People who complains about

Lithuria

If you struggle to keep under your calorie goal it's fair enough that you'd be confused and maybe a little envious of those who struggle to meet their calories at all, but I do have to say you're not the first person to say something along these lines. I know for a fine fact why, on some days, I struggle to hit my calorie goal.

I'm down to a target of around 1900 cals. Given that I'm 323 pounds this is unsuprising. When I started on MFP, my cal goal was 2500. This was to loose a pound a week.

I tried to eat healthily, sustituting old bad foods for new healthy foods, proper fruits and vegetables etc and found that it brought my calories down so dramatically that I actually had to eat s**t to keep my cals up. So yes, I lost weight eating chocolate bars for the first half a month or so.

I didn't get to the weight I am by starving myself, I didn't get to the weight I am by eating mountains full of fruit veg and wholegrains, I got to the weight I am with chips, chocolate, cheese, and toast. Oh my god.

Since starting here I have had to ban siced bread from the house because I just cannot resist toast...a typical day before would have meant nothing for breakfast, a toast binge for lunch (you're talking 8 slices, smothered in margarine) followed by god knows what served with tons of oven chips. Then I'd look at my husband with my big blue eyes and say "fancy puds?" to which he would inevitably say oooh yes and one of us would head to the shop below our flat and buy a cake. A whole, big, family sized cake. And devour it between us in one sitting.

So is it any wonder that now we've cut that out and no longer eat chips but baby new potatoes with veg instead, and not 4 chicken steaks but 2 and not a whole cake between us but a single relatively low cal dessert such as muller rice...that we find it difficult to reach our calorie allowance?

I really want to start exercising now because I know that once this weight is off I'm going to be sooooo flabby from it, but actually I'm afraid if I start doing any decent ammount of cardio I'll not be able to fuel my body enough without resorting to the more unhealthy things to meet my goal, and what will the point in that be? So when I reach a point where it is difficult to keep under my calories, then I shall start, and I think that frankly anyone who finds it difficult to stay under their calories for the day need to get moving, not just to tone up and get healthy (health isn't just a weight) but to give themselves freedom to eat a little more!

DigitalRain

People that feel super comfortable on less than 1200 calories are not exercising. Diet alone will only slow down a person's metabolism, make their arms all giggly, and make their bones weak. But hey, anything for the sake of weight loss.

I agree. I don't see how its physically possible to support an active lifestyle on a mere 1200 or less. The body needs fuel to function even at rest, and put exercise in the mix, additional calories is mandatory in order to remain healthy.

canbecanbe

i swim laps 3-4 times a week for 3 hours i am almost always under 400 cal a day

alantin

Talk about starving yourself... :noway:

Pendragn

Even those who gained weight the old-fashioned way, by overeating and leading a sedentary lifestyle, probably got that way by eating a lot of bad foods. It's very easy to consume massive calories if you're eating junk food and fast food -- lots of bad fats, empty carbs, and sodium. If you're eating "clean" (no white flour, white rice, or sugar; only lean meats, fruits & veggies, whole grains, limited dairy, healthy fats), which is what many of us do to get in shape, it can become very hard to reach your calorie goals. There aren't a lot of calories in leafy greens, berries, and lean meats. And as others have said, two cups of broccoli is going to keep you full a lot longer than two cups of ice cream, so you're both eating fewer calories and not wanting to eat as often.

Just as an example, I made a Moroccan chicken dish last night that had red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, a ton of spices, and boneless/skinless chicken breasts. The only added fat was a quick spray of olive oil Pam to keep the veggies from sticking and some low-sodium chicken broth. I'm still full from it this morning, and the dish had less than 150 calories per serving (I entered the whole recipe on MFP to confirm).

The only way I make my calorie and protein goals most days is by relying on whey protein shakes.

Scorpiomom222

Talk about starving yourself... :noway:

And then complaining about people complaining. lol Hey! Whatever works!

lina1131

i swim laps 3-4 times a week for 3 hours i am almost always under 400 cal a day

This is called an eating disorder. You need help.

Scorpiomom222

i swim laps 3-4 times a week for 3 hours i am almost always under 400 cal a day

This is called an eating disorder. You need help.

And the one on the 400 calorie a day diet doesn't need help? Maybe the person swimming burns alot of calories, but doesn't feel hungry enough to eat more calories? Did you actually look to see how many calories you burn by swimming? If you swim for 3 hours, you burn 1550 calories with MODERATE effort. And now tell the swimmer again they have an eating disorder, please.

rml_16

"I am overweight because of conservation/starvation mode. I had, prior to MFP, never eaten more than 1 meal a day."

One meal a day can easily be enough calories to cause you to gain weight. I took my daughter out for her birthday and my dinner at the restaurant wasn't a ton of food, but it was three days' worth of calories.

Just sayin'.

lina1131

i swim laps 3-4 times a week for 3 hours i am almost always under 400 cal a day

This is called an eating disorder. You need help.

And the one on the 400 calorie a day diet doesn't need help? Maybe the person swimming burns alot of calories, but doesn't feel hungry enough to eat more calories? Did you actually look to see how many calories you burn by swimming? If you swim for 3 hours, you burn 1550 calories with MODERATE effort. And now tell the swimmer again they have an eating disorder, please.

I was under the impression that the swimmer eats under 400 calories a day. Did I misread that? If so, I apologize.

Scorpiomom222

It's all good. I didn't mean to sound as though I was jumping down your throat. I just wanted to point out what you were saying was incorrect, but it looks like you misread. lol My bad. My eyes get dislexic at times and I jam my foot into my mouth. haha

GooBeGone

sorry ya'll but i also am constantly under 1200calories daily. :blushing: unless i make an especially large effort 2 eat more.... i think it's b/c the foods i DO eat r very low caloric 4 a lot of food.

the reason i was overweight is b/c i was OVEReatin unhealthy, high-caloric foods & not exercisin. i'm now doin the opposite. :noway:

u can look at my diary & c 4 urself. i eat a LOT of foods but it's just low cal. i also have some cheese sticks that i COULD eat 4 a snack but those r still only 80calories each (those r NOT the lowest i've found. i've actually had 50calorie cheese sticks but started buyin these instead b/c they have more calories in them) & i'll only eat those if i'm hungry which means i prob won't b/c i'll b full. i'll BARELY make it 2 1200 calories eatin those. i've also bought some more snacks recently that will hopefully give me more calories but still keep me full.

& don't get me wrong. i'm not complainin abt it, i'm actually tryin 2 figure out healthy ways 2 eat more food but i think b/c i'm pretty much eatin clean coupled w/the fact that idk what is healthy w/a lot of calories in it. it doesn't help that i'm a picky eater so it's pretty much trial & error 4 me. i'm constantly lookin at what other ppl eat if they have open diary's like myself 2 get a better idea of what else is healthy. :huh:

i'm also trainin 4 a marathon (march 20, 2011: http://www.georgiamarathon.com/ ) so i will hafta start eatin more foods eventually (especially when i start doin my 20miles long runs). i'm gonna needs somethin more sustainable than a slice of bread w/peanut butter spread on it.... :grumble:

lina1131

It's all good. I didn't mean to sound as though I was jumping down your throat. I just wanted to point out what you were saying was incorrect, but it looks like you misread. lol My bad. My eyes get dislexic at times and I jam my foot into my mouth. haha

It's Monday and I haven't had a full cup of coffee. Need the coffee IV stat!

GooBeGone

Pendragn
....
Just as an example, I made a Moroccan chicken dish last night that had red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, a ton of spices, and boneless/skinless chicken breasts. The only added fat was a quick spray of olive oil Pam to keep the veggies from sticking and some low-sodium chicken broth. I'm still full from it this morning, and the dish had less than 150 calories per serving (I entered the whole recipe on MFP to confirm).
...

hey pendragn? what's ur recipe? sounds good! (well i'd end up takin out the onions & puttin in dried onions b/c i don't like them LOL) but can u send that 2 me? i'd like 2 try it <salivatin>

Scorpiomom222

It's all good. I didn't mean to sound as though I was jumping down your throat. I just wanted to point out what you were saying was incorrect, but it looks like you misread. lol My bad. My eyes get dislexic at times and I jam my foot into my mouth. haha

It's Monday and I haven't had a full cup of coffee. Need the coffee IV stat!

YES!!!!!!!! Getting up early for my walks can make me crabby sometimes. Here's a cup for you! :drinker:

SimonLondon

I get annoyed by people who get annoyed about people who say they can't eat 1,200 calories

The truth of the matter is we are NOT all the same. If you fully embrace healthy eating then it CAN be very difficult to eat 1,200 a day. I have eaten meals before that left me stuffed the rest of the day but had a calorie count under 500 (as others have already mentioned). I have had days where I've eaten three meals, some snacks and still ended up under 1,000 even though I was full to bursting (usually salad days).

Try eating super healthy and you will experience it from time to time

Scorpiomom222

I get annoyed by people who get annoyed about people who say they can't eat 1,200 calories

The truth of the matter is we are NOT all the same. If you fully embrace healthy eating then it CAN be very difficult to eat 1,200 a day. I have eaten meals before that left me stuffed the rest of the day but had a calorie count under 500 (as others have already mentioned). I have had days where I've eaten three meals, some snacks and still ended up under 1,000 even though I was full to bursting (usually salad days).

Try eating super healthy and you will experience it from time to time

Here here! *clinks glass*

Scorpiomom222

I get annoyed by people who get annoyed about people who say they can't eat 1,200 calories

The truth of the matter is we are NOT all the same. If you fully embrace healthy eating then it CAN be very difficult to eat 1,200 a day. I have eaten meals before that left me stuffed the rest of the day but had a calorie count under 500 (as others have already mentioned). I have had days where I've eaten three meals, some snacks and still ended up under 1,000 even though I was full to bursting (usually salad days).

Try eating super healthy and you will experience it from time to time

Here here! *clinks glass*

TheNewStacie

Big point on here as well is MFP isn't to just lose weight, it's to be healthy, and that's what matters the most. Someone who weighs 180 could be ten times fitter then someone whose at 120. Some people are here to maintain or even gain. So here's to letting people vent (that's what we're here for) and not judging them by what the do but being there to support them.

I'm one of those people that struggle to eat enough throughout the day, now sometimes I go over my calories but it's because I eat the wrong foods. For so long I lived off of one maybe two meals and that's what kept me satisfied, since then I know to boost MY metabolism I need to eat more often and actually go up to a 1400 calorie/day instead of 1200. To each their own, no standard food program is going to work for everyone that's why there's dieticians.

SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT, that's what we're all here to get no matter what our goal is. :bigsmile:

StatutoryGrape

I'm one of "those" people, too. I have hypothyroid (hence why I'm heavy) and my appetite is usually just not there, so I often don't consume as many calories as I should. Don't make judgments. =/