Oh, the conundrum.

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MtTovey
MtTovey Posts: 58 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Newbie here and I'm having a really rough time making it to my 1500 cals per day (I'm using a bunch on an elliptical and eating them back is proving to be a rather hard thing to do) and in a somewhat silly panic because I don't want my body to think it's starving, I'll eat back the cals by having some cookies, which isn't what I want to do either. :/ I just can't seem to stomach all the food. I was hearing about shakes but I don't need the protein ones because I do just fine, if not a bit too much on that. Not to add to it, but I'm somewhat of a really picky eater. :( I'm just getting easily frustrated figuring out what can help me reach my goals without eating to the point of making me sick from so much and factoring in the picky-ness(sp?) and not going to cookies or sweets to fill it out for me. I'm open to suggestions! :D

Replies

  • missmgray
    missmgray Posts: 152 Member
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    How about fresh juices? If you have a juicer that might be an awesome way to up your cals while still getting vitamins and nutrients that the cookies lack.

    eta: frozen yogurt mmmmmm......:wink:
  • TexasSunny
    TexasSunny Posts: 87 Member
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    Try smoothies.... you can make them how you want! I have a hard time eating 1200 calories because I am avoiding bread, pasta and junk. Not a big fruit fan, but I'm working at it!

    Good Luck!
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 776 Member
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    walnuts
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
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    Just a question: how are you calculating the calories burned on the elliptical? If you're going off the display, then I wouldn't worry about eating back all those calories; elliptical machines are notorious for drastically overestimating the calories burned.

    And honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about eating back every last calorie burned anyway. Eating less than 1500 calories in a day is not going to send your body into starvation, and I don't think you're better off by getting those calories in with junk food. If you do want to get higher calorie numbers, include calorie-dense foods in your diet (nuts and nut butters are a great option).

    I had the same problem too (wasn't even hitting 1000 calories at first) but don't like eating a lot or eating many times during the day, so now I just add ingredients to what I'm already eating. So before, I'd make a tostada with chicken, salsa, and lettuce. Now I'll include cheese, sour cream, avocado and beans. Many more calories without having to eat much more, so it's helpful for that.
  • MtTovey
    MtTovey Posts: 58 Member
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    No juicer but shall look into that. And it's frustrating how little I like fruit. It's mainly a texture thing that I just can't do. Also, my parents never pushed fresh fruit when I was a child. They did things like canned pears. :grumble: But I can eat the hell out of most any kinda apple. lol Last night I tried fresh pears, and there was just something bitter about it and The Man said they were really good pears I picked out. Same thing with a red plum... At least I'm trying. Though I am gonna invest in a One-A-Day or something...
  • MtTovey
    MtTovey Posts: 58 Member
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    Just a question: how are you calculating the calories burned on the elliptical? If you're going off the display, then I wouldn't worry about eating back all those calories; elliptical machines are notorious for drastically overestimating the calories burned.

    And honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about eating back every last calorie burned anyway. Eating less than 1500 calories in a day is not going to send your body into starvation, and I don't think you're better off by getting those calories in with junk food. If you do want to get higher calorie numbers, include calorie-dense foods in your diet (nuts and nut butters are a great option).

    I had the same problem too (wasn't even hitting 1000 calories at first) but don't like eating a lot or eating many times during the day, so now I just add ingredients to what I'm already eating. So before, I'd make a tostada with chicken, salsa, and lettuce. Now I'll include cheese, sour cream, avocado and beans. Many more calories without having to eat much more, so it's helpful for that.

    I'm going off MFP and Elliptical machine since I don't have a working HRM right now. And I'm comfortably netting 600-800 a day. I'm pushing for at least 1200. That's what I'm worried about mostly. Also, not really a nut eater though peanut butter if scrumptious. Trying to branch out but having a difficult time with it. Thanks for the little added things suggestion.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    This may not work for all, but has really helped me. I figured my TDEE and then set my calories on MFP at 30% below TDEE. When I figured my TDEE I also calculated in my weekly activity. I add my exercise in the note on food diary and don't let MFP calculate it for me. Now I have a set number of calories every day and I find that I'm not pushing to eat "exercies calories". I know that it amounts to the same thing, but to me not seeing that I've added 350 calories in a day helps me. Good luck.
  • cbevan1229
    cbevan1229 Posts: 326 Member
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    If you are wanting to get a little more nutrition from your extra calories (as opposed to the cookies) you could certainly do nuts, yogurt, cheese, a banana, a few slices of turkey, a glass of milk, - if I wind up under my calorie goal I like a Nature Valley Dark Chocolate and Oats Granola Bar.

    But I also think it's good to keep some of your favorite treats, like cookies, in your food plan, so that you don't wind up feeling deprived - it will help keep you motivated.

    ETA - you could also bulk up your daily meals by adding olive oil, cheese, an extra ounce of protien, etc. It would not be hard for me to add 50-100 calories to each meal of my day - eat the other half of my banana in the morning, a sandwich on 2 slices of bread instead of one at lunch, 1 - 2 extra ounces of my protein at dinner, and I'd be up 250 cals.
  • MtTovey
    MtTovey Posts: 58 Member
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    This may not work for all, but has really helped me. I figured my TDEE and then set my calories on MFP at 30% below TDEE. When I figured my TDEE I also calculated in my weekly activity. I add my exercise in the note on food diary and don't let MFP calculate it for me. Now I have a set number of calories every day and I find that I'm not pushing to eat "exercies calories". I know that it amounts to the same thing, but to me not seeing that I've added 350 calories in a day helps me. Good luck.

    I found that Revised Road Map 2.0 thingy, and figured out through everything that I should probably be consuming either 2100 or 2300 (I haven't figure out which one I am on activity, lightly active or moderately) and to be on the safe side I chose the 2100 and it came to 1500 or so (I suck at remembering exact numbers, sorry). So with my exercising, I'm trying to net about that much.
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
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    it is okay not to eat ALL of ur calories, just try not to go below 1200, but if u feel full, then ur body will not think its starving
  • MtTovey
    MtTovey Posts: 58 Member
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    Alrighty then. I'll keep that in mind.

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