not meeting minimum cals Help

Jph6701
Jph6701 Posts: 55 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all new to site I am struggling to meet the daily min on my cals any help would be appreciated..
Any help on food suggestions and workouts would also be helpful also.

Replies

  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Based on your diary...and the extreme little you have posted.... honestly... I have to ask you, are you even dedicated to this at all?


    You need to eat - plain and simple.

    Get rid of fast food and learn how to cook your meals at home - learn what it means to portion everything and weigh everything out. Learn how to train yourself how to do this that way you can adapt to ordering out.

    You have to eat every day, and if you plan on being on MFP - dedicate yourself to logging everything you consume on your MFP account.

    Youre either in it to lose it, or youre yanking your own chain....

    If you truly want this... first thing's first... do you really want to be here?
  • Jph6701
    Jph6701 Posts: 55 Member
    I joined the site yesterday. and I have logged everything I have been doing.
    I had been going the gym and lost a bit of weight but due to me being ill moving house and such I have only started back at the gym past week.

    Regarding the Takeaway you mentioned We have 1 day a week as a family to eat something we like.

    I had for 6 months straight been eating chicken rice, fish salads drinking lots of water as I know that is important but became ill for a peroid of time as I mentioned

    Regarding my dedication yes I am dedicated otherwise I would not be posting and asking for help would i.
  • lornathewizzard
    lornathewizzard Posts: 165 Member
    hi :)
    If you're struggling to make up to the min cals, then the key is finding good snacks that will add cals. Fruit for example, i like granola bars, some folks like a spoon of peanut butter etc. Also, make sure you are making time for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cause if you miss one you are missing a big chunk of calories for the day. Feel free to check out my diary, but I am on maintenance calories, so probably a bit high in comparison.

    And most of all, good luck! You'll be just fine.
  • jovz10
    jovz10 Posts: 531 Member
    try eat 4 to 6 times a day.... cereal and milk for breakfast, snack would be a piece of wheat toast with peanut butter, lunch what you eat normally or sandwich with tons of vegetables and avocado or nuts ( both high cal food but good for you), snack would be yogurt and fruit , then dinner what you eat normally and tons of vegetables... before going to bed, have more milk... tell me if that doesn't meet your goal...
  • v2embee
    v2embee Posts: 23 Member
    If you're having trouble meeting your calorie intake quota (and are honestly full from your current portions of food), try incorporating some healthy, but calorie-dense food items.
    Examples: avocado, peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, etc.
  • Hollybot
    Hollybot Posts: 108 Member
    Hey! There are a few things you can do to up your daily calorie intake. You can add olive oil to things like soups and salads or pasta. Also nut butters are a great source of calories, and at about 100 cals per tbs there are not that filling. I took a peek at your diary. The amount of cals MFP has set for you per day seems extreamley high (I'm no expert, I just noticed its over double mine) so I would go in and make sure you have all your settings right. If all is well do a little reserach on healthy eating and you should be on your way. Good luck!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Yep. Are you eating the cereal plain? I never got cold cereal in the UK, but I thought it was one you put milk on -- that would add some. In general your breakfast is very low, and if you could make time to get in some breakfast it would help.
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    hey it's okay. this is hard to do! don't stress too bad :) it's really hard to know where to start, I've been doing this hardcore since january and I still get lost sometimes.

    if you're having trouble meeting minimum calories, try having an apple with peanut butter. peanut butter is good for you but packs a wallop in calories. I think 2T is 200 calories.
    also, hummus! I couldn't preach hummus more than I do already xD there's tons of flavors so you really can find a good one, I promise! I have french onion with me today. 2T is 60 calories. that doesn't seem like a lot, but you can put it on sandwiches instead of mayo, dip veggies in it, crackers, anything!
    hard-boiled eggs are also good for calories. depending on the egg they're 70-100 calories an egg.
  • LoreleiWalks
    LoreleiWalks Posts: 143 Member
    First of all, welcome!

    I am of the mind that we should enjoy all foods in moderation - INCLUDING Chinese takeout. You are here to make a lifestyle change, and sometimes life includes pizza, Chinese takeout, and all kinds of other things. Avoiding these things is not sustainable, so good for you for tracking it!

    As for help meeting your calories - I have found that eating calorie dense healthy foods is the way to go. I work out quite a bit and sometimes have trouble meeting my calorie goal as well. What's worked for me is swapping out fat-free/low-fat items for the real thing (milk, cheese, salad dressings, etc.). Also great - nuts, oils (on salad or for cooking), avocado/guacamole, nut butters, eggs.

    Workout suggestions - anything that you enjoy that gets you moving. The key is that you have to LIKE it. Not sure what floats your boat - but for me it's walking. I use walking DVDs, I walk outside, I walk to and from the market, etc. Do you like sports? I see from your profile that you have kids - maybe an activity with the kids? Biking, hiking, basketball, swimming, the list goes on.

    I hope that helps you as you begin your journey. Feel free to add me as a friend and/or send a message if you have any other questions. I am on MFP to relose 20 of the 50 pounds I lost years ago. I KNOW what to do, I just wasn't doing it. :) Best of luck to you.
  • confuzzledwife
    confuzzledwife Posts: 142 Member
    If I have trouble meeting my daily calories I'll have something like peanut butter.. it can add up in calories and even if you're not very hungry, there should always be room for pb! :smile:
  • lornathewizzard
    lornathewizzard Posts: 165 Member
    Hey! There are a few things you can do to up your daily calorie intake. You can add olive oil to things like soups and salads or pasta. Also nut butters are a great source of calories, and at about 100 cals per tbs there are not that filling. I took a peek at your diary. The amount of cals MFP has set for you per day seems extreamley high (I'm no expert, I just noticed its over double mine) so I would go in and make sure you have all your settings right. If all is well do a little reserach on healthy eating and you should be on your way. Good luck!

    Hmm, yeah, I just noticed your total goal too - what are you're settings at - like how many lbs a week? Personally I would recommend setting them to 1lb a week, slow is much more sustainable in the long run.
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    Hey! There are a few things you can do to up your daily calorie intake. You can add olive oil to things like soups and salads or pasta. Also nut butters are a great source of calories, and at about 100 cals per tbs there are not that filling. I took a peek at your diary. The amount of cals MFP has set for you per day seems extreamley high (I'm no expert, I just noticed its over double mine) so I would go in and make sure you have all your settings right. If all is well do a little reserach on healthy eating and you should be on your way. Good luck!

    I noticed that too. I think it might just be dependant on the OPs activity level. my calories go up a lot if I change from sedentary to really active. but OP, definitely make sure you have this set correctly!

    if you have a desk job, that would be considered sedentary (mostly). if you go for walks daily, add those with the exercise calculator, don't change your activity level! that way if you miss a walk or something, it isn't still accounted for. but if you're a construction worker or something like that, that's different. I got really confused by this at first. had my activity level set too high :l
  • Jph6701
    Jph6701 Posts: 55 Member
    Hi Thank you for all the positive posts and suggestions.
    I am what is called a paris Scheme from the doctors, I am trying to log everything with this site but it's slow going but I have even got my partner signed up today and started her with a profile which is good for both of us.

    I just really want to feel good about myself and body and I am willing to put the time and efforst in just need a nod in the right direction, there is no such thing as bad advice as all advice is good. thank you
  • Jph6701
    Jph6701 Posts: 55 Member
    It is set to 1lb a week
  • jj3120
    jj3120 Posts: 358
    Hi, I'm from the UK as well. I have found eating at regular times - every 2-3 hours helps with getting in all my calories, and planning in advance what I'm eating.

    All above suggestions for healthy real food are what I try to follow and the occasional take away with my family! : )
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    can I inquire to what a paris scheme is?

    also, it's okay to be slow going. you can't change overnight. you're going to have days where one meal is over your entire's day calorie value, and you know what? THAT'S OKAY! it really, really is!! excess in moderation is exhilarating. it prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit. we all have mess ups and slow days and some times we gain weight for no reason.

    also, another tidbit is don't always trust your scale. my weight fluctuates by 5lb a day. do measurements on your waist, neck, legs, wherever you want to see a change. muscle weighs more than fat, so what happens if you lose fat and replace it with muscle? you weight more! well crap. logically that's demoralizing. physically, that's great. scales are evil! :)
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    Based on your diary...and the extreme little you have posted.... honestly... I have to ask you, are you even dedicated to this at all?


    You need to eat - plain and simple.

    Get rid of fast food and learn how to cook your meals at home - learn what it means to portion everything and weigh everything out. Learn how to train yourself how to do this that way you can adapt to ordering out.

    You have to eat every day, and if you plan on being on MFP - dedicate yourself to logging everything you consume on your MFP account.

    Youre either in it to lose it, or youre yanking your own chain....

    If you truly want this... first thing's first... do you really want to be here?

    I didn't realize people weren't allowed to eat out.
  • Jph6701
    Jph6701 Posts: 55 Member
    Paris scheme is a scheme from the docotor to help you lose weight.
    They refer you to a gym you have an induction and a workout is planned to your weight.

    In april when the scheme starts I am going to evening classes also for 2 hours workouts on a Thursday for 8 weeks.

    I have 12 months planned in my head and I also have wrote some words down that I look at everyday from start of this week.

    ANY WEIGHT LOSS IS AN IMPROVEMENT YOU WILL HAVE GOOD WEEKS BAD WEEKS AND SLOW WEEKS.

    TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH AND MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER YOU WILL HAVE THE ODD SLIP UP BUT WHEN YOU DO MAKE SURE YOU PUT IN EXTRA EFFORT
  • ebonie101
    ebonie101 Posts: 95 Member
    Based on your diary...and the extreme little you have posted.... honestly... I have to ask you, are you even dedicated to this at all?


    You need to eat - plain and simple.

    Get rid of fast food and learn how to cook your meals at home - learn what it means to portion everything and weigh everything out. Learn how to train yourself how to do this that way you can adapt to ordering out.

    You have to eat every day, and if you plan on being on MFP - dedicate yourself to logging everything you consume on your MFP account.

    Youre either in it to lose it, or youre yanking your own chain....

    If you truly want this... first thing's first... do you really want to be here?

    wow
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