Unused Daily Calories

Sandie001

Have just completed my daily log and discovered I have 211 unused calories. Is it wrong not to use these as I have eaten really well today, am full and satisfied? MFP is telling me I have not had enough calories today and it might affect my weight loss but should I eat for the sake of eating? I am not hungry so what should I do?

carolinegeorgia

I always have the same thing, don't see how eating for the sake of it is a good thing or will help lose weight.....

ladyhawk00

While I wouldn't say 100-200 is something to worry about, I wouldn't leave more on the table than that on a regular basis. A couple of good threads as to why:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

pocketsam

Hot milky drink before bed? I do that to get me near my daily calorie goal (and help me sleep) but in a week I have met my target calorie intake once.

kimi233

It can actually be a good thing to leave some today, and maybe make up for it another day in the week, keep your body guessing!! I would not however leave that much every single day, but if you do the yo-yo, it can work better sometimes!!

Bella1hud

Believe it or not you need to use those calories! Several years ago I worked out regularly and was being very careful about what I was eating, and yet not one pound was coming off!! My doctor was very happy with my regime as my heart and blood pressure and all those things were great, but I couldn't help but whine because at 5'5", I did not want to be 190 lbs! It turned out that for the amount that I was exercising ( 40 minutes aerobics alternating days with weights - 6 days a week) , I wasn't eating enough! I was following a low fat diet and with the exercise burning off so many calories, my body thought that it was in starvation mode and wouldn't give up any of its fat!! So I dropped to 3 days a week exercise and upped my caloric intake from 1100 to 1500, and with in months I had dropped 24 lbs! Then I got pregnant ... after many years of trying... but my baby is now 18 and I have let things go for far too long... and now have 75 lbs to lose.

A friend of mine on MFP recommended having a glass of orange juice to help make up the calories you need to use up.

All the best on your weight loss journey!

oneof9

I wouldn't worry about the calories that you don't use. JUST AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FEEL SICK. That's the important thing. If you start to feel dizzy and sick. then you need to eat something. Your body isn't getting enough to eat. If you feel fine and have enough energy then you are good. If you keep having extra calories several days in a row and you start to feel tired more often. Then go ahead and eat the rest of the calories for the day.

savage677

I think the hardest part is listening to your body. If you take an honest inventory and really aren't hungry I say leave them. If it happens often then I might look at what I'm eating and add in a piece of fruit or something that's good for you, but you already know if you don't eat enough your body thinks you are starving and hangs on to the fat, just in case. But still, if you can really pay attention to how your body feels at the end of the meal it will help you get it all in. Good luck.

Sandie001

Thank you everyone for your replies and links - very interesting reading. I will keep an eye on my calorie intake and try not to leave as many unused as today. It is a great help logging everything on the diary on a daily basis.
Good luck to you all with your weight loss :happy: