MFP says I'm not eating enough - confused?

Sugar_Dumpling
Sugar_Dumpling Posts: 50 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
I'm only on my second day and MFP is telling me I'm not eating enough calories and my body could go into starvation mode please help!

I'm eating three meals a day and snacking in between. I've subsituted my meals for healthier food and snacking on fruit every two(ish) hrs, but only eating roughly 900 calories.

What healthy food can I eat to increase my calorie intake to the recommended 1200 calories?

I'm eating, chicken and tuna salads/wraps. I've been organised and I've been cooking (which saves me heading towards McDonalds lol), fat free yogurts for breakfast, I even made a chicken and veg stir fry and still not even close :(

Thanks for your help :) x
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Replies

  • sh3lby03
    sh3lby03 Posts: 193 Member
    Hummus is kind of high on calories, maybe veggies and hummus. Or I know it has more fat but peanut butter and apples.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    Wow, I would have a hard time keeping it at 900 calories, although I often have trouble eating enough to cover my calories burned through working out. Try some nuts, like almonds or walnuts, or peanut butter...it adds up pretty quickly but is healthy.
  • B2BB
    B2BB Posts: 222 Member
    Double the servings in one of your meals and u should be good, less isn't better:)
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
    Almonds there great for giving extra calories and not to filling :)
  • loganaw
    loganaw Posts: 62 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.
  • StateOfActivity
    StateOfActivity Posts: 6 Member
    Almonds, peanut butter, dried fruits, whole grain breads- all things that are good for you, and pack a pretty big caloric punch in small servings. I carry a small can of natural almonds in my purse and munch on them at work, along with little boxes of raisins- a serving of almonds is around 150 calories, same with a small box of raisins.

    You are NOT fine eating so little consistently. Aim for at least 1200 calories a day.
  • BodyUnderConstruction
    BodyUnderConstruction Posts: 82 Member
    Yeah nuts like almonds and peanut butter! And I like 100 calorie packs. Nomnom. But remember it'll take you a good month to go into "starvation mode" don't worry too much, but it's good that you're fixing it now. Good luck!
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    I am always suspicious about the definition of "healthy" food. I am European and most European are not eating "healthy food" as defined by American. Thus European are in much better health.

    For my part, I eat what I want, I just control the total amount of calories I take per day. I also exercise. Any food is good when consumed with moderation.
  • Sugar_Dumpling
    Sugar_Dumpling Posts: 50 Member
    Wow - thanks guys, just the sort of advice I needed - don't want my body to go into starvation!

    :D x
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 810 Member
    Raw nuts are always good, but roasted ones lose their nutrients. Raw only!
  • KickassYas
    KickassYas Posts: 397 Member
    well your diary is private so i can't see what your intake is or your weight loss goals. soo i'm not sure what you're eating or how much weight you're trying to lose.

    1200 is the average for a healthy lifestyle. i'm at 1950 because i have a high weight. it factors your daily life, subtracts those calories and gives you a number that is healthy for you to eat and still lose weight.

    sooo if you're only taking in 900 cals for food... i'd recommend goods like nuts cheeses figs so on. lean protein fish chicken so lean beef so on. its up to you. once again since i can't see what you are consuming i'm not sure what to tell you.
  • T_William
    T_William Posts: 147 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    Under 500 a day sounds like starvation more then a diet!
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.
    :huh:
  • KickassYas
    KickassYas Posts: 397 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    Under 500 a day sounds like starvation more then a diet!

    mind you the woman who posted this is 4'10. something to consider for her dietary needs will be different than those who are much taller.
  • LuckySe7en
    LuckySe7en Posts: 49
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    Don't listen to this advice, you should not eat under 1200 calories. 500 calories is nowhere near healthy.
  • mignalg
    mignalg Posts: 30
    Protein bars or protein shakes are how I get my necessary nutrients and increase my calorie intake. I had a hard time meeting my calorie goals too until I did some tweaking. I tried to add a few higher calorie/healthy snacks throughout the day...like I would munch on hummus and carrots or celery, but serve out a single serving of hummus as it is high and fat and one can very easily eat tons, LOL. When I started to workout harder I started to notice that I needed more calories a day so I tried to increase my intake slowly because done too fast you will probably feel overly stuffed. I would add a piece of fruit to breakfast or a piece of fruit post workout, instead all egg whites I would have one whole egg and an egg white. Also a really good way to increase your intake is oatmeal, I started having that in the morning with fresh fruit in it, plus its good fuel for working out. Good luck!!!!
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 810 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    500 calories is way too low for anyone. Shooting for a goal weight under 100 pounds is only for someone under 5' tall. This is not good advice to follow.
  • Kellee_76
    Kellee_76 Posts: 91
    My registered dietician recommends getting two teaspoons of good fat everyday. A teaspoon of olive oil is very good for your overall health and will really boost your calories. Make sure you're getting enough good fat. You want to have nice skin and hair when you get down to your goal weight :)
  • mignalg
    mignalg Posts: 30
    Also, please do not think 500 calories a day is ok...if that is all you eat during the day your body will hold onto everything you eat as fat because it feels like it will starve and does not know when you will eat again....if you were to do that you would probably end up gaining weight.
  • Sugar_Dumpling
    Sugar_Dumpling Posts: 50 Member
    @ pcouillez - hey thanks for that! I think as a Brit healthy to me means, low in fat, natural unprocessed food - if that makes sense x
  • T_William
    T_William Posts: 147 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    Under 500 a day sounds like starvation more then a diet!

    mind you the woman who posted this is 4'10. something to consider for her dietary needs will be different than those who are much taller.
    Of course but 500 is too low regardless of size I can burn that completely off in a short gym session + activeness at work for example. Being so low the body will store it as fat in order to prevent starvation, a "panic" mode for those under eating and youll burn more muscle then fat
  • lil_missfit
    lil_missfit Posts: 565 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    you may not want to do the above mentioned....you'll lose weight for sure but your body needs nutriion.....I have done stuff like this in the past and put ALL (yes every last pound) back on....habits are what you want to change:)) You'll end up dieting again, and again, and again and again.....why not make this a final round of trying to lose weight:))

    add almonds, peanut butter, granola, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds or maybe a protein bar/shake

    feed your body enough nutrients

    and welcome to MFP:))
  • pmorrison101
    pmorrison101 Posts: 72
    almonds, cottage cheese, laughing cow cheese
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member

    mind you the woman who posted this is 4'10. something to consider for her dietary needs will be different than those who are much taller.
    Granted she is only 4'10 but I would think that is low...I dunno though. Am not an expert. Def way low for someone who is not 4'10
  • irasonrisita
    irasonrisita Posts: 101
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.
    that's actually not okay....I hope you two realize that when I was eating under 1200 calories a day, I gained 10 pounds. My food journal has been consistent and I'm not working out as much and I'm slowly losing weight. 500 is a definite no-no.
  • lil_missfit
    lil_missfit Posts: 565 Member
    YOURE FINE. i set my goal for 500 calories a day and if i go under 500 it says i'm eating too little and will go into starvation mode, but i've noticed if i hit 500 it says i'm fine. MFP only tells you that you'll starve if you don't reach your goal. even if you have your goal set to 200 calories. so don't worry about it.

    Don't listen to this advice, you should not eat under 1200 calories. 500 calories is nowhere near healthy.

    absolutely!!!
  • Sugar_Dumpling
    Sugar_Dumpling Posts: 50 Member
    ps - I'm 5'2, looking to loose abt 20lbs x
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Ignore it. It always says I am not eating enough.
  • mrssmock
    mrssmock Posts: 9
    I have the same problem, trying to work on it, but I don't eat large portions and am having a hard time eating two meals a day and one snack and trying to reach even 1,000 calories. I feel stuffed all the time when I do that. I am trying to make sure what I do put in is at least good fuel. Pistachios are a weakness for me so I try to have those as a snack.
  • michlingle
    michlingle Posts: 797 Member
    nevermind.....
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