Anyone having a hard time reaching 1200 cal?

No matter how hard I try, by the end of the day, I have 200-400 calories left! I usually burn around 300 calories in exercise. After dinner, I'm just never hungry. I'm never hungry through out the day.

Does anyone else have this problem?
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Replies

  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    From my observations, the only people that really have trouble reaching 1200 calories are the ones that are focused on eating nothing but low-calorie foods and try to avoid things they consider "junk food".

    There is no issue with reaching the 1200 calorie mark itself, because if there was then many of us wouldn't be here in the first place. You just need to reassess your food choices and consider adding in some more calorie dense foods to your day.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,393 Member
    3 cookies = 150-400 calories
    Glass of milk = 150 calories

    Ta Da. :drinker:
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    Nope. With a bit of effort I could eat three 1200 calorie meals a day. This is how I gained weight.
    If you're having trouble making up the last 300 - 400 calories have a couple of bananas, or a piece of cheese with crackers and a glass of milk. Seriously, eating's not difficult.
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
    Add some oil into whatever it is you usually eat. It isn't filling but it gives you a good amount of calories.
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    Are you kidding? I sure do have difficulty with 1200 cals...my difficulty is not going over! How can you not be hungry with 1200 cals...are you really logging everything?
  • I suspect you're not logging every single thing you eat, including the butter/oil you cook your foods in, any dressings, drinks, etc. All of it can add up.

    Like other posters are saying, if you have difficulty reaching 1200 calories a day, then you wouldn't be in the position where you need to lose weight in the first place. I have a hard time believing anyone who overeats to the point of being overweight/obese would suddenly have no appetite and no desire to binge.

    If indeed you do have this issue, well, you're lucky. I would seriously reassess your diary, though, and pay much more attention to every single thing you are consuming. Be honest with yourself. If you aren't completely sure about how much of something you've consumed, it's better to overestimate than underestimate.
  • monisiaczeq
    monisiaczeq Posts: 131 Member
    Shame we can't have a look at your diary- this would defiantly help to find some answers. But you should definitely try to hit 1200 mark otherwise your metabolism will slow down and weight loss will be slower!
    Maybe a wholewheat toast with peanut butter and
    Banana slices? Yummy but also healthy?
    Or a pot of yoghurt?
    150grams of rice boiled in skimmed milk with few strawberries?
    Or even 200gt oven baked chicken with your favourite
    Spices?
    Air popped pop corn?
    Carrots and humous?
    Some soup?
    Or even treat yourself to a hot chocolate!
    I mean the choice is huge and I'm sure we can all post maaaaaany ideas for the remaining calories!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Peanut butter sammich and a glass of milk.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    No problem at ALL. I have a tough time staying under my goal of about 2000-2200.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Sauté veggies in a bit of butter
    Eat some nuts or add nuts to veggies or stir fry
    Have a bit of dark chocolate (I consider that medicine)
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Shame we can't have a look at your diary- this would defiantly help to find some answers. But you should definitely try to hit 1200 mark otherwise your metabolism will slow down and weight loss will be slower!
    Maybe a wholewheat toast with peanut butter and
    Banana slices? Yummy but also healthy?
    Or a pot of yoghurt?
    150grams of rice boiled in skimmed milk with few strawberries?
    Or even 200gt oven baked chicken with your favourite
    Spices?
    Air popped pop corn?
    Carrots and humous?
    Some soup?
    Or even treat yourself to a hot chocolate!
    I mean the choice is huge and I'm sure we can all post maaaaaany ideas for the remaining calories!
    You're forgetting ice cream, pizza, bacon and peanut butter. :drinker:
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
    If you really can't do it, why don't you just cut out the 300cals worth of exercise each day? That should have you eating about the right amount then. But if you want to do the exercise then yeah more calorie dense foods, if you want to stick with healthier try nuts, avocados etc. Otherwise have one of your favourite treats :)
  • If you struggle to eat 1200 calories, how did you end up overweight in the first place?
    ETA: maybe not overweight, but in a position where you want to lose weight. Sorry if I offended :blushing:
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Shame we can't have a look at your diary- this would defiantly help to find some answers. But you should definitely try to hit 1200 mark otherwise your metabolism will slow down and weight loss will be slower!
    Maybe a wholewheat toast with peanut butter and
    Banana slices? Yummy but also healthy?
    Or a pot of yoghurt?
    150grams of rice boiled in skimmed milk with few strawberries?
    Or even 200gt oven baked chicken with your favourite
    Spices?
    Air popped pop corn?
    Carrots and humous?
    Some soup?
    Or even treat yourself to a hot chocolate!
    I mean the choice is huge and I'm sure we can all post maaaaaany ideas for the remaining calories!
    You're forgetting ice cream, pizza, bacon and peanut butter. :drinker:

    Yeah, most of the suggestions they posted are things the OP may already be eating. Things that are fairly low calorie. Add in some nomnomz nomsayin?
  • I've heard that chronic undereating can lead to loss of appetite. The remedy, I understand, it to more or less consciously force yourself to eat a bit more until your appetite returns. Take this with a grain of salt though.

    This is assuming the problem is completely physical rather than psychological. If you have food fear (list of things you just will not eat, or a horror at the idea of going over cals) you may need to address that with a pro.

    Nuts. Seeds. Avocado. Chocolate. Cheese. Olive oil. "Junk food"
    All these things can add a good boost of calories without making you feel bloated.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    I suspect you're not logging every single thing you eat, including the butter/oil you cook your foods in, any dressings, drinks, etc. All of it can add up.

    Like other posters are saying, if you have difficulty reaching 1200 calories a day, then you wouldn't be in the position where you need to lose weight in the first place. I have a hard time believing anyone who overeats to the point of being overweight/obese would suddenly have no appetite and no desire to binge.

    If indeed you do have this issue, well, you're lucky. I would seriously reassess your diary, though, and pay much more attention to every single thing you are consuming. Be honest with yourself. If you aren't completely sure about how much of something you've consumed, it's better to overestimate than underestimate.

    I agree with you. A person who found it hard to eat 1200 calories after spending 300 calories on exercise would probably not find themselves in a position where they want to lose weight. Their biggest problem would be sitting up to log into this website.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,393 Member
    Nuts. Seeds. Avocado. Chocolate. Cheese. Olive oil. "Junk food"
    All these things can add a good boost of calories without making you feel bloated.

    Wait. None of that is "junk food".

    What are you saying?
  • hubb6364
    hubb6364 Posts: 8 Member
    I know exactly what you're talking about, I was just like that at the beginning. I finally figured out to add a little evoo to meat or something like that. EVOO is very high in calories so that would help a lot. I now have no problem getting my 1200 cals.
  • monisiaczeq
    monisiaczeq Posts: 131 Member
    Shame we can't have a look at your diary- this would defiantly help to find some answers. But you should definitely try to hit 1200 mark otherwise your metabolism will slow down and weight loss will be slower!
    Maybe a wholewheat toast with peanut butter and
    Banana slices? Yummy but also healthy?
    Or a pot of yoghurt?
    150grams of rice boiled in skimmed milk with few strawberries?
    Or even 200gt oven baked chicken with your favourite
    Spices?
    Air popped pop corn?
    Carrots and humous?
    Some soup?
    Or even treat yourself to a hot chocolate!
    I mean the choice is huge and I'm sure we can all post maaaaaany ideas for the remaining calories!
    You're forgetting ice cream, pizza, bacon and peanut butter. :drinker:
    I'm not forgetting! ( I mean how could I!) but I'm
    Just trying to point out the healthier
    Options ;)
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
    I know exactly what you're talking about, I was just like that at the beginning. I finally figured out to add a little evoo to meat or something like that. EVOO is very high in calories so that would help a lot. I now have no problem getting my 1200 cals.

    That's how I was when I first started. In my mind I could only eat veggies and chicken to lose weight, so I ended up eating a TON of veggies and getting full without reaching my goal. It's just a matter of learning to add in a few higher calorie things (like oil) and being a little less strict.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Nuts. Seeds. Avocado. Chocolate. Cheese. Olive oil. "Junk food"
    All these things can add a good boost of calories without making you feel bloated.

    Wait. None of that is "junk food".

    What are you saying?

    Exactly. None of those items would be considered junk food. Except for avocado, which I don't care for, I eat all those other things pretty much every day. Lots of good nutrition there.
  • SunnyDee712
    SunnyDee712 Posts: 28 Member
    Peanut butter is my go-to! If I have calories left over at the end of the day and I'm still hungry, I grab that jar! Yummy!!! :love:
  • RebeccaC2410
    RebeccaC2410 Posts: 14 Member
    Im new to dieting..Why is it bad if you don't eat your 1200?
  • I'm in your position too.

    I'm gluten free & vegetarian, and a simple, but picky eater. I don't like nuts or seeds, can't stand the texture of them. Gluten free crackers & stuff is too expensive and I'd probably eat a whole box of crackers in one go.. My food diary only began yesterday, on a splurge day, and I was still 189 calories under. But well over in my sugar, but I knew that... maple syrup... mmm!

    I'm definitely almost always eating not enough. But to me I feel like it is enough, I feel very full to the point I don't want to move off the couch, but an hour or so I'm hungry again and eat something else, but never enough. I'm going to have to try something, I'm thinking of getting some Nutella & dipping baby carrots into it or something.


    In saying all that - my weight has significantly decreased on the scales since I went gluten free, probably from eating less calories. BUT - I've noticed no physical change which is what I'm now exercising & eating a bit cleaner to work towards. I've kind of plateaued though with my weight on the scales from eating better..
  • tamaron4
    tamaron4 Posts: 2 Member
    Try eating a piece of toast with 1 tsp peanut butter or even a single hard boiled egg. Another option is one of the single serve cups of blue bell ice cream as a snack or treat.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Im new to dieting..Why is it bad if you don't eat your 1200?

    Undereating is bad because you're not providing enough energy to your body for it to maintain it's vital functions. It can lead to eating disorders, skeletal muscle loss through catabolism, cracked fingernails, hair loss, fatigue, organ shutdown, and a myriad of other symptoms.
  • olehcat
    olehcat Posts: 92 Member
    I seriously don't get this. I can't do 1200 because I can't be compliant. I love to eat.

    I had quite a few calories to play with today because I exercised for almost 2 hours today. It was just no problem for me. I'm done for today and very satisfied.

    If you have a few hundred calories to eat, try a drink that isn't water, try peanut butter or almond butter, try something that isn't necessarily healthy (small percentage of non-healthy food isn't going to kill you), try something dense like nuts or avocado. Drizzle olive oil on your salad.
  • I suspect you're not logging every single thing you eat, including the butter/oil you cook your foods in, any dressings, drinks, etc. All of it can add up.

    Like other posters are saying, if you have difficulty reaching 1200 calories a day, then you wouldn't be in the position where you need to lose weight in the first place. I have a hard time believing anyone who overeats to the point of being overweight/obese would suddenly have no appetite and no desire to binge.

    If indeed you do have this issue, well, you're lucky. I would seriously reassess your diary, though, and pay much more attention to every single thing you are consuming. Be honest with yourself. If you aren't completely sure about how much of something you've consumed, it's better to overestimate than underestimate.

    Well, we do get older, we change, our preferences and mental states change. I had a huge growth spurt when I was around 10ish that made me 20 inches taller...I was stuffing my face to compensate and never did. I did cut back on things but my boyfriend (now ex) ate really terribly and I did the same. Didn't really think to pay attention to calories...they were never brought up to me in my life as something to pay attention to. My ex put me through prolonged extreme stress before we separated ways...and I just stopped eating one day. It was hard to get more than fluids, a cup of shrimp and a few cups of broccoli in me most days. I didn't feel hunger at all. That lasted for about 6-8 months. Got into a better situation...ate a bit better but still not a lot, got back into another extreme stress situation and stopped eating again. I lost a total of about 65lbs as a result. I've been trying to recover since then but it's been hard. Until I joined MFP, I thought I was eating well. In logging my calories, I found I was consistently having a hard time meeting the goal they gave me (about 1,270cals) a day. I have no appetite. I don't like candies, sugars, sweet things, carbs, fatty foods, etc. My stomach physically hurts when trying to eat something heavy or calorie dense so I haven't felt good the last two days. Yesterday and today I revised my goal to 1,800 minimum calories to see if that can change my weight loss and eating.

    So, not everyone is the same. Life happens to change us.

    Also, no...I don't think I'd consider myself lucky. Uncomfortable, miserable, sore, tired. I've done a LOT of sleeping yesterday and today.

    And yes, I log EVERY bit of oil, butter, sugar, etc.
  • Im new to dieting..Why is it bad if you don't eat your 1200?

    Undereating is bad because you're not providing enough energy to your body for it to maintain it's vital functions. It can lead to eating disorders, skeletal muscle loss through catabolism, cracked fingernails, hair loss, fatigue, organ shutdown, and a myriad of other symptoms.

    That's what I've been hearing over and over (right along people advocating eating 1,200 calories too...not sure which to believe). But my previous post explains my situation with not eating enough. Yes, not eating enough over a long period of time can really screw your body up, bring on an eating disorder, change your appearance (not just by weight loss), and yes, organ shut-down. I'm thankful that none of these things have affected me (the ED was a result of stress, not dieting) but I've seen a huge number of people who have struggled and hurt themselves through not eating enough because of long-term calorie restriction. Not sure the 'magic' number where it gets bad calorie wise or time wise, but it scares me to have seen the possibilities out there.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    Nope. Macadamia nuts, really high in cals. Or I'll make scrambled eggs with olive oil.