So…How Do You Kill Your Extra Calories?

juliemouse83
juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, the long and the short of it is: I have discovered that I am obviously eating too few calories per day, because I’ve avoided eating my exercise calories and started doing that in hopes that the scale will BUDGE. (Don’t ask me why eating to lose is so hard for me to get my mind around, because I sure don’t know. The math says it’s true, LOL…)

Today I made a gross miscalculation. I had 217 calories for breakfast, 420 for lunch, a hundred for a snack, and after working out, I still have 800 calories to get rid of.

I don’t want to go buck wild, but I’d like to knock out some of them. Dinner will be relatively light, because I just worked out, and I can’t eat heavy anything after a workout (see what I mean about gross miscalculation?), so probably a chicken breast and some veg.

I know I won’t inhale all 800 tonight, and will be more mindful of eating more for breakfast and lunch so that I don’t run into this many extra again.

What healthy snacks to you guys eat to ensure you get most, if not all of your calories in?

I know that the opinions on eating all the exercise calories are split, so this is for those of you that DO. (I’ve already tried the NOT for three weeks and the results aren’t pretty, LOL…)

Thank you! :flowerforyou:

Edited to add: I am still kind of in awe of the amount of calories I CAN have each day and still expect to lose, as it’s only a few hundred calories shy of what I was eating before I got back on the wagon. I just didn’t MOVE when I was doing that.
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    My new favorite before gym snack - Energy Bites: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

    Do a google search for Energy Bites - you'll find a ton of recipes - most are pretty similar. The ones I made are 189 calories each. Easy boost of calories and yummy! My son HATES eating before the gym because he gets a stomach ache but he'll eat these w/no issues.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Depending on how you measured those exercise calories I wouldn't get too excited about eating them all back.
  • literatelier
    literatelier Posts: 209 Member
    A few tablespoons of peanut butter will help close the gap.
  • ldworkout
    ldworkout Posts: 5
    This is a nice problem to have :) I have found that since I started exercising everyday and doing crunches I'm not that hungry and I have some calories left over (not 800 so far) but a few hundred. I like to spend them on smoothies. My favorite smoothie to make because it tastes like dessert (by diet standards) is a cacao low fat peanut butter and banana smoothie. Cacao is a superfood so you get antioxidants and improve cholesterol and give you energy. The lowfat peanut butter is a "good" fat and it is so delicious. You don't have to feel bad about enjoying it. Oh, and cacao is a mood booster, so it also makes you happy.

    Here is what is in it:
    Raw cacao powder from the health food store
    1/2 banana
    lowfat milk or almond milk
    tbsp of lowfat peanut butter
    ice

    The only issue with having this is that I usually have so much energy after I kinda want to do more exercise :)
  • slcostel
    slcostel Posts: 116 Member
    A scoop of protein powder (the kind I use anyways) is 120 calories, mix that in a cup of 2% milk which is 100something (I don't remember the exact figure, I want to say it's also 120). It's a great after dinner treat that kills my sweet tooth and is still doing something for me. I have a hard time getting all my protein since I eat very little meat.

    So there's --let's say-- 250 calories right there that fits in a coffee cup. Cheers :drinker:
  • _AllieCat_
    _AllieCat_ Posts: 515 Member
    I eat something healthy that I typically don;t eat often because it's higher in calories.
    For example: beans, avocado, serving of cheese, eggs, brown rice, beef, etc.

    In reality, when I have a few hundred calories left at the end of a day a grab a cold beer and call it a night .:drinker:
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    If I'm low on calories for the day, and also low on my fat macro, I take it as a sign that I'm meant to enjoy some cheese.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    hard-boiled eggs, almonds, walnuts
  • janeilm89
    janeilm89 Posts: 16
    Barbecue popchips! Or cashews, nom nom! Or some avocado. All good stuff.
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
    Thanks, all…


    This isn’t something that happens too often, but I doubled up my workout this evening…my filler list usually consists of extra wine (which I am trying to cut down/out on), sunflower seeds (OMG, the sodium!), and popcorn. :tongue:

    Going to bookmark to refer back to, so when I make the grocery list I can grab the goodies. :)
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    ice cream!
  • carlybarley22
    carlybarley22 Posts: 197 Member
    A few tablespoons of peanut butter will help close the gap.

    I was going to say the same thing! Except I'm allergic to peanut butter so I eat sunbutter.
  • darisey
    darisey Posts: 228 Member
    Ice cream :]
  • amyljl77
    amyljl77 Posts: 43 Member
    smashed avocado...just add a little salt and some chili powder YUM. A whole medium avocado and 7 tostitos will set you back 400 -500 calories. Healthy and yummy... I had this for lunch today and it kept me full until dinner!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Good quality dark chocolate!
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    When I need carbs, on my heavy workout days, I prefer potatoes to grain. Sometimes, I eat purple potato chips. They are lightly salted, organic and pretty good for you (no transfats and cooked in organic oil. Plus, you get all the benefits of "blue" food--proanthocyanidins). I don't eat a lot of them (I don't have a problem with "chip addiction") and they are pricey. They are actually quite satisfying. Sometimes I will eat a baked potato with cottage cheese and chives on top (or plain full-fat yogurt--mostly tastes like sour cream). Sometimes I will cook up a small batch of mashed potatoes. Mostly, I avoid the high sugar potatoes like redskins and Yukon Golds and go for Russets (baking potatoes) instead. Did you know that you can get basically all the major nutrients out of potatoes and dairy? You could probably live indefinitely on those two food items alone---survivalists take note (not that you wouldn't get right sick of them after a while though). :laugh:
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    This is the reason for Mssrs Ben and Jerry....good gentlemen to know.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Good quality dark chocolate!

    Yes--I will usually eat that too on my big ex days. I make my own out of baker's unsweetened and dextrose (that's the industry name for glucose). That way I can control the sweetness and glucose doesn't have the same addictive properties of sucrose (it is the fructose content of sucrose that seems to be the problem in sugar addiction). One one-ounce square seems to satisfy the chocolate urge--very intense chocolate flavor. As it turns out, chocolate is quite good for you---one of the few foods that help your body to repair damaged BNA. Who knew?
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    If you're looking for healthy options, I'd go with cheese and crackers or tablespoons of peanut butter. Or both!

    If you're up for fun I'd go with cheesecake. Or ice cream.

    Damn...I want junk food!!
  • robinsnest02
    robinsnest02 Posts: 14 Member
    One way to knock out a lot of calories is eating avocado. 1/2 avocado (hass) has around 250 calories and takes care of some beneficial fats, protein, and caratenoids.
  • ZericaL
    ZericaL Posts: 11 Member
    Wine! A glass or two will help spend calories and relax you.
  • Jessica_D_Shadow
    Jessica_D_Shadow Posts: 138 Member
    These post replies were a big help for me tonight. Thank you Juliemouse for asking this question!
  • Charlotte0713
    Charlotte0713 Posts: 3
    I agree with a few people that peanut butter and an apple are the way to go. You don't have to eat your work out calories they are bonus if you are really hungry. You might want to up your lightest meal.


    :smile:
  • GNeiswender
    GNeiswender Posts: 60 Member
    I like almonds & golden raisins - I like to eat them together for a crunchy sweet snack.

    I log almost everything in the morning, my breakfast, what I put in my lunchbag (including snacks), and then what I think I'm going to make for supper.

    When I get home if I didn't eat something in my lunchbag I just delete it . . . it helps me keep track of the calories throughout the day and if I see I'm going to be under by alot then I can adjust my intake earlier in the day instead of at night. I usually know about how much exercise I'm going to do also - I don't log exercise until I've done it but I make sure I know what calories I'm looking at.

    As for not eating all my exercise calories - I didn't know that you were suppose to.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I kill them with fire.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Promoting violence is against forum guidelines, especially in the subject line.

    This would be better suited in a private group. Thanks!
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    I like almonds & golden raisins - I like to eat them together for a crunchy sweet snack.

    I log almost everything in the morning, my breakfast, what I put in my lunchbag (including snacks), and then what I think I'm going to make for supper.

    When I get home if I didn't eat something in my lunchbag I just delete it . . . it helps me keep track of the calories throughout the day and if I see I'm going to be under by alot then I can adjust my intake earlier in the day instead of at night. I usually know about how much exercise I'm going to do also - I don't log exercise until I've done it but I make sure I know what calories I'm looking at.

    As for not eating all my exercise calories - I didn't know that you were suppose to.

    Dates and almonds are a good one too (bu not for those who have a problem with sugar).
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    Avocado is my fave because it's healthy fat and my body seems to respond well to it. Nuts are great and though I know it's best in moderation, I just loooooove cheese.
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
    Promoting violence is against forum guidelines, especially in the subject line.

    This would be better suited in a private group. Thanks!
    Something's missing...
  • Food4Fuel
    Food4Fuel Posts: 37 Member
    Natural almond butter, reduced sugar jelly, whole grain bread.... Boom

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