How to manage dinner when in a large deficit?

sherrillrn
sherrillrn Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around how to manage my dinner meal when I have not been able to consume very many calories so far that day and hope you can offer advice. I have had a few days recently where on accident or because work was to busy I've only consumed about 700 calories before dinner time. My BMR is 1680 and I generally try to eat at least 1700 calories. I often bike to work and home for lunch then back to work then home again and would also like to fit an evening workout in but am afraid of to much of a deficit when I'm already behind. Should I be consuming 1000 calorie dinners??? That doesn't seem right but if I'm not careful with my activity I can end up with almost a 2000 calorie deficit which also seems wrong. Should I consume a moderate amount and not exercise on purpose? Or should I just not worry and eat a normal dinner, workout and eat a snack before bed if I'm hungry?

Any thoughts would be appreciated, Thanks

Replies

  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    I'm not clear on what exactly is concerning you about it. There's nothing wrong about eating a 1000 calorie meal in and of itself. If you're worried about being able to eat it, then try filling out those meals with high-calorie ingredients, or try having a snack earlier in the day (I find that it's pretty easy to fit in food like small fruits even on really busy days since they're portable and don't take long to prepare or eat).

    Don't overdo a deficit (at least not for a long period of time) because you might find it difficult to get through those busy workdays. And I don't think it's a good idea to forgo exercise just to play this numbers game. Try to hit your caloric/macro/activity goals, regardless of what your meal plan/schedule happens to be.
  • carlybarley22
    carlybarley22 Posts: 197 Member
    Listen to your body. Eat a normal dinner and a light snack before bed. Don't try to over eat just to make up the calories.
  • mahlerosa
    mahlerosa Posts: 56
    Why not eat a better lunch?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I'm not clear on what exactly is concerning you about it. There's nothing wrong about eating a 1000 calorie meal in and of itself.

    ^ Correct.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    I use those days to enjoy a meal that I wouldn't normally get to enjoy. 10 oz steak and baked potato. A big plate of spaghetti with garlic bread. Chocolate cake. Mac & Cheese. Copious amounts of booze. Pizza. Chinese food.

    I love my long run days. 1000 calories of yummy goodness comin' down the pike.

    mmm mmm mm mm good.

    If there is something I'm craving, I'll wait until I have one of those days or create one of those days to have it.
  • sherrillrn
    sherrillrn Posts: 12
    Thanks for the helpful and quick reply's. I'm so new at calorie tracking, I apparently need to shift my misconceptions about what eating should look like to lose weight. 1000cal sounds like a lot for one meal if you are trying to lose weight, I honestly didn't know how to handle the situation. Thanks again.
    Sher
  • woodsygirl
    woodsygirl Posts: 354 Member
    Eat a healthy high calorie dessert ;)

    My favorite is mixing 2 T of Almond butter, 1 T Cocoa powder and 1 T of unsweetended coconut flakes, it tastes oddly like an almond joy if you add a little almond ext.
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    Nothing at all wrong with a large meal, as long as you still feel OK afterwards. What I mean is, if you are eating 1,000 calories, and you feel fine afterwards, then go for it.

    But, if you feel stuffed, uncomfortable, and generally yucky, then it's not the right thing to do, and you should look at eating more at other times, or have higher calorie snacks (cheese, nuts, shakes).
  • Sailorwind
    Sailorwind Posts: 158 Member
    I love when I have days like that. It means I can have cheese covered pasta for dinner.
  • Alohathin
    Alohathin Posts: 360 Member
    Thanks for the helpful and quick reply's. I'm so new at calorie tracking, I apparently need to shift my misconceptions about what eating should look like to lose weight. 1000cal sounds like a lot for one meal if you are trying to lose weight, I honestly didn't know how to handle the situation. Thanks again.
    Sher

    Some people eat their entire daily calories in a single meal. There is no scientific research that supports multiple small meals being any more effective than a single big meal (with calories/macros being equal in each method). It's all about calories in/calories out. As long as you are at a healthy deficit, it doesn't matter what part of the day you eat the food.
  • HeinzPrincess
    HeinzPrincess Posts: 92
    Whatever you can't eat in a dinner you can make up for with peanut butter!

    YUM!

    Just hang out on the boards on here where people EAT and you'll feel better. I upped my calories to 2000ish this week due to some crazy workouts and I feel fantastic and the scale keeps going down.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Eat more through the day f the idea of one massive meal puts you off.

    Personally I think having 1000 cals for a meal sounds like a great idea!!!
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
    If you can, try to have easy snacks on hand if you aren't wanting to eat back so many calories around dinner time. It'll help keep your metabolism up throughout the day too.
  • sherrillrn
    sherrillrn Posts: 12
    Wow, this is all very reassuring! Thanks!
  • CariBgood
    CariBgood Posts: 88 Member
    . Your body is a machine it needs fuel through out the day to keep going. If you run out of gas in your car, don't you put some in?Consistency is the key from what I am learning. Try to be more consistent through out the day, but I say fill up tonight. Do better getting your meals and snacks through out the day you definitely need the fuel.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Do whatever works for you. I personally eat around 150 calories for breakfast, 200 or so for lunch, 200 for a snack, and about 1000 calories for dinner/desert. I prefer to eat a majority of my food at night ;) (no waking up hungry and eating an entire box of eggo waffles for me!)

    What is this issue with that? It's really whatever your personal preference is and shouldn't hinder your weight loss goals.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Nothing at all wrong with a large meal, as long as you still feel OK afterwards. What I mean is, if you are eating 1,000 calories, and you feel fine afterwards, then go for it.

    But, if you feel stuffed, uncomfortable, and generally yucky, then it's not the right thing to do, and you should look at eating more at other times, or have higher calorie snacks (cheese, nuts, shakes).

    This ^^^

    Sometimes I eat evenly throughout the day, but my day is usually progressive on calories. Small breakfast, decent lunch, huge dinner. But when I have a huge dinner, it means that I added more than one serving of butter to my potatoes, or added avacado to my taco, etc.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I love when I have days like that. It means I can have cheese covered pasta for dinner.

    240zxhj.gif
  • Zombielicious
    Zombielicious Posts: 246 Member
    Eat more through the day f the idea of one massive meal puts you off.

    Personally I think having 1000 cals for a meal sounds like a great idea!!!

    ^^ THIS!!! I would too! *drool*
  • Sailorwind
    Sailorwind Posts: 158 Member
    I love when I have days like that. It means I can have cheese covered pasta for dinner.

    240zxhj.gif
    I LOVE Emma Stone! WendyTerry420, you rock!
  • jypratt79
    jypratt79 Posts: 1
    Hey Sherrill.
    I dont think having a 1000 calorie dinner is smart. I think some days you may just have to live with a deficit. The better idea would be to try and eat more calories earlier in the day-especially carb calories. For example, try and incorporate cheese-cheeses strings are portable and quick and easy-so are nuts and seeds- add nuts or seeds to your yougurt in the am, have peanut butter and celery with raisins at am snack, with cheese as well- add a hardboiled egg as a pm snack or as a topping to salads-this is a health way to increase protien (that helps to build muscle) to all out meals-let me know what you think. And dont forget the point of weightloss is to have a calorie deficit each day, the minimum you should consume so you wont go into starvation mode is around 1200 calories. so try and hit that even with all the exercise you are doing! Nurses`orders!

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