Calories

[Lorenzo1992]

Is it bad being under target in calories ?

[SunsetRunner]

If feeling fine, not being hungry it's okay to be under. It's possible already eated a bit more than logged or the foods eaten quality / nutrients wise keeping satisfied for longer..

Depending on previous foods eaten your body may not need more calories / nutrients in the moment since having all it needs, not asking more yet by increasing appetite or sending hunger signals.

If feeling needing to force feed your precious body, trust your body and see how it goes.

If feeling light-headed or something is missing, allow to eat.

[A_Lurker]

I think the answer depends on how much below you are, and where you are generally eating.  If the Fitibit is telling you to eat 1500 calories and you're eating 750, this is probably not good.  If you're being told to eat 2500 and you're eating 2300 it's probably not a big deal.  I burned an average of just over 3700 calories a day last week and ate just under 2500 calories (so, a couple of hundred under what it told me to do) and no big deal.  I know from my own personal experience that if I go very low I lose energy and then don't lose weight.

So, depending on how much weight you're looking to lose will help answer the question.  Usually the less you have to lose the smaller the deficit you should do.  Like anything though, the fitbit is just a tool, how you use it is probably more important.  Eat close to what it tells you for a couple of weeks, or even a month, then see how it goes.  Someone else can give specifics but you would normally aim for 1 to 2 pounds a week.  If you have more to lose then closer to the 2 lbs, less to lose closer to the 1 lb.

[Lorenzo1992]

I'm 280lbs and looking to lose the 80 at a decent amount of time an I'm a maintenance tech so I'm constantly on the move especially out side I'm starting to walk in the morning an doing exercise 30min a day so I bought the fit bit to track and log calories and foods but I've noticed my calories out are a lot greater than my calories coming in for example today I've got 2,837 in and 5,568 out and 1,829 left to go is this a problem ?

[Dominique]

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@Lorenzo1992 wrote:
I'm 280lbs and looking to lose the 80 at a decent amount of time

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What is "decent" in this context? Is it as fast as possible (like, "big loser" style), or as slow as possible? Both approaches have their merits, but also cons.

[Lorenzo1992]

I'd like to lose the pounds fairly quickly

[Lorenzo1992]

I'd like to lose the pounds fairly quickly

[rosepettal]

So have you lost weight from the fitbit?  my daughter bought me one and I am trying to learn how to use it.

[Dominique]

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@Lorenzo1992 wrote:
I'd like to lose the pounds fairly quickly

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I can see how losing quickly is great for motivation. It’s possible to do it, though it requires a great deal of dedication. You may want to check @JohnRi’s story. I believe he also started at 280 lbs.

[Lorenzo1992]

I'll check it out.. thanks for the help !!

[Lorenzo1992]

I haven't lost any yet but it's a good motivational tool

[Ukase]

Yes and no. Sadly, it depends. 

Here's the thing you need to know about food, if you don't know it already. 

The calorie game is just numbers - and you can lose weight continuing to go the way you're going -- until you don't lose weight doing what you're doing. 

Many of us will use metrics to track our progress, but many of us are vague in our goals, even to ourselves. 

Lose 80, you say. Well, I can understand that you want to lose 80 pounds of fat. But, losing 80 pounds of fat --- for what? Are you seeking to look better and have your clothes fit better? Are you seeking to just look fit or are you looking to be healthy. 

Remember, there are guys and girls that run triathlons at a high level that keel over and die of heart disease. Solid performance doesn't necessarily equal good health. And good health doesn't necessarily equate with a long happy life. 

As a rule, if your calorie levels are restricted that much for too long, your thyroid will down-regulate and your metabolism will drop. Depending on what else is going on in your body, other issues could arise.

Our bodies have a priority they follow. Heartbeat, involuntary breathing  - these two typically come first. But your immune system, with insufficient protein intake, could allow you to get sick more easily. The body has to have energy to fight. In some cases, it gets these calories from our carb intake. But, when you're working hard all day - there can come a time when you exhaust your stored glucose - and then, your body just runs down. You run out of juice. 

Latest theories and trends suggest that going into ketosis is the way to go, because even a lean person will have about 30k calories of stored energy. Why our bodies can't pull from the fat first, or even when the carbs run dry - I've no idea. But, our bodies can learn this if we limit our carb intake drastically, as well as controlling our protein intake - because the liver can turn protein essentially into carbs/sugars and store it as fat. It's a very complex beast, our bodies. Read, research and study - and then you'll really get confused because of all the differing opinions. 

But, pretty much all the dietary authorities suggest that a deficit of more than 1000 to 1500 at your weight is a bad idea. And you do want one day every 7 to 10 days where you're eating an even calorie day. Not on a restriction, but not on a surplus. Just close to what your fitbit estimates you've burned that day. This way your thyroid doesn't think you're in starvation mode. 

[Dominique]

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@Ukase wrote:

Latest theories and trends suggest that going into ketosis is the way to go 

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Eliminating nearly all veggies and fruits from your diet is the way to go, really? I’d like to see a study showing eating veggies and fruits is bad for you.

Here is a thorough take on the ketogenic diet: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/ketogenic-diet

[Ukase]

I never said that. I said trends and theories state that. 

But, since you asked for a study, here you go: 

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2014/05/how-much-fat-can-you-burn/

[Dominique]

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@Ukase wrote:

But, since you asked for a study, here you go: 

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2014/05/how-much-fat-can-you-burn/

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This is not a study, this is anecdotal evidence from a single guy (well, a single guy and his jacked brother Zach). As the link I included stated: Remember that the plural of “personal anecdote” is not “scientific data”. A study is something performed by qualified people who follow a rigorous methodology, includes a number of subjects, is reviewed by peers and is normally published on sites like PubMed or similar. 

I know you have cited Ben Greenfield’s blog posts to support your believes. Now, this is the same guy who sells a $138 Fat Loss Pack that includes: 1) MPX100 Fat Burner, "a proprietary fat-loss and anti-aging formula that uses the clinically proven benefits of rock lotus and Glycostat (wild bitter melon extract).", 2) ThermoFactor Fat Burner fat loss supplement, "a blend of unique nutrients designed to address major issues associated with weight gain. Its ingredients provide safe thermogenic, metabolism-boosting support (without producing jitteriness or dangerous heart side effects) and help to control both your appetite and blood sugar balance." and 3) LeanFactor Muscle Builder, "a unique formula with a blend of ingredients that are specifically important for metabolic boosting, thyroid function and the addition of lean muscle tissue. It is excellent for adding lean muscle and burning fat quickly, especially for individuals with a low metabolism."

Any credibility he may have had in the field of nutrition and fitness is totally destroyed in my eyes by the gross claims made for products sold on his web store.