my dietician view on exercise cals. agree or disagree?

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XXXMinnieXXX
XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm under weight management through my doctor. I've seen 2 dieticians in the last week. My goal calories is 1400 to loose 2lb a week, without exercise. I'm burning anywhere around 500 to 1000 cals a day in exercise. I weigh 18st 4lb. The 2 dieticians have said because I'm so large I can run bigger deficits and because I'm exercising quite a lot my body won't go into starvation mode. They told me to eat 1400 and only eat extra if I feel hulengry or weak. So that's what I've been doing. I find on a 1000 cal burn day I want a couple hundred extra, but that's all I've had. I lost 4lb this week. It goes against what so many people say on here, but they are professionals so I'm confused. Any views for your experiences. They say when my weight is more like a normal person I will have to eat more, but I don't have to now because of my weight. Feeling confused right now. Can't help thinking this may come back to bite me! Zara
P.S please bump me so that ill go to the top of the posts and get as many opinions as possible. Thanks
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Replies

  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    It's best that your rate of fat loss is at 2lbs a week, not only is this healthier but you are less likely to have loose skin.
    So my advice would be to follow their advice for the next 3 weeks and make adjustments accordingly that will keep you at a healthy deficit and continue to lose weight at a healthy rate.

    Being too hasty and not patient can cost you in the long run. Remember rome was not built in a day and this should be a lifestyle change, not seen as a crash once off diet.
  • larr91
    larr91 Posts: 11
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    They try to make it so complicated don't they! Your doing loads of exercise and eating healthily so the weight will fall off! Doing that much exercise a couple of hundred cals extra if your hungry shouldn't matter your clearly doing the right thing as 4lb a week is very gd! :) x
  • crfeeney
    crfeeney Posts: 28
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    I agree :)
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    I hate to immediately be so cynical, but I honestly wonder where your dietician got their professional credentials from, and how reputable an institution it is. Everything I have read since I started this process a couple of years ago indicates that, yes, you can run a bigger deficit than someone closer to their ideal lean body weight, but 400 net calories a day isn't healthy for anyone. Perhaps your dietician doesn't quite realize how many calories you are burning (btw, I wonder what it is you are doing to generate so much calorie burn). In my opinion, you may see really impressive short-term results but I would almost guarantee with a net cal rate like that you will crash hard...and soon.

    Edit: it's also possible that, unless you are using a HRM, you are overestimating your exercise calories. Honestly, I just looked at your exercise log, and I'd guess that is likely the case. I'm going to guess your Wii Fit exercise staple is step? It's a solid burn if done at a 2 beat/sec rate, but that's faster than the fastest pace the Wii sets. Are you using the calorie burn amounts that the Wii gives you? If so, I can tell you from experience that they are rarely accurate at all. And the little "cleaning, light effort" entries I'd recommend simply leaving out entirely. That's the kind of thing that's just a part of your daily activity. If your dog walks are leisurely strolls with the pooch, ditto those.
  • abbie017
    abbie017 Posts: 410
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    I think it all really depends on your body and how you process food. If you're good not eating back exercise calories and it works for you, stick with it. If it doesn't, you can tweak it. People here sometimes make it an all or nothing mentality, and that doesn't work for everyone. "If it ain't broken, why fix it?" Plus, you've got someone who really knows what they're talking about (doctors and dieticians) giving you advice, which is clearly better than some well-intentioned strangers on the internet. :)
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    I would listen to the dieticians. Most of us on here are not professionals and therefore we are just going by our own experience or what we have read somewhere.

    Good luck in your journey to a new you.
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 588 Member
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    Do as your dietician says, disregard internet posters opinions.

    If it goes wrong you can sue the former.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    Do as your dietician says, disregard internet posters opinions.

    If it goes wrong you can sue the former.

    Why did you join the forum in the first place? :yawn:
  • statia152
    statia152 Posts: 558
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    I'm under weight management through my doctor. I've seen 2 dieticians in the last week. My goal calories is 1400 to loose 2lb a week, without exercise. I'm burning anywhere around 500 to 1000 cals a day in exercise. I weigh 18st 4lb. The 2 dieticians have said because I'm so large I can run bigger deficits and because I'm exercising quite a lot my body won't go into starvation mode. They told me to eat 1400 and only eat extra if I feel hulengry or weak. So that's what I've been doing. I find on a 1000 cal burn day I want a couple hundred extra, but that's all I've had. I lost 4lb this week. It goes against what so many people say on here, but they are professionals so I'm confused. Any views for your experiences. They say when my weight is more like a normal person I will have to eat more, but I don't have to now because of my weight. Feeling confused right now. Can't help thinking this may come back to bite me! Zara
    P.S please bump me so that ill go to the top of the posts and get as many opinions as possible. Thanks

    Mine tells me the same thing! I try to stay around 1300, but sometimes my body need the extra calories, so I may eat 1600 (and take a multivitamin). You will lose more weight in the beginning as you change your diet / habits, and for the first two weeks you will be super hungry. After that point, take a look again at weight loss vs hunger. I agree with Huffdogg and PBJunkie ~ you can't do it for long without long term consequences. Good luck to you!
  • jfhaskell
    jfhaskell Posts: 14
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    Just be careful and listen to your body. You more than likely will not be able to keep up those kind of loses over a long period of time so watch your energy levels and be careful what kind of calories you are eating. If you truly are burning that many calories a day and only eating that many calories then your body will eventually adapt to the stress you are putting on it and your metabolism will take a dump and try to protect itself. Stay in it for the long haul and remember that while yes there are lot of well intentioned strangers on the net willing to offer there advice, there are even more ignorant and close minded "clinical professionals" who can give even worse advice. I work in the field so I know.
  • MovesLikePuma
    MovesLikePuma Posts: 122
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    I have been at this for a little over 3 months and I do not eat my exercise calories baxk unless I am extra hungry that day. I have so far lost about 60 pounds and haven't crashed yet. I do agree however that at some point i will need to increase but will worry about that when the plateaus start.
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 588 Member
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    Do as your dietician says, disregard internet posters opinions.

    If it goes wrong you can sue the former.

    Why did you join the forum in the first place? :yawn:

    To annoy people that like to give out unqualified medical advice, of course.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    Do as your dietician says, disregard internet posters opinions.

    If it goes wrong you can sue the former.

    Why did you join the forum in the first place? :yawn:

    To annoy people that like to give out unqualified medical advice, of course.

    You are the very first person to be on my blocked list when that feature arrives.

    You do realise no one here is a qualified dietician, nutritionist or personal trainer...but there are people like me that actually do the research and go study the books anyway.
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 588 Member
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    You are the very first person to be on my blocked list when that feature arrives.

    My world will never be the same again.
    You do realise no one here is a qualified dietician, nutritionist or personal trainer...but there are people like me that actually do the research and go study the books anyway.

    Of course, you do realise this is a thread about advice given by qualified dieticians?, i dont see why you are so tearful about the response "do as they say".
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    Options
    You are the very first person to be on my blocked list when that feature arrives.

    My world will never be the same again.
    You do realise no one here is a qualified dietician, nutritionist or personal trainer...but there are people like me that actually do the research and go study the books anyway.

    I'm not going into a flame war with you, but remember I will remind you when you ask for advice.
    Of course, you do realise this is a thread about advice given by qualified dieticians?, i dont see why you are so tearful about the response "do as they say".
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 588 Member
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    I’m glad, i don’t want a flame war either. The thread asks for opinions, i gave mine. You somehow managed to take offense by it. Should i post a question asking for opinions i would hope you would give me just that, your opinion. I would be gracious enough to accept it for what it is.

    Have a good one.
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
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    I have been reading a lot about the starvation mode, and I don't think it exists the way that people make it seem to. Your Metabolism is not a piece of glass it is more like a rubber band. The guys they did the study on that began the whole starvation mode debate slowed their metabolism by a huge number, like 40% I think.... but that was after they got their bodies down to like 5% bf. And even at 5% body fat they kept losing. Not healthy of course, I am in no way advocating that that is what you should do. But the idea that as soon as you drop below a certain number of calories your body is going to shut down and start gaining weight makes no sense. Starving children in Africa do not suddenly start to balloon up when they don't get fed. Also if you watch the biggest loser, those people are working out 6 to 7 hours a day... and eating on average 1000 calories a day to start with... If you are following the advice of a dietician I have to say that is the advice you should stick to.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
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    I have been reading a lot about the starvation mode, and I don't think it exists the way that people make it seem to. Your Metabolism is not a piece of glass it is more like a rubber band. The guys they did the study on that began the whole starvation mode debate slowed their metabolism by a huge number, like 40% I think.... but that was after they got their bodies down to like 5% bf. And even at 5% body fat they kept losing. Not healthy of course, I am in no way advocating that that is what you should do. But the idea that as soon as you drop below a certain number of calories your body is going to shut down and start gaining weight makes no sense. Starving children in Africa do not suddenly start to balloon up when they don't get fed. Also if you watch the biggest loser, those people are working out 6 to 7 hours a day... and eating on average 1000 calories a day to start with... If you are following the advice of a dietician I have to say that is the advice you should stick to.

    THIS.
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    It sounds fine to me.

    To be honest, I would be more inclined to trust professionals than people on here - you don't know us and we could be anybody.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Options
    I hate to immediately be so cynical, but I honestly wonder where your dietician got their professional credentials from, and how reputable an institution it is. Everything I have read since I started this process a couple of years ago indicates that, yes, you can run a bigger deficit than someone closer to their ideal lean body weight, but 400 net calories a day isn't healthy for anyone. Perhaps your dietician doesn't quite realize how many calories you are burning (btw, I wonder what it is you are doing to generate so much calorie burn). In my opinion, you may see really impressive short-term results but I would almost guarantee with a net cal rate like that you will crash hard...and soon.

    Edit: it's also possible that, unless you are using a HRM, you are overestimating your exercise calories. Honestly, I just looked at your exercise log, and I'd guess that is likely the case. I'm going to guess your Wii Fit exercise staple is step? It's a solid burn if done at a 2 beat/sec rate, but that's faster than the fastest pace the Wii sets. Are you using the calorie burn amounts that the Wii gives you? If so, I can tell you from experience that they are rarely accurate at all. And the little "cleaning, light effort" entries I'd recommend simply leaving out entirely. That's the kind of thing that's just a part of your daily activity. If your dog walks are leisurely strolls with the pooch, ditto those.
    Good points ill leave out the light cleaning and stuff. I also question the wii calories. Its 450 per hour for step aerobics and boxing. I am saving up for a polar ft60 hrm, and should have it in a month. Will be interesting to get a very accurate calories burnt total each day. Helpful advice thanks!

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