Under eating?

[belven]

I've recently started a weight loss challenge at work and wanted to know how much I should be eating. Turns out I'm eating less than the minimum already, which I've been told is bad.

The issue is, I'm still gaining weight. Do I eat what is suggested and do more exercise or just do more exercise?

I'm concerned that the increase in exercise might have a bad effect if I don't eat what I need.

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum belven 😊

You are correct in thinking eating too little will hinder your weight loss but mostly as this leads to hunger and cravings, you shouldn’t gain . . . As we are not medically trained perhaps you need to see your GP.

In the meantime, I’d like to invite you to our Newbie Club (link below) where you'll find all the information you need to navigate the forum. Please read it carefully as it has links to the 12 week plan and a pictorial guide to finding all the Events and Challenges.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

We hope it will also be a good place for you to connect with members who are also just starting out. If you just post a few words to introduce yourself and respond to others there, you'll soon break the ice.

Please read this important post about internet safety

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Best wishes

Anna. 😊

[belven in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Thanks, I'll have a look

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Hi belven and welcome to the forum

The best guide for how many calories you need for a safe and healthy weight loss can be found by checking your BMI with the NHS BMI calculator - it takes into account your gender, age, and activity level and will give you a broad range. I'm wondering if you've already done this, as you say you're eating less than the minimum. Stick to the middle of that range as it's tailored to you and give it a go.

I hope the weight loss challenge is supportive and not competitive for all of you. Good luck

[belven in reply to BridgeGirl]

Yea, I used that to get an idea, I'm almost 600 - 800 calories less. And the challenge is supportive, my team are quite competitive.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to belven]

So your body probably thinks there's a famine! Honestly, you will lose weight by eating within the suggested range, and it won't be as much of a struggle - tho' I sometimes think we want to make it tougher than it need be.

It's good you have support - good luck to all of you

[Rignold 3kg]

More exercise is seldom, if ever, a bad thing, so if you can increase do, I would say.

If you are undereating by more than 200 to 500 calories depeding on total, your body will be hanging on to every last calorie as it will be in starvation mode. Eating closer to your recommended allowance will produce more weightloss than eating less.

I would suggest calculating your Total Daily energy Expenditure using a TDEE calculator rather than BMI. BMI is a rather blunt tool. The TDEE calculator will also give you suggested macro splits for carbs, protien etc based on your goals.

tdeecalculator.net/

[belven in reply to Rignold]

Thanks, I'll have a look