Eating Enough Calories - HELP!

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lucky48
lucky48 Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My MFP currently has me on a 1200 calorie a day diet. I have problems eating that much in general. For years, I never ate breakfast and only ate a small lunch and then dinner. There was no way that I was eating that much. I think in a way, I was a little anorexic and my body decided that starvation mode was causing it to panic and I actually put on weight. I'm trying to lose the weight back down to what I was but I find out that when I go to the gym (I often go at night or I also dance ballet 4 times a week) that I burn off all the calories that I've eaten during the day and then I'm left with having to eat 1200+ calories at dinner.

I've finally started eating breakfast again as well as a decent lunch but I can't eat that much food at night unless I eat a ton of junk food, which I don't want to do. What are good ideas to up the calorie intake so I'm not starving myself?

Replies

  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
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    Hi there! :flowerforyou:
    Lots of people find it easy to add a couple hundred calories by incorporating nuts and nut butters. A handful of cashews or 2 tbsp of peanut butter can put you just where you need to be, calorie-wise.

    Take a look at the different nutrients tracked by MFP in your food diary and decide which ones could use a bit of a boost. It makes sense to "top up" your nutrients while you're adding calories instead of just having a bag of chips, right?

    So if you're low in iron, have half of a cup of spicy lentils or a small bean salad. If you're low on fibre, snack on a plate of veggies and dip. Or go for an apple with PB.
  • jram70
    jram70 Posts: 91 Member
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    Eat about 5 times a day. I eat breakfast, midmorning, lunch, midafternoon, dinner and night snack. 200 cals per "meal" is 1200 on that schedule. Space the calories out.
  • Keithian
    Keithian Posts: 3
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    what you could do is get a weight gaining supplement. You can order them online at GNC or any supplement wearhouse. They generally are packed with lots of Protein and Calories. This one: http://www.supplementwarehouse.com/viewitem.asp?idproduct=48463 is more for like people trying to put on muscle, but if you workout as often as you do this in addition to a meal or even a cup of noodles will help you get those 1200 calories in plus a lot of different nutrients. Its an easy way of getting the calories you need without having to eat a lot.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    maybe start eating more calorie dense food, that way you eat less quantity for the same calories (switch your milk to a higher fat% from 1% to 2%) Eat full fat versions of cottage cheese, yogurt, salad dressings. Eat a handful of nuts, seeds, or dehydrated fruit as a snack, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Add olive oil to soups, salads, and sauces. Drink a glass of juice in place of a glass of water.
  • jillery14
    jillery14 Posts: 1
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    I can't tell if you are trying to lose or gain weight. If you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that 1200 calories is your maximum, not the amount you *have to* eat day. If you are under 1200 calories, then you should lose weight. However, if you are trying to gain weight, then eat like crap, fast food, fried food, sweets, baked goods and surely you will trounce that 1200 calorie mark daily with little to no effort and pack on the pounds.
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
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    I can't tell if you are trying to lose or gain weight. If you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that 1200 calories is your maximum, not the amount you *have to* eat day. If you are under 1200 calories, then you should lose weight. However, if you are trying to gain weight, then eat like crap, fast food, fried food, sweets, baked goods and surely you will trounce that 1200 calorie mark daily with little to no effort and pack on the pounds.

    Whoah.
    1,200 calories is not just a maximum, it's also a very serious minimum.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I can't tell if you are trying to lose or gain weight. If you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that 1200 calories is your maximum, not the amount you *have to* eat day. If you are under 1200 calories, then you should lose weight. However, if you are trying to gain weight, then eat like crap, fast food, fried food, sweets, baked goods and surely you will trounce that 1200 calorie mark daily with little to no effort and pack on the pounds.

    Wrong 1200 is the minimum anyone should eat. Going too far under can cause serious health issues over the long term
  • lisaking869
    lisaking869 Posts: 43 Member
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    Similar advice- Eat 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day. That way you do not have to eat any large meals that make you feel too full or uncomfortable.....I have Chobani Greek Yogurt (blueberry, peach, strawberry etc) with 1/4 cup Wheaties Fuel cereal each morning. Its nummy! Thats about 250 calories- then a couple hours later I have another snack-maybe a Starbucks skinny latte and fruit or a hanful of nuts. Lunch-whatever,,,,, a salad with a protein source or a healty sandwich and some fruit- a few hours later, another snack - veggies and dip, hummus and crackers, babybel cheese wedge and a few pretzels. Dinner- a balanced meal- protien, carb source (rice, grain, baked potoato- and some veggies- maybe even a small salad.. If I still have calories- I have an evening treat- fruit, or a fat free pudding with Rhedi Whip... something like that. If I am out of calories- I have herbal tea. I have a hard time staying under my 1390 calories most days. And , if I work out (and most days I do) I tend to eat up those calories too or sometime I even have a deficit. Hope this helps!
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    Nuts are generally high in calories, and have a huge health benefit. You can eat 1 oz of nuts and it would be around 150 calories.

    Also try incoporating snacks in between y our meals... that way you not stuck eating a huge dinner.
  • MeliciousMelis
    MeliciousMelis Posts: 458 Member
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    Another thing that might help- make a calorie dense smoothie- sometimes I find if I am having a hard time meeting my calorie goal, I can get around have a drink (like a smoothie) and not actually sit down to eat a meal does the trick.

    My smoothie components:
    fruit- coconut milk- greek yogurt....ect. Hope this helps!
  • MeliciousMelis
    MeliciousMelis Posts: 458 Member
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    Another thing that might help- make a calorie dense smoothie- sometimes I find if I am having a hard time meeting my calorie goal, I can get around have a drink (like a smoothie) and not actually sit down to eat a meal does the trick.

    My smoothie components:
    fruit- coconut milk- greek yogurt....ect. Hope this helps!
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    I can't tell if you are trying to lose or gain weight. If you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that 1200 calories is your maximum, not the amount you *have to* eat day. If you are under 1200 calories, then you should lose weight. However, if you are trying to gain weight, then eat like crap, fast food, fried food, sweets, baked goods and surely you will trounce that 1200 calorie mark daily with little to no effort and pack on the pounds.

    Wrong 1200 is the minimum anyone should eat. Going too far under can cause serious health issues over the long term


    Correct! 1200 is a minimum.... that your body needs. Not a MAX.. you should try to never go under 1200
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
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    Another thing that might help- make a calorie dense smoothie- sometimes I find if I am having a hard time meeting my calorie goal, I can get around have a drink (like a smoothie) and not actually sit down to eat a meal does the trick.

    My smoothie components:
    fruit- coconut milk- greek yogurt....ect. Hope this helps!

    Oh man, I haven't tried coconut milk in a smoothie.... YET.
    Sounds awesome.
  • lucky48
    lucky48 Posts: 65 Member
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    Wow! Thanks for all the help. Has anyone tried Nutella? I love nuts but I go way overboard on them and then I end up eating a ton of fat for the day.

    The smoothie sounds really good. I've never put coconut milk in them but I bet with some pineapple would taste just like a pina colada! yummy :)

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