Question about Calories

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danmarbar
danmarbar Posts: 26 Member
in Getting Started
I started on this app last Saturday and it says I should only be eating 1350 calories a day. I normally eat once a day at my work, getting a foot long sub with double meat, double cheese, no veggies and most of the time a super high calorie drink (400+) and 2 slices of a 270 calorie cheesecake. I drank coffee with extra cream and sugar from sun up to sun down, nothing else. While I realize this was excessive and did gain weight, since I changed my routine I am constantly hungry, I feel like I can't eat enough. I am eating smaller amounts and more frequent intervals and still am starving. Will this feeling ever go away or should I be worried that this app is not allowing me enough calories. Also, I should say that I work on my feet for 9 hours a day constantly moving so I put that I was lightly active when I joined since I didn't do anything else. I have started walking daily now though, should I change something to accommodate that?

~Sincerly, Starving

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited December 2015
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    If you are on your feet 9 hours a day, constantly moving, you are more than lightly active.

    How many pounds per week did you tell MFP that you want to lose? My first suggestion would be to eat more, which would mean reducing your pound per week goal. My second suggestion would be to look at what you're eating to see if there are more filling foods. In general, protein seems to be more filling than carbs for many people. Some people also find that fat helps them feel full and/or satisfied longer.

    How tall are you and what is your starting weight? You may need to get used to feeling hungry from time to time but it shouldn't be constant.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Change your weight loss goal from 2 pounds per week to .5 pounds per week. That will give you more calories and sustain you.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    If you are on your feet 9 hours a day, constantly moving, you are more than lightly active.

    This. The activity setting isn't about exercise, but other stuff (like work). You are also meant to eat back exercise calories. I'd change it to active or even very active, with that plus the walking (I tend to include walking in my daily activity rather than logging it as exercise -- either is fine). Then see what the calories are.

    If you are going for 2 lb/week, you also might want to change to 1 lb. You can always lower it later if you want.

    I think that will help -- your calories sound too low for your activity -- but also it is common to adjust to a change in eating that at first feels unsatisfying. You may also want to experiment with increasing protein or different eating times, as those are things that affect satiety.
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
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    Your old diet sounds pretty bad. It will take time to get used to something better.

    Suggestions:
    1. Log your old diet so that you know how many calories you were actually consuming.
    2. Perhaps buy a pedometer so that you know how many calories you are burning at work. Under $30
    3. Expect to eat a lot less cheesecake, and a lot less cream.
    4. Increase your vegetables! They are healthy and low calorie, and will put bulk in your stomach to ward off hunger
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Drink lots H20 and eat healthy snacks. STOP dwelling on your hungry. You won't die if you feel hungry.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    Increase your veg. Try steel cut oats in the morning. Boiled eggs for a snack. 0% greek yogurt. Filling and yummy.
  • danmarbar
    danmarbar Posts: 26 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I can not seem to find out where to change my settings now though. :(
  • CountessKitteh
    CountessKitteh Posts: 1,505 Member
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    danmarbar wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I can not seem to find out where to change my settings now though. :(

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/settings

    Very top of the screen towards the right, next to messages/friend requests.
  • danmarbar
    danmarbar Posts: 26 Member
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    CountessKitteh wrote: »
    danmarbar wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I can not seem to find out where to change my settings now though. :(

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/settings

    Very top of the screen towards the right, next to messages/friend requests.


    Thank you, I adjusted in to active and got 300 calories more a day which is about what I was going over! :)

    I did not adjust it for walking since it is a new thing and man after two days I am having to take a break. My legs are hurting (but in a great way) but I am getting winded easily, no doubt a result of not exercising for years due to holes in my heart. So I think I am going to walk two days, rest one for the time being and when I feel like I am doing that OK I plan on uping to maybe twice a day and resting every third.
  • danmarbar
    danmarbar Posts: 26 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    If you are on your feet 9 hours a day, constantly moving, you are more than lightly active.

    How many pounds per week did you tell MFP that you want to lose? My first suggestion would be to eat more, which would mean reducing your pound per week goal. My second suggestion would be to look at what you're eating to see if there are more filling foods. In general, protein seems to be more filling than carbs for many people. Some people also find that fat helps them feel full and/or satisfied longer.

    How tall are you and what is your starting weight? You may need to get used to feeling hungry from time to time but it shouldn't be constant.



    I am 5'2" and 175lbs. I opted for a middle rate of 1.5lb a week weight loss. I have been trying to stay away from fatty foods and have been eating a protein bar once a day mid-shift at work since they seem to hold me over longer, also oatmeal seems to hold me over.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,014 Member
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    That extra 300 calories from making your activity level more realistic has helped - you could also adjust loss rate to 1lb per week.
    Doing this plus learning new foods which are more filling and your body adjusting to not needing to feel full all the time ( I don't mean ravenously hungry but low level peckish, if you like) will all help you find a way to make this successful over the long term.
  • danmarbar
    danmarbar Posts: 26 Member
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    ericGold15 wrote: »
    Your old diet sounds pretty bad. It will take time to get used to something better.

    Suggestions:
    1. Log your old diet so that you know how many calories you were actually consuming.
    2. Perhaps buy a pedometer so that you know how many calories you are burning at work. Under $30
    3. Expect to eat a lot less cheesecake, and a lot less cream.
    4. Increase your vegetables! They are healthy and low calorie, and will put bulk in your stomach to ward off hunger


    I bought a pedometer and am averaging 11k a day.

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