Calories left... Later at night... What to do?

2»

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    So I have allotted myself 1660 calories per day. Today was a pretty crazy day and now it is 9:15pm. I have 586 calories left because I didn't eat dinner yet. Question is: what do i do? Do I eat something now, which is about 1.5 hrs before bed, or do I just chalk those calories up as gone? I'm sure if I drank water it would help curb my craving... Just not sure.
    It's almost 9:00 pm here, and I'm right in the middle of destroying about 900 calories worth of shrimp scampi. Meal timing is irrelevant - eat whenever you want as long as you're maintaining a caloric deficit and it doesn't cause indigestion/heartburn, etc. issues when you go to bed.
  • jpbgrad98CHANGED
    jpbgrad98CHANGED Posts: 113
    I love all the suggestions... Thank you so much. I can take them with me because I am sure I will be in this situation again. LOL
  • Roscotater
    Roscotater Posts: 3 Member
    Your day sounds like mine lately. I have had the same problem. It is better to have a healthy snack low in carbs than to go to bed hungry. Your body does not like being deprived and will put you into starvation mode. Eat something with high fiber or protien and low sugar. Low fat cheese and whole wheat crackers does it for me or you could try some celery with nut butter (just not too much). I also like lean chicken with a salad and low fat dressing for a fast late dinner. Another idea is greek yogurt which is higher in protein and lower in sugar that regular yogurt. Hope this helps. I wish you well.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Eat 'em if you're hungry. Don't eat them if you're not hungry... I'll save my calories for the next day and eat something awesome if I'm not hungry for them immediately.
  • marie2525m
    marie2525m Posts: 2
    Eat now...because tomorrow morning you'll be really hungry if you don't...and that means that you'll eat more than you should
  • MouseTmom
    MouseTmom Posts: 201 Member
    I don't like eating just to get MORE calories - that is how I got fat in the first place. That said - if I think I need to get a few more calories in I will drink a glass of milk or eat a little peanut butter.
  • toimisaki
    toimisaki Posts: 8 Member
    I would go for something quick and healthy...eggs are great as someone suggested. Nuts are high calorie and high nutrition. I really would not do chips or junk food. A calorie is not just a calorie. Junk food will make you hungrier the next day. Just my two cents on it. Good luck!
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
    I say do a little dance! If you are not hungry, then celebrate! This late in the evening, a little yogurt would hold me over.
  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
    I eat 5 meals a day last one being at 7pm and I go to bed by 10pm, so eat some lean protein & veggies , healthy fats.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Your day sounds like mine lately. I have had the same problem. It is better to have a healthy snack low in carbs than to go to bed hungry. Your body does not like being deprived and will put you into starvation mode. Eat something with high fiber or protien and low sugar. Low fat cheese and whole wheat crackers does it for me or you could try some celery with nut butter (just not too much). I also like lean chicken with a salad and low fat dressing for a fast late dinner. Another idea is greek yogurt which is higher in protein and lower in sugar that regular yogurt. Hope this helps. I wish you well.
    The bolded part above is bad information and should not be spread on this board. Your body does not go into "starvation mode" if you miss a meal....or even if you miss two meals....or even if you have an overall day which is abnormally low in calories. "Starvation mode" (which is better termed something like "metabolic adaptation" or "metabolic downregulation" for purposes of first-world countries where food availability is not an issue) only occurs after prolonged periods of caloric deprivation.

    With that said, it is a good idea to keep your calorie intake at a reasonable level and the deficit not too large.....but just because one misses a meal or occasionally goes to bed with 500 calories left in the bank doesn't mean their muscles are going to fall off and they're going to suddenly start cannibalizing themselves from the inside.
  • usmcgrl1
    usmcgrl1 Posts: 31 Member
    first- just eating to use your calories is not a way to lose weight. That is why you are on MFP right? Before you eat that fruit think about the sugar that is in fruit.not good right before bed. If it is just a craving have some water and eat something healthy for you but keep it small. I usually have 300 or more in exercise calories, doesn't mean I have to use them and many times I don't. Makes me feel good that I stayed within my 1200 calorie allowance without using these extra calories. Wish i did that more often though, some days just doesn't work. 1200 calories goes quick.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    If you aren't hungry, don't eat. Or eat some fruit/something light to help boost your calories a little whilst being healthy.
    Studies have shown it doesn't matter what time of date you eat, if you are concerned about eating close to bed time.
  • wibbley74
    wibbley74 Posts: 80 Member
    i keep dried fruit in the house for this very reason. i buy the snack packs that way i am not tempted to go over my limit by having that extra 1 or 2 that leads to 5 or 6
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    I learned the hard way that I HAVE to eat something before bed if I have a lot of calories left over, or I'll feel like crap in the morning, and be so hungry all day that I'll never catch up even if I overeat.

    Happened yesterday--I didn't eat quite enough during the day because I thought I might not make my evening running training program. Not only did I make it, but we ran farther than I figured we would, plus had a yoga session tacked onto the end. I didn't log everything until about 10 PM, then realized I was about 600 calories short.

    My solution was peanut butter on crackers and a glass of milk--not huge volume, but some nice protein in the milk and PB. Plus, I was out of PopTarts.

Categories