Not eating enough calories in a day..

cecelush
cecelush Posts: 3
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Who else here has an issues with not eating enough calories in a day?

I'm having troubles trying to eat 3 meals a day, there have been many days where eating one meal is enough for me. My days have been so busy, that if I'm not hungry I completely forget to eat and tend to fill my stomach with empty calories. I'm finding it difficult to break out of this routine, does anyone have an suggests?
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Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    One meal a day is fine ....timing is not an issue, unless like you say you forget & then resort to eating empty calories. Plan on a snack or 2.

    I bring healthy snacks to work everyday. That way I'm not tempted by the junk machine (or miscellanous candy dishes). Bring a small baggie of trail mix, a no sugar added applesauce cups, or Jif to Go tubs. I keep string cheese and assorted cut veggies in the fridge.
  • armanda143
    armanda143 Posts: 2 Member
    I was doing the same thing, I was advised to get A protein shake or a protein bar thing to supplement and it is working.
  • Live4theLift
    Live4theLift Posts: 329
    When i started to bulk i had a hard time eating 2000 cals a day but over time adding little by little each day you will get to the point where its hard to eat less
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    stop eating "diet" foods.

    instant boost in calories.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    Eat a Twix bar.. 250 calories of deliciousness in mah bellie
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    gee.
    go have a burger.
  • init2fitit
    init2fitit Posts: 168 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.
  • Camera_BagintheUK
    Camera_BagintheUK Posts: 707 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.

    stuff that offers no other nutritional value (vitamins, protein etc etc) only calories
  • 0067808
    0067808 Posts: 119 Member
    Can't say I ever have trouble eating enough calories in the day....if I had, I wouldn't be on this site at 11pm.....
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.

    stuff that offers no other nutritional value (vitamins, protein etc etc) only calories

    How is that even possible?
  • katekross
    katekross Posts: 463 Member
    People are so afraid of calories, and that simply isn't the way to go. We need calories to survive.
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    eat high calorie foods like peanut butter or a handful of mixed nuts. try to avoid reduced calorie/fat stuff since you are hardly getting enough as it is. (opt for a glass of whole milk instead of skim, indulge in a big bowl of regular, old fashioned full-o-fat ice-cream, etc..)

    I do try to avoid too many fried & fast foods just cuz the cals are so high, but personally i would probably indulge in a cheeseburger & fries or something like that if i had that many extra cals to work with...sadly i hardly ever do unless i am feeling sick

    edit: also, carry protein and/or meal bars in your purse, that way even if you are having a busy day & do not want to stop to sit down & eat lunch you can still take a few minutes to scarf down a bar. i always have a few bars in my bag & squirreled away in my car (in the cooler weather)
  • freebirdfitness
    freebirdfitness Posts: 38
    this was already posted today... and yesterday.... if you go to "search" you will find endless advice..
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    I am the same way I eat like a 300 cal lunch a few light snacks like fruit throughout the day and then by the time i know it its bed time
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.

    stuff that offers no other nutritional value (vitamins, protein etc etc) only calories

    How is that even possible?


    Soda.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    I have been eating too little for the last few months and I wouldn't recommend it as I've gone past my goal weight but look nothing like I'd hoped as my body didn't have enough fuel to build a bit of muscle and tone up along the way. I'm just baggy :( The last couple of weeks has been hell trying to eat up to 550 more cals a day (to reach my calorie goal) and at times I've felt sick because of it but its getting easier and the scale still said I'd lost weight this morning. Im trying to back track and get up to eating more than maintenance to give my body some substance again and stop me looking anorexic. I really wish I'd lost weight properly as I think I'd have felt so much better when I hit my goal weight and I hope you manage to eat more in the future for this reason.
  • dga226
    dga226 Posts: 224 Member
    i am the same way feel free to add me

    just try to eat some snack ever few hours fruit or even popped popcorn

    good luck
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    Who else here has an issues with not eating enough calories in a day?

    I'm having troubles trying to eat 3 meals a day, there have been many days where eating one meal is enough for me. My days have been so busy, that if I'm not hungry I completely forget to eat and tend to fill my stomach with empty calories. I'm finding it difficult to break out of this routine, does anyone have an suggests?

    How did you gain the weight?
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    i am the same way feel free to add me

    just try to eat some snack ever few hours fruit or even popped popcorn

    good luck

    I used to feel a bit guilty eating popcorn but I eat it all the time after reading this (theres only 100 or so calories in servings of healthier versions though):

    http://gizmodo.com/5896393/scientific-proof-that-popcorn-is-healthier-than-fruit-and-vegetables

    Next time you're stuffing your face with popcorn, don't feel guilty; a new scientific study shows that, far from being junk food, popcorn packs a better nutritional punch than fruit or vegetables. Kind of.

    The study, conducted at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, shows that popcorn has more antioxidants in it than fruit or vegetables. Not just that, but those pesky little husks—the ones that get stuck right between your teeth—contain incredibly high concentrations of both antioxidants and fiber. "Those hulls deserve more respect," explains Joe Vinson, one of the researchers. "They are nutritional gold nuggets."

    In fact, Vinson seems pretty bowled over by popcorn. Speaking to Science Daily, he explains:

    "Popcorn may be the perfect snack food. It's the only snack that is 100 percent unprocessed whole grain. All other grains are processed and diluted with other ingredients, and although cereals are called "whole grain," this simply means that over 51 percent of the weight of the product is whole grain. One serving of popcorn will provide more than 70 percent of the daily intake of whole grain. The average person only gets about half a serving of whole grains a day, and popcorn could fill that gap in a very pleasant way."
    The study found that a serving of popcorn provides up to 300 mg of polyphenols—the antioxidants in question—while a typical daily intake of fruit and vegetables provides between 200-250 mg. Vinson presented the work at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

    If you're going to chow down on popcorn, though, make sure it's the healthy kind; if possible, you should air-pop the kernels. Microwave popcorn has twice as many calories as air-popped, according to Vinson, and popping with oil in a pan can be as bad. Also, I wouldn't give up fruit and vegetables entirely just yet. Popcorn may be good, but it doesn't count as a balanced diet alone. [Science Daily]
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
    First of all you need to plan to eat, sorry if that sounds harsh but you have to change the pattern you're in. Eat breakfast every day even if it's a snack/fiber bar add a latte and your at close to 300 calories and you've got in a hit of fiber and protein. Have "snacks"available all the time, some almonds, fruit, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs and chopped veggies work great and if you keep them in sight you'll eat them. That will get you through the average workday then have dinner and you'll see some changes. I will warn you if you've been eating low calories for a while you'll see a temporary gain but you'll feel better and find you have more energy, use that for fitness.
  • harleygroomer
    harleygroomer Posts: 373 Member
    I used to stress over it, but no more. My trainer says my body will tell me at this point when I need MORE food. I have energy and I am still losing weight so whatever floats its boat.. And I never ever come near to the amount of food they say I need to eat and always ALWAYS leave at least 200 negative exercise calories because this site over estimates the calories used. Don't worry==your body will let you know when it needs to eat so listen to it.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.

    stuff that offers no other nutritional value (vitamins, protein etc etc) only calories

    How is that even possible?


    Soda.
    If the soda has carbs, it has *some* nutritional value in terms of macros. If it has no carbs, it's likely to have no calories (I've yet to see a soda with zero carbs AND a caloric value), and is therefore disqualified from "empty calories" as well.

    Are there more nutritionally dense ways to get those carbs? Yep. That doesn't make soda devoid of all nutritional value, though.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    On days when I feel I haven't eaten enough, I have some toast with peanut butter before bed. Works for me.
  • jenniferstudstrup
    jenniferstudstrup Posts: 2
    I am the same way, I don't like to eat three meals a day. Everyone I know gives me a lot of grief over it, but that is just how my body is. I get busy with school work, kids, and other things and I completely forget to eat. I don't even have time workout until the end of the day when my kids are in bed. So I really don't think eating one meal a day is bad for you, I do light snack during the day. For instance if I get hungry during the day I will pull out a light and fit greek yogurt and eat that, I also take supplements from gnc for weight loss, that might also contribute to the loss of appetite, and I drink one or two cups of coffee a day. So it all depends on what you eat, it really doesn't matter when you eat it. One thing to keep in mind that has opened me up to eating and watching what I eat and how much I eat is the fact that if you are giving your body one meal a day to gain all the nutrients it needs, then its going to absorb that whole meal. If you eat three meals a day your body has three meals to gain the nutrients it needs to keep you strong and healthy and throws away the fats and the sugars that it doesn't need through your metabolism, but if you are only eating one meal a day its going to take that meal and store it all, not allowing your body to really throw away what it doesn't need. There is a whole logic into this and I have to say I think it's right. I went through a stage with my husband to help me eat more and it worked. It started with three peanut butter sandwhiches a day and that immediately made me lose weight and then also after i worked out i used epic isolate vanilla in a blender with some berries a yogurt and some skim milk and drank that once a day then a peanut butter sandwhich then dinner and seriously I dropped about two pounds or more a week. So my advise is to try to eat a couple more meals, even if they are small, it really does make a difference.
  • stacyshan
    stacyshan Posts: 16 Member
    I have a terrible time eating enough "healthy" food. It takes a butt load of fruits, veggies & lean proteins to even come near my calorie count & requires eating all the time it seems.
  • thedarkwombat
    thedarkwombat Posts: 123 Member
    You know what happens when you don't eat enough calories? You lose weight faster.
    As long as you don't feel sick, or weak, then you are fine. Listen to your body.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What are empty calories?
    Also, what helped me was I stopped buying low-fat foods, and just bought the full fat instead.

    stuff that offers no other nutritional value (vitamins, protein etc etc) only calories

    How is that even possible?


    Soda.

    Sugar is a micro-nutrient...it's the jet fuel that helps you kill a workout and bury that ***** and then do it again.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You know what happens when you don't eat enough calories? You lose muscle faster.....

    Fixed it for ya....
  • thedarkwombat
    thedarkwombat Posts: 123 Member
    OP (and others)--don't listen to this post. Listen to the people telling you to eat a few nuts, use a little olive oil when you cook, hell, eat a grain every now and then

    I never said NOT to do what you recommended. I am saying people should not freak out if they are under 1200 net sometimes. They aren't gonna die. Losing muscle happens at VERY low levels. Lets not exaggerate here to prove a point.

    OP (and others)--don't listen to this post. Listen to the people telling you to use your common sense, and do what feels right for you. You are not going to go into "starvation mode" and wake up one day with all muscle gone because for a couple months you ate 1000 net calories instead of 1200.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    OP (and others)--don't listen to this post. Listen to the people telling you to use your common sense, and do what feels right for you. You are not going to go into "starvation mode" and wake up one day with all muscle gone because for a couple months you ate 1000 net calories instead of 1200.

    Not if you have a lot to lose.. The OP does not. YOU can "starve yourself" for a while with no bad effects, SHE needs to eat.
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