I just can't seem to eat enough!

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To lose weight, I am supposed to eat 1200 calories a day and burn off a minimum of 535 calories. I've been burning 500+ calories the last few days, but I keep finishing my day with 300 or more calories remaining. I know I can have something like nuts to fulfill the calories, but I really don't think I can eat 336 calories worth of nuts.... Is it really bad to be in that much of a deficit??? Am I going to hurt my weight loss and possibly put myself in "starvation mode"? I'm just not that hungry!!! Please provide suggestions!

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  • tdlsaint
    tdlsaint Posts: 51 Member
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    Open your diary for public viewing so we can see what to advise on.
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    oh wow! I didn't even know I had that setting on private! Thanks! My diary is public now!
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    I guess I'm just confused because it says my goal is 1200, food is 1365, exercise 501, net 864, and remaining is 336. Does that mean even though my remaining is 336, it's okay if I don't fulfill those last 336 cals because in actuality I will have consumed 1365 calories?

    Sorry if I sound stupid, I'm just learning how to do this whole fitness thing!
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I am curious as to why you need to burn off over 500 calories?
  • mybiketrip
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    Is this an everyday thing or just every once in a while? I tend to have fat days and skinny days from time to time. Sometimes weeks.
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    According to myfitnesspal, to achieve my weight loss goal, the goal for calories to burn each day is 533
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    Is this an everyday thing or just every once in a while? I tend to have fat days and skinny days from time to time. Sometimes weeks.

    well i used to have lazy workouts and I wasn't eating clean. as a result, I would only burn about 150-200 calories a day, and I would consume foods that were heavier in calories. Now I seem to eat more, but there are fewer calories in the foods I eat. My workouts are more ambitious, so I am burning more calories.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
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    You don't HAVE to eat back all of your exercise calories. I don't mostly because I'm pretty sure with food labels allowed to be 20% off and the fact that I use measuring cups and not a scale that I'm underestimating my intake and without a HRM I'm guessing on my calories burned too. Then again I haven't really lost for the past couple weeks so maybe I'm doing it wrong. However I do also believe that you should not net below your BMR which is why i set my goal at 1300. losing those last 10 pounds is the hardest and it will probably be a long process so don't be discouraged.

    One question I don't see many condiments on your diary...Do you really eat sandwiches plain and brown rice with turkey with nothing on it? If you feel like you need a few more calories don't be afraid to use some mustard on your sandwich, or light mayo and some sauce of some kind on your turkey and rice.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
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    According to myfitnesspal, to achieve my weight loss goal, the goal for calories to burn each day is 533

    So is your goal set to 1 pound a week or higher? For your height and current weight since you only have 10 or so to lose that might be a little too ambitious.
  • hooperkay
    hooperkay Posts: 463 Member
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    if your short like 300 calories eat big spoonful of peanut butter. Has 200 for 2 tbsp and has lots of protein. Also is just a spoon so doesn't fill u up. I do this some days that I'm just not hungry.
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    You don't HAVE to eat back all of your exercise calories. I don't mostly because I'm pretty sure with food labels allowed to be 20% off and the fact that I use measuring cups and not a scale that I'm underestimating my intake and without a HRM I'm guessing on my calories burned too. Then again I haven't really lost for the past couple weeks so maybe I'm doing it wrong. However I do also believe that you should not net below your BMR which is why i set my goal at 1300. losing those last 10 pounds is the hardest and it will probably be a long process so don't be discouraged.

    One question I don't see many condiments on your diary...Do you really eat sandwiches plain and brown rice with turkey with nothing on it? If you feel like you need a few more calories don't be afraid to use some mustard on your sandwich, or light mayo and some sauce of some kind on your turkey and rice.


    Thanks for the response and the encouragement! I don't use a lot of condiments.. but I actually did forget to mention that I used garlic and onion for the rice. You're right though.. thanks for the tip!
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
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    This is a personal choice.

    "Starvation Mode" IMO isnt the truth. If that was the case, all the "starving" children in Ethopia would be huge. =)
  • meg516
    meg516 Posts: 67 Member
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    According to myfitnesspal, to achieve my weight loss goal, the goal for calories to burn each day is 533

    So is your goal set to 1 pound a week or higher? For your height and current weight since you only have 10 or so to lose that might be a little too ambitious.

    Yes, it is set to 2 lbs a week. I actually want to lose 22 lbs by the end of the year. I'm 128.5 now and am hoping to get down to 106 or so by December 31st. (This might sound like nothing to some, but I'm only 4'11"!)
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
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    That deficit is already built in to your calorie goal so when you work out and burn additional calories you need to replace them so your deficit is not too large. Ideally you want to have your goal and your net being the same.
    Since the deficit is built in you can actually lose weight with out the exercise. However if you do exercise your will help to maintain/improve your fitness and maintain the muscle mass which drives your metabolism.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
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    According to myfitnesspal, to achieve my weight loss goal, the goal for calories to burn each day is 533

    So is your goal set to 1 pound a week or higher? For your height and current weight since you only have 10 or so to lose that might be a little too ambitious.

    Yes, it is set to 2 lbs a week. I actually want to lose 22 lbs by the end of the year. I'm 128.5 now and am hoping to get down to 106 or so by December 31st. (This might sound like nothing to some, but I'm only 4'11"!)

    I totally get this I'm only 5'1" and on a little frame 20 pounds is a lot, and 106 is well within the healthy range for that height. However as a a smaller person I have to tell you it's much tougher to lose in this range than it is for others. I don't want to discourage you but 2 pounds a week is going to be very tough. One piece of advice I can't even get right is watch the alcohol too, or if you want to splurge make sure you drink lots of water (more that usual) when you do drink alcohol. Otherwise I think you are doing great just keep it up!