Calorie Intake Question

[heyvan]

I'm a complete noob looking to get in shape and shed some fat. I am currently at 85kgs standing at 5ft11 with approximately 18%-20% bodyfat. I work out 3 times a week with compound exercises, but I am unsure about my diet.

Now, I have for the last 3-4 years led a sedentary lifestyle with little activity and ate twice a day. I am a college student, so I would often get little sleep and loads of large portion meals at odd times of the day. According to my calculations I would consume <1500 calories almost every day with a little bit of fruit and vegs thrown in.

Most interestingly, I have barely changed in size in the last 4-5 years. I have sustained 85-87 kgs with some fat here and there. Now that I have started working out, I see people calculating BMR and daily calorific needs, and according to online calculators, my calorie intake should be around 2500-2800.

The problem is this - I always believed that I stuff myself too much, but having calorie counted for the last week, I realise that on a normal day I eat <1500. I do not particularly feel sick or lifeless (probably damaging myself in some other way).

Now, am I doing something wrong here or should I simply be eating more? I feel like the furthest I can push is maybe 2000 calories if I add in a large breakfast, but then I simply cannot eat that much. Probably being a pussy about this, but I don't feel all that well when I eat a lot. Add exercise to this and I should be eating even more.

Is my inability to eat more a result of poor habit or am I normal? How the hell do people eat 2500 calories a day?

[WonderPug]

If what you're reporting is entirely accurate, I'd urge you to schedule a visit with an endocrinologist.

[heyvan]

If what you're reporting is entirely accurate, I'd urge you to schedule a visit with an endocrinologist.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this - I had always thought that I eat way above the norm (i still do). I also rarely feel really hungry to actually eat, it's just a routine by now. After years of eating like this should I have not broken down completely by now? I mean what are the consequences?

I will take you up on the advice, thank you!

Any other suggestions on how to start eating more and not feeling like full all the time?

[WonderPug]

^^^ You need to be evaluated to determine if the root cause is physical or psychological, and you also need to be evaluated for consequential physical damage either way.

[heyvan]

^^^ You need to be evaluated to determine if the root cause is physical or psychological, and you also need to be evaluated for consequential physical damage either way.

Jesus. Never thought it would be this serious.

This means my mouth must never stop through the day or I'm seriously undercounting my calorie intake.

Take a look at this - this could be described as a usual day.

Breakfast - sleeping.

Lunch at 12-1 - 1x chicken panini.
Snack - fruit platter.
Dinner - rice meal with beef (decent size)
Loads of water.
(no coke, no chocolate, no sugar, no chips)

Isn't this what people normally (completely sedentary lifestyle) consume in a day?

[AlwaysTryin]

^^ quantities of each? Impossible to know as you could be having 500g rice, 100g etc or loads of oil to cook things in etc

Get me?

[heyvan]

^^ quantities of each? Impossible to know as you could be having 500g rice, 100g etc or loads of oil to cook things in etc

Get me?

No serious oils or greasy food.

Bowl of rice (250-300g?) and 150-200 g beef? Add some gravy/sauce/ketchup, whatever. When I do eat, I eat until I'm full. If I eat out, there's nothing left on the plate (considering they serve sizeable portions).

[WonderPug]

My guess is you're acutely underestimating your caloric intake. Acutely!!!

Here's an example of my dinner last night, which contains dramatically more calories than you claim to consume in an entire day:

Large salad drenched in blue cheese dressing: ~800 calories
20 ounce ribeye steak: ~1,350 calories
Large cheese plate for dessert: ~700 calories
TOTAL: ~2,850 calories for that one meal.

[heyvan]

My guess is you're acutely underestimating your caloric intake. Acutely!!!

Here is a real test.

My menu today according to calorie count on two apps. (dailyburn and ifitness)

Breakfast.
Oat porridge - 1 serving. (says 183 calories)
1 Banana (90)
1 tbsp honey (63)

Lunch
Green beans (handful) (30)
Hummus
1 Rasher Bacon (43)
White rice 1 bowl (200)
1 Large chicken breast (150)

(Haven't had dinner yet)

Says it's ~1000 calories in total (did not count smaller things).

What would be a realistic count on this?

[heyvan]

My guess is you're acutely underestimating your caloric intake. Acutely!!!

Here's an example of my dinner last night, which contains dramatically more calories than you claim to consume in an entire day:

Large salad drenched in blue cheese dressing: ~800 calories
20 ounce ribeye steak: ~1,350 calories
Large cheese plate for dessert: ~700 calories
TOTAL: ~2,850 calories for that one meal.

Pardon my french, but I do feel retarded now. What am I counting wrong? How do you count?

[WonderPug]

How do you count?

I don't count, as I'm just a small pug, though some research suggests that I could count to seven, but most of that research is performed on beagles and they're know to particularly gifted.

That said, you can track calories here.

[heyvan]

I don't count, as I'm just a small pug, though some research suggests that I could count to seven, but most of that research is performed on beagles and they're know to particularly gifted.

That said, you can track calories

Thanks for the link my canine brother. It counts to 1000 calories there too.

[WonderPug]

Thanks for the link my canine brother. It counts to 1000 calories there too.

You're eating less than my pug. Seriously.

I just snacked on 200 grams of macadamias, which fit a small bowl. Total calories: ~1,425, which you claim to be about your total intake of energy.

[heyvan]

You're eating less than my pug. Seriously.

I just snacked on 200 grams of macadamias, which fit a small bowl. Total calories: ~1,425, which you claim to be about your total intake of energy.

I just ate 25g of walnuts and that's 175 calories. More than the chicken breast I had for lunch?!

[WonderPug]

More than the chicken breast I had for lunch?!

Why would you consume dry chicken breast if you're having trouble consuming sufficiency calories?

Consume a fatty steak smothered in butter.

I just ate 25g of walnuts

That's not even a snack for a squirrel.

[heyvan]

Why would you consume dry chicken breast if you're having trouble consuming sufficiency calories?

Consume a fatty steak smothered in butter.


That's not even a snack for a squirrel.

WonderPug, I am 5ft11 at 85kg, this had got to be wrong. I'm the size of a thousand squirrels.

[WonderPug]

WonderPug, I am 5ft11 at 85kg, this had got to be wrong. I'm the size of a thousand squirrels.

I think you're underestimating the size of the average squirrel and the size of your average meal.

[heyvan]

I think you're underestimating the size of the average squirrel and the size of your average meal.

Seems most likely. Thank you for your help, WonderPug!

[WonderPug]

Seems most likely. Thank you for your help, WonderPug!

You're welcome and, if geographically appropriate, happy Thanksgiving.

[heyvan]

You're welcome and, if geographically appropriate, happy Thanksgiving.

Not from the US, but attending a thanksgiving dinner tomorrow to eat some 30 calorie turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

[ziplocc]

30 calorie turkey lol

[ziplocc]

Not from the US, but attending a thanksgiving dinner tomorrow to eat some 30 calorie turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

Are you going to eat 1 slice of lunchmeat turkey? That's about 30 calories