Netting below BMR or eating a little junk? Which is better

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holly3585
holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok now I already know this is going to draw in some sarcastic and/or rude answers, but I am honestly curious! I grasp the idea of eating above BMR below TDEE and daily exercise. I understand why if you continually NET below your BMR you are not doing yourself any favors. Now for the question: Let’s say I am within a few hours of bedtime, and 400 calories under my BMR- let’s add a little made up back-story and say that I have been below my BMR slightly all week. Am I better off eating ‘too little’ or do I have a free pass to eat a snickers candy bar?
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Replies

  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    My choice would be to eat the snickers. My body appreciates the fuel. I'm assuming you wouldn't always only have snickers bars to choose from though. If you regularly need to make up calories, and you don't want to eat junk, just make sure you have lots of healthier snacks in the house. I tend to have chocolate around, as well as stuff like seeds, nuts, yogurt etc so I can choose to go the healthy route or not.

    ETA: (Also, I eat chocolate most days, so I don't really need a "free pass" :wink: )
  • wookiemouse
    wookiemouse Posts: 290 Member
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    Why not eat a bowl of frozen greek yogurt with some sliced almonds and blueberries? There are MUCH better ways to make up 400 cal deficits than crap.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    LOL.

    I've often wondered if 90g of starch or 40g of olive oil should be taken to fend off the undershoot in calories, and precisely what good it would do me.
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
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    Thank you for the straight answer and the suggestion answer...and uhh...yeah that sarcastic one too. I am well aware that a small spring mix salad with avacado, a little lean meat, and a vinigerette dressing would be a BETTER food option. I was just curious, considering all the 'starvation mode' mumbo jumbo what people thought was a better option- a little junk as a treat that brought me closer to ideal calories or to NET much below. This is theoretical BTW. lol I NEVER have calories left at the end of the day. I am an eater. I caouldn't save an exercise calorie from going back into my mouth if I wanted to!
  • kekl
    kekl Posts: 382 Member
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    I'd eat the snickers. :)
    It's still food. Your body will still use it.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    the little junk making you happy and keeping you on track could be worth its weight in gold.

    It isn't going to add more fat than its own weight in the worst case scenario.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Ok now I already know this is going to draw in some sarcastic and/or rude answers, but I am honestly curious! I grasp the idea of eating above BMR below TDEE and daily exercise. I understand why if you continually NET below your BMR you are not doing yourself any favors. Now for the question: Let’s say I am within a few hours of bedtime, and 400 calories under my BMR- let’s add a little made up back-story and say that I have been below my BMR slightly all week. Am I better off eating ‘too little’ or do I have a free pass to eat a snickers candy bar?

    and nothing is going to happen overnight, you could have light snack, healthy or not, and slightly bigger breakfast or lunch the next day.

    Body isn't real aware of midnight and MFP's start to a new day.
  • spearfox
    spearfox Posts: 276 Member
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    That's about what I did last night.
    Actually I've been getting to bed late and eating something just before bed for several nights.
    Last night was some dark chocolate Philadelphia cream cheese and some crunchy peanut butter.
    I also lost another pound today. (I weigh everyday)
    I've actually posted a weight loss for six of the past 8 days.
    If it fits your calories I would say go for it.
  • skinnylion
    skinnylion Posts: 213
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    I would say the Snickers is the lesser of two evils. Junk food isn't great on a regular basis, but energy is energy.
  • GSCPostBaby
    GSCPostBaby Posts: 111 Member
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    This happens to me all the time. I eat a half ounce of dark chocolate and an apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Evil, delicious, satisfying, protein, antioxidants, it's gooo-oood!
  • wildboar1
    wildboar1 Posts: 88
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    Yeah you should never eat below BMR because all of your muscle gains and fat loss with disappear over night. You will literally wake up and be 40 pounds heavier. It's a little known fact but thousands of years ago when we were all hunter-gatherers and only ate once every 2 or 3 days, everyone was like 350 pounds because they routinely ate below their BMR. True story.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    This happens to me all the time. I eat a half ounce of dark chocolate and an apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Evil, delicious, satisfying, protein, antioxidants, it's gooo-oood!

    Hey, where was the red wine in that list!
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    If the Snickers makes you happy, go for it! Yes you've technically "earned" it. Of couse keep in mind that it's not the healthiest choice. Everything in moderation!

    On nights when you don't want to eat something as unhealthy as a candy bar you could go with some almonds, peanut butter, avocado, etc. for things that are light and high in calories.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
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    Ok now I already know this is going to draw in some sarcastic and/or rude answers, but I am honestly curious! I grasp the idea of eating above BMR below TDEE and daily exercise. I understand why if you continually NET below your BMR you are not doing yourself any favors. Now for the question: Let’s say I am within a few hours of bedtime, and 400 calories under my BMR- let’s add a little made up back-story and say that I have been below my BMR slightly all week. Am I better off eating ‘too little’ or do I have a free pass to eat a snickers candy bar?

    you have a free pass to eat a snickers any day you want.
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
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    Yeah you should never eat below BMR because all of your muscle gains and fat loss with disappear over night. You will literally wake up and be 40 pounds heavier. It's a little known fact but thousands of years ago when we were all hunter-gatherers and only ate once every 2 or 3 days, everyone was like 350 pounds because they routinely ate below their BMR. True story.

    You just scared the crap out of me, please expand so I can better understand
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
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    Personally a Snickers before bedtime would keep me awake half the night so I'd pass on that one.

    I might tell myself I could eat it for breakfast the next morning though.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Yeah you should never eat below BMR because all of your muscle gains and fat loss with disappear over night. You will literally wake up and be 40 pounds heavier. It's a little known fact but thousands of years ago when we were all hunter-gatherers and only ate once every 2 or 3 days, everyone was like 350 pounds because they routinely ate below their BMR. True story.

    Now that I'm breastfeeding, if I don't eat enough I will literally wake up 5 pounds heavier the next day. If I eat more for a few days that 5 pounds is gone. Actual true story.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
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    Hmm thinking I might actually have a snack to lessen my deficit 330cals, even though I'm not hungry.
  • ElizaGeorge
    ElizaGeorge Posts: 140 Member
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    Yeah you should never eat below BMR because all of your muscle gains and fat loss with disappear over night. You will literally wake up and be 40 pounds heavier. It's a little known fact but thousands of years ago when we were all hunter-gatherers and only ate once every 2 or 3 days, everyone was like 350 pounds because they routinely ate below their BMR. True story.

    TRUTH! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Yeah you should never eat below BMR because all of your muscle gains and fat loss with disappear over night. You will literally wake up and be 40 pounds heavier. It's a little known fact but thousands of years ago when we were all hunter-gatherers and only ate once every 2 or 3 days, everyone was like 350 pounds because they routinely ate below their BMR. True story.

    You just scared the crap out of me, please expand so I can better understand

    The epitome of hyperbole - expanding on several fear myths.

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