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

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  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 1,575 Member
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    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.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
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    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.

    Information online says eating too few calories can slow your metabolism, which would hinder weight loss. I think mine is slow enough already. :/ I also have to be careful of side effects that could make me ill, due to chronic health problems; it doesn't take much to throw me off completely and land me in bed for days.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    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.

    I'm going to attempt to answer this, knowing I may not have it correct and will be happy to be corrected. I'm doing this because I think it might be relevant.

    Glycogen is another fuel source you body uses. Like fat or sugar. Reading the wikipedia page on it,
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen, I see this "In humans, glycogen is made and stored primarily in the cells of the liver and the muscles, hydrated with three or four parts of water."

    Now glycogen increases when you eats more carbs. It decreases if you cut carbs. Along with that increase or decrease is more or less water retention. So 1 part glycogen adds 3-4 parts water. If you increase glycogen by 1 lb, you will gain 3-4 lbs of water. This can mask your fat loss. Say you changed your diet, but still ate at a deficit, you COULD lose 1.5 lbs fat, gain 1 lb glycogen and gain 3-4 lbs overall on the scale. But the real net is a loss of .5 lbs.

    And there is no real, short term way of knowing what has happened, except you see the scale go up. Cut back a bit on the carbs, lose the glycogen and lose water. Bingo the scale goes back down. But you can do this while still gaining fat.

    The point to take home here is that fat loss is longer term, your weight IS going to fluctuate as you lose, some days being higher, some being lower, but if you stick to what MFP gives you and log accurately, you will lose fat and weight over time.

    Hope that helps answer this one small question.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Use metrics beyond the scale:
    Perhaps take good "before" photos. Also take "before" measurements and new measurements every so often.
    http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/measuring-success-beyond-scale?sf47026321=1
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Information online says eating too few calories can slow your metabolism, which would hinder weight loss. I think mine is slow enough already. :/ I also have to be careful of side effects that could make me ill, due to chronic health problems; it doesn't take much to throw me off completely and land me in bed for days.

    You are reading incorrect information. Think about it.

    If you have health problems that are that serious, I would consult a Dr. before embarking on a weight loss plan.
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
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    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.

    I'm going to attempt to answer this, knowing I may not have it correct and will be happy to be corrected. I'm doing this because I think it might be relevant.

    Glycogen is another fuel source you body uses. Like fat or sugar. Reading the wikipedia page on it,
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen, I see this "In humans, glycogen is made and stored primarily in the cells of the liver and the muscles, hydrated with three or four parts of water."

    Now glycogen increases when you eats more carbs. It decreases if you cut carbs. Along with that increase or decrease is more or less water retention. So 1 part glycogen adds 3-4 parts water. If you increase glycogen by 1 lb, you will gain 3-4 lbs of water. This can mask your fat loss. Say you changed your diet, but still ate at a deficit, you COULD lose 1.5 lbs fat, gain 1 lb glycogen and gain 3-4 lbs overall on the scale. But the real net is a loss of .5 lbs.

    And there is no real, short term way of knowing what has happened, except you see the scale go up. Cut back a bit on the carbs, lose the glycogen and lose water. Bingo the scale goes back down. But you can do this while still gaining fat.

    The point to take home here is that fat loss is longer term, your weight IS going to fluctuate as you lose, some days being higher, some being lower, but if you stick to what MFP gives you and log accurately, you will lose fat and weight over time.

    Hope that helps answer this one small question.

    I'm still a bit confused. :o I'll see if I can find a 'dummies guide' online. Thanks :)
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
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    RodaRose wrote: »
    Use metrics beyond the scale:
    Perhaps take good "before" photos. Also take "before" measurements and new measurements every so often.
    http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/measuring-success-beyond-scale?sf47026321=1

    Thanks, I'll try that. I can clearly see my backside is getting smaller so that's good. :)
  • GirlPanda03
    GirlPanda03 Posts: 44 Member
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    Information online says eating too few calories can slow your metabolism, which would hinder weight loss. I think mine is slow enough already. :/ I also have to be careful of side effects that could make me ill, due to chronic health problems; it doesn't take much to throw me off completely and land me in bed for days.

    You are reading incorrect information. Think about it.

    If you have health problems that are that serious, I would consult a Dr. before embarking on a weight loss plan.

    Doesn't it make sense that if you eat too few calories your body would slow your metabolism, to try to prevent any extreme weight loss?

    My health problems are very complex and unfortunately I just get sent to one specialist after another. I know my GP would say it's fine to lose weight if I do it sensibly, plus I know my health much better than he does. :) I know losing weight will also help ease some of my symptoms, particularly as I have damage to my knees and reactive arthritis in my ankles. This is actually the furthest I've come so far and I'm not finding it too difficult, I think because I'm eating a lot of protein and not cutting out chocolate! I'm down 22 pounds so far; a lot still to go but I hope I start to see the effects on my body, exhausted body soon.....
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    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.

    I'm going to attempt to answer this, knowing I may not have it correct and will be happy to be corrected. I'm doing this because I think it might be relevant.

    Glycogen is another fuel source you body uses. Like fat or sugar. Reading the wikipedia page on it,
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen, I see this "In humans, glycogen is made and stored primarily in the cells of the liver and the muscles, hydrated with three or four parts of water."

    Now glycogen increases when you eats more carbs. It decreases if you cut carbs. Along with that increase or decrease is more or less water retention. So 1 part glycogen adds 3-4 parts water. If you increase glycogen by 1 lb, you will gain 3-4 lbs of water. This can mask your fat loss. Say you changed your diet, but still ate at a deficit, you COULD lose 1.5 lbs fat, gain 1 lb glycogen and gain 3-4 lbs overall on the scale. But the real net is a loss of .5 lbs.

    And there is no real, short term way of knowing what has happened, except you see the scale go up. Cut back a bit on the carbs, lose the glycogen and lose water. Bingo the scale goes back down. But you can do this while still gaining fat.

    The point to take home here is that fat loss is longer term, your weight IS going to fluctuate as you lose, some days being higher, some being lower, but if you stick to what MFP gives you and log accurately, you will lose fat and weight over time.

    Hope that helps answer this one small question.

    I'm still a bit confused. :o I'll see if I can find a 'dummies guide' online. Thanks :)

    What it boils down to is, if you've been limiting carbs and then suddenly eat more than usual, you will see a weight spike on the scale, but this is just water retention from the increased glycogen stores. It's not fat, so it's not a reflection of your weight loss progress.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    Information online says eating too few calories can slow your metabolism, which would hinder weight loss. I think mine is slow enough already. :/ I also have to be careful of side effects that could make me ill, due to chronic health problems; it doesn't take much to throw me off completely and land me in bed for days.

    You are reading incorrect information. Think about it.

    If you have health problems that are that serious, I would consult a Dr. before embarking on a weight loss plan.

    Doesn't it make sense that if you eat too few calories your body would slow your metabolism, to try to prevent any extreme weight loss?

    There is *lots* of info to be found on this in the forums. This one seemed short & sweet, with a few good links to back up the info: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10526425/starvation-mode
  • Hungry_Shopgirl
    Hungry_Shopgirl Posts: 329 Member
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    Sounds like a job for chocolate!