Under-eating - do you comment or not?

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  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I think it is a matter of personal opinion. What one person sees as under eating another person does not. What one persons body needs to function, another persons does not.

    I genuinely find it very hard to consume above 1000 calories and from my food diary anyone would see that I have a healthy balanced diet and my calorie consumption works for me. Just because someone has a low calorie diet does not mean they are under eating. You can decide for yourself whether someone is starving themself or whether they are eating a balanced diet. . I do not believe in forcing down high calories for the sake of it.

    I do not use a calorie deficit to lose weight but do it through exercise and toning up.
    ^^^^^^^^
    For example......
    Science and human physiology don't change. All I can say is GOOD LUCK!
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
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    I comment if it's a trend in their diary and not just an occasional off day. It also really REALLY bugs me when people are then congratulating on them eating 800cals, 300net and the person is thanking them for the congrats... what kind of message is that sending out to people who supposedly want to get fit and lose weight? Well done for denying your body nutrients and fuel - Oh thank you, I starved myself rather well today. NO!

    I have yet to delete somebody for it, as I figure without at least one person calling them on it, they might genuinely think it's ok to continue starving themselves. That could change though as I can't bear to see it on my friends list.
  • deborahjr
    deborahjr Posts: 29 Member
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    I don't comment, just as I don't comment when someone eats the "right' amount of calories but the wrong food entirely. Sometimes I am under 1200 by eating breakfast of granola, a salad with protein for lunch and protein with veg for dinner. I think that is better than people who eat 1400 calories but so much processed food and fast food and junk food
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I think it is a matter of personal opinion. What one person sees as under eating another person does not. What one persons body needs to function, another persons does not.

    I genuinely find it very hard to consume above 1000 calories and from my food diary anyone would see that I have a healthy balanced diet and my calorie consumption works for me. Just because someone has a low calorie diet does not mean they are under eating. You can decide for yourself whether someone is starving themself or whether they are eating a balanced diet. . I do not believe in forcing down high calories for the sake of it.

    I do not use a calorie deficit to lose weight but do it through exercise and toning up.

    Classic example of someone not looking for advice, however well-meaning or scientifically sound. She's made her mind up how she wants to do it, and that's her choice.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    1200 calories is low for a lot of people, but please keep in mind there are some very small, lightly framed girls here, where 1200 calories may only be giving us a small calorie deficit.
    I usually consume about 1300-1400 a day, but for the past few days have consumed way less. I have been a bit off colour and haven't had much of an appetite. Also, I have a take away food night coming up tomorrow night with family, so can afford to splurge a bit, seeing as I didn't hit my calorie needs the past few days.

    I agree that under eating is definitely not the way to go, but its not always completely wrong - sometimes for whatever reason, we may not meet our calorie needs - its not necessarily because we are starving ourselves.

    Yes, agree with this completely.

    I also agree with this.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    no i don't unless they're asking for some advice on their diet. i have one friend here who constantly look at my food diary & sometimes would point out something which i really hate. we are all different & what works for one may not suit the other so there.
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I admit that I under eat usually a couple days a week, not on purpose..I just get busy, my friends remind me. And I also have commented on friend's diary's if I see they under eat as well.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
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    IF they ask for my help on how to increase cals, yes, my pals know I am a straight shooter and really don't hold back. I advocate eating more and practice what I preach.....however I have faithful pals that I have had for over a year who in my opinion underfeed and I just don't look at their diaries.....I HOPE they one day will follow in my footsteps. It is hard to see people struggle and for me 1200 is a snack. My *breakfast* was 1620.....
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    also it could be that the person is doing calorie cycling aka zigzag where there are high & low days and it happened that he could be on his low day so we shouldn't just judge people that way.
  • mkambalimath
    mkambalimath Posts: 11
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    Maybe you shouldn't comment. A lot of people using this site have had surgery, like me and its impossible at this stage to eat anywhere near 1200 calories. I recently figured out how to change the calorie goal, but only changed it to 900. At this stage in my surgery my goal from my DR is 800-900 calories a day. Its hard to make 900 when 2/3 of your stomach is gone. Most people KNOW what they should be eating, so getting all worked up over something like that is not productive for you. That person either knows they are doing wrong, OR, they are doing right based on THEIR OWN situation.
  • bazaar1982
    bazaar1982 Posts: 159 Member
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    I'm an u der eater, so keep my diary closed to prevent the expected bombardment of 'starvation mode' which does seem to be the go-to phrase on here. I eat 800 cals a day plus exercise cals. This is not my choice really but my drs. I have a pituitary gland issue which affects my thyroid, presenting symptoms similar to that of an under active thyroid. I physically do NOT need more calories than this ATM, my metabolism is slower than a blooming slug. It sucks! But the doc and I are working on it together, this 800 cal is not for life, it's a starting point fr me to build up slowly from. Ive also researched this starvation mode- yes it happens, after a prolonged reduction and hen the body fat % is less that 5-8% not after 2 weeks of low cals.

    Obviously not everyone has the same issue, but people do have different reasons for reducing cals, I'd say if you are worried, pm them - but otherwise let them be.
  • bazaar1982
    bazaar1982 Posts: 159 Member
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    Maybe you shouldn't comment. A lot of people using this site have had surgery, like me and its impossible at this stage to eat anywhere near 1200 calories. I recently figured out how to change the calorie goal, but only changed it to 900. At this stage in my surgery my goal from my DR is 800-900 calories a day. Its hard to make 900 when 2/3 of your stomach is gone. Most people KNOW what they should be eating, so getting all worked up over something like that is not productive for you. That person either knows they are doing wrong, OR, they are doing right based on THEIR OWN situation.

    ^^ this
  • bazfitness
    bazfitness Posts: 275 Member
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    Plus who are any of us to advise people? We're all different.
    I'm sure you are knowledgeable about some things much more than some of your friends and your advice could be helpful if it were given. Do you withhold such advice in those cases!? I realise there's a thin line between being helpful and interfering. But if everybody was not willing to impart with advice I wouldn't have had a clue how to go about proper eating, as it is, I'm sure I'm still doing some things wrong, but think I'm doing a lot of things right, or at least better than I would have done otherwise, due to others who were willing to impart with their helpful advice. Sure we're all in this for ourselves to some degree, but 'no man is an island' either, we're social animals, so personally don't quite believe we're all merely in it for ourselves, this site and its great community is proof enough of that for me!
    Classic example of someone not looking for advice, however well-meaning or scientifically sound. She's made her mind up how she wants to do it, and that's her choice.
    I agree!
  • cally69
    cally69 Posts: 182 Member
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    I just feel sad for them because you don't need to starve your body to lose weight. Why punish your body if you don't need to.
    Eating is one of life's pleasures....it just needs to be controlled. Plus, maintaining weight will be harder if your body has become used to working on fewer calories.
    X
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
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    i am on 1200 calories a day i have good nutrition and i even allow myself to have a day where i wont watch what i am eating every couple of weeks. i dont feel hungry and i am very hydrated. i am 5ft tall with a small frame my tdee is 1700 so i believe i am doing whats right. i dont think going below what i am eating is good however and i am at one end of the scale being such a tiny person i dont need the amount of food say a 6ft body builder would need.but no i leave the people who starve themselves to get on with it because they wont listen they will believe living on cabbage soup or cayan pepper and maple syrup will help them in the long run
  • coullmom
    coullmom Posts: 133 Member
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    Could it be that maybe they didn't have time to log all their food for the day? I have done that where I get some of it programmed in, forget what else I ate and mean to come back and log but don't find the time. Give them the benefit of the doubt before you say anything. The people that you know for a fact are not eating the proper amount on purpose, and they say that in their profile, well, those ones you should say something to. I don't think some people know what healthy is.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    I don't usually comment unless it's really off the wall low. But there are so many differing ideas on this site about what is the best way to lose weight, that I am more prone to assume that they are adults and can manage their lives. I am more irked by people who continue to eat WAY over their calorie goal, loading their diaries with tons of sweets and high calorie foods. It makes me wonder why they are even on this site. I would be more likely to delete that person.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    I don't like seeing undereating in food diaries (by undereating I mean eating less than 1200 calories - I don't have an issue with people not eating all their exercise calories back), it distresses me almost as much as when I see a pal replacing a meal with a Slimfast shake. Generally, I don't comment and hope that they eventually learn that this is probably not the best way forward, and if they don't, I will eventually delete them as a pal (although they normally stop logging before this point). The only exception to this is for people I know well (friends, family and long time pals), I will comment straight away if they are not eating enough but will also praise when they eat a little over their calorie allowance for the day.
  • kazhowe
    kazhowe Posts: 340 Member
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    I look at my friends diaries every day and look to see what they are eating - not just the amount of calories but the content. If they are consistently way under 1200 then I will make a comment encouraging them to try and increase their calorie consumption. Also I try and encourage people to eat healthy food because I firmly believe that this is not just a weight loss journey but the quest for good health too. I will not make comments such as 'well done' on people who's diaries are not available to view ... how can I say that when maybe they are eating only a few hundred calories per day or may be eating cake and soda all day. If someone objects to me making a comment then that is fine and usually - although this has only happened once - I will let them know that I feel unable to encourage or help them in any way and I wish them well and then de-friend them ... but I do let them know first. If someone lets me know that there is a reason why they eat the way they do then that is ok too but i don't want to just be a 'great hun' sort of friend.
  • The_new_Amy
    The_new_Amy Posts: 29
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    Just a different perspective, some of us are doing our best to eat, period. In the past six weeks, I've had some really serious emotional hardships stack on top of each other, all within a few days of one another for about two weeks. All of them totally unrelated but life altering, world shaking hardships. Not throwing up has become a goal. Eating 1200 calories has been almost impossible. There have been days where I've gotten close but overall, I wake up ill most days and if by noon I can stomach some food or a shake, it's a good day.

    If you don't know why someone is under eating, it can be that much more stressful for them if others are commenting. I know for me it was. A few friends said things, not knowing me personally and having no idea why I was undereating. I'm already a mess, I don't want to have to continue to explain that I am aware it's unhealthy and I am eating what I can take in, and keep down.

    On the other hand, if someone is intentionally starving themselves and making it obvious, yes I think it's wise to speak up.

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