Full even below 1200 calories

I'm all for intuitive eating and following hunger signals, which is how I lost most of my weight. However, I do feel that less than 1200 calories will overtime start to have negative effects on your body, and it definitely isn't helping your metabolism. Now is it "killing" your metabolism? Probably not...but it definitely isn't doing you any favors. The moment you raise your intake in an unhealthy way it will be easily gained. Once my metabolism shifted, I'm able to eat around 1800 calories a day and maintain 98 lbs.However, that 1800 includes full fat dairy, honey, and avocados.
Eating intuitively comes hand in hand with eating whole and unprocessed food. It's harder to reach your calorie estimate with lowfat products a la weight watchers.

I'd up the exercise and then implement different starches (Sweet potato, brown rice) and fats (avocado and almonds) to raise your intake without feeling full. I promise you, it is much harder to lose weight on fake food than it is on whole foods. I've found a calorie is not always just a calorie.

No point forcing yourself to eat a certain way if doesn't make you happy.

What if it makes you healthy?

I don't 'want' to eat healthy foods, I want to eat junk and fatty stuff, that makes me happy, it will also kill me the same way your 600 calorie a day diet could do for you.

Well everyone is different with their relationship with food, fatty things make you happy so you have to work harder to eat healthy. I am just lucky that I enjoy healthy foods and not much of a fatty foods person.

I am not on a 600 calorie a day diet, I just said I ate 600-800 a day usually and sometimes 1000 usually on weekends. I am not on a "diet" this is just how I eat, and have done for quite a few years.

OP- I am not advising you to eat lower, just sharing my experience with not meeting the "1200" goal alot of people have,

You say you've been eating no more than 1000 calories a day for a few years? Not to be invasive, but how do you manage to not be underweight with that kind of intake? If I slack on my calories (probably to 1200-1300) I find the weight scaling down to under weight...and 600? I'd probably be pushing 80 pounds by now.

No point forcing yourself to eat a certain way if doesn't make you happy.

What if it makes you healthy?

I don't 'want' to eat healthy foods, I want to eat junk and fatty stuff, that makes me happy, it will also kill me the same way your 600 calorie a day diet could do for you.

Well everyone is different with their relationship with food, fatty things make you happy so you have to work harder to eat healthy. I am just lucky that I enjoy healthy foods and not much of a fatty foods person.

I am not on a 600 calorie a day diet, I just said I ate 600-800 a day usually and sometimes 1000 usually on weekends. I am not on a "diet" this is just how I eat, and have done for quite a few years.

OP- I am not advising you to eat lower, just sharing my experience with not meeting the "1200" goal alot of people have,

You say you've been eating no more than 1000 calories a day for a few years? Not to be invasive, but how do you manage to not be underweight with that kind of intake? If I slack on my calories (probably to 1200-1300) I find the weight scaling down to under weight...and 600? I'd probably be pushing 80 pounds by now.

Everyone's body reacts differently I bet she's A. eating a lot more than that but junk food and B her metabolism has succumb to having such a low intake that it takes everything it can from the food she intakes

No point forcing yourself to eat a certain way if doesn't make you happy.

What if it makes you healthy?

I don't 'want' to eat healthy foods, I want to eat junk and fatty stuff, that makes me happy, it will also kill me the same way your 600 calorie a day diet could do for you.

Well everyone is different with their relationship with food, fatty things make you happy so you have to work harder to eat healthy. I am just lucky that I enjoy healthy foods and not much of a fatty foods person.

I am not on a 600 calorie a day diet, I just said I ate 600-800 a day usually and sometimes 1000 usually on weekends. I am not on a "diet" this is just how I eat, and have done for quite a few years.

OP- I am not advising you to eat lower, just sharing my experience with not meeting the "1200" goal alot of people have,

This doesn't really make sense. It's not about being a "fatty foods person" or a "healthy foods person" (and by the way, dietary fat is good for you, and there are lots of fat free foods that have zero nutritional benefit...) This is about the fact that the human body needs energy to perform its basic functions. If you don't provide it with that energy over a long period of time, then it will slow processes down and your health will suffer. Equally, it is extremely difficult to get adequate nutrition from a diet that is 600-800 calories a day. The OP certainly isn't, based on her diary. I can't comment on your daily intake, but if you think that dietary fat is "unhealthy" then I suspect that you are not getting adequate nutrition from yours.

Steer clear of the weight watchers stuff. In order for it to be low calorie they put artificial stuff in it, that would help up your calories. How about banana on granary toast for breakfast, even a Heinz soup for lunch (homemade would be ideal), then chicken or fish with sweet potato and veggies for dinner?

I have a little Salter scale that I weigh out my portions and it surprises me how little a serving is, if I were you I'd have an extra half serving of pasta or something to help add in calories. Nuts are a great suggestion for snacks.

From what I've learned from this site, long term eating under 1000 calories will end up slowing your metabolism down and I'm sure that's the last thing you want to do.

Good luck!

I do normally eat properly. This week Iv had stupid days at work so the weightwatchers has been more convenient for me. Id like to stress I don't do it all the time.

Well the 3 days you've logged on this site have some form of a weight watchers food so I was just going by that. Was only trying to help, we're not to know this isn't normal eating for you.

Make a home made soup. My pea and ham soup is 300 calories. Some peanut butter with your banana, few handfuls of nuts through out the day. Google calorie dense foods...

Examples are..

Cheese
Avacado
Nuts
Butter
Olive oil
Hummus

Easy to incorporate and give you a calorie boost. All the processed stuff your eating will have lots of hidden nasty stuff in there. Good to do 80% fresh and home cooked 20% processed.

You will not be successful with 500 calories per day for long, and you'll start feeling very weak and lethargic. You need to make a sustainable lifestyle change.

Zara

No point forcing yourself to eat a certain way if doesn't make you happy.

What if it makes you healthy?

I don't 'want' to eat healthy foods, I want to eat junk and fatty stuff, that makes me happy, it will also kill me the same way your 600 calorie a day diet could do for you.

Well everyone is different with their relationship with food, fatty things make you happy so you have to work harder to eat healthy. I am just lucky that I enjoy healthy foods and not much of a fatty foods person.

I am not on a 600 calorie a day diet, I just said I ate 600-800 a day usually and sometimes 1000 usually on weekends. I am not on a "diet" this is just how I eat, and have done for quite a few years.

OP- I am not advising you to eat lower, just sharing my experience with not meeting the "1200" goal alot of people have,

You say you've been eating no more than 1000 calories a day for a few years? Not to be invasive, but how do you manage to not be underweight with that kind of intake? If I slack on my calories (probably to 1200-1300) I find the weight scaling down to under weight...and 600? I'd probably be pushing 80 pounds by now.

Everyone's body reacts differently I bet she's A. eating a lot more than that but junk food and B her metabolism has succumb to having such a low intake that it takes everything it can from the food she intakes

People's bodies are different, I am just at the weight I am and it stays that way. (I am perfectly happy where it is, not trying to change that, if I was I would change what or how I was eating to try)

Some people eat lots and lots of junk and thousands of calories and don't gain a pound too! I am just sort of like that but I eat less than some and don't loose or gain.

@SGSmallman thanks for your comment but A I do not eat more than that nor is it "junk" what I eat, and B may well be the case, but I am not trying to increase or decrease my metabolism

Wow, this is a problem I don't have!!

No point forcing yourself to eat a certain way if doesn't make you happy.

What if it makes you healthy?

I don't 'want' to eat healthy foods, I want to eat junk and fatty stuff, that makes me happy, it will also kill me the same way your 600 calorie a day diet could do for you.

Well everyone is different with their relationship with food, fatty things make you happy so you have to work harder to eat healthy. I am just lucky that I enjoy healthy foods and not much of a fatty foods person.

I am not on a 600 calorie a day diet, I just said I ate 600-800 a day usually and sometimes 1000 usually on weekends. I am not on a "diet" this is just how I eat, and have done for quite a few years.

OP- I am not advising you to eat lower, just sharing my experience with not meeting the "1200" goal alot of people have,

This doesn't really make sense. It's not about being a "fatty foods person" or a "healthy foods person" (and by the way, dietary fat is good for you, and there are lots of fat free foods that have zero nutritional benefit...) This is about the fact that the human body needs energy to perform its basic functions. If you don't provide it with that energy over a long period of time, then it will slow processes down and your health will suffer. Equally, it is extremely difficult to get adequate nutrition from a diet that is 600-800 calories a day. The OP certainly isn't, based on her diary. I can't comment on your daily intake, but if you think that dietary fat is "unhealthy" then I suspect that you are not getting adequate nutrition from yours.

I have not said dietary fat is unhealthy, I was simply replying to the post which said they enjoy to eat "junk and fatty stuff".

Thanks but I am happy with my nutrition and what I put into my body, I have asked for no comments on it from you or others, simply offering my own experience to the OP that she is not alone with not reaching the 1200 "goal". I have offered no advice to decrease to the level myself and others eat at, nor any advice on how to increase. Simply have only said increase if she wants to reach it but don't if she doesn't want to. As long as she is happy.

OP- I wish you luck, hope you find the answer you are looking for and manage to increase calories if that is your goal

You eat weight watcher food 'cos it's "convenient" no I'm sorry but thats called being lazy.

You need to sort out your issues with food. The reason binge is because your body is crying out for food as you are eating so low and staving your body of valuable nutrients.

This isn't a diet if you want to lose weight and keep it off change your lifestyle and eating habits. Want to yoyo for years continue what your'e doing.

If you would like to learn how to improve your lifestyle and choices with food read:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

I'm sorry if this readys like a jerky comment but sometimes you need to be tough with the truth!

It is jerky, very jerky ad unhelpful.

"You eat weight watcher food 'cos it's "convenient" no I'm sorry but thats called being lazy." - she just had a couple this week. If you wanna be harsh with the truth, stick to the truth yourself.

"You need to sort out your issues with food." - isn't she working on that already? She's asking for specific advice and all you've got is a vague "sort out your issues". How is that helpful in any way?????

yesterday you ate 500 calories....

i have absoultely no idea how you werent hungry enough to gnaw off your own arm after just a banana and cup of tea for breakfast....

I'd been eating this way for years - forget to eat because I just wasn't hungry and then "oops, I've not eaten anything and only drunk a cup of tea (no sugar), I'll eat a banana."
Over time, I have gained a lot of weight and also being on medication that "can cause weight gain" (even consultants have passed comment it can be hard work with that against me) but I struggled on. I found suggestions that to eat small amounts but regularly will help and although it's hard to get your head round - (you eat more, you gain more, right?), within 3 weeks of eating this way and literally quadrupling my calories, I lost just over 7 pounds in 3 weeks.

If I eat 3 meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snack healthily twice in between; eg a handful of sultanas, a piece of cheese, an apple, I literally have to force myself to eat as I don't feel full (habit waiting to be broken?) BUT I wake up feeling hungry and ravenous for breakfast (I've always skipped breakfast in the past) and my weight, surely but slowly is decreasing. On the days when I go back to my old habits, "oops its mid-afternoon and all I've had is a cup of tea, but Im just not hungry", I feel sluggish and just want to laze about and guess what? None or very minimal weight loss - sometimes even a gain again

OP I can really sympathise with your dilemma, but just try and introduce a routine to your eating habits - MAKE TIME to eat something - however minimal - as this will hopefully encourage your body to realise its not in starvation mode and be calling for the next time it wants feeding. I always remember reading that to run a car, you need petrol - no fuel in the tank, no driving. Its the same with your body - no food in your stomach will eventually cause you to slow down and stop. No matter how busy or stressful work is, you need to just take 5 to refuel.

**edit - I forgot to mention, I am still on medication, and stil find it difficult to eat *all* my allocated calories, but it definitely makes a difference to mind, body and scales when I've been eating regular meals and snacks.

Please feel free to add me as a friend if you like - we can motivate each other to eat regularly and fingers crossed, reach our goals

You eat weight watcher food 'cos it's "convenient" no I'm sorry but thats called being lazy.

You need to sort out your issues with food. The reason binge is because your body is crying out for food as you are eating so low and staving your body of valuable nutrients.

This isn't a diet if you want to lose weight and keep it off change your lifestyle and eating habits. Want to yoyo for years continue what your'e doing.

If you would like to learn how to improve your lifestyle and choices with food read:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

I'm sorry if this readys like a jerky comment but sometimes you need to be tough with the truth!

It is jerky, very jerky ad unhelpful.

"You eat weight watcher food 'cos it's "convenient" no I'm sorry but thats called being lazy." - she just had a couple this week. If you wanna be harsh with the truth, stick to the truth yourself.

"You need to sort out your issues with food." - isn't she working on that already? She's asking for specific advice and all you've got is a vague "sort out your issues". How is that helpful in any way?????

Funnily enough I am sticking to this, for the first time in my life i'm not underrating i'm happy healthy eat well and train hard. I have since starting this journey after recovering from my ACL tear I've learnt about nutrition and what the body really needs and not what these fad diet or companies tell you. If you want to lose weight eat way under your TDEE and below your BMR you'll lose weight but that will be fat, water, muscle and bone which can cause a whole host of issues.

I've made a lifestyle change i am not on a diet the way i eat now makes it less likely that i will binge or go off the rails I can sustain how i eat since i've reset and brought my metabolism back up so that i'm energetic, happy, healthy and losing FAT and inches but getting stronger.

I have made a commitment to my self to be the best me and have finally banished the thoughts in my head regarding what and how much i eat and ignoring the scales.

Everyone works differently but only you can motivate and push yourself to reach your goals.

To work out what is best for you read the roadmap link i sent and work out your TDEE - 20% itl be twice the amount calories you are eating.

You say you work and have stuff going on in your life so does everyone else, I have a full time job which on a good day i work 8.30am-7pm sat at a desk but on other days can go up to midnight most nights. But i still find time to work out 8 times a week with a rest day and prepare all my food for the following day.

advice is great everyone will give you some form of what worked for them or what they think you should do but if you're not going to give it a go and be committed.

phanmale above has just said some of the best info possible listen to that.

The more you eat of the good stuff the better you'll feel mentally and physically i'm not a clean eating freak i do 80:20 but it works

OP, try a peanut butter smoothie. Banana (100 calories) + PB (200 calories) + milk of choice (100 calories) + protein powder (130 calories) + Strawberries (50) + spinach (can't taste it) (10 calories) = 590 calories

They are extremely easy to drink down. JesterMFP's original post was perfect, listen to that one. His advice to eat convenience meals that are higher in calories is also spot on. Amy's makes a small mac and cheese tray that is 520 calories, and trust me, it's easy to scarf down.

Lift Heavy weights, often, the more you workout the more you are going to want to/need to eat. Like a lot of other people have said its a matter of retraining your body. Its not easy, because if I had listened to my body when I first started changing my life I would of eaten about 9 times a day, and still be hungry. Your body need fuel, if you don't fuel it, how will it run. Good luck.

Shoot me for asking this question but, how did you get to be overweight if you're full below 1,200 calories?

I used to binge eat and then have days of doing not eating. No exercise. And I'd eat the wrong stuff too.

Um, I think this is what youre still doing. sorry if thats not what you want to hear. I too think you have an unhealthy relationship with food and that maybe seing a dietician with a side of talking to a therapist about your eating disorder is what might be best for you. I can relate to the binge eating after cutting your calories, as I fall victim to the same thing unfortunately. But never have I been able to say that Ive been full after 500 calories....even 1000 calories.... usually at 1500 calories im still hungry before bed.

Good luck and Best wishes. I hope you figure it all out.