Starving Myself?
ashesfromfire
Posts: 867 Member
So I've been slowly easing myself into the whole diet and exercise thing, and recently I've found the motivation to fit it hard and go full throtle. However, I'm having a hard time filling up my daily calories with healthy food. I usually dont eat back the calories I burn exercising. Today, by the end of everything, my tracker said I still had over 1,500 calories to eat! I'm maybe a bit hungry but not starving by any means. I hd a big nutritious breakfast and ate a little more throughout the day when I felt hungry. Jogged about 4or5 miles. So what do I do? I don't want to fill my diet with higher calorie options, but how do I find the middle ground?
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Replies
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I always try to eat my cals.
If you are having trouble eating them all, maybe try something like a whole grain granola bar or a bowl of wholegrain cereal with milk in the evening?
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I'm normally a hundred or so off so I keep little custard pots in the fridge for those days, also nuts are great if you need to pack in the calories
get a box of things you can graze off when you are in a nibbly mood and keep them out of sight (so you don't go snacking when you don't need to) and dip in when you need to use up those calories. 0 -
see, i'm trying really hard not to eat processed foods. I know I could get more calories from them, but along with that I could get a lot less appealing things in my body. I want to eat as natural as my budget and time allows. But its hard to bulk up on blueberries0
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Maybe like the other lady said and have some nuts? Macadamia nuts are gorgeous!
Cashew nuts are too. You can get lots of natural food and up your cals that way x0 -
I'm always under my calories, I just can't eat more....
I think i'm going to have to get some nuts to try and have a few. I usually snack on fruit, but not enough calories..0 -
Same, I find it quite hard to eat all my calories yesturday I had 1k calories left to eat. The thing is I'm quite limited to what I can eat due to my fatty liver that and I'm only hungry when it's around 11pm which is always a bad time to eat.
If you want to something to eat i'd try dried apricots from super markets or bananas. Bananas have quite alot of calories that could fill up your calorie intake alot, that or boxes of grapes if I wasn't hungry I'd probably do that too.0 -
thats a great idea. thank you0
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Avocado, hummus, whole milk cottage cheese or mozzarella, peanut/almond butter.0
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1500?! Wow!
I used to think I was really low but then I got my HRM and realised the calories I was logging were much more than what I was actually burning. Just be careful you dont try too hard to eat everything back and actually end up going over. Also be wary of portion sizes as usually we think something we eat is smaller than what it is..0 -
more great options. thank you0
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I am so jealous of the people who find it HARD to reach their calorie goals!!0
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its hard to eat RIGHT and reach my calorie goal. I can cram in all the ice cream I want but that ain't getting me anywhere. I need to learn to eat good calories0
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I have a hard time as well reaching my goal (1400) as well. I seem to under Net a lot anymore, its not that I am not eating I am almost too full. Everything is measured and weighed, exercise calories are from a HRM but I am limited to what I can eat for health reason0
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This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.0 -
bump ..
just to see where this might turn...0 -
This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.
this0 -
Why do people 1-4 weeks into a "Diet" always talk about not being able to eat 1500 calories a day when they just stopped eating probably over 2500 per day? Give yourself another 1-2 weeks and you WILL eat your calories and wish you had more.0
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This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.
I'm right there with you. I couldn't imagine forcing yourself to eat more and more and more when supposedly trying to loose.0 -
im pretty new here, but a few months into my diet. Recently i've finally willed myself to give up the last bit of junk in my diet (like soda) but I really dont know how to fill my day out with enough calories if I'm eating the way I want too. Hummus and avocados sound like a good way to go for me0
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Why do people 1-4 weeks into a "Diet" always talk about not being able to eat 1500 calories a day when they just stopped eating probably over 2500 per day? Give yourself another 1-2 weeks and you WILL eat your calories and wish you had more.
You are assuming that just because of a MFP start date that we have just started this journey. I was on WW and other diets for over a year with Zero results eating between 600-800 calories a day, I gained bloat from eating their frozen dinners and earned myself a trip to the ICU with a heart attack0 -
are you getting enough nutrients. 'healthy' foods aren't healthy if you're not eating the right balance.
what does your diet look like if you change your settings to count, say, protein and calcium, or iron? add things to your diet that fill any shortfall.0 -
This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.
There IS such a thing as starvation mode...
Don't agree, as do an awful lot of doctors, with a 600 calorie diet.
I know you are doing what you feel is best for you but what are you doing to do when you reach your goal? Surely you can't survive on 600 calories a day for the rest of your life??
1200 calories is the recommended calorie intake for weight loss. Not for maintaining, for losing weight. It might take a bit longer to come off but the longer the weight takes to come off the more likely you are to keep it off.
No offence but its bad for you to be on a diet like that in the long run, vitamins or no vitamins.
Not digging at you, just being honest. x0 -
see, i'm trying really hard not to eat processed foods. I know I could get more calories from them, but along with that I could get a lot less appealing things in my body. I want to eat as natural as my budget and time allows. But its hard to bulk up on blueberries
Use olive oil in cooking; eat avocado and almonds; oatmeal or even leftovers can make a good mid-day snack; add protein shakes; eat and extra side fruit or vegetable with each meal.
You do not want your Net calories to stay below 1200, especially if you are burning that many calories exercising. It would eventually slow your metabolism down and become counterproductive.0 -
Why do people 1-4 weeks into a "Diet" always talk about not being able to eat 1500 calories a day when they just stopped eating probably over 2500 per day?
Because steamed asparagus with haddock don't taste as good as fried egg sandwich with brown sauce.0 -
you're body gets used to eating very little, you get less hunger responses. The thing is when you don't eat enough for your body, not only are you losing fat, but you start to lose your muscle. You want to keep your muscle so you can burn fat more effectively.
I always find eating more for breakfast always helps me. I snack throughout the day. Sometimes I have one large meal usually lunch or dinner (sometimes both if I have a high burn day lol).0 -
I did a VLCD about 15 years ago. When I started, I was at a normal weight but decided to go for that "French supermodel" look, and ate accordingly (cigarettes, caffeine, ~800 cals a day). I rapidly lost weight, got my BMI down to 18.2. But I also lost hair, stopped getting my periods, was cold all the time, etc. Once I started eating semi-normally again, I quickly regained the weight I had lost plus about another 50lbs. Call it "starvation mode" or something else, but your body can and will fight back if you don't eat enough.This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.
I get that you're obese, and your situation is different. Only you and your doctor can know if your nutrition plan is appropriate for your needs. But please don't dismiss the consequences of extreme dieting as "myth."0 -
Almonds are good for your heart, but high on calories. A handful is about 200 kcal, and when I'm low on my calories, that's my night-snack
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/60696.php0 -
see, i'm trying really hard not to eat processed foods. I know I could get more calories from them, but along with that I could get a lot less appealing things in my body. I want to eat as natural as my budget and time allows. But its hard to bulk up on blueberries
Try dried fruits and nuts...nutritious, packed with fiber and vitamins, filling and healthy!0 -
I have been doing this on and off for the last month or so and I find the calorie counter very useful to see the true nutritional and calorie content of what I am eating.
I have no idea how anyone has trouble reaching 1200 calories though!
What are you guys eating?
I am very concious of not only losing weight but trying to get healthier and stay that way so I am still eating a lot of things like fruit that have quote a high content.
I would be starving if I didn't eat at least my 1200 calories and more often than not am over and have to make it up with exercise.
And for anyone having trouble bulking up their calories a favourite of mine is a fruit smoothie. Make at home with natural (low fat or not) YOGHURT, milk, tsp of honey, some porridge oats and then fuit of your choice. I usually go for frozen raspberries and blueberries. Blend in a food processor and ta da! delicious and filling.
and you can vary your quantities to suit you re consistency, fat content etc.0 -
I did a VLCD about 15 years ago. When I started, I was at a normal weight but decided to go for that "French supermodel" look, and ate accordingly (cigarettes, caffeine, ~800 cals a day). I rapidly lost weight, got my BMI down to 18.2. But I also lost hair, stopped getting my periods, was cold all the time, etc. Once I started eating semi-normally again, I quickly regained the weight I had lost plus about another 50lbs. Call it "starvation mode" or something else, but your body can and will fight back if you don't eat enough.This doesn't make any sense to me! Why do you have to "eat your calories back" that seems like nonsense. If you feel like you are eating enough...then shouldn't that be enough? I mean the caloric expenditure on mfp isn't accurate anyways. I have been eating around 600-800 calories a day which is below the "recommended" 1200 calories a day for a "normal woman". However I am not "normal", I am "obese". Therefore there will be no such thing as starvation mode or any reason to eat back calories if I decided to exercise especially if I feel satisfied. My doctor is even aware of my daily intake, and he said its perfectly fine because I have plenty fat storage for energy as long as I'm taking vitamins.
Look up "starvation mode myth" to better assure yourself.
I get that you're obese, and your situation is different. Only you and your doctor can know if your nutrition plan is appropriate for your needs. But please don't dismiss the consequences of extreme dieting as "myth."
Similar situation here... When I was 15-17 i had a brush with anorexia. Was eating about 700-800 cals a day. Was incredibly thin, (scarily the same sort of weight that some aspire to be on MFP, i find it very scary), you could see my ribs, my hip bones...
I have had nothing but problems with my periods for the last 8 years or so and i have been diagnosed with PCOS. I swear that the earlier eating habits i had are at least partly to blame. I go months with no periods and recently stopped bleeding after a 25 day period.
If people honestly stopped, saw the bigger picture and realised the health troubles they may well face and accepted that it isn't going to be a quick fix and that it will take months, if not a couple of years, to lose a huge amount of weight that will stay off if they eat healthier forever then they might not be so extreme.0
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