800-900 calories

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katep2492
katep2492 Posts: 81 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure people are going to tell me that you need 1200 calories to be healthy I KNOW that but I cant get enough calories and stay under my carbs and fats. I don't have a lot of food choices in my house my family is pretty poor since my dad left and we can't afford much so I only have whats here and I'm very picky I will not eat eggs, and I'm allergic to sea food I just don't know what to do.

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  • amykeeling
    amykeeling Posts: 3 Member
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    Its a shame you don't like eggs! They would have been the first thing I would have suggested! Can you increase your cardio to help burn off some carbs? Or you can eat lots of meat no carbs there!!
  • yoghurtand
    yoghurtand Posts: 119
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    I think it's more important to eat enough food than to stay under the goal that myfitnesspal sets for your carbs/fats. Especially if you are eating on a tight budget, as 'healthy' protein sources tend to be more expensive than foods with more fats and carbs. As long as you are feeling well in yourself - i.e. you have a lot of energy and don't ever feel lethargic or depressed or sluggish (unless you are lacking in sleep) then you are okay. Chances are though, eating that amount for an extended amount of time will affect you negatively. Take care of yourself!
  • leslturn8
    leslturn8 Posts: 505 Member
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    I think you should just eatt your calories and ignore the intake of sugars, carbs ect. Getting food is better then over doing by several mg.s
  • littlemili
    littlemili Posts: 625 Member
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    I intake 900-1100 each day and I am fine. But then I am short and quite light so I don't need much fuel. First off check with a doctor if it's ok - for bigger people it sometimes isn't such a big deal - and then be sure to get your vits and mins by taking supplements if necessary. Also eat a lot of veg and salad because they fill you up without the calories, and avoid high-calorie foods that don't take up much plate space.

    Since you are relatively new to weight loss I think 800-900 will end up in you getting frustrated with how restricted you are and quitting. Actually I would try hard to eat 1200 every day even if it means eating some junk, and have supplements if the quality food is not available.
  • mideon_696
    mideon_696 Posts: 770 Member
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    gotta eat ya protein though...

    why no eggs?? there must 14783 ways to prepare them, you will like atleast one of the methods, lol.
    Stop being fussy.
    suffering with some "horrible" eggs each morning is a small price to pay for better health, no?

    by the way i ate 6 5 this morning with ham and bacon :p
    and 6 yesterday with paprika and cheese...
    both delicious concoctions!
    Also, egg, cheese, and avocado is also awesome.

    - 2eggs
    - a decent salsa mix
    - 100gms of spinach
    - half an avocado
    - 15gm tasty cheese.

    scramble the eggs, mix in the salsa when almost cooked, plus the cheese.
    serve with steamed spinach and raw avocado. yum!!

    Easy calories, freaking awesome tasting meal/
  • TenderBranson
    TenderBranson Posts: 114 Member
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    800-900 cals is ridiculously low & not necessary. You could be eating 1200-1500 & still lose steady weight. I in no way to offend you but it sounds like you're already making excuses for yourself with the "I don't like eggs". It sounds totally cliche but you have to make sacrifices, eat things you wouldn't normally, after all you are looking to change your body right? It's not that hard to overcome, do it or don't, it's amazing how many things in life are that easy.

    Good luck with your weight loss goals.
  • missalicia78
    missalicia78 Posts: 40
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    I'm not a huge fan of eggs either, but I LOVE egg white omelets, or you can scramble the egg whites and add a little salsa.

    I agree with everyone who says you should stay within your calories rather than place so much importance on fats and carbs. I exceed both of them frequently, and I'm still losing weight. I think, for me, exceeding my sodium affects me much more negatively than exceeding the other two.
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
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    Not all carbs are the same. Natural sugars are handled far better by the by the body than processed sugars. So if you are eating fruit and veg don't worry about going over your carbs. You have to do what you have to do. Just try to eat as many of your calories as you can as healthily as you can and don't worry to much about all the numbers
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Have you set your carbs to be lower than the default MFP settings?

    Could you take some milk with your cereal, and maybe some spready cheese or peanut butter on your crackers?
  • SouthernBell86
    SouthernBell86 Posts: 275 Member
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    Hmm, I agree with others, it is more important that you eat enough each day than meeting whatever carb limits you have.

    That said, if you are on a budget, you should definitely try to figure out more ways to eat beans, because even though they have carbs, they are also a cheaper source of protein. You could make some rice and bean dishes that will keep you full and satisfied and help meet your diet goals for protein and fiber. Use all different types of spices to keep things interesting.

    Yogurt is another good source of protein that you can get at relatively low cost, especially if you buy it in the large cartons.

    You sound quite young, so be careful and please don't eat such a limited calorie diet unless you have a Doctor carefully monitoring you, which it sounds like you can't afford. If you are still living at home, you are probably still growing and it is essential you get enough vitamins, minerals, and protein to support your bodily systems. Imagine how horrible it would be to develop other problems because of a poor diet? It is much cheaper and convenient in the long run to make sure you are taking care of your body.

    Losing weight is important for health if you are overweight, but there is no need to lose weight very fast. Unless you are already close to your goal, there is no need to even eat as low as 1200. Please use MFP's guided nutrition goals and only aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week depending on how much you have to lose.

    Good luck, and take care of yourself!
  • nosugarcoating
    nosugarcoating Posts: 194 Member
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    Seriously, eat more. I don't care if you go over your carbs, you are going to damage your metabolism by eating only 800-900 calories. I am with everyone else who says that it's more important to eat enough than not to go over carbs or fat. You are so young, you will be seriously hurting your body if you eat so little.

    I actually have a hard time eating enough fat unless I eat some walnuts but I usually go over my carbs (and fiber) due to eating a lot of fruit and veggies, so I would like to know what you eat that makes you go over. Maybe you could reevaluate where all the fat in your diet is coming from and see if you can reduce that.

    I actually think that even 1200 calories is far too low. I know it seems to be widely propagated on MFP but I have learned that it's best not to eat under your basic metabolic rate. I don't know how tall or old you are, but you weigh quite a bit more than I do, and my BMR is 1560 calories / day. I eat 1630 (+ more when I exercise which is pretty much every day). I have lost a little over 7 pounds so far in 2 weeks.

    I know that everyone knows that there is a 'too much' for food, but not everyone knows there is a 'too little' too, and that 'too little' is a lot more than most people think. You could easily eat a lot more than you think and still lose weight. This is not a competition to see how little you can eat. You want to learn an eating behavior that is as normal as possible while still losing weight. 800-900 calories a day is not normal. If you want to keep the weight off long-term, you should strive for normal because that is the only thing that you can keep up long term.

    By the way, beans and legumes are a good & CHEAP source of protein. And whether or not you like eggs, eat them every once in a while. I don't like wholegrain pasta either, so what, I will eat it anyway, because it's better for me (I have insulin resistance and should avoid refined carbs whenever possible). I reckon I'll get used to the taste.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    If your body can stand starchy foods, sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, corn these are all relatively inexpensive and it will give you the energy you need. My diary is open, take a look. I do not spend a lot of money on food but I can meet my caloric limit and get my nutrition in (but I like starchy foods). Good luck!

    I do recommend potatoes. They are loaded with nutrients (except b12) and they are really cheap. Ireland, doubled its population with the introduction of the potato!
  • almonds1
    almonds1 Posts: 642 Member
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    damn....im 6'0, 160lbs and 800 Cals is what I eat everyday just for Breaky!!!! 4 pieces of toast w 2 tbsp of peanut putter, 3 eggs and a banana... gives me my Gym energy
  • katep2492
    katep2492 Posts: 81 Member
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    I do go to a nutritionist only because I can go for free because the lady is a friend of my moms from work. She set my carbs and fats and calories because I have other medical problems but she told me to eat 1200 calories a day but I can't seem to get that much so maybe I'll just ask my mom to ask her. Btw I'm 19 `5'3" and weigh 235 pounds.
  • katie_rn
    katie_rn Posts: 40
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    Do you like tuna? That has great protein and is a great price for the nutrition benefit. Peanut butter is really good too, altho a little more fat. Any veggies are good fillers, especially carrots and cabbage that you can add to soups and other recipies. It can be hard to pick nutrient dense foods at first but gets easier to recognize them. Good luck!
  • KnottyNCrotchety
    KnottyNCrotchety Posts: 442
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    Some cheap and quick sources of protein are canned tuna, canned chicken and canned salmon. Just rinse it to get rid of some of the sodium. Also peanut butter, but get the best you can find for the money, the less ingredients the better.

    Another cheap but really good food is sweet potatoes. They are one of the most nutrient dense foods per pound you can get. Roast a couple in the oven on the weekend and then warm them up to eat. Add a little butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar or cinnamon and yum!

    You can also think about buying the cheaper cuts of meat and slow cooking them, either in a crockpot (you can find these used at garage sales and thrift stores pretty easy for not much money), or in the oven on a lower heat. Rump roast, whole chicken, chicken thighs, etc etc are really very cheap per pound. Add some water and boullion cubes, a cut up half onion, a few stalks of celery chopped up and a handful of carrot slices with a little pepper, salt and whatever spices sound good if you have it(rosemary, parsley, basil, etc) Do a big pot on the weekend and you will have it to add a little protein to things all week. You can add the meat to sandwiches, burritos, sliced on a salad, add it to ramen noodles or soup, you get the idea.

    Also, if money is really that tight, look into things like a food pantry. Also some volunteer opportunites include a meal, so you might check into that if you have any time to spare.

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