Does anyone have trouble making their calorie goal?

sarahdee2007
sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been eating healthy foods for about four months and I don't know how many times I was under my calorie goals! A lot. I am only aiming for 1200 calories per day and I try to eat pretty well balanced meals. I hate to see red numbers on the screen, so when I go over in sugars or in fats or sodium, I have a hard time finding foods I can eat to still meet my calorie goals. And then MFP exclaims in bold red print that I am not eating enough. Is it a big deal? Should I just eat more food until I meet my calories? Or am I slowing down my metabolism? I'm only 5'2" if it matters. I don't feel tired or anything and I eat back my calories when I work out.

Replies

  • PurpleStarKatz
    PurpleStarKatz Posts: 45 Member
    Some days (Like today, when I'm sick and the thought of food is repulsive most of the day...) I'm guilty of not eating enough. So i'm interested to see some other perspective on this.

    As far as sugars, it depends on what kind of sugars you are eating. If it's from fruits and veggies and such, it's more okay to go over than if it's processed/refined sugar. MFP doesn't account for natural vs. processed sugar.

    That's about all I know though.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    Definitely. I often have a hard time reaching it (especially when I'm busy) and it's really f*cked up my metabolism. I'm working really hard to increase my cals and hit at least 1200/day, but since I've been so much lower than that for so long, my body's packing on weight so quickly and it makes me want to cry.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    When I start eating very little, my body gets used to that. I actually don't want more food. I added just a little bit more at a time and I realize that as I increased it, my body started wanting that. So the trick is finding the spot that you need and training your body to stay there. I have some trigger foods where my body just wants A LOT but if I'm eating well, it wants less. It's finding a happy medium and while it can take work, it can be done. Instead of focusing on increasing it right away, focus on increasing it in increments until you get it up where you need to go. In increments all it takes is a little planning and one extra food or even a more calorie dense food. That is less daunting than thinking you have to add another meal to your day.
  • mjsamee
    mjsamee Posts: 215 Member
    ummmno cant say that I am....they go so quick! :sad:
  • gracie2586
    gracie2586 Posts: 69 Member
    At my first it was hard for me to make my calorie goal especially after i exercised but some folks looked at my food diary it turned out i was eating healthy but too healthy cus most of my food was low calorie they said to try and fit in some nuts or avocados, peanut butter, full fat cheese stuff that has lots of nutrients healthy fats and packs a calorie punch so give that a shot its tasty and full of good stuff and can can get mfp to stop yelling at you for being under 1200
  • PinkiePie07
    PinkiePie07 Posts: 103 Member
    I was having the same issues too. I was eating about 1,200 a day and couldn't imagine trying to eat more. My weight loss stalled recently and when looking more into I learned all about where to eat according to your BMR and TDEE. Now I'm eating A LOT more a day than I had been. The first day I almost cried trying to figure out how I was going to eat basically another meal. The trick is to just add more. Like I would make a sammich and just add a bit more meat than usual. Maybe just a slice or two. I'd add another side, like an apple or a snack bar, and I'd do that for every meal. I am eating more, starting to feel better and I've hardly noticed. Since then I've had almost no issues reaching my goal every day.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
    Yes I did. It made me feel really weak and sick.
  • sarahdee2007
    sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
    On average, my low is 1000-1100. I don't count natural sugars- if I eat an apple, I don't count it against myself of my sugars are over.. I add everything before I eat it, so I think I'm just being too strict.. Maybe I have a hint of OCD...? Lol I like it to be all green!
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Not really. I try to plan ahead as much as I can, and that helps.
  • shellsie_j
    shellsie_j Posts: 132 Member
    I am always astonished by threads like this. Isn't eating too much what got most of us here? I just had the teeniest little amount of cheese with my lunch and it was 100 calories!! I personally don't think it's hard to eat 1200 calories in fact it is a juggling act to get all of the nutrients you need and to not eat too much protein and carbs which use up the calories really quickly.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I have been eating healthy foods for about four months and I don't know how many times I was under my calorie goals! A lot. I am only aiming for 1200 calories per day and I try to eat pretty well balanced meals. I hate to see red numbers on the screen, so when I go over in sugars or in fats or sodium, I have a hard time finding foods I can eat to still meet my calorie goals. And then MFP exclaims in bold red print that I am not eating enough. Is it a big deal? Should I just eat more food until I meet my calories? Or am I slowing down my metabolism? I'm only 5'2" if it matters. I don't feel tired or anything and I eat back my calories when I work out.

    Big deal? Is slower to no weight loss big deal to you?

    Eat more to eat goal? Yes, and if wise like some of the responders, probably more.

    Slowing metabolism? Probably already have if not hungry.

    You've probably saved real trouble by eating back exercise calories. Because with slower metabolism, even a HRM is going to be over-estimating your calorie burn, because it is assuming you have the avg metabolism for someone your age/weight/height - and you don't anymore.

    For foods - don't eat ANY thing non/lowfat. Full fat versions of everything, cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ect. Olives and oil, avocados and guacamole, ect. Enjoy some fat on meats. Makes them taste better usually.
  • hutchy100
    hutchy100 Posts: 103 Member
    I wish i had that problem i'm all ways over i need more will power
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Focus on getting your calories right - within 50 over or under of your target (and make sure that is the right target - it coul well be too low) and only focus on the macros secondarily. Get used to what is taking you over/under on your macros and adapt your meals appropriately. Also, look to see why you are going over - for example, if its carbs because of fruit, don't stress too much about it.
  • sarahdee2007
    sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
    Okay, I would just like to say that a couple people are sending me some negative vibes so now I am feeling defensive. I am not starving myself or anything like that. Some days I eat all day long and it is just healthy food so it doesn't amount to anything. I find myself at the end of the day, finding myself full (because a HUGE salad fills me up a lot faster than a bag of chips used to) and scrambling to find foods I can eat to make my calories without ruining my whole day. Additionally, it's not like I was actually hungry when I was eating most of the time before either. I had a big problem with eating when I was not hungry so I have made a point to not do that. obviously I am not a nutritional expert or I would not have put all the junk in my body in the first place. Thanks for everyone's opinions on this subject. I will be working on keeping end of the day healthy calories I can have if I don't make my goal.
  • farmgrl96
    farmgrl96 Posts: 2
    Sarah I've seen some posts on this on other boards - but it's been months ago that I read them so I don't remember exactly what they said :) hehe Lots of help huh? I just remember that to keep your metabolism up you should try to eat your calorie goal daily.
    Some of the people on the board didn't understand how the exercise piece worked but it looks like you have that all figured out! : )
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    I do. But some days I need to eat almost 5,000 calories. I don't understand the struggle to eat 1,200 calories. Most days my lunches are almost 2,000 ( and no, not all junk food either )
  • RandomMiranda
    RandomMiranda Posts: 298
    I didn't have that problem at 1200/day, but at 1400/day I do (though usually only on my workout days). Just that additional 200/day makes me think a lot harder about what to eat. I also realize the importance of eating back as much of my exercise calories as I can so I don't slow my metabolism. The trouble is finding healthy calories to fill the gap. I'm trying more peanut butter (the freshly ground kind from the health food aisle when possible), cheese, and yogurt. I'm also adding more whole grains, like brown rice with dinner, whereas before I would just eat veggies and protein. It seems to be helping so far, but on workout days I am often several hundred under, though over my 1400 net.
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    to be honest I posted something similar a couple of weeks ago. My problem, and it may be yours too, was that quite rightly I cut out lots of the bad stuff and replaced with good, but by only eating very low cal stuff it was then becoming a struggle to meet the 1200 target unless I added the bad stuff back in (and then usually went over) I needed to change my diet approach and the types of food I eat rather than try to be 'good' all the time. I am now restarting a healthier way adding in bits of cheese, extra snack etc as suggested by others. I do understand where you are coming from though and, if I was strict with myself, then I too would be struggling or blowing it all by eating ice cream or drinking wine etc..
  • Ruger2506
    Ruger2506 Posts: 309 Member
    I have been eating healthy foods for about four months and I don't know how many times I was under my calorie goals! A lot. I am only aiming for 1200 calories per day and I try to eat pretty well balanced meals. I hate to see red numbers on the screen, so when I go over in sugars or in fats or sodium, I have a hard time finding foods I can eat to still meet my calorie goals. And then MFP exclaims in bold red print that I am not eating enough. Is it a big deal? Should I just eat more food until I meet my calories? Or am I slowing down my metabolism? I'm only 5'2" if it matters. I don't feel tired or anything and I eat back my calories when I work out.

    Every day I am consistently 400-700 calories under my goal. I still consume 1700-2000 calories per day. I am never hungry and my body seems ok with this. I am not going to eat just for the sake of eating. I guess I could stop working out to keep my calorie goal lower but that just seems counter productive to me.

    I am not sure how you ladies who are limited to 1200 calories do it.
  • sarahdee2007
    sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
    I I'm going to increase my cal goals on here? And that way I won't have to be so concerned about going over on other things and I will just make sure I'm hitting my 1200 min. That, or start working out everyday. When I eat back those calories, I always make my goals! And I lose more!

    Ps, yogurt grosses me out. I can't stand the aftertaste it leaves in your mouth. I will TRY to do more peanut butter. I am alway hesitant because of the fat and sugar but the fat is good fat at least... And I'm always down for avocados, so I'll stock up on those. I will post in my blog how it goes on weigh day (Tuesday)
  • Ruger2506
    Ruger2506 Posts: 309 Member
    Today however is beer and wings night. I will probably work out extra. Those calories add up very fast.

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