Having trouble at 1300 calories

mclgo

Hi all,
I'm allowed 1370 calories per day to lose 1 lb per week. I'm having a LOT of trouble staying under that. I'm getting hungry - I mean hungry as in stomach growling and feeling light headed.

How do others do it? I'd like to hear from you. I'm thinking I need to start eating giant bowls of cooked vegs at each meal - luckily I like them.

I'm also afraid of the future - will I have to drop to 1200 soon? 1000? For a food lover this is so hard.

Thanks

ladynocturne

I looked at your diary and I can see why you are having issues instantly.

I know nuts are really healthy for us, but about 300-400 of your calories every day are devoted to snacking on nuts. I'd be starving too.

In addition.... No more granola bars (another almost 400 calories every day) or smoothies in the morning. You need to eat real solid food, including more lean protein.

I noticed that you also tend to eat around 200-300 calories worth of some kind of desert, brownies/chocolate/cheesecake. I'm not saying cut it out completely, but it is almost everyday, maybe try for twice a week. The main problem is that your dinner is 300 calories, and then desert is 300. You could eat a pretty large dinner for 600 calories and be plenty full.

I would also recommend cutting further back on cheese, no more than 100 calories worth of cheese on one meal.

kerryannebuckle

Heya! I've only just started my diet. I'm on 1200 a day! Today I had moments of feeling very weak and light headed but water was a godsend. Snack on little things like almonds. My friend ate almonds whenever she was hungry and they kept her very full. Or fruit. Don't leave yourself too hungry or you'll binge!! Always drink water when you're hungry or wait 10 mins for the hunger to go away! I was told that your stomach growling is a good thing because it's your fat being used up to keep you energised! not 100% on that but... Xx

Atishi87

Lots of salads and chicken breast and water.

9jenn9

You're right. It's going to be hard to sustain 1300 calories because that's low. Go into your settings and change your goal to something less aggressive, like .5 lbs per week. If you exercise, eat back your exercise calories. I know it's tempting to try to lose the weight quickly, but if your stomach is growling and you're light headed, you're setting yourself up for failure. Also, try to eat more high volume, low calorie foods, like veggies and lean protein. That might take the edge off.

lynn_glenmont

Are you exercising? Do you realize that MFP expects you to "eat back" the calories burned, above whatever goal it set for you for daily calories.

lydiaannepage

Heya! I've only just started my diet. I'm on 1200 a day! Today I had moments of feeling very weak and light headed but water was a godsend. Snack on little things like almonds. My friend ate almonds whenever she was hungry and they kept her very full. Or fruit. Don't leave yourself too hungry or you'll binge!! Always drink water when you're hungry or wait 10 mins for the hunger to go away! I was told that your stomach growling is a good thing because it's your fat being used up to keep you energised! not 100% on that but... Xx

Heya - I know I've only been on my diet a month, but I can tell you feeling weak, light headed and hungry is BAD! Trust me, I lost 14lbs my first month, but never once felt any of that. If you want to send me a message I can tell you exactly what I've been doing, but honestly please don't do that to yourself! I too am averaging right around 1200 calories a day, but you can do it with filling foods so that you always feel energized and satisfied!

susieoj

I have trouble not being hungry when I eat 1700, so yeah, 1300 is going to leave you hungry. Rome wasn't built in a day - set your goal to 1500 and see how you feel, or 1600.... Start a bit slower so that you can stick with it longer, it won't do you any good if you're miserable and don't stick to it in the long run.

TigerBite

I looked at your diary and I can see why you are having issues instantly.

I know nuts are really healthy for us, but about 300-400 of your calories every day are devoted to snacking on nuts. I'd be starving too.

In addition.... No more granola bars (another almost 400 calories every day) or smoothies in the morning. You need to eat real solid food, including more lean protein.

I would also recommend cutting further back on cheese.

I kind of concur with this ...

3 oz. nuts (max)
Cheese is okay ... moderation (maybe 2 oz. of really high quality, artisan type cheese ... more flavor for your calorie buck)

granola bars and smoothies, eh ... ditch 'em

Breakfast could be fruit and cottage cheese/Greek yogurt (protein and fiber will keep you full ... and the protein along with the fruit will keep your blood sugar stable ... lightheadedness when dieting is usually low blood sugar)

... and instead of granola bars, snack on an ounce of raw almonds (fat + protein + fiber = full)

ETA: EXERCISE ... You get to eat more when you exercise ...

wilsoje74

I agree, you need to change what you are eating. Two granola bars and 9 cookies made up many of your calories one day. That will not keep you feeling full. Try more salads, proteins, veggies, fruits, cottage cheese, yogurt. One granola bar or a cookie a day is ok but not both every day. I can't even eat nuts because it's too hard for me to eat one serving.

mssierra2u

Try to incorporate less calorie-dense foods. The less processed the better. Also make sure you are eating a lot of fiber. I have 2 fiber choice tablets each day with my breakfast. It helps keep my blood sugar even and it helps me to not feel so hungry all the time. I have also found that at 1350 calories net, if I don't work out, there's no way I can stay succeed. I need the calories I earn through exercise. I just started again, but part of my "pause" was when I adjusted my calories down and felt it was impossible to stay within bounds. It made me make sure I was thinking about ways to be successful. But it sure took the wind out of my sails for a while.

Ang108

Hi all,
I'm allowed 1370 calories per day to lose 1 lb per week. I'm having a LOT of trouble staying under that. I'm getting hungry - I mean hungry as in stomach growling and feeling light headed.

How do others do it? I'd like to hear from you. I'm thinking I need to start eating giant bowls of cooked vegs at each meal - luckily I like them.

I'm also afraid of the future - will I have to drop to 1200 soon? 1000? For a food lover this is so hard.

Thanks

When it comes to losing weight none of the guidelines are written in stone. No one can tell you what is enough for you and what not, especially if it is based on their own story, which probably is much different from yours.
Looking at your food diary I feel that you are all over the place. You have days when half your calories come from sugar filled snacks ( which is fine for weight loss, but does nothing for feeling satiated ). You have days where you either don't log everything, or you eat very little. For a healthy diet ( again, that has nothing to do with weight loss ) and to make your calories count you might want to eat more healthy protein and healthy fat. That keeps me satiated most of the time.
Also, if you make a commitment to a certain plan you set up for yourself, it is much easier to figure out what or why things are not working should you hit a plateau or be dissatisfied. The way you eat now, at the best you can only guess.
I think you could improve the quality of what you eat, check after a few weeks and if that does not work eat more, which would possibly cause a slower weight loss but would make sure that you are more satiated.

_EndGame_

Try doing some exercise, if you're not used to it, start off with small activities.

Try walking around your block, a park - take the dog out (if you have one)

I say this, because MFP (even though it tends to overestimate) will calculate your exercise and add it on to your NET total, allowing you to eat those exercise calories back.

I swim for between 1-2 hours five days a week, I usually earn back between 600-1000 calories each day, which would is essence allow me to eat an extra 600-1000 calories back. I usually eat at least 1/4 of my exercise calories back, more if I'm really hungry.

As for being hungry, I'm not surprised. I usually eat at least 1000 calories just for dinner!

robsmithey

I earn calories via exercise. I enjoy exercising but truthfully I can stay dedicated because I do it so I can EAT. I tend to drink de-caf tea, low sodium chicken broth w sliced scallions & a few TBS of pasta or rice.
I eat spinach/romaine salads with turkey pre-measured & low fat dressing. I cut back on almonds & my morning smoothies.
I cut back on soft cheeses, breads, sauces and drink lots of water with fruit slices. I also keep hard boil eggs prepared and eat 1 cup of oatmeal with a half a banana or a tsp./ honey. I am on meds that are making weight loss challenging (like it is'nt anyway) so I decided to weigh myself one a month along with measurements. This is a life change so no timeline is required.
Hope this helps..good luck.

EszterNZ

Agree with the others.
My daily allowance has be 1360 for the last 4 months and i've never had an issue with being hungry.

I have cut out nuts (or if i have some, it will be a small amount), no cheese as I found it really didnt make that much difference to the taste of things, I've switched to trim/low fat milk, low fat yoghurt, low fat ice cream so I can still eat / drink those things.

For breakfast I will have a measured portion of porridge or high fibre cereal like bran cereal with trim milk. Lunches will either be a soup with a piece of toast or a salad with tuna/chicken and half a cup of cooked couscous or rice, and dinners are similar. Protein / lean meat, lots of greens and veggies and a small amount of carbs whether its pasta, rice ,cous cous or potatoes.

I have dessert every night, even if its just a row of chocolate or a serve (about 60grams) of low fat ice cream..and those only add about 100-150 calories for me.

I also do exercise every single day, even if its just a half hour walk , which for me burns 250 calories (Heart rate monitor) , and as others have said, exercising means you can eat more!
good luck

Mr_Knight

I'm looking at one of your days here, and it looks like you got half your calories from 4 granola bars.

There's nothing wrong with granola bars in and of themselves, but having them be half your daily food is going to leave pretty much anyone hungry and unfulfilled.

Silvermist16

I understand. I am only allowed 1200 calories a day and I am often hungry. I sometimes will just have raw veggies or fruit to fill the void. Eventually, your body should adjust and it will get easier. There are a lot of good suggestions on here for you. Good luck!

czechwolf52

It's probably time you change your weight loss goal to .5 pound a week. When my daily limit got below 1400 I changed my goal to a smaller amount. This will allow you to eat 1400-1500 calories while still losing weight. You can fit most of the foods that you would want to eat in a day without going over if you portion and plan correctly.

If you still want to stick to 1300 a day then you need to eat less calorie dense foods and really plan out your day. Or you could exercise more which will allow to you eat more, just make sure you get a HRM to ensure you get the most accurate calorie burn and eat them back.

Carnivor0us

High fat, lower sugar/carb, moderate protein will be MORE satiating calorie for calorie than sugary and carby stuff. If the other suggestions don't work for you, try it for a week and see how you do. Feel free to message me.

Ejourneys

My daily calorie goal is 1360, but it started out as 1650 and decreased as I took the weight off. Throughout, my goal has been a half-pound loss per week. As a result, my body has adjusted and I rarely have trouble with the limit.

Yes to what everyone has said about turning away from calorie-dense foods and processed foods. I ditched energy bars for that reason.

Food cravings are hard in the beginning. What helped me is what I call bridge foods:



Here, raisins served as the bridge between chocolate and grapes. Raisins had the sweetness I needed, but not the fat content of chocolate. These days, the sweetness in grapes is plenty for me and I typically eat two cups of grapes after my workout. Note the comparison in calories versus the volume of food -- those two cups of grapes are very filling.

mclgo

Hi all,
I should add some information

I've been exercising pretty regularly until recently - 5 or 6 walks a week for 2 miles or more. Life's just been busy and I'm down to 2 or 3 walks per week.
My morning smoothies are frozen berries, spinach, and unsweetened almond milk, and I consider that a pretty healthy choice.
The cookies were a moment of extreme weakness. Usually I make great choices.

Thanks!

mclgo

That was not a usual day. That was a huge mistake.

lilred806

I love carrots and hummus. Low calorie but lots of volume. If you like spinach you can have a lot of that. I make a taco salad with spinach, ground turkey, spices, salsa, and a few taco chips if I want. It is filling and healthy. I leave out the taco chips if I don't have the calories left. I usually save sweets and such for the days I get exercise calories. I try to get used to eating filling foods most days. Love eggs for breakfast. Occasionally I throw eggs, spinach, red onion, and tomato into my magic bullet and that is yummy as well. I am at 1500 calories now and have been losing steadily and I am not hungry. Good luck.

Carnivor0us

Hi all,
I should add some information

I've been exercising pretty regularly until recently - 5 or 6 walks a week for 2 miles or more. Life's just been busy and I'm down to 2 or 3 walks per week.
My morning smoothies are frozen berries, spinach, and unsweetened almond milk, and I consider that a pretty healthy choice.
The cookies were a moment of extreme weakness. Usually I make great choices.

Thanks!

That smoothie sounds very healthy, but I would suggest adding some protein, like a poached egg or Greek yogurt. It can help you with some of your hunger by being more satiating, and it won't add that much extra in terms of calories.

mclgo

Whoops - the smoothie has whey protein in it too!

Carnivor0us

Whoops - the smoothie has whey protein in it too!

Oh, okay. That's good then. Maybe you can add a bit more or add a little fat (which can be really filling, especially in the morning). A tablespoon or so of coconut cream comes to mind.

BeautyUndead

I think one user really hit the nail on the head when they said that you have to devise a plan built around your needs and your lifestyle. Other people can only tell you what works for them, and then you have to figure out what you are capable of doing. A different plan of attack, if you will.

I love my food, too, and the first time I tried MFP it was frustrating to see how few calories I could consume and how quickly my favorite foods filled that up. Here's what I'm doing differently this go-around:

Exercise! I've got an under 1300 calorie allotment, and that's no fun at all. I need to do exercise to earn those extra calories. Personally I've got a lot of free time right now, so I can afford to go for long walks. I don't have a lot of money for expensive exercise equipment or a gym membership, so I do exercises that don't require those things. Build an exercise plan around your lifestyle. Try to make it fun so that you'll stick with it! For my walks I make sure to stay comfortable (wearing appropriate clothing), and entertained (by varying my routes and listening to a good podcast).

Avoid temptation. If I say "oh, I'll only have one cookie", I'm going to end up eating four. It's a matter of being firm and avoiding what you know are your weak points. If you have the option of keeping unhealthy food in your house altogether, go for it!

Water is better than sliced bread. I drink a lot water now; it's healthy and I can quiet my tummy a bit! In my experience warm drinks like tea are better than cold water for keeping you from feeling hungry, but both are great.

You've gotten a lot of great advice here. I've certainly learned things! Best of luck to you on your weight loss journey!

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Make sure you're eating back your exercise calories. That's how MFP is supposed to be used.

If that doesn't work then try adding 100 calories. Sure you may lose at a slower rate, but you'll be a lot happier and able to focus while you do it. :flowerforyou:

Carnivor0us

Make sure you're eating back your exercise calories. That's how MFP is supposed to be used.

If that doesn't work then try adding 100 calories. Sure you may lose at a slower rate, but you'll be a lot happier and able to focus while you do it. :flowerforyou:

I agree with this. I originally was at 1200, myself, but after a week I was about ready to gnaw my arm off. I upped it to 1500 and found that I was happier and still losing.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Make sure you're eating back your exercise calories. That's how MFP is supposed to be used.

If that doesn't work then try adding 100 calories. Sure you may lose at a slower rate, but you'll be a lot happier and able to focus while you do it. :flowerforyou:

I agree with this. I originally was at 1200, myself, but after a week I was about ready to gnaw my arm off. I upped it to 1500 and found that I was happier and still losing.

Same. I was set at 1400 and I upped it to 1500. It worked wonders.

alyhuggan

More exercise and then eat more, simple!