Not getting enough calories

CaitlinELaird
CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know that this is probably a silly question, but I have been eating a ton of fruits and veggies which is awesome and I am feeling much better, but I am not getting enough calories for MFP to be happy with me. I am having to eat some sort of junk food to be able to meet my calorie requirements and not be grossly stuffed.
I have literally been eating fruit for snacks and my meals have been heavily vegetable based. I'm just not sure how to get the calorie requirements needed to make MFP happy and I could use a little advice that isn't scarfing some McDonald's fries. :)
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Replies

  • ThatJuJitsuWoman
    ThatJuJitsuWoman Posts: 155 Member
    The highest calorie foods in my diary (apart from the sugary junk which I’m cutting down on!) are peanut butter, humous, nuts, tofu, potatoes, pasta, beans and meat replacements like burgers and sausages. Most of them aren’t hugely high in calories, but I eat at least one of them at almost every meal so it adds up.

    If you eat cheese, eggs and meat you will of course have a few more options as well.

  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Healthy fats are your friend. Avocado, olive oil, peanut butter. Even yogurt or cottage cheese. Throw acouple of those in a day and i gaurentee you will meet your requirements, and probably feel more satiated
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    How are you doing as far as protein? Getting plenty of protein - more than the recommended daily allowance which should be regarded as a bare minimum - has been shown to help with retaining muscle while losing weight.

    If you’re getting plenty of protein, try adding some healthy fats for quick calories. A tablespoon of olive oil on your salad and a handful of nuts will add up quickly. Also: avocados!
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    I'm getting protein from beans and meat, but I only eat meat occasionally. I have been feeling really satisfied on well rounded meals that include the healthy fats that have been recommended.

    I guess my question is that as long as I am getting enough nutrients, should I struggle to meet the minimum calorie requirement?
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,082 Member
    Yes, you should try to meet the minimum. I have my meals pretty good veggie, protein, and fruits and eat similar amounts of calories and have needed to up calories. It's harder than I thought to not end up eating spoons of peanut butter to meet calories! I've started doing little things like beans and sunflower seeds to my salad. Letting some of the food you used to eat back in your diet is ok too.
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    edited September 2019
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    Yes, you should try to meet the minimum. I have my meals pretty good veggie, protein, and fruits and eat similar amounts of calories and have needed to up calories. It's harder than I thought to not end up eating spoons of peanut butter to meet calories! I've started doing little things like beans and sunflower seeds to my salad. Letting some of the food you used to eat back in your diet is ok too.

    Thank you, I am so glad that I am not the only one having this issue.

    I am really trying to cut down on extensive amounts of sugar, so I have been trying to cut back on the stuff I normally eat! I have been a large Coke a day, candy, cupcakes and cookies girl for so long that I am trying to make some better choices.

    I don't like getting those "You're not eating enough" messages from MFP and I know that eating too few calories is not good for myself. I just wasn't sure how else to add calories into my diet without feeling more stuffed than I already am. lol!
  • SionnachD
    SionnachD Posts: 2 Member
    This is why I always plan for dessert. A scoop of your favorite ice cream/sorbet/gelato/whathaveyou is a great way to make up a few calories and end your day on a good note. Also, while I enjoy snacking on veggies and fruit, peanut butter smeared on a small tortilla (fajita size) or a half quesadilla (again with 1 fajita size tortilla) are a couple of my go-to's when I need some protein too.
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    edited September 2019
    SionnachD wrote: »
    This is why I always plan for dessert. A scoop of your favorite ice cream/sorbet/gelato/whathaveyou is a great way to make up a few calories and end your day on a good note. Also, while I enjoy snacking on veggies and fruit, peanut butter smeared on a small tortilla (fajita size) or a half quesadilla (again with 1 fajita size tortilla) are a couple of my go-to's when I need some protein too.

    Oh, I like those ideas! Thank you! (I really need them today since I have added it all up and I am only at 699 for the day... oy vey!) :(
  • Mcwi3681
    Mcwi3681 Posts: 67 Member
    I'm still working on hitting my calorie goals without resorting to junk food too. More often than not, I have a handful of peanut butter cups at night to make up the difference.
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    I literally ate a bowl of cereal to make up my calories today... I’m a little stuffed. 🤣
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I'm getting protein from beans and meat, but I only eat meat occasionally. I have been feeling really satisfied on well rounded meals that include the healthy fats that have been recommended.

    I guess my question is that as long as I am getting enough nutrients, should I struggle to meet the minimum calorie requirement?

    If you are eating under the minimum calories, you are almost certainly not getting enough protein or fat. You should be aiming to hit a minimum of both (in grams, not %, every day). If you post your stats I'm sure someone here can help you figure out how many grams.
  • elfin168
    elfin168 Posts: 202 Member
    if you dont eat enough protein/calories your body will start eating your muscle mass. also fruit is high in sugar. eggs, cheese, milk, yoghurt, fish, bread, tofu, beans, protein shakes, meat, chicken etc etc with every meal will help prevent muscle loss (which to some degree is inevitable) when you reduce your calorie intake
  • SarahAnne3958
    SarahAnne3958 Posts: 78 Member
    edited September 2019
    jenncornelsen wrote: »
    Healthy fats are your friend. Avocado, olive oil, peanut butter. Even yogurt or cottage cheese. Throw acouple of those in a day and i gaurentee you will meet your requirements, and probably feel more satiated

    This would be my suggestion as well-start adding higher fat foods, which are more calorie dense. Things like nuts, seeds, full fat dairy (Greek yogurt for snacks, saute your veggies in butter etc), use avocado and olive oils for dressings etc.

    eta: OP I don't know if you're a coffee or tea drinker but that's also an opportunity to get in more calories-if you're using low fat creamers you can switch to heavy whipping cream, which is more calorie dense. Or, add a few splashes of full fat milk.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I literally ate a bowl of cereal to make up my calories today... I’m a little stuffed. 🤣

    what is your calorie goal for the day??? I can't imagine having a goal so high that the only way I could reach it is forcing down food.
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    Muscleflex79 wrote: »
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I literally ate a bowl of cereal to make up my calories today... I’m a little stuffed. 🤣

    what is your calorie goal for the day??? I can't imagine having a goal so high that the only way I could reach it is forcing down food.

    My goal for MFP is 1,410 and yesterday I barely managed to hit 1,041 with that bowl of cereal. I had an orange and a cup of tea for breakfast, a lunch that consisted of sausage, onion, garlic, squash, tomatos, green bell pepper sauteed in olive oil with seasoning (and it was a big ol' bowl of it), dinner was a brat (on a bun) with fries and then the cereal. I fell short of protein yesterday, which I could have adjusted for but didn't think about it. Normally my protein goal is met if not exceeded.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I know that this is probably a silly question, but I have been eating a ton of fruits and veggies which is awesome and I am feeling much better, but I am not getting enough calories for MFP to be happy with me. I am having to eat some sort of junk food to be able to meet my calorie requirements and not be grossly stuffed.
    I have literally been eating fruit for snacks and my meals have been heavily vegetable based. I'm just not sure how to get the calorie requirements needed to make MFP happy and I could use a little advice that isn't scarfing some McDonald's fries. :)

    There is a whole world of nutrient dense and calorie dense foods that are not McDonalds french fries.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I'm getting protein from beans and meat, but I only eat meat occasionally. I have been feeling really satisfied on well rounded meals that include the healthy fats that have been recommended.

    I guess my question is that as long as I am getting enough nutrients, should I struggle to meet the minimum calorie requirement?

    If you are not hitting the 1200 minimum, you are not getting enough nutrients. That is why that low end number is set where it is.
  • StaciMarie2020
    StaciMarie2020 Posts: 68 Member
    edited September 2019
    I'd be curious if you're underlogging? Are you weighing everything?

    Have some protein & fat w/ breakfast. Some nut butter or avocado on toast. A couple of eggs.
    Add some rice to the sausage-veggie bowl.

    The food you described - unless very small portions - sounds like it could easily be higher on calories than you indicate. Of course it depends on quantities and types. The brat could be 200-400. The bun 100-300. The fries 100-???. 1 ounce (cooked weight) of crumbled sausage in the lunch bowl would be a very small amount of meat/protein and 50-80 calories. Much more if it was 4-6 ounces. Olive oil could be 30-120 or more, depending on how much. Cereal 80-??? depending on how much.

    USe a food scale and try to make accurate entries into your food log. If you are already eating more than you think, then adding extra foods may be detrimental. You may just need to improve portion accuracy and focus on macros a bit more to get enough protein, fat.
  • CaitlinELaird
    CaitlinELaird Posts: 106 Member
    I have been weighing and counting meticulously. (I have a food scale at work and at home just to double check.) I know that my portions are right...
  • DiscipleOfChrist29
    DiscipleOfChrist29 Posts: 84 Member
    I agree with everyone that talked about fats. Avocado, nuts, and the good oils. Usually a handful of almonds will send me over lol.
  • StaciMarie2020
    StaciMarie2020 Posts: 68 Member
    I figured there was no harm in pointing out the possibility. :)
    caitiedid5 wrote: »
    I have been weighing and counting meticulously. (I have a food scale at work and at home just to double check.) I know that my portions are right...

  • StaciMarie2020
    StaciMarie2020 Posts: 68 Member
    You will probably just need to make an effort to include some of what is lacking in each meal, and add in small snacks. I *could* eat very low calorie every day and still be full if I specifically ate very low cal meals all the time. Example my dinner tonight will be around 200-240: crumbled turkey sausage, pasta sauce, some grated parmesan cheese and a big pile of spaghetti squash 'noodles'. If your meals are that sort of balance (sounds like they are, bulk of your meal is low cal vegetable) then make sure to include some of the higher cal items throughout the day.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited September 2019
    You said you are meeting your protein goals, but what is your goal in grams? you may not be getting enough. Aim for a minimum of 0.8 grams per lb of goal body weight, more is fine.

    How much fat are you getting a day. you should aim for 0.35 to 0.45 grams per lb of body weight (lower end if overweight and upper end if in a healthy weight range) as a minimum, more is fine.

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