Here's the problem I'm running into...

clbowman11
clbowman11 Posts: 117
in Food and Nutrition
I have been trying to eat 1220 calories a day and most of the time I can reach that. But, like today I should eat over 1600 and I don't know how to. I know that sounds stupid. But, I eat good foods and I get full. And I eat when I'm hungry and I snack. But, I still come short. I don't want to overeat at meals. And I don't want my body to freak out and start storing fat. I feel fine. And like I said I eat when I'm hungry but it's hard to make chicken and fish and stuff of that nature come up to 1600 cals. I eat eggs and yogurt (or lowfat cottage cheese) and sometimes fruit for breakfast and I'm pushing it to try to drink exactly 1 cup of 1% milk. Then for lunch I usually have some sort of fish or chicken and then a veggie or salad and sometimes beans and then I can't finish my V8 (low sodium) I just I don't have room and I have snacks sometimes almonds (measured out) or maybe a fiber one bar or some yogurt or something. And dinner I have a meat, and 2 veggies or a protein (beans). But, I'm still falling short of my calories. I need help because I don't want to eat some bad calories (sweets, grease, etc) Because, it does matter what your intake is as well. I even eat peanut butter sometimes. But, still having trouble, especially if I've exercised that day.

Main issues:
1. Eating up to 1600 cals
2. I don't want to over eat on meals
3. I don't want my body to reserve fat because I'm not eating enough...

Also, I feel like I'm eating all the time as it is. I don't know how to fit it in. lol. I eat every 2-3 hours usually 3 meals with snacks in between...

Replies

  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    You need to get over your fear of eating larger meals, its irrational
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Ditch the low fat stuff and get full fat.
    Use butter and oil
    Avocados and nuts are good too.

    Question yourself why a number of calories is scary......might be the start of disordered thinking. If it does not apply, just eating good calorie dense food will do the trick
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    calories are neither good nor bad. They are just fuel for your body, which it needs to do all its work, including burning off fat.


    If your goal is to hit a cetain number, eat more calorically dense foods.
  • Jexebel
    Jexebel Posts: 67
    Eat full fat cottage cheese and milk. Throw in some almonds. Add some olive oil to salads. Eat a potato. And then if you're still under, eat a cookie. If you used to eat enough be overweight, you can certainly eat enough to maintain a calorie deficit...
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    I'm not scared to eat more. I just know when my body wants to stop eating when I'm full. I hate that over full feeling, I get lethargic and I have been slowly eating more at my meals but I'm already eating good meals. Like my dinner last night. A full tilapia fillet with peppers and onions on top, a good bit of green beans, and I had 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with several grapes on it. It filled up a large plate and it was only 273 cals...what is some more foods with more calories that are good for you I know nuts are. I eat almonds for my snack sometimes. And peanut butter. But, that's more of what I'm looking for.
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    Eat full fat cottage cheese and milk. Throw in some almonds. Add some olive oil to salads. Eat a potato. And then if you're still under, eat a cookie. If you used to eat enough be overweight, you can certainly eat enough to maintain a calorie deficit...

    Thanks for the tips. I could eat full fat cottage cheese and milk. And olive oil to salads. It's not that I'm not eating enough. I am I get so full. But, it's that the food I'm eating is so low in cals and I'm not sure of other healthy foods with a good amount of cals. Good food is filling but it's smaller calories. Used to I was eating burgers and that alone would get me to almost my calorie intake now. A burger I used to eat I found out has 1280 cals. That's the difference. Yeah, I used to be able to do it, but it was all bad food. I need help finding good food to get me to my calories. And I don't know why but I just can't eat much at a meal. I'm gradually eating a little more, though.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Throw a protein bar or a protein smoothie in there! I make a fab pb banana smoothie for 500 cals.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    . Yeah, I used to be able to do it, but it was all bad food. I need help finding good food to get me to my calories. And I don't know why but I just can't eat much at a meal. I'm gradually eating a little more, though.

    Is there a reason you cannot incorporate some foods that you are (for some reason) labeling as "bad"?

    What are you using to differentiate between a good and a bad food item?
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    Throw a protein bar or a protein smoothie in there! I make a fab pb banana smoothie for 500 cals.

    You gotta give me that recipe! And I was going to get some protein bars but after buying the groceries for me, my bf, and our daughter I just didn't have enough. lol. Maybe next trip (:
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    . Yeah, I used to be able to do it, but it was all bad food. I need help finding good food to get me to my calories. And I don't know why but I just can't eat much at a meal. I'm gradually eating a little more, though.

    Is there a reason you cannot incorporate some foods that you are (for some reason) labeling as "bad"?

    What are you using to differentiate between a good and a bad food item?

    A good item doesn't have 1280 calories a serving. Yes, my bf works fast food he brought me burgers and all kinds of other things I lived on those a lot.
    Bad has a lot of grease and fat and sugar etc.
    I'm fine with eating fat, but I don't want it to be from grease and sugar.
    There's a reason we eat healthy to lose weight.
    Because, obviously eating what we were eating wasn't working.
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    You shouldn't be afraid to go over on calories. If you do eat a little more, just exercise a little more. Cals in, cals out :)
  • jilliew
    jilliew Posts: 255 Member
    Why do you feel the need to eat more calories? I say if you're losing on the calories you're eating, keep up the good work and don't worry about it! If you are not losing, then ignore me. ;)
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    I don't eat a lot in terms of volume, so I had a similar problem when I started. What works for me is to add high-calorie ingredients to the food you're already eating. So before, I would make tostadas with chicken, salsa, and lettuce. Now I also include beans, cheese, avocado, and sour cream. It's essentially the same amount of food in terms of size/quantity, but a lot more calories. I still don't eat frequently or enjoy huge portions, but have no problem getting enough food/calories/nutrients.
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    Why do you feel the need to eat more calories? I say if you're losing on the calories you're eating, keep up the good work and don't worry about it! If you are not losing, then ignore me. ;)

    I'm losing, but I want to keep losing. I have read several places that if you don't eat a certain amount of calories and more calories on days you exercise that your body will store fat as fuel reserve. But, I don't feel weak I feel energetic and I eat all the time. I just don't want to hinder my goals by not eating enough. And I'm only falling 200-300 short of my goals on days I exercise on days I don't exercise I should eat 1220 and I usually always hit that much if not it's only by like 50 or 60 cals. I just need to know how to make sure I don't hinder my weight loss or lose muscle mass...I'm worried about that because I'm strength training as well as cardio and I don't want to lose muscle mass because I haven't eaten enough to fuel my body. But, wouldn't I feel weak or something?
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    I don't eat a lot in terms of volume, so I had a similar problem when I started. What works for me is to add high-calorie ingredients to the food you're already eating. So before, I would make tostadas with chicken, salsa, and lettuce. Now I also include beans, cheese, avocado, and sour cream. It's essentially the same amount of food in terms of size/quantity, but a lot more calories. I still don't eat frequently or enjoy huge portions, but have no problem getting enough food/calories/nutrients.

    Sounds good! Thank you (: I have been getting a few more cals adding cheese to things and stuff like that. I just needed more ideas for what else I could add. lol. And everyone took it as I'm scared to eat. Or I might have some disorder. lol.
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    You shouldn't be afraid to go over on calories. If you do eat a little more, just exercise a little more. Cals in, cals out :)

    Just the opposite, can't figure out how to reach my calories and don't want to eat anything greasy or sweet to get to them. Everyone thinks I'm scared of calories?
  • ruthannewillard
    ruthannewillard Posts: 22
    I am having the same issue, I am trying to eat 1200 calories but then I am working out once or twice a day and burning 400 or 500 calories, then my app tells me I need to replace them or I am not getting enough calories, I know what you mean, it is easy to get those extra calories at McDonalds but I want to get healthier foods and be able to reach a higher calorie goal?
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    I am having the same issue, I am trying to eat 1200 calories but then I am working out once or twice a day and burning 400 or 500 calories, then my app tells me I need to replace them or I am not getting enough calories, I know what you mean, it is easy to get those extra calories at McDonalds but I want to get healthier foods and be able to reach a higher calorie goal?

    Exactly, I know how to eat horrible. Now, I'm trying to learn to eat healthy and I don't know as much except it's harder to get those extra 400 to 500 calories especially if you're not hungry. lol.
  • ruthannewillard
    ruthannewillard Posts: 22
    I just asked a friend of mine this question yesterday, she is a personal trainer. Her advice was for me to stay away from the complex carbs like bread and such. It sounded like if it comes from the earth then its good, kinda like hunter, gatherer foods? I know when I have lost weight in the past the smallest I ever got was when I really watched my carbs and sugars and stepped up the protein, so that is what I am going to start doing this weekend when I go to the grocery store! I have been using mfp for 10 days now and stayed under my 1200 calories and been very active physically! I am a little frustrated that I have only lost 2 pounds! Blah!
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    I eat Larabars as a mid-morning snack. They are small, all natural and a couple hundred calories apiece. A tablespoon of peanut butter has roughly-ish a couple hundred calories. I also snack on sugar snap peas (40-50 cals), Greek yogurt (140 or so cals), applesauce cups (roughly 50 cals). I think a serving of pistachios can be 300 calories - nuts are a good snack, relatively high cal but good fats.
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    I eat Larabars as a mid-morning snack. They are small, all natural and a couple hundred calories apiece. A tablespoon of peanut butter has roughly-ish a couple hundred calories. I also snack on sugar snap peas (40-50 cals), Greek yogurt (140 or so cals), applesauce cups (roughly 50 cals). I think a serving of pistachios can be 300 calories - nuts are a good snack, relatively high cal but good fats.

    Thank you (:
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    I just asked a friend of mine this question yesterday, she is a personal trainer. Her advice was for me to stay away from the complex carbs like bread and such. It sounded like if it comes from the earth then its good, kinda like hunter, gatherer foods? I know when I have lost weight in the past the smallest I ever got was when I really watched my carbs and sugars and stepped up the protein, so that is what I am going to start doing this weekend when I go to the grocery store! I have been using mfp for 10 days now and stayed under my 1200 calories and been very active physically! I am a little frustrated that I have only lost 2 pounds! Blah!

    That is what I was reading about. If you were eating more because you are exercising more you will lose more. Your body is going to start using lean muscle mass for fuel because you're not eating enough. And that is was I'm worried about. I almost always reach my 1220 a day and if I don't It's only by a little. And if I exercise I always go over 1220 and I usually only miss my calorie goal by 200-300 calories. So, I'd say if you want to lose weight you'll have to start eating more. Because, eating under your calories can hinder weight loss. Now, how you will eat more and what to eat I have no idea which is why I posted this, but you can follow this topic and I'm sure we'll both find out more ways to reach our goals.
  • ruthannewillard
    ruthannewillard Posts: 22
    Thanks, will do! Good luck to you and I hope all this info helps us both!
  • clbowman11
    clbowman11 Posts: 117
    Me too (:
  • khowlett1
    khowlett1 Posts: 41 Member
    ICE CREAM.... that is what i treat myself when i have extra!
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    I've had this on occasion too, and thats when I throw some avocado into my meals, or have nuts as my snack protein instead of a low fat string cheese. Those are my two calorie-dense-good-fats staple items.

    ETA: if you use skim milk, you could switch to 2%, or even whole milk if you have that kind of room in your log.
  • jilliew
    jilliew Posts: 255 Member
    Why do you feel the need to eat more calories? I say if you're losing on the calories you're eating, keep up the good work and don't worry about it! If you are not losing, then ignore me. ;)

    I'm losing, but I want to keep losing. I have read several places that if you don't eat a certain amount of calories and more calories on days you exercise that your body will store fat as fuel reserve. But, I don't feel weak I feel energetic and I eat all the time. I just don't want to hinder my goals by not eating enough. And I'm only falling 200-300 short of my goals on days I exercise on days I don't exercise I should eat 1220 and I usually always hit that much if not it's only by like 50 or 60 cals. I just need to know how to make sure I don't hinder my weight loss or lose muscle mass...I'm worried about that because I'm strength training as well as cardio and I don't want to lose muscle mass because I haven't eaten enough to fuel my body. But, wouldn't I feel weak or something?

    I'm no expert or anything, but it sounds like you're doing great doing what you're doing. I would add some kind of extra protein to your work-out days if you're worried about muscle mass (a yummy protein shake or bar, or some other high-protein food) as a snack before or after you work out. I personally don't believe in this starvation mode thing and as long as the scale is moving in the right direction you should keep on keeping on. If you hit a plataeu or something maybe switch it up then. By the looks of your pic, though, it doesn't look like you have much more to go, anyway! :D

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