People w/ TONS of calories "remaining"??!?!?

Options
245

Replies

  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
    Options
    I hardly ever have any calories left over (as a matter of fact I've been going over a lot lately). I don't understand how you could regularly have hundreds left over?! Eat some chocolate or a food you enjoy!
  • kgbsn80
    kgbsn80 Posts: 21
    Options
    I agree with "Steins Gate" Because when I list the foods I have eaten it seem like so many but my calories are so low some days because I fill up on a lot of whole fruits and veggies and the rest protein and I almost forget that I need more calories because I have a high deficit btw. my workouts and just feeling full I didn't think I would have a hard time getting in my calories.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Options
    If I'm over by 200 to 500 calories nearly everyday for 1-2 weeks, I might allow a couple under days to compensate. Or I just let it work out at the end of the week, by going over a few days and under a few days. I have it set to the same amount everyday, so it can fluctuate based on my activity level, but I don't usually change the goal, unless I am changing the baseline amount for a projected period of time. Also sometimes it looks like I'm under, but really I didn't bother logging my dinner or late night snacks (sometimes I'll still log it in the morning). But, I'm not always strict about logging. Sometimes I just make sure I am estimating accurately, but don't log it all. I'm on maintenance and have been at this for well over a year.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
    Options
    I would never leave more than 100 unless I'm just not feeling well. Less than that, it depends on my macros. I try really hard to meet or exceed my protein and fat goals every day, so if I still had room on those, I'd eat something else. Otherwise, I figure leaving a few calories out there probably gets cancelled out at some point (being a few calories over goal some days or having to estimate when eating out, for example), so I don't worry about it.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Options

    If you need 1600 cals, that's the equivalent of 8 poptarts. And who wouldnt be able to eat 8 poptarts in one sitting?

    bleh! I couldn't even eat one. Those things are gross. lol
    now now, no need to pop tart shame...lol

    how bout ice cream? assuming you met your macro goals, room for a small nom.
  • shutyourpieholeandsquat
    shutyourpieholeandsquat Posts: 1,394 Member
    Options

    If you need 1600 cals, that's the equivalent of 8 poptarts. And who wouldnt be able to eat 8 poptarts in one sitting?

    bleh! I couldn't even eat one. Those things are gross. lol

    BLASPHEMY!
  • Libertysfate
    Libertysfate Posts: 452 Member
    Options
    If I have a really hard workout and burn 450-600 calories, then I easily can have a few hundred calories remaining. It's actually hard for me to eat all my calories some days but when i don't go the gym, it's really hard to stay under my goal! I think it just depends.

    Yep. Same here. The remaining calories are just what I earned from working out. I eat some of it back, and sometimes I don't, really just depends if I'm hungry or not. I won't force myself to eat if I'm not hungry.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
    Options
    I am motivated by seeing a deficit so I have my diary set so that the remaining calories are my diet deficit. I aim for 20% OR 500 Calories every day. It also means that if I eat into it I dont see a ton of red until I hit my TDEE amount. So I usually have 460 calories remaining at least 5 days a week. :smile: It keeps me going.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    Options
    Some people have their calories set to their TDEE and then when they exercise, MFP adds available calories. Because those calories are already accounted for in their TDEE, they don't eat them back. They could fail to log their calories and their diaries would be correct; however, many (like me) want a record of my exercise. Overall, the issue is that the diary is for the user and they know how they have it set. It may not make sense to you because you may be following a different plan.

    For example, if I was not using the TDEE method, MFP would give me 1500 or 1600 calories and it would add calories for me to eat back based on my exercise to eat a 1 pound per week deficit. However, I am using TDEE minus 20% (my TDEE is 2700 ish) so I have my calories set to 2160 and exercise cals are already included in that number. Different way of doing pretty much the same thing.
  • SnackHips
    SnackHips Posts: 90 Member
    Options

    If you need 1600 cals, that's the equivalent of 8 poptarts. And who wouldnt be able to eat 8 poptarts in one sitting?

    bleh! I couldn't even eat one. Those things are gross. lol
    now now, no need to pop tart shame...lol

    how bout ice cream? assuming you met your macro goals, room for a small nom.

    haha Down with Pop Tarts! I get the point though...I use to live near a Sonic and they had this one dessert that was delicious, but it was 1700 calories for one.....ONE. OMG! lol I certainly didn't get to where I am today without the help of a "few" innocent bites of desserts...and I was always hungry. Lessons learned I guess.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Options
    I regularly leave 300-400 calories; not because I want to leave them - I could eat up to my limit - but if I do , then I am over the top on fat [and sometimes protein] so I just leave the calories. I've now exceeded my goal of 120 lbs and remain somewhere between 112 and 114 lbs.
    You're supposed to go over on those. Protein and fats should be minimums and the default protein setting on MFP is low.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Options
    I regularly leave 300-400 calories; not because I want to leave them - I could eat up to my limit - but if I do , then I am over the top on fat [and sometimes protein] so I just leave the calories. I've now exceeded my goal of 120 lbs and remain somewhere between 112 and 114 lbs.
    What horrible thing happens if you go over on fats or proteins?
  • crazyincolorado84
    crazyincolorado84 Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    I eat mostly 'plant strong' and hit the gym most days. It's actually really hard to hit calorie goals doing that. I have literally eaten my husband's cake/snacks to keep up b/c I understand we need X amount of calories. I do always hit my nutrition goals easily for the record and I've never felt better or had skin that glows so nicely, so I guess everyone has their challenges.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    Options
    Many would contend MFP sets protein far too low.
  • callas444
    callas444 Posts: 261 Member
    Options
    I can only speak for myself, but my remaining calories are usually there because I am trying to learn to listen to my body's full signal. I ignored it for years, thinking that full meant that uncomfortable feeling after a huge meal. I taught myself that that was a good uncomfortable. Now I am learning that satisfied is okay. If I am not hungry, I don't eat. Don't get me wrong, I never skip meals. I eat good, balanced meals and sometimes that doesn't equal up up my 1460 calories. I am okay with that. I am also okay with eating a bedtime snack if I have calories and feel a little hungry. It just depends on the day.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Options
    I always have 900-1200 calories left after dinner... it's not on purpose. I usually fill it up with peanut butter. LOL.
  • emaren
    emaren Posts: 934 Member
    Options
    On a Sunday I burn a couple of thousand riding my bicycle.

    Given my appetite and food habits, it is near impossible for me to eat 3000+ in a single day.

    On an average day I burn 6-700 at Bootcamp then spend the day at the office, virtually every day I am a few hundred under.

    **shrug**
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Options
    I can have 9000 calories a week remaining. On the 4 days a week I do eat I can have upwards of 1000 calories remaining. I simply can't eat that much. I'm not going to eat if I am full regardless of how many calories are there.
  • mrhonesty
    mrhonesty Posts: 274 Member
    Options
    Interesting post. My workouts leave me with between 900-1100 calories at the end of the night. I sometimes go to bed hungry enough that I wake up bloated and missing my pillow!
  • sweet_blasphemy
    sweet_blasphemy Posts: 129 Member
    Options
    for me, it depends. some days i'm closing in on my limit for the day and i just feel hungry no matter what i eat. other days, especially if i exercise pretty vigorously, it kills my appetite and burns enough to leave me with a larger than usual deficit.

    one day, i went hiking for like 6-7 hours.. i mean just straight trekking, only stopping to take a few pics here and there. i had a light breakfast beforehand and by the time i got home, i was so beat i had a normal sized dinner and passed out. ended up netting negative cals that day but i didn't sweat it because i knew there would eventually be days i'd go over.

    i eat plenty when i'm hungry (which is usually). but i don't eat just for the sake of using up my remaining calories if i don't have an appetite that day. it all evens out eventually.

Categories