Not Eating All The Calories

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Teelynn14
Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
in Getting Started
I only started using this app last Sunday. I am 5'9 and 180lbs time to loose the weight. MFP gave me 1560 calories a day. Before I started this I would have A&W Sausage and Egg on 7 grain bun and a hash brown for breakfast and either Safeway Deli, McDonalds, KFC or Popeye's for lunch. Always had cereal bars, granola bars or White cheddar popcorn in my desk for snacks. Come home relax and have a few beers with hubby Have not eaten supper in years. This week I have been making my meals at home and taking them to work. Breakfast a 2 egg omelette with spinach, 2 tbsp cheese and ham. Morning snack orange and banana. Lunch is a salad with spring mix lettuce cucumbers, tomatoes, steak or chicken, and pretty much anything I decide to throw in there lol. Then snack is baby carrots and grape tomatoes. So far I have yet to hit the calories and most if the time I am not hungry at night. Right now am at 644 calories and not hungry. I'm getting tired of the message that I can not log the day because I did not hit enough calories. So I have been having toast or something to bring it up. What can I do to get my calories up there during the day when what I am eating is fine and I'm not hungry? I'm almost ready to delete this whole thing.
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Replies

  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    lx1x wrote: »
    Need to eat more higher calories food.. 600 cal day is not healthy hence you getting the message.

    I realize that and that is why I am asking. I was a fast food every day person and the weight has upped about 10 pounds a year. What are some good higher calorie foods that will push me up to the calories I need.
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,311 Member
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    Kortina14 wrote: »
    lx1x wrote: »
    Need to eat more higher calories food.. 600 cal day is not healthy hence you getting the message.

    I realize that and that is why I am asking. I was a fast food every day person and the weight has upped about 10 pounds a year. What are some good higher calorie foods that will push me up to the calories I need.

    Currently I'm still eating fast food since I started with the calories counting. As long it's under deficit end of the day.you should be able to loose weight. Just choose the right one that fits your criteria.
  • debb430
    debb430 Posts: 14 Member
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    Try adding some higher calorie, good fat foods in your day. Some almonds for a snack or in your salad. Also avocados are great! I wish I had your problem of not being hungry! Do you work out? I’m fairly active and feel hungry a lot! I’m working on making the right choices when I eat🤷🏻‍♀️ My diary is open if you want to friend me. If you open yours I can take a look and try to give you suggestions along the way! Good luck!
  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    Hi Cahgetfit. Thank you for the ideas. I will be using some of these tomorrow. I have been using the scanner thingy a lot. I scan everything and weigh and measure. Takes me forever to log what I eat searching that long list. I have been trying to figure this all out but there is so much mis information on the web that I was lost and figured I would ask people actually doing it.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    On your salad you could add more cheese, avocado, maybe turn it in to a cold pasta salad. Have some crackers with your salad. Are you trying to do low carb? I didn't see any listed in your today's menu besides your fruits and vegetables.
  • BattyKnitter
    BattyKnitter Posts: 503 Member
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    Kortina14 wrote: »
    I only started using this app last Sunday. I am 5'9 and 180lbs time to loose the weight. MFP gave me 1560 calories a day. Before I started this I would have A&W Sausage and Egg on 7 grain bun and a hash brown for breakfast and either Safeway Deli, McDonalds, KFC or Popeye's for lunch. Always had cereal bars, granola bars or White cheddar popcorn in my desk for snacks. Come home relax and have a few beers with hubby Have not eaten supper in years. This week I have been making my meals at home and taking them to work. Breakfast a 2 egg omelette with spinach, 2 tbsp cheese and ham. Morning snack orange and banana. Lunch is a salad with spring mix lettuce cucumbers, tomatoes, steak or chicken, and pretty much anything I decide to throw in there lol. Then snack is baby carrots and grape tomatoes. So far I have yet to hit the calories and most if the time I am not hungry at night. Right now am at 644 calories and not hungry. I'm getting tired of the message that I can not log the day because I did not hit enough calories. So I have been having toast or something to bring it up. What can I do to get my calories up there during the day when what I am eating is fine and I'm not hungry? I'm almost ready to delete this whole thing.

    Are you weighing your food on a food scale and logging everything including liquids and oils used for cooking? That actually sounds like it might be more than 644 calories.
  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks for the hints of adding to my omelets and salad. I love avocado but like I said so much mis information out there I thought they were not good to eat if your trying to loose weight.

    Annie, not on a low carb diet but I do realize that is low as well. Just eating what I like as well.

    Betty yes I do log everything. I don't use any oils for cooking. So when I say omelette it is really more like scrambled because I can never flip them right so I never bother with oil with my non stick pans. I pretty much only drink water during the day and I log my water on the add water thing. I follow the serving portion on the label of the food I eat and yep measure and weigh.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    You might find some more ideas here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    diannethegeek wrote: »
    You might find some more ideas here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

    Thank you for this. I just had 2 pieces of toast to up my calories. Now I need to get my shopping list going.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    edited March 2019
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    Correct, Avocados are calorie dense so for someone trying to restrict their calories to lose weight they are a poor choice but since you need to INCREASE your calories it would be a super option to add to your salad. Also some seeds, nuts and dried cranberries with an oil based dressing you could easily add another 300-400 calories in that one tweek alone.

    You could get another 200-250 just by adding a glass of fresh fruit juice into your day, this would give you carbs and vitamins too. Maybe even make your own fruit & vegetable juice or for a real calorie boost make up a smoothie with fruit & yoghurt and milk. They can pack away 500 or more calories easily but all good stuff - dairy, fruit, protein, carbs, vitamins etc

    Maybe have a milk based drink or protein shake in the evening or snack on an apple with some peanut butter which is incredibly calorie dense. Both could add 200 or so calories.

    I would be starving hungry, have raging headaches and be super cranky on just 600 calories a day, it’s hard to imagine that you can’t even face a few slices of toast or a bowl of cereal in the evening.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Butter, oil, peanut butter, Nutella, chocolate. There are lots of things that are calorie-dense, meaning you can get a lot of calories for a small portion. Nuts are pretty calorie-dense, too.

    Many people can undereat for quite a while, sometimes months, without having any side effects. But there are serious consequences to undernourishing yourself for any length of time.
  • Sbaphomet
    Sbaphomet Posts: 10 Member
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    It sounds like you’re eating super healthy, but eating under which is not sustainable for long term success.

    I understand the stress of feeling like you’re not eating enough. I get exhausted and stressed thinking about what snacks/how many/ect- who has time?

    My trick that has helped me is to just increase within my meal times I already have set. Having a salad? Add avocado for an essential boost. Just having cereal? Try putting dried fruits and nuts like dates and peacans to give it more value. These small changes can help you stay on track without making too many changes and also won’t trigger you to go back to old habits. Gl!
  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thank You everyone for the advise. Today will be like yesterday because I can't go grocery shopping tell tomorrow. I have never been a big eater. Pretty sure the the 20-30 pounds I put on was not so much how much I ate but what I was eating and well the beers every night. I want to get as much of my calories during the day because I am not a night eater. Very happy I can have avocados though.
  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
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    Have one of your beers at night! The glory of MFP is that you can (if you choose) still consume your regular diet in moderation so that you are eating a caloric deficit everyday. You seem to also be trying to get more nutritive foods into your diet, which is great, but not necessary to lose weight. Maybe you could do a hybrid of your old and new eating habits (if it doesn't derail you). Have a fast food breakfast or lunch once in a while. Add back one serving of beer if you are in a great deficit for the day. Losing weight doesn't only have to happen with a complete dietary overhaul.

    Don't give up!! Adjust and keep going!!
  • Teelynn14
    Teelynn14 Posts: 13 Member
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    Vaganbaum, That's kinda what I meant. I ate way to many calories during the day. 4 Years ago I was 155lbs and I was quite comfortable with that. Then life happened. Stressed to the max and started eating more convenience because I didn't have time to cook. Then it became a habit and was easier to just grab something quick for breakfast and lunch, and 4 years later and 30lbs heavier I needed to so something.

    This whole week I have been fine with the 700ish calories and did not feel hungry then I looked up what can happen if I stay there to long and it freaked me out. I have never really dieted in my life and I'm 48. I had no idea what I was doing so I am so grateful for all help everyone gave me with this. I want to eat the way I am now because I did feel better during the day and don't have the 3pm yawns happening LOL.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    1) Are you putting dressing on your salad? Full-fat dressing?
    2) For snacks - nuts, string cheese, etc.
    3) Have something else with your omelet. If its an egg-white-only omelet? Use whole eggs -- yolks are full of vitamins.
    5) Have the beer at night -work it into your allowance.
    6) have a granola bar or popcorn in the afternoon -- just be sure to record it.

    My whole approach to MFP is just "Start recording everything, and go from there." I've never forced myself into specific macro breakdowns, and I haven't radically changed how I eat by tossing all my old meals and starting in with new meals. I've cut out extras that had crept into my diet and were pushing my weight back up, but I still have room for some of my favorites.
  • cmsavells
    cmsavells Posts: 257 Member
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    Do you like yogurt or Greek yogurt? There are high protein, low fat, low carb choices now. YQ by Yoplait is awesome. It is a great mid-afternoon or post-work out snack. You don't have to eat the whole container; half is plenty for a snack.

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