People who eat less than 2000 cals...in need of support

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  • lovebig30
    lovebig30 Posts: 167 Member
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    My BMR is 1784 and there are days that number is hard to reach other days I eat closer to 2500 but I have a much higher burn those days thanks to zumba class. if you have trouble with you eating try adding in extra exercise and more low cal. filling foods . the fozen veggies that you steam in bag taste just as good as freadh most of the time what don't you like about frozen veggies or do you just not like veggies.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
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    Hi,

    I now regularly eat to goal of 1700 calories, but still often ramp up to 2000. It's so easy to do. I used to eat 2000 per day minimum, so trust me, it's possible to work your way lower and not feel deprived.

    At one time, I would've baulked at the idea of having bread and peanut butter without additional butter/margarine. Now, I never feel the need.

    You can make tiny little changes so it doesn't hurt so much. The way I cut the sugar I take in tea and coffee - reduce it a little at a time.

    Make your 5 tbsp 4.5 to begin with and cut down a little each day/week.

    Add lots of water to your diet.

    Wherever you can choose salad and veggies, they bulk out a meal a treat.

    It feels like a sacrifice at first, but make these small changes, bit by bit, and after a while they're your first choice.
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
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    You need to calculate your BMR and eat 300-500 less that that to lose weight. At the end of the day if you are in a deficit you will lose weight. If you are in a surplus you will gain weight. A deficit can be achieved by reducing calories, exercise, or a combination of both. Also if you havn't already look at a GI chart and stick to low GI carbs, get 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass and fill the rest with healthy dietary fats like MCTs. There are 3500 calories in 1 lb of fat. There are 7 days in the week so being at a -500 deficit for 7 days=3500. You will lose a lb of fat.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    A few of the replies I have gotten sound kind of like this, "You are eating way too much food. You're a dumbass to think you could lose weight and eat that much."

    I know this is not what they mean, but the tone of their writing makes me feel like that is what they are truly thinking.

    It's unfortunate. I think the general tone is that you're actually not eating enough food. Which is why you are hungry. Even cutting 1 tablespoon of PB off will help. That's 100 calories. You could have 3-4 cups of most vegetables, probably 10-12 cups of salad veggies, a potato, 3-4oz chicken or fish, 5 or 6 cups of popcorn, 1/2 cup of rice or a multitude of other things with those 100 calories. As you mentioned, 1 tablespoon is not that big. I can assure you that 10-12 cups of salad greens are infinitely more filling than 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. The general message is to eat more food.

    I could easily plow down 4-5000 calories without blinking an eye. It's a conscious choice to select lower calorie choices, and slowly adjust to eating less of the high-calorie stuff. You can make that choice.

    The best advice you got was to go look through people's diaries. I don't necessarily eat fresh fruit every day. The fact that there isn't any in the house doesn't mean you need to go hog wild. There are lots and lots and lots of foods people are eating to stay within their calorie goals. Not all of them are fresh produce. It's really up to you.

    It's not easy for anyone. We all struggle to sacrifice the super duper yummy "bad" foods more often than not. If you are committed to yourself, you can do this.
  • yankeefamily05
    yankeefamily05 Posts: 657
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    So listen, I did check out your diary. Peanut butter is not the enemy lol. The amount you are eating is. I eat peanut butter just about everyday:)

    We are all human, we all make mistakes. Maybe yo could do some reading on nutrition!
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
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    You need to calculate your BMR and eat 300-500 less that that to lose weight. At the end of the day if you are in a deficit you will lose weight. If you are in a surplus you will gain weight. A deficit can be achieved by reducing calories, exercise, or a combination of both. Also if you havn't already look at a GI chart and stick to low GI carbs, get 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass and fill the rest with healthy dietary fats like MCTs. There are 3500 calories in 1 lb of fat. There are 7 days in the week so being at a -500 deficit for 7 days=3500. You will lose a lb of fat.
    You meant TDEE, right?
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
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    You have to make good choices most of the time. You can eat high calorie foods and run out of calories before you are full. Or you can make better low cal choices and have some calories left at the end of the day for a healthy snack.

    Plan, plan, plan. Exercise. And sometimes you just have to deny yourself.

    Remember, there is a difference between really being hungry, and just WANTING to eat more.
  • Myxalplyx
    Myxalplyx Posts: 129 Member
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    Drink LOTS of water!
    Meaning if your urine is yellow (even slightly), drink 2-4 cups of water. Also, drink water if you are get hungry.

    Also, eat foods high in fiber. At least hit your fiber goal. That's it!
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
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    I'm 5'3, and just weighed in at 160. I eat 1700 calories a day, and I lose more weight then when I ate 1200-1600 calories. It's okay to fuel your body, in fact it's necessary. Calculate your TDEE. If you eat less than that, you will lose.
  • toyu7
    toyu7 Posts: 2
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    first, don't worry too much about calorie intake, trust me, you will be struggling because you will be having too little calories XD
    so, all you need to keep track of, is: carbs, protein, fat, and calories last.
    check out this awesome calculator for the keto diet (the magic bullet for weight loss):http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
    there are millions of people out there that follow this lifestyle, and it is proven to work, no working out required!!!
    also, if you are in need of support, or a morale boost, check out this keto irc chat, filled with people that have the same exact goal as you in mind =D:http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=ketochat&uio=OT10cnVlde
    Well, that's all my advice for now, feel free to add me on my fitness pal: toyu7, and ask me any questions if you feel the need.
    Wish you the best =)

    OH almost forgot, the secret to get rid of hunger is either green tea, or yerba mate (mate cocido, my favourite).
    but then, if it is time for you to have a meal, drink water before and after, that way, you will feel more full and will also eat less!
  • TiffieLand
    TiffieLand Posts: 159
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    My BRM is like 1500 in order to lose weight at safe routine. That also means I need to exercise everyday. It is hard but you can do it if you change your habits and portion. I watch my family full of skinny people eat a lot of foods but I chose not to eat it. Also a lot of times, I don't actually need to eat or a lot but because of craving, I do. A lot of times, there are many choices and I want to eat all of it and ended up eating a lot too.
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
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    first, don't worry too much about calorie intake, trust me, you will be struggling because you will be having too little calories XD
    so, all you need to keep track of, is: carbs, protein, fat, and calories last.
    check out this awesome calculator for the keto diet (the magic bullet for weight loss):http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
    there are millions of people out there that follow this lifestyle, and it is proven to work, no working out required!!!
    also, if you are in need of support, or a morale boost, check out this keto irc chat, filled with people that have the same exact goal as you in mind =D:http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=ketochat&uio=OT10cnVlde
    Well, that's all my advice for now, feel free to add me on my fitness pal: toyu7, and ask me any questions if you feel the need.
    Wish you the best =)

    OH almost forgot, the secret to get rid of hunger is either green tea, or yerba mate (mate cocido, my favourite).
    but then, if it is time for you to have a meal, drink water before and after, that way, you will feel more full and will also eat less!
    In case you didn't read the OP's first post, she states that she does not do the grocery shopping her house. It is unlikely that it will be convenient for her to follow a specialized diet. And many people, myself included, will say: track calories first and don't over restrict any of the macros. Furthermore, working out is great for your health and (for someone who enjoys eating), exercise means you can eat more. :happy: . I know lots of people on keto and they count calories religiously and exercise. I have never heard them say that's those things are not neccessary. :huh:
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the least filling and highest calorie. If I were you, those would be the first thing I ditched. Definitely make a grocery list and/or go shopping with your mom. Maybe make some meal plans as well ad help with the cooking for your family so that she will know the food she buys will get eaten.
  • sleatrrkitty
    sleatrrkitty Posts: 1
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    :smile:
  • mkphotogirl
    mkphotogirl Posts: 55 Member
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    A few of the replies I have gotten sound kind of like this, "You are eating way too much food. You're a dumbass to think you could lose weight and eat that much."

    I know this is not what they mean, but the tone of their writing makes me feel like that is what they are truly thinking.

    i think you're missing the point here... it's not about eating too much food, it's about eating the wrong kinds of foods. the choices you're making aren't filling since you're still hungry, they're lacking in proteins and fibers, and they're high in calories so it's making it hard for you to stay within your target limit. my advice would be to come back to this thread from time to time to try to really learn from the advice people are giving you, but this has to happen when you reach a place where the reactions don't sting so much.

    you're not a dumbass. you'll get there. stick around and stay committed. so much of this is a matter of re-educating ourselves.
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
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    It's possible that the food you're eating is actually making you hungrier, even though it is high in calories. It seems counter-intuitive, but it's not.

    Much of what you are eating will spike your blood sugar. I'm not familiar with the type of peanut butter you eat, but check the label for the sugar content. Sugar makes peanut butter taste extra good. The jelly. All the refined carbs. Even the potato chips act like sugar on your system. Your blood sugar goes up suddenly, and when it comes crashing down a few hours later you think you are starving. Eating protein and complex carbs like veggies and brown rice, quinoa, or other grains, keeps you full. And rice shouldn't be eaten in servings larger than half a cup at a time to avoid the same blood sugar spike. You can do some googling about glycemic index and glycemic load to read more about this.

    Food like chips are actually engineered to not make you full so it's pretty easy to plow through a family size bag - thousands of calories later, and you're not full. That's just nuts.

    I'm super sympathetic with the idea of comfort food. Emotional eating works. That blood sugar hit goes straight to your brain. Presto - a seratonin hit and you feel better. I struggle all the time to live with a little discomfort and aggravation in my life without trying to eat it away. Some days are better than others. But the hit is only temorary, and if you're like me it is combined with a lot of guilt and self loathing.

    I've recently made some efforts to keep as much sugar as possible out of my diet. It's a slippery slope, and the first 5 days are full of mind-numbing cravings, but I always feel better for it. And weirdly enough, after I get through to the other side the cravings diminish. I know this isn't for everyone, but it makes me feel better.
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    OP I love peanut butter as much as you do so I get it - HOWEVER you can eat less of it, and eat more high-quality peanut butter.
    If your mum is doing the grocery shopping and she's going for the cheapest brands then you might be getting added sugar, salt, oil etc you don't need. If she is willing to - consider getting natural PB (no added anything, just peanuts).

    The next step would be to ditch the jam (jelly) and just have it on the sandwich. How about a wholewheat slice of toast instead? Or to go further, ditch the bread and use the peanut butter on an apple or a carrot?

    Also, I'm a foodie too so I get that, but you have to move away from having food as 'comfort' if you are ever going to shift the weight. Break the emotional attachment to these foods and you'd have gone a long way. It takes a while to form a habit (they say a month) but once you get there you won't miss it. If you must have a 'comfort' food you can train your palate to like fruit and veggies more.
  • atiana19
    atiana19 Posts: 94 Member
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    Expect to be hungry the first few weeks as your body asdjusts to the lower amount of calories and then trust me it gets much easier. I do between 1200 and 1300 and I dont get hungry anymore like I did in the beginning. If you can last the first week or so you will start to feel much better. Carb and sugar reduction is a big part of it at least it was for me. Lots of salads and protein and maybe some fruit and veggie smoothies are great hunger killers
  • wjniii
    wjniii Posts: 110 Member
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    Timing is very important for me. Over time, I have come to know when I will get hungry during the day so I eat my meals and snacks before or at that tme every day. I've been in maintain mode eating 1650 calories a day for six months and this approach has worked for me. I am rarely starving. The biggest thing is what I eat. A snack for me is no longer potato chips AND Oreos. It's a piece of fruit. Just keep experimenting. You'll find the answer that works for you.

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