Having trouble getting the recommended calories...does it ma

momcindy

I'm just in my second day of becomimg a member here and doing a food diary and I'm having a hard time reaching the recommended calorie count for the day. It seems like so much food to me and I'm honestly not hungry after eating what I do so with trying to lose weight it seems counter-productive to eat when I'm not hungry just to get up to a calorie number. The recommendation for my weight is over 1800 calories but am barely getting to 1200. Are the extra 600 calories that important?

I'm also trying to stick to a lower-carb plan which means getting enough fiber can also be a challenge. Suggestions?

Thanks for the input,

Cindy

BigDave1050

Without getting technical, if you eat too little calories your body will hold on to all the fat it can. But you should be able to play with your calorie intake to find what works for your body.

whitters114

I've been understanding that the minimum number of calories your body needs a day to sustain healthy living and keep you metabolism up is 1200. That's what my husband and I aim for every day. Technically, we're "allowed" more than that, but we lose weight faster if we stay right at or slightly over 1200.

khk2010

I don't know what your settings are but you could try revising your profile. I had 65 lbs to lose and at 2 lbs loss per week it was set to 1200 calories per day.

glenna221

veggies are lower in carbs than rice/grains...and they have fiber. (beans are great too, but they come with some addln carbs)

getyupcowgirl

I know it sounds crazy but sometimes you have to eat to lose . . . go figure : ). Do what it tells you to do and you will lose weight!

Julijulz

You basically have the same exact requirements as me and I am on low carb as well. Last night I found myself starring at the screen on the computer like "omg how am I going to consume 600 calories, I have eaten enough?" What I think it is is that we consume more protein in our diet then others, so we get full and stay full longer. But from my experience, if I don't eat at least 300 of those 600, I will not lose any weight. Basically, you need those calories. I workout very hard everyday as well, so I usually burn 800-1000 calories. But what I eat usually helps me recover from my strength training. Here is a great site a friend gave me. I suggest you try it out and try to match your nutrients up with it. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm It helps you get a rough idea of what you should be consuming a day.

LivLovLrn

It also depends on how much you are exercising; you really do need the calories for that as well or your body will begin to break down...like trying to run a car without gasoline.
As far as carbs, I have been keeping an eye on mine and I always end up with less than my allotted amount and I eat a lot of fruit...with the skin. Also veggies are good fiber sources as well....raw is best!

mill1295

Try cooking your veggies in olive oil.. that should help add calories.

Julijulz

And fiber is definitely important in a lower carb diet. I would suggest you go easy on fiber supplements and no all natural. Leafy greens will give you best fiber while staying in your carb range. The rule of thumb...take a small plate and 1/3 is protein and the other 2/3 needs to be your fiber rich/low carb veggie. Aim for that at least 3 times a day. It really helps. I usually make my snacks something like low sodium nuts or a protein shake. You will figure it out. Just let me know if you need any help.

mssweetjay

I truly understand how you feel. I have a hard enough time now to even reach 1200 cals at least per day!!!! I'm not starving myself and I am eating small meals with my snacks. I try to add more calories on some days so I want be under the minium of 1200 cals every day!!!. I'm learning to eat for nourishment and not EMOTIONAL STRESS EATING!!!. I am justing taking one day at a time and know that everything will balance out!!! Just keep note to try your best to eat at least 1200 cals a day without feeling like you are stuffing yourself!! Good luck!!

Julijulz

And fiber is definitely important in a lower carb diet. I would suggest you go easy on fiber supplements and no all natural. Leafy greens will give you best fiber while staying in your carb range. The rule of thumb...take a small plate and 1/3 is protein and the other 2/3 needs to be your fiber rich/low carb veggie. Aim for that at least 3 times a day. It really helps. I usually make my snacks something like low sodium nuts or a protein shake. You will figure it out. Just let me know if you need any help.

************GO ALL NATURAL. opps

Monica_has_a_goal

HI Hun,

I'm no expert by any means but I have been doing this since June 2011 and Ive been just like you. I used to skip meals and not be hungry .. Now I look forward to eating most of my calories including my exercise calories.

At one point I was only eating 1200 and exercising and not eating the additional exercise calories and I STOPPED my metabolism and I stopped losing weight.. oh thats really frustrating so you dont want to do that.. thank goodness it only lasted two weeks and I'm losing weight again!

Eat all your calories and when you exercise try to eat those calories too. I know you'll feel better and you'll drop weight faster.

Friend me if you'd like .. and WELCOME ABOARD MFP! :flowerforyou:

Monica

Monica_has_a_goal

HI Hun,

I'm no expert by any means but I have been doing this since June 2011 and Ive been just like you. I used to skip meals and not be hungry .. Now I look forward to eating most of my calories including my exercise calories.

At one point I was only eating 1200 and exercising and not eating the additional exercise calories and I STOPPED my metabolism and I stopped losing weight.. oh thats really frustrating so you dont want to do that.. thank goodness it only lasted two weeks and I'm losing weight again!

Eat all your calories and when you exercise try to eat those calories too. I know you'll feel better and you'll drop weight faster.

Friend me if you'd like .. and WELCOME ABOARD MFP! :flowerforyou:

Monica

momcindy

Thank you so much for the quick responses. I'll try to find ways to add some more calories...using a little more olive oil is a good suggestion. I'm not afraid of good fats since my health issues (prediabetic, insulin resistant, etc.) are more because of the wrong kinds of carbs than good fats. I'm not carb phobic but for me it really does matter how much and what kinds of carbs I get.

The reason I joined this site was because of the food diary feature so I could get a realistic view of what I'm eating and where I need to improve (i.e. fiber). It's an added blessing to find such a great support group! I'm feeling overwhelmed with the amount of weight I need to lose so I'm trying to take it a smaller goal at a time.

Thanks again,

Cindy

momcindy

Thank you for the good tips. I appreciate that you took the time to address my quesitons!