Not eating enough?

kitakat86
kitakat86 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I am on a 1250 calorie diet to lose weight. Sometimes I end the day with about 300 calories left before bed. Is that bad?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Two strategies of attack:

    Make sure you're tracking correctly, all day, every day. I assume you need to lose weight. Overweight people tend to underestimate intake. Your 950 calories can easily be 1800 real calories.

    Are you losing weight as expected? Do you feel fine? If so, you're doing it right, don't rock the boat.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    kitakat86 wrote: »
    Hi! I am on a 1250 calorie diet to lose weight. Sometimes I end the day with about 300 calories left before bed. Is that bad?

    Yes, 950 cals is not enough to get sufficient nutrition
  • kitakat86
    kitakat86 Posts: 4 Member
    I forgot to mention I'm eating 1250 but when I exercise calories are being added and sometimes I don't eat all of what's added from exercising. Ex: eat 1250, workout burn 300. Do I need to eat 300 more?
  • kitakat86
    kitakat86 Posts: 4 Member
    Also, I have lost 4.2 lbs in 9 days so far :)
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Ideally yes you should be eating your exercise calories back, but many find them overestimated so they only eat back 50-75% of them.

    People tend to lose a lot of water weight at the beginning of their weight loss plan. If that rate doesn’t slow down to what’s expected in a couple weeks, then you’ll want to increase your calories.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    kitakat86 wrote: »
    I forgot to mention I'm eating 1250 but when I exercise calories are being added and sometimes I don't eat all of what's added from exercising. Ex: eat 1250, workout burn 300. Do I need to eat 300 more?

    Short answer - yes.

    This website gave you a calorie deficit before exercise. However, your calorie burns are estimates. Many people start by eating back 50% of exercise calories and then adjust that % up or down (after a few weeks) based on actual results.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    kitakat86 wrote: »
    Also, I have lost 4.2 lbs in 9 days so far :)

    Generally, 4 lbs in 9 days is WAY to fast and you need to eat more. However, if that means you just started 9 days ago, it is pretty typical to lose a few lbs of water weight when you first start.

    Regardless, your calorie goal is exactly that, a goal you want to reach. Eat all 1250 cals, plus some of your exercise cals. Your body needs fuel, nutrition, protein, and fat to do all the stuff it needs to do every day.

    Also make sure you are logging accurately. Use a food scale, double check that the entries you are using in the database are accurate, and log everything. Good luck!
  • kitakat86
    kitakat86 Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you so much for the advice and support everyone! This is the beginning of my calorie counting journey. I used to be fit just working out and eating whatever I want. But as I age and after 2 kids I barely work out and have been eating worse. I have noticed calorie entries aren't always correct. I have crossed check and believe I'm close to accurate. Also, I ordered a fitbit to keep track of what I burn while working (waiting tables). My current goal is to lose 10 pounds not including water wait before I go to Florida. Bathing suit shopping is the motivation! Lol But I would like to maintain this lifestyle and get back to my normal 135 pounds before kids. I started at 157. Also, I'm doing jilian Michaels 30 day shred program. Adding 30-45 weightloss yoga on days I don't work. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. So should this still be only water weight I'm losing?
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    kitakat86 wrote: »
    I forgot to mention I'm eating 1250 but when I exercise calories are being added and sometimes I don't eat all of what's added from exercising. Ex: eat 1250, workout burn 300. Do I need to eat 300 more?

    Good that you're actually eating a bit more than the actual minimum 1200 calories recommended. The usual advice is that you should eat back some of your exercise calories, co in your case maybe 150 plus the original 1250 is 1400 calories you should be at.
  • Margee1965
    Margee1965 Posts: 24 Member
    I struggle too eat all mine too some days have like 1,000 left on my exercise 300 left on my calories I struggle too eat with all the meds am on suppresses my appetite do have a shake after the gym too try help me ... also ibs food allergy I can’t eat bread pasta potatoes only have almond milk no fizzy pop it’s hard but I never feel hungry any body can help with ideas how too eat more food be gratefully appreciated x
  • saraclark62
    saraclark62 Posts: 41 Member
    Are you finding that you're preoccupied with food?
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    kitakat86 wrote: »
    Also, I have lost 4.2 lbs in 9 days so far :)

    That is not fat loss, that is mostly fluid loss. Impossible to lose that much fat that quickly.
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