Q: How do I eat the calories when I'm not hungry?

Don't.

Dessert timee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try to slowly increase your calories. Each week, try for 100 more calories until you are at your 1500.

Don't.

Agreed. Listen to your body. If you are not hungry, don't eat.

That said, if those are your true numbers, and you are counting calories properly, the weight should be coming off quite easily. If it is not, then either your numbers are off, you are not counting calories properly, and/or you are attempting to eat your exercise calories back using inflated calorie burn readings.

Some things to consider....TDEE calculators offer rough estimates so be prepared to tweak those numbers based on your weekly weigh ins. Try not to buy in to the BS that the scale is not a good indicator of weight loss.....it is THE indicator. Make sure you are counting calories accurately. Many people just guess and if you are not using a food scale then I guarantee you are eating more than you think. See here for more information: http://www.fitnessfactreview.com/the-art-science-of-calorie-counting. The biggest problem I have seen on this site with their "numbers" is they tend to deduct what they think they are burning and are actually entering an inflated amount. FYI - all those nifty devices people here use to track exercise calories are only offering rough estimates, sometimes very rough, and people end up consuming more back than they eat. In the end, the scale don't lie.

DO NOT, I repeat, do not listen to your body. That's the reason we ended up here in the first place.

The hunger-regulating hormone in your body is called Leptin. It is produced proportionally to your intake. If you eat a lot, you feel more hungry. If you eat less, you feel less hungry, which is how you get anorexics eating 600 cals and saying they are not hungry.

If you find it a struggle to eat all your calories (yes, TDEE calculators produce an estimate, but that is a useful and fairly accurate estimate), increase slowly by 100 each week. Listen to science, not your body.

Listen to concretegirl.

drink them

i agree!! wait... hey, put down that margarita!!!!


seriously though, a protein smoothie is a great way to get in extra calories. try some oj, vanilla protein powder, some frozen fruit, and a banana. all in a blender. probably like, 400 calories.

MFP started me on 1370 and I now eat 1850 and it was terrifying. SOme days I plump it up with avo, nuts, cheese, nut butter, milk, wine.....

Some days I make it easily.

I'm pretty steadily losing about 1kg a week.

As others have said - I'd eat more calorie dense foods. Wholenut peanut butter is one of my favourite things ever. I wouldn't worry massiveley about overestimating values if you are measuring things properly, because that figure is still your TDEE - 20% so there is margin for error.

Also, weight loss is not linear, so weighing yourself every week is kind of pointless unless you can cope with the occasional slight gain/the scale not moving some weeks.

Lifestyle changes are more sustainable if you do things in slow incraments - I find it hard to believe that you really cant manage more than 1200 cals, because otherwise you wouldn't be wanting to lose weight in the first place.

Edited to add: I think MFP does overestimate exercise cals, especially cardio. I can see burning off a couple hundred in 45 mins weights, but an hours circuits gives me almost three times that value, which I can't see being the case, really. Unless you are obese, I wouldn't log things like walking about for half an hour - you should be able to do that anyway within a normal day.

I struggled reaching 1200 when I was on the Paleo diet. If you don't eat carbs and dairy, it can be quite a challenge to reach that number. On my super-low days, I forced myself to eat a handful of nuts. I quickly lost 12 pounds on Paleo, but then the loss stopped.

Since calculating my calories and learning that I need 1600, I've actually obsessed less about what I eat. I eat more than I used to, and I'm finally losing weight. You should listen to your body, but you have to UNDERSTAND what it's saying. If you're full at 1200 or less, actually overweight (not anorexic), and not losing weight - then you do need to up your calories if you want to lose weight.

If you can tolerate dairy, cheese is incredibly high in calories. One ounce of most types is around 150 calories, and one ounce is far less than most people eat when they eat it. If you're a chocoholic, try eating your favorite dark chocolate (or chocolate chips) with some natural almonds. You could also add protein shakes or homemade smoothies to your diet.

Don't eat calories JUST to eat them. If you're eating to reach a calorie goal, make sure that what you eat is either A) healthy or satsifies a craving or deep desire. Your food should always have a purpose.

Simple. Don't eat them. If you are not hungry then why try to force it? I'm lucky if I can ever get through my calories....I have close to 3000 today & I'm only at -824....... yep thats in the negative. I'm not the slightest bit hungry & I should be cause I've been out walking all day.

Have to say, i agree with PinkRayneDropJacki above, don't eat when you are not hungry. If you have had very healthy foods during the day, why stuff yourself with cheese, avocado and nuts. I have never weighed more than 128 and would not "forcefeed" myself.
Really, who sits down to enjoy a meal when they are full. Learning to eat healthy is going to eventually mean that the foods are lower in calories, have more nutrients and leave you satisfied. A good healthy portion of protein, such as low fat chicken or fish with good veggies is not a lot of calories. ...yet, you are full after eating that.

You still have options, you can eat more the next day when you do feel hungry...not everyday needs to be exactly the same intake...ask your friends, who have never been overweight, if any of them eat when already full....let us know how you handle this.

Good Luck

MFP started me on 1370 and I now eat 1850 and it was terrifying. SOme days I plump it up with avo, nuts, cheese, nut butter, milk, wine.....

Some days I make it easily.

I'm pretty steadily losing about 1kg a week.

it's astounding, liked your post because it perfectly illustrates how difficult it is to get ones head round being 'allowed' to eat, you've put it perfectly into words for me :noway: :laugh:

Try eating more of your calories earlier in the day.

I finally have my numbers but I have no idea how I am supposed to eat this many calories? I can't even eat the 1200 calories I had as a goal before let alone the calories I exercised off....any suggestions? Btw: these are my numbers:

Estimated Base BMR: 1313 Calories.
Estimated TDEE: 2035 Calories.
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 1535 Calories

Nutella. Secret weapon against "starvation mode."

Drink 'em :drinker:

Kidding. Eat until you're full and move on.