Is it better to be under net or shovel in the junk?

Off10h8ed
Off10h8ed Posts: 282 Member
in Food and Nutrition
After all my activities got added in this evening... AFTER I was done eating for the day...
I am short like 500 something calories. (net)

Do you go to bed short or do you grab something high calorie and full of junk to compensate?
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Why does it have to be nothing or junk? If you're hungry have a healthy snack.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Why does it have to be nothing or junk? If you're hungry have a healthy snack.
    ^this. There are plenty of high calorie, nutritious foods. Nuts, seeds, cheese or other full fat dairy (unless you have an issue with dairy), nut butters, avocados, protein shakes... Having said that, going under one day is really not going to have a huge effect. Being consistently under your goal by 500 cals a day is not such a good idea, but could be avoided by better planning. :smile:
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If you're really not hungry and this isn't a regular occurrence, don't worry about it. But if you really want to bump it up, have a peanut butter & honey sandwich, or peanut butter & some dark chocolate or something like that. No need to shovel junk. :tongue:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If I was not hungry, I'd go to bed short. Chances are I'm going to go over now and then so it will all even out over time. If I was consistently 500 short, I'd tweak my diet to get closer to goal on average.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
    Why does it have to be nothing or junk? If you're hungry have a healthy snack.

    This. I don't keep junk snacks in the house anyways. If this was me, and I was hungry, I'd have a Larabar.
  • rudy7020
    rudy7020 Posts: 62
    Bank those calories for a day (in the same week) when you are very hungry and you can eat more.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Neither?
  • Libby81
    Libby81 Posts: 734 Member
    Neither?

    agree
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    If I do that I only eat if I get hungry and then it's something to nourish me, not junk. You will definately be hungry by morning. Guaranteed.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Do you go to bed short or do you grab something high calorie and full of junk to compensate?

    If those were the only two options? I'd decide based on whether I was hungry.

    But it's a false choice. Why would I force myself to eat something junky just to meet a calorie goal. The whole point is to nourish your body to support the workout you just did and to help build muscle from it. Junk food isn't going to help.
  • kimmers99
    kimmers99 Posts: 38
    I usually go for the junk. I like junk food and if I can fit it in to my calories for the day I eat it and enjoy!
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    As a rule of thumb I don't eat anything after 8pm .. Even if my calorie count is low.

    But, I think this is a personal opinion and I'm definitely interested to see what others have to say about this! :)

    Great thread, thanks!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I think as long as you ate your pre-exercise calorie goal, just go to bed. Of course, a nice glass of wine always helps with both.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    500 under once in a blue? - not a problem.
    every day? - problem. fix it.
  • DrJeep
    DrJeep Posts: 37 Member
    Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Wallnuts) and trail mix, or a granola bar here and there. That is what I use to make up for a big hole in my calories.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    Beer!
  • smtillman2
    smtillman2 Posts: 756 Member
    Looks like a great excuse to enjoy some peanut butter.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Junk. Love me some crappy food and dammit I earned it. : )
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
    No junk...enjoy some peanut butter on toast, a cup of rice, a couple of sweet potatoes, some bananas, almonds or something. Never eat junk just to fill your calorie quota.
  • savageman69
    savageman69 Posts: 339 Member
    As a rule of thumb I don't eat anything after 8pm .. Even if my calorie count is low.

    But, I think this is a personal opinion and I'm definitely interested to see what others have to say about this! :)

    Great thread, thanks!
    not only silly but pointless...if i didnt eat after 8 id starve
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    If you are not hungry then roll the cals over to give you a little extra 100 cals for the next 5 days or whatever you like.

    Or just knock 500 cals off you whole eating for the weeks cals? It is up to you.

    You may wake up feeling really hungry tomorrow and be able to have extra to eat...I think it is all about what works for us as individuals, with some advice from other people that can help along the way :)
  • MissLuana
    MissLuana Posts: 356
    Bank those calories for a day (in the same week) when you are very hungry and you can eat more.

    Agree. Sundays are my non-exercise days. Without the extra calories earned from exercising, I go over on Sunday but stay within my weekly calorie allowance.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    After all my activities got added in this evening... AFTER I was done eating for the day...
    I am short like 500 something calories. (net)

    Do you go to bed short or do you grab something high calorie and full of junk to compensate?

    Why nothing or junk? You can do something like an apple with some raw almond butter or just almond butter. You can go for whole grain bread with almond butter (or peanut butter) with the apple or even a banana. You can get more calories without eating junk. You could even eat a whole avocado; this will give you the needed calories and essential fats but it is far from junk. Or even a handful of trail mix. (nuts and dried fruits with a little dark chocolate tossed in).
  • MrsSeals
    MrsSeals Posts: 3 Member
    If you ate all your calories for the day and then worked off enough to have 500 extra why eat anything? Thats good, it will keep your body eating away at itself. If anything eat something high in protein that will help your metabolism keep burning.
  • thetiwi1890
    thetiwi1890 Posts: 239 Member
    Why does it have to be nothing or junk? If you're hungry have a healthy snack.
    ^this. There are plenty of high calorie, nutritious foods. Nuts, seeds, cheese or other full fat dairy (unless you have an issue with dairy), nut butters, avocados, protein shakes... Having said that, going under one day is really not going to have a huge effect. Being consistently under your goal by 500 cals a day is not such a good idea, but could be avoided by better planning. :smile:

    these guys know what they're talking about
  • SavageFeast
    SavageFeast Posts: 325 Member
    I'd just be under net.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I understand that this is a THEORETICAL QUESTION and that it's obviously a false dichotomy in the real world, but an interesting question.

    I'm going to say it's better to be under net than consistently rely on empty calories. Unless you're a pro athlete, then shovel it in :)
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    As a rule of thumb I don't eat anything after 8pm .. Even if my calorie count is low.

    But, I think this is a personal opinion and I'm definitely interested to see what others have to say about this! :)

    Great thread, thanks!

    My wife is the same way. I haven't found any correlation between the timing of eating and weight loss, but I also plan to eat something later in the evening.

    Usually my dessert - because I can sit down and eat it slowly and thoroughly enjoy it, and because my daughter won't start playing the "you're eating sweets so I should be able to have more dessert" game which totally ruins the enjoyment of some high-end dark chocolate and single-malt for me.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Typically, if this happens, then I'm starving the next day and blow it bad because I just cannot get enough to eat. So, when I am short I will eat some ice cream or even just have a big glass of milk so I'm not starving the next day.
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    If you're not hungry, don't worry about it. If it happens often, re-evaluate.

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