Not Eating Enough

calipya
calipya Posts: 12
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I've been doing the food diary for a few days and have noticed a pattern. I am consistently not eating enough and it says my body may be going into "starvation mode." I keep getting told that I should raise my calorie count to at least 1200 per day (my goal is 1800-ish and I tend to be at least 100 under the 1200). I've always eaten like this and have always had problems losing weight. I thought I was doing the right thing by eating less all the time. (Maybe skipping breakfasts and dinners is bad, but I am working on it). I try to eat a yogurt- Dannon Light and Fit 80 cals- for breakfast, skip lunch a lot, then eat a good sized dinner. Even though I feel like I eat a lot, the diary says I need to take in more calories.

So, my question is: how can I take in more calories in a healthy, and tastey, and quick way. I am a college student in class during the lunch hour. My sister said take nuts and dried fruit, but I am afraid I will still be too far under the calorie count with that.

It is difficult cause I already feel fat and self concious about eating anything. It wants me to eat more???? Please help.

Replies

  • rjholmes13
    rjholmes13 Posts: 1 Member
    I get the same message, but my goal is 1200, and i'm usually around 80-100 cals under. It's quite annoying getting the message all the time as it's pretty much impossible to get bang on 1200 and don't want to go over. I do eat breakfast, lunch and dinner though with a snack or two. So I think it's okay.
  • theatr3geek
    theatr3geek Posts: 101
    Nuts, deceivingly, have a lot of calories. So do dried fruit. Peanut butter and avocado too. PLUS, they're delicious. I have this problem as well sometimes. Don't stop exercising or anything, just eat more calorie-filled foods.
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
    Actually, nuts are quick way to add calories. A handful of almonds is easily almost 100. Also, I don't recommend it as a lifestyle thing forever, but while you're in class at least, maybe look into some protein bars you can eat on the go for lunch. Its best to eat something and under 1200 you can really start to do some damage to your metabolism and muscle mass (your body will start consuming it for energy).

    Best to bring something.

    When I was a student and worked two jobs I would cook a Chik Patty (Morningstar Farms) in the morning, put it on a bun with BBQ sauce and wrap it in foil (this was around 7 a.m.) and a tupperware of goldfish. The Chik Patty is only room temperature by the time you eat it, but at least its nothing that has to be refridgerated all day. That plus some nuts would get you nearer the 1800 and more than likely comfortably over the 1200.
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    You need to eat often, try to eat every 2-3 hours at a time. If it is not a main meal you are eating try to have at least a 100-calorie snack the other 3 times of the day. This is key to firing up your metabolism!
  • sue26
    sue26 Posts: 412
    your sister is right, dries fruit and nuts are an excellent way to get those extra calories when ou dont feel like eating much and you dhould eat lunch, so that would be a good time to eat them.:smile:
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I agree with luv2ash, small meals constantly. Breakfast, then a small snack - mine is generally a hard boiled egg or a handful of pumpkin seeds - then a good lunch, I generally have my biggest meal at lunch because i hate to eat late - I have a second "meal" around 4:00 ish - a sandwich such, a salad for dinner and maybe a fruit if I want something sweet.

    Avoid processed foods, read your yogurt is it the best label yogurt, maybe try greek instead, higher protein that will help you feel better longer.

    1200 is really low, are you exercising?
  • calipya
    calipya Posts: 12
    Sometimes I wonder if not eating enough causes my headaches. I do know that since I started working out I feel like I am STARVING!!! But, still too self concious to really eat. I did skip breakfast this morning. I just didn't feel like eating. I worked out for an hour, burning 500 calories. And had breakfast-for-lunch for 660 calories (I think. I am going to call the school and see if they have nutritional information for what I ate.)

    I plan on going to the grocery store this afternoon, and you comments have been helpful. I'll definately grab some nuts and some energy bars (Cliff Bars?).

    I tend to eat less than my 8 year old daughter, and that probably has to change, huh?

    Edit: My workout usually consists of elliptical, stationary bike, and stair climbers. Cardio, fairly low impact (just got out of a cast Christmas Eve from re-spraining the ankle I broke)
  • trudypickles
    trudypickles Posts: 51
    Im not an expert but it sounds like you may need to increase your physical activities to raise your metabolism and perhaps some light muscle bulding excersizes to build even a small amount of muscle which will increase your metabolic rate and then allow you to eat more and burn more day to day, maybe start at home with lunges. squats and sit ups? as I said im no expert and may be telling you what you already know?? Good luck x
  • thomasmarnold
    thomasmarnold Posts: 64
    If I am correct, one ounce of almonds is around 160 calories and they are not only good, they are good for you. The protein and carb bars are also good sources of calories (usually running around 230 calories per bar) and they can be slipped into your purse and taken with you to class. The person before was right, you need to be eating 3 main meals and 2 snacks a day. Bananas are around 110 calories and apples are around 80 -100 calories. See, you can still eat healthy and get the calories up there. If you are in starvation mode, #1 you will NOT lose weight, and #2 you will do sometimes permanent damage to your body. Please eat some nuts, protein bars, or fruits (Fresh or dried) you will get your calories up there where they need to be and you will avoid harming yourself. message me for more ideas on higher calorie foods that are good for you and easy to carry with you.

    Tom
  • simplyblessed89
    simplyblessed89 Posts: 43
    Apples are an excellent snack. I turn to these all the time for something that will rev up my metabolism and fill me up. They aren't high in calories so you can feel fine eating them in class. Low-fat string cheese is also a great on-the-go snack.

    Did you know that people who eat breakfast lose more weight quicker than those who don't? Despite the fact that your body feels deprived and in starvation mode, skipping breakfast SLOWS your metabolism. So eat a decent-sized breakfast with complex carbohydrates, protein and some fiber. Just a little tough love. :)

    Good luck!!!
  • calipya
    calipya Posts: 12
    Simply,

    Like what? What would be a good breakfast? Yogurt and cereal are all I know to eat. Maybe fruit. But I HATE cereal. True, I have not tried every cereal and there is probably one out there I may like, but I don't want to waste time trying them all. Besides, how do you create time to eat breakfast or make-and-eat breakfast?
  • LaurenAshley1127
    LaurenAshley1127 Posts: 4
    Why not try Special K bars? They are yummy, come in a bunch of different flavors, and are only 90 calories per bar... Drink a lot of water also!

    Keep doing what you're doing - stay active and be mindful of what you eat. in time, it WILL pay off :)

    Good luck!
  • loupammac
    loupammac Posts: 194 Member
    To get those calories up while you're in class, take things that can be eaten on the go like raisins, nuts, bananas, apples, oranges and snack bars. They have minimal waste and don't take up too much room in your bag. Maybe eating a big breakfast would help too? Maybe yogurt while you cook some eggs and toast? I like to add a handful of cereal to my yogurt but you could also add extra fruit or nuts! Make sure you get in a decent lunch especially if you're working out for an hour. Your body will be hungry. I like to pack a "school lunch" with fruit, some dinner leftovers (usually pasta for me, yum!), a snack and an optional sweet-treat. Oh and lots of water. It keeps me full during the day. If you're a bit peckish before dinner, have a snack bar.
  • christina31
    christina31 Posts: 124 Member
    Have you thought about drinking your calories in a healthy way? I have problems with eating foods that have too few calories. I love salads, and so my entire lunch is usually only around 200 calories, but it's a huge salad! One thing I do is drink a slimfast shake WITH my breakfast. I don't use them for meal replacement, but for nutrient supplement. I usually drink one with a yogurt or some fruit. The drinks I use are 180 calories, and the chocolate one tastes like chocolate milk. Just make sure you drink them cold!
  • sthartmann
    sthartmann Posts: 6
    Where Im confused is, how many calories are we supposed to eat a day ? I want to lose weight but I want to keep my metabolism fueled !!!
  • calipya
    calipya Posts: 12
    I ate an egg this morning with a glass of orange juice, thanks to a suggestion from a friend on here. I am also having yogurt now (about 2 hours later). I went shopping and bought nuts, dried fruit, eggs (go figure), triscuits, and a couple of cliff bars to try. I packed lunch today for the first time. But it doesn't seem like lunch. It's a peanut butter sandwich on "health nut" bread, the yogurt I am eating now, 1 serving of nuts, 1 serving of dried fruit, 1 serving of triscuits, and a string cheese. It seems like a lot of snacks and a sandwich. But it should get me through better than skipping meals like I usually do. I won't be surprised if a lot of stuff makes it back home with me, however. I'm at least prepared. Oh and a water bottle. Lots of water. :-)

    Wonder if this will help my calorie count go up.

    I actually measure out full servings of dinner last night and was SHOCKED at how much food it was!! It was more than I woulda served myself, that's for sure. But that helped me get closer to the calorie count. Yesterday was the first day I got over the 1200 calories; of course I've only done this diary since Sunday...
  • christina31
    christina31 Posts: 124 Member
    :happy: You're on the right track! It will get easier once you start to get an idea of calorie content. One thing I did in the beginning was to plan my entire day the night before. I'd go in and key in my breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks while I packed lunches for me and the kids. The way I did it, I'd key in foods until I hit about the mark I needed and then just pack that. In the beginning, it felt like so much food! After I had an idea of how much food I could eat, I started buying higher calorie foods that were still healthy so I could eat less and still reach my calorie goal. Keep your diary going and you'll be there in no time!:wink:
  • MeghanAM
    MeghanAM Posts: 222 Member
    I have trouble eating the needed calories, too.

    One of my favorite easy things to make for breakfast is a Mug Omelette. A very basic recipe is here: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/omelet-in-a-mug/Detail.aspx

    It's very easy to customize it to what you like, and vary your diet. I always use regular eggs since I usually don't eat enough calories, but you can use Egg Beaters or egg whites to lower the calories in it. I use a lot more veggies and less cheese than the recipe I linked to, usually.
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