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To count or not count??

mbb0301
mbb0301 Posts: 33
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I need help....I've been feeling like I'm not getting enough calories. When I'm doing good and on track, I eat calorie dense / nutrient rich foods and I do loose about 2lbs/wk (approximately, give or take a few ounces), and I'm all about eating my exercise calories, but I still feel hungry. I checked about 6 different websites and they all put me about 1600-1700 calories per day to loose weight, but MFP still has me at 1200. I've also been thinking about not "counting calories" and just continue eating the way I do (when I'm being good of course) and only concern myself with making sure I'm getting the nutrients I need. Any thoughts or advise?

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    MFP puts you at 1200 based on what weight loss target you gave it, your activity level and the estimated BMR.

    If you don't like it you can edit the goals and set your own, or you can tweak your activity levels and weight loss goals to the same ends.
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
    Try to mix it up a bit and not ONLY eat calorie dense foods. Part of staying satisfied is literally filling your stomach with good food and good roughage/veggies like romaine and zucchini and some of the calorie "light" stuff will help your digestion and your hunger.

    Two cups of romaine has like 15 calories or something like that. Toss a couple tablespoons of good dressing on it for 40 calories and you've just rounded out a good meal that will keep you satisfied with only about 50 calories more. Add a half of a tomato for another 30 or so calories.

    Stay full. Stay happy. Lose weight.

    Try it, you'll see.
  • sondra216379
    sondra216379 Posts: 174 Member
    On MFP you can eat back exercise calories....on those other sites, they probably mean for you to eat that amount and not even count exercise.
  • WhitneyAnnabelle
    WhitneyAnnabelle Posts: 724 Member
    My BMR is actually very close to 1200, so it makes sense for someone like me to stick near it, though I do try to net 1400. For most people, though, 1200 is just not enough. You have to be a dwarf-like being like me for that, I suppose.
  • chrisb75
    chrisb75 Posts: 395 Member
    Follow the advice here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Do NOT eat only 1200 calories. Calculate your BMR and TDEE, Strength training 3 days a week, walk on the rest. I started doing this last week, for the first time I was able to complete an entire workout. Its amazing the strength it gives you.
  • hounds726
    hounds726 Posts: 63
    I know exactly how you feel! I was at 1200 on here for a long time. It was great at first. I lost weight, felt great and was doing well. Then I hit a wall--couldn't lose weight no matter how hard I tried. I recently upped my calories to 1400 and eat almost all of my exercise calories back (BUT...I use a heart rate monitor so I know closer to exact numbers). This has worked already. I know there is a lot of controversy on this site about this working for some and not others, so this is just my opinion. But 1400 NET calories a day has worked for me and I feel even better!

    Good luck!
  • mbb0301
    mbb0301 Posts: 33
    Thanks everyone for the advice. I definitely need to get an HRM (when the budget allows for it) because I also think I burn more than MFP's estimate, which is another reason why I'm probably starving myself. I think I'll bump myself up to 1300 and see what happens from there....
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