Is my current intake too low?

tdot64
tdot64 Posts: 19
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
Hi!
I am trying to just maintain my weight right now so my calories were actually calculated quite high (1700). I exercise daily and am finding it difficult to have a calorie deficit of less than 800. I've opened up my diary so you can see, I'd say today is a pretty accurate representation of what I eat. Do you think my current diet is detrimental or is my number of calories just calculated to be be too high?
Thanks :)

Replies

  • lhurtubise
    lhurtubise Posts: 693 Member
    If you are trying to maintain 1700 sounds about right . You need to eat your excercise calories back also. If you are looking for something healthy but high in calories nuts are a great option. Good luck in your journey.
  • pauljsolie
    pauljsolie Posts: 1,024 Member
    Depends on your current weight, amount you want to lose/gain/remain per week, and your activity level. You're numbers look about what mine are. However I'm 279 pounds, male and fairly active. Without knowing your weight and activity, nobody can really tell but you.
  • lhurtubise
    lhurtubise Posts: 693 Member
    Depends on your current weight, amount you want to lose/gain/remain per week, and your activity level. You're numbers look about what mine are. However I'm 279 pounds, male and fairly active. Without knowing your weight and activity, nobody can really tell but you.

    But since the goal is to maintain the calories recommended by MFP should be about right ... right?
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    If you gain weight its too high and if you still lose then might still be too low. Adjust as necessary and Congrats on being at Maintenance!
  • SheilaSisco
    SheilaSisco Posts: 722 Member
    It's definitely detrimental. For one, Nobody should eat less than 1200 NET calories a day. It isn't healthy. Today your net looks like it was around 500, which is not good. 1700 for maintain should be right. It's under national average (2,000 cal/day diet that's listed on nutrition info on foods). If you're trying to MAINTAIN, you need to get your calories remaining as CLOSE to ZERO as possible, otherwise, you're still at a deficit and will either lose, or go into starvation mode and start storing fat. Hope that helps.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    The calories suggested should be pretty close to what you need to maintain your weight, but as other stated you need to eat the calories you exercise off. To get your calories up I would suggest first of all ditch the low fat stuff, and eat a couple of whole eggs with your egg whites. Also add some almonds and more lean protein. Right now you are eating at a calorie deficit and that will result in weight loss.
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    I think you are eating too few calories. Even if you were trying to lose instead of maintain you are eating too low. You should at least be netting 1200 calories. You aren't even netting 1200 calories before exercise. I don't think you should go all hog wild, but adding some good for you fats like almonds and advocado would help you eat more calories and healthy fats too.

    Congrats on being at goal and working on maintaining. Best wishes to you .
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    Bump up your portion sizes a little - 1/10 of a cup of couscous? (could you see it? :laugh: ) 1/4 cup of sweet potato? 1/4 tsp of olive oil (how did you even measure that?! :tongue: ) Don't be afraid to eat!

    Get REAL peanut butter, use REAL stuff - ditch the low fat, low calorie items. Eat nuts, avocado, etc. (healthy but high calorie foods).

    Here's why 1700 calories sounds right. When MFP gives you 1200 calories (to lose 1 lb per week) - it's giving you a built in defecit of 500 calories per day. When you're trying to maintain, they are giving you those calories back - so 1200 + 500 = 1700. You may have to play with it a bit - just keep really good records to you can figure out what works for you. If you gain on 1700 calories, subtract 100. Make sure to eat ALL your exercise calories back so you know EXACTLY what is going in and out.
  • tdot64
    tdot64 Posts: 19
    i thought that i wasn't supposed to ACTUALLY eat all 1700 calories... i thought i was supposed to stay well under that because i figured that was my max allowance or something :ohwell:
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