Not Enough Calories
 

Quick question! I have been calorie counting for almost 2 weeks now, I have been using sparkpeople to track my daily intakes and I have stayed inbetween my goals. Yesterday was a work late day, got home, made dinner- fed the kids, went for my walk/jog (2 miles) and then afterwards didn't feel like eating much so I managed to shove down 2 hard boiled eggs and 2 pieces of whole grain toast and ended up with only 1100 cals......I'm thinking it will be fine but wanted to get your opinions! I know that they say if you slip up and go a little over------if it's just one day, you'll be fine, does the same go if you slip up and go under?

Yes, no worries. It's not an all or nothing science, it's just guidelines. Although I wouldn't make a habit of going under, it will likely slow down your metabolism.

I think it is fine to go under every once in a while, just like it is ok to go over. I usually just think of it as balancing things out to have an over and an under. Something like that. But I read somewhere that it takes the body only 3 days to get used to a lower calorie level (I can't remember where, but if I do, I'll link you), and adjust itself accordingly. So, in the long run too many days of under might cause your metabolism to slow down for a bit.

But because it was only one day, don't sweat. If you're really worried about it, just add a few extra calories to today, maybe.

You'll be fine but don't do it too often. Sometimes I have days like that and it doesn't affect me at all. But when I was first starting out I hardly ate anything and I gained weight but that was after eating very low calories for over a week straight. Now I just work low days like that into my calorie cycling schedule.

I was cutting my calories on purpose hoping it would help me lose more weight and it worked for a little bit the I stopped losing weight completely. After talking to a couple of nurses I found by eating less then my daily requirement I was sending my body in to starvation mode so it was holding on to all the fat and energy I had. I said all of that to say that it’s okay if don't meet your intake every now and then but for the most part you want to be eating your requirement to avoid starvation.

Absolutely, I think that is why zigzagging works so well because it sort of keeps your body guessing. I do that intentionally. My weeks may look something like this:

1600
1750
1950
1400
1650
1300
1800

That also allows for some wiggle room if I go out to eat and so on. I tally calories daily but average weekly and so long as my weekly average is between 1600-1800, I am golden.

Good luck! :)

Thank you all for your encouraging words, I do not plan on doing it often at all, I had such good luck last week, I lost 4.5 lbs and I felt like I was eating more than before- just healthier stuff....so this was my first slip up and I think I just needed some reassurance. It is awesome to have people I can talk to, vent to, go to for encouragement....and you totally understand where I am coming from!! Thanks again!

ive been having this issue too, not getting enough cals.. i should be at 1500.. sometimes i barely make it to 1200... others i make it to 1500 but its hard!

I get confused by the calorie thing because I pretty much eat the same calories every day 1200-1400, but some days I exercise a lot. I don't try to eat more on exercise days because it's easier for me to stick to the same plan.