More calories when sick?
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sdavis484
Posts: 160 Member
Should I eat more calories when I'm sick? On 1200 right now.
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Replies
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Yes. You need calories to heal7
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Also, unless you are very very short, reconsider 1200 calories in the first place: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/14
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Depends on the type of sickness. Generally the primary focus should be on staying hydrated.7
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kshama2001 wrote: »Also, unless you are very very short, reconsider 1200 calories in the first place: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/
While I certainly appreciate your concern, I prefer to read articles from reputable websites that are peer-reviewed by a Registered Dietician/Licensed Dietician - Nutritionist rather than some random guy who has a blog and zero credentials.
1200 is fine. Research even suggests that eating lower calories is beneficial to your health. Thanks again.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326343.php3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Also, unless you are very very short, reconsider 1200 calories in the first place: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/
While I certainly appreciate your concern, I prefer to read articles from reputable websites that are peer-reviewed by a Registered Dietician/Licensed Dietician - Nutritionist rather than some random guy who has a blog and zero credentials.
1200 is fine. Research even suggests that eating lower calories is beneficial to your health. Thanks again.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326343.php
Did you read the article you linked? The benefit of eating lower calories was refuted by saying it was an animal study and it is not known if it relates to human.
The article goes on to say that eating a low calorie diet can hinder weight loss. I believe this is talking about the downshifting of BMR to respond to a deficit. I am not aware if it is known whether a higher deficit drives a BMR lower.
If you will only take the word of a professional please see a Registered Dietitian - not a nutritionist.19 -
Seriously? If course it applies to humans. We are basically mammals too.2
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Additionally, there is a ton of (recent) research about how calorie restriction increases longevity.1
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I actually saw a RD 10 years ago who had me on 1153 calories per day. 🤷2
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Anyways, this tangent was not part of what I was asking. The last few instances of posting on the message boards, my questions have hardly been answered but instead have turned into an argument about why I'm eating the amount of calories that this same website that we are ALL using, indicated is the correct amount for weight loss.2
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I always get ravenous when I have a cold and I think that u I d my body telling me something. So yeah, I would think add more food theyekex you feel better.3
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An even better idea is to eat sufficient calories to begin with so you're not compromising your immune system and making yourself susceptible to illness in the first place.
Under eating also leaves you at risk of a number of other things the least of which is lethargy making you less active overall and under-performing during workouts (lowering your calories burned and hindering weight loss or even causing weight gain), hunger induced binge eating resulting in an over-consumption of calories that makes up and exceeds the number of calories cut (increasing your calories consumed again hindering weight loss or causing weight gain) and diet burn out where the unsustainable excessive restriction of calories leads to 'falling off the wagon' and giving up entirely.
In short. Eat more to get well and healthy, then eat more to stay well and healthy.18 -
It's possible that I weakened my immune system I suppose but a much more rational explanation is that my 3 children have each been sick very recently and I have still been cuddling and kissing them.4
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Outside of the issues with the 1,200 calories and the link you posted, my thoughts are yes - eat more calories when you're sick than when you're not. I'm currently just over the worst of a really unfortunate virus and am simply not counting my calories right now. Partially because when I'm sick I have an impressively suppressed appetite which is a problem. Eating today was "a win" because I was able to eat a small amount of chicken a reasonable lunch time rather than forcing myself to eat near the same amount of chicken (but with a small amount of rice in addition) 5 hours after I had intended on doing so. My newish, no more than one sweet a day, personal goal has also gone out of the window because I need to eat and if that means eating a boat load of candied ginger because it's all I can stomach then so be it.5
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I had pizza tonight. I feel ya! Hope you are well soon. This year year been TERRIBLE for my entire family. 🤮5
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I understand that people want one size fits all. People want to simplify things, I get it. 1200 calories is always wrong, the calories you say are correct is always right and that's just the way it is. You guys don't know anything about me. You don't know if I have health issues. You have no idea how my metabolism or body is different than your metabolism or body. You really should think about that before responding with some bogus article that makes everything so black and white. It's very frustrating.2
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I am a little confused at how your article is different to the one posted by @kshama2001 both clearly state they have been reviewed by an RD? What makes yours legit and the other bogus? The writer of your article is a journalist, not an RD themselves, it was just reviewed by an RD too.
To quote the article you linked yourself "However, this data is incomplete. Not all research on animals applies to humans. It is also possible that other factors, such as the specific foods that people eat when following a low calorie diet, may be responsible for improved health."
Noone said 1200 was wrong for you, just that you may want to consider that it might not be right, many of the new users here automatically choose the highest rate of loss and an incorrect activity level which drops them to the lowest MFP will go i.e. 1200 calories. So checking people have taken into account that they may be more active or that a high rate of loss might not be suitable is surely the opposite of saying one size fits all?
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Seriously? If course it applies to humans. We are basically mammals too.
So you didn't read the article. It says otherwise and it is right.
1200 calories is right for some people and for all I know you may be one of them. The reason it throws up a caution flag because it has become a magic number to which people default. It also causes a lot of people to fail and with weight loss efforts failing the overwhelming majority of the time it doesn't hurt to have people care enough to at least mention a potential problem.
Anyway. Feel better. Having more energy may or may not directly help with your illness but it should perk you up a little and make it slightly less miserable.
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Seriously? If course it applies to humans. We are basically mammals too.
Humans are “basically” mammals? Hmmm...
Sorry you’re feeling rubbish. I have a sick kid and husband right now too. It’s no fun. You need to take care of yourself and all of them, stay hydrated, eat what you feel like - in my experience CICO tends to take care of itself when you’re not feeling well and you can get back on track when everyone is healthy again.
With regards to your 1200 cal deficit - it’s just that the minimum number of calories isn’t usually necessary to eat that low in order to lose. And you haven’t mentioned exercise but moms are rarely sedentary. The 1200 calories is a NEAT goal, meaning exercise isn’t factored into it so if you are exercising, or more active then sedentary, you should be eating more.
As a wise rabbit in here used to say “the winner is the one who eats the most and still loses the weight”.
Good luck feel better!16 -
I would eat more, your body needs the nutrients to recover from sickness.
Sorry your post turned out like this, when I was a new member many of mine took this spin due to eating at 1200 cals a day (the minimum that MFP offers) I did not factor exercise into my number, I took exercise as a bonus and for a few years ate at 1200 and worked off about the same on most days **red light red light**
I was rewarded with hair loss, it took a while to happen but happen it did
For the record I am 5ft 6 I now eat at 1800 (which is what a 140lb, 5ft 6 woman of my age should eat) but I am currently not exercising as vigorously as I would like to, due to recovering from a herniated disk, and I seem to be maintaining at 193 .. I'm not too bothered about that thou, because my hair is recovering. I am thinking on dropping to 1700 and maybe even 1600 further down the line but after that I think I will make the difference up with exercise, as I wish to keep my hair and have it growing in crazy thick again
Please consider this information from a real live human test .. (me)
I don't want this to come across as nasty and have re worded it several times in an attempt to make it appear like its meant as a caring post to stop someone doing what I done
** just to add, you may be fine on 1200, it really does depend on you height/build/age .. I don't know this because I don't know anything about you other than the cals you are consuming
Good luck with your journey and I hope you and your kids get well soon
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