not eating enough?

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life1979_24
life1979_24 Posts: 147 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
does any one else have this problem. i am fat because 1) i am inactive and 2) i do not eat enough
i am trying really hard to eat small meals or snacks thou the day but the last 3 days i have been way under my calorie goal. the only time i get enough calories is the days i drink my calories or have one big meal. i cant eat all day long im just not hungry. i was over calories a couple days around christmas due to cookies and new years thanks to alcohol. what can i eat to add more calories with out adding junk?

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  • Dlhigh
    Dlhigh Posts: 72 Member
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    The first thing that comes to mind for me is nuts and cheese
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
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    Well the truth of the matter is this - we aren't overweight because we aren't eating enough. Logging your calories is so helpful in determining where you need work.

    Not being active lends itself directly to your health, but it's been proven that you can lose weight through diet alone, and that is really the key. (That doesn't mean don't exercise. You feel so great and healthy when you do!)

    Reasons why I sometimes exceed my calorie limit: My problem in particular is that I horde all my calories until the evening and then I pretty much pig out because I let myself get so ravenous that I lose control. Sometimes I forget to eat.

    The trick is to make time to eat - same time every day.

    Hope some of these suggestions help.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Just start slow. I was in your position when I started here. Definitely eat healthy foods, and add in more as you can. I can't see your diary so I don't know how far under you are or what kinds of foods you're eating. Some people recommend eating calorie dense foods like nuts, avocados, cheese, etc. but I found that adding in more food over time until I reached my goal worked better. As I got used to eating more I found I was hungrier and needed to eat more, so calorie dense foods didn't fill me up.
  • holotheory
    holotheory Posts: 7
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    check it out.....your body could actually be in starvation mode. i know it sounds weird but our bodies have built in defense mechanisms (such as this) that will actually store fat...it usually does this to protect itself (us) from actually starving. when we eat only one big meal a day we are saying to o ur body "hey you, this is it, all the nutrition you get until who knows when..." so it says "o.k., i will hold on to the fat and store it in a nice safe place in case i need it anytime soon.." this is repeated over and over until we are literally stored fat. i am not a doctor or expert so some of this might be off base but it is something like that. that's why it is so important to recognize the nutritional needs of our body for a given day and eat accordingly...this also helps to speed metabolism as well. i hope this helped a little or a lot. good luck with your goals and keep fighting!
  • sweetestthing
    sweetestthing Posts: 102
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    try 2 things:
    1. check your thyroid
    2. Check to see if you might have PCOS--poly cystic ovary syndrome

    otherwise if you are eating, even without exercise you should be losing weight. I don't really believe in the body starving thing...if that were true then people with lap band and gastric bypass wouldn't lose weight, right? The whole idea behind the surgeries are to restrict calories. they eat maybe 500 calories. So if you are not losing, definitely get yourself checked.
  • wtlw
    wtlw Posts: 10
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    I have this problem too.... Go to GNC and get some TOTAL LEAN whey shake mix. I get the swiss chocolate and it is so good. I like to use water with mine but it is really good with cow or almond milk. You just buy a shaker cup, add the water to it in the morning then add the mix to the water when your ready and shake. Let me know if you try it?:)
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Well the truth of the matter is this - we aren't overweight because we aren't eating enough.

    That's not exactly true. Maybe we didn't initially gain the weight because we didn't eat enough, but for a lot of people the reason we don't lose the weight is because we don't eat enough.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    At the end of the day if I have extra cals I usually have:

    1-2 servings of nuts
    1-2 tbsp of peanut butter
    .5- 1 cup of chocolate milk (nesquik usually- less cals &better mix than hershey)
  • CorydonCutie
    CorydonCutie Posts: 185 Member
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    I too have found (thanks to this site) that I am not eating enough calories. Today, I was never hungry. Felt satisfied all day long and I'm like 683 calories too short for the day. I am eating breakfast and lunch at the same time every day to get my body used to eating and being satisfied with what I am giving it. I thought I was making a good start by measuring my food and sticking to what the experts say is a healthy breakfast lunch and dinner. Yet, I'm coming up short on my calories. Idk...I guess it will work itself out in a few days once I get used to what I can have. Good luck to you with your weight loss goals.

    Andrea
  • sweetestthing
    sweetestthing Posts: 102
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    Well the truth of the matter is this - we aren't overweight because we aren't eating enough.

    That's not exactly true. Maybe we didn't initially gain the weight because we didn't eat enough, but for a lot of people the reason we don't lose the weight is because we don't eat enough.
  • sweetestthing
    sweetestthing Posts: 102
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    you are right, I just did some internet reading, your body can go into starvation mode if you are not eating enough and store the weight!
  • Dom82
    Dom82 Posts: 235
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    I was short on calories a fair bit as well. So i added cheese and avocado to my salads and that helped make up the rest of the calories. I eat at the same times everyday. So i know roughly what time it is because my body reminds me when its getting close to my next meal/or snack LOL
  • kay5272
    kay5272 Posts: 2
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    I just did my first food diary and found out I'm 834 calories short. I don't think you're the only one with this problem and I'm glad I found your thread so I could see some of the suggestions people have made.

    Its hard to think that I need to eat more, when I'm trying to lose weight, but I guess it will all balance out with the exercise and I'll find I'm hungry more often & burning it off.
  • firesidefibers
    firesidefibers Posts: 2
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    I've had the same problem for years. Due to hormonal changes, surgeries, and meds, my body went into starvation mode. i have been working for years to get it out of that mode. it takes a lot of time! one thing that has helped recently is seeing a nutritionist. she was able to look at what i was eating and when and make adjustments. don't know yet if it will help but i am feeling better.

    i always thought that you had to eat less to lose weight. actually, my thinking on that started when i tried a certain big name weight loss program. it has been hard to tweek my brain to think other than what i have been programmed to think since my teen years.

    hang in there, it will happen.
  • life1979_24
    life1979_24 Posts: 147 Member
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    thanks everyone
    i know i am in Starvation mode i have done this before but not the right way. i know ow to lose and i am losing i am just trying my vary best to do it in a healthy and safe way that dose not lead to the dreaded skin monster or re gain.
    i gained over 100# in less than 9 mos about 6 years ago due to medication from cml. before i was sick i did have a wake up call as a teen from unheathy eating or eating too much but i lost 50# in 3 mos and kept it off for 4-5 years till i got sick.
    i will def try to add some cheese and nuts back into my dite i tend to avoid these from being an over weight teen and mybe ill try to give avocado's another chance :-P
    btw i am about 4-600 cal short with out workout cals added
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
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    Being in starvation mode and not losing weight as a result is a real thing. My body went into starvation mode for over 2 months and I did not know what the hell was going on. I was exercising LIKE CRAZY and NOTHING was happening. Do you know how frustrating that was for me? You can't even imagine. I am just now starting to lose weight again after a loooooooong standstill.
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
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    Well the truth of the matter is this - we aren't overweight because we aren't eating enough.

    That's not exactly true. Maybe we didn't initially gain the weight because we didn't eat enough, but for a lot of people the reason we don't lose the weight is because we don't eat enough.

    I'm not really a believer in the starvation mode thing. If you truly aren't eating enough, you're going to get unhealthy and skinnier.
  • urmyeffinstar
    urmyeffinstar Posts: 57 Member
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    I do believe in starvation mode. I have done the same thing to myself many times before, including now. I just went through my diary for this week and I had at least 600 calories left to eat every day. I GAINED this week, 2 pounds almost because I was working out way too hard and not feeding my body. I was going to bed hungry. So I think that is probably what is happening with you. Just try and get more food in where you can, little things here or there. Or high calorie foods.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Well the truth of the matter is this - we aren't overweight because we aren't eating enough.

    That's not exactly true. Maybe we didn't initially gain the weight because we didn't eat enough, but for a lot of people the reason we don't lose the weight is because we don't eat enough.

    I'm not really a believer in the starvation mode thing. If you truly aren't eating enough, you're going to get unhealthy and skinnier.

    Under eating can make you retain and even gain weight if you have even one or two days a week you eat "a lot" (which on a starvation mode diet). http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

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