Healthy but not healthy? (Calorie issue)

momokitty1992

Alright to start off this is what an average day looks like:

2 egg whites fried- 35 cal
1/2 whole wheat english muffin-75 cal
my coffee with soy and honey- 85-90 cal
Blueberries- 25 cal
1/2 banana - 55 cal
Breakfast= 230-260 cal on average

Broccoli- 50 cal
Cauliflower- 30 cal
Carrot (whole raw carrot) - 40 cal
Lunch= 120-140 cal avg

1 cucumber (the entire cucumber)- 40 cal
grapes - 63 cal
clementines - 40 cal each
Snack= 140-170 cal avg

Cabbage (1/2 an entire med. cabbage) - 140 cal
Swiss cheese - 70 cal
salmon (2-3oz)- 114-170 cal
Supper= 320-400 cal

Daily total= 810 - 950 cal on Average

I thought I was eating healthy and I'm not hungry, so I know I'm not starving. I'm 5' 2" I'm around 300pds and I sit at a desk from 7:30 am to as late as 5:30pm. but I see its not a lot of calories and I see posts all the time where people say its dangerous. My cousin is almost an 100% raw foodie, she lives on raw vegatables and she has convinced me to try it but my calorie intake is already low as it and the amount of vegatables I'd need to at to reach even 2000 calories is kinda scary. I put together an average day for her and her calorie intake is only 1000-1200. She also works out, she does zumba three to four nights a week.

I just am trying to figure out how these two things can balance out, live how can someone literally eat a salad consisting of half a head of cabbage and two raw carrots and thats only 300 calories and still be unhealthy? (I mean two days ago I ate a bacon cheeseburger around 1pm, well really I ate half and then stopped and ate the other half around 2:30 but still felt like I'd stuffed my face, and couldn't eat for the rest of the day. I mean, is it better to eat the burger which was like 700 calories? I don't know. I am confused, I feel like everything I grew up learning about eating healthy is wrong.)

I appreciate any advice, or advice anyone could give but please refrain from negative comments without constructive value. Thank you.

Mokey41

How long have you been eating like this and are you actually weighing and measuring your food?

psuLemon

If you want to eat a veggie type diet, you need to add a bunch of beans or legumes. Not only are you low in calories, you are eating almost no protein. This is a recipe for a lot of muscle loss. Also, eating too little for extended periods of time will just cause your RMR to slow down which will make it harder to lose weight.

You can be very healthy eating a meat based diet. In fact, if you struggle to get calories, I would recommend adding back meat, start doing whole eggs instead of egg whites (whites are not healthier), eating a full muffin instead of a half, adding nuts, cheese, protein bars, protein shakes, eating peanut butter out of a jar, or getting a little dirty and eating stuff like ice cream or higher calorie meats.

Calories in > quality of calories.

nomeejerome

It really is not a complicated issue. Calorie deficit for weight loss and exercise for fitness. Do you want to live on nothing but raw foods for the rest of your life? Is that something sustainable for you? It can be unhealthy for someone to eat nothing but that head of cabbage and two raw carrots because they are not getting overall nutrition from macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein). You can still have the bacon cheeseburger and be a healthy person. It is about meeting the nutritional needs of your body and exercising for fitness. Your calorie goal seems quite low and will not be sustainable for the long run. Create realistic goals, be consistent, weigh everything, log everything and make changes that will be sustainable for the long haul.


Read this:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

momokitty1992

I am measureing, but not weighing, we don't have scale at my house. My fish and chicken are all the prepackaged kind with the weight on the bag, so I've been using that to estimate.

I've been eating my percieved version of healthy for two weeks now, I've never been someone whoe eats alot, I just used to eat incredibly unhealthy as in, during college I litterly lived on chips and candy.

p.s. I'm sorry for any misspellings but my computer does not understand that I am typing in english and does not offer me english corrections.

momokitty1992

If you want to eat a veggie type diet, you need to add a bunch of beans or legumes. Not only are you low in calories, you are eating almost no protein. This is a recipe for a lot of muscle loss. Also, eating too little for extended periods of time will just cause your RMR to slow down which will make it harder to lose weight.

You can be very healthy eating a meat based diet. In fact, if you struggle to get calories, I would recommend adding back meat, start doing whole eggs instead of egg whites (whites are not healthier), eating a full muffin instead of a half, adding nuts, cheese, protein bars, protein shakes, eating peanut butter out of a jar, or getting a little dirty and eating stuff like ice cream or higher calorie meats.

Calories in > quality of calories.

Everyone in my family except my brother is either a vegetarian or close to it. Like many members of my family I am allergic to milk, wheat, strawberries, canned fish products, shellfish and artificial sweeteners (don't think that last one is an allergy but we all react badly to fake sugers.)

I have never eaten egg yellows. This will be an interesting experience.

nomeejerome

I am measureing, but not weighing, we don't have scale at my house. My fish and chicken are all the prepackaged kind with the weight on the bag, so I've been using that to estimate.

I've been eating my percieved version of healthy for two weeks now, I've never been someone whoe eats alot, I just used to eat incredibly unhealthy as in, during college I litterly lived on chips and candy.

p.s. I'm sorry for any misspellings but my computer does not understand that I am typing in english and does not offer me english corrections.

Calorie surplus=weight gain

You were eating at a surplus before, which is why you gained weight. It was not because of the types of food you were eating during college.

Read the link above (and all the links in it)

TeaBea

All the fiber in your diet is keeping you full. Don't get me wrong, fiber is good for you, but hitting your macros (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) is very important.

So being full ..... and getting good nutrition are not necessarily the same thing. Definitely try to up your protein & fat too for that matter.

psuLemon

If you want to eat a veggie type diet, you need to add a bunch of beans or legumes. Not only are you low in calories, you are eating almost no protein. This is a recipe for a lot of muscle loss. Also, eating too little for extended periods of time will just cause your RMR to slow down which will make it harder to lose weight.

You can be very healthy eating a meat based diet. In fact, if you struggle to get calories, I would recommend adding back meat, start doing whole eggs instead of egg whites (whites are not healthier), eating a full muffin instead of a half, adding nuts, cheese, protein bars, protein shakes, eating peanut butter out of a jar, or getting a little dirty and eating stuff like ice cream or higher calorie meats.

Calories in > quality of calories.

Everyone in my family except my brother is either a vegetarian or close to it. Like many members of my family I am allergic to milk, wheat, strawberries, canned fish products, shellfish and artificial sweeteners (don't think that last one is an allergy but we all react badly to fake sugers.)

I have never eaten egg yellows. This will be an interesting experience.

First, I would recommend a food scale, they are like $20 USD. Second, its ok to eat like a vegetarian but you have to ensure you are getting enough protein. At you size, I would think 120g - 150g of protein would be great. So if you struggle to get it from veggies, incorporating meat would be very beneficial. And like I said, you do not need to eat clean or eliminate specific foods (except for allergies) to lose weight. If you need a 1000 calories hamburger to get you to meet your goal, do so.

erickirb

Looks like your diet will be extremely short on fat and protein

Lleldiranne

I agree with the other posters who said you need to increase your protein. You could probably use more fat in your diet, as well. Dietary fat is not synonymous with unhealthy. You especially want unsaturated (from nuts, avocado, olive/olive oil, etc) but even some saturated is okay (butter, meat fats, etc).

The key is to learn to eat how you plan on eating for the rest of your life. Maybe you'd be happy on 900 calories a day, but I don't know many people who really would be forever. Plus, it's hard to get all your needed nutrients on such a low level. It would be better in the long run to learn how to plan 1500 calories a day or so - or even more if appropriate, making sure you get a good balance of your macros and plenty of micronutrients, and allowing for treats from time to time. (I don't know about you, but I'm not going to make cauliflower cake for my kids' birthdays, or mine!!) When you get to your goal you can add a few more hundred calories from there to maintain.

auddii

Here's a good list of different protein sources. The person who made the post gets high levels of protein and is a vegetarian:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources

gigglesinthesun

I thought I was eating healthy and I'm not hungry, so I know I'm not starving.

You are eating healthily, you are just not eating enough. Just as you are able to gain weight eating nothing but healthy food, you also can also lose weight eating nothing but unhealthy food (google twinkie diet if you like)

My cousin is almost an 100% raw foodie, she lives on raw vegatables and she has convinced me to try it but my calorie intake is already low as it and the amount of vegatables I'd need to at to reach even 2000 calories is kinda scary. I put together an average day for her and her calorie intake is only 1000-1200. She also works out, she does zumba three to four nights a week.

Unless you are living with your cousin, it is really hard to accurately estimate what they are actually eating, she might eat more calorific foods like avocados or fruit throughout her day, but that is neither here nor there.

Anyway, I am a vegetarian and manage to hit my goal calories without problems, in fact roll on some mushroom pizza with raw spinach and rocket on top and I can easily eat double my recommended daily intake. My salads contain both avocado and some grape seed oil. There are some vegan protein powders out there if you need more in that direction.

Some people also find that they eat more calories if they have liquefied food. You could puree an orange, a banana, some grapes, some berries and have it all without getting too full. Soups are also an option.

However with all this accurate measuring is really a must, because I cannot stress it enough that you can gain weight by eating too much of this.

TavistockToad

I have never eaten egg yellows. This will be an interesting experience.

yolk