Snacks are about 400 to 500 cal a day

aliesha1978
aliesha1978 Posts: 12
in Food and Nutrition
Hey I'm reasonably new to mfp. Only 2 week in and I realised my snacks are adding up to 400 cal a day! Do have a protein shake for one snack and a protein bar and maybe a low fat yoghurt etc but just wondering if this is to high? I still manage to stay around my 1200 calorie intake but just thought I'd ask. Ty in advance

Aliesha

Replies

  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    Thats about perfect really. Meals 300-400 each + Snacks 150-200 each... that's what I do, typically. I only have 2 snacks though, one between breakfast and lunch and the other between lunch and dinner.
  • kinrsa
    kinrsa Posts: 111 Member
    I was having the same problem. I played around with what I was tracking & realized that my 2 cups of watermelon snack spiked my sugar enough to make me hungrier & more likely to eat peanut butter & bread (more carbs / sugar) later in the day. Apples were doing the same thing.

    I switched to snacks with higher fat & protein (greek yogurt, occasionally mixed nuts) and with lower sugar & it helped. I try to save my fruit snacks for when I'm at home now so I don't eat all the office peanut butter.

    That's what worked for me; good luck in finding what works best for you!
  • sarahslim100
    sarahslim100 Posts: 485 Member
    I eat apples or pears for snacks. They are filling and low in caloriea
  • aliesha1978
    aliesha1978 Posts: 12
    Ty everyone. Will just keep eye on it. Just thought maybe my main meals were a bit lower so was snacking to much because of it. Ty for your input. ;))
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    I tend not to snack and allocate all my calories into three heart meals which I don't feel hungry in between. If I do end up starving between meals (rarely) then I'll have an apple.

    I enjoy looking forward to my meals and being hungry for them rather than snacking out of fear of feeling hungry. I also time my exercise before meals and just eat more if I fancy it to use the exercise cals.
  • aphid
    aphid Posts: 47
    I rarely snack because it always ends up being too much. I just have more at mealtimes so I don't get hungry in between, but still stick to my calories. If I have done loads of exercise I might have a snack though.
  • gdrmuzak
    gdrmuzak Posts: 103 Member
    As a larger guy and IF I've worked out that day, my snacking total can double that spread out over the day, including an evening munch sometimes.

    HOWEVER, if I haven't worked out that day, I hit my exercise bike for some burn or like last night since the Y gym was closed for leagues, one of my sons & I hit the DVD player for a couple Rockin' Body workouts...then HE had ice cream and a brownie :angry: and I had a lite yogurt. :ohwell:

    If you're active and regularly burning up the calories, I wouldn't be too concerned about it.
  • aliesha1978
    aliesha1978 Posts: 12
    Sounds good. Will try upping my calories at meals and then eat a snack if I really feel i need it. ;)
  • ashley101009
    ashley101009 Posts: 21
    I have been doing this for 236 days and I have lost 27 pounds so far and my snacks for some reason always are higher then my meals I'm just a most snacky person, it shouldn't matter as long as you are with in your calorie goal but honestly 1200 cals is way to little I started my calorie goal at 1600 cals a day but ate all the cals I worked out started losing weigh and then hit a platuea then pushed it down to 1500 and I've lost most of my weight I am now 5.7 pounds away from my goal but I have lost a huge amount of inches good luck and hopefully you will increase that goal to a much healthier goal of 1600 good luck!
  • aliesha1978
    aliesha1978 Posts: 12
    Wow really Ashley. I was just going by the input I put in to mfp when I started and that's what it gave me. :/ Ty for the help. So I should re adjust it you think?
  • aliesha1978
    aliesha1978 Posts: 12
    P.s congrats to by the way. Well done
  • ashley101009
    ashley101009 Posts: 21
    Yes I am positive you should keep at 1600 until u hit a platuea because think of this, say u keep at 1200 cals what happened when u hit a plateau what do u do, you are to lower your cals, well women can't eat less then that amount so if you lower your cals, your body starves, and what happens when your body starves, your body starts to take muscle away not good my suggestion is to eat 1600 cals then if you hit a platuea don't just lower your cals give it about a month of not losing anything And then lower your cals to 1500 trust me I have been through this for almost a yr
  • aliesha1978
    aliesha1978 Posts: 12
    Ty Ashley. I just googled up my bmr and I think it said I should be 1423 just to live etc. so I will up it. I put in same info into this and it said I need to eat 1200 calories. :/ anyway will put it up and just exercise a bit more but not eat back as much of my exercise calories and see what happens! Ty again. Any suggestions as to what I should aim for my macro's roughly? :)
  • cmacphee3
    cmacphee3 Posts: 278 Member
    I tend not to snack and allocate all my calories into three heart meals which I don't feel hungry in between. If I do end up starving between meals (rarely) then I'll have an apple.

    I enjoy looking forward to my meals and being hungry for them rather than snacking out of fear of feeling hungry. I also time my exercise before meals and just eat more if I fancy it to use the exercise cals.

    This is what I do. I snack out of fear of being hungry. I need to not be scared of hunger!
  • keenesmom
    keenesmom Posts: 115 Member
    I'm a snacker too so I just make sure it's a healthy high protein snack. Although my weakness is fruit so I do have those as snacks too. My calorie intake is 1200 a day. Before I started MFP I thought people were crazy only eating 1200 a day but I have to say I am not hungry at the end of the day and most days I don't even meet the 1200 goal (I exercise daily and don't eat my exercise calories.). My goal weight loss per week was 1.5 pounds. I'm down 22-ish with just 8-ish to go. Good luck to you!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    Ty Ashley. I just googled up my bmr and I think it said I should be 1423 just to live etc. so I will up it. I put in same info into this and it said I need to eat 1200 calories. :/ anyway will put it up and just exercise a bit more but not eat back as much of my exercise calories and see what happens! Ty again. Any suggestions as to what I should aim for my macro's roughly? :)

    1600 is a good ballpark losing weight calorie intake for women, Ashley is 5'4" so if you're a lot taller, eat a little more, if you're a lot shorter, eat a little less. and by a little I mean 100 calories. Anyways if you want to do out the calculations I recommend using this information:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538943-how-to-calculate-calorie-goals-according-to-nrolfw

    To get a healthy calorie intake level. MFP tends to underestimate everyone's caloric intake and sets almost everyone at 1200 calories which is much too low.

    I personally aim for 40% carbs 30% fat 30% protein because I am lifting and need high protein. 45/30/25 or 40/35/25 should be good as well. Good luck!

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