Worse? Getting too few calories or all at once before bed?

missmage
missmage Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
So I realize I'm supposed to spread out my calorie intake throughout the day, but when I do that I never end up with enough. I'm busy and absent minded and seem to have no appetite throughout the day. So right now after getting back from my swim and factoring the burned I was at about 900. I really wanted to stay there, but I keep reading nothing but giant warnings about eating too few calories.

So I got nervous enough to devour an Atkins advantage bar, a serving of turkey jerky, and a few chicarones which got me just under 1200. Now I just feel horrifically fat. I've read it's bad to eat close to bedtime (a lifelong habit of mine, though it was usually In n Out). Did I make a good choice or a bad choice? Or was there no good choice in this matter?

Is going under 1000 every here and there okay or never okay?

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Plan your meals before hand and go for nutrient dense foods.
  • positivity1967
    positivity1967 Posts: 27
    well i tend to exercise later in the day which usually burns off anything from 500 calories onwards so therefore i always have to eat a bit later in the day. i make sure i have a proper dinner and always have dessert but like soya yogurt, fresh fruit with it and break up a low fat biscuit or two to give it crunch. its a big bowl full and im eating up some of the calories ive accumulated plus i feel ive earnt it!

    i am always under my calorie range but thats through choice and also control. never go over.

    ive read that eating close to bed and people saying its not good is also a myth. a calorie is a calorie, doesnt matter what time it goes in your mouth! that said, i never eat after 9.00 p.m. but only cause i cant. cant as in i seem to have a shut off time for eating and never have eaten after that time :)

    no idea if that helps but ive tried

    all the best
  • Anita_hoar12345
    Anita_hoar12345 Posts: 82
    It doesn't really matter unless you have acid reflux eating at night shouldn't be bad for you . If you stay under your calories you should be OK. you might feel bloated if you eat a ****load of food I wouldn't worry about a snack I don't think you'll die if you stay under occasionally I wouldn't make it a habit because you can get vitamin deficiencies and your hair falls out and all kinds of nasty things happen to your body
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Eating under a certain calorie amount daily is an issue. If it's once in awhile it's not.

    Eating close to bedtime is an issue for people with acid reflux/gerd. I'm pretty sure it doesn't affect weight loss.

    I'd advise not forcing yourself to eat if you aren't hungry. If you find you are consistently coming in low on your calories
    look into ways to eat more calories without feeling you are forcing yourself to eat.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    I have read a lot of information that indicates eating late or before bed is a myth. Yes, if you have stomach issues especially acid reflux if you lay down after eating than I would try not to eat before sleep. But I am convinced that if there is food in your stomach, your going to digest it. It doesn't matter if you're awake or asleep. It may not burn it up as quickly as it would when you're active but it will burn it up just the same. At least two or three nights a week I have a small bowl of cereal right before bed. I get a really good nights sleep on those nights and always wake up feeling good... and lighter due to the high fiber.

    I used to go for the night time snacking and eating late myself but I changed my habits.

    Usually on Saturday or Sunday morning I come up with a meal plan for me and my husband for the week e.g., breakfasts, lunch, snack and dinners. I take a mental inventory of what I have in the house vs. what I need and I hit the grocery store. I spend some time on Sunday doing food prep. I will bake some proteins like a turkey breast, chicken breast, fish, pork, all just using simple spices. I also prepare a batch or two of various grains like quinoa, wheat berry, rice, pasta. I spend some time chopping up some fresh vegetables, I cook some sweet potatoes and usually make a batch of buckwheat hot cereal. I put everything into the fridge in containers so throughout the week it's very easy to just grab and go. Since I work out at night I don't have time to get home, prepare a meal and then go work out, nor do I eat before a workout. But I like to have something prepared for my husband so with everything prepped ahead of time it's easy to get home and make him a plate with the proteins, veggies and starches that are already prepared. Just plate it and heat it. I also make egg white bites in muffin tins for an easy grab and go breakfast. Last, I always make sure I keep a good supply of snacks like yogurts, string cheese, fresh berries, apples, pears, oranges, high fiber cereal, almond milk, hummus, etc.

    It really makes life easier when you have a hectic schedule.

    Hope this helps.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Unless it disrupts your sleep there's no problem with eating right before bed.
  • missmage
    missmage Posts: 3
    Thank you guys! I'm pretty relieved to hear it's a myth since the end of the day is usually when I'm relaxed enough to turn my mind to food. I'm still going to try and space out my food intake more though.

    I do have another question. My fat intake seems to pretty high while my carb and calorie intake is low (doing atkins). Will this affect my weight loss?
  • silken555
    silken555 Posts: 478 Member
    How long did you swim to burn 900 cals?
    Pure curiosity on my part.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Thank you guys! I'm pretty relieved to hear it's a myth since the end of the day is usually when I'm relaxed enough to turn my mind to food. I'm still going to try and space out my food intake more though.

    I do have another question. My fat intake seems to pretty high while my carb and calorie intake is low (doing atkins). Will this affect my weight loss?

    No if you're in a deficit you'll still lose weight. I'm pretty regularly over on fats.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    How long did you swim to burn 900 cals?
    Pure curiosity on my part.

    I don't think she said she burned 900. She said after she figured in swimming, she was at 900 calories for the day. That's how I read it.
  • missmage
    missmage Posts: 3
    How long did you swim to burn 900 cals?
    Pure curiosity on my part.

    I don't think she said she burned 900. She said after she figured in swimming, she was at 900 calories for the day. That's how I read it.

    Yes you're right! I burned about 300 swimming.
    No if you're in a deficit you'll still lose weight. I'm pretty regularly over on fats.

    Thanks. It just worries me. I'm really glad I actually started doing research because for a couple weeks now my daily calorie intake has been averaging about 800. I felt fine and figured my body would tell me if I needed to eat.

    I also take it vitamin intake doesn't offset the nutritional issues with so few calories?
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    1. Eating right before bed is fine. As long as you're eating within your calorie goal for the day

    2. To lose weight I need to eat 1400-1700 calories. Some days I eat 2300 calories, and some days I net 900 calories. I never net 900 calories more than one day in a row, and over the course of a week I am always within my healthy WEEKLY calorie range.

    :)

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