Struggling to meet caloric goals

missus_bowman

MFP set my goals to 1,200 calories for me to lose .5 pounds per week. I weigh 108 and I'm 5'2", so I want to lose maybe 3 pounds tops. My main goal though is to just tone up a good bit more. That being said, I checked my BMR and talked to my school nutritionist, so I custom set my goals to 1,400 calories. I'm trying really hard to read that goal, but I'm having trouble even reaching 1,200 calories!! I can almost get there if I plan my day but my exercise really throws everything off. Like right now, I have eaten breakfast and lunch, I have my dinner and snacks planned, but I'm still netting under 800 calories.

I can post what I ate today if that would help, I just need some tips on how to meet my calorie goals. I know that eating too few calories is bad too so I don't want to undo all my work.

Thanks for any help you can provide!!

indigo827

Avoid the diet/fat free foods and you'll get more calories into your day.

missus_bowman

Okay, yeah, I'll post my list for today lol. No diet/fat free foods for me.

Breakfast

protein powder - 70 cal
quaker whole grain old fashioned oats - 75 cal
medium banana - 105 cal
silk almond milk - 15 cal

Lunch

sun dried tomato vinaigrette - 30 cal
spinach - 3 cal
green pepper - 12 cal
sweet peas - 40 cal
millet - 45 cal

Dinner

whole wheat sub roll - 180 cal
spinach - 10 cal
onion - 11 cal
green pepper - 18 cal
ultra thin sliced pepper jack - 80 cal
cucumber - 8 cal
basil pesto - 90 cal
sun dried tomato vinaigrette - 30 cal

Afternoon Snack

unsweetened almond milk - 15 cal
protein powder - 70 cal

Even Snack

kiwi - 41 calo

diannethegeek

I would try incorporating some more calorie dense foods into your day. Almonds, cheese, Greek yogurt, avocado, etc. These can add a lot of calories without forcing you to eat a lot more food at your meals.

EATNCLEAN21

One ounce of walnuts will add 185 calories and contain the highest amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid, also a different protein powder might help, mine for example adds 150 cal per scoop, good luck

jayrudq

^^^This^^^
And add good oils. And what is up with the Ultra Thin piece of cheese. You aren't struggling - you are not eating. Nuts. Yogurt. Avocado are all excellent suggestions.

missus_bowman

The protein adds 140 calories, I just am having two half servings today, since I'm not exercising as much. I try to get in avocado, but my avocado is currently a bit under ripened our Walmart never has good avocados. Do you guys have any suggestion as to a decent place I could maybe order some nuts? They're so expensive around here and it's hard to fit them into our budget too.

Also, jayrubq, it's not at all that I'm "not eating". I'm having two slices of cheese on my sub because that's all that I want. I'm not going to stuff myself with large amounts of cheese to gain calories, because I won't particularly like my sub that way. We get the "ultra thin" because my husband isn't big on cheese at all, and he wouldn't like it if I packed his lunches with thicker slices of cheese. I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say, but that comes across as pretty rude. I've given you 1 days worth of my planned intake without including portion sizes, so I assure you, you don't know enough about me to determine wether or not I'm struggling.

missus_bowman

Also, it's called Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced cheese. It's a product that you can buy in the cheese isle.