wth do people eat on 1500 calories?

nikamar

I dunno but I had Wendy's pretzel burger today and had around 1500 for today.

OMG those are SO good. I had one for lunch on Sunday and was still under my calorie goal for the day (~1700)

TheDoctorDana

Hope this takes you to the recipe. If not message me and I'll send it to you.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/edit/29331096

152 calories a serving (8 oz) and very, VERY filling. I think I could starve to death stuffing myself with it. It is very good too. I add siriacha, balsamic vinegar, and Tony Cashere's to mine.

fitpam90x

I personally have trouble getting to 1200-1300 calories sometimes.

Breakfast: 3 egg whites + toast with salsa or turkey breast and spinach OR a nonfat greek yogurt with a fruit of some sort.
Lunch: A spring mix salad with grilled chicken (4oz), fat free house italian dressing, feta cheese (1/4 cup), tomato, sweet pepper and santa fe tortilla strips OR a turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, spinach, and honey mustard.
Dinner: Whatever we're having for dinner that night but usually some sort of baked fish with a side of vegetables or rice.

Snacks I keep to a minimum ad consist of fresh fruit and maybe the occasional frozen yogurt.

Rollie277

Look into 'Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition ' or CRON dieting. It's a lifestyle some people adopt because there is some evidence in rat studies (no really human studies yet) that reducing your calories consumption to 70% what what your BMR says will increase your lifespan.

http://www.nbrhd.net/CR/CR.htm this person's website has examples from their own food journal.

http://www.optimal.org/peter/cron.htm goes into the philosophy behind it

so you can just read materials that are already online about this method to find foods that will meet all your nutritional needs and perhaps (hopefully) not leave you feeling deprived.

You will almost certainly have to work your way slowly from 1900 calories to 1300, or your body will rebel against you.

jonnythan

We are not rats and no one should go on a VLCD without express physician supervision.

Please don't recommend VLCDs on MFP.

EddieHaskell97

Reduce carbs and you can do 1,200 - 1,500 calories/day easily, while still feeling full from protein and good fats.

Add exercise every other day on top of that and you've got a recipe to burn almost 40 lbs in two months.

skkouts

Sounds like hypoglycemia. I used to get that way after eating just carbs on an empty stomach. Now I am diabetic and get that way if I do not eat with my medication.

heather_hearts_travel

These are great suggestions - I need them, too!

For myself, I used to get high-cal starbucks drinks, then I switched to nonfat cappuccinos with two raw sugars, then I cut the sugar, and now I'm on straight espresso. Cheaper, better for me. Though I do still get cappucinos when my friend reminds me I need the calcium in the milk.

Ah, carbs. I still enjoy carbs, just a lot less of them. I measure rice and pasta (it looks like you do, too), and I generally only eat bread if it's REALLY good.

My biggest stumbling block is sodium. Apparently, I love salt.

funsized045

I consume around 1200 calories per day. I find that I can eat a lot of fresh fruit or fresh veggies for very few calories. And the reason you are experiencing headaches is because you're eating the wrong food at the wrong times. Start your day off pretty much the way you did although you might want to switch out the cream in your coffee for skim milk. Then spend the rest of the day munching. I keep green grapes in the freezer because it takes longer to eat a frozen grape. I'll walk past the freezer a few times and pop two or three of them and spend a few minutes eating them. The constant nutrition keeps my blood sugar steady and keeps me from binging or snacking on carbs or unhealthy foods. I used to have the same problem with headaches and the runs but once I started doing this my headaches went away (well that and I cut out caffiene). As far as the runs go it's just your body getting used to your new dietary choices. It will level itself out in my experience. Best of luck!

jonnythan

Reduce carbs and you can do 1,200 - 1,500 calories/day easily, while still feeling full from protein and good fats.

Add exercise every other day on top of that and you've got a recipe to burn almost 40 lbs in two months.

So you think 97 pounds is a good weight for a 5'7 female?

Nice.

ercarroll311

My diary is open... I'm not usually at 1500, more like 1600 or 1700. but you're welcome to check it out.

winelover18

These are already some good suggestions. I have a small one to add. I always put my eggs on top of my toast and avoid using butter on my toast that way. I do cook my eggs with olive oil, though, so that might even out.

I've also lately been loving quinoa. It's filling, feels like a carb, but gives you a little more protein that might make you feel full longer (and make you feel like you ate a real carb).

I second both of these! Quinoa helps me feel fuller and tricks my mind into thinking that I'm eating pasta or rice.

Also, maybe add in a morning snack (I noticed you only had one snack) of something fiber rich and filling, like an apple or carrot sticks, which still are low in calories. Whenever I find myself getting hungry I'll eat a few baby carrots or have an apple and it definitely fills me up. I also drink tea throughout the day, it's a little more satisfying than just drinking plain water and fills me up.

Good luck!

EddieHaskell97

Reduce carbs and you can do 1,200 - 1,500 calories/day easily, while still feeling full from protein and good fats.

Add exercise every other day on top of that and you've got a recipe to burn almost 40 lbs in two months.

So you think 97 pounds is a good weight for a 5'7 female?

Nice.

No, I'm just sharing my personal experience since June 6th, 2013. I'm a 6'3 man who's down to 210 from almost 250. My VLCD was supervised by my doctor, and "the recipe" that I mentioned worked perfectly, FOR ME.

jonnythan

Reduce carbs and you can do 1,200 - 1,500 calories/day easily, while still feeling full from protein and good fats.

Add exercise every other day on top of that and you've got a recipe to burn almost 40 lbs in two months.

So you think 97 pounds is a good weight for a 5'7 female?

Nice.

No, I'm just sharing my personal experience since June 6th, 2013. I'm a 6'3 man who's down to 210 from almost 250. My VLCD was supervised by my doctor, and "the recipe" that I mentioned worked perfectly, FOR ME.

I dunno, when the 137-lb, 5'7 OP asked for help and you said "Reduce carbs and you can do 1,200 - 1,500 calories/day easily, while still feeling full from protein and good fats... Add exercise every other day on top of that and you've got a recipe to burn almost 40 lbs in two months" it kinda sounded like you were talking about her.

My apologies.

maybeazure

It takes some getting used to, but I am rarely excessively hungry any more.

I haven't cut anything out completely, but I rarely eat regular bread anymore. Instead I have an 80 calorie wrap, so some kind of low cal bread. I eat only very lean beef or chicken breast...no skin. I don't eat nuts very often. They have good for you fat, but a lot of calories and aren't that filling for me. I don't eat much butter or margarine. If I have a piece of bread I will usually have sugar free jelly on it, or even better a piece of meat of some kind.

I focus on eating lean proteins because they are filling, and when I feel like mindless eating I grab a bag of carrots or snow peas.

Jonahisout

The secret is not to eat less, but to eat MORE!

using more of your calories towards cruciferous, or fiber rich foods, and eating LESS of things that are packaged or prcessed.

By doing this, you will feel full, and be full, without starving youreself.

Good Tips: Try out varieties of beans, or using brown rice and vegetable motleys.

You could even, eat the "ground" foods for breakfast, lunch and snacks, and save the stuff that you rather eat for dinner!

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

OP: I'm on a 1700 calorie a day food plan (this was set up for me by a registered dietician for medical reasons), I have a list of food choices for each of the following and it's probably something you could research online for food choices:
Three servings of protein ( 2 oz in the morning, 3 oz at lunch, and 4 oz at supper... (these are intended as meat protein sources, remember you can get small amounts of protein from other sources like dairy, veggies, and healthy fats)
Five servings of whole grains (I saw you mentioned not finding gluten free bread you like, may I suggest Udi's brand, it's pretty decent, otherwise I use brown/wild rice, quinoa pasta, ect)
Three to four servings of veggies (I can have more if I am so inclined or feeling particularly hungry)
Two to three servings of fruit
Two to three servings of healthy fats
Three servings of dairy

I get migraines when I don't eat enough so I understand that you might be getting them if you don't eat enough so be careful with that and if you're feeling like you're getting one, then have some extra protein to help fill you up and ease off the hunger.

It suounds like you know what your calorie intake is for when you are exercising, and somebody mentioned slowly cutting back on your calories until you reach a level that will work for your goals and not keep you starving, this sounds like a good idea, if nothing else, since it sounds like you're expecting this time of being unable to workout to be temporary, at least find a calorie level that will keep you from gaining until you can get back to your regularly scheduled training program.
Best of luck to you!

jbonow1231

If you are having headaches and the runs as a constant problem - I'd look into the potential of a deeper medical issue. Food allergy? Need digestive enzymes? Some kind of mineral/vitamin imbalance? IBS?

I mean if you constantly have the runs, no wonder you are hungry all the time, you aren't keeping food in long enough to feel full.

Seriously - look into that first.

itsbakertime

Check your BMR. You may need to increase from 1500 calories.

I try to eat lots of small snacks that keep me full throughout the day. I eat nuts/jerky for a snack during the day and I try to incorporate high fiber and protein for my breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The more fruits and veggies you eat straight, the better chance you'll have of staying on target. You can eat quite a bit of squash and zucchini before you hit your calorie limit versus pasta.

Just a thought.

I like eggs with salsa, shredded wheat, almond milk, yogurt, muselei, nuts, bananas, and beef jerky. These foods make me feel good and I feel on track too. For lazy days, I have Smartones in the freezer (I like the lasagna one) which I add hot sauce or salsa to. It gives the food a fresher/home made flavor.

Hope this helps!

athenalittlerbassett

I think portion size does it for me but i am very satisfied and i have 1560 calories a day