Keep having a net under 1200 calories

Then do so. As you're in your teens, your metabolism will be much higher than someone the same as you, and much older. If you restrict it so much now, you set yourself up for a real struggle to maintain your weight in later life.

Also, find healthy snacks like almonds that are good for you and add that extra calorie count without being "empty" calories.

If you struggle to eat enough calories, then start eating higher calorie foods; nuts, avocado, cook meats in EVOO, protein bars, protein shakes or go to town on a jar of peanut butter. Also, you don' t have much to lose, so your account should be around 1 lb per week and you should be eating 50% or more of your exercise calories.


Additionally, when you don't eat enough, your body will catabolize lean body mass which makes it harder to have a lean and tight body. Muscle is what makes you lean and tight. Below is what I mean. Also, if you are not weight training, I would suggest starting because weight training is what helps you keep your muscle (in conjunction with protein and a small calorie deficit). If you eat properly and exercise properly, you will increase the chances of looking like the girl on the right. If you don't, then you will look like the girl on the left.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

I'm 22, and my net is around 600-800. If you don't feel like **** and are getting your nutrients, I wouldn't worry about it. Again, it all depends on how much you have to lose. I've got 38lb to drop; I'm not in danger of starving anytime soon!

And how much of that is muscle?

Are you eating too little fat? Your body needs some fat so be sure to meet or get close to your fat goal. Fat is high in calories so just adding a little with bring your calorie count up. Try adding nuts, nut butters, avocado or olive oil to your diet to get healthy vegetable fats.

Alright, could you look at my food diary and tell me where I'm going wrong.

No, it's locked

Anyway, I will only advise you to research how much you should be eating more thoroughly. 1200 at 18 years old is desperately low; you're still growing for starters. When you're young, IMO, the solution is eat lots of good food and move your *kitten* more and not the alternative.

You could drink Ensure...its a high calorie drink with a lot of nutrients. You can get it at the drug store by the supplements. It helped me with this. Good Luck.

That is too little. As stated above eat walnuts, almonds, avocado etc. Healthy food with calories. Also eat oats for breakfast.

There would be some merit to the idea of trying to add some high-calorie, nutritionally-dense whole foods as snacks just to boost your calorie intake. But if you don't, I highly doubt you will starve to death. Unless you do, in which case, whoops

You seem to be doing okay. What I noticed is that you have a lot of low calorie processed breakfast foods....cereal and breakfast bars these are usually higher in carbs and low in protein. Not always a bad thing but there are better choices. You might try changing your macros to a higher protein percentage than what MFP gives you. I did and it just helped me to focus on more higher protein choices and cut out some of the extra carbs...that along with eating back some of my exercise calories (all now that I have a HRM) has really helped.

Yeah, I thought that myself. But I don't have time in the morning to be spending alot of time making something. What would you suggest as an alternative to cereals for breakfast then?

Eggs are great for you. I make mine the night before. Don't be afraid to prepare snacks and meals the day before. Also, you could always pick up some higher calorie protein bars (like 300 calorie bars) to help increase your intake or do what I said earlier.

If I was that young the things I'd do differently.

OP figure out TDEE then eat slightly below that unless you are obese.
PM if you have any Qs.

Your net should be at least 1200 or you risk using your muscle as fuel (decreased muscle lowers metabolic rate so you burn fewer calories even when relaxing/sleeping, etc, so not good). But check the foods that you enter when you're not using bar codes, because a few, not many, are inaccurate. one choice for chicken breast lists about 10 calories and 0 protein gms for 3 oz. serving, so I deleted that one from my record and found a better entry. This is a great program, but not perfect. Good luck!

somewhat correct depending on OPs height and activity.