How low is too low?

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kr3851
kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I tend to have some big exercise days and some not-so-big exercise days. I also have days where I don't eat too much. I've been looking at my calorie intake because I'm not losing as fast as I would like (down to 300-600grams a week) and have been netting an average of over 1200 cals each week (I'm a loser and have heaps of spreadsheets!). My MFP allowance is currently around 1450 calories a day, but I don't feel good about my day unless I'm under by at least 200. Is this too low? Should I be trying to net 1450 instead of 1200 on days that I exercise?

Feel free to look at my diary - it's completely open. Just don't look at this weekend as an example because it was HORRIBLE. Back on the horse today.

Replies

  • catecn
    catecn Posts: 84
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    if you are getting your vitamins and minerals from what you are eating and you arent feeling sluggish and tired, then i think that it is ok
  • ek724q
    ek724q Posts: 95 Member
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    I have been told my my coach that your body needs at least 1200 cals for your body to work right. LOL I actually have been having trouble eatting at least 1200 a day. so I have been pushing as much as possible to get my cals. But I am not an expert. just telling u what my coach told me, Under 1200 a day puts our bodies in to starvation mode. But someone else might be able to tell you better
  • drakeshattuck
    drakeshattuck Posts: 50 Member
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    Ha ha, I understand those weekends. I just joined MFP last week and I had to record the 4 pints of beer I drank. 880 calories made the taco cart tacos at 150 cal each, I had two, look mild. I think that you have a good attitude. Get back on the horse Monday.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    After awhile, my weight loss completely stalled for months until I began to mindfully eat at least my BMR calories every day. Then I gradually increased to continue losing weight.

    Others I have advised to eat to their BMRs have had success as well.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    After awhile, my weight loss completely stalled for months until I began to mindfully eat at least my BMR calories every day. Then I gradually increased to continue losing weight.

    Others I have advised to eat to their BMRs have had success as well.

    I just checked my BMR using the tools page and it's 1950. Should I really INCREASE to this much? I'm willing to give it a go but am a bit skeptical.
  • katrinabergman
    katrinabergman Posts: 3
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    On the days that I exercise hard, I ALWAYS eat more. i find that if I don't, I may lose for a while and then it comes to a screeching halt. Also, I don't have enough energy to get through my day and I don't feel well. You don't want it too come off too fast, because your body will react in unpleasant ways. I know this! I started out at about 330 lbs (well, I was around 350 at my heaviest, hard to know though, scales don't typically go that high) and got down to 190lbs, but my hair started falling out and it is harder for the skin to tighten up like you want, so for awhile I looked a little like a deflated balloon. Not pretty! I lost REALLY fast at first, I was losing as much as 20 lbs a month, not sure what that is in kg...10 maybe? Anyway, listen to what your body is telling you. It is very hard to be patient with slow loss, but if you are still losing, then it's good, just keep plugging away, it will all come off with time and persistence. If it is really slowing down, it may be time to change things up. Do different exercises, do more weight lifting to build muscle, perhaps eat a bit more or be more careful about what you're eating. Also keep in mind that the scale is not the be all and end all. It doesn't tell you everything that is going on. Depending on what you're doing, you could be losing 2 kg of fat but gaining 1 kg of muscle. This is a GOOD thing! My trainer would tell me that for every added pound of muscle, I would burn an additional 50 calories. The problem is that the scale won't tell you this, so measure yourself, notice how your clothes are fitting, but above all, keep working at it, don't give up.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    MFP already calculates a deficit into your calories, based on your goal. 1 lb a week translates into roughly 500 calorie a day deficit. So if you keep your calories at least 200-250 below that, you're adding even more deficit. Not necessarily bad, but be careful not to go too far below or weight loss will slow down.

    So if your BMR is 1950, and you want to lose 1 lb a week, your goal would be 1450 ... which is what it's set at, yes? Eat at least this much a day, and you can decide whether to eat back exercise calories or not (I do, because it works for me and I like to eat). If it's not working without eating your exercise calories, try eating them. Or visa-versa.
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
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    After awhile, my weight loss completely stalled for months until I began to mindfully eat at least my BMR calories every day. Then I gradually increased to continue losing weight.

    Others I have advised to eat to their BMRs have had success as well.

    I just checked my BMR using the tools page and it's 1950. Should I really INCREASE to this much? I'm willing to give it a go but am a bit skeptical.

    You also need to take into consideration your exercise, and you need to deduct the number of calories to lose weight. If your BMR is 1950 and you burn off about 1400 calories per week, you would need to consume an average of 1150 calories per day to lose 2 pounds per week. If you burn more, you would need to consume more: burn 2100 per week, consume 1250 average per day; burn 2800 per week, consume 1350 average per day; etc.
  • Kohadre
    Kohadre Posts: 316
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    but I don't feel good about my day unless I'm under by at least 200. Is this too low? Should I be trying to net 1450 instead of 1200 on days that I exercise?

    My (personal) basic metabolic rate is give or take 1700 calories per day.

    Add into this daily functions, its bumped up to about say 1830

    Add some exercise into the mix (usually about 500 burned per day), and its now about 2330.

    Say hypothetically I do not exercise at all, and only go on my daily-function based BMR. If I subtract an additional 200 calories from that, I am now netting only 1630, am below my official BMR, and am now sending my body into starvation mode. This means that I will stop loosing weight, as my body will be holding onto everything I put into it.

    Hope that helps a bit.
  • ohpurdysure
    ohpurdysure Posts: 45
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    Hello,
    Looks like your exercise diary is great.. But your foods are very high sodium and calories.. Think Green, fresh veg and grains
    and frozen or fresh fruits.. I think if you change that.. you will feel better and see results far greater than what your eating.
    thats just my opinon.. you are more than welcome to chat back at me and see my diary as well.. we are all here to motivate and inspire one another/
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    After awhile, my weight loss completely stalled for months until I began to mindfully eat at least my BMR calories every day. Then I gradually increased to continue losing weight.

    Others I have advised to eat to their BMRs have had success as well.

    I just checked my BMR using the tools page and it's 1950. Should I really INCREASE to this much? I'm willing to give it a go but am a bit skeptical.

    Well, maybe try 1500 for now? But do try to net 1500, not come ~200 under.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    Hello,
    Looks like your exercise diary is great.. But your foods are very high sodium and calories.. Think Green, fresh veg and grains
    and frozen or fresh fruits.. I think if you change that.. you will feel better and see results far greater than what your eating.
    thats just my opinon.. you are more than welcome to chat back at me and see my diary as well.. we are all here to motivate and inspire one another/

    Yeah I'm trying to work on the sodium - it's a lot harder than I thought! I think I need to stop allowing myself 'treat foods' and stick to what I was doing at the start - back to more veggies. Let's see how this week goes!!!
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    After awhile, my weight loss completely stalled for months until I began to mindfully eat at least my BMR calories every day. Then I gradually increased to continue losing weight.

    Others I have advised to eat to their BMRs have had success as well.

    I just checked my BMR using the tools page and it's 1950. Should I really INCREASE to this much? I'm willing to give it a go but am a bit skeptical.

    Well, maybe try 1500 for now? But do try to net 1500, not come ~200 under.

    I'm going to try upping it to ~1500 net and see what happens.

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