Ideally, I want to stay around 1500 calories a day. More on days I exercise, less on days I don't. I figure being almost 200 pounds, I should be able to lose on that.

Beyond calorie counting though, I'm really working on just listening to my body. It tells me when it needs fuel -- not necessarily through hunger pangs, but when I start to get lethargic, tired, irritable... I know my blood sugar's low and I need to give it a kick. So that's what I've been focusing on: intuitive eating. I want to have a better relationship with my body than the one I have now. So the past couple of days I've been eating as I see fit, and making good decisions.

So here's the problem: When, at the end of the day, I log everything into FitDay, I come up around 1000 calories. And I'm not just eating salad, either. I'm eating normal food, food that I would choose to eat with an eye to being healthy, not with an eye towards dieting (as I dislike that word, and am moving away from it mentally).

I know that if you don't feed your body enough, you run the risk of going into starvation mode and storing everything away. But in this case, does that mean I should feed myself past the point that my body says "that's enough"? Or should I start pouring olive oil on everything, adding cheese and avocadoes and sour cream to meals? This is just so counter-intuitive...

For an example, here's what I've eaten the last two days, in which I've been VERY successful at listening to my body and have eaten just enough to make myself feel happy and fed, not stuffed. Also the two days for which my calorie count was WAY low.

Today: 1002 calories
B: 1c All-Bran, 3/4c 1% milk
L: Chicken sandwich on ww bread with dijon mustard, 1c green grapes
S: a piece of ww bread with 1tbsp natural pnut butter
D: baked salmon fillet with garlic and lemon, cauliflower and zucchini steamed and dressed with herbs, 1/4c sweet corn with 1 tsp margarine
S: 2 pieces of Dove special dark chocolate

yesterday: 1164 calories
B: 1 egg, 2 slices turkey bacon
L: homemade low-fat chicken and corn chowder
S: 3/4 c All-Bran, 1/2c 1% milk
S: 2 pieces dark chocolate
D: big salad with ff cheese, deli chicken, light blue cheese dressing; a piece of toast with natural pnut butter (weird dinner, I know)
S: sf-ff butterscotch pudding


What the heck should I do? Should I start adding snacks when I really don't feel the need to eat? Should I top everything off with whipped cream or mayonaise or something? I don't want to harm my body by eating too little, but I don't want to tell it it's okay to eat too much, either!

So confused.....

I had the same problem when I was counting calories. I realized that I never ate ENOUGH food... getting to 1400 calories was HARD! So I tried different ways to get there, including adding some different, higher calorie foods. I don't have an answer for you really, but I totally understand where you're coming from, and am curious myself as to the answers people will give... could use the help!

I found eating a bigger breakfast helped me - I'd have three pieces of toast one breakfast, the next a bowl of homemade muesli (with bran, oats, dried fruit and nuts) and some fruit or yoghurt etc. In your case perhaps two eggs and maybe a piece of toast with that turkey bacon and some fruit or yoghurt with your cereal in the morning.

I also added nuts as a great snack. They're higher in calories but it comes from good fat so that was a win win.

You could also try having heavier vegies like sweet potato or potato (baked or boiled etc)

Instead of weightwatchers bread switch to dark rye bread or heavily seeded/grain breads - so flavoursome and so good for you.

Wholemeal pasta is also great as is gnocchi with a homemade tomato pasta sauce (or I make ratatoulie with lean sausage (kangaroo hehe) chopped in)

They're all healthy options just slightly more calorie dense but just as full of nutrients. I get my increased calories but I'm not "over eating"

Livi

good suggestions, lyria... I think maybe the heavier breakfast one would work pretty well, as I make sure to leave myself enough time in the mornings to fix something. If I don't have breakfast, the whole day goes wrong! Especially when I have cereal... I realize that meal isn't as "complete" as it could be. The day I just had an egg and 2 slices of turkey bacon, I was experimenting -- I wanted to see how my morning went/how I felt when I didn't have any carbs.

Nuts I for sure can't do as a snack, I have no self control over nuts. Not sure why, but that's definitely a food I can't bring into the house!!

oh, and ww was supposed to be whole wheat I started eating the store-brand lame wheat bread (which, I know, is kind of like colored white bread) because it was lighter, and I got tired of dense bread... but I should go back, not only for the extra calories but for the healthierness of it (if healthierness isn't a word, it ought to be!). The bread alone ought to give me another 100 calories.....

I noticed you don't have much dairy...or fruit, really...to add some calories, you could

B: 1c All-Bran, 3/4c 1% milk

Add a serving of fruit here! Strawberries, blueberries, BANANAS are great in the morning. Or you could have some fruit for a snack mid-morning. I love all-bran, btw. Just thought I'd share. I know it's really filling, though, so maybe mix a little less with some granola or something?

Snack: You could add some dairy here. Yogurt, milk, string cheese...take your pick!

L: Chicken sandwich on ww bread with dijon mustard, 1c green grapes

Hmm...You could sprinkle some nuts in there for healthy fats or avocado. Or add some fruit dip for your grapes. Again, a dairy serving would be good here. Why not have a fruit "parfait" with yogurt?

S: a piece of ww bread with 1tbsp natural pnut butter

I'd leave this alone. Maybe add some natural honey or something? Could add a small glass of milk (again, with the dairy...sorry about that!) Adding half a banana could be good, too. Or a pita with hummus and a few carrots?

D: baked salmon fillet with garlic and lemon, cauliflower and zucchini steamed and dressed with herbs, 1/4c sweet corn with 1 tsp margarine

I would definitely increase the serving of starchy vegetable. Why not try brown rice or quinoa? These are very good for you, and contain more calories & still have fiber! You could have some fruit for dessert or add freshy-grated cheese to your veggies.

S: 2 pieces of Dove special dark chocolate

Yummm...hehe. You could melt it slightly in the microwave and dip some strawberries in it! Same with the pudding you had on the second menu.

I had a similar issue and posted about it. Mostly people recommended that I add little things here and there such as drizziling veggies with olive oil, real salad dressing instead of FF, and similar things to above. That way you're not adding to fullness, just adding healthy calories. It hasn't been easy since I like what I'm eating now and I also feel satisfied so it seems weird to add more, but the suggestions were good.

These are all great suggestions, and very helpful to me! Thanks!

More great suggestions, manda.... I know I don't get much dairy, but dairy and I aren't really friends I can do a little each day, maybe 2 servings. I should get back to eating yogurt regularly, but even that's only another 60 cals with the kind I was buying, and adds more bulk.

And yeah, the past two days have been kind of fruit-less (hahaha... fruitless... I crack myself up). Ever since I stopped eating bananas, I've been eating less fruit. I bought a bunch of apples and a grapefruit and I have some grapes and oranges, so there's no reason for me not to eat more fruit... Especially at breakfast! That's prime fruit-time! Though again, I'm trying to stay away from adding too much extra food... I don't want to tell my body it has to consume more even though it's telling me it's done.

These are all really great suggestions... Seriously, this is a big issue I need to solve, since if I go too long on too few calories, the binge monster comes back.... Everyone's input is much appreciated! (And Amanda, I'm glad this is helping you too!)

(I'm going to compile a list of your suggestions and keep updating it, and when people stop chiming in with suggestions, I'll print it out and put it on the fridge.)

20-Somethings Suggestions on how to Increase Calories:
-Complete breakfast (carb, protien, dairy)
-Nuts as snacks (healthy fat!)
-Dark, complex bread
-More fruit
-More dairy
-More starchy veg with dinner, or brown rice/other grain
-Small amts of other healthy fats: olive oil, avocado

I would just like to say make sure you're getting enough protein! It sounds like your getting a good amount but if you're doing any kind of strenuous exercise or weight training it would be a good idea to track that as well. Besides increasing meat/poultry/fish portions, the nuts and dairy already suggested are great! You could also try some supplements and sneak them into say oatmeal or a glass of milk adding both nutrient-rich calories and protein.

BTW, I WISH I had your problem! If my eating was half as good as my exercise I'd be a size 4 by now! Trade ya