My theory on why people fall under their calories

uneik3

I disagree with this post. I have fallen under my calorie goal on a number of occasions because I just didn' t want any more food. And I'm not going to force myself to put oil on my veggies if I don't want any that day or eat some peanut butter just to meet my calorie goal if I don't want the peanut butter. Some people may not be trying and some people may not know what to do. But some of us eat what satisfies us or eat what we want at the time and stop. If I fall under my calorie goal for the day, then so be it.

I agree with you. I know for me, I've found that I have certain domino foods and combinations where I feel I can't get enough even though I'm full. Just by making better choices, I naturally take in fewer calories and I don't set off the mechanism that makes me want more and more. On those days that I fall under 1200 calories, I just let it be. If that happens a couple days in a row, then usually by the 3rd or 4th day, my body will tell me I'm hungry and I'll eat more, maybe 1800, which is perfectly fine, and maybe even desirable for calorie cycling. The big thing for me is to try to be in tune with your body's natural hunger cues, which I feel I can mess up if I'm force feeding myself late at night. Your body doesn't reset the clock at midnight, so I see calorie guidlines as just a guideline, not a rule. If the goal is to be long-term and sustainable, you have to listen to your body. Besides, none of my "naturally skinny" friends force feed themselves at night :-)

uneik3

Also, I worked 12 hour rotating night shifts for years, so some "days" for me were 24 hours awake, while other "days," I was only awake for 4-6 hours. It's the net result, not the individual days. I focus more on the calorie total for the week to see how I'm averaging.

ndj1979

However if I try and meet that 600 calories in chicken and veg, I would have to eat 3-4 large pieces of chicken breast and a MASSIVE plate of veg.

My guess is that you don't weigh and measure. An average chicken breast weighs about 12 ounces and 330 calories. There's no way you could eat 3-4 of them plus a heaping plate of vegetables (and some vegetables have a lot more calories than others, ie peas, corn, cabbage, carrots) and have it equal 600 calories.

Wha? I eat chicken breasts all the time (both pre-butchered and cut off chickens I baked myself) and I have never seen a chicken breast that's bigger than 7 oz. They must be selling miniature dinosaurs masquerading as chickens wherever you shop

Maybe you are buying tenders or cutlets? Or are weighing post cooking?

Nope, and nope. I weigh them raw. The chickens I buy are organic, though--perhaps they don't grow as big. Just like natural bodybuilders.

12 oz chicken breast..damn! That thing must have some serious growth hormone in it..On average, the chicken breasts I get are like 5-7 ounces....

llabbott77

Coming from the opposite end of the spectrum, (I am not exceeding 2,500 calories each day and starving!) enjoy yourself. Have the butter, & jelly on your toast, and put cream and extra sugar in your coffee at breakfast. Have a bottle of soda with your lunch! Have cheesecake for dessert! Have a snack before bed!

If I was in you're place I sure would, and not feel bad at all. Being healthy is very broad topic stop being so focused on one little thing be it calories, fats, carbs, vegetables, sugars. Being overweight is bad, being underweight is actually worse. Not exercising is bad, and it doesn't matter if you have a huge waist or a perfect waist. Not eating your vegetables is bad, eating nothing but spinach and grapefruit is equally unhealthy.

I'm completely baffled by some of you, I assume everyone is on MFP to lose weight, & not to discourage the "fat kids". So if you've modified your lifestyle so radically, that you now aren't eating enough, congratulations! Now use your common sense and start enjoying your new healthier life.

1223345

However if I try and meet that 600 calories in chicken and veg, I would have to eat 3-4 large pieces of chicken breast and a MASSIVE plate of veg.

My guess is that you don't weigh and measure. An average chicken breast weighs about 12 ounces and 330 calories. There's no way you could eat 3-4 of them plus a heaping plate of vegetables (and some vegetables have a lot more calories than others, ie peas, corn, cabbage, carrots) and have it equal 600 calories.

Perhaps you would like to come to dinner. I was a binger at one point, (I have now worked to eliminate this problem) I easily could, and have, eaten SEVERAL large chicken breasts, along with about ten servings of vegetables, just to start. Trust me. People can and do eat much more. And you are right, it would not be 600 calories.

JakeBrownVB

Some really nice points being made here, very glad for the discussion guys! The main point is that noone believe it is hard to make up calories eating high calories foods. But the point was that it is actually really hard to make up calories eating nothing but what most people would consider "healthy food". I say "healthy food" because yes I know eating spoonfuls of peanut butter is not unhealthy, but it is not what most would consider as healthy either and that is why "new dieters" can often fall under their calorie goals as they try and only eat food that they "consider" healther...

Sorry for all the quotations but I can see that many people are getting pretty picky on terminoligy in this thread rather than having an actual discussion.

anniemarianas

I find this actually quite informative and helpful.

My usual (or previous) diet involved lots and lots and lots of snacks like crisps and popcorn and chocolate - I tricked myself into thinking if i didn't count the calories they didn't exist!!
With this I could easily exceed my TDEE, but I never really put on weight, just got a little bit softer round the tummy.

Now I'm eating more like two weetabix with milk and a cup of tea for breakfast, one granola bar, a salad and an apple for lunch and a pasta salad for dinner, and cutting out a lot of the snacks replacing them with water and perhaps a wholegrain cracker, and this could easily fill me up but wont always meet the calorie requirements (depending on what i put in my salad).

I fill very easily anyway, I think I owe my overeating to sheer boredom. Don't know what to do? There's the fridge. Spent too long on the computer? Let's visit the fridge. Nothing on tv? There's the fridge.

But since I've cut that out and installed a warning on my fridge ('remember your waistline!!!') it's been quite difficult to get the 'sufficient' amount of calories, but i'm pretty much just in the 'to hell with that' attitude phase now because i feel like if I'm full, why should I push to eat more?

I find it very satisfying to lie exactly on my calorie goal, but if I'm under a few days thats fine.
In the long run it doesn't really matter as long as I'm eating what's good for me and keeping my hunger in check.

jakkisr

i think it can be quite hard actually, I eat healthily anyway and have found myself reaching for a biscuit to make up some calories (which I wouldn't normally do!). I've found I can bump my calories up by eating nuts (3 brazil nuts has 83 calories alone). I'm getting a bit tired of chicken and as I eat lots for my main meals I don't want it as a snack too.

When I started this diet a few weeks ago I switched to low fat or no oils, only bought salad in for snacks etc and found I struggled to meet my calories (and they are set accurately to 1259 for my size, shape, age and goals). I've found switching back to extra virgin olive oil and normal cheese (not low-fat) tops my calories up nicely and fits better with my food philosophy. And thanks for posting this Jake!

Deipneus

Im sure we have all seen it a thousand times in the forums, when someone is eating 1200-1600 calories they are told "you are not eating enough calories" which is usually met by "but im not hungry" or "i feel it is a push to get 1600 calories".

These kinds of questions come up all the time and all the answers have to do with what a person might be doing wrong.

What I hardly ever see is a reminder that we are all genetically predisposed towards certain traits. I've lost 40-50 pounds and I've been on maintenance for just about one year so I am not making excuses. I have tried every different kind of food, serving size and meal timing and I am here to tell you that hunger is my near-constant companion. My success has not been because I got rid of hunger but because I learned ways to tolerate it.

StArBeLLa87

See my problem is that I can't eat oats or wheat meaning im allergic, but I am oroud to say i have came a long ways and have been slowly upping my calories! I started at consuming 350 calories a day now I'm ranging 1200 to 1400 on some day but I still struggle with the whole eating back exercise calories!

I agree in reading some of the post that people trying to lose weight and the fear of adding carbs and such in the diet! I'm gonna take some pointers that I have read and possibly add peanut butter and apple to my diet to increase my intake further!

FlaxMilk

I believe the people who say it's hard to reach their calories, but I can't relate at all. Even as a vegan, I find it so easy to get all my calories, whether I am eating at 1200 or 1600. Maybe it's because I eat far more fruits than veggies (which I know I should change.)

giveMEbeauty

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