To ask what your average daily calorie intake is?

[Rueben]

I've been trying to gain weight since I was a teen, always hated the way I looked (too skinny, no shape at all). I'm definitely not malnourished as I eat a balanced diet, plus extra protein and because I'm trying to gain weight allow myself to indulge in carbs and sugars.
Yet for some unknown reason, I still look ridiculously skinny. My BMI is 18.6, so I'm barely in the healthy range. (I'm 5 ft 6 and 52 kg).

Recently, I decided to use a calorie counter to see if I'm eating enough and was so shocked to find out I'm eating 400 calories less than what is required just to maintain my weight. (FYI - 1582 calories are required daily and I eat on average around 1100). I find this rather confusing as I'd always thought I'd eaten more than most of my friends and normal healthy sized people in general, (i.e. always finishing my food at restaurants, never restricting myself with what I eat, eating at least 3/4 meals a day with lots of snacks)

So, I was wondering what on earth do 'normal' healthy sized people eat?! How many calories do you roughly consume daily?

About 1,300 cals a day.

It doesn't sound a lot but I am short, petite and pretty inactive so if I go over 1,400 I gain weight quickly.

Of course I have days where I probably eat more than that, if I am getting a take away or going out for a meal, but 99% of the time I don't go over that. I have also had periods where I have ate more than that for a good few weeks but had to quickly get back on track.

Now I am starting to work 12 hour shifts and biking 4 miles I will eat more on those days no doubt.

I am a big calorie counter. I lost 5 stone a few years ago. I healthy sized, but I don't think my relationship with food is very healthy really. I am not underweight but I do spend too much time obsessing about it all.

Bloody loads as I'm 8 weeks pregnant and shoving anything in my gob just to stop feeling sick. Probably averaging 2200 a day I reckon.

Before that I was trying to eat 1500-1800 to maintain weight. 1100 is hardly anything!!

I am also short and fairly small boned, though with GG cup boobs which don't help.

I count because I'm trying to lose weight on the 5:2 plan. On non-fast days I probably eat about 1500 cals. I do a lot of exercise too. If I wasn't counting I'd eat a look at more.
If you want to add in extra healthy calories, eat nuts and nut butters, hummus, avocado, oatcakes etc.

And to follow on from U2, I'm now mildly overweight (about half a stone) and my relationship with food isn't healthy either - I obsess about it too.

If you can eat without obsessing its more than I can do.

A lot more. Grr bloody phone.

I reckon I'm also averaging about 2200 at the moment (12 weeks pregnant, all day nausea).

Yesterday I had:
Some ham, tomatoes, cottage cheese, slice normal cheese.
Some cheese and onion crisps
Egg mayo sandwich, lettuce on brown
Small amount spaghetti with tomato sauce.

I am about a stone and a half overweight.

Unless I'm trying to lose weight I have no idea what I consume but have to agree with a prior poster that things like nuts, hummus, cottage cheese, avocado are healthy, higher calorie items you could introduce to your diet.

How about adding a smoothie into the start of your day that uses full fat milk, banana, peanut or almond butter and some fruit? An easy extra couple hundred calories that are still healthy and will be nutritionally satisfying.

If I'm eating consciously around 1300/1400 to maintain weekdays and around 1800/1900 weekends.

Alcohol always bumps my intake up a massive amount.

But what are you eating overall? There are many meals that would add up to that amount, in a single meal. Go into any coffee shop and pick up a sandwich, cake and coffee and you could easily get your 1100 calories with one meal. Most restaurant meals will be that amount, especially if you have more than one course and are drinking too.

'3 or 4 meals a day, plus lots of snacks' can only add up to an average of only 1100 calories per day, if it is mostly very low energy density food or very small meals.

I probably eat 1500 - 2000 calories a day as an active person who is currently on slimming world to lose weight. I am averaging a pound a week on this and can eat unlimited lean meat, veg, fruit, eggs, pulses, rice, pasta but must limit dairy and bread to a small portion of each per day and bread must be wholemeal - you then get about 200 calories of 'treat' allowance, which is not a lot - cake in a coffee shop would be 2 or 3 times this for example. That is supposed to allow you to lose weight while not being hungry so is this the type of food you are eating?

Have you had your thyroid checked? An overactive thyroid will make you lose weight, maybe diabetes too?

I would say that maybe you aren't eating as much as you think - make sure you eat full fat everything and snack on healthy things like nuts, cheese, avocados etc.

1100 calories is very limited. You either have an odd sense of normal or are eating tiny portions
There's no way you're eating 3 full meals a day plus snacks if that's what you're actually consuming

What's your AIBU?

About 3300 a day but I work out everyday and about 1000 of that is supplements.

I eat 1500 - 2000, depending on how much I am doing that day.

I am trying lose fat, but am very active. So even at 2000kcals I lose weight. Somedays I am not so active so reduce it.

I'm currently also on the 5:2 so I know exactly how much. On a non fast day I eat between 1500 and 2000 calories. On a fast day 500, obviously.

I'm 5'7'' and 61kgs, I'm a size 8-10. I eat around 1800 calories, sometimes more. I also exercise about 4 times a week. When I'm on a diet I eat around 1400 calories.

And I agree 1100 calories is very very little, you must either be counting wrong or have a problem with food. Have you thought about seeing your GP?

The OP doesn't add up. Three 'normal' meals a day plus snacks makes well over 1100 cals.

What do you actually eat?

No way are you eating three normal meals a day plus snacks and only consuming 1100 calories. I agree with a pp that a restaurant meal (probably the main alone) would probably add up to that total. You're either counting incorrectly or there is something else going on here.

Like Derek fuck knows I left obsessive calorie counting behind with my anorexia

What is with all these threads lately and can they please move to the obsessed about food forum

No idea. Agree with ghosty

OP- I try to eat 1200 a few days here and there- to slim down! So yes, you are def eating under what you should be. Most days I'd eat around 1400-1700.

I'm pretty slim/athletic but with curves so by no means a stick or skinny.

I'm also confused about how you can surprised at only eating 1100c. I eat between 1500-2000. I lost a few stone a couple of years ago, and did so by eating 1400 pd every day, without fail (went from a size 16 to 12). And believe me, I KNEW I was only eating 1400 cal.

What do you eat when you go out for a meal?

Are you actually weighing and measuring your food to calculate the calories? I think your estimates are probably off.

I'm doing 5:2 and on non-fast days I'm eating around 1600. One day a week I'll go up to 1800-2000.

I'm currently about 2 stone above my goal weight and officially about 1 stone overweight for my height.