net calories only 350....good or bad?

Bunnie_Lynn
Bunnie_Lynn Posts: 35 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question and would really appreciate your input :)
So first off I am pretty sure I am allergic to wheat so I have been working on changing my diet to fresh meat and vegetables, fruit, ect. and no processed food.
So for the last couple days I have been working out 2 to 3 hours a day and averaging about 850 to 950 calories burned.
My food intake has been 1200-1300 calories (since I started eating all this fresh food I can't get anymore down if I wanted to).
Sorry for all the back ground information but it is necessary.
So with burning 900 calories and only consuming 1250 calories my net has been usually around 300 calories. Is this bad? Will I go into starvation mode? I am not hungry and working out that much makes me feel really refreshed and a little tired but not exhausted. Any advice will be appreciated
thanks!

Replies

  • samatalma
    samatalma Posts: 197
    Yes, a net that low is bad. Your net should be at least 1200. You need to be eating your exercise calories back.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    On a regular basis, bad. If it were to just happen every once in awhile if you weren't feeling well enough to eat or you just ran a half-marathon and couldn't possibly eat back that many calories, not a big deal, but it's not something you want to make a habit of.
  • careyharv
    careyharv Posts: 134 Member
    Yes that is bad. Please research about this topic. My suggestion would be to cut your workout to an hour.

    http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/starvation.htm
  • Bunnie_Lynn
    Bunnie_Lynn Posts: 35 Member
    Thank y'all for the feed back :)
  • carey1932
    carey1932 Posts: 55 Member
    On a regular basis, bad. If it were to just happen every once in awhile if you weren't feeling well enough to eat or you just ran a half-marathon and couldn't possibly eat back that many calories, not a big deal, but it's not something you want to make a habit of.



    Agree. Occassionally, not a big deal, but daily? no.
  • To increase your calories up your fat intake. Add olive oil to your veggies :]
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    I have a question and would really appreciate your input :)
    So first off I am pretty sure I am allergic to wheat so I have been working on changing my diet to fresh meat and vegetables, fruit, ect. and no processed food.
    So for the last couple days I have been working out 2 to 3 hours a day and averaging about 850 to 950 calories burned.
    My food intake has been 1200-1300 calories (since I started eating all this fresh food I can't get anymore down if I wanted to).
    Sorry for all the back ground information but it is necessary.
    So with burning 900 calories and only consuming 1250 calories my net has been usually around 300 calories. Is this bad? Will I go into starvation mode? I am not hungry and working out that much makes me feel really refreshed and a little tired but not exhausted. Any advice will be appreciated
    thanks!

    Agreed. There is a post somewhere in the unofficial MFP FAQ which talks about netting less than 700 calories a day. Your body will start using your muscle for fuel - lean muscle mass is what influences your BMR (metabolism).. so definitely need to eat more, or exercise less. Nuts, oil, avocado are good choices for nutrient dense, calorie dense foods :)
  • TheLuSir
    TheLuSir Posts: 1,674 Member
    When you burn more than you eat your body will stop (or slow) burning fat. Eat more, and listen to your body. And good luck!
  • lovelee79
    lovelee79 Posts: 362
    Yes, a net that low is bad. Your net should be at least 1200. You need to be eating your exercise calories back.

    ^ this !
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
    If you have a hard time getting enough calories you can use peanut butter, nuts, avocado etc
  • meli_medina
    meli_medina Posts: 594 Member
    If you can't possibly eat more in a day, then you shouldn't work out that much. It's all about finding a good balance. Can you sustain a lifestyle that also contains 2-3 hours of exercise per day? Not if you don't figure out how to get more calorie-dense foods in you!

    *Almonds - 23 kernels = 160 calories
    *Peanut butter - 2 Tbsp = 190 calories
    *Avocado - 1 avocado = 322 calories
    *Olive oil - 1 Tbsp = 119 calories

    If you have just one serving of each (or an extra if you already have them) of these per day, it fills in 791 calories, easily filling your exercise gap. You might be successful with this eating plan right now, since you have almost 100 pounds to lose, but you'll probably have trouble sustaining such a low calorie eating plan in the long run. It's better to find something you can sustain than take yourself to the brink of a crash and burn. :) Good luck!
  • Bunnie_Lynn
    Bunnie_Lynn Posts: 35 Member
    Thank you all for your input. I really appreciate it and I got a lot of good ideas from all of you:)
    I think I will be making an appointment with a nutritionist at the end of the month but this will help tell then.
  • helloburger
    helloburger Posts: 243 Member
    Curious to ask why do you spend so long exercising?
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    How are you calculating your calorie burn? If you're using MFP's database, factor in that they tend to overestimate somewhat. (I usually mentally take out about 300 cals, when MFP says I've burned about 1000, for instance.) Obviously if you're using a HRM, that tends to be more accurate.
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
    For short term weight loss net 350 is excellent.

    For long term weight loss and health it's probably bad and unsustainable.

    You're eating a healthy amount though so it has to be better than if you were just eating 350 cals and not exercising.
  • Bunnie_Lynn
    Bunnie_Lynn Posts: 35 Member
    Curious to ask why do you spend so long exercising?

    I took the quarter off school and to fill my time in my 12 week break I have been working out everyday in the morning and working on my art (and my portfolio for art school).
  • it takes months of starving before your body goes into "starvation mode."

    in fact, you can read all about the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. It is some really interesting stuff.

    From Wikipedia

    The full report of results from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment was published in 1950 in a two-volume, 1,385 page text entitled The Biology of Human Starvation (University of Minnesota Press). The 50-chapter work contains an extensive analysis of the physiological and psychological data collected during the study, and a comprehensive literature review.
    Among the conclusions from the study was the confirmation that prolonged semi-starvation produces significant increases in depression, hysteria and hypochondriasis as measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Indeed, most of the subjects experienced periods of severe emotional distress and depression.[1]:161 There were extreme reactions to the psychological effects during the experiment including self-mutilation (one subject amputated three fingers of his hand with an axe, though the subject was unsure if he had done so intentionally or accidentally).[5] Participants exhibited a preoccupation with food, both during the starvation period and the rehabilitation phase. Sexual interest was drastically reduced, and the volunteers showed signs of social withdrawal and isolation.[1]:123-124 The participants reported a decline in concentration, comprehension and judgment capabilities, although the standardized tests administered showed no actual signs of diminished capacity. There were marked declines in physiological processes indicative of decreases in each subject’s basal metabolic rate (the energy required by the body in a state of rest), reflected in reduced body temperature, respiration and heart rate. Some of the subjects exhibited edema (swelling) in their extremities, presumably due to the massive quantities of water the participants consumed attempting to fill their stomachs during the starvation period.
This discussion has been closed.