Help! I can't eat that much!!

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britzzie
britzzie Posts: 341 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Here's the deal. I weigh 251 pounds and have been trying to eat at least 1200 calories but not more than 1500 calories a day. I never eat back my exercise calories, and sometimes I have quite a lot (500-750 because I work out twice and am heavy so I burn more.) I realize that I may be eating too little, so I have been trying to hit my 1500 calories and eat back half my exercise calories.

It is sooo hard to eat that much healthy food. Easy to hit that with Big Macs, but the thought of that makes me cringe anymore!!

Am I eating too little? The scale is still moving, but I don't want to lose the weight in an unhealthy way.

How do I eat more in a healthy way?

Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I can't see your diary, but there are a few ways to bump up the calories:

    Use healthy oils to cook in, on salads, toss with vegetables, etc.

    Snack on nuts, nut butters, seeds

    Avocado on sandwiches, in salads, guacamole (I like them plain with a little salt)

    You can always add ground flax seed to your meals to bump up the calories and very healthy fats.
  • britzzie
    britzzie Posts: 341 Member
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    That's great advice! I will definitely try that!!
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
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    So......you're eating right, exercising, losing weight....and you're asking for advice on how to eat more calories because it's so much easier to eat a Big Mac than it is to eat healthy????


    If your scale is moving, it sounds like you are doing something right. I wouldn't rock the boat right now.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    +1 on the nuts (50g or 1/3 cup of almonds is about 290 cal and filled with goodness)

    I also like Clif bars as a post workout recovery snack - typically 225 to 250 cal and a 4:1 carb/protein ration.

    Other than that it's hard to point out changes without seeing your food diary (but if you're feeling good I wouldn't stress too much about it, if you start feeling lethargic you know what the answer is.....)
  • fatfiske
    fatfiske Posts: 33
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    I'll agree with what has already been said in both posts. It seems like you are doing things alright. But the most important thing you can listen to is your body. As long as you are eating nutritously, staying hydrated, have energy, and are losing weight I wouldn't worry to much about the exact amount of calories you are eating. I'll only caution you against trying to lose too much too quickly, because that can lead to bad habits. But 21 pounds since January is fantastic! Keep up the good work!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    If you aren't eating enough calories, you aren't eating healthy. "Healthy foods" is a relative term. Are apples healthy? Absolutely. Is eating ONLY apples all day healthy? Not at all, terribly unbalanced nutritionally.

    Is a rib-eye steak the healthiest cut of meat on it's own? Not really, but is it a healthy choice when paired with a salad and some roasted vegetables? Absolutely, great mix of calories, protein, fat, and carbs.

    So, like someone else said, without seeing your diary, I can't make informed critiques or suggestions, but when most people say they "can't eat enough calories," usually they aren't eating enough protein and/or fat.

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