How to get my calorie intake up without eating too many carbs, too much protein and fibre?

GirlPanda03
GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm falling short of my 1300-1400 calories a day and I think it might be why my weight loss has plateaued. The problem is that I end up without enough carbs, protein and fibre to add anything else. In fact, I'm going over my fibre intake every day and often going over on protein. The amounts I have been recommended by My Fitness Pal are as follows:

Carbs 175g
Fat 47g
Protein 70g
Fibre 25g

I'm not so bothered about going over in fibre as a lot of information suggests women should have more than 25g per day. I'm very inactive due to M.E. so my weight loss mostly has to come from my diet as opposed to exercise.

Does anyone have any advice on how to up my calories without going over my carb and protein intake? Healthy snacks like fruit are so high in carbs, and vegetables are good overall but very low in calories. :/
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Replies

  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    my advice is eat whatever the heck u want to bridge that gap up to your calorie goals. macros are great and all but they are mostly for fine tuning and to satiate which is a very individual thing. what MFP sets there is not set it stone. I do think you would probably want more protein then 70 grams
  • IrisFlute
    IrisFlute Posts: 88 Member
    Like the first reply here said: I look at the protein and fat categories as minimums. I always go over on fat; that helps me feel less hungry. I also go over a bit on sugars, but as long as the excess is from sources like fruit or milk rather than added sweeteners I don't worry about it.
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
    Eat some nuts and/or seeds for extra healthy fats. Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Try not to over think this. MFP is giving you general guidelines. I treat protien and fats like minimuns and let carbs fall out. Also, calories is what really what matters. So dont stress out if you go over one of your macros

    Sorry, what do you mean by letting carbs 'fall out'?
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    jdog022 wrote: »
    my advice is eat whatever the heck u want to bridge that gap up to your calorie goals. macros are great and all but they are mostly for fine tuning and to satiate which is a very individual thing. what MFP sets there is not set it stone. I do think you would probably want more protein then 70 grams

    I have such a bad track record of unhealthy eating (and still a lot of cravings), so I'm trying to get out of that. From what I'm reading online, I think I'll aim to eat more than 70g of protein.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    IrisFlute wrote: »
    Like the first reply here said: I look at the protein and fat categories as minimums. I always go over on fat; that helps me feel less hungry. I also go over a bit on sugars, but as long as the excess is from sources like fruit or milk rather than added sweeteners I don't worry about it.

    What are 'minimums'?
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    Daddy78230 wrote: »
    Eat some nuts and/or seeds for extra healthy fats. Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds.

    That's a good idea, I'd forgotten about nuts and seeds and they do seem to be quite high in calories.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    IrisFlute wrote: »
    Like the first reply here said: I look at the protein and fat categories as minimums. I always go over on fat; that helps me feel less hungry. I also go over a bit on sugars, but as long as the excess is from sources like fruit or milk rather than added sweeteners I don't worry about it.

    What are 'minimums'?

    Minimum amounts that you should be getting...
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IrisFlute wrote: »
    Like the first reply here said: I look at the protein and fat categories as minimums. I always go over on fat; that helps me feel less hungry. I also go over a bit on sugars, but as long as the excess is from sources like fruit or milk rather than added sweeteners I don't worry about it.

    What are 'minimums'?

    Minimum amounts that you should be getting...

    Think I had brain fog when I asked that. :) Thanks for the clarification.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.

    Okay. I'd thought carbs might have affected it as I had a week where I seemed to have gained weight - my calories were fine but I'd started going a bit over on the carbs. Maybe just a coincidence then. Thanks.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    No
  • ent3rsandman
    ent3rsandman Posts: 170 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Not at all. See: The Twinkie Diet
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited April 2017
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.

    Okay. I'd thought carbs might have affected it as I had a week where I seemed to have gained weight - my calories were fine but I'd started going a bit over on the carbs. Maybe just a coincidence then. Thanks.
    Be o.k. with some weeks not losing weight. Stay patient and focused on your goals.
    Weight can be a little up due to lots of reasons. It is the overall arc downwards that matters.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Fall out means there isnt a goal for them. So some days might be high and others lows and othera moderate. Concentrating on calories and protein should be the focus.
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    No, carb intake has nothing to do with weight loss. What matters is your calorie intake, and making sure you're hitting the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. Macros percentage breakdowns is mostly a preference thing :)
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.

    Okay. I'd thought carbs might have affected it as I had a week where I seemed to have gained weight - my calories were fine but I'd started going a bit over on the carbs. Maybe just a coincidence then. Thanks.

    The scale will fluctuate daily/weekly due to all sorts of things not related to actual fat gains. Things like hormones/tom/pms, sodium and exercise causing water retention (certain meds cause this too), digestion periods, constipation, time of day you weigh yourself, etc etc.

    Don't focus so much on daily/weekly weigh-ins and instead look at your monthly trends-that will give you a better picture of what's actually going on.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.

    Okay. I'd thought carbs might have affected it as I had a week where I seemed to have gained weight - my calories were fine but I'd started going a bit over on the carbs. Maybe just a coincidence then. Thanks.

    That very well could have been glycogen replenishment--but you didn't gain fat that way.

    Sorry, not sure what glycogen replenishment means in relation to this? Actually not sure what it means, full stop.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Not at all. See: The Twinkie Diet

    Had to look that up. Madness! :open_mouth:
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Thanks, I'm working on more protein and fat now. Good to know the carb number isn't that important.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    Nope. Only eating too many calories halts weight loss.

    Okay. I'd thought carbs might have affected it as I had a week where I seemed to have gained weight - my calories were fine but I'd started going a bit over on the carbs. Maybe just a coincidence then. Thanks.
    Be o.k. with some weeks not losing weight. Stay patient and focused on your goals.
    Weight can be a little up due to lots of reasons. It is the overall arc downwards that matters.

    Thanks, it's been discouraging in the weeks I don't lose anything but I'll stick with it and know that it'll come off eventually.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Fall out means there isnt a goal for them. So some days might be high and others lows and othera moderate. Concentrating on calories and protein should be the focus.

    Ah right, that makes sense.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Make sure that you get enough protein and fat. It is o.k. to go over.
    The carbs can be under or over. Their numbers do not matter.

    Wouldn't eating too many carbs halt weight loss?

    No, carb intake has nothing to do with weight loss. What matters is your calorie intake, and making sure you're hitting the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. Macros percentage breakdowns is mostly a preference thing :)

    Noted! :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    No harm in going 'over' fiber or protein. But it sounds like you're cutting fat too low if you are low in calories total but high in everything else. So if you're intentionally avoiding fat with low fat/no fat options, work some regular fat options back into your routine.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
    No harm in going 'over' fiber or protein. But it sounds like you're cutting fat too low if you are low in calories total but high in everything else. So if you're intentionally avoiding fat with low fat/no fat options, work some regular fat options back into your routine.

    Nope, not bothering with low fat options. :) I'm having some nuts and seeds now, as well as things like Tuna, so hopefully that'll fix the deficit.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    I'm falling short of my 1300-1400 calories a day and I think it might be why my weight loss has plateaued. The problem is that I end up without enough carbs, protein and fibre to add anything else. In fact, I'm going over my fibre intake every day and often going over on protein. The amounts I have been recommended by My Fitness Pal are as follows:

    Carbs 175g
    Fat 47g
    Protein 70g
    Fibre 25g

    I'm not so bothered about going over in fibre as a lot of information suggests women should have more than 25g per day. I'm very inactive due to M.E. so my weight loss mostly has to come from my diet as opposed to exercise.

    Does anyone have any advice on how to up my calories without going over my carb and protein intake? Healthy snacks like fruit are so high in carbs, and vegetables are good overall but very low in calories. :/

    Are you saying that you are not losing weight because you are not eating enough calories? That will never happen.
This discussion has been closed.