Not Eating Enough Calories

mariluzay

Hello! So I’ve been logging my meals for about a week now so that I can lose 30 pounds in order to be at my healthy weight for my height, and with the way my schedule is it turns out that I eat less than 1,000 calories a day (either lunch during my break at work or dinner when I get home) which is a big no-no since my body might go into starvation mode and hold onto calories instead of burning them and make it almost impossible to lose weight. I was wondering if there was any ways that you get the proper amount of calories in and if there are any snacks and meals that you love. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

Kdp2015

- What are your stats?
- How much have you lost in the first week?
- How do you measure and log your meals?
- Starvation mode does not exist !

kommodevaran

If you use common sense and apply critical thinking, you set yourself up for success.

If you have excess weight, eating too little is not a real problem.

If you are really eating 1000 calories, just eat more. If you only eat one meal, eat two or three.

A more likely explanation of what is going on, is that you're not logging correctly. Or that you're so excited about weightloss that you don't feel hunger, or you ignore it. 1000 calories is half the amount of food an average woman needs, and almost nothing compared to what you must have eaten in order to gain weight. Or that you're eating boring, filling food that takes away your appetite. This is not a good thing, because that when appetite comes back, it comes back with vengeance.

Your body does not go into starvation mode and hold onto calories instead of burning them and make it almost impossible to lose weight. You lose weight in accordance with your actual calorie deficit over time. Eating too little makes you hungry, so you overeat, and your calorie intake over time is higher than the amount you burn.

There are so many ways to eat appropriately, and so many meals and snacks that some but not everybody love, that it's impossible to list and pointless to try. You just have to find a way that suits you.

TavistockToad

Starvation mode isn't a thing, not in the way you mean anyway.

And, peanut butter

phamhoangbao

Try pork egg omelet, oats, avacado. They are clean and high in calories

janejellyroll

As has been said, starvation mode isn't something to be concerned with.

You do want to eat enough to maintain your energy and meet your nutritional needs.

If you have 30 pounds to lose, you already know the kinds of things you like to eat. Why not eat those?

diannethegeek

mariluzay wrote: »

Hello! So I’ve been logging my meals for about a week now so that I can lose 30 pounds in order to be at my healthy weight for my height, and with the way my schedule is it turns out that I eat less than 1,000 calories a day (either lunch during my break at work or dinner when I get home) which is a big no-no since my body might go into starvation mode and hold onto calories instead of burning them and make it almost impossible to lose weight. I was wondering if there was any ways that you get the proper amount of calories in and if there are any snacks and meals that you love. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

1. It's only been a week. There's sometimes a sort of "honeymoon" period when people start a new diet and the excitement tricks their brain into feeling more satisfied on a lot less food. This usually wears off after a couple of weeks and you may find your hunger signals bounce back soon.

2. "Starvation mode" or adaptive thermogenesis will not cause your body to hold onto weight. It takes a lot more than a week slightly below your goal to kick your metabolism into downshifting and even then it won't go low enough that you magically start gaining weight. There are some good posts on starvation mode and what it is and isn't in the stickied "must reads" posts at the top of each forum section if you want to learn more. Those posts are great if you haven't looked at any of them yet.

3. Double-check that you're logging as accurately as you can be. Sometimes people just starting out forget about things like cooking oils, veggies, condiments, drinks, cheat days, etc. and think they're eating fewer calories then they truly are. You'd be surprised at the things I've seen people forget about. Things like confusing fluid ounce and ounces or buying the biggest bananas but then logging them as the smallest option. Again, there are great threads on this in the stickied posts if you want to be really sure you've got this down.

4. Speaking of the stickied "must reads" posts, you'd find this in the post on the top of the Food and Nutrition board: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1 You might find some ideas there. I try to keep it bumped with food ideas and recipes every so often.

Elphaba1313

phamhoangbao wrote: »

Try pork egg omelet, oats, avacado. They are clean and high in calories

Clean? As in not dirty?

43501

Elphaba1313 wrote: »

phamhoangbao wrote: »

Try pork egg omelet, oats, avacado. They are clean and high in calories

Clean? As in not dirty?

"Clean" as in they're basic foods, you know what's in them and you can prepare them yourself. Pork is pig meat. An egg is an egg. I don't know if I would necessarily call oats "clean" but depends on the brand, some stuff them full of sugar.

Foods that aren't "clean" would be most pre-packaged things with numerous ingredients.

glassyo

43501 wrote: »

Elphaba1313 wrote: »

phamhoangbao wrote: »

Try pork egg omelet, oats, avacado. They are clean and high in calories

Clean? As in not dirty?

"Clean" as in they're basic foods, you know what's in them and you can prepare them yourself. Pork is pig meat. An egg is an egg. I don't know if I would necessarily call oats "clean" but depends on the brand, some stuff them full of sugar.

Foods that aren't "clean" would be most pre-packaged things with numerous ingredients.

Ever count the ingredients in a banana?

janejellyroll

43501 wrote: »

Elphaba1313 wrote: »

phamhoangbao wrote: »

Try pork egg omelet, oats, avacado. They are clean and high in calories

Clean? As in not dirty?

"Clean" as in they're basic foods, you know what's in them and you can prepare them yourself. Pork is pig meat. An egg is an egg. I don't know if I would necessarily call oats "clean" but depends on the brand, some stuff them full of sugar.

Foods that aren't "clean" would be most pre-packaged things with numerous ingredients.

There's nothing dirty about pre-packaged food. There's nothing dirty about more complex recipes.

Aaron_K123

mariluzay wrote: »

Hello! So I’ve been logging my meals for about a week now so that I can lose 30 pounds in order to be at my healthy weight for my height, and with the way my schedule is it turns out that I eat less than 1,000 calories a day (either lunch during my break at work or dinner when I get home) which is a big no-no since my body might go into starvation mode and hold onto calories instead of burning them and make it almost impossible to lose weight. I was wondering if there was any ways that you get the proper amount of calories in and if there are any snacks and meals that you love. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

Starvation mode isn't a thing. I'm not sure how people convince themselves that somehow not eating enough will result in not losing weight, that doesn't make any sense.

As far as how to eat more if you are overweight then clearly you know how to eat more. If you need more calories then eat more calories. If you struggle to get enough calories because you have restricted yourself to eating nothing but say vegetables and lean protein then ease up a bit on that and add in some other foods that will help you get to your calorie goal.

A personal favorite snack of mine is ice cream.

Elphaba1313

I hate the demonisation of food. Unless it has mud on it, or hepatitis in it, it's not clean, it's not dirty, it's just food. Eat it or don't.

WinoGelato

mariluzay wrote: »

Hello! So I’ve been logging my meals for about a week now so that I can lose 30 pounds in order to be at my healthy weight for my height, and with the way my schedule is it turns out that I eat less than 1,000 calories a day (either lunch during my break at work or dinner when I get home) which is a big no-no since my body might go into starvation mode and hold onto calories instead of burning them and make it almost impossible to lose weight. I was wondering if there was any ways that you get the proper amount of calories in and if there are any snacks and meals that you love. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

Others already covered starvation mode...

Are you only eating one meal a day? You said either lunch at work or dinner when you get home. Why not both? Why not breakfast? Why not snacks?

TrishSeren

I guarantee you are eating more than you think you are. Weigh your food, you'll be surprised.

thebomb4043

so just eat low calories, working out burns calories, eating less just means u dont have to work out hard in the gym, as u already took care of that with ur diet.

WinoGelato

thebomb4043 wrote: »

so just eat low calories, working out burns calories, eating less just means u dont have to work out hard in the gym, as u already took care of that with ur diet.

No.

Elphaba1313

I'd go so far as "hell no"

MichelleSilverleaf

thebomb4043 wrote: »

so just eat low calories, working out burns calories, eating less just means u dont have to work out hard in the gym, as u already took care of that with ur diet.

Did you read the OP's post at all?