What is Really LOW CALORIES that cause weight gain

KTGO
KTGO Posts: 9 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am sure that this has been discussed again and again, but do not seem to find those posts. I read that if one eats very few calories, they end up gaining. Also I know for a fact that going under my calorie needs at least (via exercise) leads to weight loss...up to 2 lbs a week is recommebded which means 7500 less a week...which means at least 1071 a day.

My typical day goes with average of 890 less calories. (1200 - intake + exercise). Does anyone think that I am putting my body to starvation or this is ok. I would hate to stall....any ideas? (Coz I was thinking of up-ing that 890 to at least 1000 in the next 2 weeks gradually)

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,793 Member
    No, people don't gain weight by eating too few calories and in a large deficit. Transitional weight flux does happen when someone is in a big deficit, which has mostly to do with glycogen and water storage.................starve, then eat, then bloat, then lose weight....transitional.
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146 Member
    Personally, I think 1200 is too low. The best weight loss plan is one you can live with and if I was on only 1200 calories, I would feel like I was starving myself.
  • awkwwward
    awkwwward Posts: 73 Member
    If you eat too few calories, you won't end up gaining - you just won't end up losing and will feel like *kitten* long term. That being said....unless you weight somewhere in the range of 130 and less than 5 feet tall...yes, you are eating too few calories. Yes, this will hinder your weight loss goals (especially long-term). Yes, this will make it harder mentally for you to lose weight as you start to "feel" the effects of it. Yes, dropping below 1,200 without exercising is bad. Yes, losing more than 1 -2 pounds a week after the first week of working at a diet/working out is bad.
  • kyrstensmom
    kyrstensmom Posts: 297 Member
    People don't gain weight from too few calories, but they do gain wait (and rapidly) when net calories goes up. Eating too few calories will cause your metabolism to slow, and when you increase net calories, you will gain because your metabolism has slowed. The recommendation for women is to eat no less than 1200 net calories per day.
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    2lbs per week is not for everyone. Generally the closer you are to your goal weight, the harder it is to lose.

    What happens when you're constantly undereating is that your metabolism slows down. How much it slows down varies from person to person, and depends on how much you're undereating, how healthy your food choices are, etc. In some cases, the slow-down is so drastic that they need to eat more to lose weight effectively.

    I would definitely up it to 1000. If you're of average height or taller, you want to up it even more. You want to lose fat... you don't want to lose health. :flowerforyou: As you get closer to being a normal weight, you'll have to up it more, too. The weight loss will be slower, but it's natural and best for your health.
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    No, people don't gain weight by eating too few calories and in a large deficit. Transitional weight flux does happen when someone is in a big deficit, which has mostly to do with glycogen and water storage.................starve, then eat, then bloat, then lose weight....transitional.
    Sorry to bother you, but can you explain simpler...
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    Personally, I think 1200 is too low. The best weight loss plan is one you can live with and if I was on only 1200 calories, I would feel like I was starving myself.
    It has depended on what I eat. Culturally, our foods are very low in calorie - like a main meal would be corn/maize with Indian chai. At the end of the day, I am mainly full - even right now, I just had my breakfast but was full too quick. At times we sit on the table for dinner and my husband and I take a few spoons and are full. We have very filling meals (like plantain boiled and mashed) a cup is like 230 calories and you will need to force yourself to finish it coz it's very filling. After that, you will be full for almost 6-7 hours, but MUST force yourself to eat because of that "low calorie starvation mode scare thing". I think 1200 calories is too low depending on what you are eating...
    Again - I followed the MFP recommendation when setting the goals...checked with the doc who said that I should gradually train my body to consume the calories of my goal weight BMR...
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    2lbs per week is not for everyone. Generally the closer you are to your goal weight, the harder it is to lose.

    What happens when you're constantly undereating is that your metabolism slows down. How much it slows down varies from person to person, and depends on how much you're undereating, how healthy your food choices are, etc. In some cases, the slow-down is so drastic that they need to eat more to lose weight effectively.

    I would definitely up it to 1000. If you're of average height or taller, you want to up it even more. You want to lose fat... you don't want to lose health. :flowerforyou: As you get closer to being a normal weight, you'll have to up it more, too. The weight loss will be slower, but it's natural and best for your health.
    Wow! I am 5'6"
    The only change that I have made is with adding exercise...no diet changes actually (save that I now record what I eat...same things I ate befor). So are you authorizing me to eat Teramisu cake daily :-) I would love to!!!!!
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 698 Member
    Personally, I think 1200 is too low. The best weight loss plan is one you can live with and if I was on only 1200 calories, I would feel like I was starving myself.
    It has depended on what I eat. Culturally, our foods are very low in calorie - like a main meal would be corn/maize with Indian chai. At the end of the day, I am mainly full - even right now, I just had my breakfast but was full too quick. At times we sit on the table for dinner and my husband and I take a few spoons and are full. We have very filling meals (like plantain boiled and mashed) a cup is like 230 calories and you will need to force yourself to finish it coz it's very filling. After that, you will be full for almost 6-7 hours, but MUST force yourself to eat because of that "low calorie starvation mode scare thing". I think 1200 calories is too low depending on what you are eating...
    Again - I followed the MFP recommendation when setting the goals...checked with the doc who said that I should gradually train my body to consume the calories of my goal weight BMR...

    I understand that your meals are filling, but what did you eat to gain the weight? Eating 800 calories a day wouldn't have gotten you to 180lbs.
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    If you eat too few calories, you won't end up gaining - you just won't end up losing and will feel like *kitten* long term. That being said....unless you weight somewhere in the range of 130 and less than 5 feet tall...yes, you are eating too few calories. Yes, this will hinder your weight loss goals (especially long-term). Yes, this will make it harder mentally for you to lose weight as you start to "feel" the effects of it. Yes, dropping below 1,200 without exercising is bad. Yes, losing more than 1 -2 pounds a week after the first week of working at a diet/working out is bad.

    Am dropping with exercing. Oh! PLEASE I EAT! Yes, I eat but after I add the exercise, it goes deficit...and am too full to add on to that food. I exercise between 1000 - 1500 a day 4-5 times a week. By 1200, I meant exercise included.
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    I EAT! LOL! Even my kids eat more than 800 calories a day heheheehe! I also exercise so the 1200 is the balance after adding the exercise. Funny to think 800 calories. The issue of less calories actually was initiated by nurse who thought the low intake had something to do with not loosing, and since it was at 'that time" of the month, she thinks the scale goes off. .. but my question here was how low is low?
    One day I ate 1556 or something calories but exercised to 2056 calories (though I usually do till 1500 or around there) and had a deficit.
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    People don't gain weight from too few calories, but they do gain wait (and rapidly) when net calories goes up. Eating too few calories will cause your metabolism to slow, and when you increase net calories, you will gain because your metabolism has slowed. The recommendation for women is to eat no less than 1200 net calories per day.

    Thanks! Reworking!
  • KTGO
    KTGO Posts: 9 Member
    2lbs per week is not for everyone. Generally the closer you are to your goal weight, the harder it is to lose.

    What happens when you're constantly undereating is that your metabolism slows down. How much it slows down varies from person to person, and depends on how much you're undereating, how healthy your food choices are, etc. In some cases, the slow-down is so drastic that they need to eat more to lose weight effectively.

    I would definitely up it to 1000. If you're of average height or taller, you want to up it even more. You want to lose fat... you don't want to lose health. :flowerforyou: As you get closer to being a normal weight, you'll have to up it more, too. The weight loss will be slower, but it's natural and best for your health.

    Thanks...
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