I’ve been doing keto and I only eat about 1,200 calories a day. Is this enough?
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TatumAR22
Posts: 1 Member
I’m 6’2”, 300lbs, 22, male. I started keto about a month ago and I’m just not ever hungry. I only eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m not and it usually always equals 1,200-1,300 a day. Is that enough for me to function properly? As long as I get my protein, I’m hoping it’ll be okay. I don’t want to lose hair or anything.
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Replies
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Not unless you're under a doctor's supervision. The minimum calorie requirement for most men (exceptions for very short/very sedentary) is 1500. You're 6'2". Did you plug your stats into MFP to get a calorie limit?
How are you measuring your food intake?4 -
Way too low for your stats.2
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How much weight did you lose in the last week or two?
No, 1200 calories is nowhere near enough calories for an adult male, it isn't enough calories for most short women. But there are lots of common mistakes most of us made when we first started logging, so you might (hopefully) be eating more than you think. Keto can be very satiating for some people though, so this is something you want to get a handle on one way or the other as soon as possible. Check out this thread, log super accurately for a couple of weeks so you know where you really stand, and go from there.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p16 -
No that is nowhere near enough, you will be burning around 3000 calories per day even if you're sedentary.
That's a deficit of 1800 calories per day. 1-2lbs per week is the recommended healthy rate of loss which is a deficit of 500-1000 calories. The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!5 -
I'm 6'1 and 350 and I eat 1500-1700 every day. I don't eat if I'm not hungry. Too many people say you "have to eat your target" and you don't. Listen to your body. If you are content and not moody or really tired then stick with it.14
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.26 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
OP will not be getting enough protein on 1200 calorie Keto Diet for a guy who is 300lbs.
PS I am not American, so this is not where I get this info from at all and I don't know anyone that eats endless bowls of Special K/Cheerios and have never been taught that meat or fat is the enemy. I do know through personal experience and from reading plenty of studies that under-eating is not healthy though.13 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
Say what? :huh:6 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
Say what? :huh:
You know you’re a shill for Big Cereal. Don’t deny it!8 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
Not at all true.
First, keto is only moderate protein in most cases, basically what most of us recommend for any way of eating or LESS.
Second, you probably need MORE protein to preserve muscle when eating keto:
See http://caloriesproper.com/protein-requirements-carbs-and-nutrient-partitioning/
Maybe you are eating at least .8-1 g per lb of healthy goal weight, but on such low cals (OP said 1200) and standard keto macros, most 6'2 men likely would not be.
Also recipe for burn-out or health issues, if the logging is proper, and won't support any kind of exercise for someone 300, 6'2. Metabolism varies when losing too, and this seems a recipe for a greater than normal metabolic adaptation.8 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
Say what? :huh:
You know you’re a shill for Big Cereal. Don’t deny it!
I just spit my coffee!!! And I thought that said bowls of Cheetos!! :laugh:4 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
OP will not be getting enough protein on 1200 calorie Keto Diet for a guy who is 300lbs.
PS I am not American, so this is not where I get this info from at all and I don't know anyone that eats endless bowls of Special K/Cheerios and have never been taught that meat or fat is the enemy. I do know through personal experience and from reading plenty of studies that under-eating is not healthy though.
Sure he will. You are not him nor do you know how he feels. You are completely misguided in your understanding of macro needs. Not sure of what studies you're following but to say someone is under eating yet feels completely sated is for lack of a better word ignorant.
How much protein do you recommend for a 300 lb male?5 -
I’m 6’2”, 300lbs, 22, male. I started keto about a month ago and I’m just not ever hungry. I only eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m not and it usually always equals 1,200-1,300 a day. Is that enough for me to function properly? As long as I get my protein, I’m hoping it’ll be okay. I don’t want to lose hair or anything.
How are you measuring your calorie intake? You don't have your food diary open, so without being able to see what and how much you are eating, it's hard to get a good picture of the situation. I'm wondering if you may be eating more than you think.2 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
OP will not be getting enough protein on 1200 calorie Keto Diet for a guy who is 300lbs.
PS I am not American, so this is not where I get this info from at all and I don't know anyone that eats endless bowls of Special K/Cheerios and have never been taught that meat or fat is the enemy. I do know through personal experience and from reading plenty of studies that under-eating is not healthy though.
Sure he will. You are not him nor do you know how he feels. You are completely misguided in your understanding of macro needs. Not sure of what studies you're following but to say someone is under eating yet feels completely sated is for lack of a better word ignorant.
How people feel has no bearing on whether damage is being done or not, you can "feel fine" for ages when you are doing damage to your body, until one day you don't feel fine and have done serious, possibly even irreversible damage.
Satiation at the beginning of a diet can also be fuelled by the excitement of the prospect of losing weight, which may well wear off.
I don't think I am the one that is misguided about macros at all - Keto tends to be:- 60-75% of your diet from Fats so if you're on 1200 calories that's 720-900 calories of Fat (or 80-100g)
- 15-30% in Protein which would be 180-360 calories (45-90g) on a 1200 calorie diet
- 5-10% of carbs being 60-120 calories (15-30g) on a 1200 calorie diet
The minimum recommended amount of protein is 0.6-1g per pound of lean mass, so even if he is Sedentary he would not be getting enough on 1200 calories.
Edited for typo
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If not hungry @ 300lbs (even in the diet honeymoon period), OP is probably eating (way) more than 1200 calories (higher fat content foods + probably doesn't weigh everything like most people + likely very unfamiliar with normal portion sizes).7
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If not hungry @ 300lbs (even in the diet honeymoon period), OP is probably eating (way) more than 1200 calories (higher fat content foods + probably doesn't weigh everything like most people + likely very unfamiliar with normal portion sizes).
This was my thought, too. An estimated 1200 calories which is probably more like 2000 or more.7 -
LakeCountyDiver wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »The body can only burn so much fat, once it has done that it turns to muscle as a source of fuel. Protein can only do so much in helping you maintain your muscle. If you're losing more than a couple of pounds per week, eat more!
This is entirely incorrect. The only time your body would harvest mussels for protein is if you're not getting enough protein. Anybody on the keto diet is well covered in the protein and fat areas. Your body can harvest every single ounce of fat you have that is what it is there for. Your body is designed to store fat and burn fat on an as-needed basis.
What you are referring to typically only happens on your standard American lose weight diet of eating tons of whole grains an endless bowls of special k and Cheerios. You are taught that meat and fat is the enemy. People end up losing muscle mass and gaining weight.
Honestly dude: 1,200 isn't nearly enough for a 6ft tall 22 year old male. That's barely enough for my kids...you're setting yourself up to burn out and for muscle loss.9 -
If I were you, I'd start with accurate logging and a food scale. Once you have accurate data, you can tweak from there.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p15 -
There is a maximum rate of fat oxidation in a calorie deficit. After that your body with use muscle tissue for energy. Eating 1200 calories per day? You can't possible be getting enough total nutrition no matter what kind of nonsense anyone might say.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15615615
One of many studies on the subject.
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Is that enough for me to function properly?
No.
As long as I get my protein,
What is your protein goal and how much have you been getting?
I’m hoping it’ll be okay. I don’t want to lose hair or anything.
Don't hope, take steps to fix the very obvious undereating.
For comparison at age 53 with start weight of under 200lbs I lost weight successfully on 1800 + exercise calories.6
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