Fitness pal keeps telling me I'm not eating enough

AlissaRaeSsS · June 2015

If I feel full do I really need to eat more? If I'm just about 240 calories under?

Justthisgirl1994 · June 2015

If I don't feel hungry, but have met my fat and protein goals for the day, then I won't bother eating more. I figure that I'll probably go out sometime that week and could use those calories then. Idk if that's bad or good, but it works for me.

missiontofitness · June 2015

I'm guessing you're set to 1,200/day, and are logging under 1,100 calories per day. MFP doesn't give you that message unless you are logging less than 1,100 per day.

Your deficit is already built in to your calorie goal. There is no need to eat under it.

RodaRose · June 2015

Here is a list of calorie dense foods that will get you to 1200 and above:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods#latest

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
molasses

Yari1977 · October 2015

Not eating enough, I'm having the same quantity as before but now I'm watching the calorie intake. At the end of the day I'm under the calorie goal by a good amount and I'm just not hungry, what can I do?

fiddletime · October 2015

I've had that happen to me also. Once I see the pattern I make sure to bring a banana or orange or other snack to work. I'm seldom hungry but food is life so I eat the good stuff, but do it so I can space it out during the day. I also keep microwaveable popcorn at home and if I'm a couple hundred under after dinner (I'm also at 1200), I'll eat popcorn later and it has the calories on the bag. I get tired and have low energy if I'm under for more than a few days.

concordancia · October 2015

This often happens when people are choosing diet versions of foods. Your diary is closed, but I recently saw one where the person complaining about not eating enough calories was eating egg whites, no oil. Just have the whole egg!

Leslierussell4134 · October 2015

In all honesty, I don't eat of I'm not hungry. It happens sometimes and the days that you are, you can eat a bit more. I think one of the reasons I had a problem with my weight growing up was because my mom made me eat everything on my plate. I'll never do that to my kids, they just won't eat dessert before they've eaten enough nutrient dense foods. I'm 28 years old, 5'1 and don't seem to lose weight unless I'm consistently between 1000 and 1300 calories, that might seem like nothing to some, but my doc said that's just the way many people's bodies are designed.

middlehaitch · October 2015

If it is an occasional event try eating to your weekly goal rather than your daily goal. This means some days you are over your 1200, some under but it all adds up at the end of the week.

If you are consistently eating under your goal please try to include more calorie dense foods, listed above.

Please remember to eat back 50-75% of your MFP exercise calories. You really need these to fuel your burn.

Cheers, h.

Confuzzled4ever · October 2015

Happens to me a lot... I can't eat if I'm not hungry. I'm pretty under today actually. But I have issues... Don't under eat. I ended up in the ER because if it. But its still a struggle for me.

kuroshii · October 2015

missiontofitness wrote: »

I'm guessing you're set to 1,200/day, and are logging under 1,100 calories per day. MFP doesn't give you that message unless you are logging less than 1,100 per day.

Your deficit is already built in to your calorie goal. There is no need to eat under it.

Not necessarily! MFP usually tells me to eat ~1510, and it will tell me I'm under my goal (not eating enough) if I'm ANYthing under at the moment I hit that "complete diary for the day" button.

To answer the OP, if not eating those calories puts you under 1200 (which isn't healthy) then look at your Nutrition tab and try to find something small that fits what you're low in. It might help to keep a stash of fitness bars that usually top out around 200cal for this purpose. If not eating those calories means you're at 1500 instead of 1700 (or whatever MFP is giving you, depending how active you are) then it's totally up to you. Personally, I eat if I'm hungry and don't eat if I'm not because there will be days when I go 50 or 100 *over* and it will even out over the course of the week.

TeaBea · October 2015

Yari1977 wrote: »

Not eating enough, I'm having the same quantity as before but now I'm watching the calorie intake. At the end of the day I'm under the calorie goal by a good amount and I'm just not hungry, what can I do?

See calorie dense food list above^

Meeting protein and fat goals are important for basic bodily function. Yes, you are storing fat but your body will not use fat stores for everything. Your body will also burn existing lean muscle mass.

To reduce muscle loss - you need to eat enough.

SingRunTing · October 2015

I personally never have to be hungry to eat some ice cream.

It's important to be eating enough calories. Try to hit or go over your macro goals for protein and fat and fill the rest with carbs.

Fitness pal keeps telling me I'm not eating enough

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