calories and protein-need answers fast

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sharimah4
sharimah4 Posts: 7
in Introduce Yourself
Hi,

I'm kind of confused, i'm using this site and my goal of calories is 1200 i got to 950 fitty calories for the day and there is so much food in there i don't think i could eat anything else, its almost like i'm eating more food now than when I was eating unhealthy. in any case if i'm full does it matter if i don't eat all the way to 1200 calories per day. i am eating a lot of proteins, milk and veggies/fruit and i exercise. also i am going over on my protein is that bad or if I'm full and under calories is it fine? Someone help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
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    Kind of hard to tell since your diary isn't open. Can you open it up?

    As a general rule, excess protein (to a point) won't hurt you. There is some debate that really excessive protein can cause kidney problems, since your body can only process so much protein and the rest is simply "pissed" away (literally). But going too low can (and will) slow your metabolism. But its hard to tell without seeing your diary. And going too low for a day or two won't cause long-term problems. But studies have indicated that prolonged times at below 1000 will slow the metabolism and cause loss of lean muscle mass).
  • sharimah4
    sharimah4 Posts: 7
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    how do i do that?
  • Shrinkmeslowly
    Shrinkmeslowly Posts: 42 Member
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    go to my home. > settings> Diary settings> scroll to the bottom of the page and select public
  • sharimah4
    sharimah4 Posts: 7
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    ok should be open now
  • tamadrummer001
    tamadrummer001 Posts: 71 Member
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    A really easy way to get those last needed calories in for the day is to drink them in shake form. You can get a really great shake from GNC under the "Total Lean" type either high protien low cal or the regular which only has 9G of protein and will give you the last few hundred cals needed with some almond milk and fruit added and you are set.

    I am brand new to this game but I understand the importance of fueling the body to keep your metabolic rate up to speed. You don't want to train your body to function on 30% less calories than it should be receiving.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    You can go over protein, it won't harm you, if you have healthy kidneys. To get some kind of harm you should ate like kilos of protein a day, few hundred grams over won't matter, so ate if you want to. Too much more over what your body needs will not give you any bonus benefit either.

    As for going too low under calories, well I supposed it can effect your weight loss in long run, if you do it regularly. Meaning, you will not lose as much weight as fast, as you could by eating more calories. Less is not better, you need balance for optional weight loss. One day tho will not make any difference but do not make it a habit.

    Personally I would just have some healthy fat to fill up my blank calories. Like some nuts for example. Or some very sweet fruit juice from natural sugars. Healthy and has a lot of calories while not fulls you up much either.
  • sharimah4
    sharimah4 Posts: 7
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    Thanks i think i might try a fruit smoothie with yogurt in the morning. :smile: :wink:
  • sharimah4
    sharimah4 Posts: 7
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    to diem78 what is mfp and how do i find out what my mfp is?
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
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    mfp = My Fitness Pal :wink: .

    Agree with the others that a protein shake will fill you up and add some good calories!
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    Remember that 1200 calories is not a ceiling to stay under but a goal to reach and if you exercise you should be eating even more than that, by quite a bit.
  • neonemesis
    neonemesis Posts: 74 Member
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    MFP is short for myfitness pal
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    MFP = My fitness Pal. So you're on it already!!

    If you're looking to add healthy calories, olive oil, avocado, nuts and nut butters (I see you have peanut butter on there already) are great options too. And don't worry about going over your protein allotment. I find the protein goals that MFP sets for you are really low.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
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    I ate at 900 when I was still in full on anorexia. You can EASILY eat more if you have a spoon of peanut butter or a bowl of ice cream or a flipping avocado. Really, it is not hard.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    if your goal is set at 1200 (which is low to begin with) don't see that as your maximum that you are trying to stay well below... see it as the goal. 1200, not less.

    A lot of people think that changing their eating habits means making drastic changes, eating as little as possible, and/or making everything low-cal, low-carb, low fat. this is NOT what you need to do. calories, carbs and fats fuel the body, we need them. (plus you will feel better when your body gets what it needs.) If you need more calories, eat things like full fat dairy, avocado, nuts. those are all calorie dense foods, which does not mean they are bad! they are packed full of nutrition.

    in case you aren't convinced: here are some negative aspects of eating too little on a regular basis:
    hair loss
    brittle nails
    loose, pale skin
    lack of energy
    being cranky
    metabolism slow down
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Achieve your goals. 1200 calories is nothing and pretty much the minimum if you're sedentary. Trust me...you were eating way more before...nobody gets fat eating 1200 calories. That's about 1000 calories deficit from maintenance without exercise.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Yes you need to eat more. Try calorie dense foods like peanut butter, avocado, full fat dairy, etc. Even 1200 is really low, so you need to at least hit that.

    MFP's protein goal should be viewed as a minimum, not a maximum. Same for fats. Many people end up manually changing macro goals so they get more protein/fat.
  • chantels1
    chantels1 Posts: 391 Member
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    Lots of small meals, add more veggies and fruits to your diet too. I see lots of unhealthy processed foods in your diary, which I understand is easy, but not the best use of calories. More whole, raw foods, and then a treat at night for a good day's worth of eating! ;-)
  • sharimah4
    sharimah4 Posts: 7
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    thanks I just found a new fruit/veggie market and I am going to start incorporating those aggressively :laugh:

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