Can you be eating too little cals?

So I have gone back to exercising with the nurse practitioner's blessing.  I am ok to start running and do targeted exercises (so no core work, and no free weights that use stabilizing core muscles).  Ran 3K in 5 and 1s last night.  Well more like slowly jogged lol, but still.  

Unless I work at it I am lucky to get 400-500 cals in in a day.  Food is so uninteresting.  I don't miss it (so I guess I wasn't a food addict) and not being hungry all the time is helping.  On a food note haven't had any issues, everything I eat pretty much is ok.  Chicken, eggs etc.  I can drink a fair amount of water in one go too.  Another concern I had when going back to exercise.

I worked at it and managed to get almost 600 cals in yesterday before I ran.  It helped, on monday when I ran I was seriously out of gas before we even started, but when I looked back at my log I had only eaten just over 400 cals.

I know we want to stay 600-800 at this stage.  But is there an issue with too little (other than lack of energy)?

I had similar concerns and my NUT kept beating me into submission to focus on the grams of Protein.  She refused to talk calories.  I do watch my calories as I tend to run higher than I want.  I'd like to keep at about 850 total calories, but I've slipped over 1,000 over the vacation.  I'm working my way back down to under 900.  However, my nutrition would tell me I'm doing okay as I'm still losing and I'm hitting my protein target every day.  I'm just starting to work out - so no issues yet on energy, but It will be a month before I know that for sure.

I am not having issues getting protein in.  I get 80 in most days.  A few 100g.  

If you have ever ran before (I ran a few years earlier so know what it 'should' feel like starting out) it feels like trying to run when you have a bad cold.  You don't lose energy you don't have any to start with lol.

Way to go working out.  What are you doing for exercise?

As long as you are getting proper nutrition, I wouldn't worry about calories right now.  Since you are taking in so little, protein will become even more important to prevent severe muscle loss.  Do watch your energy levels and if you are getting tired, maybe look at adding a protein shake or even a dab or two of peanut butter.

Jen

Thanks.  I am thinking of trying something (pb could be good as it is 'fast'.. it takes me a while to down a shake, they aren't my fave) on the 3 days before I run.  

My fitbit said (I hope you can see this) https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/5438899782 if not http://imgur.com/a/TCukM

So it calculated that I burned 400 cals.  Not a fan of eating back calories, but I am concerned if I have only eaten say 500 in a day that this might be somehow bad for me (as it does not include walking the dog etc). So thinking of maybe eating a little bit extra before.

I will ask my centre but I am not due for another apt for a month or so.

I didn't pay attention to calories until I was maybe 6 months out.

Were you heavily exercising before 6 months?  If so how did that work for you, did you have any issues with light headedness or weakness?

Yes I was exercising my same routine since medically cleared at 6 weeks (4x/week), though at a lower intensity initially but gradually building. No issues with lightheadedness or headaches at all. 

I was running several months out. I usually planned my snacks for my running time. I usually ate 1/2 prot bar or drank an 1/2 adkins lift about 30 min before I ran. Sometimes if I didn't I would feel weak or puny or even lightheaded. but I didn't go over my calories for the day. A lot of people make the mistake of eating the calories they burn. I just break up into portions throughout the day and stay high on protein and low on carbs.

in the beginning we have so much excess calories in fat that we do not need to focus on cals yet. Focus on water and protein to heal is critical.

As we lose weight and exercise more, it will become more important and our metobolism will need more, but then we are able to eat more volume and manage it well.