Can't eat enough to reach my calorie goal?

witchywoman821

According to this site, and the instruction I've had with dieticians in the past, I apparently don't consume enough calories to reach my goal. My goal is 1200, and before putting in my exercise and everything, I had about 255 calories left to consume. After exercise stuff, I now have 575 calories left. But I'm not hungry. It's not hard for me to satisfy my hunger, and then there's a very fine line between content and stuffed for me. So this 'starvation mode' thing is bad, but I don't want to keep eating just to meet that goal if I'm not hungry... What do I do?

cmcollins001

Eat food with more calories.

heybales

According to this site, and the instruction I've had with dieticians in the past, I apparently don't consume enough calories to reach my goal. My goal is 1200, and before putting in my exercise and everything, I had about 255 calories left to consume. After exercise stuff, I now have 575 calories left. But I'm not hungry. It's not hard for me to satisfy my hunger, and then there's a very fine line between content and stuffed for me. So this 'starvation mode' thing is bad, but I don't want to keep eating just to meet that goal if I'm not hungry... What do I do?

You feeling full, and your body being fully fed, or 2 totally separate things.

Despite your body perhaps not craving and screaming at you in some manner for more water - do you recognize the benefit of drinking enough water?

Most people's body's are not telling them to eat more of certain vitamins or minerals when they run low, until such time as the effects of being low are actually felt. But do you recognize the benefit of eating nourishing foods?

Just because you have learned to suppress your appetite from probably not eating enough and/or shrinking your stomach, doesn't mean it doesn't need the nourishment and/or the energy.

What would your body like to burn if it slept in bed all day deeply?
MFP - Apps - BMR Tool on right.

You do more activity than that?

Eat a tablespoon or two of peanut butter. Fat doesn't make you fat. Eating more than you burn makes you fat, and you likely have no idea what that upper figure is to cause that.

drmerc

Eat food with more calories.

which foods have calories?

cmcollins001

Eat food with more calories.

which foods have calories?

I'm not 100% sure but I hear things like peanuts, peanut butter, fruits, stuff like that.

Or, mix some sugar with some water and drink that.

CWK1000

Try to eat faster so you can eat more before getting full.

Sarauk2sf

Ice-cream

neanderthin

Just remember how to eat......it's the reason your here now, so it should still be fresh in your mind.

SomeoneSomeplace

I burned 545 calories today running and had prelogged all my food and knew I'd have a ridiculously low net so I ate a double chocolate cake doughnut. Still hit all my macros and was also under on most of them and over on none. Other days I have pizza or something else special if I had a tough work out/high burn and am eating healthy foods otherwise. It's 100 percent mental that you can't eat enough calories. Reaching 1200 calories is easy it 3 meals a day with an average of 400 calories and that's not counting snacks at all. The reason you're not is because weather you're conscious of it or not you're trying to eat less because you think it'll lead to faster results, which maybe it would but it's going to be a hell of a lot harder to maintain. It's extremely easy to eat more calories. And I don't believe you have to eat back every single exercie calorie but if you're not even having a 1200 calorie intake then you have a problem

Some go to's for me if I'm really struggling is avacado, almonds, peanut butter, protein shake, ensure drink, full fat yogurt, cereal... anything you like eat it. if you stay within your macros you WILL lose and you will actually be able to maintain.

I ate 2000+ calories every day when I was on vacation and didn't really gain nor was I super bloated and it's BECAUSE I actually eat enough calories to keep my metabolism going so I don't blow up like a balloon on days when I cheat. That wasn't the case before when I was to want to have my net as close to zero as possible, it really stalled my weight loss because I gained any time I ate close to a normal amount.

Now there are still some days when my nets are on the lower side (in the 100's) but I do NOT make it a habit. I am a lot happier, healthier, more energy, more toned and my work outs have been a hell of a lot better as well.

drmerc

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

anifani4

Calorie dense foods, check out this link: http://www.livestrong.com/article/28482-list-calorie-dense-foods/

Generally look for foods that are small in volume but big in calories and nutrients. nuts and nut butters, seeds, full fat dairy, Potatoes with skin, squash and carrots, avocados and bananas, meat and eggs. You could get empty calories easily also in drinks and sweets but that is not so healthy.

rolal

Eat food with more calories.

Granola tends to have high calories per serving. Whole milk can get you quite a few calories without being too filling as well. Granola + whole milk for breakfast is one quick way to get calories.

cmcollins001

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

Now you're getting the hang of it!

Sarauk2sf

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

chinoplata

there are days when i do the same thing. For example on days when I wake up late and go to sleep early. Everybody is different some people can run on less calories depending on how your metabolism is. There are phases when i only eat 1000 calories and not feel full due to all the high fiber foods I am eating. But if you're energy is low and you want more calories eat high dense food like avocados, nuts or add oil to all your foods. Good luck!

sarahisme18

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

I hate to say it, but that really doesn't look like chocolate. >_<

TSivak

Almost all! Seriously??

painauxraisin

How did you ever get overweight if you can't make it to a measly 1200 per day???!!!!!! God I wish I had your problem!

Sarauk2sf

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

I hate to say it, but that really doesn't look like chocolate. >_<

It doesn't look very appetizing does it.

This looks better - peanut butter chocolate bacon cups

sarahisme18

peanut butter covered bacon dipped in chocolate is pretty calorie dense

I hate to say it, but that really doesn't look like chocolate. >_<

It doesn't look very appetizing does it.

This looks better - peanut butter chocolate bacon cups

Ahhhh much better! lol

Or.... Maple Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie, anyone?

drmerc

dang a bacon maple bar sounds really good right now

witchywoman821

I'm not intentionally doing this because it 'leads to faster results'. I honestly do eat until I'm full, but I just can't eat way too much. I mean, to me, the amount of food I eat is a lot, but to others, it isn't. But I guess I could try eating more, or just eating stuff with more calories.

I just don't like eating past my full point. It makes me physically feel bad.

sarahisme18

OP, please don't take offense, but that is super hard to believe. How did we all get here? I'm sure it wasn't because we didn't like feeling full and just couldn't eat any more calories even if we tried.

A handful of almonds is approximately 100 calories. Add a handful of chocolate chips, and you've got a 200 calorie snack. No way that is going to make you feel stuffed.




Bacon wrapped hot dogs!

witchywoman821

I got to be overweight from years and years of horrible eating habits and lack of exercise. I started this process a year ago, and this is just where it's gotten. I never intentionally tried to make myself eat this little. But really, is one plate of food for a meal really too little?

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had ever had this problem before, but I guess not.

Sarauk2sf

I got to be overweight from years and years of horrible eating habits and lack of exercise. I started this process a year ago, and this is just where it's gotten. I never intentionally tried to make myself eat this little. But really, is one plate of food for a meal really too little?

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had ever had this problem before, but I guess not.

Just eat more calorie dense foods. No low fat anything. A tbsp of nut or seed butters, a glass of full fat milk, a handful of nuts or seeds, a chunk of cheese, a bowl of ice-cream added here and there will do it. Add oil/butter to cooking and dressing to salads. Throw some cheese on top of your veggies.

klarose88

Eat lots of beans, nuts, almond butter anything with a lot of protein will give you a large dosage of calories

Natihilator

I got to be overweight from years and years of horrible eating habits and lack of exercise. I started this process a year ago, and this is just where it's gotten. I never intentionally tried to make myself eat this little. But really, is one plate of food for a meal really too little?

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had ever had this problem before, but I guess not.

Does that mean you have been eating around 1000 calories or less for a year now? You may have lowered your metabolism quite a bit with a year's worth of under-eating, which may also explain why you don't feel hungry enough to eat more than that.

JessXOVanity

Eat fruit or drink apple juice/fruit juices

They're full of carbs (and calories) but are 'good' for you so you might feel less bad (if you feel bad at all)
(eg. 1 apple = 80 cal)

Just tack it onto the end of your lunch as a dessert-type ender and you won't even notice

Or maybe try not to fill up on veges and protein and eat more carbs? Put olive oil on your salads too!

Good Luck

giggitygoo

People are being snarky because this question gets asked so often, that it becomes impossible to answer each person individually. Don't take it personally.

I'm on a 1230 cal a day plan, and yes, I do have trouble reaching that goal sometimes. The problem is usually that I have eaten a ton of fibrous vegetables and those have a lot of volume for the relatively low caloric value.

A lot of people think that to "eat healthy" they have to mostly consume salads, fresh fruits, and very lean meat. This is a good start, but not something we can keep up forever. Expand your food horizons and I'm sure you will find the limit easier to reach. Carbs and fat are not your enemy, they are just fuel.

If you still have a hard time reaching your goal after that, invest in some good quality protein powder. I rely on this to fill the gaps in my diet on days when planning has been less than stellar, or I had a huge burn at the gym. It helps.

Ejourneys

Some days I'm pretty hungry. Other days (like yesterday) I fall below 1200, which so far has happened around 15 percent of the time. Most of those times I'm under by fewer than 100 calories.

I stand in the kitchen and ask my body what it wants. Some days I just need high-calorie fats and will grab a quarter or a half cup of unsalted peanuts. That satisfies me, ups my calorie count, and provides healthy fat and protein.

I find that if I don't tune in to what my body needs I can eat foods that might help fill calorie requirements but that will not satisfy me.

Then some days, like yesterday, my body simply tells me it's full even if I'm below 1200 (again, by fewer than 100 cal.). High fiber, water, sodium, and other factors can change appetite. Just as the body isn't static with respect to weight fluctuations, it isn't static with respect to appetite. In my case, it does tend to balance out.

kdeaux1959

Eat food with more calories.

^^^This... Higher level of calorie dense foods... especially proteins... Unless you are like 3'10" or something, you should need more than 1200 calories... It may be that you have been eating so little that your metabolism has slowed down to accomodate it. . THis will actually slow your weight loss. I would find calorie dense NUTRITIOUS foods (high protein helps)... Also, make sure your portions are accurately measured. It may be that you are actually eating more than you think you are. Best wishes on your journey.