Intermitent Fasting and eating your daily calories

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glubben
glubben Posts: 45 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys and gals,

I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 months now along with tracking my calories. I've had mild success, but not as much as other people(I lose about half a pound a week) one of things I've been doing that I'm not sure about is hitting my daily calorie goal. I try to do it, but I find myself eating a bunch of food at the end of my feeding window trying to hit my calories, even if I'm not hungry. Those of you that have had success, do your hit your calorie goal or just eat till your full?

Thanks,

-Greg
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    If you're losing half a pound a week your deficit is only 250 cals. Eat less if you want to lose more.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    I have been hitting my calorie goals, the problem is I have to eat even though I'm not hungry to do so. what I'm asking is: To the people who have done intermittent fasting successfully, Do you eat to meet your calorie goals or do you just eat till you are full?
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    AintTooProudToMeg wrote: »
    I feel like with one exception (@3bambi3), folks aren't quite answering the question being asked, which is only somewhat related to the mild success portion.
    I can relate, as I have had days where I'm full at 1000 cals or so, and I will make a concoction of protein powder, coconut oil, almond milk, and about 2 tbsp chocolate chips to meet my calorie goal (kind of a cookie dough/protein & fat concoction). I'm curious as to whether or not I really need to do that.
    I feel like I'm adding like 0 clarity but I'm sort of invested in answers here as well, but have not been doing IF for long and don't feel qualified to answer anything about anything :smile:

    your right. Hopefully we get an answer :)
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    IF works just like anything else, really. It's all about the calorie deficit. It's just that I find I naturally am not hungry in the morning and IF happens to be the way I tend to eat naturally. The eating window helps me keep my snacking in check.

    Whenever I don't see the success I think I should have, I always go back to my logging. Did I stop using my scale? Have I been eyeballing portions or having an extra glass of wine and not counting? It all adds up. As for eating all of my calories in my window, I do what I suggested up thread an eat a good balance of foods and some calorie dense things (including treats) that help me reach my calorie goal.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I do 14:10 most days and have no problem hitting my goals. If you aren’t, I would suggest either extending your window or foregoing IF altogether. It’s not for everyone.

    I actually really like IF. I don't feel as hungry and have more energy. However I'm guessing my Calorie goal of 2500(based on TDEE) is a lot higher than yours. I really just want to know if its nesscary that I eat all those calories if I really don't feel like it.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    glubben wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I do 14:10 most days and have no problem hitting my goals. If you aren’t, I would suggest either extending your window or foregoing IF altogether. It’s not for everyone.

    I actually really like IF. I don't feel as hungry and have more energy. However I'm guessing my Calorie goal of 2500(based on TDEE) is a lot higher than yours. I really just want to know if its nesscary that I eat all those calories if I really don't feel like it.

    My maintenance is about there (before Fitbit gets added in) so not much higher.

    You can save the extra calories for another day if you’re planning to go out or have an event where you’ll eat more. But over the week you should be within the range.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    IF works just like anything else, really. It's all about the calorie deficit. It's just that I find I naturally am not hungry in the morning and IF happens to be the way I tend to eat naturally. The eating window helps me keep my snacking in check.

    Whenever I don't see the success I think I should have, I always go back to my logging. Did I stop using my scale? Have I been eyeballing portions or having an extra glass of wine and not counting? It all adds up. As for eating all of my calories in my window, I do what I suggested up thread an eat a good balance of foods and some calorie dense things (including treats) that help me reach my calorie goal.

    I'm pretty strict on weighing my food. thanks for the suggestion.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    glubben wrote: »
    Hey guys and gals,

    I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 months now along with tracking my calories. I've had mild success, but not as much as other people(I lose about half a pound a week) one of things I've been doing that I'm not sure about is hitting my daily calorie goal. I try to do it, but I find myself eating a bunch of food at the end of my feeding window trying to hit my calories, even if I'm not hungry. Those of you that have had success, do your hit your calorie goal or just eat till your full?

    Thanks,

    -Greg

    I'm assuming success to you, is losing faster than 1/2 lbs a week.
    Because you are eating all your food in a shorter time period and filling up, you have a few options. Reduce your daily goal so that you don't have to cram food in. Eat less satiating foods so that you don't feel full as quickly, or eat a little more calorie dense foods.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
    IF can make it hard for me to get in all my calories but it works out nicely because on the weekends I want the freedom to eat more. So I don't force it. Then on the weekends when I want that extra snack or a date night meal I don't have to worry about it. If you are way under every day all week it will start having an effect on your energy levels.
  • Aint2Proud2Meg
    Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
    @TavistockToad absolutely on board with what you're saying. That period of time where I was full on about 1000 (meticulously weighed & tracked) cals was pretty short-lived, bc I started working out again and was therefore pretty darn hungry. If I had been experiencing that for longer I would have definitely made adjustments. I am not delusional enough to believe I got to my heaviest or healthiest weights while also getting full on 1000 cals.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    glubben wrote: »
    Hey guys and gals,

    I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 months now along with tracking my calories. I've had mild success, but not as much as other people(I lose about half a pound a week) one of things I've been doing that I'm not sure about is hitting my daily calorie goal. I try to do it, but I find myself eating a bunch of food at the end of my feeding window trying to hit my calories, even if I'm not hungry. Those of you that have had success, do your hit your calorie goal or just eat till your full?

    Thanks,

    -Greg

    I'm assuming success to you, is losing faster than 1/2 lbs a week.
    Because you are eating all your food in a shorter time period and filling up, you have a few options. Reduce your daily goal so that you don't have to cram food in. Eat less satiating foods so that you don't feel full as quickly, or eat a little more calorie dense foods.

    a pound a week would be preferable . I guess my point to all of this is there are a couple schools of thought here. some people think that if you don't eat enough calories a day you will go into starvation mode and stop losing weight. others don't think that's true. All I want to know from people that have done IF successfully is if they had success without eating all of there allotted calories.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    jbvj wrote: »
    I can't lose if I'm over 1600, my goal is supposed to be 2490. Might want to lower your calories

    That's kind of what I was thinking. If I'm full and don't go over my calories who cares right?
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    DananaNanas wrote: »
    Don't eat if you're not hungry :)

    I set a range for myself each day. (1,000 - 1,200). Some nights I have to add something else to get to that 1,000... some nights I have to say no to something to stay at 1,200.

    Why are you eating so little?
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    glubben wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    glubben wrote: »
    Hey guys and gals,

    I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 months now along with tracking my calories. I've had mild success, but not as much as other people(I lose about half a pound a week) one of things I've been doing that I'm not sure about is hitting my daily calorie goal. I try to do it, but I find myself eating a bunch of food at the end of my feeding window trying to hit my calories, even if I'm not hungry. Those of you that have had success, do your hit your calorie goal or just eat till your full?

    Thanks,

    -Greg

    I'm assuming success to you, is losing faster than 1/2 lbs a week.
    Because you are eating all your food in a shorter time period and filling up, you have a few options. Reduce your daily goal so that you don't have to cram food in. Eat less satiating foods so that you don't feel full as quickly, or eat a little more calorie dense foods.

    a pound a week would be preferable . I guess my point to all of this is there are a couple schools of thought here. some people think that if you don't eat enough calories a day you will go into starvation mode and stop losing weight. others don't think that's true. All I want to know from people that have done IF successfully is if they had success without eating all of there allotted calories.

    Starvation mode as you describe it doesn't exist. Any other school of thought is incorrect.

    ETA: A larger deficit = a larger loss, but too large a deficit runs the risk of numerous, bad side effects.

    that's kinda where I was going. if I feel good and don't want to eat anymore why should I. like I said a lot of people on these boards think otherwise.
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    glubben wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    glubben wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    glubben wrote: »
    Hey guys and gals,

    I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 months now along with tracking my calories. I've had mild success, but not as much as other people(I lose about half a pound a week) one of things I've been doing that I'm not sure about is hitting my daily calorie goal. I try to do it, but I find myself eating a bunch of food at the end of my feeding window trying to hit my calories, even if I'm not hungry. Those of you that have had success, do your hit your calorie goal or just eat till your full?

    Thanks,

    -Greg

    I'm assuming success to you, is losing faster than 1/2 lbs a week.
    Because you are eating all your food in a shorter time period and filling up, you have a few options. Reduce your daily goal so that you don't have to cram food in. Eat less satiating foods so that you don't feel full as quickly, or eat a little more calorie dense foods.

    a pound a week would be preferable . I guess my point to all of this is there are a couple schools of thought here. some people think that if you don't eat enough calories a day you will go into starvation mode and stop losing weight. others don't think that's true. All I want to know from people that have done IF successfully is if they had success without eating all of there allotted calories.

    Starvation mode as you describe it doesn't exist. Any other school of thought is incorrect.

    ETA: A larger deficit = a larger loss, but too large a deficit runs the risk of numerous, bad side effects.

    that's kinda where I was going. if I feel good and don't want to eat anymore why should I. like I said a lot of people on these boards think otherwise.

    I do not support or condone chronically not meeting your calorie goal. Many people with weight issues have messed up hunger and satiety signals and find that 'listening to their body' doesn't work. Which is why calorie goals are helpful.
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