Calorie goal problem!

fallen44

Helll everyone! I kinda need some help with my current calorie goal. I exercise about 3-4 days a week and i burn about 500-1000 calories in each workout. I am eating without restraint and i cannot for the life of me make the 2000 calorie goal! Any help?

janejellyroll

Are you trying to lose weight? If so, at some point you must have been able to eat more. Have you eliminated too many calorie-dense foods from your diet?

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Eat more fats: Butter, cheese, nuts, oils. Don't fear the fats.

2011rocket3touring

Research calorically dense foods; such as quinoa, peanut butter, regular butter, coconut oil etc.

CopperB73

Hi
Can I ask: Where did the 2000-calorie goal come from? Did you use MFP's default system (you tell it your age, gender weight and weight-loss goals and it works out a daily calorie intake goal)? If you did, then did you realise that MFP assumes that you are not exercising? So, you should tell it about any exercise that you do (find your exercise on the 'exercise' tab, and adjust the time done, and change the calorie burn from MFP's estimate if you have a measurement from some other app or machine) . MFP then gives you some 'exercise calories' to add to your daily total, and you are supposed to eat them if you want, especially if you are doing a lot of regular exercise. If you are doing maybe 2000-4000 calories/week of exercise and not correcting your intake for (some of) it, no wonder you're hungry! Effectively you would be trying to fast for 1-2 days/week just in calorie terms, and you might not be getting the protein and other nutrients you need.

Also worth reviewing your 'goals' page just to check that everything (your weight, age, and weight-loss target) is the way it should be and up-to date.

Hope that helps - if you arrived at your 2000-calorie goal some other way, probably someone else can help, if they know how you did it.

fallen44

Wi have kept my diet the same as before. I am trying to loose weight but i struggle to eat 3 times a day. And when i go to the gym i burn like i said a min of 500 and even if i eat "regular food" cant seem to make up the goal calorie. I dont say no to any food but cant seem to reach that goal. I have lost 1.5kg in 2 weeks but im worried im not loosing correctly

tinkerbellang83

How are you determining the calorie burn? MFP database or by a fitness tracker?

It's pretty easy to up your calorie intake, add some higher calorie snacks (Protein Bar/Nuts/Banana) or accompaniments (Mayonnaise/Olive Oil/Salad Dressing) to your day or substitute a lower calorie item with a higher one (like Milk/Cheese/Soda)

livingleanlivingclean

fallen44 wrote: »

Wi have kept my diet the same as before. I am trying to loose weight but i struggle to eat 3 times a day. And when i go to the gym i burn like i said a min of 500 and even if i eat "regular food" cant seem to make up the goal calorie. I dont say no to any food but cant seem to reach that goal. I have lost 1.5kg in 2 weeks but im worried im not loosing correctly

So how did you get in a position where you need to lose weight?

janejellyroll

fallen44 wrote: »

Wi have kept my diet the same as before. I am trying to loose weight but i struggle to eat 3 times a day. And when i go to the gym i burn like i said a min of 500 and even if i eat "regular food" cant seem to make up the goal calorie. I dont say no to any food but cant seem to reach that goal. I have lost 1.5kg in 2 weeks but im worried im not loosing correctly

How are you determining how many calories you're burning at the gym? Are you sure you're accurately measuring your intake (using a food scale, double-checking database entries, avoiding generic/homemade entries, etc)?

Again, if you have weight to lose you must have been eating more at some point. So what changed? Why can't you eat as much as you used to?

fallen44

I was bed ridden for 2 years and binge eating and went from weighing 75kg to 110kg i have been up and down for a few years but since i retook control i have been on the path to weightloss. I follow the scanning section to log the calories and in the gym i am using other apps in partner to this one to track exercise. I literally have to force myself into eating 3 times a day and used to binge once a day and kinda let it fill me until i was hungry again kinda like when you fill up a car. I have since learned to eat more regularly and better and more concentrated portions.

tinkerbellang83

Unless the apps are connected to an HR Monitor there is a chance you aren't burning as much as you think.

What rate are you losing weight at?

jemhh

fallen44 wrote: »

Wi have kept my diet the same as before. I am trying to loose weight but i struggle to eat 3 times a day. And when i go to the gym i burn like i said a min of 500 and even if i eat "regular food" cant seem to make up the goal calorie. I dont say no to any food but cant seem to reach that goal. I have lost 1.5kg in 2 weeks but im worried im not loosing correctly

1.5 kg = 3.3 lbs

That kind of loss in two weeks is fine and nothing to worry about.

What are your height and weight?

chelllsea124

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

Eat more fats: Butter, cheese, nuts, oils. Don't fear the fats.

I love good fats!

fallen44

I am 1,79m tall and weighing now at 104,4 kg. My goal is to get to 80 in the next 10 months. I was thinking the same about the apps that maybe im not burning as much as they say but having tried various they all come in at the same. Before i started gaining weight i was very athletic and had a pretty fast metabolism i dunno if that says anything about anything i am a complete noob when it comes to calories and nutrition and all that. For example i just burned 550 cal doing 25km (bike) and have 1500 cal to hit my goal and only have dinner left! And i aint even finished my workout

SezxyStef

fallen44 wrote: »

I am 1,79m tall and weighing now at 104,4 kg. My goal is to get to 80 in the next 10 months. I was thinking the same about the apps that maybe im not burning as much as they say but having tried various they all come in at the same. Before i started gaining weight i was very athletic and had a pretty fast metabolism i dunno if that says anything about anything i am a complete noob when it comes to calories and nutrition and all that. For example i just burned 550 cal doing 25km (bike) and have 1500 cal to hit my goal and only have dinner left! And i aint even finished my workout

how are you measuring your intake?

are you using a food scale? measuring cups/spoons? or are you guessing that X is 150g or Y is 1oz

Tried30UserNames

Try snacking on a half a cup of macadamia nuts. That should get you about 500 calories and help you reach your goal.

What foods do you eat? If you like coffee with skim milk, try adding heavy cream instead. If you eat a salad, be generous with the salad dressing, perhaps making a homemade vinaigrette that has significantly more olive oil than vinegar. If you cook meat or eggs or sauté vegetables, use butter or olive oil to cook them in (about 100-110 calories per T for most pure fats). If you eat a bowl of oatmeal, add a tablespoon or two of butter or coconut oil or peanut butter to it.

fallen44

I have trouble eating salads as i cant stand the smell or taste of vinegar or some of the texture of the veggies. I measure the food i make with a kitchen scale and the one i dont make i use the scanning option here. I usually eat anything really. Meat chicken rice pasta cheese bacon chorizo are my mostly used foods i guess

SezxyStef

fallen44 wrote: »

I have trouble eating salads as i cant stand the smell or taste of vinegar or some of the texture of the veggies. I measure the food i make with a kitchen scale and the one i dont make i use the scanning option here. I usually eat anything really. Meat chicken rice pasta cheese bacon chorizo are my mostly used foods i guess

okay so how fast are you losing weight?

ETA: I see it's 1.5 kg in 2 weeks which equates to just under 2lbs a week which can be too fast depending on how much you want to lose.

If you think you need more food then eat higher calorie items like pizza or ice cream or add more oils etc.

steveko89

Agree with other posters suggesting measuring tools; get a good HR monitor like a Polar H7 and a food scale to really dial everything in, try that for a while, adjust accordingly.

jemhh

fallen44 wrote: »

I am 1,79m tall and weighing now at 104,4 kg. My goal is to get to 80 in the next 10 months. I was thinking the same about the apps that maybe im not burning as much as they say but having tried various they all come in at the same. Before i started gaining weight i was very athletic and had a pretty fast metabolism i dunno if that says anything about anything i am a complete noob when it comes to calories and nutrition and all that. For example i just burned 550 cal doing 25km (bike) and have 1500 cal to hit my goal and only have dinner left! And i aint even finished my workout

I think that you are worrying about nothing. You are losing at a healthy rate for your size. You are very likely eating more than you think but you are eating enough--not too much, not too little. My advice is to stop worrying and continue on as you are.

xandra47

I can relate, some days it feels like I'm eating non-stop just to hit my 1210 calorie goal. It takes alot more healthy food, than crappy processed stuff to reach a calorie goal that's for sure!

fallen44

Thanks everyone for the feedback i appreciate your help and hope to do the same for you giys in the future. I will look at the hr monitor and keep on using the scale. I was just worried about not hitting the goal but i am in no rush or desperate to loose. I have 10 months to loose 20kg so im pretty chill about it for now

InkAndApples

xandra47 wrote: »

I can relate, some days it feels like I'm eating non-stop just to hit my 1210 calorie goal. It takes alot more healthy food, than crappy processed stuff to reach a calorie goal that's for sure!

My goodness, how?! I had to stick to my 1220 the other day due to supreme lack of activity and it was mosterous, I was grumpy and hungry all day. I could hit 2000 calories in a single meal without really trying tbh, and often did.

xandra47

@InkAndApples lol I'm only five feet tall, my maintenance calories are only like 1600.

lemurcat12

jemhh wrote: »

fallen44 wrote: »

I am 1,79m tall and weighing now at 104,4 kg. My goal is to get to 80 in the next 10 months. I was thinking the same about the apps that maybe im not burning as much as they say but having tried various they all come in at the same. Before i started gaining weight i was very athletic and had a pretty fast metabolism i dunno if that says anything about anything i am a complete noob when it comes to calories and nutrition and all that. For example i just burned 550 cal doing 25km (bike) and have 1500 cal to hit my goal and only have dinner left! And i aint even finished my workout

I think that you are worrying about nothing. You are losing at a healthy rate for your size. You are very likely eating more than you think but you are eating enough--not too much, not too little. My advice is to stop worrying and continue on as you are.

Agree. If you can eat without restraint and are losing, and it's around 1% of your bodyweight or less, sounds good.