Do you consume all of your allotted calories?

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  • maizy65
    maizy65 Posts: 2
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    Oh my goodness! Not eat all your calories! I can't even imagine that! Congratulations to all of you that are losing weight................I saw everywhere from 3lbs to 140+........................I was on this site last year and lost 15lbs...............gained 10 back AFTER the
    holidays.........was so proud of myself for not gaining any back Thanksgiving thru New Years......guess it went to my head.....er, butt/gut ! LOL I'm a retired preschool teacher and was very active until I started staying home. I love food, too, and it's hard not to want to bake all my families favorites especially during the winter, but I'm trying very hard to cut back.....because if I cook it, I eat it.
    I hope this year I can lose 30+ lbs, but am only doing it in 10lb increments hoping that will encourage me every time I hit the 10lb mark. Best to all of you:smile:16773901.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • emczech5
    emczech5 Posts: 224 Member
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    What? Did we suddenly forget how to eat?:laugh:
    Just eat.
    If you are like me, you did not get fat not knowing how to eat.
    So, yes, eat your calories.
    MFP calculates our total daily calorie intake WITHOUT exercise to lose 1 pound or so per week.
    And after we log exercises, our daily calorie limit increases.
    Why?
    Because MFP telling us to eat our exercise calories in addition to our daily calorie goals.
    Eating a McD cheeseburger is better than not eating to goal, because you will stifle progress not eating enough.
    Large deficits are unhealthy, because while you will lose weight, what's the quality of the weight loss?
    In many cases you'll lose lean body mass - MUSCLE - which LOWERS your metabolic rate, making weight loss harder.
    These crash diets work well for a season -- and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so
    few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories
    more slowly -- and you gain weight.:noway:
    Be smart.
    Exercise well both cardio and resistance, and eat back the calories.
    The exercise will RAISE your metabolism and burn more fat at rest.

    I completely agree with this.
  • Pattinan
    Pattinan Posts: 42 Member
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    A good read.
  • CoCoFluff
    CoCoFluff Posts: 36 Member
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    What? Did we suddenly forget how to eat?:laugh:
    Just eat.
    If you are like me, you did not get fat not knowing how to eat.
    So, yes, eat your calories.
    MFP calculates our total daily calorie intake WITHOUT exercise to lose 1 pound or so per week.
    And after we log exercises, our daily calorie limit increases.
    Why?
    Because MFP telling us to eat our exercise calories in addition to our daily calorie goals.
    Eating a McD cheeseburger is better than not eating to goal, because you will stifle progress not eating enough.
    Large deficits are unhealthy, because while you will lose weight, what's the quality of the weight loss?
    In many cases you'll lose lean body mass - MUSCLE - which LOWERS your metabolic rate, making weight loss harder.
    These crash diets work well for a season -- and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so
    few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories
    more slowly -- and you gain weight.:noway:
    Be smart.
    Exercise well both cardio and resistance, and eat back the calories.
    The exercise will RAISE your metabolism and burn more fat at rest.


    ^ So very true.... when I first started no way was 1200 enough.... went up to 1900, and felt much happy and started to loose weight. Its about forming good habits, and not self deprivation. Like many I'm shocked when people say they can't eat 1200 cals, cause I was starving on that. And lets be real with ourselves, our weight gain did not occur from NOT being able to eat 1200cals... o_O
  • CallieRettig
    CallieRettig Posts: 30
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    I exercise approx. 60-80 minutes a day and still eat back most of my calories. I find it your eating balanced, its NOT hard to meet your cals. Ex: natural peanut butter, qunioa, wild rice etc...LOTS of cals. BUT HEALTHY. I'm finding a lot of posts on MFP with tiny girls posting about not being able to eat more than 800 cals etc. GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm not impressed by your ketchup packet and glass of water with splenda. This isn't aimed at anyone that has replied to this, its just my rant :)
  • speedycakes
    speedycakes Posts: 152 Member
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    Hi! I'm new too. I also find it hard to eat all the calories I'm supposed to! My goal is 1200 a day, plus all the extra that come from exercising. I'm trying really hard to eat healthy low calorie foods, so it feels like I'm always eating and not getting enough calories!

    If your not getting enough calories don't just eat low calorie foods. Eat some nuts, rice, beans, peanut butter. Then you will have no problem hitting your 1200 goal.
  • WilliamsPeggy
    WilliamsPeggy Posts: 440 Member
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    I usually stay slightly under, whether I've exercised & earned more or not, because I like to be in the green. :smile:
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
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    All my food comes from the freezer section at Wal-Mart. Anywhere from 200-500 calories per meal. I eat cereal for breakfast (200-400 calories), a protein shake or Subway for lunch (170-500 calories) and one of the frozen meals, subway, or whatever my mother cooks for dinner (200-500+).

    During the day I do Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, walking, and other things. I burn anywhere from 200-700 calories daily leaving me well under 1000 Net Cal. And no, I don't try to stuff my face to make the green turn red.
  • basjan
    basjan Posts: 3
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    hi, im new as well...
    I have a problem eating all my calories too. my numbers indicate 1200 a day but i exercise 7-10 times a week... so sometimes it even pushes up to 2000. my normal consumption is somewhere around 1100calories a day and if i eat more that that i feel that it would be unneccery. I do eat very healthy though, all natural, organic foods, ancient grains, veggies, as well as no artificial sugars.

    I have to add though that i only have 10pounds to loose, and for some reason i am not loosing any.... do you guys think that could be the reason why?
  • nk17
    nk17 Posts: 141 Member
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    I'm not a tiny girl. I'm morbidly obese. I find it extremely difficult to eat all my calories. I was told at my weigh-in, I just had to try to eat some of them back and I've been gradually learning to do that, but it is really difficult for me. Before this latest journey started, I was a carb addict. Everything I ate just about was fast food or extremely high carb. Since I have kicked this addiction, I do find it hard to eat enough. My friend who is on this journey with me, but was not a carb addict is having the same problem. We are slowly learning to eat more though and have seen the weight loss follow. I think the thing for me is knowing what to eat and to be prepared in case I suddenly change my mind. If no one is cooking, I have alternatives readily on hand. I have found that if I don't eat enough, the weight just sits there. You have to eat enough in order to not be starving so the body will release the fat. I think for the really heavy though, there is a lot more room to tinker than there is with those whose goal is less ambitious. I still have close to 90 lbs. to go to reach my goal. I approach every week with a determination to do my best. Still, it's a work in progress.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    hi, im new as well...
    I have a problem eating all my calories too. my numbers indicate 1200 a day but i exercise 7-10 times a week... so sometimes it even pushes up to 2000. my normal consumption is somewhere around 1100calories a day and if i eat more that that i feel that it would be unneccery. I do eat very healthy though, all natural, organic foods, ancient grains, veggies, as well as no artificial sugars.

    I have to add though that i only have 10pounds to loose, and for some reason i am not loosing any.... do you guys think that could be the reason why?

    If what you're currently doing doesn't seem to be working, it can't hurt to try tweaking things a bit. :-) Some people feel they continue to lose just fine not eating their exercise calories, others seem to find that they might hit a plateau and that eating a portion of them can help get the scale moving again. You could try bumping up your consumption like 100 at a time and see what happens if you're nervous to suddenly go from 1200 to 2000 on exercise days. Like an extra 100 for a week or two, then maybe 100 over that for a week or two, until you see the scale moving again. Might help you pinpoint a level that keeps your body happier w/o you having to feel like you're in shock from suddenly eating so much more. Just an idea. :-)
  • basjan
    basjan Posts: 3
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    thanks for the advise... i think i might try that
  • Froglet95
    Froglet95 Posts: 8
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    This all seems logical to me, so over the week, I assume the weekly total allowance would prevail?

    I have also started drinking vinegar in water, seems to curb my appetite and makes me drink more water, then pass more water, so hopefully in time will work for me. If anyone else has tried this, would love to hear about how you did.
  • lucysgrammy
    lucysgrammy Posts: 7
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    hi, I too am new to the site and just can't eat all my calories. they want me to eat 1200 and all i can get in (with snacks) is around 800. I'm not a big eater but tend to eat the wrong things. trying to cut down on fat and carbs but they want me to eat MORE!!!
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    hi, I too am new to the site and just can't eat all my calories. they want me to eat 1200 and all i can get in (with snacks) is around 800. I'm not a big eater but tend to eat the wrong things. trying to cut down on fat and carbs but they want me to eat MORE!!!

    It can definitely be tough to rationalize eating more with trying to eat less and healthier. If you want to try to get in some of those extra calories without feeling stuffed, you can try higher calorie foods like peanut butter (a 2 tbsp serving is around 200 calories and it won't leave you feeling stuffed since it's a small amount - pair that with an apple for around 75-100 calories and you've got a healthy snack that's added some of those extra calories to your day - or just put 1 tbsp on a slice of bread if you need a smaller amount of extra calorie snack right then - yogurt is around 80-150 calories depending on what kind you get, also very small amount of food and has protein and calcium :-) ). You can also consider drinking milk or ensure or protein shakes to help get in actual calories when you don't feel like eating 'food'. You don't have to stuff yourself if you don't feel like it, but it can definitely help to plan ahead and have some of those types of items around the house. :-)
  • Graciecny
    Graciecny Posts: 303
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    I eat all of my calories and sometimes whatever my friends might have left over as well. I am almost always hungry, and that isn't a false signal from my stomach, either.
    I almost spit my lunch on the computer when I read this!

    As for me, I was relieved to find that it was okay to eat the calories you "earn" by exercising. I actually commented to my hubby yesterday afternoon that I needed to go to the gym to earn my dinner - and I meant it literally! What I had left wouldn't have been very satisfying...O.o So no, no problem eating every single calorie MFP says I can!
  • Poobeeschmoo
    Poobeeschmoo Posts: 5 Member
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    As for me, I was relieved to find that it was okay to eat the calories you "earn" by exercising. I actually commented to my hubby yesterday afternoon that I needed to go to the gym to earn my dinner - and I meant it literally! What I had left wouldn't have been very satisfying...O.o So no, no problem eating every single calorie MFP says I can!

    I do that. I love exercising a lot and I think that is mostly because I know I can have a bigger dinner ;-)
  • daisytripp
    daisytripp Posts: 527 Member
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    I try to eat all my calories, but I think a large part of joining MFP has been my learning how grossly I was overeating. I only eat foods I enjoy - because otherwise counting calories will feel more like a chore and less like a game - but I don't always reach my calories. If I'm hungry, I drink a glass of water and then I eat something. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. Why would I? On the other hand, I'm planning to walk about an hour and a half today so I can eat at a Super Bowl party . . .
  • CityGurlA
    CityGurlA Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks to you all. So update: I realized that my height was set incorrectly. I took away the 1 inch and lost about 200 calories. I'm able to eat my 1250 calories pretty easily now that I'm planning my meals, but those exercise calories are TOUGH...I had an extra 700 calories on day from hot yoga and had no idea what to do with them. Good news is that I've only been using this site for 6 days, and I'm already down a pound. YAAAAAAY. I will keep you guys updated. Thanks again for all of the encouragement and advice. I've taken a look at some of the tickers and I'm impressed. You guys are kicking *kitten* and taking names.
  • milby2012
    milby2012 Posts: 2
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    Exercise is the key factor. Don't eat your exercise calories as they are a bonus for weight loss. I have been over weight for 20 years until I started using MFP and by just looking at my daily calorie intake was enough to help me change my ways. I am currently eating 1500 calories a day and losing weight every week. I LOVE MFP

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