Getting enough calories
GlindaGoodwitch
Posts: 157 Member
Can someone explain the "eat more calories, and lose more weight"?
According to MFP, I am not eating enough calories most days. I don't disagree, but I'm not hungry either, and I had been focusing on WHAT goes into my body, more so than "how much". Am I stalling my weightloss, but not eating enough?
(Please just a simple explanation, not a judgement - I'm trying to find what works for me!)
According to MFP, I am not eating enough calories most days. I don't disagree, but I'm not hungry either, and I had been focusing on WHAT goes into my body, more so than "how much". Am I stalling my weightloss, but not eating enough?
(Please just a simple explanation, not a judgement - I'm trying to find what works for me!)
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Replies
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If you don't eat enough calories, you do not fuel your machine (body), malnourished bodies don't tend to succeed at doing very much. The better you eat, the better you feel the more you do. It's not really about "more", but rather "better", and when you eat "better" calories (ie: real food, low in sugar) you can still lose weight while eating more calories.
You will always lose weight on a deficit alone, you will lose FAT when you eat correctly.
EX: when I ate poorly (prepared foods, restaurants, bread, grains etc) I would lose on 1200-1300 calories- which is at a deficit, now that I have made huge improvements in my eating habits (over years) I can eat 1800 calories and still lose fat at the same rate. More food is better.
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Not stalling weight loss - but if you're eating too low, you may not be getting the nutrients your body needs. What is your goal, and what are you averaging for intake?
If you need to increase calories in: where you've changed to fat free options, use 2% or full fat. Cook with olive oil. Eat nuts or peanut butter. Have avocado on your sandwich/salad. Eat some fruit.0 -
When I could not achieve 1200 a day I started to get a little wobbly. The body will power what it needs and if that is from muscle, the muscle will be sacrificed. You could be sacrificing your hair and your nails too. It took a while for my nails to stop chipping for instance.
Eat to your minimum at least.0 -
Glinda,
Your body is an AMAZING and automated machine. The problem with many "diets" is that prolonged caloric deficit can cause your body to go into "conservation mode" in order to maximize the use of available resources. Basically, your metabolism slows, your energy levels go down, fat storage becomes a priority, etc. as your body doesn't know that you are doing this on purpose and it is trying to keep you alive with what you are giving it. The trick, then, is to create a caloric deficit while keeping your body from going into "conservation mode." This is why occasionally upping the calories while keeping them low the rest of the time can keep you in the weight loss sweet spot (pun intended.)
There are a lot of resources out there on this subject. One approach (that I used personally) is called the Slow-Carb Diet. As with any diet there are pros and cons. Do your research and pick one that fits your needs. Just remember...your body is a machine programmed to keep you alive, work with it and not against it and your results will be nothing short of fantastic!0 -
Thank you all for the insight!
I certainly did a drastic (needed) change in diet, but my average day looks something like this (It's pretty routine during the work week):
Breakfast: 2 eggs
Snack: Apple or Orange
Lunch: Grilled Chicken (3-4 oz) on a garden salad
Snack: Greek yogurt
Dinner: Either fish, or Chicken, with steamed veggies
I run aprx 30 minutes, ever other day (Couch to 5K training).
Weekends vary a little but are basically the same types of food - I usually have a bigger lunch because I have access to more veggies and the bbq or oven etc. but really it's more of the same.
I feel full, so I don't eat more. This has curbed previous bad habits of reaching for a bowl of cereal, muffins, cookies etc.
What can I do to increase the calories, while staying within this style of eating? I'm thinking of adding in Oatmeal for breakfast, and almonds during the day - something like that? I'm really enjoying my healthy lifestyle...0 -
I'm looking back at my diary, and the only time I came close to my measly 1200 calories, was when I included rice.0
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Sounds healthy to me, and like a yummy diet.
Maybe cook the eggs in some (real) butter, or some oil? Throw a handful of nuts or avocado on your salad. Have some red meat once in a while, it tends to be higher in calories than chicken. have a serving of a nut butter with your apple. 0 -
If you're looking to add in calories but still maintain the same type of meals...try adding in some nuts with your fruit in the am or add in nuts/seeds to your salad or cheese. You could always add full-fat salad dressing as well. Afternoon snack...try mixing in granola or something like that to add calories. Dinner...looks tasty to me but maybe add some olive oil and grill the veggies or roast them with olive oil for something different and a few extra calories.0
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you should think about adding more fat! Add avocado, nuts/seeds, full fat Greek yogurt. Also you should work on increasing your intake overall, your diet makes me hungry just looking at it.
My days are something like this... along with clear tea, black coffee and loads of water.
Breakfast
2-3 eggs scrambled with vegetables topped with cheese and avocado OR Protein waffles with nut butter and maple and sausage.
Lunch
6oz chicken/beef/pork/fish, with several cups of mixed greens/vegetables
1 serving of fruit
1-2 oz nuts and seeds
1-2oz cheese
Dinner is some combination of 6-8oz meat and vegetables prepared with coconut oil or butter
And when needed i will have a scoop of whey protein powder mixed with water
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GlindaGoodwitch wrote: »Thank you all for the insight!
I certainly did a drastic (needed) change in diet, but my average day looks something like this (It's pretty routine during the work week):
Breakfast: 2 eggs
Snack: Apple or Orange
Lunch: Grilled Chicken (3-4 oz) on a garden salad
Snack: Greek yogurt
Dinner: Either fish, or Chicken, with steamed veggies
I run aprx 30 minutes, ever other day (Couch to 5K training).
Weekends vary a little but are basically the same types of food - I usually have a bigger lunch because I have access to more veggies and the bbq or oven etc. but really it's more of the same.
I feel full, so I don't eat more. This has curbed previous bad habits of reaching for a bowl of cereal, muffins, cookies etc.
What can I do to increase the calories, while staying within this style of eating? I'm thinking of adding in Oatmeal for breakfast, and almonds during the day - something like that? I'm really enjoying my healthy lifestyle...
Like what others have said, try adding some nuts and other healthy fats. I really like peanut butter and 2 2tbsp of Jif is 190 calories. Easy addition right there. I pretty much eat like you, just in larger portions and just a little more snacking. Every morning I have eggs too, but instead of 2, I have at least 4 (omelet or scrambled) and add sliced turkey and sometimes cheese. And for dinner, I usually eat at least 8 ounces of either chicken or fish, having whichever I didn't eat the next night.0 -
I agree that the body works best when fueled. If you aren't low carbing, maybe add an english muffin or piece of toast with your eggs at breakfast or some bacon. You definitely want to get enough fat. Especially if you are eating higher amounts of protien. Fat keeps things moving if you know what I mean.
Anyway, nuts are great. I like full fat greek yogurt with a tsp of honey. Throw some fruit in there. Apples are great and contain a ton of fiber. You could also add some legumes or beans to your dinners. Good fiber and protein.
If all else fails. Eat some chocolate. I had several hershey kisses yesterday and they were delicious.0 -
I lost my hair when I didn't eat enough
You will lose weight eating so few calories but your body will sacrifice muscle in order to preserve its precious fat stores. Make sure you are getting your protein and doing some resistant weight training (body weight resistance is fine...no need for weights or machines) 0 -
As others have said, calorie dense foods can be your best friend when you're trying to eat more. These are foods that pack a lot of calories into just a small amount, so they boost your calories quickly without putting a lot of extra food in your stomach.
This is a generic list and it's definitely not comprehensive, but anything here can be included in a balanced diet (as long as there are no allergies, medical conditions, obviously):
avocado
cheese
full fat dairy
Greek yogurt
ice cream
peanut butter (or other nut butters)
dark chocolate
less lean cuts of meat (including beef, pork, sausage, etc.)
seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, etc.)
nuts
olive oil
coconut oil
butter
beans and lentils
protein shakes, bars, and smoothies
hummus
beef jerky
cornbread
tuna
full calorie condiments
full calorie sauces & dressings
sour cream
guacamole
whole grain pasta
rice
bacon
whole eggs
quinoa
fruit and fruit juices
pretzels
bananas
scones
muffins (bran, blueberry, banana nut, etc.)
potatoes (sweet, red, gold, purple, white, etc.)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, plums, dates, etc.)
granola
coconut
salmon
edamame
olives
honey
molasses0 -
iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ this may help you figure out what's missing from your diet, I suggest about 50-40g carbs, 25-30g protein, 25-30g fat but you need to find out what works for you!0
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kamakazeekim wrote: »I lost my hair when I didn't eat enough You will lose weight eating so few calories but your body will sacrifice muscle in order to preserve its precious fat stores. Make sure you are getting your protein and doing some resistant weight training (body weight resistance is fine...no need for weights or machines)
Ya see I'm totally not ok with that. I will eat more - no hair loss please! I'm starting to work Pilates into my routine for off days - I'll look into resistance training too.
I can definitely add in an extra egg, and more nuts - I can add it to my salads... I'm trying to get the right balance.0 -
Have some fruit and/or toast with the eggs.
Have some peanut butter on the apple, or combine the fruit snack with a little cheese or nuts.
Slightly larger portion of chicken w/ the salad.
Add fruit to the afternoon snack.
Have some rice with the dinner, or a starchy side like sweet potato, baked potato. Carbs are not evil.
Aim for 5+ fruit/veggies per day. Counting the salad as 1 that is...GlindaGoodwitch wrote: »
Breakfast: 2 eggs
Snack: Apple or Orange
Lunch: Grilled Chicken (3-4 oz) on a garden salad
Snack: Greek yogurt
Dinner: Either fish, or Chicken, with steamed veggies
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Have some rice with the dinner, or a starchy side like sweet potato, baked potato. Carbs are not evil.
Aim for 5+ fruit/veggies per day. Counting the salad as 1 that is...
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My hips would disagree - but then that was carbs without moderation
Thank you for all the ideas!
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Thank you @diannethegeek for the list!0
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I like carbs too... There is no bad bread! But have learned food in reasonable portions, and living an active life were my 'key' to weight loss and now maintenance.
Getting a reasonable amount of nutrition will help your running program by the way. 0 -
StaciMarie1974 wrote: »I like carbs too... There is no bad bread! But have learned food in reasonable portions, and living an active life were my 'key' to weight loss and now maintenance.
Getting a reasonable amount of nutrition will help your running program by the way.
I can't wait til I'm at a maintenance level. I'm working hard to get there. I know no one food is evil as long as it's in moderation - I would just like to find a nice healthy balance to get me to the "goal" - and then a reasonable maintenance plan. I'm not looking to be a super model. More a super-mom: healthy habits, healthy lifestyle, healthy family. And my pre baby jeans please 0 -
Cap the night off with some ice cream and voila, you are there! 0
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GlindaGoodwitch wrote: »Can someone explain the "eat more calories, and lose more weight"?
According to MFP, I am not eating enough calories most days. I don't disagree, but I'm not hungry either, and I had been focusing on WHAT goes into my body, more so than "how much". Am I stalling my weightloss, but not eating enough?
(Please just a simple explanation, not a judgement - I'm trying to find what works for me!)
I eat 1800 calories a day and lose 1/2lb a week...that's what that means.
You are essentially starving yourself, your body will react in a negative fashion if you continue.
Not just hair loss either...muscle loss, and remember your heart is a muscle, thinning nails and later on in life if you continue this type of thing brittle bones.
Hunger is not a good indicator of what your body needs...as mentioned our bodies are wonderful machines and if it's being deprived of food it turns off the hunger signals to prevent us from going insane...so think about that...you aren't hungry because you are not eating enough and your body already sees that and it's changing itself to adapt.
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I have the same issue with having a tough time meeting my caloric goals, at least when I'm not eating out at a restaurant ( I have the opposite problem there.. lol) I recently signed up with a personal trainer who gave me personalized macros, as well as weekly workouts. The calories and protein were much higher than what I was doing before, but the carbs were a little lower. On the first day I thought I ate really well, lots of good protein throughout the day, lots of veggies - I even made a delicious homemade burger with a lettuce wrap, I wasn't hungry at all. But at the end of the day i was under 1000 calories! I ended up eating some nuts just to reach 1200 cals. My trainer told me to add some avocado to the burger, some cheese, maybe some turkey bacon. Add a hard boiled egg as a snack etc. My friend has been with the trainer since the beginning of the year and she has lost 40lbs and looks great, so I know it works, but it's hard to get used to eating more!0
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@vilepixie - The add-ins your trainer is suggesting make a lot of sense. That's exactly what I was thinking too. I've booked an appointment with my family doctor to request an referral with the nutritionist. I'm hoping they can give me a personalized diet plan too. I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my food!
@Hornsby - while I"m not opposed to ice cream to cap off my evening, my calorie count right now sucks, and I'd have to eat half the tub to round things out. That cannot be healthy ... I'd do it for chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream though.. 
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@GlindaGoodwitch Ask for a dietitian, they are generally better educated then nutritionists (which are far less regulated and don't have a governing body over seeing them)0
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@melanieliving Good advice. Thank you!0
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Night time snack: cheddar cheese, apple slices, grapes and peanuts. (Or cashews, my fave, but they're a bit pricey.) Some or all as calories allow. I'm not into wine but cheese & fruit go well together!0
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As others have mentioned too much of a calorie deficit is actually detrimental in healthy fat (weight) loss. I read recently that every pound of fat in your body can supply 22 calories per day. Thus is if you know around what your body fat percent is and are good at math you can figure out the maximum deficit your body can sustain.
(Picking easy numbers to work with) if for example someone was 200lb and 20% body fat then they have 40 pounds of fat (and 160 lean body mass). 40x22cal is 880 cal per day. Any larger of a deficit and you will not see increased fat loss results (though you will/can lose muscle). If someone else was also 200 pounds but 30% body fat they would have 60 pounds of fat. 60x22=1,320 max calorie deficit per day.
I certainly found this to be true when I was eating too little and still not losing weight. I ended up having to increase my daily cal amount to lose weight.0
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