Not enough calories???
 

I eat a mostly vegetarian diet with lots of fresh veggies and very little actual meat. Fish & white meat only. My question is if there is a such thing as not eating enough calories for weightloss?

I'm not an expert at this. You should ask this question under calorie queen diet. The bottom line is Calories in/Calories out matter. So does not eating enough calories. Your body will slow its metabolism and burn the wrong thing.

Please read this informative thread then come back and tell us what you ate yesterday.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...tarvation+mode

Okay, I read the thread--very informative by the way.
Typical Day (actual yesterday totals)--
Breakfast
coffee w/sugar 11
Oatmeal 160
w/light soy milk 40
Lunch
Lean Cuisine (chicken meditterranean) 240
Snack
Apple (med) 80
Dinner
Veggie Burger 90
Brown Rice 110
Spinach 90

gives me a total of 821 plus the minimum 80 oz of water a day at 0 calories
I am 5'6'' and weigh 211 lbs--I go to a curves type gym 3 to 4 days a week and I try to walk at least 1 mile a day with my dogs.
I just recently added breakfast in to the day, I did WW a few years ago and had to force myself to get the required points in a day with food--allotted 5 points of total for my Coke. At that time with no exercise I lost 8 lbs in 10 weeks,but I wanted BIG numbers and gave up.

800 is low. How do you feel? Fatigued? Sleepy? Grouchy? Can you do the workout you'd planned and carry on with the rest of your day?

I am border line anemic so I do get tired sometimes. Eating the spinach seems to help with the iron count so I am trying to eat more of it,but it is very low calorie. I have a high stress job and I have been doing the women's gym program with no problem for the last 3 months. I switched from Coke(the calorie laden kind) to water during New Years. I feel alot better with that change and I did lose nine pounds the first two weeks. I truly am not hungry I am wondering if my metabolism is low since I have eating this way for years. I do have very low blood pressure--I run around 100-110 over 60-70. The usual is 100 over about 65.

Nine pounds is amazing in two weeks. As for metabolisms varying ... they can. Read some posts by ... Mel ... I think. She really doesn't eat very many calories.

I tend to get off on my pet project which is protein. Do you know what percentage of calories you're taking in in protein?

Mine is nutrients. Are you reaching most/all of your RDA of nutrients?

I've just started recording the calories, that's when I was shocked to find that I am not consuming alot. I think the nine pound weightloss is do to the fact that I am not drinking several Cokes a day which probably doubled my calorie intake.
As for protein, I do wonder sometimes if I am getting enough. I saw something about protein powder and I was wondering about adding a protein shake each day which would up my daily calories.
The nutrients, I think I am okay since I do eat alot of fresh vegetables especially salads and even though my day doesn't show it. I also take extra b vitamins and a multi-vitamin from the Health Food store.

I've asked so many people if the have a fitday.com account ... I'm almost afraid to ask again .... Do you? I've really learned alot about nutrition thru it.
I do have a protein shake every morning and I take multi vits and calcium too.

The iron in spinach is mostly "bound" and not absorbed by your body. If I remember waaaaay back to nutrition classes, having something with vitamin D when you have the spinach helps, but it's still not a good source of bioavailable iron. If you are anemic, (sorry) red meat or a supplement is a better choice.

I really don't think you are eating enough. You should lose weight, but you're body will get used to those low calories and how low can you go if you hit a plateau? Can you possibly maintain eating that way for the rest of your life?

Mel

I did make it to 1164 calories yesterday. I never really lost the pregnancy weight (70 lbs) after my daughter (and she is 18!!!) and then almost two years ago I was in a motorcycle accident which messed up my knee. I gained an additional 20 lbs since then. I started exercising in September and watching what we eat. Since the kids have moved out both Hubby & I don't eat as much--he's gained too and is having trouble losing which has never been a problem.

When I remember to take my vitamins they are w/iron. I have problems taking iron suppliments but if a take folic acid (when I take the multi vitamin)it actually aids in the absorption of iron in foods. I am thinking at this point I need to take some kind of memory aid to help in remebering to take my vitamins!