Eating healthily yet struggling to eat 1200 cals a day

Options
135

Replies

  • sexelby
    sexelby Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    You really have to be careful... I've suffered from an eating disorder for a very long time, and right now I am struggling with the same situation. It is very little what you are eating. Make sure you are getting enough of each food group, and to boost your calories try incorporating more healthy carbohydrates and fats - like lentils, nuts, beans etc. Try eating six times a day, too. So breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. The meals can be any size you want, even an apple or something small, but it regulates your eating and metabolism and gets you eating more and losing weight!
    Hope this helps, just be careful and consult your doctor if you are still struggling xx
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    Options
    (we have a grocery store with an Asian section, and the lentils there are cheaper than a few aisles over in the "normal" section - I have no idea...).

    those are made in china... :bigsmile:
  • notreallytrillian
    notreallytrillian Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    I had a similar problem. I started adding a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to my protein, which helped a lot. Also, a small portion of unsalted nuts (pistacchios, almonds, or cashews) is healthy and fairly calorie heavy. Good luck!
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    You should NOT be eating back the exercise calories, they are what make you lose weight. Eating 1200 cal a day with exercise shouldn't be too hard when you think like that.:smile:
    This is incorrect. MFP gives you a calorie goal with a built in deficit. Why would a calorie counting website ask you if you want to lose weight, and then encourage you to eat back calories that would eliminate your deficit?

    OP - perhaps rethink your definition of "healthy food" and aim to get more calorie-dense foods. Foods that are higher in fat will help you here - nuts, cheese, full fat milk, full fat yoghurt, peanut butter, olive oil, avocados etc etc. You can also drink your calories in smoothies, milk, nut milk, protein shakes etc.

    Also consider how accurate your estimation of calorie burn is, and if it's accurate - do you need to be burning 700+ calories a day through exercise? Fitness is important, but if you are doing that much exercise purely for the calorie burn, it might be helpful to cut back on some of that. You're already well within the healthy weight range for your height, and having too large of a calorie deficit is not going to do you any favours at this point.

    Ah again, another vote for nuts! I've bought a jar of peanut butter as it's the only thing I can eat without wanting to spit it out again. I am not a big cheese eater but I guess I could invest in buying some. Smoothies is a good idea, I should probably buy some of those since I like them a lot (and I don't have a blender to make any).

    Oh I don't exercise every day. I'm aiming to go to the gym on Saturday and Sunday, I have Salsa on Tuesday and I walk a fair bit, but on Wednesday and Thursday, I barely leave my room. I know I'm within the healthy weight range but I am aiming to be fit and healthy as a lifestyle choice, rather than just thin for bikini weather.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    Options
    People seem to go to the extreme of "I can't eat anything bad for me", and so they cut so much out of their diet that they end up under eating. Try adding back in some healthier but high calorie items. Cook with olive oil, eat avocados, nuts, peanut butter, and make sure you eat plenty of lean meat. You should be eating back your exercise calories because your deficit is already calculated by MFP. Try getting more calorie dense items. (That also means if you want a pizza one night and it fits in your calories, go for it!)

    Yep, exactly this!

    Yep!! If I was to eat extremely clean 100% of the time *I* would fail. I have to have something not that great for me sometimes. It is a mental thing, but it is what it is! Would having a splurge day work for you to even out your weekly cals? (It doesn't for me, it would throw me off sooooo bad, but some people do well with it).
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    You should NOT be eating back the exercise calories, they are what make you lose weight. Eating 1200 cal a day with exercise shouldn't be too hard when you think like that.:smile:


    <<<<<<<<<<< eats back exercise calories.

    it's been working.

    MFP already give you a deficit. you should not make it more of a deficit.
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    You should NOT be eating back the exercise calories, they are what make you lose weight. Eating 1200 cal a day with exercise shouldn't be too hard when you think like that.:smile:

    This is just NOT true. MPF already has your cals set at a deficit to accomodate the amount of weight you chose to lose each week. If you exercise, you push that deficit even lower. I know you CAN lose a lot of weight fast (at first) by having an outrageous deficit - but why in heaven's name would you put your body through that? You're going to lose lean body mass - not just fat. You're going to lose bone density. You're going to cause your body to choose fueling your body or the workout. The biggest negative in eating a VLCD is that you set yourself up to yo yo for the rest of your life. VLCDs are notorious for causing regain of weight and more.

    Be smart. Do some research on how the body works. IF you want fast and unhealthy? Keep restricting your cals. to below what your 20 year old body needs.

    You sound really angry at me... Can I mention I am not eating less than 1200 calories a day by choice. I am trying to get to 1200 and over but when you feel full do you really want to be stuffing half a packet of trail mix down your throat just because of numbers? I'm not completely new at this. I've been going to the gym for over a year and improving my diet for almost as long.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Options
    You should NOT be eating back the exercise calories, they are what make you lose weight. Eating 1200 cal a day with exercise shouldn't be too hard when you think like that . You are doing fine .
    You are wrong. That is not how MFP works.
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    People seem to go to the extreme of "I can't eat anything bad for me", and so they cut so much out of their diet that they end up under eating. Try adding back in some healthier but high calorie items. Cook with olive oil, eat avocados, nuts, peanut butter, and make sure you eat plenty of lean meat. You should be eating back your exercise calories because your deficit is already calculated by MFP. Try getting more calorie dense items. (That also means if you want a pizza one night and it fits in your calories, go for it!)

    I've actually started eating peanut butter recently. I HATE nuts but I find I can stomach peanut butter and I put it in my porridge this morning along with some jam which boosted my breakfast to 422 calories. Meat is a little bit harder for me to eat because I'm a student and meat tends to quite expensive but I have a some chicken breasts in at the moment at the gracious generosity of my parents :). I was thinking of having one small unhealthy food item (chocolate bar for an example) and one bigger unhealthy food item a week (like pizza maybe), I just haven't got around to it yet, this week.
    Try not to look at food as "good" or "bad", but try looking at the overall nutritional content of your whole diet. Why is pizza "unhealthy"? It's worth avoiding if you can't fit it into your calories, but you don't have that problem. Pizza can be very nutritious, depending on what's on it, and even the kinds with the least nutritional value can easily fit into a balanced diet.

    This might be ignorance but I assumed anything dripping in copious amounts of melted cheese isn't healthy but I see where you're coming from :). Haha
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    My meals are relatively low in calories and I'm not sure how to make them higher in calories without making them horrendously unhealthy.

    You could just increase your portion sizes then?

    I do feel like I'm eating enough in my portions but I might give it a go. Maybe put a bit more rice in the rice cooker in future or something. Thanks
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    With only 10-15 pounds to lose (just guessing...not sure what your goal is); your diet really needs to b spot on. Netting 600-700 calories a day is going to make it very difficult to be successful. Try eating foods that are healthy but have a higher calorie content: whole eggs, almonds, avocado, almond butter, etc...

    I love eggs but I don't like nuts. I've never tried an avocado though... Maybe I should. What do you eat them with?


    I eat avocados with wheat bread or with pita crackers. I can also eat it with salad or even plain with pepper, you can also mash it up and make it as a dip. So tasty!

    Haha, slightly scared of trying them. What does it taste like? Are they similar to any other vegetables?
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    Options
    First of all, you don't have to drink 2 litres of water a day. It's a myth.

    Perhaps post an example of your daily diet? Are you getting enough fat in your diet, for example?
    is it a myth? id like more info on this
  • morenita71
    morenita71 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    i wish I had your trouble! (and i'm quite surprised how so many people who want to lose weight can't eat that many calories when presumably they've eaten way more than that in the past to be on here...but anyway ho hum)

    I'm a student too. I second the pulses, avocado and nuts thing. But cut out the processed stuff - pies and fishcakes are expensive. Boil some wholewheat pasta - for a packed lunch make a nice salad dressing with extra virgin olive oil and lots of veg and throw in some ham etc...Or make salads with brown rice or chickpeas. Or make some stews in the colder weather. Or make a quick tomato sauce for your pasta with tinned tomatoes and some garlic and olive oil,- really easy -won't take more than 20 mins. Also make your smoothies - so much cheaper - use a fork and a whisk and a bit of elbow grease...Also you can buy cheap cuts of meat to make stews - just cut off all the visible fat and measure everything to work out your cals. Stretch out one chicken breast over two days by making stir fries with lots of in season vegetables. Once you start it'll get easier to plan and fit these things into your daily routine.

    Good luck!
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    Sticking to your meal plan is easier, when you have a plan...

    Btw. Don't beat yourself up. For what it's worth. I think I should have enjoyed my early 20's more, rather than worry about others think. There's always someone thinner, bigger breasts, cuter etc. Just be happy to be you. Having goals is great, but try to live in the moment because YOLO (I can't believe i just said yolo)

    Oh I am definitely not scanning through magazines crying over how I'm not as slim as other women or anything. I am happy being myself but I also love exercise and improving myself. I want to tone up, be proud of myself and a big part of it is confidence. And I'm not going to turn down a chinese takeout with my boyfriend when I see him in a couple of weeks :)
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    Just looking at your listed meals I could suggest that you drop the margarine from your sandwich and use some avocado or hummus instead.

    Stirring peanut butter into your porridge is a great idea, as well!

    I absolutely love hummus! Quite angry at myself for forgetting to buy some when I was shopping. I wouldn't have thought to put it on a sandwich though, so good advice, thanks :)
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    I've actually started eating peanut butter recently. I HATE nuts but I find I can stomach peanut butter and I put it in my porridge this morning along with some jam which boosted my breakfast to 422 calories. Meat is a little bit harder for me to eat because I'm a student and meat tends to quite expensive but I have a some chicken breasts in at the moment at the gracious generosity of my parents :). I was thinking of having one small unhealthy food item (chocolate bar for an example) and one bigger unhealthy food item a week (like pizza maybe), I just haven't got around to it yet, this week.

    Dried lentils and beans are also pretty good sources of protein and are usually dirt cheap. I can get a pound of dried black beans for a dollar, and that makes about 6 cups (I think, don't usually make the whole package) when cooked. Lentils especially can be found cheap and in bulk at a lot of Asian stores (we have a grocery store with an Asian section, and the lentils there are cheaper than a few aisles over in the "normal" section - I have no idea...).

    What would you eat the black beans and the lentils with, or would you eat them on their own? I'm not big on nuts so these could be easier for me to eat.
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    You should NOT be eating back the exercise calories, they are what make you lose weight. Eating 1200 cal a day with exercise shouldn't be too hard when you think like that . You are doing fine .

    WRONG

    and

    BACON

    I had bacon in an omelette yesterday. Maybe I should have had 3 or 4 slices instead. I consider bacon quite an unhealthy meat so I only had 2.
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    You really have to be careful... I've suffered from an eating disorder for a very long time, and right now I am struggling with the same situation. It is very little what you are eating. Make sure you are getting enough of each food group, and to boost your calories try incorporating more healthy carbohydrates and fats - like lentils, nuts, beans etc. Try eating six times a day, too. So breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. The meals can be any size you want, even an apple or something small, but it regulates your eating and metabolism and gets you eating more and losing weight!
    Hope this helps, just be careful and consult your doctor if you are still struggling xx

    I think I love food too much to get an eating disorder but thanks for the concern and I hope you have a healthy recovery. I'm having a snack now while my lunch is cooking. But yeah, I'll try and snack between my meals. Shouldn't really be that hard if try :)
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Options
    Two slices of bread, two tablespoons peanut butter, and two tablespoons jam is somewhere between 400-500 calories.

    Are you saying you can't eat 3 peanut butter sandwiches in a day?

    Here are a few secrets: with under 25 lbs to lose, your body is probably not going to make weight loss easy for you at 1200 cals. Just guessing, but you probably set your weight loss at 2 lb/week, because everyone does. Faster is better, right? Wrong. There is a limit to how much fat you can lose without also taking lean body mass (muscle) with it, and for someone with under 25 lbs to lose, that limit is around 0.5 lbs/week. If you lose more than that, your LBM will also come off with it, leaving you looking less "toned" when you hit your goal weight. Yes, it will take longer, but you will look and feel better about yourself by taking it more slowly. ETA: and YES, this happens even (or especially) when you exercise so much.

    Benefit of this is that you get to up your calories. 1200 calories is a MINIMUM, and if you have not yet calculated your TDEE and BMR, please do so. If you aren't sure how those work or why they are important, let me know and I'll give you a link to check out because they are absolutely crucial to understanding your own body's weight loss. Also, I saw someone say you should not be eating back your exercise calories. FALSE. When you put in how much you want to lose per week, the number of calories you are given to eat is ALREADY a big deficit. If you don't eat back those calories, you are making the deficit even bigger to the point where your metabolism will stop functioning properly. Please, please, please, eat back your exercise calories.

    You said you are only eating when you are hungry. The hormone that regulates hunger in the human body is called Leptin. When we restict our calories, leptin production is suppressed. When we increase our calories, leptin production also increases. This is completely unrelated to how much food we actually NEED. Basically, that means that if you eat less, you'll feel less hungry, even if you are actually starving. Don't go by how hungry you are. Force feed yourself those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if you must, and soon your hunger will follow.

    Finally, exercise less. The key to maintaining weight loss is doing something that you can maintain long-term, and I doubt that every day for the rest of your life, you will burn over 700 cals through exercise. There's a psychological block in a lot of us that says this process has to be painful or it isn't working. Not necessarily true. Up your calories. Enjoy your meals! Educate yourself. Weight loss and gain is a lifelong process for most people. You want to be a person for whom weight loss happens once, and maintenance happens after that. Either way, the process will take forever, so why rush it?

    Best of luck!
  • Dobbleton
    Dobbleton Posts: 30
    Options
    People seem to go to the extreme of "I can't eat anything bad for me", and so they cut so much out of their diet that they end up under eating. Try adding back in some healthier but high calorie items. Cook with olive oil, eat avocados, nuts, peanut butter, and make sure you eat plenty of lean meat. You should be eating back your exercise calories because your deficit is already calculated by MFP. Try getting more calorie dense items. (That also means if you want a pizza one night and it fits in your calories, go for it!)

    Yep, exactly this!

    Yep!! If I was to eat extremely clean 100% of the time *I* would fail. I have to have something not that great for me sometimes. It is a mental thing, but it is what it is! Would having a splurge day work for you to even out your weekly cals? (It doesn't for me, it would throw me off sooooo bad, but some people do well with it).

    Apart from this Monday, I usually a long day on Monday (up at 6am, home by 7pm) and I usually end up buying quite a lot of food while I'm out, and it's much harder to resist a chocolate and flapjack binge when you're not in the comfort of your own home where you know exactly what you have in. I think I'm gonna have to finish this week and see how it worked before I can see if a splurge day would help, haha.

Categories