How do I stop eating 6,000 calories??

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Hello,

I am new to this. I put it in most of what I ate today and it is around 5,744 (I cannot remember everything) but this program says my goal should be 1,530.

Is this right? I know I eat more than some other people but is 1,530 really manageable? I am not very active but now I think I should start! Please feel free to send me any advice.
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Replies

  • Heather294ever
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    Very manageable, choose different foods, educate yourself on low calorie food, keep the tally on myfitnesspal :)
  • oOTaraOo
    oOTaraOo Posts: 29
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    1530 sounds correct.

    You need to eat more protein which will fill you up for longer. Cut back on sugar and fast foods. Eat more vegies.
  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
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    1500 is definitely manageable. People somehow even manage 1200... don't know how, but they do lol
    I would suggest breaking your meals up into 4 or 5 meals of maybe 300-400 calories each, and map them out throughout the day. Schedule feeding times every 3 to 4 hours and stick to it. Make sure what you eat is full of nutrients and not just empty calories.

    Also, if you aren't active, I'd suggest becoming active. The more exercise you incorporate into your life, the more calories you're allowed to eat... so if you aren't able to stick to 1500 calories a day, try working out for 30 minutes a day to start... often times 30 minutes would give you an additional 200-300 calories, depending on the exercise and intensity, bringing your calorie allowance to around 1800... which means more food lol

    Aaaaand if you DO decide to become more active - do the cardio to burn fat and give you more calories to eat, but also find a way to work in some strength training/weights to maintain muscle mass... ultimately burning more calories in the long run. ;)

    Good luck on your journey!

    Love and Alohas,
    Ihilani Kapuniai
  • naasirab
    naasirab Posts: 43
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    Yes 1500 is manageable, I eat around 1200-1300 but I should probably go up pretty soon with how much I work out. If you are eating that many calories I think you should start by cutting out all junk food, fried food, greasy food, fast food, and sweets, and sodas and juices. I know that sounds like alot.. but if you stop eating the things listed you will drop weight with out even having to count calories especially if you were eating over 5000 to begin with.

    Good Luck you can do it!
  • shellebelle87
    shellebelle87 Posts: 291 Member
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    You need to cut out the bacon and cheese. It is good as a treat, but not as part of two meals in one day. Cut down on portions and find healthier options. A ham and salad roll will fill you up just as much, and for only about 280 cals approx. I am on 1200 cals a day and I manage to stay within that goal (with exercise). It will get easier!
  • SilenyNoel
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    Are you sure you put the right amounts in? Like accidentally added a 2liter of soda instead of a can or something? Might be something to check to make sure you had the right total first.
  • oOTaraOo
    oOTaraOo Posts: 29
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    Are you sure you put the right amounts in? Like accidentally added a 2liter of soda instead of a can or something? Might be something to check to make sure you had the right total first.

    Their food diary is open - don't think it is an accident.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Yes very doable. Many days I do it though my allowance is higher than that. Protein helps fill you up and avoid extra fats and sugars. I have been where you are at; for me, a reduction in intake started the process then when I felt like I could, I started exercising. I now go to the gym most days for a couple of hours .. 1 hour cardio, 1 hour resistance training. I have not felt this good in years. Best wishes on your journey. Honestly at first, you may want to cut back maybe to 3000 calories then start cutting back lower until you get to the 1500 if it seems impossible to you now.. It is about a new lifestyle.. You can do it. Look forward to hearing your success story.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
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    You can lower your calories immediately by not drinking any... try just drinking water. Just for one day. Water has zero calories in it but it is very good for you. Eat like you normally would but only drink water in addition to food. You will be shocked by the difference in calories. Then the next day try cutting down the amount of food that you eat. and so on, until you can get down to the 1530 calories.

    1530 is manageable. You can do this.

    Also, with this program, the more you exercise the more you can eat. So if you did 300 calories worth of exercise, you could then eat 1830 calories instead of 1530.
  • led6777
    led6777 Posts: 268
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    Hello,

    I am new to this. I put it in most of what I ate today and it is around 5,744 (I cannot remember everything) but this program says my goal should be 1,530.

    Is this right? I know I eat more than some other people but is 1,530 really manageable? I am not very active but now I think I should start! Please feel free to send me any advice.

    Well if I was you, i'd cut out about 2,000 calories and start there. Jumping that low makes no sense from your starting point. Over time decrease them as you lose weight.

    ^I agree 100%. You can't go from 6,000 to 1,500 in a day. Gradually reduce or else you'll go crazy!! Btw I still think 1530 is really low... you seem like someone who would benefit from the group Eat More to Weigh Less here on myfitnesspal. It has worked well for me and countless others. You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight!!
  • Gloworm46
    Gloworm46 Posts: 96 Member
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    What are you eating now to total that many calories? You are doing the right thing by journaling what you are eating. Following a healthy eating plan - even if it has to be done in baby steps - will help you get those calories down daily. Add exercise - even if it's only a 5 minute walk in the beginning will get you up and moving. Definitely use the nutrition tracker on this site - it is awesome! I wish you success!
  • Gulgamesh
    Gulgamesh Posts: 4
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    I am pretty new here as well. I started 2 months ago - have lost 20 pounds - and a few things I have learned:

    Look carefully and verify that the food entries by users is correct. I have seen some crazy calorie numbers both low and high. My favorites are the ones you can get right off a package that are wrong. I have noticed that the entries by people that spell correctly are usually more accurate ... just sayin'. 6k calories is a heck of a lot of food no matter how rich it is, I would suspect there are some bad numbers in there.

    Look at what you eat before you eat it, not at the end of the day. Get the phone app for your particular phone and check things out. I sit at a restaurant with my phone and the menu now to get a feel for what I am eating.

    I am a big guy ... a little less big now, but as I have been told "An intimidating presence" and for me to lose 2 pounds a week, I need to stay under 1960 cals a day. With watching what I eat, and really how much, it is not a struggle, I am rarely hungry, and actually eat pretty good food still. Smaller portions usually, but still tasty things. (I eat salads when I just HAVE to have a beer). Drinking water helps keep you full as well, the water is important. Once in a while, I do splurge a little and have something I really like no matter how bad. I do not go crazy, but I do savor the meal. I realize that I can do that and often still hit my goal or just barely squeak over.

    I do not eat more if I exercise. I work out on my property a lot, walk a lot and am reasonably physical. I still shoot for that 1960 goal ... if I go a little over, I don't beat myself up, I chalk it up to I needed to to recoup the 2,000+ calories I just burned off. When I hit my goal weight, my maintain weight will be around 1800 calories ... with the habits I am creating now, I am prety sure I will be fine ... I will always watch from now on no matter what.

    This web site is a great way to develop good eating habits. Keep at it and in a week or so you are going to find a groove and be fine.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
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    I suggest checking http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
    and going by their calorie reccomendations.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    You can do 1500. If it seems overwhelming, make small changes to work your way there.

    Some suggestions I can make right away from looking at your 5,000 calorie entry:
    1. Cut back on the full-fat dairy (use low-fat milk instead of cream in your coffee, and buy low-fat cheese)
    2. Get in more fruits and vegetables, but especially vegetables! They are both filling and nutritious for very few calories.
    3. Bring the number of sweets waaaaaay down. Some people here have one day a week or one meal a week where they allow themselves dessert. Others, when they crave chocolate, go for a couple squares of good-quality dark chocolate, which is satisfying after a small amount.

    Just those three things will bring you much closer to your calorie target. Once you've incorporated those changes, then you can start tweaking even more to get to your target (preview: bye-bye bacon and fried eggs).
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
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    Well done logging all that to see what your daily intake is like! It can truly be an eye opener.

    I'd suggest adding in more fresh fruits and vegetables. Experiment and find some that you like that aren't too high in calories. You can really fill up on fruits and veggies and stay at or near your calorie goal.

    Also try drinking lots of water! It always help me get that full feeling without needing to eat a ton of food. Making the switch from your old eating habits to new ones is the key to success, and also the hardest for most people. It is so worth it though. You can do it! :smile:
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
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    Dont go to low. First try reducing the amount of non essential food like candy's and/or try to eliminated one whole meal from Your current diet.
    This has to be a joke, who eats over 5,000!calories??
    Tbh if You look at that persons day it seams really reasonable and looks like a "normal" person diet.
  • small_ninja
    small_ninja Posts: 365 Member
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    It is doable - you've just gotta cut down on the fried foods and chocolate etc that I can see from your food diary. If you up your vege, fruit and wholegrain intake you'll find it's very easy to get by on 1,500 calories and not feel like you're starving yourself :) Do a bit of reading up on the internet about healthy eating. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • Tippismom
    Tippismom Posts: 10
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    I get 1200 a day. Yes it is managable. I try to keep breakfast to 300 or less lunch about the same two snack of about 100 and the rest at dinner. Eat Protine and whole graines, Lots and lots of Veggies. Make sure you log in every day and get the support that is on here. We are all in the same boat and can help each other stay on track. Help with little tricks that we have learned along the way. Weight loss is never easy but with help it is doable.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
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    This has to be a joke, who eats over 5,000!calories??
    I have and so have thousands of people on this site. It's actually not difficult at all if you choose high calorie foods.

    Some things to consider:

    1. The OP is a new member and this was her first post. Not everyone is where you are at with their eating habits.
    2. Check someone's diary before you accuse them of making stuff up. She logged it all, and for all we know it may be her first time actually logging what she eats.
    3. For anyone who's gained a large amount of weight over time, 5000+ calories can be pretty "normal".
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
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    This has to be a joke, who eats over 5,000!calories??

    i ate like that for the better part of 10 years, probably higher