Can't fit in enough cals for 1200, forget the roadmap!

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Replies

  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    1) Undereating is bad.

    2) Eat more food. Foods rich in healthy fats (avocados, eggs, peanut butter, cheese, milk, nuts, and so on.)

    You can eat more. 1200 and under is what toddlers eat. You are a grown adult. You can and should eat more.

    EDIT: I just saw that you have food allergies. It might be a good time to pose a "What are good foods I can eat that are higher in satiating calories" in the food and nutrition forum.
  • dimsumkitty
    dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
    i have food allergies so no nuts, eggs, avocado, shellfish, fish, most meat and i have to limit dairy to yoghurt and skim or light milk

    No wonder you're eating so many carbs! That's so many high protein things you can't eat. :frown:

    Maybe drink more milk? I have friends who get most of their protein from just drinking pints and pints of milk, and they seem to be fine. Also you didn't mention soy, so you could try soy milk and tofu?
  • nikkohli
    nikkohli Posts: 311 Member
    Just an anecdote, take it for what it is worth, but I started at 1200 cals with basically the same stats as you.I lost 5 lbs right away (water weight?), felt full all the time and thought I could live on 1200 cals forever happily. Fast forward to 3 weeks later, I had only lost 1 more lb, was exercising my butt off and annoyed that 2 beers at HH was basically my dinner allowance.
    I read the road map, slowly upped my cals to about 1600 (lightly active but I eat back some when I have a super active day) and have been dropping 1-2lbs consistently a week. I am now 10lbs from goal in about 3 months time. I am SOOOOO much happier eating more cals!!

    Try it slowly.....You'll find it can be easier than you think!

    ETA--just saw your allergies :( SO I deleted suggestions.
    It might be a little more difficult but I think you could do it--but if you are happy where you are....ride it out and make changes as needed!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    i have food allergies so no nuts, eggs, avocado, shellfish, fish, most meat and i have to limit dairy to yoghurt and skim or light milk

    No wonder you're eating so many carbs! That's so many high protein things you can't eat. :frown:

    Maybe drink more milk? I have friends who get most of their protein from just drinking pints and pints of milk, and they seem to be fine. Also you didn't mention soy, so you could try soy milk and tofu?

    Apparently meat allergy is extremely rare. Did you get tested for this and how does the fat content of dairy affect your allergies?
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
    NOT getting sucked into this one....... *backs out quickly*
  • RobynDCrossman
    RobynDCrossman Posts: 252
    I didn't know that they still made rice cakes - much less that anybody still ate them.
    I suspect you didn't become overweight from a constant calorie deficit. So, while we are reluctant to add foods to our diets, I'd vote for adding something other than ricecakes.
    Get a blood allergy test. I find it's strange to be allergic to meat but not low-fat dairy products. Chicken? Alligator? Quail?
    IE, what is the common denominator?
    I'm not sure, I'm not a certified nutritionist. I read your post about general slow-down in life. I get that, too.
    But eating ricecakes isn't going to lead to proper nutrition. :/
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I think you've gotten some great suggestions here (better than dry rice cakes! :)

    Given your age, I think starting a kettlebell routine and/or body weight resistance exercises would be good to preserve muscle mass and could also help with bone density--especially if you have allergies and can't consume a decent amount of dairy (unless your doctor recommends a supplement.)

    I don't think you've received hostile comments...some people do tend to be very blunt, and it seems like many people like yourself who cannot "reach" 1200 calories (once they've revamped their eating habits, or they're eating "diet" foods) are back on the forums a few weeks later complaining that their weight loss has stalled even though they're eating very little, or they've lost muscle mass (this can be determined by body fat testing/DEXA scans). So...I think people are overall trying to be helpful.
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    I really don't get how people can't eat, my calories are set at 1900 I eat healthily (usually don't look at last weeks diary really bad) and struggle to stay under. Add in olive oil, peanut butter and natural yoghurt you will eat your calorie goal. Maybe I just like food too much.
  • sarahoswald
    sarahoswald Posts: 3
    Are you sure you're logging everything correctly? Do you log everything? (Like oil used during cooking and sweetened beverages?) If you're really having a hard time eating more maybe you're eating more than you think you're eating, and you're really getting enough food. It's just something to think about.

    If you're logging everything correctly and you're really on getting 1200 calories a day I would suggest maybe adding more fats to your diet (Healthy fats!- like avocado, nuts, REAL peanut butter, olive oil) because they are more calorie dense. But always be sure to measure them out and log them.

    Good luck!
  • pwnderosa
    pwnderosa Posts: 280 Member
    Too much hostility toward rice cakes in this thread! OM nom nom...

    Also: put cream cheese on them.
  • rogerbosch
    rogerbosch Posts: 343 Member
    I really don't get how people can't eat, my calories are set at 1900 I eat healthily (usually don't look at last weeks diary really bad) and struggle to stay under.
    People who can't eat or hate food - let's call them the "600-calorie people" often are unaware of the cause themselves. Not only that, they're also often in denial. Truth or honesty becomes a threat. They're in some sort of starvation mode: starving for attention and confirmation.

    The real question: "Am I lovely?" has not been satisfactorily answered in their past. Well, I don't want to play Dr. Freud, but it's not a guess or a theory… It's a pattern.

    Suggestions like: "Eat more healthy fats" or "Exercise less" or "You're destroying your metabolism" never work because they trigger a mind-protective defense mechanism. They are replied with slogans like: "You're not listening to my real problem!" or "Why are you so hostile?".

    The problem is further preferably exposed on public forums because there is a full house of folk equally wandering in the dark, proclaiming: "Forget the Roadmap!" and "You're doing fine!" and seemingly offer 'support' and 'comfort'. But in fact they're just prolonging blindness and making it more difficult to get through.

    For the 600-calorie people who feel they don't lose (fast) enough while they are killing themselves with cardio/HIIT and nothing else seems to work, here's a little problem assistant:

    1. Look in the mirror. Was this helpful? Yes/No
    2. Eat more. Was this helpful? Yes/No
    3. See a professional. Was this helpful? Yes/No
    4. Good luck.

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