Increasing Calories?

hurla56

After tracking my foods for the day I am always told that I am not eating enough calories. However, if I increase my calories I am also increasing my fat, carbs and protein which I don't need. Help, what can I do?

impyimpyaj

You do need fat, carbs, and protein. That's where you get your energy sources for living.

If you open your diary, we'd be more able to help you.

kayleesays

Honestly, upping my calories upped my fat/carbs/protein and it didn't affect my weight loss at all. However, you can always go into My Home/Goals/Change Goals/Custom and set them manually.

DataBased

We all need fat, carbs, and protein - each of us needs different amounts of them though. You have to fuel whatever workout you do, and leave your body enough nutrition to builid itself back to a healthy, lean-muscled machine. The more muscle you have, the more fat and carbs your muscle will burn even while you sleep.

Too many diets have made us think that food is the enemy. It isn't. Inactivity and over-eating is the enemy. You're on the right track - be a student of your own body, find the combination that works for you, and stay active.

:flowerforyou:

Dragonwolf

Stop being afraid of the macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein). Calories have to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is one or more of the macronutrients. Your diary isn't public, so no one can make any specific recommendations, but if you're not eating enough calories, you're probably also not getting enough of one or more of the macronutrients.

In the very off chance that you're somehow meeting your macros, but don't have enough calories, then go for a high-protein snack. MFP's protein setting is often very low, especially if you're doing any kind of working out, so it's safe to go over in it.

shesquats

As some of the others mentioned, weight loss isn't about starving yourself but about good food choices and your activity level. Check out EM2WL, Eat More to Weigh Less. This group on MFP is so helpful in providing websites, etc to help you calculate your TDEE, etc. Not eating enough can be counterproductive. Good Luck!

Carp614

I use this feature as a general guide post. I can't (and don't want to) track every calorie that comes in. I see the BMR/BMI calculations in MFP the same way. They are not absolute fact.

If I am plus or minus a couple hundred calories I don't sweat it. I go more by how I feel. and I don't weigh myself everyday!

If I feel myself running out of steam I try to shore up what is weak (e.g. sleep, calories, carbs, micro nutrients, hydration, etc.)