Not enough calories - help!!

HealthyAndFitFor2014
HealthyAndFitFor2014 Posts: 11
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi guys,

I need some help. I've been eating healthy for the past week but according to MyFitnessPal, I've always been at least 900 calories under my 1,800 needed to maintain my weight. This is worrying me as my meals have been filling me up and have even started using extra calorie tricks like adding peanut butter to some foods.

I'm a student and only have a limited budget of maybe £10 per week for my shopping, so I think this may be the cause of not eating enough as I can't afford a lot of meat, poultry, fish, etc. I have been introduced to Quorn recently which is a great help, but even at that price, I still can't have it often.

Is anyone willing / able to help me out with this? I've been worrying about it ever since starting this blog... I will change my blog settings to allow non-friend viewers if you want to have a look also.

Thanks millions,
Lauren.

Replies

  • cdgabbert
    cdgabbert Posts: 55 Member
    Lauren - I hope you find some answers - I have the same problem and if I work out - it's worse!! I can't eat enough... last time I tried this I was burning and eating what I was supposed to and couldn't loose ... I can't figure this out at all!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Ice cream.
    Peanut butter.
    Or peanut butter ice cream.
  • RozayJones
    RozayJones Posts: 409 Member
    Instant breakfast like Ensure.....
  • Kaytee86
    Kaytee86 Posts: 88 Member
    You could potentially not be measuring 100% accurately. I used to under estimate my calories a lot.

    But my personal rule is to understand and listen to your body. MFP isn't a doctor and doesn't know you and your body. It can only provide general guidelines, based on averages. However your body may not need the 1800 calories to maintain. Although only eatting 900 calories a day is slightly concerning, most people aren't recommended to be much below 1200. So my advice is to listen to your body and respond to it not necessarily the magic number that MFP recommends.

    Oh and of course working with your family doctor is always a good plan.
  • Lemmynade
    Lemmynade Posts: 160 Member
    Peanut butter is a great, nutrient rich, protien packed way to amp your calories. Plus it's cheap, and keeps very well.
  • Lauracanbe125
    Lauracanbe125 Posts: 17
    Good Afternoon,
    I would say peanut butter is really the cheapest high calorie good food. Cheese is high protein and high calories but can be expensive. Nuts are the same. Watch for sales and always cheaper in bulk. Milk could help you too if you can tolerate it. How about a small amount of dark chocolate? Most people run out of calories by the end of the day!

    Good Luck,
    Laura
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    A large glass of milk, two pieces of toast with butter is around 500 calories.

    A bagel with butter or peanut butter is arund 500 calories.

    Two cups of rice is several hundred calories. Add butter or sesame oil fr more.

    Mashed potatoes or beans or lentils have lots of calories.

    Cheese omelette: 400 calories. Add potatoes or toast on the side.

    Cheese is 100 calories an ounce.

    Meat or fish of any sort is LOW CALORIE. It's one of the things I learned when I started logging. On the other hand, the 'healthy' things I used to eat a lot of - whole grains, legumes, dairy, juices - have LOTS of calories. They are also inexpensive (except the cheese.)
  • HealthyAndFitFor2014
    HealthyAndFitFor2014 Posts: 11
    Just thought I'd let you in on this great recipe;

    It's a two-ingredient breakfast cookie recipe - I think it's awesome and have been nibbling on them all day long. All you need is 80g or one cup of oats and two large bananas. Mash the bananas into the oats until they all stick together and just place them onto a baking try. They only take about 15 minutes in the oven at 180oC or 350oF and they are delicious - not to mention they are around 480 calories per batch!
  • HealthyAndFitFor2014
    HealthyAndFitFor2014 Posts: 11
    Thanks for all the help guys!
    Asides from the banana oatmeal cookies, I've started melting peanut butter and having a fruit fondue with it... YUM.
    Also, thanks to your help I have realised that my diet has been lacking calcium so bring on the milk and cheese :)
  • mindyt23
    mindyt23 Posts: 28 Member
    You could potentially not be measuring 100% accurately. I used to under estimate my calories a lot.

    But my personal rule is to understand and listen to your body. MFP isn't a doctor and doesn't know you and your body. It can only provide general guidelines, based on averages. However your body may not need the 1800 calories to maintain. Although only eatting 900 calories a day is slightly concerning, most people aren't recommended to be much below 1200. So my advice is to listen to your body and respond to it not necessarily the magic number that MFP recommends.

    Oh and of course working with your family doctor is always a good plan.
    .

    This! I only get over my recommended if I exercise and added an extra meal. I've been listening to my body, and a lot of times I don't hit 1200, and for the first time in a long time, I'm losing! Just eating whole foods..so yes this above
  • 42nFab
    42nFab Posts: 36
    I am coming up just shy of my 1200 daily calorie intake. However I do have 3 cups of coffee each day with coffee mate that would bring up the calories. I think that we underestimate the calories we consume in a day as well. And portions. Make sure when you record your food that you are being honest with the amount and the size portion.
    The issue of being under is of course slowing your metabolism down to starvation mode. Then it keeps every single calorie that it can to survive. It's hard for us to wrap our heads around it because we think wow! I did so well today the weight should slide off. Not the case.

    I'd monitor the portions and if the weight loss is stagnant then maybe you need to add some more to the diet.

    Best of luck!!!
  • kweag
    kweag Posts: 1
    in a similar situation... eating approx. 600-1000 cals/day, loosing weight, yet never feeling hungry. Currently at 114 and 5'8 I don't have weight to loose. How can I get passed my uncooperative appetite and brain telling me not to eat so I don't drop more lbs??
  • ibleedunionblue
    ibleedunionblue Posts: 324 Member
    I've been eating healthy for the past week but according to MyFitnessPal, I've always been at least 900 calories under my 1,800 needed to maintain my weight.

    So you are eating 900 calories a day?
  • HealthyAndFitFor2014
    HealthyAndFitFor2014 Posts: 11
    in a similar situation... eating approx. 600-1000 cals/day, loosing weight, yet never feeling hungry. Currently at 114 and 5'8 I don't have weight to loose. How can I get passed my uncooperative appetite and brain telling me not to eat so I don't drop more lbs??

    I've just had to stop waiting for my body to tell me that it's hungry, I've made a list of healthy yet high-calorie snacks which I either prepare ahead of time or have ready to grab whenever I want them, Make a point of eating them regularly so that your body won't feel stuffed in one sitting... I'm not sure whether you seen my banana cookie recipe above, but things like that are super easy to prepare and can be nibbled on throughout the day :)
  • HealthyAndFitFor2014
    HealthyAndFitFor2014 Posts: 11
    I've been eating healthy for the past week but according to MyFitnessPal, I've always been at least 900 calories under my 1,800 needed to maintain my weight.

    So you are eating 900 calories a day?

    Yes, I was eating around 900 calories per day... Though this has changed in the last few days as I have been testing the tips I have received on boards such as this
  • sklebar
    sklebar Posts: 117 Member
    Porridge (Oatmeal) for breakfast
    Potatoes, carrots, onions with cheese for lunch
    Try making a cottage pie for the week or a chili. It helped me for keeping costs down when I was a student.

    Make in bulk, go in on a Sunday night or Monday afternoon for reduced items in shops.

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