What do YOU do when your calories are too low?

[RandomRan 1]

On days you guys don't plan right and at the end of the day you find you are well under 800 calories but not hungry, do you eat again later in the night anyway to try to get to your 800 calories, or do you stay at 600-700 and just plan better the next day? Has anyone asked their Doc how to handle this?

[isaviolinist 11]

On days you guys don't plan right and at the end of the day you find you are well under 800 calories but not hungry, do you eat again later in the night anyway to try to get to your 800 calories, or do you stay at 600-700 and just plan better the next day? Has anyone asked their Doc how to handle this?

That rarely happens to me and hasn't happened lately, but when it does happen, I just eat fewer calories that day and don't try to eat something to make them up. It's never happened so consistently that i've needed to make a plan for the next day (except for preop diet and the first week or so post op...preop I was only getting 500 calories a day average but I didn't really care).

[Humming Bird 275]

For me counting calories is a thing of the past. I don't count them....ever. Just having the band has been all I have needed. I do try to eat food that is good for me most of the time, but don't count anything.

[CalicoskiesNC 2]

I am having the low calorie problem too. After dinner if I am low I have a Carnation Instant Breakfast. It's 170 more cals and Protein plus Calcium. There are days where I just cannot eat much more than 1/2 total at a meal. Yesterday while I was working I got a fruit smoothie McDs. That was 210 cals and I was still only at 877 for the day. I make sure I get my vits+ in and then hope my body burns more fat for the deficit. I am walking 30min a day.

[Noturningback15 45]

I have gotten to the point where I really don't count all my calories but before when I was not eating enough I would get a Protein Bar or cook some eggs with cheese as a snack. Also, sometimes I will buy whole milk vs slim to get some extra calories in when I know I am going to be working out a lot in the gym.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Just add a Protein drink or two mid-meal.

I do keep track of my calories because even at my sweet spot I have no physical restriction and could eat as much as I want. I also weigh and measure since I don't trust the 'eyeball' method. I've finally realized the my 'eyeballs' are connected to the stomach that just wants more and not to the rational brain.

.

[BetsyB 9]

I usually don't give it much of a thought, as long as it's an isolated thing. But I agree, adding a Protein Drink can bump up calories in a way that still promotes loss.

[LargeMediumSmall 3]

When I first read the title of your post "What do you do when your calories are too low?" The immediate answer that came to my mind was...."Duh, the happy dance, of course."

But then again, I'm still working on my relationship with food. Obviously it is not completely harmonious yet.

If, and this is a big IF, I have a low calorie day I just chalk it up to calories in/calories out as my doctor told me. He told me that having a deficit of calories each day is what you need in order to lose weight but you do need proper nutrition and Protein in order to keep your metabolism pumping.

I'd say that if you are very low and want to get in an extra proetein shake, green drink, Vitamin supplement or your choice of calories then it wouldn't hurt. Go by your nutritionist & doctors advice and what your body tells you it needs and you should be fine.

The worry about not getting enough calories is often Vitamin deficiency and loss of muscle mass or slowing down of the metabolism. Just use your best judgement & seek your doctor's support if you get confused or frustrated.

[RandomRan 1]

When I first read the title of your post "What do you do when your calories are too low?" The immediate answer that came to my mind was...."Duh, the happy dance, of course."

Hahahaha! Yea, I keep being afraid I'll be hungry at night and hoarding all my calories all day for the eve. Then eve comes, and I eat the right portion I'm supposed to for dinner, and I'm low on calories. Old habits are hard to break. The last couple days, I have been making sure I'm at at least 500 calories for the day before dinner time. It just scares me when it's 2:30pm, and I only have 300 calories left for the day. But, much to my disbelief, I have not had to go to bed hungry. 300 calories is more than enough.

[LargeMediumSmall 3]

Hahahaha! Yea, I keep being afraid I'll be hungry at night and hoarding all my calories all day for the eve. Then eve comes, and I eat the right portion I'm supposed to for dinner, and I'm low on calories. Old habits are hard to break. The last couple days, I have been making sure I'm at at least 500 calories for the day before dinner time. It just scares me when it's 2:30pm, and I only have 300 calories left for the day. But, much to my disbelief, I have not had to go to bed hungry. 300 calories is more than enough.

According to your ticker you are doing fab weight wise. Awesome personal observation on fear & old habits! Those are the real battles we are fighting. Keep up the good work. Understanding your fears is half the battle.

[isaviolinist 11]

When I first read the title of your post "What do you do when your calories are too low?" The immediate answer that came to my mind was...."Duh, the happy dance, of course."

But then again, I'm still working on my relationship with food. Obviously it is not completely harmonious yet.

If, and this is a big IF, I have a low calorie day I just chalk it up to calories in/calories out as my doctor told me. He told me that having a deficit of calories each day is what you need in order to lose weight but you do need proper nutrition and Protein in order to keep your metabolism pumping.

I'd say that if you are very low and want to get in an extra proetein shake, green drink, Vitamin supplement or your choice of calories then it wouldn't hurt. Go by your nutritionist & doctors advice and what your body tells you it needs and you should be fine.

The worry about not getting enough calories is often Vitamin deficiency and loss of muscle mass or slowing down of the metabolism. Just use your best judgement & seek your doctor's support if you get confused or frustrated.

LOL that was my though too. I was thinking "When I have extra calories left at the end of the evening, I force myself to go to sleep as quickly as possible so I don't start eating again". LOL. I also still have issues with my relationship to food as well

RandomRan - I horde my calories too. I'm working on not doing that, but I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[Katy Castro 1]

I've been on an extremely low calorie diet since being banded. But I did it to myself because I found that I don't lose weight when I've eaten 800 calories in a day. So my normal day gets me 477 calories (I'm also doctor monitored because of this).

So if I have a day that I'm lower than this, to be perfectly honest... I get up and do another workout and pray for a bigger loss the next day. It almost always works. LOL

[LanceBijeaux 6]

My nutritionist told me for my body style I needed 1300-1500 calorie intake for weight loss

[juliansmom2003 3]

I'd eat a chocolate bar LOL! Just kidding! I wish I had that problem!! I am actually at about 1100-1200 calories, as I'm close to maintenance mode (which seems to be working for me). When you get low, I agree, have a Protein drink (muscle milk light is great--100 calories, 15 g of protein--pretty filling too!)

It's amazing how different we all are. I know quite a few people who were banded around the same time I was that will only lose at 800 calories a day and others swear that they go into 'starvation mode' that low and need more to lose. Throw in exercise and that's a completely different story. My goal in life is to somehow figure all of it out LOL

[emsbugbug 7]

Starvation Mode is a horrible myth. I hate that people use it to justify no weight loss. If you eat fewer calories than you need to maintain, you WILL LOSE WEIGHT. Your metabolism will slow, yes, but you will lose the weight.