Calories, I feel like I'm always eating, but...

reddz12

I'm struggling to consume even 1200 on some days, let alone half of the ones that I've worked off. I'm concerned that I'm throwing my body in a state of starvation and that it will want to hoard everything I put into it. Thoughts? Suggestions? HELP?!?

I really want to stick to this this time but also always having failed... I'm concerned that I'm not "doing it right" I'm only 36 days in and I do not want to halt any progress because I'm uninformed as compared to many of you!

melsinct

Your diary is not open to the public so I can't comment specifically on your diet. However, I find it ridiculously easy to get to 1200 calories. just eat healthy calorie dense foods. Put avocado on your sandwich or salad. Eat a handful of nuts. Eat natural peanut butter (or any nut butter) on toast, on a banana or apple, or just off the spoon. Cook with healthy fats (olive oil, virgin coconut oil, whatever your favorite is).

ndj1979

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

you are not putting yourself in starvation mode, that would take eating nothing for a prolonged period of time. However, long term underrating will lead to metabolic adaption = metabolic slow down….


eat some ice cream every day …..

4daluvof_candice

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

THIS

MinnieInMaine

Agreed, it's really hard to comment with your diary on private...so I'll make some assumptions.

If you're eating a lot of low fat/low calorie/lite/light foods, stop doing that and eat the real stuff!

As the other responders eluded to, add more calorie dense foods to your day - whole eggs, lean meats, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butter, even chocolate and ice cream. If it fits into your calorie goal, you'll still lose weight.

Also, make sure your logging is correct. Weighing is best, measuring is fine too but no guesstimating or eyeballing. You may be eating more than you think. Double check the listings you're using against other sources like nutrition labels on food packaging and online sources such as the USDA database. Many listings on here are user entered and are incomplete, out of date or just flat out wrong. Exercise calorie listings also tend to be overestimates so that may also be a factor.

gypsy_spirit

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

THIS

OP - read this and see if it doesn't help you understand how to lose weight without cutting your calories to the point of misery.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

ninav1980

What do you mean you find it hard to eat 1200? I find it hard NOT to eat 1200. You can easily eat a candy bar to solve your problems. Just saying........

lthames0810

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

you are not putting yourself in starvation mode, that would take eating nothing for a prolonged period of time. However, long term underrating will lead to metabolic adaption = metabolic slow down….


eat some ice cream every day …..

I was going to say the ice cream.

But regarding how you can get over weight not eating up to 1200 cal...people get heavy from overeating the high calorie foods which easily put them way over the proper amount of calories. Then when they cut those out and begin to eat only lean meats and vegetables they find the volume of that sort of food required to reach 1200 calories feels like too much. That was my story, anyway.

reddz12

OK, obviously, before I decided to make ths change, I was eating crap. Ordering food daily, fast foods, lots of salt, drinking Coke like it was my job. Not exercising, I work a sedintary job. HOW I got fat is not really the question here, I came to the MFP community for help, not to be sassed... I eat three meals a day, and snack in between, I check my daily nutrition at the end of each day and its usually almost perfect. And I do weigh and measure my meals before consuming them.

For those of you who answered without questioning HOW I got fat, thank you.

reddz12

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

you are not putting yourself in starvation mode, that would take eating nothing for a prolonged period of time. However, long term underrating will lead to metabolic adaption = metabolic slow down….


eat some ice cream every day …..

I was going to say the ice cream.

But regarding how you can get over weight not eating up to 1200 cal...people get heavy from overeating the high calorie foods which easily put them way over the proper amount of calories. Then when they cut those out and begin to eat only lean meats and vegetables they find the volume of that sort of food required to reach 1200 calories feels like too much. That was my story, anyway.

Thank you for understanding, I seriously feel like I eat all day, its just much better choices than I used to make. My weight loss as not halted I've lost the 16 pounds in a little over a month, I'm just concerned about long term effects.

TheBrolympus

Thank you for understanding, I seriously feel like I eat all day, its just much better choices than I used to make. My weight loss as not halted I've lost the 16 pounds in a little over a month, I'm just concerned about long term effects.

If you're worried about long term effects, then just add some healthy calorie dense foods like mentioned above.

ndj1979

OK, obviously, before I decided to make ths change, I was eating crap. Ordering food daily, fast foods, lots of salt, drinking Coke like it was my job. Not exercising, I work a sedintary job. HOW I got fat is not really the question here, I came to the MFP community for help, not to be sassed... I eat three meals a day, and snack in between, I check my daily nutrition at the end of each day and its usually almost perfect. And I do weigh and measure my meals before consuming them.

For those of you who answered without questioning HOW I got fat, thank you.

because you obviously used to eat a lot and note you can barely eat a little ….you obviously need to re-examine how you view food and what you are eating.

I am not here to sass you, I am just trying to understand how can go from eating 3000 calories a day to a point where now you say that you cannot eat 1200…

I would suggest eating eggs, peanut butter, chicken, steak, bread, pasta, ice cream, pizza etc….

you can still eat some fast food and lose weight..just maintain your calorie deficit…

food is not evil, it is the bad choices that we make to over eat…

reddz12

OK, obviously, before I decided to make ths change, I was eating crap. Ordering food daily, fast foods, lots of salt, drinking Coke like it was my job. Not exercising, I work a sedintary job. HOW I got fat is not really the question here, I came to the MFP community for help, not to be sassed... I eat three meals a day, and snack in between, I check my daily nutrition at the end of each day and its usually almost perfect. And I do weigh and measure my meals before consuming them.

For those of you who answered without questioning HOW I got fat, thank you.

because you obviously used to eat a lot and note you can barely eat a little ….you obviously need to re-examine how you view food and what you are eating.

I am not here to sass you, I am just trying to understand how can go from eating 3000 calories a day to a point where now you say that you cannot eat 1200…

I would suggest eating eggs, peanut butter, chicken, steak, bread, pasta, ice cream, pizza etc….

you can still eat some fast food and lose weight..just maintain your calorie deficit…

food is not evil, it is the bad choices that we make to over eat…

Thats the part that I guess I'm having a problem with. I'm not one of these people who just turn around and eat celery all day... i have toast each morning with my breakfast, if i want pasta i eat it, if i want ice cream i eat it, i just don't order out as much as i did, i pay more attention to portions and drink alot more water. Very rarely do I feel hungry and when I am, I eat.

lthames0810

how did you become over weight if you now cannot eat 1200 calories?

you are not putting yourself in starvation mode, that would take eating nothing for a prolonged period of time. However, long term underrating will lead to metabolic adaption = metabolic slow down….


eat some ice cream every day …..

I was going to say the ice cream.

But regarding how you can get over weight not eating up to 1200 cal...people get heavy from overeating the high calorie foods which easily put them way over the proper amount of calories. Then when they cut those out and begin to eat only lean meats and vegetables they find the volume of that sort of food required to reach 1200 calories feels like too much. That was my story, anyway.

Thank you for understanding, I seriously feel like I eat all day, its just much better choices than I used to make. My weight loss as not halted I've lost the 16 pounds in a little over a month, I'm just concerned about long term effects.

After only a few weeks of eating 1200 calories a day, I soon became hungry and desperate for some yummier higher calorie foods and I figured out it's not a diet sin to have them in moderation. Know that you can add back some of your favorite foods and that you may be able to eat quite a bit more than 1200 calories a day and still lose weight.

gypsy_spirit

Okay, then. At the end of the day - when you are a couple hundred cals short - a spoon and a jar of peanut butter. 2 tbsp. will add around 200 cals to your day.

The main thing to remember (if you don't read the link I posted) is that not eating enough means you may not be meeting your nutritional needs. Your body needs fuel.