing an obscene amount of crunches. I also would do crunches to songs-- 3 minutes of those will get you feeling a burn. I think it was a combo of the 1 mile a day run and all the abdominal crunches. I've never gotten the pooch back, even after gaining almost 30 lbs 5 years ago.

    GL!
  • lindsaylove07
    lindsaylove07 Posts: 444 Member
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    Bump! I need a flat belly toooo!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    I would think the general consensus would be to eat more not less if you want to get rid of those last few lbs.

    the answer to your second question is, I don't really know, but I imagine the reason your belly is not flat is that it needs muscles to make it flat....
  • agleckle
    agleckle Posts: 235 Member
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    BUMP. I have never ever had a flat belly either! I would love to know how women who never had a flat belly finally got one, as well!
  • michelle2808
    michelle2808 Posts: 68
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    Bump.........
  • HoopFire5602
    HoopFire5602 Posts: 423 Member
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    X is eating the right foods; i.e. eating clean. Abs are typically made in the kitchen; you can do crunches until you are blue in the face....but if you do not burn the fat that is there away it's almost pointless. You are already doing HIIT, which is fantastic. Keep that up. Eat tons and tons of veggies and fruit. I replaced everything else I eat (like snacks and lunch) with those two items and have seen great results. And don't lower your cals too low or you are not properly fueling your body after a workout.
  • ukhennin
    ukhennin Posts: 221 Member
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    About the flat belly, besides the obvious about you can't spot reduce, and do core work, I also have noticed that when I lift my back muscles it really helps me have better posture and keep those tummy muscles constricted and pulled in for a flatter appearance. I just thought I would throw that out there.
  • fitnhealthyccthatsme
    fitnhealthyccthatsme Posts: 359 Member
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    bump
  • SarcasticManiac
    SarcasticManiac Posts: 85
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    My understanding is that while it's mostly a matter of fat reduction, working ab muscles will tighten up your core and help your belly appear flatter.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
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    Eat more. Strength train.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    I'm gonna start with my question and then give background: I recently changed my settings so my "goal" caloric intake is 1,000 cals/day. If I exercise 200 cals and then eat 1200 cals that day (eating my exercise calories), it seems like the MFP program doesn't freak out about the possibility of starvation mode. Does it make sense that as long as I'm eating 1200 cals, regardless of how much I work out, it's ok in terms of starvation mode?

    I lost 40 lbs using MFP's set up where I my net cals for any day was 1200 and I could eat more if I exercised. I hit a wall around 140 lbs which I managed to plow thru using HIIT exercise. But now I'm stuck at 135. I'm shooting for 125 or whatever makes me have a flat belly for once in my life! (btw, my "average" weight as an adult has been about 155 so 135 is already pretty smokin' on my muscular frame!)

    So I guess question #2 is: does anyone know how to get a flat belly? I find a lot of people seem to have all the answers to getting their flat tummy "BACK" (after the baby or whatever) but I want to hear from someone who, like me, NEVER IN ALL THEIR LIFE had a flat belly until they did X. And then tell me what X is. Cuz I have done crazy stuff like not eat for months and work out like crazy and do fad diets and never in all my life ever have I had a flat tummy. My current theory is that I just have to keep plugging away at my over all body fat percentage (in a healthy way this time) until my belly finally goes the way of my "girls" (poor things could use a funeral at this point!). My way of plugging away at my body fat percentage is to eat low calorie (1000 per day) and do HIIT. I don't really do tummy exercises...it seems like there are mixed opinions about whether or not those work. Also, I've heard that cutting out carbs does the trick but I'm not sure if that's just a calorie issue or if carbs somehow magically turn into belly fat. Any help would be appreciated on any of the above issues!

    Either msg me or post here with your tales of magical wizardry that makes that belly disappear!

    Part 1. What is your maintenance calories? This is important to know because is you net below 50% of that you will go into starvation mode.

    Part 2. Start tracking your sugar. Sugar in the blood triggers Insulin to be made which promotes fat storage paticularly around the stomach in most people. Don't freak out about I eat lots of fruit and it puts me way over on sugar.
    1 shoot for under 20 gms of sugar a day. I am 11% BF and still have a little pooch around my belly button. Drives me freakin crazy. I've tried everything I can think of and or read. Now trying the low sugar thing. Day 2 for me.
  • kristy_estes21
    kristy_estes21 Posts: 434 Member
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    My opinion would be to do some core work, cardio, and eat clean foods. I personally think you aren't eating enough, but I'm not a nutritionist. lol
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I'm gonna start with my question and then give background: I recently changed my settings so my "goal" caloric intake is 1,000 cals/day. If I exercise 200 cals and then eat 1200 cals that day (eating my exercise calories), it seems like the MFP program doesn't freak out about the possibility of starvation mode. Does it make sense that as long as I'm eating 1200 cals, regardless of how much I work out, it's ok in terms of starvation mode?

    I lost 40 lbs using MFP's set up where I my net cals for any day was 1200 and I could eat more if I exercised. I hit a wall around 140 lbs which I managed to plow thru using HIIT exercise. But now I'm stuck at 135. I'm shooting for 125 or whatever makes me have a flat belly for once in my life! (btw, my "average" weight as an adult has been about 155 so 135 is already pretty smokin' on my muscular frame!)

    So I guess question #2 is: does anyone know how to get a flat belly? I find a lot of people seem to have all the answers to getting their flat tummy "BACK" (after the baby or whatever) but I want to hear from someone who, like me, NEVER IN ALL THEIR LIFE had a flat belly until they did X. And then tell me what X is. Cuz I have done crazy stuff like not eat for months and work out like crazy and do fad diets and never in all my life ever have I had a flat tummy. My current theory is that I just have to keep plugging away at my over all body fat percentage (in a healthy way this time) until my belly finally goes the way of my "girls" (poor things could use a funeral at this point!). My way of plugging away at my body fat percentage is to eat low calorie (1000 per day) and do HIIT. I don't really do tummy exercises...it seems like there are mixed opinions about whether or not those work. Also, I've heard that cutting out carbs does the trick but I'm not sure if that's just a calorie issue or if carbs somehow magically turn into belly fat. Any help would be appreciated on any of the above issues!

    Either msg me or post here with your tales of magical wizardry that makes that belly disappear!

    Try eating more not less. since you don't have much to lose try changing your goal to 0.5 lbs/week instead of your current settings, the less you have to lose the smaller your deficit should be, this helps avoid losing lean muscle as you lose fat.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Part 1. What is your maintenance calories? This is important to know because is you net below 50% of that you will go into starvation mode.

    Part 2. Start tracking your sugar. Sugar in the blood triggers Insulin to be made which promotes fat storage paticularly around the stomach in most people. Don't freak out about I eat lots of fruit and it puts me way over on sugar.
    1 shoot for under 20 gms of sugar a day. I am 11% BF and still have a little pooch around my belly button. Drives me freakin crazy. I've tried everything I can think of and or read. Now trying the low sugar thing. Day 2 for me.

    Your Part 1 is a little misleading, this may be so for someone with a lot to lose, but for someone with not too much to lose starvation mode may be 60-80% of maintenance calories. When you don't have much to lose it is best not to eat less than your BMR in net calories, this may lead to 0.3 to 0.6 lb/week weight loss but it is the safest way to lose fat without sacrificing muscle.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    Yes and no. There is no actual scientific studies that back up starvation mode. It's actually a reduced metabolic rate that people experience. However, most people that get stuck at a plateau, especially women, are there because of a too significant caloric reduction. They understand starvation mode more then a lot of mumbo jumbo words. Therefore, to get my point across without going into a lot of detail my point in part 1 is to get her to eat more and rev up the metabolism and break the plateau. I see it all over these forums where women think they have to eat less and exercise more to lost weight. I'm just trying to get them to start eating more to lose wieght.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    Eat more. Strength train.

    There you have it in 4 words. Bang...right on the head of that nail.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    As always Eric is correct. Eat more not less. You have to give your body fuel to burn, otherwise it burns stuff you don't want it too!

    The only time to be under 1200 for women/1500 for men is if under Doctors orders.

    When you move towards maintainance you want to increase calories until you stop losing. Depending on your age, size etc....might be 1400-1500 per day.

    Best of Luck!
  • cheddarboy
    cheddarboy Posts: 124 Member
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    From everything i've read, you only need to train your abs like any other bodypart, like 3 or 4 sets of 20 reps max, lower, upper and obliques and maybe core. I think the fat covering the stomach / abs is more about diet and calorie tweeking.. But my stomach isn't great and need tips too, lol...
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
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    According to the MFP BMR calculator, my BMR is currently 1286 and at my goal weight it will be 1241. If I eat 1200 cals and burn 200 jogging or something, that seems like a good place. I'm eating enough to get the nutrition, but I'm also burning 200 cals of body fat a day (hopefully!). I don't see how I can be in starvation mode...plus, I don't feel poorly done to. I'm not spending all day thinking about about food and feeling starved.

    Someone said something about doing stomach crunches in high school and that being the ticket...first, I'm stoked for you! But for me, when I tried focusing a lot on stomache exercises, it ended up making my waist line bigger, not smaller. I still do stomache exercises, but in moderation (and by "moderation" I mean generally once a week). I do weights on my arms and I do chin ups and I run and I do leg lifts on a power tower (whatever you call those exercises!). I also do yoga on occasion. And I try to be active generally- ie walk to the store, spend a day surfing instead of watching tv, etc.

    I think the idea of eating cleaner is good advice. I'm wondering if there is something more specific than just shooting for less processed foods...like does dairy cause belly fat?

    Thanks everyone for your thoughts/suggestions! Keep 'em coming! I'm stoked on all the ideas!
  • callmesamara
    callmesamara Posts: 7 Member
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    I agree with the comment about eating less sugar and eating cleaner. My aunt and uncle went on the glycemic index diet and absolutely melted away. It focuses mostly on a strict reduction of sugar and carbs (because carbs become sugar once digested). I'm not saying "do the diet" but I can tell you that I looked at the foods they recommend you eat always, sometimes and never and tried it a bit. I was really surprised at how fast my body changed when I cut out many carbs and sugars (even sugars from some fruits). I mostly concentrated on eating meat and veggies and if I had to have carbs, then I had unprocessed ones. It made such a big difference! I'm definitely not a nutritionist but these are just the results I experienced! Hope this helps!

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