not eating enough calories need help

biancocm
biancocm Posts: 3 Member
I have been doing low carb for almost a week and I have noticed that I am eating only about 1000 calories or less a day (most often less). However, I'm just not that hungry, I am still able to work my 12 hour shifts on my feet all day and still able to run 40 min 4 times a week. I'm trying to keep my carb count to 20 or less and i have been successful, but my concern is just not eating enough calories, i know this can bad in the long run.......any advice?

Replies

  • kiramaniac
    kiramaniac Posts: 800 Member
    Advice: Eat more food :-)

    Congrats though - hitting that point where your body isn't craving things all the time, and you are in control is AWESOME. But you do need to eat more. Sustained levels of low calories can result in your metabolism slowing considerably due to a drop in the hormone leptin. This is your body trying to protect itself from its perceived impending starvation. [no food available! entering famine! begin system shutdown!]

    Eat more. Add a handful of almonds a couple of times a day, some cheese, hard boiled eggs. Heck, I used to carry cooked bacon in my purse. Whatever low-carb snacks make you satisfied.
  • dewsmom78
    dewsmom78 Posts: 498 Member
    Agreed, eat some higher calorie/fat foods like cheese, almonds, eggs. That will help you reach your calorie goal.

    I also buy 70% cocoa organic dark chocolate. I eat a couple small pieces a day just to cure my chocolate craving.
  • linbert57
    linbert57 Posts: 154 Member
    Add more fat - coconut oil to fry with, full fat dairy (heavy cream for your coffee), full fat salad dressings. If you aren't very hungry, using these items to enhance your meals will help add the calories.
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    Add more fat - coconut oil to fry with, full fat dairy (heavy cream for your coffee), full fat salad dressings. If you aren't very hungry, using these items to enhance your meals will help add the calories.

    This is what I was going to say - find places to add more fats to your meals, if you're not hungry and don't want a snack. I use coconut cream in my coffee. Add cheese, avocados, butter, etc to your meat and/or veggies or salads. Fat bomb for dessert? lol.
  • dlaciv12
    dlaciv12 Posts: 13
    I eat a tbsp of peanut butter before my run and after dinner. Each tbsp adds about 100 calories. It's not a lot but it's some and I do love some organic peanut butter!
  • msjames1999
    msjames1999 Posts: 528 Member
    When I first started, I had the same problem. So, I started to use a lot more butter, oil, etc. I learned to eat a lot of high calorie/high fat foods.
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Like many have already suggested, eat more fat. Full fat everything. Add extra butter to veggies, olive oil on salads, mayo, coconut oil, fat bombs, etc.
  • biancocm
    biancocm Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for all the advice, I'm trying to add higher fat into my diet which is hard for me to change my mindset to after years of being told low fat by everyone. The past two days I have been close to my daily calorie goal and had an increase in my appetite. It also helps that my boyfriend (who is way better at this low carb thing than me) has been doing to cooking the past couple days so I have no say in the fat content.......which is turning out to be just what I need.......I hope I can keep it up :happy: