Help I have trouble eating under 2000 cals a day!

I think it's fine to eat 2000. You just gotta burn 500 in a workout each day and you'll net 1500 per day - perfect! That's about an hour a day on an elliptical.

I'm sorry, 900 calories for a meal is crazy. I only eat like on my once a week pizza night after burning at least 900 calories in the gym. I eat on average 2300 calories a day (trying to add some muscle) and I don't even over 700 calories for breakfast. When I'm cutting I eat around 1800 calories a day averaging 300 to 350 calories a meal. Carbs in morning are okay, but try to lower them through the day to have a higher fat and protein dinner. For breakfast I have a cup of fiber one cereal and a cup of skim milk with a banana and for dinner I usually have a large salad, with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette dressing and 4 oz of chicken breast and a serving of un-roasted un-salted almonds.

I ate 1,772cals in my breakfast today.

Are you calling me crazy, son?

I just looked at your profile, first you are 18 years old, second from what I can tell you are an ectomorph (extremely high metabolism) and third I'm guessing your goal is not lose weight. If you put those things together, then no, you are not crazy.

If you're willing to accept that change will happen slowly then I suggest making substitutions. You mentioned what made your breakfast of tacos and a potato equal 900 calories:

2 small flour tortilla shells 100 cals each, 90% lean beef @ 400, 1 oz cheese 110, 1/4 cup beans 60 cals, medium potato 150... yea because a linebacker eats just enough meat to fill the small tortilla shells, 1 0z of cheese between two tacos and a quarter of a cup of beans and 1 potato ::eyeroll::

Try making some of these substitutions: 96% lean beef (or 99% lean turkey!) 140 calories per 4oz, fat free cheese ~45 calories per 1oz, fat free beans ~40 calories per 1/4C (refried), smaller potato 110 calories per 148oz (small), whole wheat pita ~74 calories per 4" circumference (or go with brown rice and ditch the wrap all together).

Add in some fresh veggies, pan fried with zero calorie cooking spray like onions, peppers, and zucchini/squash. Adding more vegetables will help to fill you up without a bunch of extra calories. Also, when possible, add in some whole grains. Anyway, once you get used to eating smaller amounts, you'll begin to notice that you physically can't eat as much anymore without becoming uncomfortably full.

As a side note: I basically ate the same thing for my afternoon snack/dinner (burrito and a baked potato) today but I think the biggest issue is your portions so strive toward smaller portions. I always have an open diary (because I want to be held accountable for my crap days) so feel free to check it out if you are interested.

I hope this helps!

The idea of the bacon and eggs breakfast was in image to sell people on American prosperity.... come stateside, we're so rich we can eat meat for breakfast!!! Most people have never eaten like that, housewives typically don't vaccumme in heels and pearls, and no one is "normal".

Actually two eggs (about 120 calories) and two slices of bacon (about 90 calories) and a fruit (80 calories) and coffee is a pretty low calorie breakfast. And I do think it's a normal breakfast for a weekend or restaurant meal.

The more "healthy" choice of two slices of whole wheat toast (or a bagel) with honey, butter or cream cheese, plus fruit is actually higher in calories and less nutritious.

If you're eating the right amount of calories and are still feeling hungry, my advice:

- eat high protein foods, these are more satisfying and filling
- eat fruits and vegetables, especially the more fibrous ones i.e. more filling for fewer calories
- eat more slowly. food is more satisfying that way
- don't drink calories, drinks don't fill you up so you'll use up your calorie allowance and not feel as full
- look out for empty carbs... I'm not a carb hater, but a lot of high carb foods are simply a waste of my calorie allowance. A "breadless sandwich" (i.e. your favourite sandwich fillings eaten as a salad rather than between two slices of bread) is just as filling as a sandwich, but lower in calories (even if you double the quantity of most sandwich fillings, though of course that depends what the filling is.
- avoid frying food, fat that's been heated loses a lot of its nutritional qualities, and it adds a lot of unnecessary calories, grilled, boiled or barbequed/cooked on a griddle is better. Eat fat calories raw or lightly cooked, e.g. avocado, cold pressed oils, nuts, oily fish cooked just enough but not overcooked
- avoid eating meals that are high fat and high carb at the same time, otherwise you can end up with very high calorie meals that are not very filling.

^^^^ a lot of this advice is commonly given as "how to lose weight" - none of this is necessary to lose weight if you count your calories carefully, but what these things do is allow you to feel more full, satisfied and also properly nourished on fewer calories.

Additionally, tea may be a mild appetite suppressant, so a cup of tea after a meal may help with feeling hungry

Caution: hunger in most cases is a sign that you're not eating enough, so it is important to double check you're eating enough calories. 2000 cals/day is an average, it's too many for some people and not enough for others. So you need to rule that out as a cause of excessive hunger, before you conclude that your appetite regulation system is out of whack and it's just a side effect of going from eating way too much to eating the right amount. A lot of people alternate between eating too much and eating too little and never learn how to eat the right amount.... then you get yo-yo dieting. Eating the right amount of calories results in slow and steady fat loss that's easy to maintain.

The problem is your idea of what is normal. 900 calories in one meal is not normal for anyone with the exception of maybe atheletes and lumberjacks. but sadly, its not far off from the american norm.

I always had the mentality that I should be able to eat like that and still somehow manage to lose weight, and then it was this cycle of being ingidnant when I didn't and feeling entitled to eat certain things in certain amounts.

That has caused me to be nearly 150 pounds overweight - and in a position that I have resorted to having a vertical sleeve operation to get the weight off. There is no getting around the fact that you are eating too much for your activity level and you will not lose weight like that.

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OP, essentially what I'm hearing is you want to keep doing exactly what you're doing, but lose weight. You want to do none of the work but get all the benefits. You've done nothing but try and justify what you are doing, and cut down anyone who dares to tell you that SHOCK HORROR, the reason you can't lose weight is because you're eating too much. Something has to give here, and the way I see it you have two choices. You can either keep eating 'normal' and stay fat, or you can start to realise that how you are eating is nowhere, NOWERE near normal. Once you do that, and actually start to take on board some of the very good advice you've been given, you might be in a position to change your definition of normal, change your eating habits, and lose weight.

that makes complete sense.

OP, essentially what I'm hearing is you want to keep doing exactly what you're doing, but lose weight. You want to do none of the work but get all the benefits. You've done nothing but try and justify what you are doing, and cut down anyone who dares to tell you that SHOCK HORROR, the reason you can't lose weight is because you're eating too much. Something has to give here, and the way I see it you have two choices. You can either keep eating 'normal' and stay fat, or you can start to realise that how you are eating is nowhere, NOWERE near normal. Once you do that, and actually start to take on board some of the very good advice you've been given, you might be in a position to change your definition of normal, change your eating habits, and lose weight.

that makes complete sense.

Yes, yes it does. OP just doesn't want to hear anything that means she has to stop eating like a "normal" (read: junk vacuum) person.

It sounds like your definition of "normal" needs to change...

:drinker:

OP, essentially what I'm hearing is you want to keep doing exactly what you're doing, but lose weight. You want to do none of the work but get all the benefits. You've done nothing but try and justify what you are doing, and cut down anyone who dares to tell you that SHOCK HORROR, the reason you can't lose weight is because you're eating too much. Something has to give here, and the way I see it you have two choices. You can either keep eating 'normal' and stay fat, or you can start to realise that how you are eating is nowhere, NOWERE near normal. Once you do that, and actually start to take on board some of the very good advice you've been given, you might be in a position to change your definition of normal, change your eating habits, and lose weight.

that makes complete sense.

I like this - I think the key is to change your view of "normal" I think all of us that joined MFP over weight had a wrong view of what "normal" is, mine was to eat an entire large Dominos pizza and desert all to myself when I was feeling a bit low/bored/hungry/down. You need to shift your view to what is healthy, you don't want to be "normal" (when in the UK normal/average is 3 dress sizes above my current). You don't need to deprive yourself either - I still eat everything I ate before, just a lot less!

Beer is killing my calorie counts...

I feel your pain!

Looking at what your eating, it's way way too much of the wrong foods, but you know what, we are all human, I like to drink, food not so much, so it's different but the same.

I can only suggest the same solution, try 4 days a week where you eat "normal" food.

1. Breakfast, Porridge with Water and Honey and Sultanas
2. Dinner Grilled Chicken breast with lots of Salad and Pickles.
3. Tea. 6oz Steak, Baked Sweet Potato and green beans.

? I don't know, like it or not, if you want to loose weight you are going to have to reduce your food intake or Exercise like a headless chicken for 19 hours a day.

It's hard though, hope you stick at it

I'd be careful advising the OP to eat less than 2000 cals without looking at her diary and stats. She says she works in an active job - so do I and my cal goal even now I'm down to 186lbs is still over 2000 cals and I eat my exercise cals back.

I am mildly confused as how she gets to the cals she does with what she has for breakfast - it is important to check foods in the MFP database are correct.

I have three eggs for breakfast and toast and I never come out at half her calories.

good points

my advice is given assuming that the calorie goals were correct for the OP's activity levels.... if they are too low then that would explain all the hunger

OP: if you're not sure if your calorie goals are correct for you, see the "in place of a road map" thread

i'm curious, how much weight have you lost and at what rate?

OP, essentially what I'm hearing is you want to keep doing exactly what you're doing, but lose weight. You want to do none of the work but get all the benefits. You've done nothing but try and justify what you are doing, and cut down anyone who dares to tell you that SHOCK HORROR, the reason you can't lose weight is because you're eating too much. Something has to give here, and the way I see it you have two choices. You can either keep eating 'normal' and stay fat, or you can start to realise that how you are eating is nowhere, NOWERE near normal. Once you do that, and actually start to take on board some of the very good advice you've been given, you might be in a position to change your definition of normal, change your eating habits, and lose weight.

that makes complete sense.

Yes, yes it does. OP just doesn't want to hear anything that means she has to stop eating like a "normal" (read: junk vacuum) person.

Wow i cant believe how ignorance can be so bliss and widespread...smh

I'd be careful advising the OP to eat less than 2000 cals without looking at her diary and stats. She says she works in an active job - so do I and my cal goal even now I'm down to 186lbs is still over 2000 cals and I eat my exercise cals back.

I am mildly confused as how she gets to the cals she does with what she has for breakfast - it is important to check foods in the MFP database are correct.

I have three eggs for breakfast and toast and I never come out at half her calories.

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner!

If i was to follow all the tdee, bmr stuff or even MFP i'd have thouands of calories left even with eating 2300 cals and today i made this post because i was at a surplus way more thanI would have like.. i was surprised 2 tacos and a potato came out to 900 cals... it sounds ridiculous but its true...

Some people completly missed the point of this thread, saying i wanted to eat what i want and not put in the work... umm i have put in the work.. the problem isnt the work.. the problem is even with the work i cant consume a certain amount of cals without losing. My body seem to be more about consumption than expenditure, which sucks... and even with that i must have a lower consumption with an expenditure.. so all the talk about i want to eat what i want no...i want to eat a normal meal or even forget the normal meal i want to eat 2000 cals whether it be (4) 500 cals meals or a 1300 cal meal and a 700 cal meal...basically not have to worry so much about simple stuff.. and im hungry because i burn A LOT OF CALS i mean stomach grumbling hungry, hunger pains like i said in the original post.. im not laying around all day and saying i want to eat what i want.. Im asking people if they have had the same issue, where they are active and cant lose without eating under 2000 its hard when your body is telling you its hungry!

im gonna have to go biggest loser style i guess lol get my 8 hours plus of workut and eat less than 1200 cals wow that would never work for me i'll be the one who had 1 doughnut at a challenge after exercising everyday for weeks and gained 20 pounds lmaoooo super sucks!!!

If you know you're not eating enough calories, then why make a thread saying "help I have trouble eating under 2000 calories a day"???

Eat your TDEE - 20%.

You're not "at a surplus" if you'd have thousands of calories left over using the TDEE method???