Always full and struggle getting to 1200 calories

2

Replies

  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
    My dinner tonight will be at least 1200 calories, it's not difficult the hard part is eating under 1700-1900 calories.

    On your diary yesterday that you say you had no problems eating because it was a holiday you logged under 1200 calories and only ate half of a reese's peanut butter egg.. eat the whole thing.

    But since your measurements look like they are off due to using measuring cups and not a scale you are eating more than you think, so I would suggest getting more accurate with your logging, avoid using other people's recipe entries, stay away from generic listings in the database, use the scale and accurately measure your portions.

    Also stop thinking of food as good or bad, it's FOOD some more nutritious than others, some more delicious than others, but it's food.

    If an item has a serving size (for instance Cheerios is 1 c) should I use a scale rather than a cup?
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Had to come back, you eat cereal with water? Why? that sounds just miserable

    Agree!! :sick:
  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
    Eat a protein bar as a snack after supper.. or sometime during the day maybe?
    I eat a lot of fish.. so I can understand struggling to get to your goal.. but I will eat like 3 pieces of fish for supper.. That's only 100 calories per fish!

    So protein bars can be a life savor!

    BTW.. water with cereal!? YUUUUCK lol :)

    haha i don't mind the water. i guess i never really thought of eating more than the serving size on chicken bc I didn't wanna go way over in protein.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    My dinner tonight will be at least 1200 calories, it's not difficult the hard part is eating under 1700-1900 calories.

    On your diary yesterday that you say you had no problems eating because it was a holiday you logged under 1200 calories and only ate half of a reese's peanut butter egg.. eat the whole thing.

    But since your measurements look like they are off due to using measuring cups and not a scale you are eating more than you think, so I would suggest getting more accurate with your logging, avoid using other people's recipe entries, stay away from generic listings in the database, use the scale and accurately measure your portions.

    Also stop thinking of food as good or bad, it's FOOD some more nutritious than others, some more delicious than others, but it's food.

    If an item has a serving size (for instance Cheerios is 1 c) should I use a scale rather than a cup?

    You should weigh EVERYTHING!!!...except liquids, use measuring cups!!!
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    My dinner tonight will be at least 1200 calories, it's not difficult the hard part is eating under 1700-1900 calories.

    On your diary yesterday that you say you had no problems eating because it was a holiday you logged under 1200 calories and only ate half of a reese's peanut butter egg.. eat the whole thing.

    But since your measurements look like they are off due to using measuring cups and not a scale you are eating more than you think, so I would suggest getting more accurate with your logging, avoid using other people's recipe entries, stay away from generic listings in the database, use the scale and accurately measure your portions.

    Also stop thinking of food as good or bad, it's FOOD some more nutritious than others, some more delicious than others, but it's food.

    If an item has a serving size (for instance Cheerios is 1 c) should I use a scale rather than a cup?

    Yes use the scale to weigh out a proper portion 28 grams
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Eat a protein bar as a snack after supper.. or sometime during the day maybe?
    I eat a lot of fish.. so I can understand struggling to get to your goal.. but I will eat like 3 pieces of fish for supper.. That's only 100 calories per fish!

    So protein bars can be a life savor!

    BTW.. water with cereal!? YUUUUCK lol :)

    haha i don't mind the water. i guess i never really thought of eating more than the serving size on chicken bc I didn't wanna go way over in protein.

    You say you don't mind the water, but why not just eat something you enjoy. One of the biggest things I learned this time losing weight was eat things I like. I don't have to eat nasty cauliflower or something I don't enjoy just because people say it's good for you.

    Plan your day include and only eat food you really like. Weigh it, log it, and move on
  • rebalee8
    rebalee8 Posts: 161 Member
    My dinner tonight will be at least 1200 calories, it's not difficult the hard part is eating under 1700-1900 calories.

    On your diary yesterday that you say you had no problems eating because it was a holiday you logged under 1200 calories and only ate half of a reese's peanut butter egg.. eat the whole thing.

    But since your measurements look like they are off due to using measuring cups and not a scale you are eating more than you think, so I would suggest getting more accurate with your logging, avoid using other people's recipe entries, stay away from generic listings in the database, use the scale and accurately measure your portions.

    Also stop thinking of food as good or bad, it's FOOD some more nutritious than others, some more delicious than others, but it's food.

    If an item has a serving size (for instance Cheerios is 1 c) should I use a scale rather than a cup?

    They also have a grams measurement - for Cheerios 28 grams - use that.
  • orchidee1987
    orchidee1987 Posts: 97 Member
    Regarding the amount you have to lose, aren't you afraid of loose skin, eating so litlte as you (claim ?!) to ?
  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
    Regarding the amount you have to lose, aren't you afraid of loose skin, eating so litlte as you (claim ?!) to ?

    I do plan on working out and never knew that eating too little caused loose skin. Learned something new
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Eat a protein bar as a snack after supper.. or sometime during the day maybe?
    I eat a lot of fish.. so I can understand struggling to get to your goal.. but I will eat like 3 pieces of fish for supper.. That's only 100 calories per fish!

    So protein bars can be a life savor!

    BTW.. water with cereal!? YUUUUCK lol :)

    haha i don't mind the water. i guess i never really thought of eating more than the serving size on chicken bc I didn't wanna go way over in protein.

    Keep in mind that if you're using MFP's default numbers, their protein goal is actually set very low. I would consider a minimum to hit rather than a maximum to stay under. You want to get plenty of protein in your diet to help retain and repair your lean muscle mass.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    I have the same struggle...im never hungry which is why I have trouble losing weight

    How did you become over weight? :huh:

    I think she was being ironic.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    What is in your rotisserie chicken salad? Only half a cup, you eat? I bet it is more and your calories are higher for that salad if dressing is involved. Aside from that you seem to do fine going over 1200 every day.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    I don't understand. We are on here because we can easily eat over 1200 calories! It is too easy, certainly not hard. I never understand when people on here say they cant eat enough,what? why are we overweight then? I struggle keeping it under 2000 calories! thought that is why we are here not the opposite problem, I cant eat enough. We can all eat enough. Don't mean to be mean but it certainly isn't a struggle eating too much.
  • dlbredesen
    dlbredesen Posts: 122 Member
    I don't like milk either. I eat my multigrain cheerios mixed with yogurt. It's yummy.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Add walnuts. Those things can add up .. but don't get addicted like I did, you would be struggling to stay under 2000 :(
  • heavenlyb14
    heavenlyb14 Posts: 303 Member
    Weigh everything, it's the only way to accurately measure calories.

    If your calories are still too low then add a calorie dense, nutritious snack such as almonds, avocado, oily fish etc.,

    We're all a work in progress, any successful long term weight loss programme or lifestyle change is going to involve some revision along the way.
  • mayancoh
    mayancoh Posts: 56 Member
    Are you sure you are using the right measurements for food and drink? I realized I was using a 330ml cup and thinking it was a 250ml cup....
  • Kaylyn221
    Kaylyn221 Posts: 123
    You need to eat fruits and vegetables. Your diary lacks any sort of vitamin or nutrient which also plays a part in weight loss.

    You previously mentioned somewhere in this thread that you are afraid to eat clean because fruits and vegetables don’t have as many calories. It’s a lifestyle change. While yes, our main focus is to lose weight, but isn’t it also to get healthy {which would include nutritious foods}?

    I could never understand how anyone can say it’s hard to eat 1200 calories a day, which is low to begin with. I don’t eat any processed food and stick with a lot of raw and a lot of protein and I easily reach 14-1500 a day {maybe even more}.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Drinking half your body weight in water sounds dangerous to me and could be why you've no appetite for food. Check your macros and try to eat foods that'll bring you up to goal in those areas rather than just adding more carbs.

    OP, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think she means she takes her weight, divides it by two, and drinks that many ounces of water a day. Ex.: if you weigh 200 lbs, you drink 100 oz of water/day.

    I've heard that used as a standard for drinking enough water. I'm not sure where it came from, but it's been around for years.

    The advice given is good, though!
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
    No offense but how did you get overweight then?

    Lol well before I ate anything I wanted and didn't concern myself with calories. At my heaviest I was 225. Since I started eating healthier, I have lost 25 lbs and no offense taken :)

    I totally understand this. When I was huge, I ate anything and everything I wanted. I didn't know how to eat and I was hungry all of the time because all I did was eat the wrong things. Now I eat good things to nourish my body with treats thrown in. I eat a ton of protein and it fills me up. I hate it when my cals dip too low, but it happens and I have to make a conscious effort to keep them up.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
    I wish this was my problem
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Struggle??

    I struggle to stay under my calories and I eat between 1700-2000 calories. :laugh:

    OMG! I wouldn't know what to do with so many calories

    With all due respect, of course you know what to do with 1700 calories. You, just like I, did not get 80 pounds overweight from eating less than 1200 calories.
    Chosing the right foods it is not difficult at all to eat 1200 calories. Unless you are under 5 feet like I and over 65, you should really make an effort and eat more and a better diet. Your weight loss and health will thank you.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    I don't understand. We are on here because we can easily eat over 1200 calories! It is too easy, certainly not hard. I never understand when people on here say they cant eat enough,what? why are we overweight then? I struggle keeping it under 2000 calories! thought that is why we are here not the opposite problem, I cant eat enough. We can all eat enough. Don't mean to be mean but it certainly isn't a struggle eating too much.

    The prospect of physically eating 1,200 calories can, in my opinion, create a mental blockage that translates into a person not being able to eat that much. Let's say a person is used to eating 2,000 calories per day then decides to go on a diet and follows the default setting of 1,200 calories. Sounds good? Not really because they haven't really made a game plan other than go on a diet to lose weight. So for breakfast, they open the fridge and spotting nothing they think they can eat, they close the fridge and may repeat several times finally skipping the meal entirely or settling for a quick 100 calorie fix. This repeats at lunch time. By dinner time they have only had 300 or 400 calories, may not really be hungry or missing the hunger cue, then can't find anything that meets their criteria of a diet food for dinner so they eat very little. This type of thing continues until you establish a pattern of eating a calorie deficit that meets at least the 1,200 calories. So when someone complains they are struggling to get to the 1,200 calories it's more they are fighting that psychological barrier. My opinion.

    Just to clarify - We are not all here for weight loss, a common misconception that comes up in the forums. Not everyone can eat enough either so generalizations don't apply. Just because you are struggling to keep your calories below 2,000 doesn't mean others are. Everyone is different with their own struggles in their diet journeys whether or not the goal is weight loss.
  • jwooley13
    jwooley13 Posts: 243
    Struggle??

    I struggle to stay under my calories and I eat between 1700-2000 calories. :laugh:

    My sentiments exactly! Mine's set at the 1200 default and if I ever dip below it I get HANGRY. Even then, I allow myself to sneak up into the 1400-1500 range if I'm just not feeling satisfied on any given day.
  • IIIIISerenityNowIIIII
    IIIIISerenityNowIIIII Posts: 425 Member
    You need to be eating more calories since you are on your feet so much. Readjust your activity level to active and get your calorie requirements. I started out doing the same nonsense you are doing and had difficulty eating the 1200 calories lol. I upped my calories. I found that when I eat more for.breakfast then I can meet my goals for the day later on, whereas if I skimp on breakfast I am not hungry all day.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    If you start working out your appetite will definitely go up. On my cardio days I have a hard time getting even up to my net let alone going over 1200 but on my weight lifting days I could just continuously eat all day long.
  • Sf0rza
    Sf0rza Posts: 18 Member
    Hi, am I right in thinking you've just started? Been logging for just a week or two? Sounds like you are doing amazingly well right now but if you eat this little it probably won't be sustainable in the long term. I'm feeling hungry just reading your food diary.

    You can afford to bump up calories and eat more normally, while still losing weight.
  • ianthy
    ianthy Posts: 404 Member
    Hi

    I am not an expert on this just a life long dieter like many on the forum. I have found that when I have been sticking rigidly to say 1200 cals for some time, then when I move onto maintenance it becomes difficult to actually increase the cals. On 1,200 cals per day - the majority of your food choices will already be low fat/calorie and filling, in effect you are already full on these foods and now you are required to eat more. The easiest way I have found it to treat it like maintenance and increase the cals by 100 a day for a week with a high protein item maybe couple boiled eggs and also change some of the food choices from lowfat/cals to those same foods with higher calorie content. Then just keep building up the cals each week but watching the scales too.

    Just a point - i notice that you drink a lot of water - good idea but drinking a lot of water can also make you feel incredibly full. So you may just want to check the amount of water and when you are drinking it. Hate to say it but i got this tip from Man V Food - it's a technique that competitive eaters use - limit the amount of water to create more space for food.

    Also exercise can be great for building up a good appetite - I had a quick peak at your diary for a couple of days and did not see it recorded - i know some folks don;t record exercise - if you are working out then this will help to increase your appetite too.

    Best of luck and thanks for posting as many folks may have this challenge.
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 569 Member
    Struggle??

    I struggle to stay under my calories and I eat between 1700-2000 calories. :laugh:

    OMG! I wouldn't know what to do with so many calories

    I WOULD!!!
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    For how long have you been struggling? Some days I'm just not hungry, whether it's due to stress, illness, or some other factor. It never lasts very long and soon I'm back to my usual food-loving self. If you're worried about not being able to meet your calorie goals in the long term, try adding some calorie-dense foods like nuts and healthy fats. If it's short term, then I wouldn't worry too much.