Does anyone need to work at eating there 1800-2000 calories a day or is it just me?

Hello everyone,

This is only my second day but I realizes awhile ago that I don't eat enough during the day.  How meny others out there have this problem/

I usually don't eat my first meal until after 3  in the afternoon.  I get up around 10am.  I just don't feel hungry before then.  I guess I just need to know I am not alone.

Steph

You don't feel hungry before then because 1) you have the habit of not eating before then and 2) your body never properly "broke" its "fast". You should definitely start eating breakfast even if you don't feel like it so much.

When you eat breakfast, you give a kick start to your metabolism by telling your body its time to wake up and go. When you haven't eaten for a long time your hunger feeling gets suppressed, even though your belly is empty and you need food.

During my first week which is more important---Eating within 1hour of getting out of bed or trying to consume the 1800-2000 calories per day?

It has been a lot of years since I ate something within 1hour of getting out of bed.  I am 35 and I don't think I have done that since I was in the 8th grade.

They are both pretty important but I don't see why you would have to choose between them. Eating within an hour of waking up will probably give you a decent appetite for lunch.

I know that I used to skip breakfast and sometimes I would be able to wait to eat all the way until dinner. And, I was overweight.

Now I eat breakfast, lunch, AND snacks and I'm on my way to losing weight.

I cut down on the junk food, yes, but it's a much better lifestyle all around and it does help.

I did at first but I just write down a menu for the next day of what I'm going to eat and have an estimate of how many calories each meal will be. I find that by eating six times a day it's really not all that hard. I used to skip breakfast all the time becuase I just was not hungry either. But I started slowly by eating something light, I suggest oatmeal. And soon I started getting hungrier in the morning and was able to eat a little more!

I'm having the same trouble meaning Im not able to eat all my calories.  But I see what I choose to eat is pretty good. Any suggestions on getting more in?

I drink a lot of water. I'll have to calculate how much is a lot - that's all I drink but I work from home so I carry bottles around with me all day.

I'd suggest starting to eat something small for breakfast just to start getting in the habit - even if its some kind of shake. I personally have to eat breakfast or I feel really sick, and have to have carbs an hour before exercising.

Kimberly

I have the same problem. My BMR is 2300 and that is a ton of food for me. I rarely ate breakfast. I've found that after about a week of trying to get close to that number (I usually make it to 2000) I feel hungry a lot more often. Doesn't really matter what I eat. I can eat something that is supposed to be filling but I'm hungry 2 hours later. I also can't get close to that number by making something myself. I tend to rely on the premade stuff for later meals.

My breakfast of choice lately takes about 5 minutes to make. Egg beaters, Two pieces of buttered toast, glass of orange juice, and a large apple. I don't scramble the egg beater so I can put it between the toast without it falling apart. I can eat that on the go if I have to. Or I eat that before leaving and eat the apple in the car. I think that is roughly 550 calories the way I do it. If you had time you could even make some sausage or bacon to put on it. I've gotten to love a big breakfast.

I get cranky and dizzy if I don't eat breakfast. But i'm having a problem meeting the number. Yesterday I only met about 1,000 calories, and I was shocked but today I woke up earlier so that means I will be eating more, like for breakfast i've already eaten 322 calories (roughly), My goal is supposed to be 1500 calories, at least thats what the calorie counter says.

Hello, I'm new too.  I have the same problem.  I under eat.  Not by choice though.  Work is crazy and busy and I can go all day without eating anything.  I drink water all day.  I drink around 32 oz in one day all together.  My friends, family and co-workers help me remember to eat now.  But I rarely get 1200 calories in one day.  It's crazy but true.

When I'm counting calories, I feel so guilty about everything I eat, especially if it has no real nutritional value.  So yeah, I have a super-hard time eating 1800 calories a day ... today I didn't even hit 1000.  I *always* eat breakfast, though, and drink a ton of water .. Today it was around 115oz.

I think that's really what I'm here for .. as a new dieter, I keep hearing that I'm not eating enough.  Well, if I feel full at the end of the day and have consumed plenty of vitamins and nutrients on top of what my multivitamin provides, I don't see how eating the magic number -- 1800 -- is necessary.

I get up at 5:30AM.   I don't eat breakfast until 10AM.   That's 4-1/2 hours after getting up.    I would probably eat sooner but I have to work around a job.  So it's kind of the same for me.   I assume since you get up at 10 you go to bed later than most people do.

Welcome to the community!

Helen

I have that issue too, so I've been starting to work on (as bad as it sounds) snacking. I struggle to eat planned meals so I've turned the '5-6 small meals a day' kind of plan into a 6 or so snacks in a day. Not potato chip type snacks.. but maybe toast with peanut butter.

Which is definitely one thing I'd recommend. Peanut butter will raise up your daily calories, but it isn't unhealthy. Peanut butter and other types of nuts. But you have to be careful not to overeat nuts... Good luck getting to that 'magic' number.

I'm having trouble with that too... like yesterday I only got 980! I'm kind of freaked out I don't want to get like malnourished or anything.  I wasn't hungry though, and I didn't have any time for snacks.

I have this trouble too.... Your Topic needs a BUMP.. So here goes..

What I did to get my breakfast now down pat is this.. Once I am up with the kids getting them ready in the morning.. I do go ahead and eat a yogurt with 1/2 cup of grape nuts in them, and 1 cup of dole mixed fruit. There is a lot of calories in this, and I have been doing this since Tuesday. It's not heavy in calories, but a light breakfast helps me get my day started.

Grape nuts Cereal 1/2- 170 cals Fat 1 gram Sat Fat 0% Protein 6grams
Dannon Fruit Blends 99% fat free 110 cals Fat 1 grams Sat Fat 0.5 grams Protein 4grams
Dole Fruit cup cherry mixed 80 cals Fat 0% Sat Fat 0% Protein 0%

Totals Cals 360 Fat 2grams Sat Fat 0.5 Protein 10grams
I eat this before I do my workout.. It's really good.. I even toss it in once again when I've gotten under my cal intake mark.

I can't forget the first drink of water either.. 8 oz. Helps to wash it down.. Not a boring breakfast or one loaded with a lot of fat or sat fat. Just perfect for me.

I am not crazy about eating first thing, but I got myself in the habit of drinking a coffee/energy drink or a latte.  It makes me feel special because I have this really cool looking drink to take to my office and it jump starts my head and body.

I know how you feel.  I'm supposed to be eating 1300 calories a day and am having problems with it.  Before I went on my diet and joined here I know I was eating a couple thousand a day but since I have cut out all the junk food and fast food i have problems eating 1000 a day (usually i've been staying right around 850)

I eat breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner but it still never seems to all add up to where it should be  UGH!!