I don't think I'm eating enough... uncomfortable topic.
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MaitreyeeMAYHEM
Posts: 559 Member
I wake up every day around 2 AM hungry and I can’t go back to bed after a few hours. I usually wake up and eat a yogurt. I hate this because it ruins my whole day, I have a hard time focusing and staying awake at work when we have meetings and sitting at a desk all day. I eat everyday, 3 meals a day. I’m supposed to eat 1200 calories and I usually have about 500-600 remaining. It’s so hard to get enough calories in without going over in fats, sugars, vitamins, sodium, etc. I use this website as a tool to make sure I’m eating in general, monitor my calories and to eat healthier. I have a history of an eating disorder and I don’t wanna relapse because I have done that too many times. I wanna learn how to get the same results but in a healthier way. I know how that not eating works, I can easily look the way I want within one week and be satisfied but that is not the best way to do things. I have a fast metabolism but with my ED history, my body also knows how to store large amounts of food. I’m afraid that not getting enough calories will make my body store food instead of keeping a steady metabolism. Any advice, support or helpful motivation tips?
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bump. I"ll reply later... gotta think...0
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Hi, I'm glad to see you are really trying to be/stay healthy. I wish I had some advice for you, but I am also struggling to eat enough during each day. Today, I planned out all my meals in advance and ate what I had planned. That helped me be sure I was getting adequate nutrition and calories. This doesn't work for me every day, and there are still days where I can get by on 400 calories and feel good. I want to stop those 400 cal days and continue with eating healthy. It is tough for me, but I figured I'd share just so you know that there are others who are struggling in almost the same way you are.
Cheers to health!0 -
Have a high protein snack before you go to bed. I'm thinking a combo of nuts, cheese and maybe a glass of milk or something. These things are high in cals, so it will help you with that, they contain alot of protein and healthy fats, which will keep you feeling fuller longer (so you shouldn't wake up hungry). A half cup of walnuts and 2-3 oz of cheese (which is sadly not that much, if you need more cals have more
) contains 400ish calories. Add a glass of milk and you're somewhere around 450-500. Add some crackers to your cheese and you're at 600. Just some ideas... 0 -
Read up on a pescatarian diet and the paleo diet. Both are high in fruits and veggies, with lean meats. If you follow that, you an easily consume 1100 calories a day, get the nutrients your body needs, maintain in a healthy weight, and not be so hungry you're falling asleep.0
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somebody with a history(especially recent) of an eating disorder should probably not be on this site at all. That would be like an alcoholic going to a bar to have one drink and expect that they will be fine with one. You cannot diet "just a little", and I feel that someone in your situation, who has a history of an eating disorder and is thin anyway, does not need to be on here counting calories, carbs, sugars, etc. I am a recovering heroin addict, so I understand the inability to do something "just a little". You are not getting enough calories and that is why you are hungry. If you experience genuine feelings of hunger, that means your body needs food. I advise you to seek therapy and delete you MFP account.0
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If you are only eating 600-700 calories a day, you are definitely not eating enough, and your body isn't working right - it doesn't have the fuel to stay awake/alert during the day, and you ARE hungry so you are waking up in the middle of the night. Try working on adding more calories spread throughout the day - add 100 calories to each meal, and add a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack of about 150 calories each. Doing it this way shouldn't make you overly full at any one time. Make sure the additional calories come from healthy, natural sources - a mix of fruits, veggies, and lean proteins, nuts and seeds, protein granola bars, almond or soy milk,etc... and then don't worry about the micro stuff so much because the calories are coming from natural, healthy sources - just make sure you don't add all protein, or all high-fat foods, and you should be fine, it will balance out. Just make sure the calories you add don't come from processed or fast foods and you'll be fine and your body will appreciate you feeding it right 0
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Thanks for the help, I'm up for all the suggestions I can get. For a long time I could not talk about my ED but now I am more open about it. The only way to fully recover is to help myself and to get help from others. I want to make this a permanent change so I really could use the supportive advice.0
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For most people trying to deal with ED issues, it's best not to focus too much on the details. Meaning, don't worry too much about fat, sodium, sugar, etc for right now. Work on getting to your cal goal with reasonably healthy foods. You may want to remove/replace some of the tracked micros/macros for now, so that you aren't distracted by them. Maybe just track cals, protein, carbs, calcium, fiber.
Once you've gotten into the habit of eating enough, then you can advance to paying more attention to the other stuff. But getting in the cals is the most important part for now.
Eat what you know is healthy - lean protein, whole grains, good fats (natural oils, nuts), lots of fruits and veggies.
I've been there, and it's a hard road. But it really does get better. :flowerforyou:0 -
You are right... eating only 600-700 calories a day is not enough.
You noted you are afraid of going OVER on certain things. Vitamins - your body will dump what it does not need, excess vitamins are not going to make you overweight - no worries here.
Sodium- so you might retain a little water maybe a few pounds of water - water does NOT make you fat.
Fat - Ok, so eating too much fat, MIGHT make you fat, but you would have to eat LOTS of it. Going over a few grams here and there will not make you fat if you are staying in within your calories. Besides, your body NEEDS fat to lubricate your joints and keep your tissues healthy. Fat is good. Eat healthy fats.
If you eat a healthy, clean, and balanced diet, it's not too hard to stay within reasonable limits. Note, I said reasonable. I don't know what your macros are set as, but I personally like 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.
If it is the fear of going over on certain things - why not talk to a nutritionist about your dilemma. He/she could help you come up with healthy meals/snacks that would fit your needs and would help hold you accountable.
Don't worry so much about eating the PERFECT diet every single day. Your body is pretty smart and can adapt to small mistakes that you make. I almost alway go over on sodium and fat daily, but I'm still making progress at becoming a healthier me.
You need to fuel your body to keep your organs healthy and running. Don't be afraid of energy - your body NEEDS it. Further more, you can use this energy to lift weights and build muscle which help you be lean and STRONG. This will keep you fit and healthy as well.
Bottom line: Only you can help you - but I think intervention here might be a smart idea. Talk to a counselor and/or nutritionist so you can get on track.
Hope I haven't sounded harsh. I'm just a little concerned by your post and want to see you succeed. :flowerforyou:0 -
Hmm sounds tough. I would go for low carb foods because they are usually high in protein. The protein, fiber, and good fats will keep you full. You could do eggs, oatmeal, yogurt with almonds or fruit, or english muffin with peanut butter for breakfast. Salad, frozen meal (lean cuisine or healthy choice steamers), or tuna for lunch. Tacos, stir fry or seafood for dinner. I'm just throwing out some ideas..
I never had an eating disorder but when I was in highschool I didn't eat well at all. I would skip breakfast and lunch almost every day. Then, I would workout for 3 hours for school sports. I was so hungry when I got home that I would eat l2 bags of microwave popcorn and then dinner lol. It was crazy. I am hoping this time around I will weigh even less because I will be doing it the healthy way!
Best of luck to you!!! (:0 -
If you are only eating 600-700 calories a day, you are definitely not eating enough, and your body isn't working right - it doesn't have the fuel to stay awake/alert during the day, and you ARE hungry so you are waking up in the middle of the night. Try working on adding more calories spread throughout the day - add 100 calories to each meal, and add a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack of about 150 calories each. Doing it this way shouldn't make you overly full at any one time. Make sure the additional calories come from healthy, natural sources - a mix of fruits, veggies, and lean proteins, nuts and seeds, protein granola bars, almond or soy milk,etc... and then don't worry about the micro stuff so much because the calories are coming from natural, healthy sources - just make sure you don't add all protein, or all high-fat foods, and you should be fine, it will balance out. Just make sure the calories you add don't come from processed or fast foods and you'll be fine and your body will appreciate you feeding it right
Ensure drinks have a ton of protein in them. I went grocery shopping today, the hard thing is that my whole family eats healthy. Its hard to eat everything when you have to share. I have a whole jar of almonds in my room so I'll make sure to eat those throughout the day. I'm new to this site so I am trying to balance everything out. Before this, I was not waking up early or anything. I think that mentally looking at calories and watching what I eat is freaking me out. I need to train my mind that its ok to look at calories but I need to make sure I eat enough.0 -
I absolutely disagree with this statement! Someone recovering from an ED on MFP has found the perfect place to be! Lots of tools to help track foods, workouts, tons of support of all types.:flowerforyou:somebody with a history(especially recent) of an eating disorder should probably not be on this site at all. That would be like an alcoholic going to a bar to have one drink and expect that they will be fine with one. You cannot diet "just a little", and I feel that someone in your situation, who has a history of an eating disorder and is thin anyway, does not need to be on here counting calories, carbs, sugars, etc. I am a recovering heroin addict, so I understand the inability to do something "just a little". You are not getting enough calories and that is why you are hungry. If you experience genuine feelings of hunger, that means your body needs food. I advise you to seek therapy and delete you MFP account.
I would never say someone doesn't belong here...I don't feel any of us have a right to say that!:noway:
ETA: No one needs to diet at all, simply make healthier choices in life, we can all give up the 'diets' that have held us back from getting healthy & well.
I will agree that having someone in the professional realm in the wings if you don't already is always a great idea when working to make changes in life.
All the best to you!
LadyHawk's given you some great advice
:flowerforyou: 0 -
A couple of things I would recommend.
1. Eat a 300ish well-rounded (carbs and protein) calorie breakfast. Do this within 30 minutes of waking up. That should get your day started off right and help you stay awake at work.
2. It was already mentioned but eat a protein before you go to bed. Milk, yogurt, nuts are a good idea. I use a casein protein powder mixed with 8 oz of almond milk before bed. The casein is slow to digest, thus makes you feel full longer than the previously recommended items, and will hopefully curb the 2 AM cravings.
3. Try and mix in some small snacks throughout the day. This will help you come a little closer to your caloric recommendations and should also help with the tiredness.
Best of luck!0 -
You are right... eating only 600-700 calories a day is not enough.
You noted you are afraid of going OVER on certain things. Vitamins - your body will dump what it does not need, excess vitamins are not going to make you overweight - no worries here.
Sodium- so you might retain a little water maybe a few pounds of water - water does NOT make you fat.
Fat - Ok, so eating too much fat, MIGHT make you fat, but you would have to eat LOTS of it. Going over a few grams here and there will not make you fat if you are staying in within your calories. Besides, your body NEEDS fat to lubricate your joints and keep your tissues healthy. Fat is good. Eat healthy fats.
If you eat a healthy, clean, and balanced diet, it's not too hard to stay within reasonable limits. Note, I said reasonable. I don't know what your macros are set as, but I personally like 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.
If it is the fear of going over on certain things - why not talk to a nutritionist about your dilemma. He/she could help you come up with healthy meals/snacks that would fit your needs and would help hold you accountable.
Don't worry so much about eating the PERFECT diet every single day. Your body is pretty smart and can adapt to small mistakes that you make. I almost alway go over on sodium and fat daily, but I'm still making progress at becoming a healthier me.
You need to fuel your body to keep your organs healthy and running. Don't be afraid of energy - your body NEEDS it. Further more, you can use this energy to lift weights and build muscle which help you be lean and STRONG. This will keep you fit and healthy as well.
Bottom line: Only you can help you - but I think intervention here might be a smart idea. Talk to a counselor and/or nutritionist so you can get on track.
Hope I haven't sounded harsh. I'm just a little concerned by your post and want to see you succeed. :flowerforyou:
soo... im gonna print this out. lol very helpful thank you!0 -
Eat more dear! You owe it to yourself to be healthy! Take every accusing thought captive and deny those accusing thoughts your mind! Make up a list of positive healthy statements and read them outloud to overcome!
for instance:
1) I eat enough food to nourish my body everyday!
2) I love myself and take good care of my body
3) My first priority is to be healthy not skinny
3) etc....0 -
I pretty much agree with everyone on here, except the person who said to delete your account of course.
The suggestions are really great, especially about adding 100 or so calories to each meal, and make sure to get some snacks in during the day.
I like to make enough food for a few days all at one time (usually chicken and brown rice/whole wheat pasta), because even though it's the same thing for those few days, there are a ton of different ways to prepare it, especially by adding different veggies to it to mix things up. Also, the nighttime snack idea is great to help you sleep through the night, instead of waking up hungry all the time.
I'm glad you're here (and that we're MFP's!) Getting healthy is going to take some time, but by starting out with some small changes, things will get easier and you wont feel so anxious once you get into the habit. After a little while, it will become second nature!0 -
I absolutely disagree with this statement! Someone recovering from an ED on MFP has found the perfect place to be! Lots of tools to help track foods, workouts, tons of support of all types.:flowerforyou:somebody with a history(especially recent) of an eating disorder should probably not be on this site at all. That would be like an alcoholic going to a bar to have one drink and expect that they will be fine with one. You cannot diet "just a little", and I feel that someone in your situation, who has a history of an eating disorder and is thin anyway, does not need to be on here counting calories, carbs, sugars, etc. I am a recovering heroin addict, so I understand the inability to do something "just a little". You are not getting enough calories and that is why you are hungry. If you experience genuine feelings of hunger, that means your body needs food. I advise you to seek therapy and delete you MFP account.
I would never say someone doesn't belong here...I don't feel any of us have a right to say that!:noway:
ETA: No one needs to diet at all, simply make healthier choices in life, we can all give up the 'diets' that have held us back from getting healthy & well.
I will agree that having someone in the professional realm in the wings if you don't already is always a great idea when working to make changes in life.
All the best to you!
LadyHawk's given you some great advice:flowerforyou:
Thank you for saying this, if someone hadnt I would have!
MFP actually does have options for GAINING weight in a healthy way also so MFP is not for dieters alone. Unfortunantly those minority groups dont have as much support on here.
You are doing great seeking advice the way you are and all suggestions on here regarding what foods to help have been dead on.0 -
Thanks again everyone!
I'm trying to gain weight and muscle. Obviously I need to work out and eat right in order to achieve my goal. I have a busy schedule and often times can forget to eat. I use this site to keep track of my calories and it REMINDS myself to eat. I figure that if I can get 3 meals a day that is better than nothing at all. I always had a rule not to eat after 6 because I need time to digest my food. If I do need to eat late, i will eat but stay awake for one hour then sleep. For some reason, I heard that eating right before you go to bed is bad for you. My food diary is public to my friends on here, I figured that getting help is the best way to go. I LOVE pasta but recently I've been scared to eat it. It fills me up and has tons of grain. Maybe its cause my friends tell me it makes you bigger. I don't know why, people in Italy eat pasta all the time. I think it depends on the pasta, sauce and if you take small portions or not.0 -
Thanks again everyone!
I'm trying to gain weight and muscle. Obviously I need to work out and eat right in order to achieve my goal. I have a busy schedule and often times can forget to eat. I use this site to keep track of my calories and it REMINDS myself to eat. I figure that if I can get 3 meals a day that is better than nothing at all. I always had a rule not to eat after 6 because I need time to digest my food. If I do need to eat late, i will eat but stay awake for one hour then sleep. For some reason, I heard that eating right before you go to bed is bad for you. My food diary is public to my friends on here, I figured that getting help is the best way to go. I LOVE pasta but recently I've been scared to eat it. It fills me up and has tons of grain. Maybe its cause my friends tell me it makes you bigger. I don't know why, people in Italy eat pasta all the time. I think it depends on the pasta, sauce and if you take small portions or not.
I eat ALL hours of the day + night (3rd shifter) and for myself in order to get my daily food needs met, I eat right before bed.....most of the time. So glad to see that you are looking for support and good luck eating more 0 -
Do you have a fast metabolism? Mine is pretty fast, I wake up looking like a whole other person in the morning then during the day I kinda build up the calories cause I'm awake.0
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