Can't seem to hit calorie goal

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ekraterf
ekraterf Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so it was calculated that I should eat 1200 per day. My issue is that I can't seem to get that many calorie just eating healthy meals and snacks, so at the end of the day I always have this huge amount of calories still to eat. So I tell myself go ahead and have that ice cream or potato chips you have the room. I know these foods aren't good for me but it's the only way to get the sort of calorie density to fulfill my allotment. Any advise on how to spread the calories out better throughout the day with healthy foods?

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  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Ok, so it was calculated that I should eat 1200 per day. My issue is that I can't seem to get that many calorie just eating healthy meals and snacks, so at the end of the day I always have this huge amount of calories still to eat. So I tell myself go ahead and have that ice cream or potato chips you have the room. I know these foods aren't good for me but it's the only way to get the sort of calorie density to fulfill my allotment. Any advise on how to spread the calories out better throughout the day with healthy foods?

    What math led to a 1200 calorie per day NET goal? What is your current weight? Goal weight? Activity level? Weekly loss goal?

    In reality 1200 is at the low end of the intake spectrum and many people can lose while eating more. The calorie goals provided by MFP also don't include exercise which the program expects you to eat back to maintain a net daily deficit to meet your weekly loss goal. There is also nothing inherently wrong with ice cream ... foods are not good or bad in moderation.
  • Lizard__breath
    Lizard__breath Posts: 4
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    I have the same issue: when I set mine to -1lbs a week it suggests about 1400 and I had trouble getting it that high without eating junk food.

    But then I started eating nuts and trail mix. You do need to watch the sodium, but nuts and dried fruit are very high in calories and much more satisfying than chips. You could also add in muesli type cereals or oatmeal.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Ok, so it was calculated that I should eat 1200 per day. My issue is that I can't seem to get that many calorie just eating healthy meals and snacks, so at the end of the day I always have this huge amount of calories still to eat. So I tell myself go ahead and have that ice cream or potato chips you have the room. I know these foods aren't good for me but it's the only way to get the sort of calorie density to fulfill my allotment. Any advise on how to spread the calories out better throughout the day with healthy foods?
    Part of your problem is putting foods in a box of healthy and unhealthy. Food is just food it all provides us with something. By depriving yourself of foods you seem as bad you are more likely to want those foods. Also just think a banana is 100 calories. Most homemade smoothies can easy hit 400 calories so hitting 1200 isn't that hard

    Also you only have 11 pounds to lose so it will be slow in all likelihood you can eat more than 1200 and should set your mfp goals to .5 of a pound not 2 pounds that will give you room to work with

    Have a look at this thread it will help you in setting appropriate goals

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    What do you eat on a normal day? Could you open your food diary?

    Off the top of my head, without seeing your diary, I'll suggest eating full or reduced fat instead of fat free foods and eating more protein.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    eat more fat...fat is essential to a proper balanced and nutritious diet. cook with olive oil, have some nuts, eat avocados, full fat salad dressings, etc.

    Most people who have this issue have the incorrect perception that "healthy" just means sucking on lettuce and celery sticks...there're a whole lot more to "healthy" than that, including appropriate caloric intake.

    Somehow you managed to get yourself to a point of needing to lose weight...I can assure you that you were eating far more than 1200 calories to get to this point. Do a little more research on proper nutrition and start eating and hitting your goals.
  • vickinewman59
    vickinewman59 Posts: 1
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    I use a tablespoon of almond butter on toast, or peanut butter on toast. Keep the toast whole wheat. I love Dave's Killer Bread Power Seed (Whole Foods), and only use natural peanut and almond butters. It's yummy, and very filling. It gives around 240 calories, and adds a significant amount of fat, but it's good fats.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
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    Throw out the idea of healthy and unhealthy foods, give up the restrictions and eat real food, just with in your goals. That sexypants link up there ^^ is spot on btw, totally worth the read!!
  • rossraskolnikov
    rossraskolnikov Posts: 29 Member
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    Nuts and seeds are a great 'healthy' way of making up calories. 25g of almost any = 150-200 calories. If I have a calorie deficit at the end of the day, that's my go-to move.





    ...Unless I happen to have any chocolate lying around.
  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
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    Then how on earth did you manage to find yourself overweight?
  • BusyBirdMommy
    BusyBirdMommy Posts: 22
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    Not to make light of your difficulty, but I wish I had trouble hitting 1200 calories. I can get almost that much in calories just in liquids in a day (I love juice! - and, as someone mentioned, smoothies are pretty high in calories, even though super healthy). Good luck on sorting through it all. It can definitely be a big headache trying to figure out what is exactly right for you, especially when so much information out there is generalized.
  • kansas_mom
    kansas_mom Posts: 16
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    I would suggest maybe yogurt or cheese. You can even freeze yogurt and it's like eating ice cream, only healthier. :)
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Another thread started by somebody leaving out crucial information for intelligent feedback who doesn't reply to anything about their initial posts in a timely manner.
  • ekraterf
    ekraterf Posts: 2 Member
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    brianpperkins...im sorry, that checking post once a day is not timely enough for you, i prefer to spend my weekends enjoying myself not sitting in front of a computer.

    As to others questions about how i gained wight. I work with and around food so it was always way to easy to grab handfuls of high fat calorie laden goodies. I defiantly have a problem with once i start eating junk food i cant stop and results in mindless eating throughout the day. I find with using this tracking program it has eliminated that mindless eating, it makes me think about it before i eat it and evaluate whether or not i am really hungry and if i am going and getting some fruit or yogurt instead.

    I know that i should think of food as "bad" but from personal experience foods like chips, and ice-cream, doughnuts, and cookies are just things that i cant portion control, and i think everyone would agree that eating those things in large quantities is bad. when i eat "good" food i don't seem to have that insatiable need to stuff myself with it. I am happy to just eat 1 apple. So if it stick to good healthy food its easier to control portions and reach my goals.


    I love the idea of adding some nuts and trail mix to my snacks i think that will defiantly help. Kansas_mom...enough said, the yogurt is now chilling in my freezer, i can't wait to try it!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    brianpperkins...im sorry, that checking post once a day is not timely enough for you, i prefer to spend my weekends enjoying myself not sitting in front of a computer.

    As to others questions about how i gained wight. I work with and around food so it was always way to easy to grab handfuls of high fat calorie laden goodies. I defiantly have a problem with once i start eating junk food i cant stop and results in mindless eating throughout the day. I find with using this tracking program it has eliminated that mindless eating, it makes me think about it before i eat it and evaluate whether or not i am really hungry and if i am going and getting some fruit or yogurt instead.

    I know that i should think of food as "bad" but from personal experience foods like chips, and ice-cream, doughnuts, and cookies are just things that i cant portion control, and i think everyone would agree that eating those things in large quantities is bad. when i eat "good" food i don't seem to have that insatiable need to stuff myself with it. I am happy to just eat 1 apple. So if it stick to good healthy food its easier to control portions and reach my goals.


    I love the idea of adding some nuts and trail mix to my snacks i think that will defiantly help. Kansas_mom...enough said, the yogurt is now chilling in my freezer, i can't wait to try it!

    Six people took time to provide feedback within one hour of your posting. You still haven't provided key information such as how and why you chose 1200 calories which is all too often the result of arbitrary selection and not setting a reasonable weight loss goal and the appropriate deficit. Unless you're very short, and greatly overweight the 1200 number is very often too low. You've coupled the lowest recommendation that MFP will give with an inability or unwillingness to reach that low goal ... a bad combination.

    But then again ... people are only replying to help you ... perhaps we should follow your lead and wait at least a full day to give you any feedback.

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