I can't eat that much!!

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mstanley
mstanley Posts: 121 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I've been trying to keep my calorie intake to 1400 calories. However, I have really been doing well on my exercising lately, so mfp keeps telling me that I should be consuming over 2000 calories in a day. I have read the information about why it's okay to eat your exercise calories, but I just can't bring myself to eat the recommended amount. I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable and full with my 1400-1600 calories a day. I don't want to increase that because I'm afraid I'll start eating things I shouldn't again. I'm finally starting to make some slow progress! The only days I'm having trouble keeping under my goals are Saturday and Sunday. So, am I doing the wrong thing by not eating the amount that mfp recommends, or am I doing better by sticking to what my original goal told me to eat? I don't want my body to go into "starvation mode" (even though I have a long way to go before I'm anywhere near starvation:happy: ) and slow my metabolism, so I don't know what to do.
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Replies

  • mstanley
    mstanley Posts: 121 Member
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    Okay, so I've been trying to keep my calorie intake to 1400 calories. However, I have really been doing well on my exercising lately, so mfp keeps telling me that I should be consuming over 2000 calories in a day. I have read the information about why it's okay to eat your exercise calories, but I just can't bring myself to eat the recommended amount. I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable and full with my 1400-1600 calories a day. I don't want to increase that because I'm afraid I'll start eating things I shouldn't again. I'm finally starting to make some slow progress! The only days I'm having trouble keeping under my goals are Saturday and Sunday. So, am I doing the wrong thing by not eating the amount that mfp recommends, or am I doing better by sticking to what my original goal told me to eat? I don't want my body to go into "starvation mode" (even though I have a long way to go before I'm anywhere near starvation:happy: ) and slow my metabolism, so I don't know what to do.
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    Are you eating more than 1200-1300 including your exercise calories?
    Are you a small or tall person?

    If you are eating over 1200-1300 after the exercise calories, then you should be ok. But if you are not, then your body will go into starvation mode. The range is from 1200-1500, depending on your size. So after your exercise calories are added in if you are only eating 900 calories/day,then you could be sending your body into starvation mode.
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
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    I bumped this thread for you. Has some great info in the links inside. :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
  • Mommy2Girls
    Mommy2Girls Posts: 100
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    What about choosing high calories snacks - such as nuts and seeds and maybe try and incoporate a protein shake after your work out to help fuel your muscles. To add an extra 400-600 cal/day you must be doing a ton of cardio so your body needs to refuel itself and higher protein higher calorie options will do just that. I would honestly trying doing it both ways and see what way works for you. I don't eat all my exercise cals but I know they are avail should I need them. I consume my 1200 cal per day and make sure I drink all my water plus some and it seems to be working so far. If I hit a speed bump along the way then I will increase my cal intake.
  • mstanley
    mstanley Posts: 121 Member
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    I am tall and I have about 75 pounds to lose total. Yesterday I consumed a total of 1399 calories and I burned 698. The site recommended that I consume 2098, but that is a lot of food. I'm just not that hungry! I don't want to go into starvation mode though, so I don't know what else to do. Plus, I'm afriad that if I get used to eating 2098 calories on days I exercise, then I will want that much on days I don't exercise.
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    not everybody eats the calories they gain from exercise- But if you feel that you are full don't force yourself to eat- Because in my opinion you are doing yourself no favors forcing food down your throat when you are already full-
  • mstanley
    mstanley Posts: 121 Member
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    What about choosing high calories snacks - such as nuts and seeds and maybe try and incoporate a protein shake after your work out to help fuel your muscles. To add an extra 400-600 cal/day you must be doing a ton of cardio so your body needs to refuel itself and higher protein higher calorie options will do just that. I would honestly trying doing it both ways and see what way works for you. I don't eat all my exercise cals but I know they are avail should I need them. I consume my 1200 cal per day and make sure I drink all my water plus some and it seems to be working so far. If I hit a speed bump along the way then I will increase my cal intake.

    I may have to try getting nuts for snacks. I love them anyway and I'm getting tired of eating fruit. Two - three days a week, I take a step aerobics class that is pretty high intensity for those days.
  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
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    my favorite high cal drink is a glass of half chocolate milk and half skim milk. that's about 300 calories right there. I'm starting to get the point where I will work out extra just to have that at night again!
  • Mommy2Girls
    Mommy2Girls Posts: 100
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    [I may have to try getting nuts for snacks. I love them anyway and I'm getting tired of eating fruit. Two - three days a week, I take a step aerobics class that is pretty high intensity for those days.

    Ahhh step aerobics - great way to burn calories!! Keep at it! And your body will adjust. On the days you exercise, eat your additional calories. Your body won't need them on the days your don't exercise as you are not burning anything off and the 1400-1600 cal will be just enough.

    So on the days you exercise - eat some nuts (about 200 cal worth) before your workout and then another 200 cal worth after your workout. Not only will you get your cals in but it will help to give you a ton of energy to make it through your workout.
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I agree with Mrsyac2 ~ Don't eat if your not hungry. I personally don't eat back all my exercise calories and after some reasearch found that starvation mode does not happen in 1 or 2 days. So that being said, if you feel hungry eat, if you don't then don't. Adjust as needed if you stop losing or go into platue, with me upping my exercise first before adding cals has worked.

    :flowerforyou:

    56259.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • mstanley
    mstanley Posts: 121 Member
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    I actually started trying to lose weight back in January, but didn't join this site until a couple of weeks ago. Before I joined this site, I have no idea how many calories I was consuming, but I lost 10 pounds fairly easily (5 weeks). After that initial weight loss, things have been moving much more slowly, so I joined here and have only dropped 2 more pounds. I'm hoping that by keeping track of everything I'll be able to jumpstart my metabolism again.
  • Mommy2Girls
    Mommy2Girls Posts: 100
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    I actually started trying to lose weight back in January, but didn't join this site until a couple of weeks ago. Before I joined this site, I have no idea how many calories I was consuming, but I lost 10 pounds fairly easily (5 weeks). After that initial weight loss, things have been moving much more slowly, so I joined here and have only dropped 2 more pounds. I'm hoping that by keeping track of everything I'll be able to jumpstart my metabolism again.

    You might also be losing crazy inches. Do your measurements and keep track of them. For me I find the website is a real eye opener. Things I "thought" were okay foods turned out to be horrible!!! So it allows me to keep track of what I am doing, but I also combine it with another weight loss plan that I am on.

    Don't get discouraged. Just make sure you are eating from all food groups and choosing low fat options. :flowerforyou:
  • yellow_pepper
    yellow_pepper Posts: 708 Member
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    I can't eat that much!!

    I can. :laugh:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    1399 - 698 is 701 net calories my dear. That's no good at all. You may not need to eat all of your exercise calories, but you have to eat enough to fuel your body.
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    perhaps you're over estimating how much you burn during your workout? Where did 698 come from? a HRM? a workout machine? MFP? I have to work HARD to burn that much. and when I do, I'm HUNGRY! :smile:

    if you're over estimating how much you burn, perhaps you don't really have the *burden* of eating all of those calories...
  • jcrewmom
    jcrewmom Posts: 1 Member
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    I am right there with you! I am so confused too. My calorie intake should be 1200. I usually do moderate exercise but today I did some extra heavy gardening. I gardened for about 5 hours. The total minutes were 300 and that added about 1800 more calories added onto the normal 1200. First of all, I did not know that gardening would burn that many calories. Second of all, I can barely make the 1200 calories I am supposed to eat. So what am I supposed to do? And what is all this talk about starvation mode?
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    I am right there with you! I am so confused too. My calorie intake should be 1200. I usually do moderate exercise but today I did some extra heavy gardening. I gardened for about 5 hours. The total minutes were 300 and that added about 1800 more calories added onto the normal 1200. First of all, I did not know that gardening would burn that many calories. Second of all, I can barely make the 1200 calories I am supposed to eat. So what am I supposed to do? And what is all this talk about starvation mode?


    Why does a very low calorie intake slow down weight loss?

    Quite simply, your body goes into 'starvation mode'. This mechanism, which is thought to have evolved as a defence against starvation, means the body becomes super efficient at making the most of the calories it does get from food and drink. The main way it does this is to protect its fat stores and instead use lean tissue or muscle to provide it with some of the calories it needs to keep functioning. This directly leads to a loss of muscle, which in turn lowers metabolic rate so that the body needs fewer calories to keep ticking over and weight loss slows down. Of course, this is the perfect solution if you're in a famine situation. But if you're trying to lose weight, it's going to do little to help you shift those unwanted pounds.

    from: http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/starvation.htm

    PS - 1800 calories on gardening??? time to buy a mule to drag the plow! :laugh:
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    Okay, so I've been trying to keep my calorie intake to 1400 calories. However, I have really been doing well on my exercising lately, so mfp keeps telling me that I should be consuming over 2000 calories in a day. I have read the information about why it's okay to eat your exercise calories, but I just can't bring myself to eat the recommended amount. I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable and full with my 1400-1600 calories a day. I don't want to increase that because I'm afraid I'll start eating things I shouldn't again. I'm finally starting to make some slow progress! The only days I'm having trouble keeping under my goals are Saturday and Sunday. So, am I doing the wrong thing by not eating the amount that mfp recommends, or am I doing better by sticking to what my original goal told me to eat? I don't want my body to go into "starvation mode" (even though I have a long way to go before I'm anywhere near starvation:happy: ) and slow my metabolism, so I don't know what to do.


    You will hear all types of advice on this site which is why it makes it great-

    Now not everyone eats there exercise calories, some only eat some, and some don't eat any.

    As far as the scare tactic of starvation mode that I continue to see it doesn't happen with a few days of eating lower amounts of calories- My thing is if your hungry after your workouts then grab something to eat if not dont force it.

    I have 900 calories left tonight after my workout and I am not eating them i couldn't if i wanted to anyway im full plus I never do (here comes the stones for me going against the grain) But I have talked to nutritionist, trainers, and doctors- and they all say 1400-1600 calories a day are fine even with working out- One of my coworkers is training for a fitness competion and she only eats 1500-1600 calories a day and she works out ridiculously intensely every single day besides her rest days and she isn't in starvation mode.


    Just remember that MFP is a guide and you may have to tweak it to your individual needs
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    All I'm saying here is go talk to a Personal trainer, and ask them 1 question, that's it, just one. this:

    "If I have a NET calorie intake of between 600 and 1000 calories, is it ok?" Cuz that's what she is doing, her net calories consumed for the day is about 700 (assuming the exercise calories is close to accurate).

    I dare say not single a trainer worth their salt will say "Yes that's ok". In fact, that is considered, medically speaking, a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) defined as: Daily food consumption 50% net calories or lower of your maintenance calories. And every study and research article I have ever read have all said that a VLCD should only be performed for short periods (3 weeks or less) and under strict doctor supervision AND the only people recommended to take on this kind of diet are people with a BMI of, in some studies 30, in other studies 35 or greater.

    That's it, I'm not going to rail on anyone about starvation mode or eating your exercise calories, or anything like that. I've already made my best factual case on that, people can choose to believe it or not, and I'm done trying to convince people of it.

    Note: I'm not angry with anyone, or trying to insult anyone here, just trying to make sure everyone is healthy. And to me, being at 50% of your maintenance calories for any extended period (3 or more days) is absolutely unhealthy.

    I really do hope that everyone on here finds a healthy, sustainable way to lose the weight they want to lose. That's all I want.

    -Banks
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    Banks, some people....okay....MANY people just do not understand that NET bit you keep talking about.

    Some of us get it though! :smile:

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