Hey everyone, I've recently started calorie-counting again (very tentatively) but I'm trying not to go crazy restrictive with it so I'm not obsessing over it or starving myself. If I go over my allotted range, I try to make up the excess with exercise.

So I know that weight loss will stall if you don't take in enough calories because your body goes into starvation mode - but what about net calories? I've been noticing that with all the exercise I've been doing, I often average around 1000 net calories for the day. Will this cause the body to hold on to the pounds?

I've been losing so far, but I've only been at it for about 2 weeks, and I don't want it to stall...

Not very many people count net calories, its more so about the number of calories you take in from food that really matter as the number expended is a difficult math to really get right.

As for starvation mode its based on your food intake not net, some studies show that its under 1200 calories while others say its under 1/2 your BMR. Nutritionally its recommend to stick with 1200 calories or more due to the nutritional requirements of the average female.

As long as your losing weight, and eating a healthy number of calories, I wouldn't be worried

xD Thanks for your input! I never realized that the number expended would be difficult to get right, but it makes a lot of sense.

Although now that means I'm probably consuming too many calories...

Oh well, only time and the scale will tell, I guess!

There is nothing quick about losing fat. You keep up as best you can with a little less food and a lot more exercise, and the weight WILL come off. Monitoring weight loss looks like the ragged side of a mountain. But keep on with it, and even with the little ups and stalls, you'll get to the bottom extremely healthy and proud of yourself.

If you are losing weight you aren't eating too many calories. There has to be a calorie deficit to create weight loss. Just stick with it. It takes time.

Hi, I have noticed that if I eat below 1200 calories daily I lose several strands of hair. And I don't feel as energized as when I eat more. I am on the calorie cycling and I'm doing real good with it. I don't feel so hungry. My daily calories range from 1200-1700 daily.
You will be able to tell if you are not getting enough calories. Your energy will be down and you will feel constantly hungry. All the best!

Hey MiniMo! Another member mentioned the site free dieting dot com and it has a calculator that lets you know how much daily calories you should be consuming based on your age, gender, height, etc.! Check it out. You can always use the answer as your starting point and adjust from there Good luck on your journey!

livestrong daily plate does that too.