Calorie Needs
Ja_ja_jakeya
Posts: 88 Member
Are the caloric needs calculated by MFP accurate? I find it extremely hard to reach 1870 unless I'm eating junk all day. When I eat foods that are good for me, I'm full all the time and can never meet my goal. Any advice?
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Replies
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Eat more calorie dense foods.0
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Hmmm.
Are you losing weight?
How far under are you going? If it's just a bit under, I personally wouldn't worry. I have my days when I don't totally reach it to the top either. Other days, I might go 50 or so cals over. It balances out.
How do you feel? Do you have energy?
What do you have your activity level set at and what types of activity do you do?0 -
Peanut butter, avocados, and red meat are all pretty calorie dense options.
No need to survive on salads and low calorie items to lose weight.
Don't be afraid to fit some treats into your day as well, like ice cream or cookies.0 -
Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Are the caloric needs calculated by MFP accurate? I find it extremely hard to reach 1870 unless I'm eating junk all day. When I eat foods that are good for me, I'm full all the time and can never meet my goal. Any advice?
I had a similar issue and then I realized my fats were really low every day. I'm working on fixing it with peanut butter. It's a pretty pleasant problem to have, as far as these things go.
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Feel free to look at my diary - I have no problems reaching well over your calorie limit. And yes, I do eat treats almost daily, but stick to my protein macros and try to get up to my fats macro (fat is not evil).0
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How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?0
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Are you not meeting your calorie goal and losing too fast? Or are you not meeting your calorie goal and still losing really slowly?
If the former is true, add more calorie-dense foods to your diet: lean meats, avocado, nuts and nut butters. If the latter is true then you are probably not tracking accurately--weigh and measure your portions and you may find that you aren't as far under your goal as you think you are.0 -
At some point, you will need to learn what to eat because if you lose at 1870 calories, you will maintain at over 2200. But as others said, avocado, nuts, cook in olive oil, red meats (rib eye, bison, strip, 80/20 ground beef), add cheese to a lot, sauces (especially oil based ones), peanut butter, protein bars or high calorie protein shakes with milk added, or ice cream!0
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Liftng4Lis wrote: »How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?
exactly this0 -
If you're demonizing calorie-dense foods and eating low-fat everything... Then yes, I'm sure it would be hard to reach your goals. But consider that your body does need fat to function, and many calorie-dense foods are also nutrient-dense. Incorporate nut butters, full-fat dairy, chicken thighs rather than breast, whole eggs rather than egg whites, etc.
Also, treats once in a while are wonderful! If I have a whole five hundred calories to spare and I'm full... I'm totally splurging on a HUGE brownie.
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Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Are the caloric needs calculated by MFP accurate? I find it extremely hard to reach 1870 unless I'm eating junk all day. When I eat foods that are good for me, I'm full all the time and can never meet my goal. Any advice?
Your diary is closed, so it's tough to assess without seeing what you are actually eating.
There are plenty of other calorie need estimators on the web. This one is popular amongst MFP users: scoobysworkshop.com
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what is junk food???0
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I think it's very common. When we eat high calorie food mindlessly, it's easy to overeat. When you eat high fiber/protein/water foods and pay attention (and logging forces you to), you get full much faster.Liftng4Lis wrote: »How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?
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Hmmm.
Are you losing weight?
How far under are you going? If it's just a bit under, I personally wouldn't worry. I have my days when I don't totally reach it to the top either. Other days, I might go 50 or so cals over. It balances out.
How do you feel? Do you have energy?
What do you have your activity level set at and what types of activity do you do?
I've lost 1.4lbs in 12 days (at my last weigh in) and it's usually a good bit under my goal. In usually hitting around 1200-1400 while my goal is 1870. I have plenty of energy when I'm eating the right foods and I feel great! I most do dance based workouts.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »
I think it's very common. When we eat high calorie food mindlessly, it's easy to overeat. When you eat high fiber/protein/water foods and pay attention (and logging forces you to), you get full much faster.Liftng4Lis wrote: »How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?
what are water foods???0 -
Is red meat the only option as far as meats go? I haven't eaten red meat since I was about 7! Lolmissiontofitness wrote: »Peanut butter, avocados, and red meat are all pretty calorie dense options.
No need to survive on salads and low calorie items to lose weight.
Don't be afraid to fit some treats into your day as well, like ice cream or cookies.
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There was never a problem meeting my calorie goal until I started eating healthy! When I eat junk all day there is no problem!Liftng4Lis wrote: »How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?
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Thanks for your advice everyone! I don't eat "low fat" or "diet" anything I just try to add lots of greens and fruits to every meal. It makes me full and I have trouble reaching 1870cal. I can definitely add more oils, avacado, nut butters, and treats0
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Foods high in water, protein and fiber fill you up faster. Read any of the studies by Barbara Rolls, PhD, for further info.WalkingAlong wrote: »
I think it's very common. When we eat high calorie food mindlessly, it's easy to overeat. When you eat high fiber/protein/water foods and pay attention (and logging forces you to), you get full much faster.Liftng4Lis wrote: »How did you come to need to lose weight if eating enough calories were a problem?
what are water foods???
http://nutrition.psu.edu/foodlab/publications
There might be some tough punctuation in those, too. Let us know if you need help.
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Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »
Is red meat the only option as far as meats go? I haven't eaten red meat since I was about 7! Lolmissiontofitness wrote: »Peanut butter, avocados, and red meat are all pretty calorie dense options.
No need to survive on salads and low calorie items to lose weight.
Don't be afraid to fit some treats into your day as well, like ice cream or cookies.
Nope; I just suggested it, because some cuts can be pretty calorie dense!
Chicken can be dressed up with breadcrumbs and olive oil, or coated in corn starch and fried in veggie oil.
I make fried buffalo chicken bites with around 4oz of chicken per serving (I use them on salads), and it's less than 300 calories.0 -
Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Thanks for your advice everyone! I don't eat "low fat" or "diet" anything I just try to add lots of greens and fruits to every meal. It makes me full and I have trouble reaching 1870cal. I can definitely add more oils, avacado, nut butters, and treats
Do you use a food scale?
Also, you can add duck instead of red meat for a higher calorie option. They also have 93/7 ground turkey.0 -
missiontofitness wrote: »Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »
Is red meat the only option as far as meats go? I haven't eaten red meat since I was about 7! Lolmissiontofitness wrote: »Peanut butter, avocados, and red meat are all pretty calorie dense options.
No need to survive on salads and low calorie items to lose weight.
Don't be afraid to fit some treats into your day as well, like ice cream or cookies.
Nope; I just suggested it, because some cuts can be pretty calorie dense!
Chicken can be dressed up with breadcrumbs and olive oil, or coated in corn starch and fried in veggie oil.
I make fried buffalo chicken bites with around 4oz of chicken per serving (I use them on salads), and it's less than 300 calories.
Thanks!! I might just do chicken and breadcrumbs tonight with tomato sauce! Chicken parm is a favorite of mine that I haven't had in a while!0 -
I don't use a food scale. Do you think that's something I should invest in? Also I'm willing to try duck, but I also eat lamb. Is that a calorie dense meat?Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Thanks for your advice everyone! I don't eat "low fat" or "diet" anything I just try to add lots of greens and fruits to every meal. It makes me full and I have trouble reaching 1870cal. I can definitely add more oils, avacado, nut butters, and treats
Do you use a food scale?
Also, you can add duck instead of red meat for a higher calorie option. They also have 93/7 ground turkey.0 -
Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »
I don't use a food scale. Do you think that's something I should invest in? Also I'm willing to try duck, but I also eat lamb. Is that a calorie dense meat?Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Thanks for your advice everyone! I don't eat "low fat" or "diet" anything I just try to add lots of greens and fruits to every meal. It makes me full and I have trouble reaching 1870cal. I can definitely add more oils, avacado, nut butters, and treats
Do you use a food scale?
Also, you can add duck instead of red meat for a higher calorie option. They also have 93/7 ground turkey.
yes, get a food scale and weigh/log/measure everything.0 -
Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »
I don't use a food scale. Do you think that's something I should invest in? Also I'm willing to try duck, but I also eat lamb. Is that a calorie dense meat?Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Thanks for your advice everyone! I don't eat "low fat" or "diet" anything I just try to add lots of greens and fruits to every meal. It makes me full and I have trouble reaching 1870cal. I can definitely add more oils, avacado, nut butters, and treats
Do you use a food scale?
Also, you can add duck instead of red meat for a higher calorie option. They also have 93/7 ground turkey.
Lamb is a dense foods, especially if you did rack of lamb. And the major point about the food scale, when people aren't weighing their foods, they tend to under report calories by around 400. So while you think you are eating 1300 calories, it's possible it's realistically 1700.
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Ja_ja_jakeya wrote: »Hmmm.
Are you losing weight?
How far under are you going? If it's just a bit under, I personally wouldn't worry. I have my days when I don't totally reach it to the top either. Other days, I might go 50 or so cals over. It balances out.
How do you feel? Do you have energy?
What do you have your activity level set at and what types of activity do you do?
I've lost 1.4lbs in 12 days (at my last weigh in) and it's usually a good bit under my goal. In usually hitting around 1200-1400 while my goal is 1870. I have plenty of energy when I'm eating the right foods and I feel great! I most do dance based workouts.
I wouldn't worry about because you're actually cutting about 2600 calories a week (roughly) to achieve that rate of loss
As you get closer to goal you will have to tighten up on logging but you are definitely eating more than you can think0
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