Having trouble! Please help!

funkyspunky871

I can't ever seem to get the right amount of calories and fat grams. I set a goal 1400 calories a day and around 30-35 grams of fat. Problem is... I can't get to 1400 calories! I can barely get to 1200 calories! And I even lowered my original plan from 1700 calories a day. I can't get to 1400 calories without going over my carbs. Or going over sugars. Or going over fat grams. Or even sodium. I don't know what to do. I've been hanging around 1100 calories a day for the past 3 weeks. And I'm worried my body is going to go into starvation mode, and I'll stop losing. I don't want to ask what's a low fat, low carb, low sodium, low sugar, and high calorie food. (Even though that might solve my problems). I need some tips! Please help!


EDIT: And just to clarify, I'm pretty much perfectly satisfied hunger-wise. In fact, I feel like I'm eating too much. I think I could deal with a lot more protein. I don't come close to meeting my MFP goal. Do protein shakes have high calories and low fat? Also, I'm focusing on low fat because I'm on alli. I'm not supposed to go over 15 g of fat per meal and 3 grams of fat per snack. Fat grams scare me. (And yeah, yeah, yeah. I know nuts are good for you and so are avacados, and I love!! avacados, but I don't like all the fat grams. And since I can only have 15 per meal, it's totally not a good idea for even "healthy" fats.) They way I see it, the less fats the better. I'm fat ENOUGH!

Johnnyswife

Maybe you can adjust your carb, and other settings to something slighty higher to make it easier to meet the goals? Try eating nuts like almonds since they are high in calories and good for you! And maybe induldge in a square or two of dark chocolate. I have trouble keeping under my calories unless I work out. I love food. lol

sweetbn

It's hard to see without seeing exactly what you are eating.. perhaps consider making your diary private?

I go over my fat all the time (probably the pizza). DId you set custom goals for these numbers or go with what MFP plugged in?

It's good you feel full, but really, you would be so much better off getting above 1200. Do you exercise? That always seems to help me be slightly hungrier and get all my calories in. I was scared about the fat for a while.. until I thought about it - I mean really, you NEED fat to live.

Anyway I think we could help a lot more if you told us what you eat.

funkyspunky871

I do exercise, but I don't ever eat those "extra calories." Why would you work to burn 200 calories, and eat it right back? Besides, like I said, I can't even get to my calorie goal much less the 300 extra calories for exercise!

It's really, I think, mainly the fat grams that are keeping me from eating my calories goal. So then I think "what's non fat? Vegetables and fruit!" I would easily go in my pantry and eat a can of vegetables, but who knew how much sodium was in just one serving!! Or I would eat fruit, but who knew fruit was so high in carbs?! I sure didn't before. I can't think of any high calorie and low fat foods. Today, is a bit odd, because I actually have quite a bit carbs left, but just in general I really need some help.

I normally eat about 200 calories for breakfast. I can never seem to eat more than that in the morning. I eat an approx. 100 calorie snack in the morning. 200-300 calories lunch. approx. 100 calorie snack in the after noon and 200-300 calorie dinner. I actually eat a lot of lean cuisines, because they're easy for me to take to lunch. I plan to start cooking soon, and maybe that'll help with my calorie intake. (Maybe that's too general? Sorry.)


It's really, really weird... Because before I started my diet, I'd estimate I was getting more than 2500 calories a day and god knows how many fat grams. I never thought it'd be HARD for me to figure out what to eat to get over 1100!

EDIT: Made my diary public! Today, wasn't really a typical day. need to go grocery shopping, so I ate whatever I could find, really. Yesterday, I don't think I logged, sorry. (And a few other days last week, didn't log either... Was on vacation. Bad me) And if you go far back enough, I actually think there was one week when I got to my calorie goal and fat gram goal. I'll have to go look myself. Can't even remember how I did it.

Holton

In looking at your food diary, it appears to me you eat a lot of cheese and processed foods. Not sure if you don't like vegetables or don't have the facilities to prepare them, but if you would just add a variety of vegetables to your diet I believe you would not be pressed with the excess fat calories. There are so many fresh vegetable options out there and then you start steaming them slightly or roasting them in the oven with some olive oil and there can be so much flavor! Feel free to peruse my food diary or others on this site to get some other ideas. Good luck to you!

brendabuckeye

I was having similar problems noticing the high fat intake. When I checked my cholesterol intake, WHEEE, it was outta control. My sister turned me on to some high fiber/high protein cereals. I have swapped out my breakfast sandwich for a cup of Kashi-type cereal. I have the munchies a lot and need snack-type food to keep me occupied. I thought the cereal would be awful, but it was actually pretty sweet. It keeps my fingers and brain occupied with very little fat and NO cholesterol - win, win!

funkyspunky871

Yup, was reading through my diary too. I have been eating a lot of processed crap. Really, I hate to make excuses, but it's because I don't cook. Not right now. I really want to though. Found great cook books, and personally I love to cook, so we'll see how that changes things. Also, the rest of my family is obese, and well, I'm the only one trying to make a change. So we literally only have junk food in the house. I make due with what I can most of the time.

I love vegetables. I've alway been the fat girl who would rather eat vegetables than pizza or a cheeseburger. Just always ate too much, you see. We have plenty of vegetables in our pantry, but the sodium levels are outta this world. Thus, why I've been almost completely avoiding them lately. Are frozen vegetables lower in sodium? Fresh veggies are kinda too expensive for me right now.

But you totally got me: I love cheese more than anything, haha.

Will go shopping very soon, and keep all your tips in mind! Thanks!

funkyspunky871

Wow, looks like I should copy Holton's diary, ha. Almost exactly what I'm shooting for. Low carb, low sodium, low fat, 1300-1400 calories! Thanks. Never really bothered to peruse other member's diaries!

flwyland

Frozen vegetables are MUCH better than canned. If you get the ones that are JUST VEGETABLES, without added sauces & stuff. While waiting for prices & availability to get better I've been buying the veggies in the steam bags in the freezer section. They only take a few minutes & taste great. Good luck getting your calorie intake balanced.