Confused About Daily Calorie Intake?
I’m 5′8 and 136 pounds and my daily calorie intake should be 2100. I only eat about 900-1000 calories a day. And I workout every day. Supposedly my body will go into starvation mode if I don’t eat more. The problem is I feel full with the amount of calories I eat now. If I eat more, I feel stuffed and bloated. So does the 2000 calorie diet still apply?
1. Metabolism is an individual thing. There is wide variation from one person to the next in digestive efficiency and metabolism. The 2100 calories is only a very rough estimate not a limit or a hard and fast rule.
2. The word ‘workout’ covers a lot of sins. The fact that you said ‘workout’ rather than ‘I bike 200 miles a week’ or ‘I run 10 miles a day’ suggests that you’re not doing anything really strenuous. That is, whatever you’re doing doesn’t require a lot of calories.
3. You’re probably underestimating your food intake. Most people underestimate what they eat, and overestimate the kcalorie-burning effect of their exercise.
All that said, if you’re not hungry and you’re not gaining or losing weight, you’re probably fine.
Hi, Are you sure that your calorie intake is really as low as you have calculated? If so, you must be a very abstemious vegetarian (and I’m not trying to be rude). People complain about how little I eat, and I stick to fairly frugal , mostly vegetarian foods. However, when I calculated my intake it came to about 2,400 kCals/day, comprising about 640 for a modest, uncooked, breakfast. A sandwich, piece of cake and fruit for lunch makes another 760 KCals, while 2-course evening meals vary, but including a glass of wine usually come to over 1000 KCals. You need only to eat a banana and you clock up another 100 or so.
Can you give us your typical day’s menu?
Yes it does, to get the extra 200-300 calories your missing to hit 1200, all you need is an apple and a slice of cheese, that shouldn’t make you feel to full or bloated. It’s not much, eat a yogurt, that’s like half your calories your missing. You need to up it to 1200 calories, if not more since your working out, but 1200 is a good start. You may need to try to eat smaller meals throughout the day, every 2-3 hours eat something, anything! Even if it’s a snack like a yogurt and crackers, or an apple and cheese etc. This also keeps your metabolism going throughout the day, and maybe will help you get in that snack your missing the 200-300 calories from. You really need to be eating at least 1600, but getting you to 1200 would be a good start…
Hope this will help you out some,
Good luck!
Toni Lynne =)
I’m 5′7 135 and eat about 2,800-3,000, so EAT.
Well you are NEVER really supposed to go under 1200 calories a day, and that is a big restriction in itself. And if you are working out everyday you need more then 900/1000 calories.
That doesn’t necc. mean that you need to stuff yourself and eat more. Try eating foods that have more calories in them, and no that doesn’t mean you need to stuff yourself with junk food. You can try Protein drinks, they usually have a lot of protein which is good for you and calories, but it is healthy. Also make sure your not taking in a lot of empty calories (soda, candy, sugery drinks)
You’d be suprised at the amount of calories some fruits have in them, try putting more of them into your diet. Also try to eat some nuts as a snack, they are really good for you.
And instead of eating 3 big meals a day, eat 5 smaller meals. It will allow you to keep your blood sugar at a condtant level so it doesn’t drop and leave you feeling tired and/or extremely hungry.
IF you spread your calories out over 5 meals a day, and you eat heathly then you shouldn’t feel stuffed or bloated.