Not eating enough

Options
michaelbaba
michaelbaba Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
Does anyone have a method to stop from reducing calories to much. I'm 221 pounds and I find myself not meeting my calorie goal. I dont want my metabolism to crash on me and I cant get myself to eat anymore than I am. Maybe if I eat more meals a day just smaller portions, I'll get closer to my daily goal.. Any suggestions would help
«1

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Options
    Just go for more calorie dense foods. Add things like olive oil, avocados and nuts. All high in calories. Also what did you eat to put on your weight? At some point you were eating more than you were burning so there must be some foods that you know you can eat to help keep your calories up.
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    Options
    eat food
  • IdsFknTaken
    IdsFknTaken Posts: 20
    Options
    What is your current calorie target and daily deficit?
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
    Options
    1. skip breakfast
    2. track your calories via myfitnesspal
    3. workout
    4. eat on a deficit.
  • AddyB80
    AddyB80 Posts: 8
    Options
    Perhaps if you post on a typical day and week looks like we can help you.

    Eat more cal dense food, cheese, full fat stuff. Or take supplements to add in like a protein shake or 2?
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
    Options
    You have to try your best to eat as close to your goal for the day each day. As long as you eat more than 1200 cals it's okay but really try to eat as close to your goal as you can. You can do it.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    i never understood this..to get to 221 pounds you must have over ate a lot ..yet, now you cannot hit your calorie goal at a reduced level? = *mind blown*
  • Bichonlovers
    Bichonlovers Posts: 5
    Options
    I am having the same problem of not eating enough calories. I tend to run out of sodium and sugar gms to eat anymore food. I am going out to the store to look for more food with no salt and sugar :cry:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    I am having the same problem of not eating enough calories. I tend to run out of sodium and sugar gms to eat anymore food. I am going out to the store to look for more food with no salt and sugar :cry:

    why?

    as longs you are in a calorie deficit you can eat stuff with some sugar in it and still lose...
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    Options
    I am having the same problem of not eating enough calories. I tend to run out of sodium and sugar gms to eat anymore food. I am going out to the store to look for more food with no salt and sugar :cry:

    Don't worry about going over on salt and sugar (particularly on sugar). MFPs sugar goals are based on the recommended daily intake for added sugar. There are no recommendations for natural sugar, but MFP does not distinguish between the two in the diary. You eat an apple, and you can bust your sugar limit. Stay under your calories and over your fat and protein goals. Don't worry overly much about the rest.
  • Bichonlovers
    Bichonlovers Posts: 5
    Options
    If this program doesn't separate the natural sugars from the added then how do I keep track if I am eating the added sugar in food? Is there a way to ask the program maker to change their fitness pal program a bit?
    About the salt I just watched Dr Oz and he recommended 2300 gms of salt instead of the 1500 that is recommended by the heart and stroke foundation .
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Options
    If this program doesn't separate the natural sugars from the added then how do I keep track if I am eating the added sugar in food? Is there a way to ask the program maker to change their fitness pal program a bit?
    About the salt I just watched Dr Oz and he recommended 2300 gms of salt instead of the 1500 that is recommended by the heart and stroke foundation .

    Well first advice here do the opposite of what Dr Oz says!

    If you don't have a medical condition that you need to track sugar for, then don't worry about it.

    OP it would help us to make suggestions if you had your diary open.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Options
    i never understood this..to get to 221 pounds you must have over ate a lot ..yet, now you cannot hit your calorie goal at a reduced level? = *mind blown*

    wishing there was a "like" button for this comment!!
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    I have this problem as well, because I am on a medication with a side effect of appetite suppression. As you eat less and less, your stomach shrinks, and you feel full faster. Try eating six small meals a day, so you can still hit your goal calories while not feeling so full you have to stop eating. Do NOT skip meals, as this will make it more difficult to hit your goal calories when you aren't hungry enough later to eat the calories you missed. If that isn't working, try adding in some protein shakes, so you can get enough nutrition and calories. The liquid empties from your stomach faster so you can still be hungry enough to eat a small meal when it's time.

    If you drop below 1200 calories per day, your body will go into starvation mode, and break down your muscle, even as your metabolism slows down. Then when you do eat, the calories that are stored will be stored as fat, and your muscle/fat ratio will be skewed, and it will be even more difficult to lose weight.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    i never understood this..to get to 221 pounds you must have over ate a lot ..yet, now you cannot hit your calorie goal at a reduced level? = *mind blown*

    Because as a person eats less and less, the stomach shrinks and has less capacity to hold food. You feel full faster than you did when it was stretched out. Also, when a person is eating unhealthy foods containing a lot of sugar, the blood sugar levels rise and drop sharply, causing the brain to feel deprived and start craving more sugar. Once the blood sugar levels even out, this doesn't happen and food cravings go away.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Options
    I have this problem as well, because I am on a medication with a side effect of appetite suppression. As you eat less and less, your stomach shrinks, and you feel full faster. Try eating six small meals a day, so you can still hit your goal calories while not feeling so full you have to stop eating. Do NOT skip meals, as this will make it more difficult to hit your goal calories when you aren't hungry enough later to eat the calories you missed. If that isn't working, try adding in some protein shakes, so you can get enough nutrition and calories. The liquid empties from your stomach faster so you can still be hungry enough to eat a small meal when it's time.

    If you drop below 1200 calories per day, your body will go into starvation mode, and break down your muscle, even as your metabolism slows down. Then when you do eat, the calories that are stored will be stored as fat, and your muscle/fat ratio will be skewed, and it will be even more difficult to lose weight.
    I'm sorry there is so much dodgy science in your post. I'll just pick up on the obvious one. Your stomach does not shrink the only way your stomach can physically shrink is via surgery. As for the dropping below 1200 calories and going into 'Starvation mode' I'll leave that to others
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    i never understood this..to get to 221 pounds you must have over ate a lot ..yet, now you cannot hit your calorie goal at a reduced level? = *mind blown*

    Because as a person eats less and less, the stomach shrinks and has less capacity to hold food. You feel full faster than you did when it was stretched out. Also, when a person is eating unhealthy foods containing a lot of sugar, the blood sugar levels rise and drop sharply, causing the brain to feel deprived and start craving more sugar. Once the blood sugar levels even out, this doesn't happen and food cravings go away.
    you are assuming someone that has been dieting for a long time, OP does not appear to fit into this category. Also, I disagree with your sugar comments but do not feel like arguing...

    someone who is new to dieting should not have an issue eating say 2500 calories a day, if they were previously eating 3000 and that got them to being obese...
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    You can disagree with the sugar comment all day long, but that does not negate the scientific fact of it. As someone who works in the medical field, I assure both you and "fatdoob" that sugar does cause blood sugar to spike and then crash, causing cravings, and that the stomach is elastic, and can stretch with overeating and shrink when not enough is eaten. Since neither of you lives in the original poster's house and don't know how long she's been eating less or how much she eats, it's a bit presumtuous for you to judge.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/264810-weight-loss-starvation-mode/
    The relationship between how quickly your body reduces its metabolism with lower caloric intake is still not clear. For some individuals, there is a clear linear reduction in metabolism with lower caloric intake. Others have a more hyperbolic relationship--their metabolism does not decrease as dramatically early in caloric restriction, but they a have significant decrease in metabolism when they severely reduce their food intake. When your body is starving for nourishment, it will begin to break down muscle tissue to provide it. Too much of a caloric restriction, and you will begin to lose muscle mass, not fat, which will in turn reduce your metabolism even further.
  • eledit
    eledit Posts: 9
    Options
    i never understood this..to get to 221 pounds you must have over ate a lot ..yet, now you cannot hit your calorie goal at a reduced level? = *mind blown*

    wishing there was a "like" button for this comment!!

    Amen!

Categories