Not enough calories

Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

    do you weigh your food?
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited January 2019
    tlpina82 wrote: »
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?



    So, the main point is... If you feel full and happy, and you have energy, don't worry about the calories. Just make sure your nutrition is maximized as several metabolic issues, including low thyroid function could be caused by malnutrition.

    That is absolutely not the main point. Calories are fuel, and while quality is helpful, quantity is also necessary. How a person "feels" or how hungry they are is not a reliable indicator, as how we feel is easily influenced by our emotions and other factors.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited January 2019
    OP, are you saying that you have simply been counting the calories and have not changed your diet in any significant way from the past year, or did you begin counting calories as part of a weight loss plan where you are trying to cut calories?
  • lin_be
    lin_be Posts: 393 Member
    You are eating more than you think. Purchase a food scale and weight everything for a week. Then come back and let us know what you find!
  • LCASU96
    LCASU96 Posts: 7 Member
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

    do you weigh your food?
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

    do you weigh your food?
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

    do you weigh your food?
    Hey everyone, just looking for some advice. Over the past year, I've become much healthier but at the same time gained 15 pounds. Since I'm already a vegetarian who doesn't eat junk food, only drinks water/green tea, and loves veggies I decided to finally try counting calories. But I'm only eating about 600-800 calories a day. I feel like I'm eating plenty, it's just a lot of vegetables low in calories. I have enough energy throughout the day and I feel good, should I really be trying to eat more calories? I have no clue why I keep gaining weight and eating more calories like the app is telling me just doesn't seem right?

    do you weigh your food?

  • LCASU96
    LCASU96 Posts: 7 Member
    Yes I have a scale and weigh all my food. I didn’t count calories when I gained the weight “I finally decided to try counting calories”. I’ve only been keeping track for a little over a week now. But I suppose the overall conclusion is I need to eat more, just feels like I won’t lose the weight since i was already pretty healthy during the weight gain.
  • witchaywoman81
    witchaywoman81 Posts: 280 Member
    Can I ask how tall you are? I'm 5ft 1 and my BMR is 1200 calories a day which may seem really low for some people but if I eat anything over that then I gain weight. So to lose weight I have to eat under that. I'm pretty small so I don't need as many calories as the average woman. You may be underestimating how much you consume. Do you log the liquids you consume as well? Theres a lot of calories in certain drinks.


    I’m the same height as you. Not sure how much you weigh, but I can tell you that even at my lowest weight ever (110, which is much lower than my current weight) I could easily lose weight at 1200. Something is off about this.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    It's not uncommon to feel ok for a while if undereating. The problems will start showing up over time, though. Many people experience a wide range of health problems, many start bingeing uncontrollably. So, even though you may feel fine now, it will catch up to you sooner or later.