How to handle looooong days?

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lightenup2016
lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I usually wake up around 7:10am, or if it's the weekend, 8 or 9am. But lately I've needed to go in to work early once a week, so on that one day I'm getting up at 4:30 am. I usually don't eat until noon or 1pm, so on that early day it's much more difficult to stick to my calorie goal.

Does anyone give themselves more calories on these type of days? As in, if I'm awake more hours, I'm probably burning more calories? I don't currently have an activity tracker.

Thanks!

Replies

  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Yes. My hunger fluctuates daily. So I eat different amounts each day and track my calories weekly.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
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    I had just begun doing 1200 cal M-W, 1500 on Thurs, and 1800 on F-Sun. Now it looks like these long early days will mostly be on Mondays, so I guess I'll up my calories for Monday and lower on Thursday. We'll see!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I get up at 4:45 am for work and don't get home until 7:30 on days I train. I fast until 11 or 1 pm, drinking only coffee until then. It leaves more room for an afternoon snack after lunch and something after dinner. It's just the way I like to eat though.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I get up at 4:45 am for work and don't get home until 7:30 on days I train. I fast until 11 or 1 pm, drinking only coffee until then. It leaves more room for an afternoon snack after lunch and something after dinner. It's just the way I like to eat though.

    This is what I do too, but I wake up later in the morning, usually. The two days so far that I've woken up much earlier, it was difficult to wait until 1pm to eat, and I ended up over goal for the day. I know I can even it out over the week, but I like to have a calorie goal schedule for the week. Otherwise I'll end up with 300 calories left for Sunday, lol.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    lightenup2016 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I get up at 4:45 am for work and don't get home until 7:30 on days I train. I fast until 11 or 1 pm, drinking only coffee until then. It leaves more room for an afternoon snack after lunch and something after dinner. It's just the way I like to eat though.

    This is what I do too, but I wake up later in the morning, usually. The two days so far that I've woken up much earlier, it was difficult to wait until 1pm to eat, and I ended up over goal for the day. I know I can even it out over the week, but I like to have a calorie goal schedule for the week. Otherwise I'll end up with 300 calories left for Sunday, lol.

    Yeah, 1 is a little painful. I'm a teacher and on every day except Tuesday I get a lunch at 11:00. So I think I eat at 11:00, 4:00, 7:00, and 9:00 pm. My lunch is a "two part" lunch. I eat my salad without protein and then eat a protein bar. Feels like I'm eating more.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I wake up at 4:30 and don't get home until 7:30 on at least 4 days out of the week. I set my goal to lose 1 pound per week because it was sustainable. If I eat breakfast it's a granola bar or microwavable sandwich (Jimmy Dean Delight) at around 8. I have lunch around 1 and eat a snack on the way home. Planning my food a day in advance is a good way to stop from eating a bunch earlier in the day.
  • jen_092
    jen_092 Posts: 254 Member
    edited February 2017
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    My two cents - I agree with looking at calories over the week, and it totally makes sense that you want to eat more on your long day. Just mentally, you're used to eating at certain intervals so your extra morning hunger totally makes sense. Shift things a bit so you can eat a little extra that day if you feel like it.

    Sorry so many of you have such long days. I hope you're able to get some sleep, too, it might help everything overall. But obviously that's easier said than done :#
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    edited February 2017
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    jenxbowers wrote: »

    --

    My two cents - I agree with looking at calories over the week, and it totally makes sense that you want to eat more on your long day. Just mentally, you're used to eating at certain intervals so your extra morning hunger totally makes sense. Shift things a bit so you can eat a little extra that day if you feel like it.

    Sorry so many of you have such long days. I hope you're able to get some sleep, too, it might help everything overall. But obviously that's easier said than done :#

    No need to be sorry for us. I work hard. I guess some people have shorter days. Must be nice.

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