Maintainers-Do you eat just to reach your goal?

The past few nights I have come up significantly under my calorie goal at the end of the night. I am not hungry, but find myself searching around the house for things to eat, just to come close to my goal. I know I have seen countless posts on this on the weight loss forums, but I am wondering about those of you in maintenance. Does this happen to you? Do you eat, or just let it go? I have eaten ice cream, avocados etc. to try and cram in the calories, but I am wondering if I would just be better off not eating and saving those calories for another day when I am truly hungry. What are your thoughts?
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Replies

  • Once I went into maintenance, I just ate the same stuff but maybe a little more. For some, it takes a while to find the right balance. Frankly, I would not keep eating.
  • tennileb
    tennileb Posts: 265 Member
    I'm struggling to get the balance right. I've tried eating at mfp's suggested maintaince level and i gain.
  • emjaycazz
    emjaycazz Posts: 330 Member
    It depends on what I did that day and what I plan on doing the next day--if I lifted, I would grab something with extra protein (and if I plan on doing a HIIT workout the next morning, etc. I would try and fit in a complex carb). Either that or just grab some ice cream....mmmm.....
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    This is why I eventually stopped logging all together (have been maintaining for over 1.5 years). Some days I am hungrier than others. By nature, my body doesn't want 1800 calories a day, every day. I logged and maintained for about a year and then finally stopped. I got to the point where I knew what I should eat, how much of it, etc. Some days I know I am under and other days I know I am over. If over the course of a week it balances out, I wouldn't sweat it. Listening to your body is more important than hitting a specific number every day. I wouldn't give that advice to someone just starting out but at this point in the game, absolutely follow your own hunger instincts.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    It takes some time for your body to get used to more food after dieting for so long. Treats are fine, but the wrong foods aren't so good for your body. Try more calorie dense foods? Avocado is great!! More nuts, PB, calorie dense foods like rice, sweet potatoes... etc. You've got this. If you aren't hungry don't eat, but if you are then eat. You'll find your balance.
  • GymRatGirl13
    GymRatGirl13 Posts: 157 Member
    This is why I eventually stopped logging all together (have been maintaining for over 1.5 years). Some days I am hungrier than others. By nature, my body doesn't want 1800 calories a day, every day. I logged and maintained for about a year and then finally stopped. I got to the point where I knew what I should eat, how much of it, etc. Some days I know I am under and other days I know I am over. If over the course of a week it balances out, I wouldn't sweat it. Listening to your body is more important than hitting a specific number every day. I wouldn't give that advice to someone just starting out but at this point in the game, absolutely follow your own hunger instincts.

    ^^^ This!
  • pteryndactyl
    pteryndactyl Posts: 303 Member
    No, because I find that it generally evens out throughout the course of the week -- e.g. a quick look at my numbers for the past week have me eating anywhere from 1300-2100. Averaged out over the course of seven days has me at ~1800 per day.

    If you're still losing weight, you might need to make a conscious effort to eat more (or higher calorie) foods earlier in the day so you don't feel like you're stuffing food down your throat each night.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
    I find I naturally yo yo. I might eat 1500 cals one day, 2300 another etc it seems to balance out very well.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    This is why I eventually stopped logging all together (have been maintaining for over 1.5 years). Some days I am hungrier than others. By nature, my body doesn't want 1800 calories a day, every day. I logged and maintained for about a year and then finally stopped. I got to the point where I knew what I should eat, how much of it, etc. Some days I know I am under and other days I know I am over. If over the course of a week it balances out, I wouldn't sweat it. Listening to your body is more important than hitting a specific number every day. I wouldn't give that advice to someone just starting out but at this point in the game, absolutely follow your own hunger instincts.

    This exactly! I no longer tracker/count anything and I know some days I eat less calories and then others I eat over my maintenance number. It does even out though and I am maintaining effortlessly in a three pound window (that my body chose).
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I don't. I upped my calories by 250 when I got a few pounds under my goal weight, but had been losing only a pound a month for a few months before that. I use a fitbit include that in my 'goal' calories. I'll happily eat those calories if I'm hungry.

    I find that my appetite goes up and down with the weather and my exercise. Over a week I'll be under almost every day but be over by 50 or so one or two days. My weight is completely stable right now, so this seems like a good place for me.

    As Fall has hit I find I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. I always get hungry when it's cold.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    This is why I eventually stopped logging all together (have been maintaining for over 1.5 years). Some days I am hungrier than others. By nature, my body doesn't want 1800 calories a day, every day. I logged and maintained for about a year and then finally stopped. I got to the point where I knew what I should eat, how much of it, etc. Some days I know I am under and other days I know I am over. If over the course of a week it balances out, I wouldn't sweat it. Listening to your body is more important than hitting a specific number every day. I wouldn't give that advice to someone just starting out but at this point in the game, absolutely follow your own hunger instincts.

    This exactly! I no longer tracker/count anything and I know some days I eat less calories and then others I eat over my maintenance number. It does even out though and I am maintaining effortlessly in a three pound window (that my body chose).

    It's funny how people are different. That's why I DO log. I eat what I eat and watch the weekly average on my iPhone app. That way I know I don't have to worry about eating too much one day because I know I've been under another and the week will come out fine.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Although I don't believe you have to be meet known energy needs on a daily basis, it's recommended to aim to do so weekly. How closely you monitor intake also depends on whether or not hunger hormones have changed significantly because of prolonged calorie restriction. In a lot of studies on VLCDs, it's common for people to exhibit very drastic reductions in leptin and sometimes elevated ghrelin. The result is that such persons may either not feel hungry even if they fall quite short or not satiated despite consuming considerably more than their TDEE. Thus, for people who have compromised hunger and satiety response, they may need to be a bit more stringent in monitoring intake from a day-to-day basis to ensure adequate energy balance.
  • nomorepizza2
    nomorepizza2 Posts: 85 Member
    Nah, I'm still logging so If I've saved up loads of calories during the week, I'll defo use them over the weekend!
  • WonderCort
    WonderCort Posts: 128 Member
    Nah, I'm still logging so If I've saved up loads of calories during the week, I'll defo use them over the weekend!

    I agree. This is where I am at with that too.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    I'm more relaxed about the daily calorie goal now and will balance things out depending on social events, exercise etc.
    I prefer to enjoy a social event or special meal one day and go over but the same applies when I have big exercise burns - I don't feel compelled to eat them all back the same day.

    Do agree that there appears to be a "natural" number that easily fits personal eating habits - for me 2000 net (approx 2700 total) feels somehow right but 2300 net (approx 3000 total) feels like I'm over-eating just to hit a goal number.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    I know how you feel. I'm trying to move up to maintenance but am finding increased calories a chore. I often end up stuffing myself at the end of the night and feel sick. I was netting really low most days over the last few months and have increased my cals by 150-550 a day. Its been a couple of weeks now and I'm finding that since I increased my carb limit it is easier to meet my cals goal. I haven't gained any weight eating more carbs and cals, I've actually lost a 1lb 1/2 this week.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,039 Member
    I do just eat to maintain the minimum calories before exercise deduct every day. But I plan for it. I know when I am going to have a big meal or if I am ordering a meal out of dinner, I order dense calories. Like extra side of avocado to make sure I get that minimum for the goal of the week. If I am over my target weight from the previous weekly average weigh in, I eat for 1/2 a pound weight loss each day, if I was under my target, I eat the maintenance calories at least or add 100 calories at least each day.

    I log because it is comforting to me and many studies point to logging be a key component to maintaing a healthy weight. Also, if I wake up out of sorts I look back to what I ate the day before to see if something is causing water retention or dehydration.

    When I "up calories" I try to up them at breakfast and lunch. I don't sleep well eating a bunch of calories at dinner.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    Although I don't believe you have to be meet known energy needs on a daily basis, it's recommended to aim to do so weekly. How closely you monitor intake also depends on whether or not hunger hormones have changed significantly because of prolonged calorie restriction. In a lot of studies on VLCDs, it's common for people to exhibit very drastic reductions in leptin and sometimes elevated ghrelin. The result is that such persons may either not feel hungry even if they fall quite short or not satiated despite consuming considerably more than their TDEE. Thus, for people who have compromised hunger and satiety response, they may need to be a bit more stringent in monitoring intake from a day-to-day basis to ensure adequate energy balance.

    This is interesting. Most of my weight loss occurred during marathon training, at which time I was eating a lot of calories, but burning even more. Would this have the same effect as a VLCD?
  • VelvetMorning
    VelvetMorning Posts: 398 Member
    I eat what I ate when I was losing weight in larger quantities with more healthy selections. When I'm at 105 to the lighter end of 107, I don't sweat it. When I'm 108, I cut back for a day or two until I'm back at 105-106, repeat.
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    I've never eaten extra food just to get close to my calorie goal for the day, either when I was trying to lose weight or in maintenance. It gives me a bit of a cushion to splurge on other days without going over my weekly goal.

    If I'm really short on my protein goal, though, I will have something extra in order to boost that number up.