Calorie deficit too large.. I need to eat more!

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mayalaaa
mayalaaa Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
But.. I can't. I'm just not hungry enough! I'm at my goal weight, 120lbs. I've lost 9 lbs so far. I have a muffin top and some pudge around the middle, but clean eating and regular exercise should get rid of it, I think.

When I eat healthy foods, low added sugar, etc, my calorie defecit is too large. Right now MFP is set at 1200 (2lbs/wk) and I intend to switch that to 1lb/wk. BUT that will give me an even greater defecit. I'm breastfeeding so I add 500 cals for myself, but even then, without that, I *still* don't eat all of my calories. And trying to eat back my calories from exercise? Forget it!

With breastfeeding included, I'm needing to eat 1700 calories a day. To maintain my current weight, I'd need to eat 2,350 calories/day (breastfeeding included). Excluding breastfeeding, I'd need to eat 1,850. And this is all not including the exercising I'm doing and planning on.

I'm just not hungry. It sucks. I want to eat more! I want to start building up muscle and toning up, but I can't possibly do that if I'm not eating enough!

I don't know if I'm venting or looking for commiseration or advice.

Replies

  • LavenderBouquet
    LavenderBouquet Posts: 736 Member
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    I would recommend adding in more calorie-dense foods which are higher in healthy fats to your diet and it should help you reduce your deficit. This would include items such as avocado, nuts & nut butters, seeds, olive oil, etc. It's important to give your body the proper energy and nutrition it requires, and based on your diary you are not getting adequate amounts of fat. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Peanut butter, nuts, avocados, full fat dressings and dairy, high cal protein drinks. Just a few of the many high calorie foods you can use.

    And one pint of chocolate milk is like 600 calories.
  • premiumchilenita
    premiumchilenita Posts: 600 Member
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    bananas and add some glasses of milk
  • mayalaaa
    mayalaaa Posts: 5 Member
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    I think a part of my issue is that I cut sugar down dramatically from what I was consuming. Hundreds of grams of sugar a day. Red bull, soda, junk, cookies, snacks... the list goes on.

    So, "good fats", then? Maybe nut butters or something. I just want to be healthy!
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
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    add nuts, avocados, nut butters, and stuff like that.
  • ssb1662
    ssb1662 Posts: 26
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    While protein or energy bars are not the best, they do add some calories that are not so bad. Nibble on one throughout the day with milk if you can tolerate dairy. :drinker:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Have you ever checked the calorie count of peanuts? I'd highly recommend them if you need to up your calories.
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
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    protein shakes, bars, nuts, peanut butter, bacon, cheese, eat up! if you want to continue breastfeeding, you really need to hit your goals, you might soon find your supply dwindling or dry up completely.
  • larnsperger
    larnsperger Posts: 161 Member
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    You need to make sure your diet contains some dense calorie foods if you are going to continue to nurse. Nursing burns a lot of calories. If you can't manage it for yourself think about doing it for your baby. Nuts, avacados, peanut butter, bananas, full fat dairy. Lots of good choices available! Best of luck to you and congrats on the baby:)

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