Struggling to eat 1200 calories
Options
Replies
-
Are you meeting your protein goal? Because if you are having a really hard time meeting 1,200 calories a day, I worry that you might not be eating enough protein (or healthy fats). Especially if you end the day with enough calories for 300 calories of ice cream.
My meals are usually around 300-400 calories each. My snacks are usually 100 calories or less (usually fresh fruit or veggie sticks). For example a turkey burger (200 calories patty, 100 calories sandwich thin) and broccoli and water.0 -
If you're not hungry, you honestly don't *have* to eat all 1200 calories. Honestly, the "magical 1200" number is not at all applicable to all people and it doesn't make sense to assume everyone will be sick if they go under 1200. Nothing happens unless you are consistently malnourished, which if you are eating healthily, you won't be. As long as you get all your vitamins and minerals in, not making it all the way to 1200 doesn't matter. Netting lower than 1200 is fine too if you're not hungry. Just make sure you get enough protein so you don't lose muscle mass.
ignore this.0 -
Nuts are pretty much the best way to add calories to your diet in the form of healthy fats. A small portion can be several hundred calories so it's not hard at all to reach a calorie goal if you find yourself undereating too much. Macadamias have very good fats in them and are also the highest cal (220cal per 1/4 cup!) so I would start there. Avoid nuts that are "honey roasted" or sweetened/overly salted since you don't need to be adding extra sugar or sodium. Raw nuts are best but unsalted will do.
BTW, I wish I had your "problem." I can easily eat 1200 cal over dinner alone.0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.0
-
I ate around that much and STOPPED losing weight.. good ol plateau then started gaining. When I started eating around 1600ish+ a day did I start losing.
~1200 cals is lower than most people's BMR which you should NOT be eating less than unless you're on some special medically advised diet, did gastric bypass, lap band or otherwise.0 -
If you have to ask if there's a problem, then you should know the answer. Not reaching at least 1200 is asking for punishment. You will eventually feel like you can't even get out of bed. It is, literally, bordering on an eating disorder. In fact, that is how eating disorders develop. Even 1200 is a bit low, to be honest.
There are very easy ways to reach at least 1200. It shocks me that people don't see them.
Peanut butter
milk
nuts
beans
red meats instead of white meats every day...
You might not feel hungry NOW, but if you only net 800-1000 from here on, you will feel so hungry in three months or so that it will make you miserable. Hence, how eating disorders are formed.0 -
I am always envious of people who have this issue because for me it's the complete opposite and I plan my whole entire day around food because I'm such a massive foodie! I could down 1200 cals in one meal without blinking!
Sometimes if I've had a huge stressful day at work and haven't had a chance to eat much, I'll chuck half an avocado onto my dinner, or have a slice or two of cheese.
I try not to have "naughty" foods in the house anymore because it's too much temptation. If you're strong willed enough you can still have your treats to bump them up - but if you're anything like me you won't stop at just 4 squares of chocolate!0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...0 -
i started eating healthy 2 months ago and i never reach my goal but thats ok by me because as long as im full and not starving yet still losing weight i dont see the problem.0
-
So just curious, how much ice cream do you have after your dinner??? (1/2 cup, 1 cup, ??) The reason I ask is, I have a pint of B&J a couple nights a week and that alone is 1120 calories and 2 cups of ice cream atleast to me is enough to satisfy me but I could easily eat more without blinking.... Do you weigh and measure out all your food???
Yes I weigh and measure out everything. I had 140 grams (not sure what that is in cups) of hazelnut gelato which was 308 cals. I guess I could've eaten more but I didn't feel the desire/hunger to.
So you couldn't reach 1200 calories with 308 calories coming from gelato? I'm all for eating Gelato and whatever other treat there that I can fit into my day. But you need to get your nutritional needs met first. 892 calories (before the Gelato) is not enough to meet those needs.
I eat 1200 calories in 1 meal with no problem and have lost a little weight. Why make this so difficult by overly restricting.0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
Nope sorry to lose weight it's about how many calories you take in vs how many go out. You father is overweight because he eats too much. Check my diary I eat pizza, fried chicken, ice cream, veggies, fish. But I make it fit into my day0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
You're both saying the same thing. Read it again, butlersoft ;-)0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
You're both saying the same thing. Read it again, butlersoft ;-)
No they aren't she specifically said:My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
it's not what he eats it's how much he eats0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
Just want to point out, she's not talking about calories, she's talking about the quality of the food. I have many people in my life who eat half the amount of food I do, yet are still much heavier and continuing to grow. They eat foods which are fried, buttered, sugared and whatever else you can think of.
She hasn't once said they eat fewer calories- she's talking about quantity of unhealthy foods.0 -
Without an open diary no one can comment on how healthy your food choices are or make suggestions. If you open your diary people can give you pointers on how to lose fat while maintaining muscle and meeting the macros your body needs.0
-
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
Just want to point out, she's not talking about calories, she's talking about the quality of the food. I have many people in my life who eat half the amount of food I do, yet are still much heavier and continuing to grow. They eat foods which are fried, buttered, sugared and whatever else you can think of.
She hasn't once said they eat fewer calories- she's talking about quantity of unhealthy foods.
Nope she said and I bolded it...it's about what you eat not how much.
Quality of food is irrelevant in weight loss...
You have people in your life who you don't follow around all day you have no idea how much they eat.
I eat "junk", deep fried this, buttered that, sugar in my coffee, cream etc along with my chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, bread etc and lose weight...
ETA:Perhaps the OP should open their diary so we can see what they are eating to give better suggestions.0 -
As you have lost 3lb so far, I am assuming that you are still in the "diet high" of starting your healthy eating?
If that is the case, you won't find that you will have this problem for much longer. You will get bored with the same food all the time and will crave something more substantial. As you vary your eating, you will naturally be consuming more calories - rice instead of vegetables, that kind of thing.
Good luck with your weight loss journey.0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
You're both saying the same thing. Read it again, butlersoft ;-)
No they aren't she specifically said:My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
it's not what he eats it's how much he eats
That's the same thing. WHAT he eats ie. calorie rich foods leading to a calorie surplus, not how much of it.
"There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea." - Yes, a calorific difference.
In her first paragraph: "Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly."0 -
I always wondered how someone could become overweight or need to lose weight when they have a hard time eating 1,200. Clearly you didn't have that problem once. Add back some of the foods you used to eat. Nuts, peanut butter, avacado, olive oil. Lots of easy small ways to boost your intake.
Becoming overweight is not necessarily related to the amount of food you eat but to the kind of food. There is a difference if you eat a dish of fries, deep-fried chicken, and a salad with a heavy dressing or mayonnaise or if you have a large salad with light dressing and lean chicken breast. Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly.
My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
Same with drinks. There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea.
^^^^^^ nope ..... eating at a calorific SURPLUS is why you gain weight....
eating at a DEFICIT will lose weight
eating at your TDEE will maintain your weight ...
You're both saying the same thing. Read it again, butlersoft ;-)
No they aren't she specifically said:My father is overweight and he doesn't eat that much throughout the day. It's what he eats, not how much of it.
it's not what he eats it's how much he eats
That's the same thing. WHAT he eats ie. calorie rich foods leading to a calorie surplus, not how much of it.
"There is a difference between drinking soft drinks and drinking water or unsweetened tea." - Yes, a calorific difference.
In her first paragraph: "Maybe the sense of satiety is the same but the calorie intake differs significantly."
Not sure why this is being debated the above poster said "it's not how much he eats it's what he eats" which literally means calories don't matter...
calorie rich food does not always lead to a calorie surplus.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 396 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 968 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions