i cant get enough calories

Iwishyouwell

threads like this always baffle my mind...

How did you end up obese if you cannot consume more than 1200 calories a day? I assume in your over-eating days that you were eating 2000+ a day, which is how you put on the weight, yes?

I can honestly answer that question. At my heaviest, I was 325 lbs. I NEVER exercised, never ate breakfast and I ate high fat, high carb foods. When I started MFP, I logged what I normally ate in a day for about 3 weeks. I wanted to know exactly what I was doing wrong. I didn't feel like I was eating that bad and I was only eating two meals per day... Well, I learned that I typically ate only 700 - 800 calories per day but they weren't healthy calories. It was all garbage. Imagine my surprise when I learned the "salad" I chose to eat for lunch was packed with more fat than a Whopper and none of the protein!

Believe me when I say that not all obese people eat a lot of food... we just choose the wrong foods and we don't move consistently to burn off the calories we are consuming. For many years, I tried every fad diet out there and convinced myself that I either couldn't lose weight or had some kind of medical issue. It wasn't until this little diary slapped me in the face and taught me about my mistakes.

I still struggle to lose... over the last few years, I have lost 110lbs... recently gaining a few more back than I like. I never give up, I just keep logging and moving.

Please try to understand that those of us that are "obese" are not always over eaters... just highly misinformed about what healthy eating looks like. Thankfully, we are capable of educating ourselves and making changes. It's a long hard road... but definitely worth the journey.

I am sorry, but there is no way you were consuming 700 to 800 calories a day and you were obese. Did you have a food scale? Did you weigh, measure, log every single bit of food you ate? If one could only consume 700 calories a day and be obese then most of Africa would not be dying of starvation, and those people in the concentration camps would have been obese rather then all skin and bone...

ever heard of the "Twinkie diet"..? Look it up ...

Trust me, it really is as simple as calories in vs calories out...

"Most of Africa" is not "dying of starvation". 70-75% of Africans are neither starving nor medically malnourished.

meshashesha2012

this thread turned into a lot of butthurt and scientific anomalies.

no one gets obese eating less food than their body needs. NO ONE

and the idea of not eating enough food = not losing weight contradicts centuries of real stories of people wasting away to nothing while in long term famine situations.

ElliottTN

2nd newsflash: not true about eat less=lose. eat too little and lose nothing.

Tell me about it. I always knew that whole world hunger thingy was a complete scam.

Iwishyouwell

Maybe I am over eating but I doubt it. I am not new to loosing weight, measuring or counting calories I eat meat in portions related to my palm size, pile on the veggies and have some whole grains too. I have occasional treats. I never claimed I couldn't get in the extra calories... I chose not eat them because I felt satisfied with my food consumption at 1,000. I jumped on this thread to see if that what was hindering my weight loss and maybe my body was in starvation mode.

'

You are overeating.

"Starvation mode", as it's largely used around here, is a myth.

You're guesstimating your calories, and like most people who guess, you're mistaken.

jodikilleffer

2nd newsflash: not true about eat less=lose. eat too little and lose nothing.

Tell me about it. I always knew that whole world hunger thingy was a complete scam.

Elliot- follow me for a week...see what I eat and how I exercise, see my weight loss and then you can rip me apart if you want to or make unfair remarks.

kellymac518

i have days where i get 1000 or a little bit higher but even if im only 200 cal away from the goal it always tells me im getting low calories.. should this be a concern if im only 200-400 cal low from the goal?

hi!
there seems to be this thought that there is a fine line between losing weight and "starvation mode" and that line is at 1200 cals/day... i used to use the loseit app and it stupidly told me to eat around 1000-1100 and i definitely had trouble losing any weight... now, on the other hand, i also didn't know that i should be on a low carb diet due to my PCOS/insulin resistance so that may have added to or been the real problem. are you seeing any success eating the way you are? you should try to get up to at least 1200. i have some days that are hard to do this especially when i am watching my carbs and they close to my goal before my calories. i try to eat something like nuts to finish off those days and that usually brings me to above 1200. you might see some success eating less than 1200 but it might be short lived as your body will eventually start going into starvation mode and you'll stop losing. good luck! i added you as a friend, btw!

ElliottTN

2nd newsflash: not true about eat less=lose. eat too little and lose nothing.

Tell me about it. I always knew that whole world hunger thingy was a complete scam.

Elliot- follow me for a week...see what I eat and how I exercise, see my weight loss and then you can rip me apart if you want to or make unfair remarks.

Don't be creepy.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Never mind.

JustinAnimal

LOUD NOISES!

GiveMeCoffee

Maybe I am over eating but I doubt it. I am not new to loosing weight, measuring or counting calories I eat meat in portions related to my palm size, pile on the veggies and have some whole grains too. I have occasional treats. I never claimed I couldn't get in the extra calories... I chose not eat them because I felt satisfied with my food consumption at 1,000. I jumped on this thread to see if that what was hindering my weight loss and maybe my body was in starvation mode.

You aren't weighing your food, you aren't logging your food. So what is hindering your weight loss is incorrect information. You are eating more than 1000 calories. You may want to do some searching on the starvation mode myth because yet again you have very bad information, this is the time you really need to do some homework as you have a lot to learn. Good luck

_Zardoz_

The words 'head' 'Hit' and 'Brick wall' comes to mind

Morgaath

I'd reallllly love a big fat greasy cheeseburger and fries right now. I have the calories to eat it, but that doesn't mean I should, right?!

Why not? Yes, it is not as healthy for you, but as long as (1) you don't do it every single day, (2) and you stay under your goal.... Why not?
For that matter, even going over is not bad, as long as your over all 7-14 day average is still at or near your goal.
Live life. Enjoy food.

CaitlinW19

Another way to increase your daily calories is to add a tablespoon of ground flax seed in to one of your meals a day. Lots of good stuff in there and you won't feel like you are eating more. There are a lot of things you could do this with...add some sunflower seeds to something or protein powder. If you are eating low calorie versions of things, stop that (or at least some of that) and go for the full calorie once in a while.

giggitygoo

Disclaimer - I didn't read this whole thread.

Here are some tips from a chronic under-eater working to correct the problem:

- you don't need to have a salad for every meal just because you're on a diet. A lot of new dieters do because it's an easy, safe choice, but at the end of the day you would be better off with some whole grains, and more calorically dense foods. Especially if you're counting calories - it's totally ok to love your food.

- eat more often. Smaller meals, more often through the day. Breaking up your goal in to 6 smaller chunks is much easier. Plus, it keeps my appetite revved (personal experience no scientific claim made)

- Fat is not always your enemy. Is everything you're eating fat-free? Knock it off. This really isn't neccesary. In fact, some essential vitamins and aminos are fat-soluble.

LVCeltGirl

I second the peanut butter or cheese suggestions. Actually nuts (pistachios, peanuts, almonds) are a good calorie dense snack and you don't need too many to get closer to 200 calories.

As for the "hard to believe" about not being able to get enough calories. I can believe it. Been there, done that for approximately 33 years. The points for Weight Watchers was hard too because I felt I was eating too much by eating all my "points" (that was the best example to use between calorie counting and a program or diet out there that was similar to it). It's the overweight mentality, we have to severely cut down on things to lose weight (or so we think or are taught) and actually eating as the normal slender person doesn't make sense to us. I still struggle with the concept that I need to eat more. Wasn't eating more how I got here in the first place?

Elsie_Brownraisin

I was being flippant, sorry...

I do a lot of exercise and eat 1900-2200 cals at my present weight and have no problems losing. Christ knows what I used to eat :laugh:

I just wonder how so many people complain they can't stomach 1200 cals, when it takes well over twice that per day for a lot of people to gain any weight in the first place. Unless, as people have noted, it's more a case of trying to think of snack ideas or something. Often though, it's the first.

ndj1979

Newsflash: I know what a carb is and what turns into sugar and sugar gets stored as fat. I drink very little alcohol.

2nd newsflash: not true about eat less=lose. eat too little and lose nothing.

is that even you in the picture?

Yes, that is me in the picture.

so if you eat over maintenance level calories you will lose weight? Interesting, I guess I have been doing it wrong...

mccindy72

hello:)
i need help with my calorie intake , my goal calorie is 1220 and it gets higher when i exercise. i have days where i get 1000 or a little bit higher but even if im only 200 cal away from the goal it always tells me im getting low calories.. should this be a concern if im only 200-400 cal low from the goal?

im 5'1
sw: 208-12.24.13
cw:192 - 2.13.14
gw:130-140

and also feel free to add me i have no friends on here and i need motivation since im losing weight on my own with no motivation:(
thanks(:

Stop trying to eat "clean" and "healthy" and just eat the foods you like. In moderation. You'll have no problem meeting your calorie goals, and you'll enjoy what you're eating. And you'll still lose weight.

DamePiglet

Hi OP,
I know you can do it if you really try!

Now that that is out of the way...

Thanks, ndj

nikkihk

Maybe I am over eating but I doubt it. I am not new to loosing weight, measuring or counting calories I eat meat in portions related to my palm size, pile on the veggies and have some whole grains too. I have occasional treats. I never claimed I couldn't get in the extra calories... I chose not eat them because I felt satisfied with my food consumption at 1,000. I jumped on this thread to see if that what was hindering my weight loss and maybe my body was in starvation mode.

Just a note... ^^This isn't "clean eating". It's a pre-cursor to Anorexia.

To the OP. Stop being silly, you don't need advice on how to add a Twinkie to your diet... what you are is scared to eat, scared to gain weight, and scared to take real advice. The "mean people" are the only sane and rational ones this forum has. You don't need to cut back on "white this" or eat "low fat" that. At the very worst stick to the real food vs. boxed and canned for the most nutrients? But other then that nothing is off limits. Drink more water eat no less then 1200-1300 cals. Eat back your exercise cost and stop obsessing.

Oh and a cookie is good for you.