Daily Food Intake

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LoosingMyLast15
LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
in Food and Nutrition
new here. i think i've been doing this now for 10 days. each day i enter in my food and exercise and i swear each day the calculator tells me i'm not eating enough. not sure what i'm doing wrong here. i feel like i'm eating just enough and i try to watch the amount of fat i eat. feel like the fat number is almost always maxing out yet i'm just not getting there calorie wise. i work out 4/5 times a week (was runnning 2-3 miles but busted up my knee so now i'm on the eliptical - anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending upon what else i'm doing (strength training, abs).

tonight for dinner i made whole wheat pizza with red pepper tapenade as the sauce and gorgonzola - measured out everything 4 oz for each (this was for an entire pizza - i had 2 slices). arugala salad with cherry tomatoes and avocado (only use olive oil and rice vinegar for dressing). lunch was 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes and a half oz of kielbasa plus a cup of fruit. breakfast was yogurt and a granola bar. i just realized i went backwards. i drink water all day. i don't drink carbonated anything (don't care for it).

so seriously what is wrong with this food diary for today and why didn't i hit my calorie intake. UGH!
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Replies

  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 312 Member
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    If you open your food diary, we will be able to look at it and give you a lot better information. From just the information you gave us, we can't see amount of food/calories/macro breakdown or the exercise calories that you have earned. My bet is that your net calories are too low (meaning how much you eat - exercise calories earned). MFP does not want your net to be below 1200 calories a day (and really that low is not sustainable and probably not enough to get all the nutrition you need). Open up your diary and we can answer your questions better. Good luck!
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    it's open. that was as stressful as getting on the scale
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    am i worrying about my daily food intake for nothing? is it too early to worry? it's only been 10 days.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    maybe i'll try this again and see if i get answers. anyone? anyone? bueller? bueller?
  • dovetail_27
    dovetail_27 Posts: 2 Member
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    There's a big ol' debate on MFP (and on the internet) about the 1200 calorie daily minimum. Some people say your "net" intake (calories in-calories out) should not be less than 1200; some say that your "gross" intake (calories in only) should not be less than 1200 but your net can be less when you factor out exercise; some say that both ideas are complete nonsense, as every person is different and a generalized "rule" about calorie intake cannot be applied universally to everyone (I tend to agree with this last one, which is why I don't usually give advice on things like this - what works for me will not work for everyone).

    I don't eat back my exercise calories because it would just be way too much food in one day for me, so my typical net after exercise (per MFP) is only about 850 calories a day and that's working for me. If the amount of food and calories you're consuming each day works for you, your'e getting results and you're not feeling any adverse effects (ex. headaches or dizziness, frequent hunger throughout the day, irritability, etc.) then I'd say you're okay to continue with what you're doing. You may want to eat more on days you exercise, just to be sure you have the fuel and energy to do so, but that's the only advice I'd give.

    To me, MFP is meant to be a weight loss/healthy living guide, not a strict set of rules that you are obligated to adhere to. Well, that was a long response but, hopefully, it helps.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    thanks for this advice. your non advice does make sense to me. i don't even come close to eating back my calories on work out days. i get the logic behind it but feel like i just worked off those calories now i'm going to eat them. in my mind it doesn't make sense. i'm definitely not starving, no headaches, dizziness. would i rather eat an entire box of ice cream instead of hummus and carrots of course but i'm not starving after i eat the hummus and carrots. LOL!

    i decided to add sodium and sugar to my food diary. the biggest surprise for me doing that was the amount of sugar i still consume. a few days i was CRAVING chocolate i had a cup of swiss miss hot chocolate not realizing HOW MUCH SUGAR was in it. the site is definitely opening my eyes to what i eat. guess i have to be patient with the weight coming off. just wish it would come off as fast as i can pile it on.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    it's open. that was as stressful as getting on the scale

    Huh I still don't see it.
  • Mrshotwing
    Mrshotwing Posts: 166 Member
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    its still not open.
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
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    Know what you mean about wishing it would come off as quick as it goes on:tongue:

    I couldn't see your diary but like me you may have to change your foods around. I know usually kielbasa has a high fat ratio - so maybe you could supplement a leaner protein which would allow you to eat more calories while watching the amount of fat you are consuming. I know I am over on fat today because my husband is cooking hotdogs so I am eating 1 instead of two and then cooking a thing of frozen spinache. But I realize why I am over and if I didn't mind making a whole different meal for myself I wouldn't be over - but I am not going to do that too pricey and time consuming. I have been under all week so one day isn't going to hurt.

    Good Luck!!
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 508
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    just skimmed over this a bit but I see you said that you are maxing out on fat and you listed kielbasa and avocado as something you ate all in the same day...kielbasa is pretty dang high in fat as are avocado....however the avocado is a "healthier" fat but still a higher fat food.
    Just like nuts...they are great for you but higher in fat then say a handful of baby carrots.
    as for the chocolate....go for dark chocolate. I prefer the ghiradelli 60% cocoa dark choolate chips. Going over on sugar will happen just by eating one banana every day. I don't worry about sugar because I eat a ton of fruit instead of a ton of ice cream. Yes, sugar is sugar but the other health benefits outweigh the sugar in my opinion.

    Track the sodium and look for lower fat but higher protein foods to help boost your calories up. When you balance a meal with low fat, high protein choices it is sometimes difficult to hit those calories especially if you are filling in the gaps with veggies. Don't worry about it too much. All changes take time...nothing is going to happen over night. It takes time and patience.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    sorry - it's open now i promise
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 508
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    a few mre notes:
    as the other poste mentioned.....there is a huge debate on 1200 cal diets! I can tell you that I bounce back and forth over the 1200 cals a day thing. I very rarely eat back my exercise cals and I am set to about 1350 cals per day! I workout and burn on average 500 cals 5 days a week and 300 on the 6th day with Sunday as a rest day.


    The thing is to find what works for you...takeall the information you have and tweak it to fit your needs.

    Also, it takes some time to learn how to balance your meals. Does it suck to make yourself a seperate meal YES but does it suck to look in the mirror and not like what you see? So, I take the extra meals over not liking the way I look. For all 3 of my meals I almost always eat something dofferent then the husband and kids. It's usually all the same veggies for everyone but my protein choices are usually lower fat and higher protein. With the exception of Sunday morning breakfast. I eat pancakes and bacon and eggs with my family on Sunday morning...skip lunch and eat a sendible dinner...Monday morning is usually a protein smoothie to get back on track.....it works for me but not others. I don't call it a "cheat day...I call it Sunday! I eat what I want but I KNOW what I have to do o Monday to keep on track...if you can handle that deviation then go for it. It makes 6 days of paying extra close attention well worth it!

    I remember many nights in the first few weeks going to bed thinking, " wow, I'm hungry.....maybe I should have made better food choices for dinner." I learned real quick to eat tons of veggies to kep me full and keep me at my calorie goals!
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
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    new here. i think i've been doing this now for 10 days. each day i enter in my food and exercise and i swear each day the calculator tells me i'm not eating enough. not sure what i'm doing wrong here. i feel like i'm eating just enough and i try to watch the amount of fat i eat. feel like the fat number is almost always maxing out yet i'm just not getting there calorie wise. i work out 4/5 times a week (was runnning 2-3 miles but busted up my knee so now i'm on the eliptical - anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending upon what else i'm doing (strength training, abs).

    tonight for dinner i made whole wheat pizza with red pepper tapenade as the sauce and gorgonzola - measured out everything 4 oz for each (this was for an entire pizza - i had 2 slices). arugala salad with cherry tomatoes and avocado (only use olive oil and rice vinegar for dressing). lunch was 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes and a half oz of kielbasa plus a cup of fruit. breakfast was yogurt and a granola bar. i just realized i went backwards. i drink water all day. i don't drink carbonated anything (don't care for it).

    so seriously what is wrong with this food diary for today and why didn't i hit my calorie intake. UGH!

    Are you sure you ate only half an oz of kielbasa? 8 oz = 1 cup, so that would mean that you ate 1/16 cup, or only one tablespoon worth, of kelbasa. That doesn't sound right to me. I'd recommend that you get a food scale and start weighing *everything* so you can get a more accurate idea of how much you are eating. Your diary is not open, so I can't comment on more than what you listed here. The meals you listed sound mostly fine, but you probably want to add more protein to your daily diet. Add some chicken to your pizza or salad, etc.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    i know (or well NOW i know) kielbasa is HIGH in fat. trying to use it up though which is why i only ate a tiny bit. guess my dogs will be getting kielbasa during their trainings. i was always told that while avocado is high in fat it's good fat and well i only had 3 slices (i get 6-7 slices out of one half - so they're thin). on my hot chocolate days i was FREEZING at work and craving chocolate so it seemed like to most logical thing to have. i'm starting to think i need to rethink the things i eat.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    going to buy a scale with my 20% off coupon from bed, bath and beyond. when i sliced the kielbasa i first cut it in half then slice thin slices so "10" slices really is 5 because the 10 are half slices - maybe it was more but not a lot more.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    it's open now. i had closed it last night before going to bed.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Eating 1000 calories a day is not enough. That's why it's telling you that you aren't eating enough. Your calorie goal is what you should be netting for healthy, safe weight loss.
  • sjackson902
    sjackson902 Posts: 154 Member
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    new here. i think i've been doing this now for 10 days. each day i enter in my food and exercise and i swear each day the calculator tells me i'm not eating enough. not sure what i'm doing wrong here. i feel like i'm eating just enough and i try to watch the amount of fat i eat. feel like the fat number is almost always maxing out yet i'm just not getting there calorie wise. i work out 4/5 times a week (was runnning 2-3 miles but busted up my knee so now i'm on the eliptical - anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending upon what else i'm doing (strength training, abs).

    tonight for dinner i made whole wheat pizza with red pepper tapenade as the sauce and gorgonzola - measured out everything 4 oz for each (this was for an entire pizza - i had 2 slices). arugala salad with cherry tomatoes and avocado (only use olive oil and rice vinegar for dressing). lunch was 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes and a half oz of kielbasa plus a cup of fruit. breakfast was yogurt and a granola bar. i just realized i went backwards. i drink water all day. i don't drink carbonated anything (don't care for it).

    so seriously what is wrong with this food diary for today and why didn't i hit my calorie intake. UGH!

    Are you sure you ate only half an oz of kielbasa? 8 oz = 1 cup, so that would mean that you ate 1/16 cup, or only one tablespoon worth, of kelbasa. That doesn't sound right to me. I'd recommend that you get a food scale and start weighing *everything* so you can get a more accurate idea of how much you are eating. Your diary is not open, so I can't comment on more than what you listed here. The meals you listed sound mostly fine, but you probably want to add more protein to your daily diet. Add some chicken to your pizza or salad, etc.

    Agreed - that stuck me as odd, too. Half and ounce of meat is practically nothing. Also, nothing wrong with using olive oil and vinegar for dressing, but I didn't see that listed in your diary. There are about 40 cals in one TSP of olive oil so dressing cals can add up fast. The only way I can stay accurate is to weigh and measure EVERYTHING. Good luck!

    (P.S. That pizza sounds totally awesome!)
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
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    new here. i think i've been doing this now for 10 days. each day i enter in my food and exercise and i swear each day the calculator tells me i'm not eating enough. not sure what i'm doing wrong here. i feel like i'm eating just enough and i try to watch the amount of fat i eat. feel like the fat number is almost always maxing out yet i'm just not getting there calorie wise. i work out 4/5 times a week (was runnning 2-3 miles but busted up my knee so now i'm on the eliptical - anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending upon what else i'm doing (strength training, abs).

    tonight for dinner i made whole wheat pizza with red pepper tapenade as the sauce and gorgonzola - measured out everything 4 oz for each (this was for an entire pizza - i had 2 slices). arugala salad with cherry tomatoes and avocado (only use olive oil and rice vinegar for dressing). lunch was 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes and a half oz of kielbasa plus a cup of fruit. breakfast was yogurt and a granola bar. i just realized i went backwards. i drink water all day. i don't drink carbonated anything (don't care for it).

    so seriously what is wrong with this food diary for today and why didn't i hit my calorie intake. UGH!

    Are you sure you ate only half an oz of kielbasa? 8 oz = 1 cup, so that would mean that you ate 1/16 cup, or only one tablespoon worth, of kelbasa. That doesn't sound right to me. I'd recommend that you get a food scale and start weighing *everything* so you can get a more accurate idea of how much you are eating. Your diary is not open, so I can't comment on more than what you listed here. The meals you listed sound mostly fine, but you probably want to add more protein to your daily diet. Add some chicken to your pizza or salad, etc.

    Just FYI:
    Fluid ounces is NOT the same thing as dry ounces. 8 ounces of kielbasa is not necessarily 1 cup of kielbasa and vice versa. The same is true for chicken, beef, eggs, tuna, spinach, apples, etc.

    If you're measuring liquids or VOLUME, you use measuring cups. If you're measuring weight, such as with kielbasa, you would need to use a food scale.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    even my husband liked the pizza and he's not fond of whole wheat dough.

    goal for this weekend: buy a scale
    goal going forward: track olive oil as well (didn't realize it had that many calories)

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