Want to lose weight but have no idea where to start!!!

casandraeaddy wrote: »

I can’t seem to eat all the calories I need for example yesterday I was supposed to eat 1340 cal and I only ate 1100 cal I don’t want to eat when I’m not hungry so what are alternative snacks or something that I can eat to help me reach my calorie intake for the day or is it ok to be a few hundered calories under ?

Nuts are good. Nutritious, calorie-dense, not very filling. Peanut butter is another. Avocados, full-fat dairy products instead of low/nonfat if you eat dairy, a little extra butter or oil or dressing on veggies/salad or used in cooking.

It's fine to be under sometimes, as long as you're not overall losing weight at an unhealthfully fast rate. (Unhealthfully fast rule of thumb, no more than 1% of current body weight per week unless under close medical supervision, slower is fine; slower recommended if less than around 50 pounds above goal weight).

If you're regularly and frequently that far under your goal, and are just getting started so don't know how fast you're losing yet, it would be a good idea to eat closer to goal calories until you have that 4-6 weeks of experience.

It's not unusual to feel full and not hungry at first, especially if you've switched what you eat to include more of the less processed or whole foods, which many people find more filling. The problem is that undereating is unhealthful, and speaking as someone who did it unintentionally/accidentally for a bit, a person can feel great for a while, then hit a wall. (I got weak and fatigued, then took several weeks to recover even after I started eating more.)

Also, undereating can feel fine for a while, but suddenly result in an an uncontrolled/way-over-goal day(s) if the body rebels (especially likely if under stress, or fatigued for other reasons). That's obviously counter-productive, and for a few people can set up binge/restrict cycles and a dysfunctional relationship with food.

If you're having trouble eating enough, especially if you're already getting close to your protein and fat goals (those are important for health!), it's also fine to eat a considered portion of some treat food, and it can even be psychologically helpful to fit those in now and then. Some people like a couple of squares of good chocolate, a small cookie, an ounce or smaller of chips/crisps, some ice cream, or something like that. If you've been telling yourself not to have treats because they're "junk food" and bad for you . . . consider that eating too few calories is also bad for you. (Besides, the badness of those things is pretty overstated, if you're otherwise getting overall good nutrition, and having small treat portions. ) If you're avoiding treat foods because you can't eat them in moderation, then that's a different matter.

casandraeaddy wrote: »

How much fats should I be eating a day MFP has me with a goal of not over 45 g of fat day a day is that right ?

Many of us look at fat and protein goals as minimums, or at least try to get up close to them if not over. We need a certain minimum of fat and protein for health.

When we cut calories, we still need that same minimum. At low calories, the percentage-based approach tends to put them on the lower side of absolute needs (but this varies because people choose different extremes in calorie goal).

In health and nutrition terms, the exact amount of carbs matters less (unless someone has a relevant health condition such as diabetes), so those can be used to balance out the calories. (A few people find that eating too low carb hurts their energy level, or eating too high carb spikes their appetite/cravings. Those are individual, so you'd have to figure out via experience whether either one applies to you. As you'd guess, "too high" and "too low" is a personalized number, too, not an absolute.)

So, try to get at least to your protein goal and fat goal, or close. Over is fine. Try to get a reasonable minimum number of daily servings of veggies and fruits, too (USDA and the like usually recommend 5+) .

All of that protein-fats-carbs-veggies/fruits stuff is about nutrition and health.

For weight loss, only calories matter, especially in the short run.

In the long run, poor nutrition can cause fatigue (so we move less, and burn fewer calories). In the long run, poor nutrition can cause hunger/cravings, so cause people to eat too many calories. In those way, poor nutrition can indirectly affect weight loss.

In a direct sense, weight loss is about getting your calorie intake (via eating) below your calorie expenditure (via daily life and exercise).

Weight loss is just calories. Nutrition is important for health. Most of us want to be healthy, not just thin, though, right?

*Measure your food.* Limit processed foods. *Keep your food diary. *Drink plenty of water.* exersize.
I'm in an ultimate accountability group that's real good.