Not hitting my calories...
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Billpenelope
Posts: 4 Member
Hi!
Pretty new to MFP but have been working out hard and thinking i was eating right for about 6 months now. Definitely lost weight so far but feel like ive stopped hence using MFP.
I'm struggling to eat up to my 1200 a day. i feel like im eating ALL THE TIME! and then I'll work out and get 500-800 calories on top of it. Feel like if i eat more than I am I'm just wasting my time working out.
Do I have to eat into my exercise calories? (i understand weight retention due to undereating but i dont feel like i am!)
how do i healthily eat more calories? Seem to go over my sugar or fat/carbs when I try. and to top it all off im vegetarian so there's a whole other obstacle there.
Any advice would be so appreciated!!
Pretty new to MFP but have been working out hard and thinking i was eating right for about 6 months now. Definitely lost weight so far but feel like ive stopped hence using MFP.
I'm struggling to eat up to my 1200 a day. i feel like im eating ALL THE TIME! and then I'll work out and get 500-800 calories on top of it. Feel like if i eat more than I am I'm just wasting my time working out.
Do I have to eat into my exercise calories? (i understand weight retention due to undereating but i dont feel like i am!)
how do i healthily eat more calories? Seem to go over my sugar or fat/carbs when I try. and to top it all off im vegetarian so there's a whole other obstacle there.
Any advice would be so appreciated!!
13
Replies
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It's OK to go over your fat, sugar or carb goal to get necessary calories, though it's important to get at least close to your protein goal as a minimum so adding protein to your eating would be a good idea if you're low on that.
To purely add calories, the easiest low-volume additions are usually things like nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocado, extra oil on salad or in cooking. If you're lacto vegetarian, cheese is an option, too.6 -
Thanks for the advice! I manage to achieve protein with help from protein shakes and eggs etc so feel like ive finally got that one nailed after lacking for many years there.
If im understanding it right hitting at least 1200 calories is more important than having macros religiously aligned?1 -
BillieBlake wrote: »Thanks for the advice! I manage to achieve protein with help from protein shakes and eggs etc so feel like ive finally got that one nailed after lacking for many years there.
If im understanding it right hitting at least 1200 calories is more important than having macros religiously aligned?
Yes. Close or over protein and fats is fine (there are essentially minimums of those you need for best nutrition), but religious exactitude is unnecessary. Weight management and adequate energy intake are all about calories. Losing weight too fast is an unhealthy choice, so you want enough calories to avoid that.5 -
BillieBlake wrote: »Thanks for the advice! I manage to achieve protein with help from protein shakes and eggs etc so feel like ive finally got that one nailed after lacking for many years there.
If im understanding it right hitting at least 1200 calories is more important than having macros religiously aligned?
Yes.0 -
Thank you both!0
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How are you measuring your current calorie intake? Are you using a food scale?
Many times when someone says they can’t hit their goal - there are usually two scenarios:
1. They’ve gone from eating a primarily very calorie dense and not very filling diet (lots of sugary sodas and junk food) to a nutrient dense high volume diet that fills them up on far fewer calories and they think they can’t eat any of the more calorific things because they aren’t “healthy”. Undereating isn’t healthy - and there are lots of good options that can be part of an overall balanced and healthy diet that add healthy fats and calories too. Things like full fat dairy, nuts and nut butters, avocado, oil, butter add calories and fats but not a lot of volume so they can help top off a low calorie day. There’s also nothing wrong with things like ice cream or other treats in moderation if it helps get you up to minimums and you’re already eating a nutrient dense diet.
2. People aren’t logging accurately and are actually eating more than they think. Often people who believe they are under 1000 cals find, when they start using a food scale and making sure they select the proper entries in the food database, that they were eating more all along.9 -
I can't imagine how eating 1200 calories per day has you feel like you are eating "all the time" ?? that is the minimum required intake for females. are you trying to lose weight?? if so, you must have been eating a lot more than 1200 calories in the past!
also, as someone said above, if you aren't weighing your food you are likely eating a lot more than you think!10 -
Billpenelope wrote: »Hi!
I'm struggling to eat up to my 1200 a day. i feel like im eating ALL THE TIME! and then I'll work out and get 500-800 calories on top of it. Feel like if i eat more than I am I'm just wasting my time working out.
Welcome here.
I have the opposite issue as you. Always feel like I'm not eating enough. Have you considered Nut Butters? Good Protein, Higher calories, less quantity. Yes, higher fats, but Almond Butter (for example) has healthy fats.
### I would also add eat starchier vegetables (carrots for example). Higher calories for the quantity. Just remember that white potatoes (aside from the skins, which are high in iron which is excellent for you) are lower on the nutritional benefits scale.3 -
OP sorry but your post is a little confusing, you say your not loosing weight but also that your not eating enough (because trust me under 1200 cals is not enough).
If your not loosing weight then it’s simple, your either eating too much or your eating at maintenance calories.
No-one eating 1200 cals feeling like they are ‘eating all the time’. Most likely your eating much more than you realise, as you are tracking incorrectly. If your not using a digital scale to weight all your food then you are certainly tracking incorrectly.
To put it in to context im only 5ft1 and weight 114lbs...lost 14lbs so far...and eating about 1800 cals per day...and I’m hungry!12 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »OP sorry but your post is a little confusing, you say your not loosing weight but also that your not eating enough (because trust me under 1200 cals is not enough).
If your not loosing weight then it’s simple, your either eating too much or your eating at maintenance calories.
No-one eating 1200 cals feeling like they are ‘eating all the time’. Most likely your eating much more than you realise, as you are tracking incorrectly. If your not using a digital scale to weight all your food then you are certainly tracking incorrectly.
To put it in to context im only 5ft1 and weight 114lbs...lost 14lbs so far...and eating about 1800 cals per day...and I’m hungry!
Agreed.5 -
Also, what exercise are you doing that gives you 800 extra cals please? Cause I’d love to get in on that one!
I do 4 mile runs at a decent speed and only get 287 extra cals...
So, you may also wish to look into the accuracy of calorie burns from exercise too6 -
OP, when you get a chance, check out these threads, they might help with your situation:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
The short version is... Use a food scale for all solids and double check the entries you are using in the database actually have correct info (many were entered by other users with bad info). 1200 cals is not a lot of food, and no healthy, average sized adult should struggle to eat over that consistently.
If you're willing, you could temporarily make your diary public and let some fresh eyes see if they can spot any problems.5 -
I’ve invested in some scales as feel like it might be inaccurate calorie tracking! Think this is the most likely issue so Thanks to all that suggested this. But if not I’ll definitely look at nut butters and other suggestions.
I wasn’t really snacking before just eating super unhealthy meals and skipping breakfast hence feeling like I’m eating way more now! A whole extra meal and snacks in between is a big change.
Workouts- I use a myzone belt which tracks heart rate and calorie burn during workout. Generally well reviewed and it’s a scheme through my work. I do a mixture of cardio and strength training and usually work out for over an hour. myzones algorithm is an estimate based on heart rate. Is there a more accurate way to measure? Not in a position to invest in a new super techy gadget though...
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Billpenelope wrote: »Thanks for the advice! I manage to achieve protein with help from protein shakes and eggs etc so feel like ive finally got that one nailed after lacking for many years there.
If im understanding it right hitting at least 1200 calories is more important than having macros religiously aligned?
I have asked myself the same question about calories vs macros targets.
My conclusion for myself is that the macro balance is more important than the calories - with the caveat: as long as my energy and sleep patterns are satisfying.
Having enough stamina physically AND mentally to be productive at work is critical for me. Balanced-macros eating plans are what gives me that energy.
Adopting the IF concept of a limited window of time for consuming my daily calories has been the #1 contributor to a solid night of sleep that includes the needed REM.
I've got a personal gripe with the idea that 1200 calories is a suitable number for EVERYONE to use as a basis, but, it sure is what gets used everywhere. Makes no sense to me when my eyes tell me that everyone is differently made up in height and weight.
For that reason, I find the macro% measuring approach to be more easily utilized for meal planning for everyone that can be applied to whatever your individual caloric needs are.
good fitness to us all!
amy6 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »Also, what exercise are you doing that gives you 800 extra cals please? Cause I’d love to get in on that one!
I do 4 mile runs at a decent speed and only get 287 extra cals...
So, you may also wish to look into the accuracy of calorie burns from exercise too
That doesn't sound right...are you tiny?
I'd get around 450 calories for 4 miles (0.61 x body weight x distance)
I get around 800 calories for a 25 mile ride.3 -
Billpenelope wrote: »I’ve invested in some scales as feel like it might be inaccurate calorie tracking! Think this is the most likely issue so Thanks to all that suggested this. But if not I’ll definitely look at nut butters and other suggestions.
I wasn’t really snacking before just eating super unhealthy meals and skipping breakfast hence feeling like I’m eating way more now! A whole extra meal and snacks in between is a big change.
Workouts- I use a myzone belt which tracks heart rate and calorie burn during workout. Generally well reviewed and it’s a scheme through my work. I do a mixture of cardio and strength training and usually work out for over an hour. myzones algorithm is an estimate based on heart rate. Is there a more accurate way to measure? Not in a position to invest in a new super techy gadget though...
Heart rate is a poor estimator of strength training calories. If it's non-overlapped separate periods of cardio and strength (i.e., 20 minutes cardio, 40 minutes strength, or somesuch), I'd recommend using the MFP exercise calorie estimate for at least the strength minutes (under cardiovascular exercise; look for strength training). If the cardio portion is separate and steady state, the HRM estimate may be in the ballpark. If it's interval training, the estimate may be high, especially if you're relatively new to exercise (has to do with how heart rate response changes with training).
If you're mixing the cardio and strength in some kind of circuit training, compare the MFP exercise database estimate for circuit training; if it's lower, use that instead. 800 for an hour seems very high, depending somewhat on your bodyweight. At a weight in the low 130s, I estimate 600-700 calories per hour of quite intense machine rowing (and I can't do a full hour continuously at that intensity, although I'm reasonably fit and acccustomed to the activity - been doing it, including some competitively, for 15+ years).
Quite a few people start by eating back half their exercise calories, then monitoring results for about 6 weeks (one full menstrual cycle plus a bit). The weight loss rate during that time period is your best indication of how your eating and exercise balance out (i.e., whether you're undereating). You should avoid losing more than 1% of your body weight per week, and go slower than that if you have less that maybe 50 pounds to lose in total. Slower than those maximums is always fine, if it's more doable/sustainable.4 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »RunForPizza88 wrote: »Also, what exercise are you doing that gives you 800 extra cals please? Cause I’d love to get in on that one!
I do 4 mile runs at a decent speed and only get 287 extra cals...
So, you may also wish to look into the accuracy of calorie burns from exercise too
That doesn't sound right...are you tiny?
I'd get around 450 calories for 4 miles (0.61 x body weight x distance)
I get around 800 calories for a 25 mile ride.
Yes I am tiny haha! 114lbs x 0.63 x 4 miles = 287. It’s fairly depressing how much exercise I have to do just for a chocolate!
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I’m new to this community but I’m having the same problem the one person complained of. Today I’m supposed to be eating 1400 cal and I only made it to 1000 calories. I ate three full meals and one snack and I weighed my food! The other problem is I am recovering from a knee surgery that went bad and I have had physical restrictions for the last eight months. So I’ve not been on able to work out or do much walking. This has caused me to gain weight. I’m sitting here trying to figure out what to eat to get me up those additional 400 cal and there’s Nothing I want and I’m full. So if I’m not eating up to my calories in my body staying in starvation mode? Suggestions are appreciated.2
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I’m new to this community but I’m having the same problem the one person complained of. Today I’m supposed to be eating 1400 cal and I only made it to 1000 calories. I ate three full meals and one snack and I weighed my food! The other problem is I am recovering from a knee surgery that went bad and I have had physical restrictions for the last eight months. So I’ve not been on able to work out or do much walking. This has caused me to gain weight. I’m sitting here trying to figure out what to eat to get me up those additional 400 cal and there’s Nothing I want and I’m full. So if I’m not eating up to my calories in my body staying in starvation mode? Suggestions are appreciated.
Starvation mode: If you mean the idea that eating too little will stop your body losing weight, then no, that won't happen. That's a complete myth. If it were true, no one would ever starve to death; but sadly many people worldwide do just that every day.
What not eating a sensible adequate minimum number of calories will do is leave you fatigued and less than well-nourished, which is dysfunctional and unhealthy.
Being in an extreme calorie deficit is a particularly bad plan when healing/recovering/rehabbing: Where is your body going to get the protein and other nutrients needed to heal it? Stored body fat can't supply them.7 -
@vbray0348, are you weighing every single thing that passes your lips, and using the appropriate entries?
Oils, spreads, and sauces are often missed. As are single item prepackaged servings and bread products- slices of bread, single rolls or pita, etc.
You may get some help in your logging if you opened your diary.
There are so many erroneous entries in the data base it is easy for even those who have been logging for years to use a few incorrect entries.
I lost on 1200 cals and couldn't make 3 filling meals and a snack without also including my 200 cals from exercise.
Cheers, h.3
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