Is forcing yourself to eat wise?

synergyabc
synergyabc Posts: 16 Member
in Food and Nutrition
2 Months ago I ate nothing but fast food and simple carbs! Yes over weight by about 35-40 lbs. (I believe it was stress eating). I decieded to make a change. Started some fitness and eating healthy. I have been consuming about 1200 cal a day balancing my carbs, protein and fat. I found that I am rarley hungry doing this and have been loving what I'm eating and how I feel. 2 weeks ago I started doing P90X and have been burning between 600-900 cal in each workout. I'm trying to increase my calorie intake to 1500 but it feels like I am "making" myself eat even when I'm not hungry. Sometimes I even feel stuffed and almost ill after trying to eat a 400 cal meal! Do I listen to my body and eat when I am hungry? Is it that crucial to not be in a cal deficiet most of the day? Ie. I ate 3/4 of my 320 cal breakfast, burned 861 cal and will be eating about 450 cal for lunch. That gives me a NET -91. By the end of the day my net will be around 500. My weight loss is slowing down when I exercise. Am I putting myself into starvation mode? Any advice will be appreciated!

Replies

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,316 Member
    How are you trying to increase your calories? Simply eating say more veggies is not going to work because they are not that calorie dense. Try stuff like avocado, nuts, and the like. For example, a tablespoon of all natural peanut butter is 100 calories. Add 2-3 of them and you are are your 1500 calories. Similarly for Almond butter, or a couple of handfuls of almond. Assuming your calorie burn is correct, you likely need to eat closer to 1700-1800 calories, but either way calorie dense foods are the answer. You need the healthy fats found in nuts and the like anyway.
  • synergyabc
    synergyabc Posts: 16 Member
    Great advise! I have been just trying to eat more of whatever I am having when I am totally content with the 1/2 of the meal (an actual serving size). I think my HR Monitors right?! I just counted my pulse and it was right on! :) although I use the chest strap while working out. I guess that could explain why I generally lose 2 lbs after my Sunday (day off of exercise) & Reeses Peanut Butter Cup splurg! Part of the slowing could be muscle gain and/or water retention. I will try snacking on nuts I love almonds in salads and adding avocado to my meals! It would be a great compliment to the turkey sandwiches and chicken fajitas! Thanks for your help!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,316 Member
    Great advise! I have been just trying to eat more of whatever I am having when I am totally content with the 1/2 of the meal (an actual serving size). I think my HR Monitors right?! I just counted my pulse and it was right on! :) although I use the chest strap while working out. I guess that could explain why I generally lose 2 lbs after my Sunday (day off of exercise) & Reeses Peanut Butter Cup splurg! Part of the slowing could be muscle gain and/or water retention. I will try snacking on nuts I love almonds in salads and adding avocado to my meals! It would be a great compliment to the turkey sandwiches and chicken fajitas! Thanks for your help!

    I thought that might be the problem. My first meal of the day today was 700 grams (a little over 8 cups of a broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix) and I believe it was only 250ish calories. That stuffed me. If you were trying to add your calories that way you would definitely be stuffed.
  • synergyabc
    synergyabc Posts: 16 Member
    Wow thats a lot of veggies! You are doing amazing, keep up the great work!

    Okay, I just checked my chest strap and its right on too! I am pretty proud of my burns. Probably some peanut butter on my toast after my workout and adding "good for ya" flavor to my remaining meals will probably do the trick. Thanks again!!

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