Had to post out of sheer irritation.

2

Replies

  • LauraAshley95
    LauraAshley95 Posts: 70 Member
    ABSOLUTELY not. You are correct, and she is on a very unhealthy path. The way MyFitnessPal works is that they create a calorie deficit, so really if you just ate exactly within what it tells you without exercising, you'd lose weight.

    I'm currently 5'6 and 276lbs. If I were in a coma, my body would still need 2086 calories per day. This is also around the calories I would need to eat to MAINTAIN my weight. However, to lose weight, I need to watch my calories. I want to lose 2lbs per week, which is roughly 7000 calories less a week than what I'd need to maintain. That already allows me to lose weight, exercising just gets you fit and gives you a few more calories if you need them. If I were to exercise ALL of my calories back and not eat them, I'd pass out. Seriously.

    Your friend is not healthy at ALL, not to mention 800 calories a day?! Even 1200 for most people is wrong. Everyone should get their facts straight. Not everyone is the same, and burning more calories than you consume is.. so wrong I can't even begin.
  • mamabear272
    mamabear272 Posts: 268 Member
    You have a BMR which is the number of calories your body need JUST TO FUNCTION! You body uses calories to make your heart beat, digestion, blood flow, etc.

    I can also tell you that she's not burning 1000 calories doing c25k! I weigh just over 200 and I don't burn much more than 200 and I'm on week 6. It sounds like she has a lot of bad information. She may or may not listen to you. Honestly she probably won't. As her friend all you can do is be there for her when she falls. Contrary to what another poster said you don't have to laugh in her face when she fails. That's not being a good friend. Don't discuss diet or exercise with her though. Don't feed into her crap she's spewing!
  • laceylou0702
    laceylou0702 Posts: 226 Member
    Good question I had that thought too, I always thought you burn more than you eat but you still have to eat once you exercise. 800 cals a day isn't that to low!! I'll be waiting on this answer.

    The average person should never go below 1200 calories a day because you need calories to function in addition to any exercise.
  • imbanter
    imbanter Posts: 72 Member
    She is flat out wrong and is endangering her own health. Maybe she will believe webmd? http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    You are right. We burn calories sitting, sleeping, breathing. The only time we don't burn calories is when we're dead. She is very, very wrong.
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    I have a friend who is this way as well....believes that you have to burn more calories than you take in.
    I am female, 31 years old, 5'2 130lbs, and while I have areas I want to strengthen up and tighten I think I look alright.
    He is male, 32, about 5'10....I'm not sure what he weighs but his waist is smaller than mine, he has to shop in the boys section for pants. I can honestly say I've never had anyone make me feel "fat" but standing next to him certainly is a strange experience for me.

    To answer your question, You are right, and I completely understand what it's like to have this argument and be concerned for someone, I wish I had the answer for how to make them listen.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    She's gonna hurt herself that way.
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
    Your friend's wrong. But she's not going to listen to you anytime soon. Not until she's ill, probably.

    Keep doing what you're doing. Keep healthily and gradually losing those pounds.

    I would avoid discussing weight loss or food with her, really, unless she brings it up.

    Yup.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    This is an ED issue waiting to blossom.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    [/quote]
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    Your friend's wrong. But she's not going to listen to you anytime soon. Not until she's ill, probably.

    Keep doing what you're doing. Keep healthily and gradually losing those pounds.

    I would avoid discussing weight loss or food with her, really, unless she brings it up.

    Yup.

    I didn't see this when I posted, I agree....I tried addressing it, it didn't go over well AT ALL.

    You're doing the right thing for yourself, just keep at it and stay healthy!
  • Dtregle
    Dtregle Posts: 12
    NO COMMENT!
  • sneats
    sneats Posts: 3
    First off, 800 calories way too low!! I am currently doing c25k. My treadmill does calories, after 3 miles it says 400 calories max. No way she is burning 1000 calories. I dont burn that after an hour of zumba!

    For her size she is not burning that amount, but my size. I burn roughly 1000 to 1100 cal doing an hour of intense cardio and plyometrics...to include Zumba. Went to a 2 hour zumba party and I burned 2136.

    800 Calories a day is dangerous and it sounds like she has an eating disorder. Ive been there and she sounds like I did. Mis informed and if not that she is just interpreting it the way she thinks it should be because she wants to lose weight so badly that she has to monitor what goes in...has to come out! This is not safe!!
  • BlueInkDot
    BlueInkDot Posts: 702 Member
    Hahahhahhaa your friend is 100% wrong.

    Sorry for laughing, but I didn't know someone could believe that to be true.

    No. If what she said was true, then if I never move, then I don't need food. Hahahahaha what the heck?

    Every living thing needs to eat in order to survive. This is called "existing." We use the energy from food to pump our hearts, circulate blood, breathe, think (maybe she doesn't do that one), and y'kno, see, hear, smell, etc.

    Just existing burns a minimum of 1200 calories a day - which is why it's generally advised not to eat any less than 1200 calories a day. That food helps you........ exist. :P

    Yea she's completely wrong and will probably end up in a hospital if she keeps that up.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Dear god. It take 600 calories just to have a functioning brain!!!! It is dangerous
  • mamaparks87
    mamaparks87 Posts: 54 Member
    ...Poor thing. That sucks. 800 calories and post workout hunger? I bet she's got zero energy.

    Well according to her she's never had more energy. I think she is lying to herself.
  • mamaparks87
    mamaparks87 Posts: 54 Member
    So, she eats 800 cals a day, then burns off 800 cals and thinks that is how you lose weight? So what number of calories does she think her body is using for energy. The answer is 0. This is insane.

    When I tried explaining this to her she said to me that most things functioning wise- like just moving around for the day only burns 30 cals.
  • mamaparks87
    mamaparks87 Posts: 54 Member
    NO!:noway: you are right and she is flat out wrong and UNHEALTHY! Whatever doc she's talking to is off his/her rocker!!! Your body needs so many cals a day simply to function properly... read this for all your answers and share with your friend! :brokenheart:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/567092--read-this-figuring-out-your-calorie-goals

    Nice link! Looks like everyone has said what I intended to after reading the OP. However, I also believe that 1000 cals burned on C25K is a bit on the high side. It takes me at least 8-9 miles in a run to get that high. Yes, I know everyone's body is different but I don't see anyone burning 1000 calories in 3.1 miles. Maybe she is actually taking in more calories than she thinks as well (which would be a positive).

    I thought 1000 sounded high too.
  • mamaparks87
    mamaparks87 Posts: 54 Member
    :noway: Noooooooooooooo That's like leading down the path to an eating disorder!!! Your body needs calories to LIVE, as in bodily functions... To keep the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, everything working! She must have misunderstood the Doc :l Unless she goes to her Dr. appts in an alley way somewhere and the M.D has a very .... uh classy pipe on him 0_<

    This made me LOL
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
    ...Poor thing. That sucks. 800 calories and post workout hunger? I bet she's got zero energy.

    Well according to her she's never had more energy. I think she is lying to herself.
    You can get "high" from starving.
  • runmybunsoff
    runmybunsoff Posts: 224 Member
    Wow.. The behavior that your friend exhibited towards you as well as herself sounds very toxic to me. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I hope you are ok, and I hope things between you and your friend will turn out for the better somehow.
  • JBsCrazyGirl
    JBsCrazyGirl Posts: 337
    All the obvious aside... how does she figure 2 peanut m&m's is an okay breakfast :// that alone... is a bit over the top...
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I don't believe her. She sounds like a fool and maybe a bit of an exaggerator, too. How do you burn 1000 cals doing C25k? Is she running multiple 5k's a day? I have to run about 8 miles to burn that many cals...And where would she get the energy to burn 1000 cals when she's only taking in 800 a day? That's not sustainable for more than a few days. She should have trouble just with basic day to day functioning, let alone hardcore workouts...Just my opinion...:noway:

    ETA: I am the exact same weight as your friend, but a touch shorter, so I suspect that we burn similar cals, and have similar caloric needs. I am on maintenance and would be considered thin, but athletic and healthy to most people. It makes me feel sick just thinking of being on her regimen!!!
  • mamaparks87
    mamaparks87 Posts: 54 Member
    All the obvious aside... how does she figure 2 peanut m&m's is an okay breakfast :// that alone... is a bit over the top...

    I told her I would die if I only had mms and corn from 6am-6pm...her response was- i'm just now getting hungry.
  • clobercow
    clobercow Posts: 337 Member
    So what? If she wants to do that, then fine. Either it works for her or she changes.
  • Jen8np
    Jen8np Posts: 50 Member
    Did anyone else catch the Olympic athlete friend part??! I seriously doubt an Olympic athlete eats less than 3,000 cals per day with training!! Come on this girl is making up lies. I agree with everyone... Eating disorder on its way. To the OP u just keep doing your thing, u are on the right track!
  • michellelhartwig
    michellelhartwig Posts: 486 Member
    Read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/206951-asked-my-trainer-re-eating-back-calories

    you need to eat back your exercise calories
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    I agree, c25k doesnt burn anywhere near 1000 calories. She may just skate by by extremely overestimating calories burned and underestimating how much she eats.... But the attitude does not sound healthy.
    Do what works for you. I have friends at the other end of the spectrum, and I refrain (painfully so) from mentioning anything nutrition related.
  • christina0089
    christina0089 Posts: 709 Member
    Let's just say...



    You'll be visiting her in some type of hospital...



    VERY SOON.

    This is very likely true!...It's sad but she won't listen :(
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
    I'm just starting week 4 of C25K and I burn a measly 135ish calories right now. Even when I ran for 35 minutes, I'd burn under 400 so your friend is a bit clueless on that.

    I'm sure I am just repeating what others have said but your friend has things really messed up. Everyone has a level of calories it takes to maintain their weight...let's just say its 2,500. To lose weight you create a deficit through diet AND/OR exercise. So, you can eat 250 less calories and burn 250 calories to reach a 500 calorie deficit.

    What she is doing is dangerous and crazy.
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
    Is she an adult? It sounds like she has a serious problem and depending on how long she has been doing this could already be damaging her body. If she's a minor living at home, you could talk to her parents. Your friendship may not survive but you could save her from a lot of misery. Very sad. Hopefully she just won't be able to sustain it and quickly realize she's wrong. She may also be bingeing and not telling you about it. I find it very hard to believe that someone could really be eating like that and have energy. Even if they are on a starvation high. Good luck with your friend, you keep being healthy.

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