Hard To Eat Enough Calories?

ericfox11

Hello everyone. I'm a 23 year old male here that has used My Fitness Pal in the past, but didn't stick to any diet very strictly. I am having a very hard time eating ENOUGH calories according to My Fitness Pal. I'm 5'9 and 180.

It shows I need to eat 1260 calories a day, but between my morning run and workout which I do everyday, I have to eat around 1700 calories a day to lose 2lb a week it says. I eat 5-6 small meals a day.

I am also on the Paleo diet. Meat, fruit, veggies, and nuts, thats it. No bread, wheat, grain, rice, beans, potatoes, etc. It has REALLY worked for me I feel. I can tell my stomach is getting smaller and I feel so much better with much more energy.

Do other people on here have to eat less than there "My Fitness Pal" goals to lose weight? Maybe my metabolism is just very low for my age or something.

I also drink at least a gallon of water a day, so that might be why its hard for me to eat enough. But honestly I'm getting 150+ grams of protein a day and having a hard workout everyday. So I feel I am eating enough and losing weight. Should I just alter my My Fitness Pal calorie goal to meet what I am currently doing you think?

kathyc609

I never seem to eat enough calories - but I eat healthy food - also no grains, pasta and such. Lots of protein n veggies. I do t worry about Mfp numbers.

em9371

its important not to go much below the limit set by MFP as this includes a deficit already of 500 cals per lb you chose as a goal weight loss, going below this will create too large a deficit which is unhealthy and can result in your BMR slowing and muscle rather than fat loss.

To get your cals up in a healthy way try the following:
1 tablespoon olive oil in your cooking = 100 cals
1 glass whole milk (200ml) = 150 cals
Avocado = 100 cals
Nuts 25g = 150-200 cals
Peanut Butter = 100 cals / teaspoon

hope this helps!

Sidesteal

Try eating more calorie dense foods. Avocados, Nuts (nuts are very calorie dense and it shouldn't be a problem to eat an extra serving or two to up your intake). Red meats/fattier cuts of meat/etc.

LeanerBeef

Try eating more calorie dense foods. Avocados, Nuts (nuts are very calorie dense and it shouldn't be a problem to eat an extra serving or two to up your intake). Red meats/fattier cuts of meat/etc.

What he said.....following a Paleo type of diet I would think getting enough calories would not be a problem.

ericfox11

So if it says I need to eat about 1200 cals a day and im burning 500 cals a day with excercise I really do need to eat the 1700 calories huh....

I eat avacado and almonds almost every day too. I just started logging again this weekend, but tomorrow will be the exact same meals I normally eat and will log that and see where I stand.

I should still continue to cut down even eating the 1700 calories a day I am assuming though. Whatever I am doing now is causing me to lose fat and I am getting stronger in the gym, but I don't want to lose a bunch of muscle by eating too little.

Thanks for the replies!

ericfox11

Try eating more calorie dense foods. Avocados, Nuts (nuts are very calorie dense and it shouldn't be a problem to eat an extra serving or two to up your intake). Red meats/fattier cuts of meat/etc.

You're ripped up man, did you lose weight using MFP? Seems like you've always been in great shape.

Sidesteal

So if it says I need to eat about 1200 cals a day and im burning 500 cals a day with excercise I really do need to eat the 1700 calories huh....

I eat avacado and almonds almost every day too. I just started logging again this weekend, but tomorrow will be the exact same meals I normally eat and will log that and see where I stand.

I should still continue to cut down even eating the 1700 calories a day I am assuming though. Whatever I am doing now is causing me to lose fat and I am getting stronger in the gym, but I don't want to lose a bunch of muscle by eating too little.

Thanks for the replies!

The topic of eating back exercise calories is a heated one. In my opinion, most people should eat back at least a good portion of them.

For perspective sake only: when I cut at 185-190lbs, I can drop weight at 2200-2400 calories daily, and I do zero cardio and I'm relatively sedentary outside of the gym. I lift weights 4 to 5 days per week for about 1.5 hours per session.

I'm only mentioning this for perspective. 1200 calories is pretty much idiotic in my opinion and I'm not saying this to insult you, you are just following MFP.

Most people your size should easily drop weight at 1700/day.

ericfox11

Alright, well I will keep updating my profile and see how it goes. I just bought a food scale and a very nice bathroom scale that measure BF% etc..I know they aren't too accurate but it's normally a $100 scale so it should be fairly good and it has great reviews.

JenAiMarres

Whey protein shakes! I could not come close to my calories or protein without them!

ericfox11

Whey protein shakes! I could not come close to my calories or protein without them!

I'm doing 3-4 a day!

I do dymatize Iso-100 after my run and workout and do dymatize elite between meals

JenAiMarres

My husband has a hard time gaining and he eats about 4000 cals a day...he seriously has to shovel it in....I cook fully loaded everything for him..use oils...butter...full fat ice cream in his protein shakes with a whole bannana whole milk and he drinks at least three a day...It's harder for some people!!! Good luck..but get in in!!!!

ericfox11

That's pretty intense. I have a decent amount of muscle on me I just need to lose some fat.

Once I trim down I MIGHT try to bulk up a little. I would want to do a VERY clean bulk though.

ericfox11

ALSO, I forgot to mention that I am using SENSA. I know I know...seems like such a scam. But I always have had the worst cravings for bad foods...no matter how bad I wanted to lose weight I couldn't avoid bad food.

Using SENSA for almost two full months now and I can honestly say It has helped my cravings almost 100%.

Another question. I've always heard it is impossible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, because you have to be in either a calorie deficit or surplus. Is this true? Because I haven't been loosing much "weight", but my stomach is getting smaller and my pants fit looser now.

ericfox11

Here is a breakdown of what I ate today and what I eat pretty much every day.

Note that Lunch and Dinner consist of two small meals put together.

Breakfast
Eggland's Best - All Natural Extra Large Egg, 1 egg 80 0g 5g 7g 200mg 75mg 0g 0g
Eggland's Best - Egg Whites Cooked, 2 egg whit, cooked 34 0g 0g 7g 0mg 110mg 0g 0g
Oscar Myer - Deli Fresh Honey Ham Slices, 4 slices 33 1g 1g 6g 17mg 433mg 1g 0g

Lunch
Eating Right - All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 4 oz (112g) 130 0g 3g 26g 65mg 75mg 0g 0g
Eat Smart - Vegtable Medley, 3 oz. 25 5g 0g 2g 0mg 25mg 3g 2g
Great Value - Whole Natural Almonds, 9.24 g 53 2g 5g 2g 0mg 0mg 0g 1g
Eat Smart - Vegtable Medley, 3 oz. 25 5g 0g 2g 0mg 25mg 3g 2g
Eating Right - All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 5 oz (112g) 163 0g 4g 33g 81mg 94mg 0g 0g
Great Value - Whole Natural Almonds, 9.24 g 53 2g 5g 2g 0mg 0mg 0g 1g

Dinner
Eating Right - All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 4 oz (112g) 130 0g 3g 26g 65mg 75mg 0g 0g
Eat Smart - Vegtable Medley, 3 oz. 25 5g 0g 2g 0mg 25mg 3g 2g
Great Value - Whole Natural Almonds, 9.24 g 53 2g 5g 2g 0mg 0mg 0g 1g
Jennie-O - Extra Lean Ground Turkey 99/1, 6 oz 180 0g 2g 39g 83mg 105mg 0g 0g
Generic - Lettuce, Romaine, Inner Leaf (Usda Data), 18 g (1leaf=6g) 3 1g 0g 0g 0mg 1mg 0g 0g
Great Value - All Natural Mild Chunky Salsa, 6 Tbsp 30 6g 0g 0g 0mg 720mg 6g 3g
Calavo - Guacomole, 5 Tbsp 100 6g 10g 3g 0mg 313mg 1g 5g

Snacks
Dymatize Nutrition - Elite Gourmet Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake, 1 scoop 125 6g 2g 21g 20mg 170mg 0g 1g
Bolthouse Farms - Baby-Cut Carrots Raw, 42.5 g (3oz=85g) 18 4g 0g 1g 0mg 33mg 3g 1g
Dymatize - Iso 100 Whey Protein Isolate - Gourmet Chocolate, 1 scoop (28g) 106 1g 0g 24g 0mg 50mg 0g 0g
TOTAL: 1,366Calories 46gCarbs 45gFat 205gProtein 531mg 2,329mg 20g 19g