Too few calories...

Transformer711

Hi everyone! I know how everyone says that it's best to eat between 1200-1500 calories a day for successful weight loss; however, when I log my meals into the food tracker it falls at just over 1,000 calories a day I fear that there may be long term implications for continuing on so few calories, but its not a case of me not eating. I eat quite a bit and try to eat as often as possible as I'm not looking to starve myself at all. Can anyone possibly offer any 'good' calorie foods so it's not so low? Myfitness recommends I eat around 1,400 calories a day. Many thanks!

stt43

Foods with lots of fat and lots of sugar.

JesterMFP

The exact number of calories for optimal weight loss and health depends on the individual, but if MFP is recommending 1400 to you - that's a good place to start.

Have you changed your diet radically since trying to lose weight? For example, have you cut way down on fat, or started opting for foods labelled "diet" or "lite"? If so, that could be where your problem lies. If you're struggling to eat more, then aim for more calorie dense foods, which really means foods that are higher in fats. That way you can increase the amount of calories without feeling over-full.

I personally eat a wide range of foods (including processed) and don't recommend cutting out particular foods or food groups unnecessarily (so for me, adding a bowl of ice cream or a slice of buttered toast helps up the calories). However, even if you are sticking to only traditional "healthy" or "clean" foods, you can still opt for calorie dense ones by eating more nuts, peanut butter, seeds, cheese, eggs, avocados, full fat dairy, and adding olive oil to your food. If you're currently eating reduced fat foods, switch to the full fat versions. Some people also find it easier to drink their calories in the form of smoothies, protein shakes or full fat milk.

Transformer711

Thanks for the advice! I have begun to eat more veggies and fruits since the start of my weight loss. I'm not cutting out any food groups, per say, however I am cutting down the frequency of my indulgences. Friday is my designated treat day and even then, I don't intend on overdoing it. I do love cheese and boiled eggs, so I'll try to incorporate those more.