I already know what you're going to say...

taygrad

Hi all!

When I got here and started calculating what I was eating in calories, I'd notice that eating out would always bring up my calories, and eating at home would drop them - salads, fruits, hummus, chocolate milk...all of these are relatively low in calories compared to fast food. But I think that's my point. I literally eat as much as it takes to make me full, I eat about 3-4 small meals a day, and I drink water (not lots of water, because lots of water makes me full, which makes me eat less calories). I'm eating a lot of salad, hummus, fruits/vegetables, lean proteins, beans, etc. I find it INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT to get to 1200 calories a day.

Incredibly. Difficult.

I'm usually full all day when I eat about about 800-900 calories. This includes when I do my jogs (which I'm always hungry after), and I eat a meal heavy in carbs and proteins. Most of the time, I graze all day on fruits and vegetables and proteins, eat healthy for breakfast and lunch, and I'm left with trying to figure out how to eat 800 calories for dinner. That just doesn't sound healthy, to have an 800 calorie dinner, and if I eat more calories earlier in the day, I'm full all day and don't want to eat lunch. Drinking more water makes me feel even fuller, so I want to eat even less.

I know what everyone says here, about starvation mode and eating 1200 calories or else PERISH. But I just don't think I've ever consistently eaten more than 1200 calories in my life (except when I was gaining weight), and it makes me feel awful to force myself to eat food just to reach 1200 calories when I'm full, or having to eat high calorie meals in one sitting because my healthy eating all day resulted in a high deficiency in the evening. It sounds counter-intuitive to weight loss.

Is this just a temporary feeling that my body is giving me? Is it one of those things where I should just let my hunger guide me, and the more I eat healthy and exercise, the more that my body will demand more calories, and 1200 calories will come easier?

Let me stress that I'm not looking to say "OMG I DON'T NEED 1200 CALORIES!!" If that's what I should be eating it, I'll eat it. I just need to know what I SHOULD be eating, and if this feeling I have of being full all of the time is normal for 2 weeks into this lifestyle change. Do I eventually start burning more and thus needing more? Or should I let my stomach's signals guide me and ease into the 1200 calorie thing?

Ariloum

How are you doing with this now, Tay?

mfpcopine

I'll say what I always say: Do you feel good? Are you losing weight? Does the doctor say you're unhealthy? If the answer to the first two questions is "yes," and to the third "no," I'd continue as you are doing.

It is a bad, bad habit to eat when you're not hungry unless there's a reason, such as you're sick.

bcattoes

Add more healthy fats to your diet. Cook your veggies in olive oil, make your own salad dressings with vinegar and olive oil. Add a few slices of avacado to your salads. Without adding bulk to your food you will see a significant rise in calories just from a few spoonfuls of oil. And it's great for your HDL levels.

HelloSweetie4

Any type of nut is always good to add if you're stuggling with getting enough calories. Small amounts add up fast and they are packed with healthy fats and protien.
Like bcattoes said, avacado is also packed with healthy fats and you only need a little to bring your calories up. yummmm homemade guacamole

bakay138

Are you measuring your food portions? You may want to try doing that to see if you are actually only eating 800-900 calories a day. I have found that the serving size listed in the database and my actual serving size are often quite a bit different if I just eyeball my serving size. That leads to underreporting of actual calories taken in.

If you don't already, why don't you try measuring/weighing your portions for a few days to determine if the portion you are taking in is the same as the one you are logging in from MFP.

Just a thought.

taygrad

You guys are awesome!

I'm still struggling to meet the 1200 calories every day, but on the days that I eat quacamole or EVOO with my veggies, I can raise it up to around 1200 comfortably. I guess I'll just need to find those healthy-fat options that drive up the calories, so I have something to burn. Whoo, on the days I work out (which feels like always), I'm always struggling to hit the calorie count for the day!

I actually tried to drop my caloric intake to around 1000 calories, but now that I've started a spin class, I find that I cannot maintain that. I'm also noticing a drop in my weight with the 1200 calories, so I don't want to risk starving myself by dropping calories.

Thanks to everyone to responded!!