Having a hard time eating all the calories.....

wow thanks for all the replies and advise.

Oh.... I CAN eat a lot but I'm trying to change my lifestyle and eat normal portions.

I assure you I am eating my calorie allowance but what I was trying to say was that I'm finding it difficult bc the food that I have picked (that I think I "should" be eating) just aren't appetizing to me.

At first I was set up for 1lb loss a week and it was really difficult to "feel" like I was on a diet while eating 1500 calories. I then changed my goal to 1.5 lbs a week and that dropped me down to 1300 cal a week.

Breakfast and lunch are not really problems. I get home from work and I have anywhere from 600-800 calories to spend and that doesn't include any exercise (I ride a horse, competitively, for an hour a day). So if I expend 300 in that hour I'm up to 900-1100 calories that I can eat for dinner. I just don't know how to get that all in without eating a cheesesteak or something.

IDK but maybe it's eating healthy at breakfast or lunch that is taking away my appetite but to sit down a 7pm and eat 900 calories just doesn't feel right. Know what I mean?

I guess I'm so used to going on diets that really restrict and think that this should feel the same way.

I also have a problem knowing (and trusting what I read on the internet) how many calories are in certain foods so I avoid them just in case.

I'm a highly dedicated and meticulous person so not knowing is really hard for me. It's bad enough I can't get an accurate exercise reading for horseback riding that I don't really count it in my calculations. I have ordered a HRM that should be here today so that should work to help pinpoint cals spent.

Can someone tell me what macros/micros are? I have no idea.

Again, thanks for all the replies. I think it's starting to sink in what I need to do it just feels so wrong lol (ya know diets are supposed to suck right?) lol

macros = fats, protein, carbs. some people track sugars and fiber and other such things, but unless you NEED to track them, i wouldn't. i only track fats and protein. carbs are irrelevant and you can always figure out your carbs because those are what are left when you've accounted for your fats and protein.

micros = vitamins and minerals.

set your fat intake at 0.35g/lb of bodyweight. set your protein intake at 0.8-1.0g/lb of LBM. LBM is (1-BF%) x bodyweight.

your fat intake is a MINIMUM. try to meet it or exceed it. same with protein. that's all there is to it.

ignore the way MFP sets your macros as % of your calories. once you've met your fats and protein goals for the day, the rest of the calories can be whatever you want them to be. i generally look at 2-day and 3-day moving averages for my macros. that's how i know if i'm getting the right amounts. your body doesn't operate on a 24-hour clock, so you don't have to get too hung up on getting EXACTLY the correct amount of each macro every day. get close enough so that your averages look ok and you'll be ok.

yes! I totally agree, Coffee is my weakness. I could probably drink about 8 or 9 cups a day with out a real meal lol... But something that has helped me is Juicing. I found that after a few days of it, I was hungrier throughout the day. It has most of the nutritional value but without all the pulp that makes you full... you can buy a cheap juicer and see how you like it

Good luck,

April

There are no bad foods, some are just more nutrient dense than others. Pizza can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Ditto, ice cream. What matters is maintaining a calorie deficit and meeting your macro/micro/fiber goals. I've had ice cream everyday for 51 days and quite often before that and it does not affect my weight loss in any way, except for making the whole process far more sustainable.

This. I love pizza! I make it fit. =]

Thanks Shadow. I'm going to try to consume all that I can without feeling like I've cheated. I think I'll try to make that pizza tonight. Hope I count the calories correctly. lol

To count the calories correctly use the recipe function, this will really help.

wow thanks for all the replies and advise.

Oh.... I CAN eat a lot but I'm trying to change my lifestyle and eat normal portions.

I assure you I am eating my calorie allowance but what I was trying to say was that I'm finding it difficult bc the food that I have picked (that I think I "should" be eating) just aren't appetizing to me.

At first I was set up for 1lb loss a week and it was really difficult to "feel" like I was on a diet while eating 1500 calories. I then changed my goal to 1.5 lbs a week and that dropped me down to 1300 cal a week.

Breakfast and lunch are not really problems. I get home from work and I have anywhere from 600-800 calories to spend and that doesn't include any exercise (I ride a horse, competitively, for an hour a day). So if I expend 300 in that hour I'm up to 900-1100 calories that I can eat for dinner. I just don't know how to get that all in without eating a cheesesteak or something.

IDK but maybe it's eating healthy at breakfast or lunch that is taking away my appetite but to sit down a 7pm and eat 900 calories just doesn't feel right. Know what I mean?

I guess I'm so used to going on diets that really restrict and think that this should feel the same way.

I also have a problem knowing (and trusting what I read on the internet) how many calories are in certain foods so I avoid them just in case.

I'm a highly dedicated and meticulous person so not knowing is really hard for me. It's bad enough I can't get an accurate exercise reading for horseback riding that I don't really count it in my calculations. I have ordered a HRM that should be here today so that should work to help pinpoint cals spent.

Can someone tell me what macros/micros are? I have no idea.

Again, thanks for all the replies. I think it's starting to sink in what I need to do it just feels so wrong lol (ya know diets are supposed to suck right?) lol

You don't have to feel starved to be in a caloric deficit and lose weight in a healthy manner. And no, diets don't have to suck. In fact, if your diet sucks, you're doing it wrong and on the road to failure. Stop thinking about "being on a diet" and start thinking of your diet as a way of eating. How do you want to eat for the rest of your life? That's the key to not only losing weight, but keeping it off in the long run. If you "go on a diet," only to go off of it when you reach your goal, you'll eventually find yourself back at square one, needing to lose weight again.

"Macros" is short for macronutrient - protein, carbs, and fat. You need to make sure you get the right of each to properly nourish your body. This means about .5-1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (how much you weigh, minus the weight of the fat on your body), and fat and carbs split how you see best (just keep in mind that fat is not the enemy and is actually vital to getting proper nutrition; many nutrients can only be absorbed with the help of fat).

"Micros" is short for micronutrients - all the other vitamins and minerals you get from food. You need adequate amounts of these to keep everything working properly, too.

As for your calorie needs - again, what do you think is "healthy" and what you're "supposed to eat"? What are you eating for breakfast and lunch?

Wait, let me guess - egg whites and whole wheat toast for breakfast, and a giant salad, either without dressing, or with a low fat dressing for lunch. Right? If I'm at least close, then you're likely doing it wrong.

First of all, eat the whole egg. Especially when it comes to whole foods, it's really not going to hurt you. Yes, egg yolks have cholesterol, but guess what? That doesn't affect the cholesterol in your blood. Your body makes its own cholesterol, regardless of what you eat. Also, eggs are packed with nutrients, including choline and healthy fats. Add some veggies and make an omelette.

Salad is good, but it doesn't need to be the only thing. Slice up some steak, pork, chicken, fish, or other meat you enjoy and add it to the salad (and possibly make it smaller, if you're doing gigantic portions of salad). These add protein, fats, and calories. Use nutrient-dense lettuces, such as kale and spinach, instead of iceburg, and add other toppings, such as cheese or avocado (the full-fat ones, not the slim-cados; avocado fat is one of the healthiest fats out there), and finish with a high-quality oil and vinegar dressing or other one you enjoy. Alternative, make the salad smaller, and make it a side to other things, like a filet of fish.

If you're still finding yourself with 1000 calories or some absurd amount at dinner, then have the cheesesteak! Your body needs the calories, it will put that food to good use. Make it at home, with high quality ingredients, and it's not nearly as bad as you're afraid it will be.

If you're at a loss for meal ideas, check out whole-food-based lifestyle sites, such as vegetarian or paleo sites, and find recipes that look good to you and you want to try. You're not stuck with egg whites, chicken breast, and salad for this.

Also, eating a 1000 calories at one meal or at three doesn't make a difference, you're still eating 1000 calories. There are a number of people here who practice what's known as Intermittent Fasting (IF), and one of the ways of doing that is eating only within a 6 or 8 hour eating windows, and another variation is basically eating your day's worth of food at one meal. That means their meal sizes are huge - 1500, 1800, 2000+ calories. And guess what? They're still eating less than their body burns, so they're still losing weight.

That doesn't mean you have to do that, of course. It's just an illustration to show that losing weight does not mean eating 100-200 calorie meals all the time.

Now, not everyone can physically eat that much food at once (I know I can't!), and that's okay, too. If you really can't handle eating 1000 calories in one sitting (be it because of your own hangups, or because you can't physically eat that much), then spread it throughout the day. Eat more calorie dense foods at breakfast and lunch. Or, eat a fourth meal, or have snacks between meals that consist of things like almonds or other foods that help you get the calories you need. If you're still struggling, then consider smoothies or other liquid sources of calories, which will give you the calories, without filling you up as much - even something as simple as a protein shake made with milk after your workouts might be enough to boost your calories up to where it needs to be.

I don't know how to quote someone on here but here is what I have a question about:

"Macros" is short for macronutrient - protein, carbs, and fat. You need to make sure you get the right of each to properly nourish your body. This means about .5-1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (how much you weigh, minus the weight of the fat on your body), and fat and carbs split how you see best (just keep in mind that fat is not the enemy and is actually vital to getting proper nutrition; many nutrients can only be absorbed with the help of fat).

"Micros" is short for micronutrients - all the other vitamins and minerals you get from food. You need adequate amounts of these to keep everything working properly, too.


I really liked this site bc it was so simple. Cal in vs cal out. Easy to document easy to accomplish. Now with the above I'm feeling like it's getting more difficult and I'm not sure I'm educated enough about nutrition to figure this all out.

I have to leave right now but I really do appreciate all the help....and I'll try to reply more tonight. Thanks so much!!!

no, it's still simple.

your calorie goal is for weight loss (or gain if that's your goal).

once you know your calorie goal, you choose foods to meet your macronutrients (and micronutrients).

macronutrients and micronutrients are about nutritional health.

very few people need to worry about micronutrients. eat a balanced diet and take a multivitamin and you should be fine.

you just need to focus on macronutrients when it comes to food choices. you track these (i only track fat and protein) on MFP and it tells you at the end of the day whether you met your goals or not.

lots of people ignore macronutrients at the beginning and focus solely on weight loss (calorie goal). over time, you'll discover that you also need to eat enough protein and fats to keep your body healthy. that's when you can start focusing on those.

in my first year, i didn't worry about macros at all. when i finally looked at them, i realized that i was consistently getting less than i needed, so i started eating peanut butter and drinking protein shakes.

the trick is setting your macro goals correctly when you are ready to start paying attention to them.

If you open your diary up everyone can see and wil support you!

So if I'm healthy and strong than I don't need to worry about changing the setting in MFB? Maybe in a year I can revisit and see what I need?

I don't really eat any fast foods but I have been known to pack on things like cheese, pasta, bread, sweets etc.

I have really cut all that out and I'm not missing it but I guess I can start to add back some of that stuff to meet my calorie allotment?

I'm sorry if I sound totally ignorant but I really never learned about this stuff and it's like you guys are speaking Chinese. lol

Does MFP have a section where I can find a mentor? Someone to look over my diary and provide guidance? I know it's a lot to ask but maybe someone wants to take a dedicated, motivated, determined fatty under their wing? lol