Way under calories, but full, should I still increase calorie intake?

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livinfluffy
livinfluffy Posts: 30 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been working with a nutrition coach on a meal plan and I have been following it very closely. I eat 6 servings of veggies a day, three lean proteins and two supplement/protein shakes daily and two fruits. Amazingly it fills me up and I am not really wanting more ( and finally the sugar cravings are subsiding). My question is that MFP is telling me that I am not eating enough calories and won't post that I am done for the day or my expected weight loss. Should I eat more even though I am not hungry or add in healthy fats? I need to lose weight, but I am more interested in healthy over weight right now. Any suggestions? I plan to bring this up to the nutrition coach also.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited January 2016
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    If MFP won't post it, that means you are eating below a safe calorie level. Doing that once in awhile is fine but it should be rare/seldom, not done on a daily basis. Are you logging your food accurately? That means weighing solids, measuring liquids, and logging your food based on verifiable nutrition information (e.g., info that matches food labels, USDA info, etc.) If you are logging accurately, meaning that you actually are eating less than is safe on a regular basis then yes, you need to eat more.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I would add in fats. These are essential for vitamin absorption and other bodily functions. Nut, nut butters, olive oil, avocado: small portion sizes for big calories. Low fat diets are very old fashioned.

    Your body needs fuel.
  • kasperwasper2016
    kasperwasper2016 Posts: 10 Member
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    Are you short?

    I've noticed that MFP calculations don't really accommodate the height impaired. Makes you feel like you're an eating disorder waiting to happen if you go below the same number of calories it recommends for someone a few inches taller than you. :(

  • livinfluffy
    livinfluffy Posts: 30 Member
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    I am very short! Only 5'2" .This week I can add in healthy fats, but haven't really done so. I think that fats should bring me up in calories. The first week was a detox week to try to heal my stomach and intestines. I have chronic nausea and so far the new eating has really helped. Only 1 zofran a day!! Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it.
  • mgodfrey0202
    mgodfrey0202 Posts: 35 Member
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    5' 2" is not very short! I'm 5' 3". Lol. That happens to me when I eat 800 cals or lower I think. That rarely happens but it does when I sleep through pretty much the entire day due to some health reasons. Obviously I don't need to eat when I sleep. Haha.

    I'd recommend you to figure out your BMR (basic metabolic level) either by using the calculator on MFP website or with any tool that may be available through your nutrition coach. Although my "target" caloric intake is around 1200 to lose weight, I normally aim for minimum of my BMR (1400-ish) and try to "exercise off" the remaining. It's good way to keep my ars moving. ;)

    Depending on your reserve (body fat), you may be able to sustain such diet for a bit longer. However, it should only be temporary if at all. Like TeaBea mentioned, fat is an essential macro nutrient. Make sure you are still consuming a good quality fat (preferably from plant sources). For a life style change, I find it more helpful to change my relationship with food than to change "diets".

    Good luck with your journey and congratulations on your progress on your health!
  • pumpkinRIP02
    pumpkinRIP02 Posts: 131 Member
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    livinfluffy wrote: »
    I am very short! Only 5'2" .This week I can add in healthy fats, but haven't really done so. I think that fats should bring me up in calories. The first week was a detox week to try to heal my stomach and intestines. I have chronic nausea and so far the new eating has really helped. Only 1 zofran a day!! Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it.

    I am 5 feet 7 inches tall.
    So if you are short than I am too.
    Anyway, try eating 5 fruits and veggies a day, whole grain cereals, nuts, and healthy low sugar/no corn syrup foods..... If you can find them.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2016
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    If you really want to know how much you are eating or how many calories there are in everything you eat during the day, you have to WEIGH all your food. Measure out the things that are not weighed accurately.

    And include the stuff you cook with like butter, olive oil you cook with, and if you add creamer to tea or coffee, condiments all have calories. I personally a while back was over eating because I did not log the small things like cooking with a tablespoon oil, etc.. or the ketchup I added to something, or the honey mustard, etc.. When a short person is on a deficit like mine, 75 - 100 - 150 calories a day is huge.

    Otherwise, you can guestimate, a make sure you are truly eating under. It is ok every now and then.. but personally if I go low on one day, I usually add something the next day to have a rounded number at the end of the week so my calories add up weekly.

    I wish going low was a problem for me... LOL

  • mlboyer100
    mlboyer100 Posts: 103 Member
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    What do you call a serving size for veggies and protein? I eat 2 cups of veggies at dinner and 1-2 for lunch or in my shake. My protein is usually 150g+. I have been posting my daily food intake on Facebook with its nutrition values. Here's what I posted for today: Woke up hungry and ate all day, but still kept within my meal plan! Totals: 1570 calories, 130 carbs, 31 fat, 196 protein, 16 fiber, 48 sugar. Macros right on point! 50% protein, 17% fat, 33% carbs! Gosh, I love my healthy eating plan! Also burned off 553 calories gardening, mulching, shoveling compost, etc! I earned these yummy calories! If you want to follow my posts, friend me, Marsha Weaver Boyer, or PM me.
  • livinfluffy
    livinfluffy Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I have been weighing all of my proteins. 3-4 ounces for a serving and a cup of veggies is a serving size unless it is noted on my list of allowable foods. I starting stirfrying my veggies instead of always steamng them and the olive oil has added some calories so I should be good now. I have found the cutting of sugar and corn syrup to be the hardest. I am amazed at how many things it is in. It took me forever to find a speghetti sauce with no sugar added! I also am not eating grains right now and will reintroduce them later to see which ones were affecting my stomach, besides wheat. Overeating has always been my problem and I am amzed at how much I was eating now that I am weighing and measuring everything! It was nothing to go over 2500 calories in the past. Good luck to everyone and thanks for the help.
  • pumpkinRIP02
    pumpkinRIP02 Posts: 131 Member
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    I wish there was Private Messaging here so I could send you images of some Suger free and No Corn Syrup things that I found in my stores.
    That way made you could find them in your stores too.

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