How to go to 1200 calories

you didn't get here (MFP) having a hard time getting to 1200 calories, so it shouldn't be that hard.

Suggestions that have been made in this very thread:

- Add butter
- Have ice cream on a waffle cone for dessert
- Include peanut butter, ice cream, pasta, beans, oil to cook, butter to cook
- Put olive oil on everything you already eat
- Fruit, nuts, yogurt, ice cream, juice
- Make sure you are accurately measuring because you may already be getting enough
- Peanut butter, nuts, protein bars
- Peanut butter, milk
- Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, full fat diary, cheese, ice cream, Greek yogurt, sour cream, nuts and nut butter, seeds, protein shakes and smoothies, fruit juices, dark chocolate, less lean choices of meat, full calorie sauces and dressings, etc.
- Ice cream, peanut butter, olive oil, butter, alcohol.........
- Chicken with the skin, Steak, Cheese, Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad), Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt), Fruit, Peanut butter or other nut butters, Nuts, Avocado,Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples), Dark chocolate, Salmon, Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt, Olive oil, Smoothies, Granola/sports nutrition bars, Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal) ,Beans and legumes
- Eat higher energy foods with less volume, like peanut butter
- Add two Tablespoons of butter to your food, eat almonds instead of eating more chicken
- eat the same amount of food but make different food choices. No diet or lite versions, opt for the full fat/sugar. So 6% yogurt instead of fat free, 2% milk instead of skim, full fat salad dressing, etc.
- Add 1/2 an avocado mixed with lemon juice and salt on top of a chicken breast or steak. Add a tbl of butter to your cup of veggies (or on top of your steak). Eat an oz (21-22) almonds with a piece of fruit or veggies for a snack. It's not a lot of food.
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil gives you 120 calories. Drizzle it on your veggies and roast them in the oven or mix it with some herbs and vinegar for a salad dressing. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = 190 calories. If you're already eating fruit or toast anywhere in your diet, smear some peanut butter on! 1 ounce of cheese will give you 115-ish calories. Again, I don't know what you're eating already, but add it to eggs, a sandwich, oven roasted veggies, or a salad.
- EAT MORE CALORIE DENSE FOODS AT VOLUMES THAT SATIATE YOU. They did not say more food, they said choose foods with more calories.
- if say I tried to eat 500 calories worth of broccoli I'd probably feel stuffed and a little sick. That isn't an indication that I can't eat more than 500 calories though, that is an indication I should probably lay off the broccoli a bit. stop eating so much broccoli and have a cookie
- you can eat 800 calories of chocolate chip cookies and still be hungry for more.
- eating an avocado or some nuts for a snack
- at 800 calories of mcdonalds too and still be hungry a few hours later
- Instead of brown rice have pasta or instead of chicken breast have steak. Or, if you like those foods you are eating then yeah drizzle on a little olive oil or add a sauce. Have chicken with a thick tomato sauce on it.
- delicious healthy fats. 2 T of almond butter=200 calories. 1/2 c coconut milk=170 calories, both full of healthy filling fats, and go very well with fruit. full bone-in skin-on chicken thighs instead of sad dry chicken breasts.
- eat some of the same foods you ate before you started restricting calories. Are you drinking too much water?
- A little olive oil will really up those calories, too. Nuts are good.

These types of posts make me *facepalm* every time. JS

Yes my thoughts exactly!!

hit yourself harder

Aww why so angry?!

You got plenty of advice from everyone on here. They have all helped you. If you cannot take the advice or even criticism for that matter, then I suggest you not ask a question that YOU said would cause an up roar. Would not have caused once if you didn't confuse everyone or were rude to them. If you are not happy with the advice given then maybe do some research of your own and come up with your own conclusions.

Here, read some more suggestions from this thread

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1328277-i-ve-only-had-800-cals-but-i-m-so-full

I have some 900 calorie days through the week, but I make up for them eating out another time during the week. Yesterday I ate 800 calories of good food, and my ice cream on a waffle cone put me way over my 1200 allotment.

Damn Yo, 900 calories is a good breakfast for me....

I have some 900 calorie days through the week, but I make up for them eating out another time during the week. Yesterday I ate 800 calories of good food, and my ice cream on a waffle cone put me way over my 1200 allotment.

Damn Yo, 900 calories is a good breakfast for me....

A good bottle and a half of wine :drinker:

When I joined MFP, I had 45 lbs to lose. I didn't get to that number because I had problems eating 1200 calories per day. Neither did anyone else on this site who is trying to lose weight, including you, OP.

With 40 lbs to lose, set your goal for 1 lb per week (not 2), and just eat the same foods you have always eaten and that you plan on eating for the rest of your life in portions that fit into that calorie goal. It's really not as difficult as you are making it. You can still be healthy eating butter, ice cream, pizza, whatever, because health is the big picture, not one food or meal. A person who eats snack cakes all day doesn't suddenly become healthy because they had a salad; likewise you will not become unhealthy by putting butter on your bread or going out for pizza with your friends occasionally.

And stop attacking the people who are trying to help you. Yes, in this case, they are better than you - at weight loss - and you should listen to them. They are giving you solid advice to help you succeed.

I have some 900 calorie days through the week, but I make up for them eating out another time during the week. Yesterday I ate 800 calories of good food, and my ice cream on a waffle cone put me way over my 1200 allotment.

Damn Yo, 900 calories is a good breakfast for me....

A good bottle and a half of wine :drinker:

^Knows what's up. :drinker:

Put butter on everything. Or just eat butter.

LOL!! I am not trying to clog my arteries now

Butter won't do that if it's a reasonable amount. Butter is considered GOOD fats. This is something your body NEEDS.

Not saying butter is bad but I am pretty sure it does not qualify as an HDL "good fat"

It's healthier to eat a pat of butter than consistently be under your calories.

After reading this whole thread...Im not understanding how someone can ask how to eat more than what they are eating if they are on here to lose weight from eating too much. So.......obviously you know how to eat more than you're eating.. EAT! :huh:

Ugh, these kind of posts are insulting. Not everyone is here because they overeat, binge eat, or obsess over food. I don't have any of those issues and I gained 40 lbs in 6 years. I was a size 4 or smaller until I was in my late 20's. I have often skipped meals, ordered kids portion meals, and just ate fairly healthy. I have had two doctors and a gyn scratch their head over why I have gained the weight. They have tested my thyroid yearly. ( I have lots of symptoms) The only thing I can figure is it started happening when I got an IUD. Of course the GYN says that is impossible... Who knows, but i am now trying this to get myself to a happy weight.

Yes, butter. go read http://authoritynutrition.com/7-reasons-why-butter-is-good-for-you/

I can't see your diary, however....

I am someone who used to get sick from 1200 calories. I still do sometimes. I have gastroparesis (slow stomach motility), acid reflex, IBS, and a history of ulcers & gastritis. That being said, even I most days can hit 1200. I keep my diary private because there are days that I can't and I don't need the judgement/ignorant comments from people who think no matter what you can force 1200 down. Sometimes YOU CAN'T. I do not throw up when I get sick, but I get extremely bad indigestion. I bloat on the upper part of my stomach (as opposed to the lower, where most people bloat) and it gets filled up with air that will lead to a 6 - 12 hour long burp session, where I involuntarily burp about 2 - 4 times per minute. I am not kidding nor exaggerating. It is embarrassing and when I get an episode I can't go anywhere, do anything, etc. I just lay on the sofa and wait for it to pass.

Tips that will help, whether or not you have medical stomach issues:
eat breakfast, lunch, & dinner and dessert/snack before bed. space it out about 4 - 6 hours, giving time for your stomach to empty the previous food. aim for 300 - 400 calories each time you eat.
avoid whole grains and foods with a lot of fiber. I know - they are healthy - but they are not as easy to digest.
eat less vegetables & fruit. too much bulk/fiber, and not easy to digest, and very filling.
eat more fat (avocado, butter, peanut butter, olive oil, cheese, nutella, etc), if you can stomach it. fat slows stomach motility so it is bad for gastroparesis & acid reflex, but if you don't have that problem you should be okay.
eat more energy dense foods. instead of a bowl of oatmeal & a cup of fruit for breakfast, have a muffin with peanut butter. instead of a fruit for a snack, have dried fruit & nuts. etc.
drink your calories. swap out most of your water & diet/unsweetened drinks for smoothies/juice/milkshakes/protein shakes/ensure/sweetened tea, coffee, lemonade/etc.


Also, the more you eat, overtime, the more you will be able to eat without suffering. I used to only be able to fit 800 calories in on GOOD days, now I can eat 1800 on good days. It takes time though. If you increase that dramatically overnight you'll be sick. I increased about 100 - 200 per week.