Struggling to meet the minimum, but want to reach 1350+

NayNeeNoo

Ok, I'll start out by saying the following so that I don't get a rehash of WHY I need to eat more than 1200 calories. I know this, I'm convinced:
I'm not eating enough....it's why I've gained weight/held on to baby weight for all its worth in the first place. I'm going from eating less than 700 calories a day with no exercises. I wasn't making time to eat breakfast or lunch....just eating the scraps off my kids plates as we zoomed through the day, a snack while they took a nap before *I* took a nap (gee, wonder why I was so tired--perhaps because I wasn't EATING?!) and then eating dinner. It was wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I wasn't making my health a priority.

Since realizing what's been my problem, I've been changing bad habits over the past month, but I'm still struggling to even get to 1200 most days. Days that I don't struggle and get 1300-1500 calories are days we're out and about and we have fast food, or the few days we've eaten at a restaurant.

I've been eating breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack, then dinner (sometimes a snack after dinner--like tonight I'm eating a container of skyr). By lunch most days, I'm stuffed and I just don't WANT to eat more, but I make myself do it anyway.

I've started to grill an entire pack of chicken on Sundays and then putting it in the fridge so that I have protein prepared for my lunches to either eat alone (Edited to add that I mean alone with sides, not just a piece of chicken and that's it), on a salad, or in a pita with lots of veggies.

Here's an example of a day I HAVE reached 1200 calories:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1 Yoplait yogurt, 1 slice whole wheat toast
Snack: 1/4 cup pistachios
Lunch: 2 cups romaine salad, with 2 T parm, 1/8 cup dried cranberries, and 2 T balsamic vinaigrette. 1 medium apple and 1.5 cups Santa Fe Style Chicken Soup
Snack: 1 peach cup, packed in fruit juice (juice drained)
Dinner: 10 shrimp, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup green beans. 1 cup romaine, 2 T balsamic vinaigrette, 1 T dried cranberries. 3 oz red wine
Treat: 2 Hershey Kiss for my chocolate fix lol

Seriously, on this day I was so STUFFED and it only totaled to 1,256 calories. I went over protein, but I didn't meet my carbs or fat requirements for the day.

Anyway, so help me get to 1350+ calories consistently. I want to do this, I CAN do this.

astrampe

Add an avo to your salad.....or some nuts, or have a few more hershey kisses!:flowerforyou:
And going over MFP's protein is good, as it is really low and you probably need it in order to not lose more muscle mass.....

Momjogger

I am starving on 1200 calories, so I have NO IDEA how you feel. Try to be more active and you will be more hungry? I agree with the nuts. Chicken salad with mayo? Steak? Eat out more?

NayNeeNoo

I am starving on 1200 calories, so I have NO IDEA how you feel. Try to be more active and you will be more hungry? I agree with the nuts. Chicken salad with mayo? Steak? Eat out more?

Tired. I have more energy since I started eating more. I don't take 3 hour naps with my kids in the middle of the afternoon anymore....and that's still not reaching 1200 most days....so I can imagine how much energy I'll have once I can get my nutrition where it needs to be! I've been exercising at least 30 minutes a day 5-6 days a week, as well as wearing a pedometer and challenging myself to hit 10,000+ steps a day, so I'm much more active than I used to be. When I first started wearing it, I'd barely reach 3000 a day.

nikilis

Add an avo to your salad.....or some nuts, or have a few more hershey kisses!:flowerforyou:
And going over MFP's protein is good, as it is really low and you probably need it in order to not lose more muscle mass.....

^^^^ this is a good point.

you could double your nuts, and replace your apple with 2 kiwi fruit, and add 1/2 an avocado over the day and you are there with more healthy fats and 2 serves of the most nutritionally dense fruit on the planet.

kiwifruit has the most vitamin C of any fruit, and also the highest nutrient density overall.



so if you see the above, 2 kiwi fruit will give you 12 times the nutrients an apple will.

BEST FRUIT EVER.

those are healthy solutions.

you could also just add some snacks. i mean raisins are a good one but quite sugary. add some potatoes to your salads..... hmm ill keep thinking....

ChristinaR720

Peanut butter is your friend. Best when eaten with a spoon. Or celery. Or an apple...

melwharris91

So many people wish they had your problem. I would suggest having nuts with breakfast. I eat ground pecans in my yogurt almost every morning with honey. It's like a dessert! Also have more cheese, that's my weakness but it could add those needed calories

deksgrl

Put peanut butter on your toast and on your apple. Don't eat low fat anything, get the full fat.

Get a bag of raw almonds in the bulk food section. A handful of about 20 almonds is about 200 calories.

nikilis

you could add a smoothie with coconut cream also. coconut cream is gooood.

frozen berrys + yogurt + coconut cream = frozen yogurt smoothie

frozen banana + yogurt + coconut cream + kiwifruit + coco = banana choc "ice cream" with a hint of kiwi fruit

frozen banana + frozen berrys + yogurt + coconut cream = large frozen yogurt smoothie

frozen banana + frozen berrys + yogurt + coconut cream + coco = large choc berry "ice cream" smoothie

frozen banana + frozen berrys + yogurt + coconut cream + kiwifruit + coco = something too epic to describe.

DO IT DO IT DO IT!

Glinda1971

I'm in your position too. If I didn't have a drink or two every night to bump me up if be stuck too. I'm aiming for between 1500 and 1800 a day so I'm bumping to see your responses.

I'm tired of relying on whiskey to meet my goal.

corsayre8

Add butter to your bread, maybe full fat Greek yogurt instead of Yoplait.

Cut out the soup and replace with chicken or pork. Use a salad dressing instead of balsamic.

Shrimp is crazy low in calories, maybe eat steak instead?



No more food, significant increase in calories.

XxYeaIrocxX

I'm the EXACT same way!
I struggled getting to 1200, today I forced myself to eat more and I hate that "stuffed" feeling but I managed to get to 1400.

Alot of people have told me to eat peanuts, or peanut butter.

nikilis

I'm in your position too. If I didn't have a drink or two every night to bump me up if be stuck too. I'm aiming for between 1500 and 1800 a day so I'm bumping to see your responses.

I'm tired of relying on whiskey to meet my goal.

whiskey is not food. that cant be a good way to reach your goal. hope you find some ideas here.

IronAngel26pt2

More good fats. As many people have suggested nuts are a great choice. Peanut butter as long as its natural. You mentioned that you are trying to lose weight. You need to add calories without adding sugars. Some of the replies have suggested sugar....that is never a good idea. Especially if you are not very active.

Costco sells salmon in individually sealed packages. I eat a fillet a day. They have 370 calories. I also eat a quest bar which is the only "bar" I would recommended anyone eating....they have 200 calories, full of protein and fiber...and do not have sugar or other chemicals. 1 oz of cashews have 160 calories in them....thats only a few nuts! thats over 700 calories of goodness right there and they are small portions.

As you slowly start feeding your body you will become more hungrier. Dont rush it. Be smart about your choices. Sugar cravings are hard to break.

Dont forget to drink lots of water!!

You can do it. Keep it up

sznnn

Today I was stuck and I had a tbsp of PB with a few chocolate chips. Man, that is the way to blow calories. And I second avocado. I spread it on a toasted bagel or English muffin, top with tomato and get to work. I was under today. It's harder some days than others. Stick with it!

Oh- olive oil in your salad is good. I like it with lemon, evoo, salt and pepper. Crazy good.

PamelaWebb81

I am same way. I am a very picky eater..i mean very picky. Half the stuff people name to eat to boost your intake I cant stand. Peanut butter=gross! I don't even like peanuts. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Foods that I actually like to eat and that are healthy and I struggle to try to get to 1200. I have no eating disorder. I have been more active now since I have been eating healthier even with the low cal intake.

NayNeeNoo

Ok, so ideas mentioned thus far:
-Avocado (yum--I do these once or twice a week, but they're pricey!)
-Nuts (The only nuts I like are pistachios, peanuts and cashews....I've TRIED to like almonds but I just can't! 3 options is better than none, though!)
-Few more Hershey Kisses (I like this suggestion I've been having one square of extra dark chocolate here and there instead of the Kisses)
-Chicken salad with mayo (I like this one, too...AND I found a recipe for avocado chicken salad on Pinterest last week, so I could combine the two!)
-Steak (we don't do much red meat at my house, as it is a gout trigger for my DH but maybe i could get one steak a week and make it ahead for my own lunches when he's not home)
-Kiwi (I've tried it a couple of times and I can't get past the texture of the seeds...I'm a big texture person.)
-Raisins (can do--and IIRC they're good for iron, too, aren't they?)
-Potatoes (white? red? sweet? gourmet itty bitty? will have to research best choices)
-PB (also doable)
-Cheese (I try to add cheese to my eggs and salads....will have to do that more often. I love cheese....all kinds!)
-Nothing low fat, all full fat. ( I try to do that anyway, but it's always a good reminder!)
-Coconut cream (Will have to see if I can find this in my area--does it have a heavy coconut flavor or does mixing it in a smoothie mask it somewhat? I've tried small amounts of coconut oil in various dishes and I can stand it in SMALL amounts but too much coconut flavor and blech.)
-Butter (got it)
-Increase calories in food and not amount of food itself. (I think the list above is a pretty good start?)

Thanks for the ideas so far. Keep 'em comin!

ETA: Ooo, more ideas while I was making this list. Thanks!

NayNeeNoo

Oh- olive oil in your salad is good. I like it with lemon, evoo, salt and pepper. Crazy good.

My favorite way to use EVOO right now is to toss 1 cup salad greens, 1.5 oz chicken (only because I can't fit more lol), 1/8 c feta, 1/8 cranberries, drizzled with 2 tsp EVOO then stuffed into a pita pocket. YUM.

sznnn

I don't like them on their own, but walnuts in a salad is off the chain. I love it with goat cheese, craisins, poppy seed dressing and chicken. And I put them and grapes in my chicken salad. They are $, but not $$$. Maybe buy a weeeee little bag and see if you like them mixed into stuff? The bigger bags are less $ and last me for ages because I only use a little at a time.

JoanB5

Peanut butter is your friend. Best when eaten with a spoon. Or celery. Or an apple...

Yeah, and almonds. Or some Greek Protein instead of regular. Also, give it time. As I increased my workouts (not just walking, but like running or biking, treadmill, or aerobics), I got flat out HUNGRY for even a couple days after. As a note, my maintenance wouldn't be that high unless I were working out. It's like 1400-1500. Hard for people to believe who are not female, small, petite, but the truth.)

paintlisapurple

I sometimes have difficulty eating too, so I have taken to drinking a protein shake a few times a week which is yummy and healthy 400 calories.

1 frozen banana (hint: peel banana BEFORE putting in freezer. I found this out the hard way. LOL :laugh: )
1 TBSP peanutbutter (all natural whatever brand)
1c unsweetened almond milk (use whatever u like, but remember to adjust your macros too)
a handfull of ice
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use the body fortress...use what u like, and again adjust the numbers)

Blend it all up and its really like drinking a milkshake. You can make so many different combos too. Hope this helps! :flowerforyou: :drinker: