What to Eat When Not Hungry

Cocotrendy

I am looking for some suggestions concerning leftover calories. I am on a 1400 calorie regimen and I am now finding that I am leaving at least 300 calories on the tabl and at dinner, I am just not that hungry. I have tried to increase my calories for lunch and snack but still sometimes find that I have 300 or so calories left. I don't want my body to think that I am starving it. Any suggestions??!!!

wilsoje74

How did you eat over 1400 cal before?

SezxyStef

chocolate, wine, beer, cheese, pizza, ice cream in all forms

katnb1124

I usually do peanut butter on celery. Peanut butter adds up FAST

Cocotrendy

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

tern73

In general, if I am not hungry, I don't eat. If this happens infrequently, you are not going to starve your body or anything like that.

If it's happening more frequently, then build more calorie dense foods in throughout the day.

If it's the evening and I *am* hungry, and I have 300 cals left, then it is ice cream time.

Cocotrendy

I usually do peanut butter on celery. Peanut butter adds up FAST

Now that is one I haven't tried. Peanut butter sounds like a good choice for a evening snack.

cassie4animals

I snack on carrots or banana chips and cashew butter or rice cakes with cashew butter and honey. It packs in the missing calories and makes me feel like I'm getting a little treat.

estaticaa

Add olive oil to your foods. One tablespoon alone (13,5 g) is around 120 calories.

Cocotrendy

In general, if I am not hungry, I don't eat. If this happens infrequently, you are not going to starve your body or anything like that.

If it's happening more frequently, then build more calorie dense foods in throughout the day.

If it's the evening and I *am* hungry, and I have 300 cals left, then it is ice cream time.

That is what I was kinda of worried about. I have gotten that response about eating so few calories will cause my body to think it's being starved and then the weight might not come off. I don't think it happens frequently, maybe twice a week, so that's good to know.

zyxst

Chocolate and nuts work for me.

monkeywizard

I find almonds are good for extra calories, but given the choice, I'd go with Peanut Butter =-)

SonicDeathMonkey80

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

LassoOfTruth

peanut butter.

marykate1984

Try liquid calories when you are not hungary; chocolate milk, juice, etc...
Good luck!

allaboutthecake

A 2-oz Snickers Bar packs 296 calories. YUM!

Or save those extra calories for the weekend dinner out or movie popcorn! Averaging in a week is a possibility. Its what I usually aim for.

jeffpettis

Nothing is going to make your body think it is starving except not giving it "any" food, and even then it is not going to hold onto fat. That would be what some would call "starvation mode", and it's a load of crap.

If you are trying to create a deficit and at the end of the day you have done just that and are not hungry why would you force more food into your body? Enjoy the fact that you have succeeded for the day and move on. There will probably be a day where you go over by two or three hundred calories so it will all even out in the end.

I_Will_End_You

That is what I was kinda of worried about. I have gotten that response about eating so few calories will cause my body to think it's being starved and then the weight might not come off. I don't think it happens frequently, maybe twice a week, so that's good to know.

That response you've gotten? It isn't really true. Excessive under eating can cause metabolic damage eventually, but If you're talking being under a couple of times a week, you won't go into the mythological "starvation mode".

Cocotrendy

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

Yes, but moderation is a word that doesn't always exist in my vocabulary. :laugh:

wibutterflymagic

Cheese and fruit makes a nice snack. A 1ounce chunk of cheddar cheese is a lot smaller then you think and is a good 100 calories by itself.

If you aren't hungry and it's a daily basis then I would say that you really need to start working on increasing your calories because you aren't eating enough and your body isn't liking it. It's not good to be going a long time with an incredibly slashed calorie intake. You need to fuel your body and when you are starving it you will damage your metabolism.

Jestinia

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

Yes, but moderation is a word that doesn't always exist in my vocabulary. :laugh:

Right there with ya.

The olive oil suggestion a few posts up is a great one if you don't want to just add a food in at the end of the day. Coconut oil is good, too.

Cocotrendy

That is what I was kinda of worried about. I have gotten that response about eating so few calories will cause my body to think it's being starved and then the weight might not come off. I don't think it happens frequently, maybe twice a week, so that's good to know.

That response you've gotten? It isn't really true. Excessive under eating can cause metabolic damage eventually, but If you're talking being under a couple of times a week, you won't go into the mythological "starvation mode".

Cool, that makes me feel better about not eating when I am not hungry.

SonicDeathMonkey80

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

Yes, but moderation is a word that doesn't always exist in my vocabulary. :laugh:

It didn't in mine either, but it was affecting my goals so I made a change

GBrady43068

I am looking for some suggestions concerning leftover calories. I am on a 1400 calorie regimen and I am now finding that I am leaving at least 300 calories on the tabl and at dinner, I am just not that hungry. I have tried to increase my calories for lunch and snack but still sometimes find that I have 300 or so calories left. I don't want my body to think that I am starving it. Any suggestions??!!!

The easiest way is with liquids:
1) If you are drinking skim milk, switch to 2%. If 2%, consider whole.
2) Drinking any juice at all? If not, add some OJ, apple juice, whatever you like to your diet..more vitamins, more calories, not too "filling"

If you're already doing those:
3) Eat a string cheese snack.
4) Eat a beef jerky snack.
5) Fulfill a sugar craving with a snack size candy bar or a small bag of chips.
6) Eat 2 pounds of brussel sprouts :laugh:

And I will second those saying not to worry about the occasional day with 200-300 calorie underages. If it's CONSISTENT, then, yes, I would work on upping your calories a bit.

Cocotrendy

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

Yes, but moderation is a word that doesn't always exist in my vocabulary. :laugh:

Right there with ya.

The olive oil suggestion a few posts up is a great one if you don't want to just add a food in at the end of the day. Coconut oil is good, too.

I will try that. We do lots of coconut oil for everything at my house. A little added to foods could be beneficial as well.

JagerLewis

Sometimes I struggle with that too. I will normally go for 2 tablespoons of peant butter....Yep, straight from the jar. Or 2 glasses of wine...depending on my protein intake for the day.

Cocotrendy

I am looking for some suggestions concerning leftover calories. I am on a 1400 calorie regimen and I am now finding that I am leaving at least 300 calories on the tabl and at dinner, I am just not that hungry. I have tried to increase my calories for lunch and snack but still sometimes find that I have 300 or so calories left. I don't want my body to think that I am starving it. Any suggestions??!!!

The easiest way is with liquids:
1) If you are drinking skim milk, switch to 2%. If 2%, consider whole.
2) Drinking any juice at all? If not, add some OJ, apple juice, whatever you like to your diet..more vitamins, more calories, not too "filling"

If you're already doing those:
3) Eat a string cheese snack.
4) Eat a beef jerky snack.
5) Fulfill a sugar craving with a snack size candy bar or a small bag of chips.
6) Eat 2 pounds of brussel sprouts :laugh:

And I will second those saying not to worry about the occasional day with 200-300 calorie underages. If it's CONSISTENT, then, yes, I would work on upping your calories a bit.

Great suggestion with the juices and cheese. I hadn't tried that but I will add that to list.

gypsy_spirit

I ate mostly junk and fast food type stuff before, stuff that I thought was harmless. Yea right! I am really trying to stay away from that especially due to sodium content in some of the foods I ate. I don't even want to taste some of that stuff again because I know I will go spiraling completely out of control.

Well, it is harmless in moderation. Instead of the whole bag of Flaming Cheetos, do an ounce. Boom. Calories filled. Tummy happy.

This is the correct answer. It's an important part of weight loss/getting healthy to learn to control our portions. Until you learn moderation, maintenance/happiness/life is not going to be pretty. It's an ongoing lesson. Start now. When you reach goal, all those pesky issues with overeating will be managed.

pammiejean40

I do a tablespoon or two of peanut butter when I"m running low on calories. Natural peanut butter is the best!