I can't keep my calories low!

chubbyandawkward

I am absolutely struggling to keep my calories below 1500 a day (my target it 1200), can anybody please give me advice?
I NEED to lose weight for school in september, I just have to!
I do lots of exercise so I get really hungry and faint but there's rarely anything suitable in the house so at the end of the day I end up having junk
Can I look at other people's diaries?
Any advice, tips or anecdotes will help me, don't be shy. Please help me!

Kmdforsythe

Try buying snacks that are healthy and low in calories so that you wont be as likely to eat junk food when you get home.

SenoraMacias

What are you eating? Like what types of foods? My calorie goal is 1200, but I eat a lot and still stay under...

ceschwartz

I do not eat perfectly, but I try to hit the 1200 mark. Feel free too look at what I eat on my good days, ignore that bad ones.

SpaceMarkus

If you're doing lots of exercises, you need to eat lots! 1200 is the bare min.

melizerd

You're pretty close to your goal weight really. Lower your weight loss to 1lb or even .5 a pound a week. It's more sustainable and those last pounds are the most stubborn and you have to have realistic expectations of how quickly you can lose them in a healthy way.

aa1440

Throw out all of the junk food. If it's not there you can't eat it.

There are many people on here that have their food diary open to the public.

And lastly, don't look at this as a diet. It is a change in lifestyle. Change your eating habits and stop dieting.

Good luck.

Xlyinia

If there is nothing but junk food in your house, then go buy new food that is good for you. You can eat a TON of veggies and fruit for nearly nothing calorie wise. Plus the fiber keeps you full. Also lean protein is a good calorie value. Just get rid of the junk and eat the fresh stuff and the caloires just kinda take care of themselves.

luigigirl

Add me as your friend and you can look at my diary. My daily calorie goal is 1320. You can't starve yourself, that will not help you. I have lost over 16 lbs in 5 weeks even though my ticker says 8 because I haven't updated it yet. You need to eat every two hours to keep your metabolism running and to convert your food into energy instead of fat.

evangpattismith

some of your friends should have open diarys and when they fill their's out at the end of the day and you see the post, so and so completed their food diary, and if it has view diary, you can click on it and view it. they also have 100 calaorie snacks, apples and fruits are low in calories...along with veggies, and stuff....hope this helps some

cskalaj

Are you factoring in that you can eat the calories you exercise off? In fact, you're supposed to to give your body fuel. At 1,200 NET (meaning if you ate that plus what you exercised off) you're still at a deficit to lose and you're fueling your body to build the muscles from your exercising that will in turn boost your metabolism and help you lose more efficiently!

sociable15

Don't let yourself get so hungry you're fainting. Thats SUPER unhealthy. If you eat small healthy meals throughout the day you're less likely to binge at night. Fruit and veggies are good snacks that are reasonably low in cals.

debdptg

If you are hungry - then you body wants fuel. First, eat something with lots of fiber, like an apple, before you go to the other food. It will make you feel full. Then, make sure you are drinking your water - if you are dehydrated, it may make you feel like you are hungry. Last, pack some 'good' snacks and hide them away in your room so they will always be there. Fruit and veggies, microwave popcorn, what ever you crave.

Good luck!

cjjones007

It is tough I know - but you probably or going to have to get your own "set" of healthy foods and snacks to have - I tried reducing calories (in the beginning) by keeping the junk around for the kids because they loved it but in the end - it was there so I ate it...
Now I don't keep but just a FEW things around for them and I ignore that cabinet completely lol

You CAN do this hon, I think AA has great information!!

wjewell

eat lots of veggies, and fruits. Watch some fruits though, high in sugar. eat white meat instead of red. whole wheat, whole grain instead of white bread. Try hungrygirl.com for some alternatives to your favorite recipes. look im my diary if you'd like.

ANeWcRe8N

are you eating your exercise calories? Sounds like you arent eating enough to fuel your body for all the working out you're doing. Drink tons of water too!

rodneyderrick

If you're exercising and taking in right at 1,500 calories, I would say that you're doing a fine job. Add fiber to your diet and make sure you're eating enough protein, and I think you'll feel fuller.

bcattoes

You can check my diary if you want.

Why do you only have junk available? Does someone other than you, such as parents, support you and buy the food? Will they not buy healthy options if you ask them too?

mwhitel

Try filling up on vegetables! They're really low in calories but fill you up. Feel free to look at my food diary, I've come up with some really good meals that are low calorie!

katiebug3268

Throw out all of the junk food. If it's not there you can't eat it.

There are many people on here that have their food diary open to the public.

And lastly, don't look at this as a diet. It is a change in lifestyle. Change your eating habits and stop dieting.

Good luck.

I completly agree!!!!

ejhayes

You can look at mine, by the way, I eat a lot of food in a day. It's getting easier to maintain the calories lower than the goal. I have mine set at 1,500 not 1,200 like it wanted to set it for me. I knew that would have been very frustrating for me to keep up with. I will add you and maybe we can help each other.

Rae6503

First, you are NOT that large. Who cares if your dad's girl friend is thinner than you? Sounds like she's a ***** anyway.

Second, stop trying for 1200 if it's too hard! If you set your MFP goal to 1lb per week, how many calories does that give you? Try it. 1200 is the bare minimum a woman should eat. Most women should NOT be trying to go that low. Plus, if it's hard, you won't stick with it.

cgavin77

I was eating a BUNCH of low cal things all day long....and recently changed to a little higher cal snacks that FILL me most of the day!
Try nuts
cottage cheese & fruit
greek yogurt
protein shakes/almond milk
celery w/ natural peanut butter.
... i also changed up my breakfast- I have been doing Steel Cut Oats w/ a little honey a few chopped almonds and what ever fruit! YUMMY and FILLING!

Feel free to look at my food diary

juleseybaby

Friend me if ya like. Friends can see my diary.

I too thought "WHAT THE HECK??!?!?!!" when MFP gave me a goal of 1250 net cals per day. But I do it more often than not... and when I can tell that I won't make it... I work out (Zumba, walking) after work.

Also - you don't always have to meet that mark. If you are a little (read 100 or so cals) over - it is not the end of the world.

I should add that I am lazy - and I hate cooking - and yet, I have lost 21 pounds since I started on MFP...

PaulaAnn143

Cant see your food log, so hard to give ya advice. Try doing more protiens they hold off hunger longer. What kind of exercise are you doing? You say alot but only want to keep calories at 1200. How much is alot of exercise? 1200 calories inst enough to keep hunger away when you exercise alot.

chubbyandawkward

Thanks guys!
I have low blood pressure and I suspect I might be hypoglycemic, I don't starve myself, I just go faint very easily
I've just checked and my net for today is 987 even though I've eaten nearly 1900, but I don't like having my calories high because what if MFP is wrong and I haven't burned off what I thought I have?
My net is usually around 1200-1500, but I've been at this for months and I haven't lost a pound so I'm clearly doing something wrong
Thanks for all the support

mistyaiken

my food diary might be weird to you since i dont eat meat, so mine stays really under the calorie line plus im working with my
doctor to loose weight and am on a rx weight loss drug. he told me to get this book and read that would help me in finding the healthiest food choices. the name of the book is" skinny *****" by rory freeman and kim barnouin. you can find it in your local book store it's under $15 and its a awesome help in know what you should eat and give up and it explains what foods and drinks are bad for you
and the ones that are good for you . after reading this book i have been a total vegan for 4 days but dont eat any white flour,white rice, white pasta,white refined sugar , ice cream,candy,candy bars coffee(reg or decaf) soda has boat loads of sugar in it and diet sodas make you fat .these have lots of bad cards and lots of sugar and will delay you in your weight loss effort. instead eat whole wheat pasta pasta brown ,rice pasta , veggie pasta, whole wheat and whole grain breads and whole wheat ceral, lots of fruit and veggies . feel free to look at my food diary for meal options. i hope this helps .

SueInAz

I am absolutely struggling to keep my calories below 1500 a day (my target it 1200), can anybody please give me advice?
I NEED to lose weight for school in september, I just have to!
I do lots of exercise so I get really hungry and faint but there's rarely anything suitable in the house so at the end of the day I end up having junk
Can I look at other people's diaries?
Any advice, tips or anecdotes will help me, don't be shy. Please help me!

If you're doing "lots of exercise" MFP should be adding those exercise calories on to your 1200. You should be eating those extra calories. What is MFP giving you for a goal each day after adding in your exercise? That is your actual goal. At 1500, you're probably eating the right amount, maybe even too little depending on your calorie burn.

ETA: I've recently started eating back almost all of my exercise calories (I was netting under 1200 regularly) and have broken a 3 week plateau. I gained a few pounds back at first but have lost 2.2 pounds in the last 2 days.

chubbyandawkward

It varies because I don't have a set routine but today I've burned nearly 850 calories and I've eaten nearly 1900 but when I'd calmed down from my workout I felt awful. All faint and weak, so I went downstairs and all I could find was nutella and croissants
My goal for today was about 2040 but I have a weight loss tumblr and everyone else eats between 1000-1200 AND they work out and I just feel like I'm eating too much >.>

Rae6503

It varies because I don't have a set routine but today I've burned nearly 850 calories and I've eaten nearly 1900 but when I'd calmed down from my workout I felt awful. All faint and weak, so I went downstairs and all I could find was nutella and croissants
My goal for today was about 2040 but I have a weight loss tumblr and everyone else eats between 1000-1200 AND they work out and I just feel like I'm eating too much >.>

What's a "weight loss tumblr"?

I eat OVER 2000 calories a day! I try to net 1700.

chubbyandawkward

I'm not sure how to explain it but it's where lots of people blog about weight loss and we all support each other and stuff :-)