Is this really not enough??

[GoldieGal]

Breakfast: 1/4 cup of porridge

Lunch: Piece of fruit or salad

Dinner: veggies and a bit of chicken

I never ate much to begin with, just the things I ate weren't particularly healthy. Obviously I don't eat the same exact things everyday but it's around the same amount of calories yet apparently this isn't enough?

Will the consequences of this be that bad? Please help!

I honestly didn't realise what I was doing,

Seriously? You say you are an adult, you sound educated. There is no way on earth you don't know what you are eating is unhealthy and lacking in nutrients. You might like it, it might be enough for your needs, it might be that you want to restrict yourself but you definitely know what you are doing.

Do you feed others? Family? Children? Do you live alone or with a partner?

* I honestly didn't realise what I was doing, *

You changed your name
You started a thread on mumsnet asking for opinions on your diet

You had a fair idea, don’t try to kid us otherwise

That is enough for lunch sure, but what about the other meals? Are you not permanently ravenous??

Christ on a bike, I would be ravenous if that was all I had and I can go all day without eating and not notice!

Sorry, but porridge with water is tasteless goo and a quarter cup is just not enough on its own. At least add some thing and use low fat milk or soya milk.

1/4 cup of dried oats is a fine quantity once cooked. Slow releasing so a healthy breakfast.

A chicken cesar salad is fine for lunch, dressings are quite high in calories

Chicken and veg is fine for tea.

We eat far too much for our lives now, hence the obesity crisis.

I would mix it up a little with tuna for lunch when you are having chicken for tea.
Have smoked haddock for tea when you are having salad for lunch.

Are you loosing weight, feeling weak or tired, if not then I really wouldn't worry.

You’re already at the low end of the ‘healthy’ weight range for your height, why would you be happy to lose weight...?]

People carry weight differently. I have a BMI of 21 and I am jingly! Dress-size 12. Pear-shaped so carry a lot on my lower tummy and thighs. The only time I can remember actually looking 'slim' and happy with my body was when my BMI was nearer 18-19 and a size 8.

www.eatingwell.com/article/288643/14-day-clean-eating-meal-plan-1200-calories/

This or the 1500 plan I think would suit you

I think if you previously ate a small amount of food but this was unhealthy food you would have been taking in enough calories for the day even though the amount you ate was small .

Eg if you previously ate 'a couple of biscuits ' for lunch , if these biscuits were large cookies you were probably eating around 300-400 calories which is the same calorie intake as a small sandwich , so, an acceptable amount for someone who is quite petite and/or inactive .

A piece of fruit would only equal about 100 cal which is not enough for your lunch .

Maybe try a more substantial salad so your lunch is healthy but you are having plenty of nutrients and enough calories .

Add some fruit and nuts to your porridge and some new potatoes to your chicken and veg .

[quote Eckhart]@LadyH846 Does that app set a minimum requirement for carbs? If so, it's misleading. The minimum requirement for carbs is 0%
We only need fat and protein.[/quote]

In the context of the OP this advice is not helpful . OP clearly needs to add protein to her breakfast and both protein and carb to her lunch . And yes, a little fat too .

@shinynewapple2020

Thanks for that. Good thing we have you and your extensive, research based knowledge around.

If your happy it doesnt really matter

Op, are you the person who is differing from a severe eating disorder who pops up every now and again to describe what you eat and pretend that you don't know you're not eating enough? The person who said sometimes they get their 800 calories a day from eating biscuits? If you're not her, you sound very very similar. She's had multiple threads and they always go the same way as this one is. Reported to Mumsnet to look into.

@Oneborneverydecade

On the basis that the OP called Reddit 'red it' I'd assumed she's a pensioner. Don't your calorie requirement reduce as you get older and less active?

Given that she talks about her sister sharing health and diet information with herself and her other siblings I would think that OP is quite young

This also reminds me of the thread in which a mother was describing her teen daughters food but then the OP revealed to be the teen who was suffering from an ED

You're looking at 800 cals there, and that's being generous. Your body would burn almost double that daily if you were in a coma, so not even accounting for anything you might need to do every day!

You should work on increasing your portions and adding snacks until you're eating at least 1,800 calories a day, preferably more if you're active.

If you're struggling, see your GP and they might be able to refer you to a dietician.

How is your menstrual cycle?

How is your hair, skin and nails?

How are your gums?

Do you recover quickly from illnesses/broken bones?

How are your daily energy levels?

Do you sleep okay at night?

Do you get numbness in your hands or pains in your legs for no reason?

How are your moods? How is your focus?

Do you ever get dizzy?

Can you handle cold weather easily?

Do you get stomach pains?

What's your blood pressure like?

If you don't eat enough you need to drink more water or you will be dehydrated leading to cracked and dry skin, constipation and very strong smelling dark urine.

These are all things that can be affected by poor diets. Have you any of these?

My BMI is almost exactly the same (20.1), at a similar height and weight. I eat a lot more than that though.

This is some pro-ana bullshit.