Eating too much... but under calories?

stefa711

Before I get started: This is not another "Oooooh there's no way I can eat 1200 calories a day! That is just sooo much food". I eat. Promise.

So I have been doing this MFP thing since January-ish and it's worked fabulously so far. I've been at 1500 calories +exercise since Feb/March-ish and I have always eaten back most, if not all, of my exercise calories. And it has worked for me!

I've added Crossfit 4-5 times a week, thusly more exercise calories. I'm eating the same foods and still eating my cals back but the difference is that now I just feel waaaay full by the end of the day, before eating all of my calories. So I eat the extra calories and then end up just feeling full and, well, fat. (no, it's not sodium levels- I'm fairly consistently under)

I should add that I burn anywhere from 3500-5000 calories a week running (marathon training).

I just recalculated my BMR and TDEE and my numbers are about the same (BMR 1411, Sedentary TDEE-10% 1525). I do sedentary TDEE and add my exercise calories because exercise for me varies greatly day to day (ie: 20 mile run vs a 5 mile run or off day).

Anyone have any ideas?

DancingMoosie

Your diary is closed, so its hard to give advice on your food. My only suggestions would be to make sure you are getting enough protein and to eat more calorie-dense foods. Eat full-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, nut butters and seeds, oils to cook with, etc.

angdpowers

Ok haha I'm confused...What exactly is your question?

Is it how do you get in more cals, not eat so much, not to feel so full??

I'm just confused on what the question is?

agggie550

Eat fuller fat items... 2% Milk, NON non fat yogurts, add the calories that way so you can make your numbers without having to stuff yourself. I mean if your not hungry your not hungry but if you are doing crossfit 4-5 times a week and training for a Marathon, eventually your body is going to catch up to your caloric needs and you are going to want to eat everything that isnt nailed down. So just try eating higher protein and fuller fat items, to get the numbers without packing in the food. Hope that helps good luck.

vorgas

Your diary isn't open, so it's hard to say for sure, but...

I found success by gradually increasing my intake each week.

For example, the first week I would drink a protein shake first thing in the morning (+90 calories). The next week, add a small handful of mixed nuts right after the workout (+100 calories). That sort of thing.

It's also possible to increase the size of some portions. Two scoops in a protein shake instead of 1. Make it with milk or almond milk instead of water. Stop going with low fat/zero calorie versions of things.

JesterMFP

If you're feeling too full and/or bloated and struggling to meet your caloric needs, then the solution is probably the same as for the "I can't eat 1200" threads: go for more calorie-dense foods. Eat more things that are higher in fat, like seeds, nuts, cheese, avocados, oil (added to salads or cooking), butter, chocolate, nut butters etc. Also, try drinking more calories in the form of protein shakes, smoothies or milk. If you're currently eating reduced fat versions of food, then switch to the full fat versions. Look at your meal frequency, as changing that around may help a bit. Some people find that eating more often can help.

Some may suggest not worrying about eating back all the calories, but with all the cardio you're doing, that's not going to be great for your body.

I'm not going to suggest reducing the running since you're training for a marathon, but if you really can't eat enough calories with the above suggestions, perhaps cut down on some of the crossfit?

gatorginger

Maybe you should try not eating all your exercise calories back if your feeling too full. I would try eating only half of them back and see how you feel doing that

lauren3101

Your food diary isn't open so it's a bit hard to help, but if you are struggling to eat that much, try adding foods that are calorie dense but not filling. One tablespoon of oil is 100 cals, peanut butter or any kind of nuts are high, avocado, etc, or hell, eat a Snickers bar.

Also don't use the 'diet' version of anything; drink whole milk, eat full fat cheese, full fat yogurt, etc.

jenilla1

Day-to-day, I always eat my exercise cals back. But when I have a long-run training day (Sundays) and a bazillion cals to eat, I don't freak if I don't make it to goal. I think you're fine if you try to eat most of them. Just make sure you are getting plenty of carbs and protein after your runs so you refuel (quick release carbs for fast replenishment of glycogen) and repair (protein) your muscles. I agree with posters who suggest foods with dense nutrient content. Foods with high levels of healthy fats could help here - I eat a lot of nuts, etc.

kayleighsmith86

If im reading it right im having a similar problem - ultimately how do you bulk up your calorie intake without over eating or eating too much of the high in fat / sugars?

I try to aim for 1200 calories a day,but sometimes go up to 1500 on an "off" day if im not exercising. I wasnt aware that the 1200 calories should be net so i have been undereating for the past 5 weeks - not been hungary as such but just want to crash and sleep past about 6pm or immediately after a workout! My weight loss has come to a hault now also although my body is becoming more toned and shapely in places.

I'm 5 ft 3 and 70.4kg and exercise most nights - doing the insanity workout and i do a bit of walking. I tend to burn on average 500-600 calories a day on the days i exercise. I do have a rest day and a recovery day where obviously its a lot less.

My meals are healthy and well balanced and also filling, i have regular snacks in between too. The only thing i can do is increase the amount of food im eating which im not sure i could do or eat more calorfic foods ie higher fat or sugar, but up until now i have been trying to keep the fat out of the RED, the sugars have consistantly stayed in the red!

Any advice on good calorific foods would be helpful of feel free to check my diary! please note My exercise has lapsed a bit in the past week or two because of the low energy! and the beer festival last weekend..lets not mention all those calories! it was impossible to track past about lunch time! so apologies if it seems incomplete in places!

stefa711

Okay I made my diary public! (Note, I tend to "graze" during the day so most foods aren't actually eaten at the time they're logged)

Thanks for all of the great advice. I eat a vegan diet (about 99% of the time) so full fat milk isn't an option, but I do love myself some avocado and lots of nut butter!

I realize I didn't really ask an actual question, I guess I just want opinions on whether I should continue eating my cals back, lower my cals, or drive on.

ETA: this past week I've been trying to add more cals during the day to help from having to heap on the cals I have left at night.

PlayerHatinDogooder

Red wine does wonders for boosting your intake.

mazdauk

All the things we cut down on to lose fat will add calories, so pick the healthier ones - nuts, avocadoes, banans, cheese, wine (one of your 5-a-day - grapes are a fruit, right? ). Aand as others have said, switch to full-fat stuff like butter and yoghurts rather than the lower fat ones. Also, make sure you're not filling up on too much in the way of leafy salads etc.

Finally, check your mind - do you WANT to increase your calories or are you scared of falling back? I found it a challlnege to put a helping of nuts into my lunchbox a few times a week. I still have a pot of munchy seeds I don't want to open because then I have to eat them in 7 days....

ETA Continue to eat your cals back - you burnt 'em you earned 'em :happy:

stefa711

Also, I'm not having difficulty meeting my calories (even 2600 days), it's the fact that I physically feel like I'm over-eating.

BerryH

Keep eating your exercise calories. Your unning will suffer very quickly if you don;t.

The Brownlee brothers (Olympic triathletes) burn 5000 calories a day, and swear by lasagne, cake and meat pies (you could substitute beans or tofu). For breakfast they put Nutella in their porridge. Try roasting veg, some extra olive oil will help.

phatguerilla

Also, I'm not having difficulty meeting my calories (even 2600 days), it's the fact that I physically feel like I'm over-eating.

Your appetite has just 'down-regulated' due to being on a deficit for a period of time, and trying to add more calories in isn't as appealing. I think if you stick with it for a week or two you will find you are back to normal. Otherwise you could try reducing the amount the exercise calories you eat back (say you earn 1000, eat 800-900) and see how this affects you. You could always add them back in a few more weeks when you feel more comfortable on the higher calories. You could also try some sort of calorie cycling, saving some exercise calories for rest days, not sure how you or others will feel about that. Being vegan probably complicates things more because most of your food options will not be that calorie dense.

BerryH

Just popped back to say there's a law of diminishing returns on long runs or other long steady-state cardio. You don't burn twice as many calories running six miles as three, for example, as your body switches to more efficient energy release mechanism. You should be fine just eating 60 - 80% of those burns. Not recognising that was what made me a fat marathon runner :laugh:

stefa711

Just popped back to say there's a law of diminishing returns on long runs or other long steady-state cardio. You don't burn twice as many calories running six miles as three, for example, as your body switches to more efficient energy release mechanism. You should be fine just eating 60 - 80% of those burns. Not recognising that was what made me a fat marathon runner :laugh:

Do you have any links to credible sources that defines this "law of diminishing returns," as it applys to running?

I stopped using MFP's calculations and I go by my HRM, which is always much lower than MFP anyway.

Edited for poor grammar lol.

BerryH

Do you have any links to credible sources that defines this "law of diminishing returns," as it applys to running?

I stopped using MFP's calculations and I go by my HRM, which is always much lower than MFP anyway.

Entirely empirical evidence based on the experience of myself and other running friends, I'm afraid. The steady burn rate works up to about an hour, after that, we all put on weight if we ate what we calculated we'd burned. Your HRM should reflect your own personal level of efficiency anyhow.

What I would add is for long sessions it's worth taking off your BMR calories you would have burned sitting on the sofa anyhow during that period. For shorter exercises it's not enough to be significant.