problems with getting enough calories

jasdebi2012 · May 2020

Ever since my breakfast habits changed, I "struggle" to reach 1200kcal per day.
Before I would eat 2 fruity yoghurts (125ml each) with 30g of cereals. This now changed to keeping the recommendations on the cereal box, of 125ml milk and 30g of cereals. This adds up to about 200kcal.

Continuing my example from today, I had for lunch 150g of spinach, 30g of cheese (feta) and 100g of shrimps. I think all these are steal the recommended "serving" portions. After summing them up, together with the rest of ingredients I used, I reached up to 220kcal.

Including my 2 oranges and some coffee I drink, the total sum up to now (dinner excluded) is 806kcal...

What would I have for dinner? I still think I won't make it to 1200kcal, no matter what... instead I would have to give that boost with some snack [like a cereal bar?]... I don't like getting cereal bars as I think I'm already getting enough such carbs from my mornings.... Do you have any good suggestion that might help me reach a "healthier" intake? I had the same problem the last 2 days, but during them I didn't exercise at all, while today I burned around 600kcal from walking/running.

mmapags · May 2020

You shouldn't be hitting 1200 as a male. You should be hitting 1500. You want to include more lower volume, calorie dense foods in your diet and I'm guessing you are light on protein. You are dangerously under eating and this can have serious health consequences if done for an extended period of time.

Lietchi · May 2020

Firstly, why are you following recommended "serving" portions? If you have trouble consuming enough calories, just eat larger portions. Manufacturers seems to choose serving portions as small as possible so they can display lower calorie values etc. There is no nutritional basis to these recommended portion sizes.

Secondly, there are so many ways to easily increase your calorie consumption besides cereal bars. Olive oil, avocado, nuts, fatty fish,,... And by the way, there is nothing wrong with carbs, you can eat a lot more carbs than just the carbs from 30 measly grams of breakfast cereal... (unless you have medical concerns you haven't mentioned)

Are you dieting to lose weight? Or what is your goal?
If you're overweight, surely it can't be that difficult to eat more calories, since you used to consume a lot more than now.

I'm a 5ft4 woman and I'm eating between 1700 and 2000 calories per day on average, I can't even imagine a grown man eating less than 1200 calories and not being starved! Please eat more, it's not healthy to eat so little food, you need to fuel your body.

janejellyroll · May 2020

You don't have to follow the recommendations on the packages. If you need more calories, eating larger portions makes sense.

jasdebi2012 · May 2020

Hi @mmapags , thanks. Yes, for that reason I'm asking for recommendations. Generally my intake the last week was at around 1300kcal. I'm not sure for proteins, as I get on average about 65g per day (with ups and downs). And yes, I am on a diet and that's why I was looking for health boosts for my calories.

Hi @Lietchi , I follow them for not overeating unnecessary bad things for my health. Yes I am on a diet with the goal of losing weight, for that reason I'm trying to escape carb-rich foods. But yes, eating more calories is always easy, for example I can go and extinguish my lust over a cup of icecream (or cakes or other sugary things) like a pig, but that doesn't sound healthy at all. I'm actually looking for healthy options for boosting my calories and keeping me on track (I would like to be somewhere between 1400-1700 kcal per day, and up to now I'm averaging at 1400 [without exercise]).

yirara · May 2020

You should be eating a minimum of 1500, no further discussion. Unless your goal is to look wobbly once your on your goal weight because you've lost tons of muscles, your goal is to increase the risk for osteoporosis and heart problems. Your goal is to eat too little until you binge bigtime and then come back here and cry because you can't stop eating. Judging by your photo even 1500 calories would be too little. So what's wrong with some ice cream? What wrong with fullfat yoghurt? Or all the other things you deny yourself?

Lietchi · May 2020

jasdebi2012 wrote: »

Hi @Lietchi , I follow them for not overeating unnecessary bad things for my health. Yes I am on a diet with the goal of losing weight, for that reason I'm trying to escape carb-rich foods. But yes, eating more calories is always easy, for example I can go and extinguish my lust over a cup of icecream (or cakes or other sugary things) like a pig, but that doesn't sound healthy at all. I'm actually looking for healthy options for boosting my calories and keeping me on track (I would like to be somewhere between 1400-1700 kcal per day, and up to now I'm averaging at 1400 [without exercise]).

I would urge you to not think of food as inherently bad or good. Very few foods are purely bad (transfats are bad) unless you have a medical reason to avoid those foods (for example sugar for diabetics).

Carbs are not bad. Eliminating carbs does not help to lose body fat! It will cause water weight loss in the beginning but aside from that, the only rule is to eat less calories than you burn. It really is that simple.

Do you actually enjoy the way you are eating right now? Could you keep it up the rest of your life? I urge you to find a way to eat that is healthy AND enjoyable AND sustainable. Otherwise you're not going to be able to lose weight AND keep it off in the long run... If you don't, you'll give up before you reach your goal. Or you might reach your goal (potentially damaging your health) and then gain everything back because you went back to what you were eating before your weight-loss.

mmapags · May 2020

jasdebi2012 wrote: »

Hi @mmapags , thanks. Yes, for that reason I'm asking for recommendations. Generally my intake the last week was at around 1300kcal. I'm not sure for proteins, as I get on average about 65g per day (with ups and downs). And yes, I am on a diet and that's why I was looking for health boosts for my calories.

Hi @Lietchi , I follow them for not overeating unnecessary bad things for my health. Yes I am on a diet with the goal of losing weight, for that reason I'm trying to escape carb-rich foods. But yes, eating more calories is always easy, for example I can go and extinguish my lust over a cup of icecream (or cakes or other sugary things) like a pig, but that doesn't sound healthy at all. I'm actually looking for healthy options for boosting my calories and keeping me on track (I would like to be somewhere between 1400-1700 kcal per day, and up to now I'm averaging at 1400 [without exercise]).

Why? There is nothing wrong carbs and there is nothing wrong with some ice cream in an otherwise healthy diet. You are more at risk for your health by under eating than by eating ice cream. Carbs in the form of veggies, fruits and whole grains are a huge source of micro-nutrients. And no, you are not getting enough protein unless you are about 85 lbs.

You really need to have a serious think about your approach to food. It is not healthy. Increase protein and get more calories. Ice cream, nuts and nut butter, avocados and other healthy sources of carbs and fats. You are on the wrong path and you need to get off it before you damage your health.

problems with getting enough calories

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