Cannot hit 1200kcal most days, help me!

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katydee13
katydee13 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 20 years, just under 200lbs but I've never eaten all that much - I just hate exercise. MFP has suggested a daily limit of 1200 calories, but I tend to hang around the 1000-1100 mark, can anyone suggest how to boost calories in a healthy way? I don't just wanna stuff on chocolate!!

Any help would be soooo appreciated, I'm a total noob at this

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Replies

  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    if you've never eating 1200 calories why do you need to lose weight?
  • briznik
    briznik Posts: 32 Member
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    Why don't you open up your diary? A lot of people on here could probably help, but not if they don't know what you're eating.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    If you eat 3 PB&J sandwiches per day, you'll probably be OVER 1200 cals. It isn't tough to get those calories, and moreover, you probably need more than 1200 for your body to function efficiently.
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
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    Why don't you open up your diary? A lot of people on here could probably help, but not if they don't know what you're eating.
    This, though a quick suggestion would be add a few nuts or something like an avocado in if you haven't already, it won't take much to bump you up.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    If you are correct in your assessment of what you eat every day you seriously need your metabolism checked. No one should be able to sustain 200 pounds on 1200 calories a day. No one.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Drink a tall glass of chocolate milk every night before bed. Instant 400 cals and a tasty treat to boot. Next excuse please
  • Shabbyrose
    Shabbyrose Posts: 35
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    What's wrong with chocolate? If you have calories left eat it. Honestly there are loads of posts just like this every day. So forgive people if they seem flippant. It's a newbie mistake to no want to eat. Read the revised roadmap to see why this isn't good for you. EAT GIRL EAT! Skinny people love food just as much as fat people!
  • slimsummerr
    slimsummerr Posts: 23
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    Haha seriously I had the same problem, in fact I posted this same thing not long ago! I had a knee injury a few weeks ago and yesterday was my first chance to exercise. Previous to this I ate around 1000 calories as I wasn't burning or working out so didnt feel i needed more. Right, being a sporty creature, I would definately advise you to start pumping up the jam! Start of small, VERY SMALL, you don't want to be put off or anything. I suggest maybe an hour moderate pace walk after dinner in the evening, or something else low impact. You can also increase this to 2 maybe 3 hours of walking, which you can spread out throughout the day. When i say walking, its not strolling, quite a quick walk and move your arms, alternating your speed to how you feel (maybe 5 mins slower and then 2-3 mins faster). Another exercise I found much better than say running which gives me a headache sometimes is cycling. Just go for a half an hour bike ride, find a nice route take a packed lunch and enjoy the scenery - i promise you will not be disappointed!! On the food, maybe eat a small bowl of soup before lunch and dinner, and then have your dinner and lunch, this would add 200-300 calories, plus if its homemade and healthy it won't be at all bad for you! Increase your portion size, not by much but bulk it up with vegetables and high density foods. With your breakfast I find drinking a fruit smoothie adds some calories in a healthy way too. Just make sure your calories are coming from healthy, mostly unprocessed foods and not crap!
    Best of luck with everything! X
  • Tdacks
    Tdacks Posts: 136 Member
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    if you've never eating 1200 calories why do you need to lose weight?

    That is a bit impolite and uninformed, if I may say so. Personally, I gained weight by eating too much bad food, and that takes years to put on and just as long to take off. Now I am overweight. When I eat healthy food and track every single thing daily, I still have trouble getting 1200 calories a day. Especially if I'm trying to get 1200 net, and have exercised that day. Think about a big serving of grilled veggies and chicken, like I had yesterday. It was very healthy, very filling, very tasty, high protein, and low on calories.

    For the OP, I have found that saving a healthy low carb snack for about an hour before bed helps me get over the 1200 minimum. For example, I eat 2 servings of lowfat cottage cheese, even if I'm not really hungry right then. The protein and fat keeps me from waking up in the middle of the night from hunger.
  • Tdacks
    Tdacks Posts: 136 Member
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    Drink a tall glass of chocolate milk every night before bed. Instant 400 cals and a tasty treat to boot. Next excuse please

    I love chocolate, but that much caffeine and sugar right before bed would keep me up all night long (and not in the fun way). I'm not the OP, though, so maybe this will work.
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    Drink a tall glass of chocolate milk every night before bed. Instant 400 cals and a tasty treat to boot. Next excuse please

    Ditto this ^^^!!! Or.....a turkey sandwich with some avocado. String cheese, nuts, nut butter.
    I have a feeling you are WAY underestimating what you eat. I think most people do. Do you weigh/measure? Do you make sure you keep track of all 'extras" like butter and ketchup? How about drinks? Lots of people take in a ton of calories with drinks alone....not even realizing it.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    if you've never eating 1200 calories why do you need to lose weight?
    ^^^^ this.
  • mtiheartmuscle
    mtiheartmuscle Posts: 124
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    #1 - you're probably not eating enough calories. If you don't eat properly, your body will go into starvation mode and hoard it's fat.
    #2 - eat often and clean. 5-6 small meals per day
    #3 - protein shakes, protein shakes, protein shakes OR throw a bunch of spinach, banana's, strawberries (feel free to create your own!) throw it into a blender and drink your calories.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Open up your diary for more input!

    Eat more calorie dense foods - Nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocados, cheeses. There is nothing wrong with a few small pieces of chocolate either. Don't us 'lite' foods or low calorie, fat free foods...eat the real deal.
  • RawTriGal
    RawTriGal Posts: 190 Member
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    Fruits are calorie/vitamin dense, veggies & greens nutrient dense, but low calorie. I used to struggle to get in 1200 when eating clean, high raw but found by starting the day with a green smoothie I was able to easily get it in. I'd plan ahead rather than adding up the day and finding yourself at a deficit. So tonight, plan out tomorrow so that you can ensure you get it in. : )
  • jjrichard83
    jjrichard83 Posts: 483 Member
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    If you are correct in your assessment of what you eat every day you seriously need your metabolism checked. No one should be able to sustain 200 pounds on 1200 calories a day. No one.

    possibly a gross underestimation of calories eaten? I've done that before...

    Eat foods that are dense in nutrition- and avoid all calories that are "empty" (cookies, sugars, etc). Also the other poster Lizz is right. Nuts and some oils are great! It doesn't take many seeds and nuts to add an extra 400 calries so watch out!
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Weigh and list ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING you eat and drink in a day and see if it is still under 1200. You'd be amazed how much people underestimate
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
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    if you've never eating 1200 calories why do you need to lose weight?
  • RachMarie247
    RachMarie247 Posts: 26 Member
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    if you've never eating 1200 calories why do you need to lose weight?

    Exactly. Impossible to be over weight even if you didn't excirsise.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    Nuts, oils, avocado, as stated above... Also, drink your calories. The full feeling goes away very quickly with liquids, so it's easy to consume an extra hundred calories just with a glass of juice or milk.

    But I also second (third? fourth?) all the comments about you tracking accurately. At your weight, you should be losing pretty rapidly on that few calories. Make sure you're measuring, weighing, and logging correctly - if you are, you really should go see a doctor.

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