Daily Calorie Count

sweet116061
sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! My daily calorie deficit is 1400/day. I never ever starve myself and always eat when hungry. Some days, I’m not hungry and barely meet 1000 calories. I’ve heard this will send my body into starvation mode, so I force myself to eat more after dinner—that’s when I realize my calorie count is low.

Like today, my meals and snacks equaled 720 calories. After dinner, I made myself eat a grapefruit, protein bar, and a serving of granola. My calorie intake is now 1059. However, I feel SUPER full and yucky for eating all of that.

What should I do on days like today?!

Replies

  • sweet116061
    sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
    Geneveremfp wrote: »
    Are you measuring and weighing things? I'd also be a bit cautious relying on information from the database for everything- a lot of the entries on here are very low calories. For example I made chicken katsu curry the other day. The recipe was around 600 calories. The entries on here were generally much lower. I try to use the create recipe option or use recipes that already have calories counts on them.

    If you are genuinely that low would it be better to preplan and to space the extras throughout the day?

    Also maybe a protein shake or similar would be easier to have.

    I weigh and log everything. If it’s homemade, I do a lot of research to log the correct amount of information. If I can’t find the info I’m looking for, I log the highest info in the app. I eat breakfast, do yoga, protein shake, snack, workout, dinner, evening walk, snack. Sometimes, my protein shake keeps me full and I don’t want a snack. On those days, I usually don’t eat a lot of dinner or an evening snack. I don’t even notice it until I complete my diary.

    If I’m not hungry, should I force myself to eat or will I be okay?!
  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    You should be eating more. Eating that little isn't healthy. Why not switch from the protein shake to eating a real lunch, or having the shake with your breakfast?
  • sweet116061
    sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
    harper16 wrote: »
    You should be eating more. Eating that little isn't healthy. Why not switch from the protein shake to eating a real lunch, or having the shake with your breakfast?

    I put protein powder, super greens powder, frozen fruit, almond milk, and chia seeds in my shake. It’s never just protein powder and water. If I’m hungry after my shake, I will eat food. However, usually, I don’t want to eat food because it’s too heavy on my stomach. I honestly don’t mean to meet the daily goal, it just happens. I’m never “starving”. If I’m hungry, I eat
  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    sweet116061 wrote: »
    harper16 wrote: »
    You should be eating more. Eating that little isn't healthy. Why not switch from the protein shake to eating a real lunch, or having the shake with your breakfast?

    I put protein powder, super greens powder, frozen fruit, almond milk, and chia seeds in my shake. It’s never just protein powder and water. If I’m hungry after my shake, I will eat food. However, usually, I don’t want to eat food because it’s too heavy on my stomach. I honestly don’t mean to meet the daily goal, it just happens. I’m never “starving”. If I’m hungry, I eat

    I understand. Might be worth having a conversation with your doctor.
  • hawksgirl229
    hawksgirl229 Posts: 467 Member
    I agree with having a conversation with your doctor first. Then after that appointment look at a calorie dense food choice list and try and incorporate those things into your menus. Good luck and I hope you find your answers
  • sweet116061
    sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
    hawksgirl229 wrote: »
    I agree with having a conversation with your doctor first. Then after that appointment look at a calorie dense food choice list and try and incorporate those things into your menus. Good luck and I hope you find your answers

    Thank you! I think it happens more a week or so before my period. I’ve been trying to keep track to really understand my body in this mode. I’ve had workout regimens before, but I’ve never counted calories. Thank you for the advice and encouragement
  • junebug_1977
    junebug_1977 Posts: 7 Member
    My allotment is 1,200 cal/day and there are days where I feel really good at 1,000. It's not often- maybe once a week, but if that happens I don't make myself eat more. Of course, always good to get your doc's feedback but generally your body is going to let you know when it needs more.
  • Mazintrov13
    Mazintrov13 Posts: 135 Member
    Have you been steadily losing weight?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,556 Member
    edited May 2020
    junebug_1977 wrote: »
    My allotment is 1,200 cal/day and there are days where I feel really good at 1,000. It's not often- maybe once a week, but if that happens I don't make myself eat more. Of course, always good to get your doc's feedback but generally your body is going to let you know when it needs more.

    I wish that were true, on some kind of health risk avoidance basis.

    I lost weight too fast when I first started using MFP**, and I felt great, not hungry, at 1200 plus all exercise calories . . . until, very suddenly, I didn't. I got weak and fatigued, and even though I corrected as soon as a realized, it took weeks to recover normal strength and energy. I was lucky nothing worse happened.

    ** It happened because MFP underestimates my calorie needs quite dramatically, even when I use accurate profile settings. This is a very rare problem, but it can happen. The reason one is undereating doesn't matter, though: Undereating consistently is a bad idea. You (PP) may be fine eating less once a week or less.

    I guess you could count long-lasting weakness and fatigue as "my body letting me know when it needs more", but I don't think that would be the kind of guide most people want. The point is, hunger and immediate feelings can be a misleading.

    And then there are stories like this one: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/p1
  • sweet116061
    sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
    Mazintrov13 wrote: »
    Have you been steadily losing weight?

    Yes and my workouts don’t change. I’m able to get through strength training with no issues at all. I’ve gotten stronger and can even do more pushups, longer planks, walk/run longer, etc. Typically, when my calorie intake is low, my energy doesn’t change either.
  • sweet116061
    sweet116061 Posts: 17 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    junebug_1977 wrote: »
    My allotment is 1,200 cal/day and there are days where I feel really good at 1,000. It's not often- maybe once a week, but if that happens I don't make myself eat more. Of course, always good to get your doc's feedback but generally your body is going to let you know when it needs more.

    I wish that were true, on some kind of health risk avoidance basis.

    I lost weight too fast when I first started using MFP**, and I felt great, not hungry, at 1200 plus all exercise calories . . . until, very suddenly, I didn't. I got weak and fatigued, and even though I corrected as soon as a realized, it took weeks to recover normal strength and energy. I was lucky nothing worse happened.

    ** It happened because MFP underestimates my calorie needs quite dramatically, even when I use accurate profile settings. This is a very rare problem, but it can happen. The reason one is undereating doesn't matter, though: Undereating consistently is a bad idea. You (PP) may be fine eating less once a week or less.

    I guess you could count long-lasting weakness and fatigue as "my body letting me know when it needs more", but I don't think that would be the kind of guide most people want. The point is, hunger and immediate feelings can be a misleading.

    And then there are stories like this one: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/p1

    I’m so sorry about your situation. Not meeting my calorie count doesn’t happen every day, but when it does, I stress over it and stuff my face. I’m not doing it on purpose, and I ALWAYS eat when I’m hungry, whether it’s 8am or 8pm. I’m not losing weight that fast, but I’m steadily losing it and getting stronger. My energy hasn’t changed. I just don’t want to stress if it’s not that big if a deal. It does happen more the week before my period though, which could be hormones. Idk...I just thought I’d ask the community
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited May 2020
    How did you eat before you decided to lose weight? That's a great point to start. If you were able to eat more before, you're likely able to eat more now. If you cut out any foods, gradually reintroduce some of them until you are happy with your daily calorie intake. That's much easier than stuffing your face with random foods just because you have to.

    Edit: if you're worried about foods you're about to introduce being "unhealthy", don't. In most cases, absent medical conditions, the foods we think of as unhealthy are actually not. They seem unhealthy because they're nutritionally poor and some people overeat them and undereat nutritious foods. If your base diet is nutritionally rich and you're not overeating those high calorie foods, they're actually pretty healthy in your case because they help you not undereat.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,556 Member
    edited May 2020
    sweet116061 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    junebug_1977 wrote: »
    My allotment is 1,200 cal/day and there are days where I feel really good at 1,000. It's not often- maybe once a week, but if that happens I don't make myself eat more. Of course, always good to get your doc's feedback but generally your body is going to let you know when it needs more.

    I wish that were true, on some kind of health risk avoidance basis.

    I lost weight too fast when I first started using MFP**, and I felt great, not hungry, at 1200 plus all exercise calories . . . until, very suddenly, I didn't. I got weak and fatigued, and even though I corrected as soon as a realized, it took weeks to recover normal strength and energy. I was lucky nothing worse happened.

    ** It happened because MFP underestimates my calorie needs quite dramatically, even when I use accurate profile settings. This is a very rare problem, but it can happen. The reason one is undereating doesn't matter, though: Undereating consistently is a bad idea. You (PP) may be fine eating less once a week or less.

    I guess you could count long-lasting weakness and fatigue as "my body letting me know when it needs more", but I don't think that would be the kind of guide most people want. The point is, hunger and immediate feelings can be a misleading.

    And then there are stories like this one: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/p1

    I’m so sorry about your situation. Not meeting my calorie count doesn’t happen every day, but when it does, I stress over it and stuff my face. I’m not doing it on purpose, and I ALWAYS eat when I’m hungry, whether it’s 8am or 8pm. I’m not losing weight that fast, but I’m steadily losing it and getting stronger. My energy hasn’t changed. I just don’t want to stress if it’s not that big if a deal. It does happen more the week before my period though, which could be hormones. Idk...I just thought I’d ask the community

    Your actual weight loss rate, taken in context, is a pretty good guide, IMO. I was replying spefically to the post I quoted - the idea that hunger or some "don't feel right" sense will provide reliable early warning - that's false. It can be more subtle than that.

    You should be fine with an occasional (not routine) under-goal day, as long as your weekly average is reasonable, and especially if your weight loss rate is moderate rather than extreme. Half to one percent of current weight per week on average - the lower end of that for someone getting close to goal - should be fairly OK as a general idea (there are some more nuanced rules of thumb around - that's just a rough idea).

    If you find yourself far under goal, feeling reasonably full yet want to eat more for adequate energy, calorie-dense but not so satiating foods will be good choices to minimize chance of feeling yucky - nuts, nut butter, avocado, a little extra oil on or in veggies or salads, for example. Adequate calories are a good plan, but there's no reason to stress about it. Just try to average a sensible amount.

    "Starvation mode", where your body holds onto fat and won't lose, is a myth. If it were true, no one would ever starve to death, and sadly many people do so worldwide every year, and they aren't fat when it happens. It's possible to undereat to the point of fatigue, so lose ground on the "calories out" side of things, thus lose slower than expected at a given calorie level, but if you're in a deficit, fat loss will continue. (At extreme deficits, there can be more unpredictable water weight fluctuations that make the scale a more confusing guide, too.)

    And thanks for your concern, but my situation is fine, nowadays: That too-fast loss was almost 5 years ago. After I realized it, it was kind of great that I could eat more calories than MFP estimated. I'm not going to complain about being healthy, yet needing 25-30% more calories than MFP estimates. ;)

    Best wishes!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    edited June 2020
    Are you eating enough fat? Its important for overall and hormone health.

    Avocados, beef, salmon, nuts, oils, cheese/dairy, etc.

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