Not meeting caloric intake

Tswyter · September 2013

Hey everyone,

I'v recently joined the site in an attempt to better track my food intake and exercise.

Last time I weighed myself I was around 205, which was scary so i'm trying to lose a few pounds. I don't so much care about the number as much as the look. I have a bit of a gut right now that I'm trying to lose. (as far as goals, I'd like to get back down to the 180 area and then tone up a bit)

I'v been logging my food and it seems every day I completely log everything I'm still about 800 calories under what I should be eating (1850). I feel like I'm eating a normal amount of food throughout the day, but I seem to always be lacking in calories by the end of the night. Adding foods can be scary because I don't want to ruin the good things I'm already doing by eating too much or eating the wrong type of thing. How do I get my calories up where they're supposed to be without feeling like I'm eating too much? I'm already trying to make healthier choices in my foods, but I get bored with the same old options.

I have been trying to go running after work a few days a week (every day makes my knees hurt a bit). When I log my runs it increases my calorie goals for the day. Am I supposed to be eating back these calories? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight in the past couple of months and he has advised me to increase my protein intake a lot because it will help speed up my metabolism and burn more calories thoughout the day. Just wondering what your thoughts are on this. Does it work?

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

JenniferTravis9 · September 2013

Im waiting for answers to this too! Im in the 1200 calorie brcket and barely make 800-900 a day, plus when I add in my exercise it tells me I have to eat those calories to replace the ones I burned so I just stopped logging my excercise! I didnt understand that either!

waltcote · September 2013

Considering what we probably ate before we started counting the calories, eating up to the calories levels on this site shouldn't be a problem i would think. if you shortchange yourself consistently you may deprive yourself of essential nutrients. The more you burn the more you need is what i think.

cmriverside · September 2013

Eat anything you want. Get your calories up.

Ice cream is good.

Peanut butter & jelly sandwich - 500 calories

Banana smoothie - 300 calories

Bag of potato chips - 1400 calories

Popcorn - up to 500 calories per serving (with butter/ 4 cups)

C'mon, stop limiting your choices. This isn't about chicken breast and steamed vegetables for the rest of your life.

How did you get over weight? Eat that way.

3dogsrunning · September 2013

Eat anything you want. Get your calories up.

Ice cream is good.

Peanut butter & jelly sandwich - 500 calories

Banana smoothie - 300 calories

Bag of potato chips - 1400 calories

Popcorn - up to 500 calories per serving (with butter/ 4 cups)

C'mon, stop limiting your choices. This isn't about chicken breast and steamed vegetables for the rest of your life.

How did you get over weight? Eat that way.

I'm just going to follow you all around the board today and highlight everything you say. You are on a roll.

So much of this.

As long as you are under your calorie goal you won't "ruin" anything. Don't be afraid to eat.

Also, don't always rely on hunger as an indicator. Hormones and other things can mess with our hunger signals.

3dogsrunning · September 2013

Im waiting for answers to this too! Im in the 1200 calorie brcket and barely make 800-900 a day, plus when I add in my exercise it tells me I have to eat those calories to replace the ones I burned so I just stopped logging my excercise! I didnt understand that either!

Your diary isn't open but often times I see this complaint (I didnt notice it in OP's diary so I didn't comment to him on it) I see a lot of "light" "low fat/calorie" foods in their diary. Things like skim milk, light cheese, low cal salad dressings, fat free mayo, etc etc. if you are eating these things, switching out for the full version will add quick calories and not a lot of bulk.
If not a tablespoon of olive oil or peanut butter is about 100 calories and very little extra food. Handful of nuts, avocado on a salad, can all go a long way to bumping up calories.

MFP has you at a deficit at 1200, likely a large one already. It expects you to log exercise and eat those calories back because you want to maintain a modest deficit, not a huge one.

ghostpeeny · September 2013

Hey- guys, I just want to offer up a different opinion.

As far as overall health, it does matter what you put in your body and how much. If you're having a hard time eating large meals and meeting your calorie intake, then have the normal meals you eat, and eat snacks in between.

Carrots and dressing for dip
Hummus and whole grain crackers
Apple and peanutbutter
Pretzels with mustard for dipping (YUM!)
Pistachios and a glass of milk (nut based or real)
A small piece of dark chocolate and some dried cranberries

All of those items can up your calorie intake and NOT hurt your heart, mind, or spirit. You'll actually enjoy eating it.

My rule of thumb? If you have to unwrap it twice (as in open a box or package, and then unwrap the "food"), then it isn't worth eating.

As far as exercise and eating those calories: That I'm not an expert on, but my goal is to eat the calories I'm SUPPOSED to eat, and if I burn off extra with exercise, YAY! If you find yourself a lot more active, then adjust your calorie goals in myfitnesspal to include that activity on a regular basis, and it will adjust your calories according to what your activity level is. If you burn more, awesome.

If you reach your goals and you're working out and burn 200 more calories, and you find yourself really hungry at the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with having a wholesome, healthy, small snack to stave off feeling like you're starving.

This is what I do! Hope it helps

hollymartin90 · September 2013

Hey everyone,

I'v recently joined the site in an attempt to better track my food intake and exercise.

Last time I weighed myself I was around 205, which was scary so i'm trying to lose a few pounds. I don't so much care about the number as much as the look. I have a bit of a gut right now that I'm trying to lose. (as far as goals, I'd like to get back down to the 180 area and then tone up a bit)

I'v been logging my food and it seems every day I completely log everything I'm still about 800 calories under what I should be eating (1850). I feel like I'm eating a normal amount of food throughout the day, but I seem to always be lacking in calories by the end of the night. Adding foods can be scary because I don't want to ruin the good things I'm already doing by eating too much or eating the wrong type of thing. How do I get my calories up where they're supposed to be without feeling like I'm eating too much? I'm already trying to make healthier choices in my foods, but I get bored with the same old options.

I have been trying to go running after work a few days a week (every day makes my knees hurt a bit). When I log my runs it increases my calorie goals for the day. Am I supposed to be eating back these calories? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight in the past couple of months and he has advised me to increase my protein intake a lot because it will help speed up my metabolism and burn more calories thoughout the day. Just wondering what your thoughts are on this. Does it work?

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

I find it hard to hit the amount of calories mfp suggests,especially If i exercise that day.If i go swimming usually burn 700 calories and dont really wanna eat those calories back...

3dogsrunning · September 2013

Hey- guys, I just want to offer up a different opinion.

As far as overall health, it does matter what you put in your body and how much. If you're having a hard time eating large meals and meeting your calorie intake, then have the normal meals you eat, and eat snacks in between.

Carrots and dressing for dip
Hummus and whole grain crackers
Apple and peanutbutter
Pretzels with mustard for dipping (YUM!)
Pistachios and a glass of milk (nut based or real)
A small piece of dark chocolate and some dried cranberries

All of those items can up your calorie intake and NOT hurt your heart, mind, or spirit. You'll actually enjoy eating it.

My rule of thumb? If you have to unwrap it twice (as in open a box or package, and then unwrap the "food"), then it isn't worth eating.

As far as exercise and eating those calories: That I'm not an expert on, but my goal is to eat the calories I'm SUPPOSED to eat, and if I burn off extra with exercise, YAY! If you find yourself a lot more active, then adjust your calorie goals in myfitnesspal to include that activity on a regular basis, and it will adjust your calories according to what your activity level is. If you burn more, awesome.

If you reach your goals and you're working out and burn 200 more calories, and you find yourself really hungry at the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with having a wholesome, healthy, small snack to stave off feeling like you're starving.

This is what I do! Hope it helps

Just a note - the activity modifier on MFP does not include exercise. Even if you select very active, that is referring to your daily life and job, but would not give you enough calories if you were exercising intensely several days a week.

MFP is specifically designed so that you account for exercise separately.

lisajsund · September 2013

I eat higher protein than MFP tells me. You are welcome to add me and view my diary. My goal is 1830, and I eat most of my exercise calories back when I work out. It helps keep your metabolism running strong, as opposed to slowing it down.

itsscottwilder · September 2013

I have yet to have anything really good come of force feeding myself beyond my point of being satisfied.

Eat until you're full. Drink lots of water. Pay attention to your calorie goals but don't be a slave to them.

JenniferTravis9 · September 2013

Thanks for the input! I do eat the light versions of everything, except peanut butter because the benefit is not as great as it sounds when you really read the label. I worry about going over, then by the end of the day I realize how far off I still am and by that point I am ready for bed, not trying to sqeeze in calories before bed! I can understand the point of the deficit exercise creates and needing to balance it some, but if I can barely make the calories now, then I feel I am going to horribly stress myself worrying about adding even more calories to counteract the burned calories from exercise, which is why I chose to just not log it into MFP! Will it really hurt to just try and have at least 1000 calories a day even though I am not including my exercise calories burned?

briabner · September 2013

try adding more calorie dense foods to your diet. Some include cheese (about 100 calories per ounce), avocado, peanut butter, nuts of any kind, greek yogurt, quinoa instead of rice (quinoa has more calories and more protein), full fat salad dressing not light or fat free. Maybe add in a snack or 2 through out the day.

With regards to eating back exercise calories. I like to try to always net at least 1200 calories. So depending on how many calories you burn if your net is under 1200 calories then I would eat some more to get you over 1200 calories. Also, listen to your body. If you feel like you need to eat more after exercising then listen to your body and feed it. If you don't feel hungry then don't eat. Also, what might help is looking at your calories from a weekly stand point and not a daily standpoint.

Feel free to add me as a friend!

3dogsrunning · September 2013

Thanks for the input! I do eat the light versions of everything, except peanut butter because the benefit is not as great as it sounds when you really read the label. I worry about going over, then by the end of the day I realize how far off I still am and by that point I am ready for bed, not trying to sqeeze in calories before bed! I can understand the point of the deficit exercise creates and needing to balance it some, but if I can barely make the calories now, then I feel I am going to horribly stress myself worrying about adding even more calories to counteract the burned calories from exercise, which is why I chose to just not log it into MFP! Will it really hurt to just try and have at least 1000 calories a day even though I am not including my exercise calories burned?

Once you get goin it becomes easier. You start getting an idea of how to balance. Or you can try planning meals ahead to avoid ending up with a huge deficit.

1200 isn't a magic number, for some people it's a fine goal, but that is a very small percentage of people. 1000 is very, especially if you are exercising on top of it.

There are issues with eating too little, you are a lot more likely to give up/binge when really restricted, you are more likely to lose lean muscle mass. And, from personal experience, it makes maintaining a whole lot harder.

A good read
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/919346-still-think-your-1200-or-less-diet-is-a-good-idea

Not meeting caloric intake

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