I have just joined and my calories to consume is 1400 i have been doing it on my own for a week but im finding it hard to consume 1200

[louise43]

what can i do to make sure i use all my calories? i register my food on fitness pal and sometimes i dont eat enough even though i have my 3 meals aday plus snack

[chirpy1 Restart Jan 2024]

Are you adding everything even your milk ration etc. little things such as butter or spread soon bump up the calories. What diet are you on - is it a no carb diet? 3 meals a day + snacks should have no difficulty in reaching the calories you require. For example 1 banana is between 90 and 120 calories, a boiled egg is between 80 and 100 calories. If you have a salad, are you counting the salad dressing and any fish, meat or cheese? You might be as well keeping a book and tracking down everything - check against a calorie counter rather than rely on Fitness Pal.

[kiwifruit1]

Ok, so lets say you need to add 200 calories per day to your food.

You could add some heavier calories to your salads by adding

Avocado and or pumpkin seeds, walnuts etc, a chopped boiled egg, or slightly larger portion of your protein.

Add in 1/3 cup of chick peas, kidney beans, or lentils etc to whatever you are eating right now. (Good sources of protein also)

There are lots of calorie dense foods that you do not have to have a large portion of. This way you can add the calories in, without feeling over stuffed.

[GoogleMe]

What were you eating before? Presumably you were consuming more than enough calories then or you wouldn't need to lose weight. It could be that if your strategy has been to cut out things which were forming a large part of your diet previously, that a more comprehensive overhaul is needed to replace a few of those calories. I tend to feel it is generally a mistake to deliberately eat more than your appetite - but that might depend on your relationship with food. Are you unconsciously 'saving up' for something? A varied intake is going to see natural variations from day to day though - on occasions where I've come in low and decided to eat something 'extra' to make it up I have regretted it.

You could try increasing your activity levels as that is often an appetite stimulant, if it is moderate.

[W3ndy2159]

Great advice from above. Do you weigh your food? If you estimate the weight, you could be underestimating, so in fact be consuming more calories than you think! As suggested above, log every thing, milk, butter, spreads, dressings, juice, tea, coffee, etc, etc. or if using low fat staples change them and use full fat instead. Full fat milk, butter, yogurts and higher fat meats and fish to increase calories eg:- beef/pork instead of chicken breasts or oily fish instead of tuna etc. good luck x