Calories left over

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ashbosity
ashbosity Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
I am trying to eat close to my daily target and when I exercise, I am often left with several hundred calories left at the end of the day. My first instinct is, "Yay! Ice cream! Cookies!". What do you eat that's not crappy when you have a lot of calories left?
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Replies

  • CChandler81
    CChandler81 Posts: 100 Member
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    There's times that I find it almost impossible to eat them all if I burn 700 or so and end up with a large deficit for the day. Stuff like bananas, apples, granola and yogurt, a protein shake, smoothie, etc. are all good options if you're wanting something sweet.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    If it ever happened, I'd probably go for sliced apples and peanut butter.
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
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    I think the same thing! lol I usually grab something snack-like.. usually carrots + some tzatziki sauce to dip while I watch tv or something.

    Orrrr if I'm actually hungry, I'll make eggs and throw a few veggies in.
  • ashbosity
    ashbosity Posts: 20
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    Do you think it is better to have a deficit than fill the rest of the calories with junk?
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Almonds!
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    I try to eat as many "leftover" calories as protein as I can stomach.
  • McLifterPants
    McLifterPants Posts: 457 Member
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    Sometimes I just have the damned ice cream! I buy Edy's Slow Churned, which is low fat, low cal, and very very tasty. If I only eat half a cup to a cup of it, it feels like a treat but doesn't set me back.
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
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    Hummus and whole grain crackers or carrots. Peanut butter and apple. Nuts and raisins. Guacamole! (Just watch what you're dipping in it.) Yogurt, soy milk, banana, blueberry smoothie with protein powder (ups both the calories and protein.)
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    Do you think it is better to have a deficit than fill the rest of the calories with junk?

    I think that would depend on:

    -Your goals as far as your body comp is concerned.
    -How big of a deficit we're talking about and how much you're eating in a day.
    -What we consider junk.

    We can use ice cream as an example. It's not an inherently evil thing. It frequently has a fair bit of fat and sugar in it, but if that fits in your goals, then it's probably not an issue. Not all varieties of ice cream are equal either.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Ice cream.

    srs.
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    A lot of the calories from ice cream are just because the #1 ingredient is milk too...

    Something like 50% of the calories could be stuff you'd get just by drinking a pint of whole milk (though ice cream is almost always lower in protein).

    I'm blessed to be living in a part of the country where Blue Bell is readily available and a pint of no sugar added vanilla is fairly close to the health facts of 2% milk and is just flat out awesome.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I will have:
    goodies (cake, cookies, etc.) - if I haven't had too many carbs already for the day
    ice cream
    another meal with protein/carb veggie
    yogurt
    cheese and crackers
    veggies and hummus
    I don't do the same thing every day. Make good choices for the majority of your calories, and you can have some left for your vices. Wine also works well.....
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Do you think it is better to have a deficit than fill the rest of the calories with junk?

    Too large a deficit can stall weight loss & you may lose muscle mass in the process. No need to eat junk - look for calorie dense foods & front load calories on days when you "expect" to be burning big calories

    Healthy fats - olive oil, nut butters, nuts .... add these to your meals ... before you exercise. That way, you are "committed" to doing the exercise later on.
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
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    I don't buy into there being bad or junk food as long as your are making your macros with choices, that are also full of all the micros you need. Ill have ice-cream or a sinkers or what not. If you keep it to your calorie goal and your making your macro and getting the micros you need, I don't see an issues. unless you have some sort of underlying medical issue.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    i make a mega shake. but ice cream or cookies would be fine.
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
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    Greek yoghurt with honey, very dark (85%) chocolate, hummous with oat cakes and olives, cheese, hot chocolate. Sometimes I just eat cake if I fancy it, stops me feeling deprived without making me gain :)
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
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    I'm hooked on hummus and special K multi grain crackers (24 for 120 ish calories). Granola bar, fruit, almonds or frozen yogurt :smile:
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
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    Greek yoghurt with honey,

    OMG, i can't believe I never thought of that!! Thank you!
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
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    If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. I think it's unhealthy to eat just because I'm a couple hundred calories under, especially knowing that since I don't have a Fit Bit or any of those other gadgets, MFP is probably WAY over estimating what I burnt. Think about it this way- if you weren't keeping count and didn't know how many calories you had left, would you eat?
  • krawl78
    krawl78 Posts: 113 Member
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    I eat three things:

    1. Low carb/low sugar Protein bar - my favorite is the Chocolate Deluxe by Pure Protein
    2. A banana - my overworked muscles need the potassium
    3. Almonds - healthy fat that soaks up a lot of calories

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