Too few calories?

I keep getting the announcement every night, after I log my exercise's and food, that I'm eating too few calories. It says I'm getting 800-1000 a day. What can I do to be getting more? I'm eating a lot of fruits, salads, fish, sardines, and chicken. No chips, cookies, no fast food. I do weigh 227, 5'5" Anything that can help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Replies

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  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    Add lean protein and healthy fats to every meal. Choose whole grains and whole food products instead of their low cal/low fat counterparts. Go for low or even full fat dairy instead of fat free. Look at your other macros aside from calories - you need fat, carbs, and protein too. It doesn't have to be one extreme or the other -fruit/salad or cookies/junk.

    If you open your diary, you might get more specific advice, but in general you should be NETTING a bare bones minimum of 1200 calories, but you probably need more. MFP gave me 1600 calories a day and I weigh about 10 lbs less than you (not a huge difference) and about the same height. And yes, I am losing weight. Feel free to add me if you'd like to look at my food diary.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You need to be getting your healthy fats. When people go on a "diet" they tend to cut out a lot of fat...no fat this and low fat that...fat doesn't make you fat and fat is an essential nutrient. Eat some nuts...1 oz has around 150 calories on average. Cook with some olive oil...I love roasting my veggies in olive oil. Avocado is extremely nutrient dense and calorie dense. An ounce of cheddar cheese is around 100 calories...have some 2% milk or even whole milk...have full fat salad dressings...I make all of my own salad dressings and I use olive oil. Stuff like that...you need more fat. Shoot for 20-30% of your calories from fat.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Eat more. If you can't or won't eat more, then eat more calorie dense foods (more cals in the same volume of food). Beef, full fat dairy, nuts/butters, etc.

    There's a zillion posts about this - search if you want more specific info.
  • nsre1976
    nsre1976 Posts: 19
    I keep getting the announcement every night, after I log my exercise's and food, that I'm eating too few calories. It says I'm getting 800-1000 a day. What can I do to be getting more? I'm eating a lot of fruits, salads, fish, sardines, and chicken. No chips, cookies, no fast food. I do weigh 227, 5'5" Anything that can help would be appreciated. Thanks!
    Are you logging all of the drinks you have too in snacks? Like glass of milk, coffee etc, these calories can add up quickly :o)
  • I don't drink milk, or soda, or coffee. And thank you to all the responses, I'll look at other post. Thanks again.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    To be coming in that low, are you avoiding fat because Fat is Evil?

    Fat isn't evil. Fat is nourishment. Our bodies need it to make new cell walls and to carry the fat-soluable vitamins.

    If you're using low-fat dressings? Stop. Use real fat. Make your own by shaking olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice in a bottle.
    Eat nuts. Eat an avocado.

    Don't throw out your egg yolks. All the good nutrition -all the vitamins and healthy fats -- are in the yolk. Yes, there's cholesterol. It's chicken cholesterol, not human cholesterol. There's also lutein and vitamin A.
  • gaylynn35
    gaylynn35 Posts: 854 Member
    If you want to add some good food with good calories add some avocado's/guacamole, nuts, nut butter!!