Having a hard time reaching my calorie goal?

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13

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  • kmhenry84
    kmhenry84 Posts: 96 Member
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    It looks like a large part of your frustration is not losing weight after a month. I know that when you see people who lose 15 or 20 lbs in the first month, its discouraging when you're not.

    That being said.. you are 140 lbs, so it is going to be harder for you to lose a sizeable amount of weight versus someone who starts off at say, 200.

    2000 calories DOES seem a bit high, as others have said. I'm also 5'3, and my goal is around 1200. ( I change it depending on what my work day looks like)

    i would say try the 1400 calorie range, but stick with it a bit longer. Especially since you said you're having a rough time reaching the 2000 mark.

    Just remember its not a race, and because you're starting off smaller, it will be slower to come off. But the slow and steady wins the race!

    Don't think about what you'll look like next month, think about what you'll look like next year if you keep it up :-)
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    So 2000 does sound about right then? My TDEE is about 2500 calories.....I exercise 5 days a week.


    Yep!

    Perfect!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    It looks like a large part of your frustration is not losing weight after a month. I know that when you see people who lose 15 or 20 lbs in the first month, its discouraging when you're not.

    That being said.. you are 140 lbs, so it is going to be harder for you to lose a sizeable amount of weight versus someone who starts off at say, 200.

    2000 calories DOES seem a bit high, as others have said. I'm also 5'3, and my goal is around 1200. ( I change it depending on what my work day looks like)

    i would say try the 1400 calorie range, but stick with it a bit longer. Especially since you said you're having a rough time reaching the 2000 mark.

    Just remember its not a race, and because you're starting off smaller, it will be slower to come off. But the slow and steady wins the race!

    Don't think about what you'll look like next month, think about what you'll look like next year if you keep it up :-)

    shes almost to the end of her weight loss journey.
    Cutting too low will eat into her lean mass.
    Thats why the moderate to low cut is better.
    If shes burning 2500 daily and cuts 20% off, she will be cutting about 1lb of fat a week.
    She will maintain lean mass if she does the slightest body weight work or lifting.

    1200?
    1200 is for people who are obese.
    She isnt obese shes overweight.
    Physiologically iots different.
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
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    Haha, I've never seen people say to not eat more around here! :P

    I think it's great that you're giving the whole 'eat more to weigh less' thing a try. I've had the very same issues of not losing any weight despite 500, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, etc. calories a day. I'm trying out 1830 now based on the Scooby's Calculator.

    Tips for getting your cals up: guacamole or avocados, milk with dinner instead of water, protein shakes or bars, eggs, full fat and calorie cheeses, condiments, and dressings, nuts, dried fruits, high-quality whole wheat bread, cottage cheese, and that occasional treat! I had a package of chocolate fudge poptarts because I was having trouble getting above 1200 calories -- that was 400 in just two yummy pastries. :) Good luck!
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    No idea on whether your calorie settings are correct (though I will say that I weigh almost 100 more than you and have settings at just over 2000 to lose 2 pounds a week -- I just started though so I am not convinced it will work!)

    To answer your original question... I was able to bump up calories by 300-400/day by adding in more nuts and seeds... but then you have to watch the fat! I am about where you are -- I can get in 1700-1800 by working at it, but I can't figure out how to get up to 2000 without going over on fat and sodium. You are welcome to look at my food diary and see if it gives you any ideas (with the warning that last week was vacation and not at all the norm).
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
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    Your BMR is around 1470. Maybe try eating at 1600 then eat back only some of your exercise cals?

    I dont really know what else to say.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    People aren't listening - I've already TRIED all of this :((
    I've tried eating anywhere from 600 calories to 1700. Cutting back on exercise, strictly eating nothing BUT fruits and vegetables (literally), doing two hours of exercise a day. EVERYTHING. I've tried it all. Most of it was too extreme, but even stuff I COULD stick to for MONTHS didn't do any good! :((
  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
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    Hey there, after tracking your diary back to its start I think it's quite evident why you are not losing weight. I'm a 6'1" man and my caloric intake on MFP is only 1460 calories a day on a sedentary day. I have a fitbit that automatically adjusts my calorie requirements depending on my activity level on that day, but you can do the same thing manually if you are honest about the amount of exertion and length of time of your exercise.
    But here's the real problem, ready...I'm going to be blunt.
    You are eating way too many high sugar, high fat foods, and just estimating from the products you have put down your daily sodium intake is probably quite high.
    Grapes, citrus, strawberries, in fact most fruits, are all high sugar. If you were to substitute broccoli, cauliflower, celery, legumes ( not beans in sugar sauce), and other fibrous, hard to digest vegetables for some of the other foodstuffs you are eating I'm pretty sure you'd see the difference fairly quickly.
    Maybe check out some food diaries of people who are successfully losing on MFP and compare them to your daily log to get ideas how to tweak your menu.
    Here's a start, Almond butter for peanut butter, it's sweet and good for you without all that sugar added.
    Anyway, keep in there, don't starve yourself, use the MFP reccomendations, they work.
    Cheers
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    I'm not expecting to lose more than 3 - 5 pounds per month, at best.

    My goal on MFP without exercise is 1500 because I am FAR from sedentary. I exercise about 40 - 60 minutes a day, I play on my WII, I walk in my backyard, I clean for an hour every day (sometimes longer) - I'm just an overall pretty active person. That brings my TDEE up to about 2500 calories according to THREE sites I was on.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    This might be a good post to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/715411-you-are-not-different
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    I'm trying to eat food I ENJOY so it's easier to stick to. I hate celery, broccoli, legumes, and especially almond butter. D:
    I already force myself to choke down vegetables every day. Childish as it sounds, I hate vegetables. And grapes and strawberries are the only fruits I really enjoy.....>__<

    Plus, what I can eat IS limited by what my mother is willing to buy for me, seeing as I have no money myself. D:
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    Why? I never said I was different? Did I? :O

    I just know what works for my body, I've tried 1200 calories for months and it didn't do any good. If that's what this is about....
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    Thank you - So is it alright if sometimes i have a little treat to help me get that many calories? Does my diet look too bad in your opinion???
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    I try not to eat dressings cause of the fat, but I guess it's no different than peanut butter. I may ask for reduced fat peanut butter next time I go shopping. I already eat almonds, but nuts are so expensive that I can't ask for too many!
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    I've already done that, thanks though.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    I have it set to lose 1 pound a week.

    Thanks for the suggestions :)
  • merimeaux
    merimeaux Posts: 304 Member
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    I try not to eat dressings cause of the fat, but I guess it's no different than peanut butter. I may ask for reduced fat peanut butter next time I go shopping. I already eat almonds, but nuts are so expensive that I can't ask for too many!

    I'd stay away from the reduced fat peanut butter...yeah, it DOES have less fat, BUT it has a lot of unnecessary chemicals in it to make it that way. Can't go wrong with just a natural-style peanut butter...one with just peanuts and salt, or something to that effect :) I'm with you though--I love my nut butters, and I don't think I could give them up!

    ...and if you can convince your parents to splurge a little on a treat, check out PB2 powdered peanut butter on amazon. It's ~$5 a jar or so but it contains 85% less fat and calories than normal peanut butter (per serving--2 tbsp--it's 45 calories, 1.5g total fat, and 5g protein!) :) Not everyone likes the taste of PB2 (I love it--I put it in my protein drinks), but it's worth a shot if you're a fan of peanuts!
  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
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    Ummmmmm, you kinda answered your own question by your reply there.:smile:
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
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    What? o-o?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    Eat whatever fits your macros.

    Protein and fat 30% each.

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