How am i supposed to eat 1500 calories a day??

CherryOnionKiss
CherryOnionKiss Posts: 376 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was eating to little and not losing. So I did all the calculation BMR and TDEE and upped my calories to 1500. How the hell am I supposed to eat that much calories with healthy food?

I mean i can cap 1500 with junk food but by making healthy choices I really doubt i'll be able to eat that much.
I can't eat below my 1500 because my BMR is 1498. So if i exercise, I have to eat my calories back otherwise i'll be below my bmr :noway:
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Replies

  • WeekendDM52
    WeekendDM52 Posts: 12
    Hi CherryOnion

    How about the below which covers your fiber, protein and 5-a day.

    Breakfast;

    70 g All Bran with semi skimmed milk and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt
    Tea/coffee
    Small Glass of Juice (1 of 5 a day)
    (500)

    Snack

    I pack of Go Ahead Apple and Sultana Biscuits (150)

    Lunch

    Chicken Salad Sandwich with green/raw side salad (2 of 5 a day) (275kcal)
    Portion of Almonds (150kcal)
    Bottle of Water

    Snack

    Banana (100) OR (3 of 5 a day)
    2 x 50 cal biscuits (100)

    Dinner

    Grilled chicken breast with steamed vegetables (2 different types) (300) (4 and 5 of 5 a day)
    1 live low fat yoghurt (75)

    Total: 1550

    That's without exercise, for which you can add more fluids, dried fruits, nuts, dark chocolate, carbs to dinner or even protein shakes/bars.

    Hope this helps- honestly it's easy once you get your head around it.

    all the best!
  • ahsats
    ahsats Posts: 75 Member
    Avocados, seeds, nuts, bananas, potatoes, whole grains, whole eggs, beef, pork, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut. All higher in calories.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    I'm shooting for 1400 which isn't far off and I find that easy.

    I can't pluck actual calorie counts out of my head, but a day for me usually goes:

    Breakfast:
    1 egg and 1 egg white scrambled with semi skimmed milk
    1 slice wholegrain toast with marmite
    coffee with semi skimmed milk and sweeteners

    Snack:
    1 Kiwi fruit chopped and covered with natural yoghurt

    Lunch:
    Chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, green olives, a sprinkle of flax seeds and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
    1 grilled chicken breast sliced on top.

    Snack:
    20 whole almonds

    Dinner:
    Roast chicken breast meat (no skin), steamed cauliflower and broccoli and either a couple of small roast potato pieces or a small yorkshire pudding.

    Dessert:
    Apple slices with cinnamon (or peanut butter if you have enough calories)

    I also mix half a scoop of protein powder into water and drink that when I wake and before I go to bed as well as before and after exercise.
  • alicia_louise29
    alicia_louise29 Posts: 101
    me too!!! I've bumped this for later to see what foods everyone is eating :)
  • Jamee_J
    Jamee_J Posts: 63
    You are welcome to look at my diary. Granted I have a lot more to lose than you. But the program I am doing has me eating 1500 calories a day. Good luck:)
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    It is hard if your eating healthy non processed foods. I feel like I eat alot and usually only hit 1200-1300 calories!

    Nuts, avocado, and extra protein are all good choices Like cottage cheese.
  • MinkyMoo13
    MinkyMoo13 Posts: 354 Member
    I was eating to little and not losing. So I did all the calculation BMR and TDEE and upped my calories to 1500. How the hell am I supposed to eat that much calories with healthy food?

    I mean i can cap 1500 with junk food but by making healthy choices I really doubt i'll be able to eat that much.
    I can't eat below my 1500 because my BMR is 1498. So if i exercise, I have to eat my calories back otherwise i'll be below my bmr :noway:

    Hi i was there a few months ago but you'll get there just take advice fro people on here about better ways to put more calories into you meals and you'll get there.. Slowly build up how much you eat a day.. tiny steps!

    Good luck!!
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    I eat around 2000 calories a day and try to eat very little processed foods. You can take a look at my diary, it's open. Because I am insulin-resistant and definitely don't want diabetes, I cut out refined carbohydrates completely. I still manage to get in all my calories and am losing weight steadily.

    A sample day would look like this:

    Breakfast - 3 egg omelet with cheddar cheese, spinach, onions, tomatoes and a banana - around 450 calories.

    Snack - home made trail mix - about 3 oz, includes walnut pieces, raw almonds, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dried apricots - around 280 calories

    Lunch - HUGE salad with 6 oz of chicken breast, oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, maybe a 1/4 cup of feta cheese - about 500 calories

    Snack - Plain Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon - 160 calories

    Dinner - 5 oz sirloin steak with steamed broccoli and cauliflower - about 500 calories

    To modify for a lower calorie count - cut the trail mix or make a 2 egg rather than 3 egg omelet, cut the meat portions slightly, you get the drift :smile:
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Feel free to look at my diary, I eat 2300 a day and the majority of the time this is all just regular healthy meals. (Don't look at this weekend though, not typical days.)

    Once you get used to eating more, slightly bigger portions / calorie dense foods etc it will become like second nature. I find it incredibly hard to even stay below 2000 now.
  • zukkiz
    zukkiz Posts: 362 Member
    Feel free to look at my diary, I eat 2300 a day and the majority of the time this is all just regular healthy meals. (Don't look at this weekend though, not typical days.)

    Once you get used to eating more, slightly bigger portions / calorie dense foods etc it will become like second nature. I find it incredibly hard to even stay below 2000 now.

    Same here.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Your diary shows you eating 1500+ pretty frequently, what's the problem?
  • CherryOnionKiss
    CherryOnionKiss Posts: 376 Member
    Your diary shows you eating 1500+ pretty frequently, what's the problem?

    But thats with junk food
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    It's not hard if you plan your day ahead of time - then you can see how many cals you have in each meal and it's easy to add something calorie dense to increase the cals if you need to, or take something away if you are over.

    Things you could add: peanut butter, nuts avocado, olive oil (in a dressing or use it to cook/roast veggies) cheese, grainy bread, rice, sweet potato, natural yoghurt, red meat.... to name a few. And I don't see a problem with adding in treats like icecream, dark chocolate etc - just check the portion sizes and eat only one serving.

    Or you could just increase the portion sizes of what you are currently eating if that works better for you.
  • coastiebride1120
    coastiebride1120 Posts: 51 Member
    Don't worry I can't eat all my calories back I'm on 1200 a day and burn about 800+ a day and I always have several hundred calories left over and couldnt possibly eat another bite I am so full. I've never been a big eater
  • lovelyfacex3
    lovelyfacex3 Posts: 68 Member
    Try and incorporate some lean protein into your diet (chicken, pork, etc.). That'll bump your calorie count up. Also, whole grains will help. Maybe invest in some 100 calorie pack snacks.

    If you eat mostly veggies, then yeah, you're gonna have some trouble getting to 1500 without stuffing yourself!
  • fluffylittlecloud
    fluffylittlecloud Posts: 7
    I TOTALLY Agree!!!! I have a daily goal of 1310... I know that 1200 is okay but not my "goal", but I have a hard time eating healthy up to 1200 calories. Then if I exercise more than 3 times a week, or do any extra in a day, I find I have a defecit!!! While I don't have any advice on this, I am glad I am not the only one!!!! :)
  • chellebelle315
    chellebelle315 Posts: 298
    Avocados, seeds, nuts, bananas, potatoes, whole grains, whole eggs, beef, pork, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut. All higher in calories.

    This. A tablespoon of nut butter, an extra egg, half an avocado, or a handful of nuts or olives are my go to snacks if I need to get calories in. (I love it when I have this problem!!!) :)
  • veronicabgonzalez3
    veronicabgonzalez3 Posts: 1
    I have to intake 1500 calories day , but I have a hard time eating that cause I really am not hungry I try and make myself eat 3 meal and 2 snacks in between but it is hard to hit 1500 need help anyone
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I can't eat below my 1500 because my BMR is 1498. So if i exercise, I have to eat my calories back otherwise i'll be below my bmr :noway:
    There is nothing inherently wrong with eating below your BMR estimate, much less 'netting' below it. Though of course it's not required, either. But you can take that worry off your plate.
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? :huh:
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? :huh:

    I was thinking the same thing but couldn't figure out how to phrase it properly.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,858 Member
    I can't eat below my 1500 because my BMR is 1498. So if i exercise, I have to eat my calories back otherwise i'll be below my bmr :noway:
    There is nothing inherently wrong with eating below your BMR estimate, much less 'netting' below it. Though of course it's not required, either. But you can take that worry off your plate.

    I've been eating below my BMR/RMR for quite some time now and I feel way better than I did 67.5lbs ago. I shoot for 1350 a day, with a fairly balanced macro spread of 31% carbs/33.5% fat/ 35.5% protein. The registered dietician I met with today reviewed my diet and weight loss charts and okay'd me to keep consuming at this level, so long as my energy levels were good .
    :tongue:
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? :huh:

    I was thinking the same thing but couldn't figure out how to phrase it properly.

    +2

    Also, way to necro an old post :tongue:
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
    "i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? huh"

    This! I could eat 1500 calories in my sleep! Every single bite that goes into your mouth doesn't have to be "healthy." Have a hamburger (homemade, of course), baked potato with a pat of butter, cheese omlette. Or do like I did last night: go out for Indian food and blow your quota all the way out of the water!
  • Yurippe
    Yurippe Posts: 850 Member
    i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? :huh:

    I was thinking the same thing but couldn't figure out how to phrase it properly.

    Yeah, me too. Had to read it again to see that they want all their calories to come from "healthy" food.

    Try avocado, olive oil, & nuts.

    ETA: oh my, at least I'm not the only one that fell into the necro trap
  • boredlimodriver
    boredlimodriver Posts: 264 Member
    Oh look, it's this thread again
  • MsDellyssa
    MsDellyssa Posts: 66 Member
    I TOTALLY Agree!!!! I have a daily goal of 1310... I know that 1200 is okay but not my "goal", but I have a hard time eating healthy up to 1200 calories. Then if I exercise more than 3 times a week, or do any extra in a day, I find I have a defecit!!! While I don't have any advice on this, I am glad I am not the only one!!!! :)

    I'm still trying to get a handle on what to eat too. I've never been a big eater myself, so I know what you mean about struggling to eat enough. I'm glad I'm not alone.
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
    i never understand these posts.. you can't manage to eat X amount of calories in a day now that you are trying to lose weight as opposed to the calories you ate to excess over the years to get overweight in the first place? :huh:
    My take on OP's post was that unless she ate "junk" that she couldn't meet the 1500 calories.
    Choosing a large banana over a small 1 will up the calories...simple things like that.
    Natural fruit(s) have calories too so instead of saying that "junk" is the only option and unless being diabetic is a problem, eat your fruits~~especially now while they're in season and typically less expensive than when theyre not!
    ETA:
    It doesn't sound like she has a "problem" of getting to 1500, more like its the choices shes making on how to get there although it would be different if no matter what she did, she wasn't able to...eating good or bad foods, but it doesnt seem to be the case in her situation!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Don't worry I can't eat all my calories back I'm on 1200 a day and burn about 800+ a day and I always have several hundred calories left over and couldnt possibly eat another bite I am so full. I've never been a big eater

    Bye Bye muscle mass........:sad:
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Since the OP is from two years ago I'm sure she's figured it out by now.

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