Too Little Calories

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hvymtlchik81
hvymtlchik81 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm having trouble getting to my healthy calorie intake a day. Right now, it's set at 1400 calories a day. I end up eating somewhere between 750 to 1100 a day. I eat breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. I eat when I get hungry and stop when I'm full (not over stuffed). I eat eggs, salad, yogurt, fish, greens....pretty much whatever. I'm not getting low blood sugar; it stays anywhere between 73 & 91. I still have plenty of energy through out the day. I don't feel bad at all, but I do worry since it's nowhere near what I've always been told was a healthy limit. Any help or suggestions would be great. If I don't need to worry, then that's even better.
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Replies

  • RunnerGrl1982
    RunnerGrl1982 Posts: 412 Member
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    Hi there! Try getting in some more calories dense foods like nuts or peanut butter (if you're not allergic :wink: ) You definitely don't want to be netting such low calories over a prolonged period of time.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    A day too low here and there is usually fine, but multiple days a week below 800 calories without a high day to bring the weekly average up is a problem. Your diary is locked to us, which is fair enough but it means we can't see what you are eating to make specific suggestions. You might find some ideas here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
  • Je55ica_79
    Je55ica_79 Posts: 276 Member
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    What kind of yogurt? If its light switch to regular that should up it some. Idk it's hard to give suggestions with out knowing what you day to food entries are.

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited January 2019
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    one easy option is getting full fat yogurt. healthy, no need to add more in quantity. i enjoy 4% greek yogurt regularly.

    nuts are terrific, healthy, and pack a calorie punch.

    are you using a food scale to weigh foods? logging by weight as much as possible? logging everything? would you be open to opening your diary?

    how long have you been at it and what is your rate of loss (actual rate of loss?)
  • jasonpoihegatama
    jasonpoihegatama Posts: 496 Member
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    try add oats with your food.
  • bunnyaa
    bunnyaa Posts: 18 Member
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    If you are eating salad make sure to eat it with full fat dressing. Make sure dairy is full fat too. Add half and half to scrambled eggs. Add fat to everything. Also sometimes adding extra salt to your food can make you eat more.
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
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    bunnyaa wrote: »
    If you are eating salad make sure to eat it with full fat dressing. Make sure dairy is full fat too. Add half and half to scrambled eggs. Add fat to everything. Also sometimes adding extra salt to your food can make you eat more.

    Can you explain this please?
  • jasonpoihegatama
    jasonpoihegatama Posts: 496 Member
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    try pasta.
  • bunnyaa
    bunnyaa Posts: 18 Member
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    lalalacroix, I'll try to explain the best to my understanding. There was a study done where participants who ate food containing more salt actually ate 15% more calories than a seperate group who ate food less seasoned. I don't know the exact science behind it, but I'm thinking if your food tastes better (aka more salt) then you eat more of it.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,414 Member
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    bunnyaa wrote: »
    lalalacroix, I'll try to explain the best to my understanding. There was a study done where participants who ate food containing more salt actually ate 15% more calories than a seperate group who ate food less seasoned. I don't know the exact science behind it, but I'm thinking if your food tastes better (aka more salt) then you eat more of it.

    There's been another study on salt, done on astronauts held in isolation. Thus all food and water intake was controlled. They were put on different amounts of salt per day. When they were given more salt they drank less water, but peed out the same amount of fluid compared to when they were eating less salt and drinking more. The astronauts also reported more hunger on a higher salt diet. There wasn't a conclusion on that but the researchers thought the water might derive from breakdown of tissue (muscles, etc) which released water. This has some implications for metabolic disorders like diabetes type II. Both the influence on some hormons and the body trying to preserve tissue by convincing it's owner might have caused the increase in hunger.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 979 Member
    edited January 2019
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    yirara wrote: »
    bunnyaa wrote: »
    lalalacroix, I'll try to explain the best to my understanding. There was a study done where participants who ate food containing more salt actually ate 15% more calories than a seperate group who ate food less seasoned. I don't know the exact science behind it, but I'm thinking if your food tastes better (aka more salt) then you eat more of it.

    There's been another study on salt, done on astronauts held in isolation. Thus all food and water intake was controlled. They were put on different amounts of salt per day. When they were given more salt they drank less water, but peed out the same amount of fluid compared to when they were eating less salt and drinking more. The astronauts also reported more hunger on a higher salt diet. There wasn't a conclusion on that but the researchers thought the water might derive from breakdown of tissue (muscles, etc) which released water. This has some implications for metabolic disorders like diabetes type II. Both the influence on some hormons and the body trying to preserve tissue by convincing it's owner might have caused the increase in hunger.

    Oooo that sounds interesting, you don't happen to have a link do you? I'd be interested to reading it myself :smiley:
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 979 Member
    edited January 2019
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    Okay OP:

    So the first thing first how's your weight going. Have you been dropping a lot of weight rapidly? If not, chances are you really aren't eating as little as you think.

    2nd thing: how accurate is your logging? If you're not dropping weight quickly, it's possible you're underestimating your calorie intake and so eating more than you think. Here's a good thread to check accurate logging:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    3rd thing: if you're losing weight rapidly then you probably are eating too little. Try eating calorie dense food: nuts, butter, oils, full fat food, cream are good way to get more calories in.
  • hvymtlchik81
    hvymtlchik81 Posts: 5 Member
    edited January 2019
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    I've unlocked my food diary.

    As far as losing weight, it's right along with what I planned- about 1/2 lb per week.

    I'm not as active as I should be since I do have a desk job.

    I do scan the bar code of my food and use a scale when needed, so I think my logging is pretty close to accurate. I just have trouble eating when I'm not hungry.

    I'd add more carbs to my diet, but I do end up feeling and being a bit bloated if I eat too many. Still playing around with how many carbs to eat without feeling blah afterwards.

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