Alright, so as you can see by the title, I have serious issues getting in all my calories for the day. Both online food journals I use say that I /should/ be getting 1550-1900 calories a day. But when I get anywhere near that amount, I feel like "the fat girl" all over again.

When I actually feel like I'm eating healthy and doing well, I'm only logging 700 calories a day or so. And since most of the things I eat now are so low in calories, I just don't know how to fit all my calories for the day in.

If I'm eating mostly fruits and veggies and a few whole grains, I can't even force myself to eat 1500 calories.

Am I trying too hard? How do I get closer to my calorie goal for the day? What am I doing wrong?

If you can't meet your calorie goals you could always eat something that you want. I don't mean go crazy or anything, but treat yourself to a little something extra in your food. Or, you could always good something in olive oil which would add some calories, as well as "good" fats. I am QUITE partial to Welch's dried cherries, which are a sort of raisin only WAY, WAY better. It's 140 calories for 1/4 cup, but they are so sweet and they are fruit as well, so that you would go a little closer to your goal. What are you eating every day? Try to have a bowl of cereal with 2% milk instead of skim, or little changes. Good luck!

Whoops, one more thing. Are you measuring everything? Sometimes I mess up serving sizes and find myself eating more calories than I think I am.

I try to add some things back in, but it just makes me feel unhealthy. I think it's a mental issue, I feel like I'm going back to my old habits even if I just moderate what goes into my mouth.

Breakfast is normally a Nutri-Grain cereal bar, some bran cereal with 2% milk, and either an apple or banana.

Lunch is normally soup, salad, a homemade wrap, or something combination of them. And dinner I have to modify depending on what my mom makes for dinner. I usually have to go with the flow and just find a way to make whatever everyone else is eating healthier.

Without knowing what kind of plan you are following, I would say you could add some healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, almonds or other nuts, etc.) Also, are you eating lean proteins like chicken, fish, or lean cuts of beef? You could also try eating peanut butter on whole grain bread/crackers, yogurt, or reduced fat cheese. Just some suggestions...but in my opinion, 700 calories is not enough food to consume in a day, and eating 1,550 calories (at least!) is certainly not too much...but that's just my opinion

Just a guess, but are you thinking that eating 700 calories a day is 'eating like a thin person' and eating twice that much is 'eating like a fat person'? Because of course, thin people most certainly don't eat 700 calories a day. And speaking only for myself, I didn't pick up my extra poundage by eating 1500 calories a day!

You might be having one of those mind games that weight issues plant in our brains. Maybe you could switch off both those options -- eating thin and eating fat -- and replace it with 'eating like a healthy person.' That's what's working best for me; I'm in week 8 of WW (down 19 pounds) and I eat all my points daily, but I don't go over because I'm eating some of everything I like. I also don't avoid food, so it's really not like I'm "on a diet" at all -- I've just changed the way I eat (forever, I hope).

And fruits and veggies and a few whole grains don't make up a healthy diet ... you need protein in there in some form. Cheese, tofu, meat, poultry, fish, something.

It's by not depriving ourselves that we stand the best chance of keeping the weight off long-term, and that's a balanced daily intake. That's what I've found, anyway.

I know I SHOULD be eating more, but it's like this mental thing.

As for specific plans, I'm basically just counting calories, and trying to add in as much whole food as possible.

Protein-wise, I tend to lean towards chicken, and I normally do have yogurt at least once a day for snacks. Sometimes it'll be a yogurt, sometimes a cereal bar, sometimes a piece of fruit, it just depends on where my calories are.

The silly thing is that it's not even a conscious thought that "Oh, this is how a skinny person would eat", it's just that if I try and do what I think it being "good", I come in WAY too low in calories.

Dumb mind games!

And if I made it unclear, I don't mean that fruits and veggies and whole grains are ALL I eat. I'm just making an effort to include more of them into my diet.

Doglady's post makes a lot of sense. I personally cannot relate to your problem because I can always eat more than I do, unless I am very sick. I don't feel totally deprived, but if I do not pay attention, I can easily eat way more calories than I'm shooting for. I am currently aiming for 1200 a day, but I am typically getting 1300 or 1400 (with one or two a week being even higher). I'm still losing on this, although slowly, which is fine for me. I do want to be able to maintain once I reach my goal.

As far a what you could eat... I would suggest a healthy snack or two in there... a handful of raw almonds, a banana with peanut butter, yogurt. It doesn't sound like you have much protein there.

Good luck to you!

It is a mind game. Lots of us play it in our heads!

Don't be 'good', be 'healthy.' That will lead to eating a better selection of foods! And if you're including healthy oils and proteins in the diet, you're going to eat more than 700 calories without even trying. I eat salmon for dinner about 3 nights a week because (a) I love it and (b) it's really high in Omega3 fatty acids and (c) I love it -- and I eat a very light lunch to allow for the calories in a baked salmon filet. So maybe if you take another look at the meals, rather than the foods, that are on your plan, you'll see some areas where you can add calories by adding healthy foods.

This is a new way for me, because I used to have an 'all or nothing' approach to food -- either I ate almost nothing, or I just ate whatever I wanted. That doesn't work.

You'll lose faster if you eat more. It's as simple as that. Double what you're eating. Have a meal after your breakfast, and another one after your lunch. Bulk up your lunch a bit with more protein. Bulk up your breakfast, too (add some eggs or something).

If you're 270lbs and somewhat active, 1400 calories should be good for you. You may even find that 1600-1900 works, too! You've got to feel it out for your body.

But 700 is way too low, and you know that. How about seeing a nutritionist? Then you have a professional telling you that 1500 calories is 'good' and 700 calories is 'bad'.

It's just something you have to work on. I understand how scary it is if that is what you have always told yourself about how "fat" versus "thin" people eat, but maybe give yourself 2 weeks...plan out healthy meals and snacks that will come closer to an ideal daily calorie intake...then try eating that way for 2 weeks. See if you lose weight. If you don't, reassess what you can tweak to make yourself successful. Try to remember, that if you don't eat enough, your body will fight hard to hold onto your weight because it will think it is in famine...which is why eating so few calories might be doing more harm than good.

Thanks you guys!

I know it's bad to not each enough, which is why I just needed someone to say "NO, STOP IT!"

I agree, it's very hard to give advice without more info, but nuts are a small but good form of calories, protein, fiber and fats as well as beans which have very little fat. You could also use a protein powder such as whey protein isolate which has nothing added. Put it in a smoothie or some kind of sauce to up calories and protein without fat. Use nonfat yogurt and/or ground flax seed in those smoothies to increase calories, calcium, protein and fiber as well as whatever the live active cultures do to our digestive system. You may not notice the increase in calories so much if you're drinking them, just a mental thing i'm aware of.

Are you using Fitday? You can post the link on your profile so others can take a look at what you are doing and maybe give better feedback.

Another suggestion so that you don't feel like you're stuffing yourself is just to eat more frequently. Try 5-6 smaller meals through out the day. It keeps your metabolism up, fights off hunger and keeps your blood sugar level so you are less likely to become irritable or fatigued.

Hope that helps!

I don't use FitDay regularly, I use another site that I can't link to on here.

I have one snack to go for the night, and I'm at 1,237 calories for the day, which is insanely better than yesterday.