Calorie hoarding

inertiastrength

So psychologically I need to have cals left over for the evening so I typically leave myself 400 cals to snack on but lately I've found I eat later dinners and therefore have tons of food I have to eat (and yes I have to because my deficit would be stupid if I didn't) and I feel like I lose either way. Any calorie hoarders with some psychological hacks as this is clearly all mental

middlehaitch

You could put aside the actual 400 cals of food at the beginning of the day and say you can eat it whenever. That way when you know dinner is going to be late you can split it half before, half after.

Make the 400- 200 from today, 200 from tomorrow then you can eat it in the evening or in the morning.

Gradually lower the 400.

Put part of the 400 into the late dinner then save some for a snack.

Cheees, h.

Hoshiko

It depends on your reasons for keeping those calories back in the first place. Did you used to snack after dinner and those habits have gradually changed? Is it a comfort thing so that you know you won't feel deprived if you do want a snack? Routine change leading to a later dinner?

H's ideas above are great and what I ended up doing when my exercise routine changed. Anything I don't use I bank and can choose to use them towards breakfast the next day, or on rare occasions a big splurge on the weekend.

inertiastrength

Thanks guys! I know this is psychological because yes I prefer to fast through to lunch because I am okay with being hungry with food as an option later, I'm NOT okay with being hungry and out of macros so I tend to hoard. Coupled with the fact that my schedule is a bit off it's making me 'have' to eat a lot of food when I'm not that hungry because dinner-snack-snack are so close together. I think what I'm going to do is have some snacks earlier in the day and allow myself to go "over" 200 cals if I really feel deprived come 10pm. This is almost as disordered as when I was over eating tbh. ugh

SuzySunshine99

If you find at the end of the day, you have calories left over that you don't want to eat....are you willing to just carry them over to the next day? Maybe you should set a weekly goal instead of a daily goal. If you are under by 400 one day, then go over by 400 the next. It doesn't really make a difference in the grand scheme of things as long as you hit your weekly calorie goal.

inertiastrength

SuzySunshine99 wrote: »

If you find at the end of the day, you have calories left over that you don't want to eat....are you willing to just carry them over to the next day? Maybe you should set a weekly goal instead of a daily goal. If you are under by 400 one day, then go over by 400 the next. It doesn't really make a difference in the grand scheme of things as long as you hit your weekly calorie goal.

Yeah, I might do high weekend days with the leftovers.

mitch16

So do you end up eating the calories you've "hoarded" and don't feel good going to bed on a full stomach? Or do you save them up for an occasional splurge day? Or do you end up leaving hundreds of calories on the table on a daily basis?

How is your weight loss going? Are you losing at the rate that you are expecting, losing faster, or losing slower?

bbell1985

I hoard a bit as well, but I can't eat very much to lose because I'm lazy and slow. I DO however have a re-feed day on Saturday where I eat at maintenance or slightly above. Have you considered this? From what I remember you train as well, so it might be nice to schedule it on a heavy leg day...or not lol.

inertiastrength

mitch16 wrote: »

So do you end up eating the calories you've "hoarded" and don't feel good going to bed on a full stomach? Or do you save them up for an occasional splurge day? Or do you end up leaving hundreds of calories on the table on a daily basis?

How is your weight loss going? Are you losing at the rate that you are expecting, losing faster, or losing slower?

I do eat them and my weight loss is as expected for the deficit I'm keeping; about 1.25lbs/week

inertiastrength

bbell1985 wrote: »

I hoard a bit as well, but I can't eat very much to lose because I'm lazy and slow. I DO however have a re-feed day on Saturday where I eat at maintenance or slightly above. Have you considered this? From what I remember you train as well, so it might be nice to schedule it on a heavy leg day...or not lol.

Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do it I end up leaving them on the table... thing is if I calorie bank it's usually not protein I get my excess cals from on a high day LOL

mitch16

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

mitch16 wrote: »

So do you end up eating the calories you've "hoarded" and don't feel good going to bed on a full stomach? Or do you save them up for an occasional splurge day? Or do you end up leaving hundreds of calories on the table on a daily basis?

How is your weight loss going? Are you losing at the rate that you are expecting, losing faster, or losing slower?

I do eat them and my weight loss is as expected for the deficit I'm keeping; about 1.25lbs/week

I guess I'm not sure what the problem is then? Just the slightly obsessive behavior? If that's the case, then maybe make a conscious effort (in my world this means putting an appointment on my Outlook calendar--we're all obsessive in our own ways ) to schedule a little snack in the afternoon so that you don't have so many left at dinner time? It might help if it's something you especially look forward to--like a bit of chocolate or some fruit...

inertiastrength

mitch16 wrote: »

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

mitch16 wrote: »

So do you end up eating the calories you've "hoarded" and don't feel good going to bed on a full stomach? Or do you save them up for an occasional splurge day? Or do you end up leaving hundreds of calories on the table on a daily basis?

How is your weight loss going? Are you losing at the rate that you are expecting, losing faster, or losing slower?

I do eat them and my weight loss is as expected for the deficit I'm keeping; about 1.25lbs/week

I guess I'm not sure what the problem is then? Just the slightly obsessive behavior? If that's the case, then maybe make a conscious effort (in my world this means putting an appointment on my Outlook calendar--we're all obsessive in our own ways ) to schedule a little snack in the afternoon so that you don't have so many left at dinner time? It might help if it's something you especially look forward to--like a bit of chocolate or some fruit...

Yeah, I feel it's a bit disordered but in terms of my goals etc. I'm exactly where I should be so I guess I'm just thinking it's unhealthy mentally to do this

nosebag1212

I always leave at least 300 calories for a pre bed snack because I *kitten* hate having to go to bed hungry, it's literally the worst.

AnnPT77

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

bbell1985 wrote: »

I hoard a bit as well, but I can't eat very much to lose because I'm lazy and slow. I DO however have a re-feed day on Saturday where I eat at maintenance or slightly above. Have you considered this? From what I remember you train as well, so it might be nice to schedule it on a heavy leg day...or not lol.

Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do it I end up leaving them on the table... thing is if I calorie bank it's usually not protein I get my excess cals from on a high day LOL

Might be better to hit close to protein goal every day, given that you're training, if you can manage that on lower-cal days . . . ?

Maybe prioritize protein a little higher in the earlier parts of your day?

jayemes

Side note - love the last two headings on your food diary

inertiastrength

jayemes wrote: »

Side note - love the last two headings on your food diary

hahaha the NWOC section is reserved for fish oil but I've been eating fish the last few days so I skipped it lol

bbell1985

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

bbell1985 wrote: »

I hoard a bit as well, but I can't eat very much to lose because I'm lazy and slow. I DO however have a re-feed day on Saturday where I eat at maintenance or slightly above. Have you considered this? From what I remember you train as well, so it might be nice to schedule it on a heavy leg day...or not lol.

Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do it I end up leaving them on the table... thing is if I calorie bank it's usually not protein I get my excess cals from on a high day LOL

That's okay. Refeed days should be higher carbs anyway. Makes for a good workout and a happy day.

I get you on banking be a bit disordered. Even when I was BULKING I did it (I gain on 2000 calories though) so I could eat tons of yummy stuff late at night.

timtam163

I would say give yourself a range for eating. Yes you could eat a 500 calorie deficit every day and lose a pound a week, or give yourself (manually) a 700-300 calorie deficit range, that way if you get to only -700 you're not totally deprived, but if you get to -300 you'll still be losing weight (3/5 a week if you do that every day).

InkAndApples

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

SuzySunshine99 wrote: »

If you find at the end of the day, you have calories left over that you don't want to eat....are you willing to just carry them over to the next day? Maybe you should set a weekly goal instead of a daily goal. If you are under by 400 one day, then go over by 400 the next. It doesn't really make a difference in the grand scheme of things as long as you hit your weekly calorie goal.

Yeah, I might do high weekend days with the leftovers.

That's what I do with my left over calories. I had a busy day today and just did a double Zumba class which finished at 10pm, I hate eating late and don't feel in any way hungry, MFP tells me I have 700 calories left. They are being hoarded for the weekend.

I find that because I know I *will* eat those calories (I make a point of being exactly on my weekly goal wherever possible) it stops me from developing disordered thoughts. It used to be " oh I've got three hundred calories left, I'll leave them so I lose more" and then the next day 400, then 500... Eventually back into the ED hole. Weekly calories help me avoid that.