The dilemma of eating clean but not enough calories...

petithamu

I've been on MFP just a bit over a month now. I have been diligently logging my food consumption and I have been working out 6 - 7 days a week. One of my biggest problems have been not eating enough. I'm suppose to be on a 1200 kcal a day and I understand that is already including a deficit for me to lose 1lb a week. My goal is to lose 2 lbs a week so I work out to burn more calories. I do eat some of my exercise calories back but it seems like no matter what I do, I always have excess calories left. I'm eating clean which means they're not high in calories. I use olive oil, I eat carbs, I eat fish that are loaded with good fats and omega 3s. I eat nuts regularly, I eat peanut butter with wholewheat rice cake when i want to munch. I'm not depriving myself of any food and yet I'm still not eating enough! I'm worried that I'm unintentionally sending my body into starve mode and not know it. When people say 'starve mode', am I actually feeling like I'm starving?? Because I'm not starving, I get a bit munchy at night (especially the last couple of nights for some reason) and I'll munch on seaweed or something...

I've lost 11lbs so far and I want to do this the right way, the steady way. I know I'm working out hard but I don't want my eating habit to affect my journey. Anyone has similar problems? What do you do??

mommy2halfdozen

Great question I was wondering that my self. I act end up sancking on unhealthy stuff just to get may calories up and still don't make it.

cclala

Check out my food diary, I eat clean and yet have to restrain myself not to overdo it on cals. In fact I had to stop putting olive oil on my salads because it was too high calorie. So maybe you are burning a lot more than me, that could be.

Anyway, check it out. (Yesterday was a special ocassion so ahem, ignore the dinner:-)

Let me know if you need pointers or help.

jaedre

i got the same issue. i come up short and feel full. i make up the extra calories with protein shakes. you should try that.

AmeMahoney

Your food looks really good, and you are hitting at least 1,200 calories most days. Try adding a second snack. On days when you have one snack, it is generally very small (sometimes under 100 calories). Add a little more to that so you are hitting 200-300 calories, and then eat another small snack of 200-300 calories and you will be golden.

I don't really think protien shakes will fit in with the rest of the foods you eat. Maybe have 2 pieces of sushi instead of one when you snack, and for your other snack a very small bowl of rice or noodles with some beans or meat in it.

erickirb

Eat more snacks. Try eating every 2-4 hours and eat higher fat version of some of the foods you currently eat.
Eat more nuts, seeds and dehydrated fruit on their own or in with your meals. Add olive oil to soups and sauces. Add avocado to sandwiches and salads.

Mindful_Trent

If you have calories to spare and get "munchy" at night - then EAT! It's a myth that eating at night will stall your weight loss. I workout most evenings between 8 and 9, and then come home and eat anywhere from 200-500 calories. Hasn't slowed my weight loss one bit.

It sounds like you're eating the most commonly prescribed higher calorie healthy foods, but I would recommend you just try adding more calories to all your meals in little ways that will add up to a healthier calorie count. If you try to make each meal 300-400 calories and throw a few snacks in there, that will give you your 1200 calories per day easy.

Ex - adding 1/4 cup of beans to a salad, (Salads are a GREAT way to pack in healthy, clean calories) - I also add seeds, nuts, dried fruit, crumbled cheese, etc. to salads. You can add cheeses or switch to low or full fat dairy instead of skim (if you eat dairy).

It looks like you're not consistently eating snacks during the day - you should aim to get 100-200 calorie snacks in the morning and afternoon if you're having trouble meeting your minimum calories. That amount of calories is pretty easy to squeeze in and depending on what you eat, could be filling or not too filling if you don't want it to be.

Rocketscience45

Most of the time its really hard to do clean bulks and things like that. Stuff like protein shakes and those huge protein bars you can find at some stores have helped me in the past when I was falling short of a specific number.

CarthagoDelendaEst

This is the same for me. I find myself snacking on junk food after dinner to get my calories up, which is not healthy and I'm like you, I want to do this the proper way. I think that you need to have 1200 NET calories, especially if you are working out. I hardly ever reach this, but I feel like it's OK for now as I've been doing this without proper exercise.

Today I have 400 cals left until I reach my 1200 NET calories and I've had dinner...

Provided that my DVD arrives tomorrow, I will be starting the 30 Day Shred tomorrow. I will make sure that I eat 1200 NET calories at least to stop my body from going into starvation mode. I like your idea of the rice cakes and peanut butter. Perhaps we need to implement a few more ideas like this into our day to get calories up.

I too would welcome any advice :-)

tigerblue

I have the same problem. If I get a good run in (about 400 calories burned), and if I am eating healthy, It is tough to eat enough calories. (And I am finished losing and trying to maintain). Of course, if I indulge in lots of treats (baked goods, chips, etc) I have no problem eating all my calories. But that's not really the idea, is it?

I have the same problem feeding my very athletic almost teen-age boys. I don't want them filling up on junk (they'd eat pop-tarts without end-- a box a day if I'd let them), but if I insist on only healthy choices, they don't eat enough to grow because of their high-calorie burning training sessions.

So what is the solution? Anyone?

Mindful_Trent

One more thing (since you asked about this) - you won't necessarily feel extra hungry in starvation mode. I personally don't like that term. Think of it as a mode in which your body has lowered it's metabolism because it's so used to not getting enough calories that it has adapted and is forcing itself to run on less. You probably *won't* feel all that hungry if you experiencing this, actually. Hunger is not the best trigger to go by, because bodies do not always tell us if they are not being properly fueled. They will if they are used to being properly fueled, but after awhile they adjust and "give up" and just learn to operate without complaint on the too-low calorie levels.

erickirb

... You probably *won't* feel all that hungry if you experiencing this, actually. Hunger is not the best trigger to go by, because bodies do not always tell us if they are not being properly fueled. They will if they are used to being properly fueled, but after awhile they adjust and "give up" and just learn to operate without complaint on the too-low calorie levels.

Good point, hunger is not the best indication of nutrition requirements.

dawnslaughter

starvation mode does not mean you are hungry because your body stops noticing that you are hungry after a couple of days! it means that you are not consuming enough calories to fuel you body for the basics such as breathing in and out. so your body will slow down your metabolism to compensate for it , it will also start to use your muscle as a replacement for the calories that it needs, it will cause a strain on your body, you are basically doing harm to yourself. yes in the short term you will lose weight but it will be part of your body tissues too, which is not good, then the moment you hit your goal and eat you will pile on pounds as your body uses every bit of calories you consume to replace what you have lost. you are causing your self harm you must hit your 1200 aday.

NoAdditives

Most people don't realize when they've gone into starvation mode because your body adjusts it's hunger levels to the amount of food you eat. When I started here I was in starvation mode, I was eating 400-700 calories a day. I didn't feel hungry, I thought I was eating enough.

You need to meet your calorie goal every day, including eating your exercise calories.

shaunshaikh

Starvation mode doesn't neccessarily mean you're hungry -- it means your body is holding onto what it can to preserve your life as long as possible -- thus making you lose less weight than you can normally. This can result in going to the bathroom less and turning "precious calories" into fat for storage. That's my experience, anyways. When i was in wrestling and used to starve myself to help be below a certain weight class, I really noticed it. And the thing is, after the initial pinge of being hungry, it actually becomes pretty bearable. Your body stops "expecting" food and making you feel hungry and just shuts down. It's way better to increase the number of meals you eat and just eat small meals with lots of water.

SoldierWife99

Eat more snacks. Try eating every 2-4 hours and eat higher fat version of some of the foods you currently eat.
Eat more nuts, seeds and dehydrated fruit on their own or in with your meals. Add olive oil to soups and sauces. Add avocado to sandwiches and salads.

I was having a hard time eating all of my calories too. Like you, I work out 6-7 days a week and couldn't seem to eat enough cal's, so, I started to eat every 2 hours and now if I'm short, its only 100 calories or less.

petithamu

Thanks for all the tips! Because I'm not working at the moment and I am at home, I cook everything from scratch. My recipe book on MFP is packed with recipes so I know exactly what I am putting in everything I make. I actually make quite healthy meals (shockingly) so I was quite surprised when the most calorific thing I make is still under 400kcal. I do eat beans, lots of beans and I do eat nuts. I don't really eat junk food so we don't have junk food at home and we don't have any beer or sodas either. To be honest, I don't even know how I gained the 40lbs...a nutritionist would be proud to go through my fridge!

Unfortunately I can't have protein shakes...I can't drink milk or anything dairy cuz it gives me a bad tummy ache and I really don't like shakes..I'd rather eat a bowl of rice with miso soup...haha

I can't eat cheese cuz I'm allergic to cheese I recently found out...

I always eat too much protein, too! I'm never green on my Protein allowance, I always end up eating too much. I have protein with every meal so can't say I'm not eating enough protein...

I guess I just have to snack more...I'm running out of snack ideas...grrr...who woulda thought that I could be NOT eating enough!

rockabyesarojane

... You probably *won't* feel all that hungry if you experiencing this, actually. Hunger is not the best trigger to go by, because bodies do not always tell us if they are not being properly fueled. They will if they are used to being properly fueled, but after awhile they adjust and "give up" and just learn to operate without complaint on the too-low calorie levels.

Good point, hunger is not the best indication of nutrition requirements.

so true!

if you start eating those small meals every few hours and do this for 3-5 (depending on your body) weeks your body will have more time to adjust and realize that it's free to send you those hunger signals once again. i'm finally at the point where i can trust my hunger signals more. but i also keep notes on my diary about how i feel before and after each meal so that i can use those notes as a future reference for what made me feel energetic, tired, etc. feel free to check it out. i used to keep it visible to only friends, but i recently opened it up to everyone.

good luck with everything!

Cbandelier

Just add a little more olive oil, a few extra nuts, or an extra 1/2 tbsp of pb to your rice cake, and so on....it will add up and you probably won't even notice.

Also I wouldn't worry about going over your protein. I always think of my set protein number as a goal, not a limit.

CarthagoDelendaEst

Apparently, you are supposed to eat 1g-1.5g of protein for every pound you weigh. So I wouldn't worry about going over on protein. If anything it's a good thing! Brilliant for repairing muscle after working out!

I need to UP my protein, I eat far too little!

lesliemk

I struggle with the same issue... many days I have 300-400 calories left (I get 1900 a day) and I'm often left wondering what to eat. Trying to eat clean isn't easy! I eat pretty good sized meals and snacks, but I usually have some cals leftover but I'm oftentimes out of fat or carbs. Which leaves me with what? A million veggies to eat at night to get somewhere near 300 calories? I hear you!

With that said I just try to pick sensibly... some almonds, a piece of fruit, super dark chocolate, veggies & hummus, homemade granola bars, etc... I can usually get those things to add up pretty quickly. Good luck!

ladyhawk00

One more thing (since you asked about this) - you won't necessarily feel extra hungry in starvation mode. I personally don't like that term. Think of it as a mode in which your body has lowered it's metabolism because it's so used to not getting enough calories that it has adapted and is forcing itself to run on less. You probably *won't* feel all that hungry if you experiencing this, actually. Hunger is not the best trigger to go by, because bodies do not always tell us if they are not being properly fueled. They will if they are used to being properly fueled, but after awhile they adjust and "give up" and just learn to operate without complaint on the too-low calorie levels.

Absolutely correct.

tritta01

Im in the same boat, I feel like I dont get 1200 calories but over in the other areas, so what are more important getting calories or not going over in other areas such as fats, sugar, sodium.

Grokette

This is what people are not understanding.

It is not about the numbers. Plain and simple.

If you are eating whole and natural foods, then your calorie counts are going to be much lower than most other peoples.

It is not about quantity. It is about quality. We as humans don't have to have XXX calories. Feed your body with whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, some fruit intake and you may only consume about 800 - 1000 calories per day, but it is very nutrient dense food.

Your body won't want or need for anything because you are truly nourishing your body.

tritta01

This is what people are not understanding.

It is not about the numbers. Plain and simple.

If you are eating whole and natural foods, then your calorie counts are going to be much lower than most other peoples.

It is not about quantity. It is about quality. We as humans don't have to have XXX calories. Feed your body with whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, some fruit intake and you may only consume about 800 - 1000 calories per day, but it is very nutrient dense food.

Your body won't want or need for anything because you are truly nourishing your body.

tritta01

Why does it say that you are under your calories then when you enter in your food if you are under 1200?

Mindful_Trent

This is what people are not understanding.

It is not about the numbers. Plain and simple.

If you are eating whole and natural foods, then your calorie counts are going to be much lower than most other peoples.

It is not about quantity. It is about quality. We as humans don't have to have XXX calories. Feed your body with whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, some fruit intake and you may only consume about 800 - 1000 calories per day, but it is very nutrient dense food.

Your body won't want or need for anything because you are truly nourishing your body.

Calories are energy. Bodies require ENERGY to properly operate. We all agree that your body is better off if you get that energy from clean, healthy foods, but regardless of where you are getting it from, you still need enough energy. If I burn 3000 calories (or even 2500) in a day, 800 or even 1000 is not going to be enough for me to operate optimally (even if I am getting the property vitamins/minerals), regardless of how clean/healthy that energy is. Only certain people can operate well on a super high deficit (primarily people with a LOT of weight to lose) - everyone else is better off keeping their deficit at reasonable numbers.

Quality is important, but so is quantity. You need the right quantity of energy to keep your body running optimally - a low calorie diet may work for you, but for many people, 800-1000 calories of even the most nutritious, clean food won't necessarily be enough. It's not the best idea to go around telling everyone that anyone can be perfectly healthy eating 800-1000 calories a day if they just eat clean, because that's just not necessarily going to be true for everyone (or even most people).

DaveGlasnost

This is what people are not understanding.

It is not about the numbers. Plain and simple.

If you are eating whole and natural foods, then your calorie counts are going to be much lower than most other peoples.

It is not about quantity. It is about quality. We as humans don't have to have XXX calories. Feed your body with whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, some fruit intake and you may only consume about 800 - 1000 calories per day, but it is very nutrient dense food.

Your body won't want or need for anything because you are truly nourishing your body.

Whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, fruit intake is good, nutrient-dense food, but you need enough of it to fulfill your body's nutrient and energy needs. "Density of nutrients" or "density of caloric/fat/protein/carb/etc content" means you need less of the "denser" food to be properly fueled, not that you can fuel less because there's more nutrients per ounce.

Think of the nutrient-dense food you describe as a battery with 100 units of power efficiently packed into it, versus the other guy's junky-food battery that is of identical size, but unlike your battery only has a less-densely-packed 50 units of power inside it.

Now imagine a device that uses 1000 units of power a day and needs to run pretty much constantly. Regardless of the fact that your battery is more "nutrient-dense," you still have to use 10 of your batteries per day to fill the needs of the device. Sure, the other guy has to use 20, but you still need to feed that device 10 batteries a day or it will shut down until the next day. The advantage is that you need less of your batteries, but the power requirements do not change.

Just like the human body. The quality of the food can vary, but the basic needs of the body to function normally are not changed by how many units of nutrition are in each bite. You just get to satisfy your needs with fewer bites.

ladyhawk00

This is what people are not understanding.

It is not about the numbers. Plain and simple.

If you are eating whole and natural foods, then your calorie counts are going to be much lower than most other peoples.

It is not about quantity. It is about quality. We as humans don't have to have XXX calories. Feed your body with whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, some fruit intake and you may only consume about 800 - 1000 calories per day, but it is very nutrient dense food.

Your body won't want or need for anything because you are truly nourishing your body.

Whole foods, lots of veggies, good quality proteins and fats, fruit intake is good, nutrient-dense food, but you need enough of it to fulfill your body's nutrient and energy needs. "Density of nutrients" or "density of caloric/fat/protein/carb/etc content" means you need less of the "denser" food to be properly fueled, not that you can fuel less because there's more nutrients per ounce.

Think of the nutrient-dense food you describe as a battery with 100 units of power efficiently packed into it, versus the other guy's junky-food battery that is of identical size, but unlike your battery only has a less-densely-packed 50 units of power inside it.

Now imagine a device that uses 1000 units of power a day and needs to run pretty much constantly. Regardless of the fact that your battery is more "nutrient-dense," you still have to use 10 of your batteries per day to fill the needs of the device. Sure, the other guy has to use 20, but you still need to feed that device 10 batteries a day or it will shut down until the next day. The advantage is that you need less of your batteries, but the power requirements do not change.

Just like the human body. The quality of the food can vary, but the basic needs of the body to function normally are not changed by how many units of nutrition are in each bite. You just get to satisfy your needs with fewer bites.

Well said - and right on.

petithamu

Wow, lots of explanation. Thanks for this! It really helps. It at least helps me understand about calories a bit better and that I don't feel so guilty when I'm not hitting my calorie mark. I am eating really clean and really healthy and I do believe quality over quantity...

Thank you all again!

Tiffany

wannalose25

This makes sense to me...thanks for posting