Calories

selinal66

Right now im on a low carb diet, but i just can't get enough calories im only reaching 500 a day. The low carb helped me lose 15lbs so i dont want to change that. Any advice?

IronIsMyTherapy

The 500 calorie per day intake made you lose 15 lbs, not the carbs. You could've eaten 500 calories of pure carbs and still would've lost. If you're happy doing low carb, that's fine though. You need more protein and fat in that case. Meat, oils, nut butters, protein powder, etc. 500 calories is way too low.

mariomicro

selinal66 wrote: »

Right now im on a low carb diet, but i just can't get enough calories im only reaching 500 a day.

How is that possible? I have been on low carb for 2.5 years and I have never found it difficult to get enough calories. What is your diet like? Can you share your daily report?

Dogmom1978

Agree that the super low cal and NOT the low carb resulted in weight loss.

You need to eat more calories NOW. Meat, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, peanut butter, protein shakes, all low carb if you feel that will work for you.

You don’t need to eat low carb to lose though, you only need to be in a calorie deficit. I personally don’t like enough low carb foods for it to work for me. Based on your 500 calories a day, you might be in the same boat. Either eat the low carb things people suggest here or consider changing your approach, but either way, you should be eating 1200 calories a day minimum.

AnnPT77

Even if all of your calories were protein, you'd only be getting 125g, which would be enough for a medium to large woman. But you need fats, too. If all 500 calories were fats, you'd be getting 55g, which again might be OK for a medium-sized woman.

But you need both protein and fats, not to mention micronutrients and fiber, which tend to bring along at least a few carb calories.

Conclusion: There's no possible way you're even remotely close to getting adequate nutrition, let alone the pure fueling question. You need to eat more. Consider adding fatty proteins: Fatty cuts of meat, fatty cold-water fish, nuts and nut butters, seeds, etc. No woman (unless at an extremely extreme small height, old age, or very compromised activity level) can thrive on less than the MFP default of 1200 calories for women.

Eat more.

paperpudding

selinal66 wrote: »

Right now im on a low carb diet, but i just can't get enough calories im only reaching 500 a day. The low carb helped me lose 15lbs so i dont want to change that. Any advice?

Over what time period have you lost the 15lb? And what was your starting weight and height?

Reason for asking: if the answer is a time period of 15 weeks or more, then in fact you are eating more than 500 calories (and tracking is very inaccurate) and what you are actually doing is ok.

If you have a lot to lose decrease the time frame - ie if 2lb per week is realistic rate, then losing 15 lb in 8 weeks or so would be fine.