Feeling full but not eating my calories?

If the calories you are claiming are accurate and you are only eating 1300 calories, you need to find a way to eat more.

When you fill your stomach with low calorie nutrient dense foods like green leafy vegetables you feel fuller. I don't think that's a bad thing. Better than eating junk just to meet your calorie goal.

I was having this problem when I first started...I was amazed at how little calories I was taking in for the amount of food I was eating. Your diet seems pretty high in protein too, which will keep you feeling full.

I got around it by including things with healthy fats in them...eg avocados, greek yogurt, sunflower seeds, chicken thighs instead of breasts etc

Maybe try giving up the low fat versions of stuff and going for full fat. Remember fat won't make you fat.

When you fill your stomach with low calorie nutrient dense foods like green leafy vegetables you feel fuller. I don't think that's a bad thing. Better than eating junk just to meet your calorie goal.

You don't have to et junk to get to your calorie goal. And yes getting all of your calories is important.

I'm eating more than did before, I'm ensuring I'm eating breakfast I'm having more frequent but smaller and drinking water but today for example I had 600 calories spare.
I have a calorie goal of 1940 with a 2 pound a week weight loss. Today I still had 600 left. I know salad and veggies don't have that many calories in them and I'm eating quite a bit.

If you have constantly been eating under your BMR for a while, and your metabolism has slowed, then it would not be at all unsual to not be hungry.

Are you trying to eat up to 1940 now, from some much lower number?

If the jump was really big, you may just need to spend a week with about 200 more cal's in a snack.
The week after add another 200, perhaps 2 meals about 100 cal bigger each.
Then another 200, depending on how many from old level to get to 1940 level.

Then again, did you exercise today and that created an extra deficit that is out of norm?
Or perhaps your activity level set up in Diet Profile is higher than it should be, which would make the maintenance calories higher (2940), and therefore the goal calories higher (1940).
Especially bad inflation if you are also logging exercise calories and trying to eat them back as you indeed should, accurate ones anyway.

Peanut butter on whole grain toast, yogurt with some berries/granola, and a protein shake or two and you'd be pretty close. Plus you'd be getting more protein which is sounds like you could use (if that's a typical day)

I feel like that sometimes. I can eat my calories many days, and then a couple days I'll really not want to eat more than 1200, if that. I think that's fine. Your body wants a break, that's fine. I'm not an expert on metabolism slowing down, people talk about it a lot here. Who knows. But yeah, don't worry about it at all if it's even a once a week thing, a lot of people do fasts one day a week anyway, and they say it's good for them.

ETA on the suggestion of someone else, I've started doing my calories where it's not the "eat it back" method. I eat at or near my BMR, and what I burn off, I burn off. No eating it back. I really like that method, and it gives me more knowledge/understanding of the whole process than just going by MFP goals. Experiment around, see what works for you.

Basically you've gone overboard in your quest to eat healthy.

your meals are so "healthy" that they are unhealthy. Sounds weird right? But its true.

You need to learn not to fear calories. This next bit is really important: Less is not always better. You know what the number one reason is that people on here plateau and stop losing weight? Because they aren't eating enough! Just like you!

So scale back a bit on the health foods and remember what it's like to eat like a normal person. You won't need to eat more meals if you swap some of them for more "normal" food, i.e. not necessarily junk food, but not the ultra low calorie diet you've put yourself on. As one of my favourite MFPers MaximalLife says, "you didn't get fat in the first place without knowing how to eat", so it's important not to forget that now.

Remember, eating sensibly doesn't mean adopting the diet of a rabbit. It means a well varied and balanced diet which includes plenty of fats, carbs, and CALORIES!

You are a bit bigger like me, and I support the tactic of eating at least your adjusted BMR if you are exercising. If you are doing this with diet alone, it's very important to meet your calorie and nutrient goals as they are set up. Add nuts/nut butters, meal bars, full fat yogurts, etc etc, calorie dense, high nutrient foods. Do some research and create easy to make combinations for meals and snacks. You can easily add complex calories to your diet without taking up much room... But I do agree that you should cut out the water dense foods. Two salads in a day may be too much, when you look at what you're drinking and eating besides.

Also, if you have that much wiggle room, don't be afraid to indulge a little! I'm not saying going on a junk run, I'm just saying eat real cheese, yogurt, cream... Non-processed food with full fat can be *good* for you, packing a good calorie punch for low space needs. I have this problem too because my metabolism slows to starvation very easily.

Good luck, and feel free to add me

When you fill your stomach with low calorie nutrient dense foods like green leafy vegetables you feel fuller. I don't think that's a bad thing. Better than eating junk just to meet your calorie goal.

I agree, whenever I have more foods that my body can actually use (leafy greens, beans, other vegetables) I'm usually a few hundred away from calorie goals according to MFP but too full to force myself to eat just to meat the goal. I think it is fine to be under if I feel full because I trust my body and I know I don't go that much under every day. I also check to make sure I met my goals for protein, fiber, vitamins, iron, and calcium. If you are and this isn't a daily thing just go with your full feeling I think.

make your porridge with whole milk, and/or add some raisins to it

add some cheese and chopped boiled egg to your salad, or some nuts.

ditch the WW fake food and eat a proper yoghurt, not a diet one.

Spread some butter or whatever takes your fancy on the oatcakes.

replace 1 glass of water with a glass of milk.

Great advice I say, and you'd be fine eating at around 1500, you don't have to eat all your exercise calories until your in a healthy bmi range. 3 dietitians have told me this x

Doesn't sound to me like a job I would class as sedentary, which is even more reason why you need to make sure you're eating enough calories.

Sorry but I have to disagree with everyone on this thread who is saying that if you feel full then it's ok. No it isn't! You need to keep your calorie intake at the right levels or your metabolism will just grind to a halt!

*nods*

If you plan properly you can fill whatever your allowance is... just takes a bit of thought. Have more calorie dense food in your diet... Rice and pasta are quite good without being "unhealthy".. or just have a bit of fat in things, like some olive oil when you cook, or something of that nature.

I say fitness is a lot like government politics. Stick with what you feel is right. Period.

With that said, In MY opinion I think you would really benefit from adding some protein shakes to your diet like another person said. Keep in mind you are eating healthier, there are additives in boxed foods and fast food that make you crave more. Your body is probably just benefiting from healthy options. The protein shakes will add that extra protein/calories your body needs and revs up your metabolism. If you are interested the Abs Diet book by the editor and chief of Mens Health Magazine explains what I am talking about.

Slow and steady wins the race, you know your body better then anybody else.

Are we supposed to eat up our exercise calories too?

Yes. The deficit that MFP put in your daily goal is there without exercise being done.
You add exercise, you just made your daily burn bigger, take the same deficit off, you eat more.
Simple.