having hard time meeting calorie goal

It must be close to New Years...

The fit people on this site don't get there or maintain it by accident, they're usually the ones you should be listening to. Most women even the short ones need more than what you're eating. Learn about TDEE and assess your calorie goal from there.

I suggest getting a food scale too especially if you're going to incorporate more calorie dense foods. Less room for error. You might not be eating as little as you think you are.

It does not matter if you were eating 1,500 calories a day, at 9pm every single day of your life, you still wouldn't gain. Most people have BMRs (the number of caloires a body burns with basic, life supporting functions only -- a coma state, essentially) that are AT LEAST 1,200. I assume since you are a SAHM, you don't lay in bed all day -- the amount of caloires you burn in a normal day (basic functions + activity = TDEE) would have to be at least 1,800, probably more but we will estimate LOW. To become 244 pounds, you would have to be consuming more than 1,800 calories regularly. The point is, 1,300 should'nt be "hard" to reach, you HAD to be eating AT LEAST 500 calories more per day (likley more!).

Lady I don't know who peed in ur diet shake this morning but what I did BEFORE I started working out has nothing to do with my question about calories Now. I a grown woman and so should you be so leave the trolling a cyber bullying to the kids thanks have a great new year

Are you kidding right now? First of all, I have been here for a long *kitten* time. I lost 40 pounds ten years ago and have used this site to maintain it and work on strength building (ie weight lifting), suffice to say, I DO NOT DRINK DIET SHAKES.

What I am telling you is to get real with yourself. You didn't get to 244 pounds by only eating 1,500 and just not exercising. To gain a single pound, you have to consume 3,500 calories beyond what you burn. Estimating LOW, you burn 1,800 calories per day. Short of a medical issue, you HAD to be eating more than 1,500 calories a day.

Why does that matter? If you were in denial about how much you were eating THEN, it's likely are in some type of denial about what you are eating NOW. It makes zero sense that you were able to eat enough to be overweight but now suddenly can't eat enough to maintain basic body functions. Totally illogical.

Eat some calorie dense foods: nuts, avocado, stop using "diet" or "reduced calories" products and eat your calories. There is no way to properly fuel your body on much less than 1,200 calories. The longer you cut yourself short, the sooner you fail because you were overly restrictive. The longer you eat a VLC diet, the foggier your brain gets too. You already see trolling where people are giving you actual advice, based on facts and personal experience, and not just saying there, there Snowflake, you really don't need to eat!

Oh please. What a load of crap.

Somebody pee in your PROTEIN shake?

While I agree anh720's fist post did seem a little harsh in tone, I do agree with what she is saying. Ten years ago I was a personal trainer and was taking classes in nutrition. Ten years, 3 kids, and a foot surgery later I found my self out of shape and 30+ pounds over weight. I have since gone back to working out and eating right. I have also just starting working with a nutritionist who specializes in weight loss. While it is absolutely true your body can't function long term on less than 1200 calories. You brain and body need that just to fully function. Yes you can do it for a little while but eventually it will not work and you will go back to old ways. My nutritionist is also my personal trainer. She really focus's on healthy eating combined with exercise. She has me eating 6 smaller meals which might help you if you are used to not eating all day and only at dinner. In the morning I eat only about 200 calories. I have a small plate of scrambled eggs which consist of one whole egg and one egg white. It is small enough that you shouldn't feel too full while getting a good dose of protein and keeping the calories down. Then about 2-3 hours later I eat a similar 200 - 300 calorie meal. I do this 6 times a day. I also try very hard to make sure I am burning calories through out the day. I had a rude awakening about 6 months ago. I figured I was burning about 2500 - 3000 calories a day. I purchased a fit bit. Works great with the MFP. I found out that even with working a full time job and having 3 kids I still was only burning about 1900 calories a day. I found that I was grossly over estimating how many calories I was burning. I started really using the MFP and also found without measuring my food I was totally underestimating how many calories was in the food I ate. It is all a balancing act. I would suggest you get a scale and just make sure you are moving all the time. Most counters on elliptical machines, treadmills and these sort of machines are not always accurate so be careful how you are estimating your calorie burn in a day. Feel free to add me as a friend. I can always share the info my nutritionist gives me.

Meeting 1200 Calories at least a day is a requirement. You don't want to go below. I spoke with a nutritionalist and was advised that this is definitely a must because your body will start storing whatever you eat as fat instead of using it as fuel to burn more calories because it is not getting enough. If you were only eating once a day then yeah getting full on a diet is pretty common. Partly because your stomach has shrunk quite a bit. Try eating 6 or more small meals per day and that will help. You can try measuring your food or snacks to get the calories that you need. The exercise is great because you are getting your muscles working and speeding up your metabolism. You do want to put back in your body what you burn because you want to stay above that 1200 calorie minimum. Hope some of this information helps.

You were eating too much if you are 244 lb. not exercising does not make you gain, eating too many cals does. I can easily eat 1200 cals and don't buy it that people are "too full" to reach 1200

Wow thanks for the no-help comment. sad when people feel the need to comment simply to be argumentative ... everyone else that was great info thank you very much

when I used to be an aerobics instr. then my husband died, all I did was stop exercising. my eating habits never really changed at all and I DID gain a lot of weight back. therefore, it is possible by personal experience to gain JUST by not exercising.

and I loved the reply of the "Wow thanks for the no-help comment." lololol... I have been back under my goal weight for over a year now so keep chugging away at your efforts. don't forget to drunk lots of water and someone else said eat nuts. that's a good one. when I have been at the stage of maintaining my weight, I too have not been reaching my calorie goal because I had not eased up on my workout routine. don't give up... keep at it.

You were eating too much if you are 244 lb. not exercising does not make you gain, eating too many cals does. I can easily eat 1200 cals and don't buy it that people are "too full" to reach 1200

Wow thanks for the no-help comment. sad when people feel the need to comment simply to be argumentative ... everyone else that was great info thank you very much

when I used to be an aerobics instr. then my husband died, all I did was stop exercising. my eating habits never really changed at all and I DID gain a lot of weight back. therefore, it is possible by personal experience to gain JUST by not exercising.

and I loved the reply of the "Wow thanks for the no-help comment." lololol... I have been back under my goal weight for over a year now so keep chugging away at your efforts. don't forget to drunk lots of water and someone else said eat nuts. that's a good one. when I have been at the stage of maintaining my weight, I too have not been reaching my calorie goal because I had not eased up on my workout routine. don't give up... keep at it.

Ugh people.

You gained weight because you were eating more than you burned. Your job burned a lot of calories. When you stopped burning those calories, you didn't need to eat them -- so the issue was your eating habits didn't change, but your activity level did.

You were eating too much if you are 244 lb. not exercising does not make you gain, eating too many cals does. I can easily eat 1200 cals and don't buy it that people are "too full" to reach 1200

Wow thanks for the no-help comment. sad when people feel the need to comment simply to be argumentative ... everyone else that was great info thank you very much

when I used to be an aerobics instr. then my husband died, all I did was stop exercising. my eating habits never really changed at all and I DID gain a lot of weight back. therefore, it is possible by personal experience to gain JUST by not exercising.

and I loved the reply of the "Wow thanks for the no-help comment." lololol... I have been back under my goal weight for over a year now so keep chugging away at your efforts. don't forget to drunk lots of water and someone else said eat nuts. that's a good one. when I have been at the stage of maintaining my weight, I too have not been reaching my calorie goal because I had not eased up on my workout routine. don't give up... keep at it.

Ugh people.

You gained weight because you were eating more than you burned. Your job burned a lot of calories. When you stopped burning those calories, you didn't need to eat them.

ugh...double ugh...
I know exactly why I gained, (at the time, didn't care) I responded to the person that had mentioned that you wouldn't or couldn't gain by eating right and not moving aka exercising.

You gained weight because you didn't adjust your eating habits when your activity level changed. Not specifically because you stopped working out.

There is NO way OP got to her current weight by eating 1,500 calories a day and just not working out. That is not how bodies work, short of medical malady.