Too Few Calories? HELP

ky06092012

Hello everyone,
I have a question. I eat till i am satisfied and thats its. everyday on MFP it tells me i am eating too few calories. Will it affect my life change, weight loss, etc? I don't know if i should listen to when my body is full or if i should eat all of my calories excluding back calories?

crazylovergrl

forcing food down is a bad idea in the long run. it can cause a lapse in your hunger mechanisms, which could lead to icky things down the line. eat when you're hungry and your body will adjust within a month or so!

beanerific518

Incorporate nutritious calorie dense food like avacados and nuts. Your body needs healthy fats and this will help get you to your calorie goal.

kristen6022

Hello everyone,
I have a question. I eat till i am satisfied and thats its. everyday on MFP it tells me i am eating too few calories. Will it affect my life change, weight loss, etc? I don't know if i should listen to when my body is full or if i should eat all of my calories excluding back calories?

It would help if you opened up your food log so we can take a peek at what's going on...if you are eating too low it can affect your metabolism and since you are 19 I'm pretty sure you don't want that to happen. Eating different foods, more calorie dense ones, might be better in the long run, to make sure you are nourishing your body enough.

MightyDomo

As long as your getting close and you feel completely healthy then it shouldn't be an issue. If you feel very concerned talk to a doctor or nutritionist and see what they have to say. Also if you find you are not getting enough food to cover all your dietary intake you should supplement for what you regularly miss.

I am severely lactose intolerant so I have to highly supplement with Vitamin D and Calcium which I found before I supplemented I didn't feel as good. So just watch yourself and stay healthy.

LishieFruit89

On topic: Opening your diary will be helpful but if you're lower than your goal, do what other said add avocado or nuts, eat PB on your toast (if you eat toast) or on your apple/banana/whatever you want to put it on. Instead of non-fat yogurt, go with 1% or 2%

Off topic: I'm jealous of your hair. I want long wavy hair like that =]

Mgetsfit

I also think listen to your body is important, but sometimes our bodies lost their natural sense for what and how much is good for us when we are used to bad eating habits.
As long as you don't go very low all the time (the argument where to draw the line is endless, I think less than 1200 is too low if it's everyday) and you feel good, do what makes you feel good

ky06092012

I will open my diary when i figure out how I do eat calorie dense foods and i also do make sure to get in my amino acids/healthy fats I do this through peanut butter, sunflower seeds, avacado's and flax seed. I also take a fish oil supplement. Like last night i had a breakfast burrito:
I had lean steak
Egg whites
Red potato
and a flour tortilla (do to the fact i ran out of wheat.) so I am eating heavier foods along with lighter foods.

ky06092012

On topic: Opening your diary will be helpful but if you're lower than your goal, do what other said add avocado or nuts, eat PB on your toast (if you eat toast) or on your apple/banana/whatever you want to put it on. Instead of non-fat yogurt, go with 1% or 2%

Off topic: I'm jealous of your hair. I want long wavy hair like that =]

ohh. I love you thank you haha
my hair is for sure my favorite thing about me.
I do eat peanut butter, sunflower seeds, avocado's, flax seed. and take a fish oil supplement. So im already making sure to get my healthy fats

Crayvn

Incorporate nutritious calorie dense food like avacados and nuts. Your body needs healthy fats and this will help get you to your calorie goal.

^^^^ THIS

examples...put almonds and/or avacado on your salad....hummus...use olive oil when cooking(yes you count this in your calories)
pesto is good.. there are lots of calorie dense foods out there google is your friend ..

calorie dense= small amount of food with a high amount of calories

ky06092012

I have talked to doctors, i've had a weight problem since i was younger and everytime we would go they would mention my weight and it would make me sad because i've ate normal my entire life. I grew up playing soccer and on the softball team. So they tested my thyroid and that wasnt the problem either. I guess i'm just a special case

R0asted

forcing food down is a bad idea in the long run. it can cause a lapse in your hunger mechanisms, which could lead to icky things down the line. eat when you're hungry and your body will adjust within a month or so!

If I never started "forcing food down" when I'm not hungry I'd still be 145 lbs. If you've been "listening to your body" and you're too skinny or too fat than maybe the signals your body is sending are WRONG. If you force yourself to eat more for a while your body might adjust and it won't feel like "forcing down food" after a couple of months.

CarmenSRT

Am I reading this right? You've been using MFP at least 8 months, lost 2 pounds and think you aren't eating enough calories?

sandradev1

MFP'r Helloitsdan has prepared information bringing together calculators advice and explanations on how to ensure that you are eating the correct amount of calories to ensure a successful and sustainable weight loss.

The link is:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

ky06092012

Am I reading this right? You've been using MFP at least 8 months, lost 2 pounds and think you aren't eating enough calories?

Let me correct you. I have been a MEMBER for 8 months and fell off the wagon. I'm at the end of my first week back at it. Yes i've lost 2 pounds this week. And NO i'm not eating enough calories at least to MFP.

kristy6ward

If you consistently eat low calories your body becomes accustomed to functioning on that amount. You'll be forever stuck in the cycle of reducing your calories to lose weight until there's nothing left to reduce. Maybe you need to get your body accustomed to a higher amount of food so it doesn't hold on to every extra calorie with both hands. I've seen topics about this subject before...maybe look into the eat more to lose more thread.

Also, since you're getting that warning, you must be eating under 1200 calories, perhaps you need to change your weight loss goal to something less than 2lb a week.

R0asted

Am I reading this right? You've been using MFP at least 8 months, lost 2 pounds and think you aren't eating enough calories?

Let me correct you. I have been a MEMBER for 8 months and fell off the wagon. I'm at the end of my first week back at it. Yes i've lost 2 pounds this week. And NO i'm not eating enough calories at least to MFP.

If you lost 2 lbs this week than yes, you are most likely not eating enough. You should be aiming for loosing about a pound a week. If you're loosing more than this than yes, you're not eating enough.

MightyDomo

Am I reading this right? You've been using MFP at least 8 months, lost 2 pounds and think you aren't eating enough calories?

You can't always be sure how long someone has been on here, or what troubles they have faced. So don't be too quick to judge, I mean I signed up last year and only started using this site very recently and I have had huge ups and downs in the last year.

Anyways, your issue could be genetic? My genetics tell me I have no choice to be overweight but I am a hard enough worker thus far not to get 'obese' although I was very close very recently. My sister on the other hand, she has had such a hard time with her weight, it seems like no matter how hard she works or how healthy she eats (including nutritionists meal plans) she hasn't been able to lose a lot of weight. So truly genetics do have a hand in it.

Forcing down food isn't a very good way to present eating more, just add small snacks to your diet to increase your intake to a good minimum and then keep up with your diet and exercise.

sunnyside1213

I eat my tdee - 20% = 1056 calories. I am doing just fine.

ky06092012

Thank you for the advice everyone.

KANGOOJUMPS

a few rum and egg nogs should fix that.....

sandradev1

Hello everyone,
I have a question. I eat till i am satisfied and thats its. everyday on MFP it tells me i am eating too few calories. Will it affect my life change, weight loss, etc? I don't know if i should listen to when my body is full or if i should eat all of my calories excluding back calories?

I am just a little bit confused. You are asking if you should listen to whether your body is full or not. Presumably from your ticker you are wanting to lose weight and therefore at some time put it on. At that time did your body tell you were were full? when you were overeating.

As other posters have said, whatever calorie level you decide you want to follow, if you are stick at it and eat the correct amount your body will adjust. There are many high calorie, low portion foods that you can use to boost your calorie levels.

funkycamper

I eat my tdee - 20% = 1056 calories. I am doing just fine.

Unless you're about the size of a 6 year old child, I don't think your TDEE could be that low. Are you mistaking TDEE for BMR?

cmriverside

Buy a food scale and measuring cups. Don't eat out more than two times a week unless you know the values of the food you order within a couple hundred calories. Measure and weigh all your food and log it in the food diary. If you aren't losing weight, it's likely you are under or over eating. Only way to know what works is by accurate tracking over a period of time.