let's be real, here

RunDoozer

If you've eaten all your "healthy" foods for the day and still "can't" reach 1200 calories . . . . .

Have some f****ing ice cream.

Or wine.

Jesus.

Or this.

Talleifer

I'm actually quite sad that I'll no longer be able to justify eating a whole pizza. We had some good times. 2 liter of cola, large pizza and some breadsticks! Ya, it's a lot of calories, but it felt good. Now, finding room in my macros for even a couple of slices of pizza is borderline impossible. I wouldn't be able to get enough protein then, and I'm on a 2000 calorie limit. Plus, if I eat 2 slices of pizza, I'm pretty sure I'm going to want to eat a lot more.

Talleifer

Of course, I rarely drink soda anymore, period. Quitting soda had nothing to do with health or losing weight though. I wanted to stop torturing my teeth! I have some every now and then though.

babydiego87

1) It's none of your damn business

2) It is really not that much of a big deal unless their deficit is 200+ calories

3) Ever thought their new way of eating is extremely fulfilling and satisfying for them?

Shadowknight137

1) It's none of your damn business

2) It is really not that much of a big deal unless their deficit is 200+ calories

3) Ever thought their new way of eating is extremely fulfilling and satisfying for them?

Fair points.

All would be excellent and applicable - assuming these very same people weren't whining on the forums that they "can't eat enough". That's when, pretty much immediately, Point 1 gets blow away,

babydiego87

1) It's none of your damn business

2) It is really not that much of a big deal unless their deficit is 200+ calories

3) Ever thought their new way of eating is extremely fulfilling and satisfying for them?

Fair points.

All would be excellent and applicable - assuming these very same people weren't whining on the forums that they "can't eat enough". That's when, pretty much immediately, Point 1 gets blow away,

In that case, 3 would still stand IMO. When I first started MFP, I struggled to get to my target because I focused on eating protein rich foods and smaller portions which satisfied me. After a while, I realise I could have a treat and get to my target without it effecting my WL.

When people first start new lifestyles or 'diets', they tend to be all or nothing. Everyone starts somewhere and these people will gradually realise they don't have to be so strict. Being snooty does not help.

babydiego87

Also, I'd like to add that I never ate 'a lot' - just ate ****ty things. Replace ****ty things with healthy things but eat more snacks = win.

jamiek917

Also, I'd like to add that I never ate 'a lot' - just ate ****ty things. Replace ****ty things with healthy things but eat more snacks = win.

i agree. and the original post wasnt meant to be mean- it was meant to try to refocus people into finding the healthy balance. even you agree- that all or nothing mentality at the beginning is almost always there-- but someone can waste months either losing lean muscle mass or truly feeling hungry and giving up out of frustration (yes some might be satisfied- but many others might be trying to convince themselves that they shouldnt eat more)

prium01

I was eating below 1200, lots of fruits and veggies, now I have upped my intake to 1400, just taking calorie dense food, like yogurt, nuts, milk, eggs and healthy carbs...

Shadowknight137

1) It's none of your damn business

2) It is really not that much of a big deal unless their deficit is 200+ calories

3) Ever thought their new way of eating is extremely fulfilling and satisfying for them?

Fair points.

All would be excellent and applicable - assuming these very same people weren't whining on the forums that they "can't eat enough". That's when, pretty much immediately, Point 1 gets blow away,

In that case, 3 would still stand IMO. When I first started MFP, I struggled to get to my target because I focused on eating protein rich foods and smaller portions which satisfied me. After a while, I realise I could have a treat and get to my target without it effecting my WL.

When people first start new lifestyles or 'diets', they tend to be all or nothing. Everyone starts somewhere and these people will gradually realise they don't have to be so strict. Being snooty does not help.

Hmm. You know, this is fair enough.

I guess my real problem with some people is when they rigidly put people's perfectly valid suggestions and answers down, such as eat ice cream, chocolate, nuts or more calorically dense foods because they are "unclean/healthy". Because that's kind of offensive to the people they're asking for help - people who sayice cream is rubbish yet I eat ice cream are kinda insulting my taste in food, to that I say let them choke down their egg white omelettes and suffer. :P

Cr01502

1) It's none of your damn business

2) It is really not that much of a big deal unless their deficit is 200+ calories

3) Ever thought their new way of eating is extremely fulfilling and satisfying for them?

1) It became my business when they posted on public forum.

2)That's simply not true.

3) If there new way of eating is fulfiiling and satisfying for them that may make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, however it won't change my opinion that they should be eating more.

If your choice is to under eat or eat a bowl of ice cream/piece of cake/ or anyother treat I would say eat the treat.

This is a lifestyle change after all.

RainHoward

There is no such thing as a "bare minimum" of calories. It's a fallacy.

MadamUnique

I disagree with all of you's saying that its basically BULL$HIT that people can reach the 1200 cal's. When I suffered depression from the age of 12, I stopped eating.. sometimes went days without eating or eating less then 800 cals. Yet I'm still 18st and currently "forcing" food in me to lose weight. So stop criticizing when you don't know there story.

ron2e

I think you're missing something here. My main problem with eating was too many snacks between meals, and the wrong sorts of snacks like potato crisps, chocolate biscuits (cookies), etc, not to mention a healthy helping of fries with my meals. I could eat my daily allowance in snacks alone. Cut out the snacks and what are you left with? Apart from proof I didn't need them in the first place. Add in taking the unhealthy foods out of your diet and I find I can eat up to 300 cals below my MFP calculated allowance of 1580/day eating more or less what I ate before I started on the program so I often get to the end of the day (or calculate my evening meal in advance) and have to have a piece of chocolate, some nuts or even a beer so I am not too low. Feels wrong to eat more than you want, but I accept that's necessary. The longer I do it, the better I get at it admittedly but I fully understand people unable to make their calories.

i totally understand what you are saying. I guess our (i think i can speak for most people here) end goal is to be able to eat the healthy food along with treats that we love in moderation- so we dont have to completely eliminate those little things that we love and then possibly find it hard to reach a healthy calorie range. "moderation"- its a learning curve for us all.

That's my point, it's a learning curve,so we agree there. Where I disagree is on criticising beginners who struggle to meet their calorie goal, we all have a lot to learn when starting out this journey and we sometimes react in silly ways. Personally when running up against the too low cal issue, I looked at how I could balance my daily diet more and to start with ate something which was at hand to bring up the level, I now keep nuts for that purpose. That seemed more constructive than posting "Help" but not everyone is as logical as I am (the downside of being a programmer!).

MeeshyBW

If you've eaten all your "healthy" foods for the day and still "can't" reach 1200 calories . . . . .

Have some f****ing ice cream.

^ Legend :-D

MsLilly200

For the people who think you have to eat "a lot" to become really fat... Do you realize how easy it is to go over 1200 on chocolate?

One package of my favorite brand of milk chocolate is 1100 calories and I could eat that pretty easily while watching a movie or just by grabbing a piece or two whenever I felt a craving.

That plus eating three normal meals a day (random dinner/lunch: Potatoes, peas, chicken, bearnaisse)... And I drank milk instead of water...

Better4Summer

Sorry but I disagree here...

Who are any of us to judge if someone else is full?

We are here to support not judge surely!

KassLamb

I went from eating a small volume of really high Calorie junk food to eating a huge volume of low-Calorie foods. I'm struggling to meet the magic 1200 Cal mark, and I've never felt so full in my life. You could eat 3 $1 McDoubles and hit 1200 Cal no problem. I used to eat 2 in one meal. 1200 Cal of fresh vegetables and lean meats is a huge amount of food, comparatively. It's even more difficult when you're trying to do it on a budget and you're trying gluten/dairy/egg/nut free, which is my situation.

Of course there's nothing wrong with having a treat every once in a while. But when you feel fine and fed and the only reason you're eating cookies is to make you're Cal goal, it's no longer a treat, it's a chore.

Here's my plan: I'm not going to force feed myself treats. I'm going to save my expensive gluten-free cookies for when I actually want them. I'm going to eat as much healthy, clean foods as I can. I'll gradually add more food, week by week, until I'm up past my Calorie goal.

Better4Summer

Listen to your body I say.. who else knows your body better then you? Enough said

Phrick

Listen to your body I say.. who else knows your body better then you? Enough said

"listening to my body" is what got me fat in the first place, so, NO THANK YOU!!