I don't know how to feel about this. Bad Habit?

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misspenny762
misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm really good about sticking to my calorie limits. I do have one habit though, and I'm not sure whether it's that "bad" or not. Thoughts?

Often, I'll go on a really long hike or bike ride and burn what I consider to be an insane amount of calories. (Today was an example of that, I burned about 1,000 on a six mile hike - according to MFP, at least). Of course, the exercise doesn't make me any hungrier, so I stick to my normal 1,200-a-day habits throughout the day without really trying, and I usually end up in the evening with a huge deficit, yet I'm completely stuffed. However, the fact that I can eat more tugs at me, and I end up going back to the kitchen and snacking until I meet my limit, even though I'm not hungry at all.

Is this that bad? I know that most of you don't like eating at night but it has never bothered me... For one I don't think the time of day calories are eaten is a huge deal anyway, but plus I tend to stay up pretty late and often exercise again right before I go to bed. I still feel guilty about this habit though, but I don't know if that feeling is really warranted. What are your thoughts? Should I restrict myself from this behavior or does it matter? Or is it even good, as it keeps me from starvation mode?

Replies

  • John8188
    John8188 Posts: 54
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    If I was you I would get some of those Kellogg fiber bars for while you are hiking. They're like 140 cals each. Have one or two while you're hiking and they will help give you a little boost and eat up some of those cals you feel you're wasting, but i would not snack at night. that is a bad idea.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    If it were me, I would eat *something* since your body does need some extra fuel if you've burned that many calories. You may try bringing something like almonds or something easy to carry on your hike/bike ride, that way you're not stuck trying to eat everything later. If you know you're going to be doing this kind of workout, eat a little extra leading up to it - have a bigger breakfast or lunch than normal. Again - this helps spread the calories out. It's not really necessary to eat them all back, I wouldn't recommend it in case you overestimate what you've burned, but I would shoot for at least 300-500 extra calories if you've burned 1000.
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
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    Thanks for the advice! I should add that I do bring nut granola bars on my hikes and rides.

    Also, when I say "limit", I mean my 1200 plus about half of my exercise cals. I don't eat them all, I don't trust MFP's estimates as far as I can throw 'em.
  • xcbballuver
    xcbballuver Posts: 186
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    Don''t eat until ur limit b/c MFP might have overestimated calorie burn or u underestimate food portion size. U should eat maybe half of ur exercise calories back. Plus this wouldnt be a good habit for later when u go into maintainence mode b/c u might get relaxed and start eating those lbs back..
  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
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    Personally, eating at night is something I avoid because I end up waking up halfway through my sleep, but if it doesn't bother you, it shouldn't be an issue. I would, however, say that you absolutely need to watch what you're eating, because snacking is usually synonymous with junk food... although I'm pretty sure you keep that out of your house...

    The other red flag I see is that you're *consistently* under 1200 (or just barely above)... and if you have several days a week when you're burning a bunch (say, over 500) of calories, your body might eventually slip into the dreaded starvation mode. You don't want to be forcing yourself to eat, but be really conscious of the fact that you can't run on minimum forever...
  • Paige1108
    Paige1108 Posts: 432 Member
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    In the beginning I sometimes felt guilty because I was eating more food than I thought I would ever get to eat on a "diet". I don't know what I felt so guilty about, but I did. But now that I'm so close to my goal, I just feel excited that I've been able to eat great, even naughty once or twice, and still loss this weight. It gives me real hope that I can live like this for the rest of my life and this is not a diet but my life. So, I eat almost all my calories, goal and exercise. Knowledge is power, and in this case the power to eat a little treat. I'm munching some apricots and cheese right now thanks to a nice long bike ride.

    Another thing that I did was I went and looked up my maintenance calorie goal. And if I ever get a little goosey about how much I can eat, just because I have the calories, I just stay under that number and it takes the edge off my worry.
  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
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    In the beginning I sometimes felt guilty because I was eating more food than I thought I would ever get to eat on a "diet". I don't know what I felt so guilty about, but I did. But now that I'm so close to my goal, I just feel excited that I've been able to eat great, even naughty once or twice, and still loss this weight. It gives me real hope that I can live like this for the rest of my life and this is not a diet but my life. So, I eat almost all my calories, goal and exercise. Knowledge is power, and in this case the power to eat a little treat. I'm munching some apricots and cheese right now thanks to a nice long bike ride.

    Another thing that I did was I went and looked up my maintenance calorie goal. And if I ever get a little goosey about how much I can eat, just because I have the calories, I just stay under that number and it takes the edge off my worry.

    This made me feel much better, thank you! :)
  • skinnytayy
    skinnytayy Posts: 459
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    I don't think its really bad as long as you stay active. And the time of day that you eat does not matter from what i've read. All that "don't eat after 7pm or 8pm" is a total myth. I found an article on it thoroughly explaining it. I would say it would be a problem if you quit being active and kept eating like that. I wouldn't really pay much attention to it. If you are creating that big of a deficit you need to eat more calories so you don't starve yourself or cause any medical problems in the future.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I did the something yesterday. Could have went to bed with an extra 1000 calorie deficit, too. Today I'm doing an extra 500. I think the numbers are right since I used a hrm. It just feels wrong to eat when I'm not hungry, though I did eat some popcorn and half a skor bar :embarassed:
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Something=same thing
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
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    YES, it is a bad habit. Firstly, doing a large amount of activity doesn't mean you need calories AFTER you do it. What would happen if instead of filling up the gas tank in your car before a road trip, you planned to fill up at the end? I'll assume you know what I mean. If you know you're doing something like that, then pace out your cals throughout the day.

    Secondly, you're eating a ton later in the evening (if I understould you correctly). This is trouble, especially if your body already feels starved because you've burned every sinlge cal you've consumed.

    Get that nice extra-large breakfast in, crank up that metabolism, and get the fuel you need.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    For people who are significantly overweight, the extra calorie deficit is usually not an issue. In the beginning of my program, my planned deficit was 1000 calories a day, but there were a number of days (at least 1-2 per week) where I (because of exercise) went to 1500-2000 calorie deficits without adverse effects either with my workout performances or weight loss.

    Again, keep in mind that many of our "calorie counting" methods are rough estimates at best. I seriously doubt you are burning 1000 calories on your hikes, so the "deficit" is likely not as great as you think.

    Eating later at night is not really an issue, but you should be planning out your intake with a more structured plan. It is better to "refuel" right after a workout rather than later in the day. Or, for something like hiking, refuel during the activity. And, since you said you are eating during the activity, that's another indication you are probably not incurring as large a deficit as you think.

    The kind of "reward snacking" you report is a common occurrence, I think. Again, the problems are that: A) I think overall your numbers are off and B) that type of snacking tends to be less regulated, and has fewer healthy choices. A little more structure and planning would probably work better for you.
  • andreahanlon
    andreahanlon Posts: 263 Member
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    Just a note on the eating at night thing.... I read that the reason it's not the best idea to eat at night is because your body repairs itself (its cells, etc) while you sleep. If you eat a big meal before going to bed, your body spends much more time concentrating on the digestion process instead of on the daily "repair" process. So not eating at night isn't a weight loss thing as much as an optimal health thing.

    I also snack at night if I am pretty hungry, but as a rule of thumb, I think big meals are discouraged right before bed because of the reason above.
  • megamom
    megamom Posts: 920 Member
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    I never trust the exercise calories amount MFP says you burn. I alway cut them in half or even more. and rarely eat them all back. And I do have a snack at night, Heck, I work nights, I have a meal. LOL.
  • qifitness
    qifitness Posts: 49 Member
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    There seems to be a number of us at MFP who are qualified health/fitness professionals and consequently able to give sound, 'qualified advice'. Unfortunately, there are a few members who seem to think they know best and offer poor, incorrect and/or misleading advice.

    I chanced upon a piece of poor and misleading advice posted in response to your original question.
    I hope this response will help:

    When we exercise, we use up glucose (blood sugar). The more we do in a session, the more we use up.
    So when we've completed our exercise session (or walk/hike for example), blood sugar needs to be replenished afterwards. The general recommendation for this is to consume carbohydrate and protein within 1 hour of finishing. (This is the simplified recommendation. If you do some research online, there is further reliable advice about exact timing, quantities and proportions.)

    Following our exercise sessions, our bodies NEED this. If not replenished, our blood sugar will drop further, and this can lead to feeling tired and reduce our ability to think straight. Poorly maintained blood sugar levels will also affect appetitie and often lead to an over-reaction - eating too much.

    Maintaining steady blood sugar levels helps regulate appetite. The GI Index used by diabetice is a very useful way of doing this.

    It sounds as if you are not eating enough to fuel your body's needs, when needed.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I'm really good about sticking to my calorie limits. I do have one habit though, and I'm not sure whether it's that "bad" or not. Thoughts?

    Often, I'll go on a really long hike or bike ride and burn what I consider to be an insane amount of calories. (Today was an example of that, I burned about 1,000 on a six mile hike - according to MFP, at least). Of course, the exercise doesn't make me any hungrier, so I stick to my normal 1,200-a-day habits throughout the day without really trying, and I usually end up in the evening with a huge deficit, yet I'm completely stuffed. However, the fact that I can eat more tugs at me, and I end up going back to the kitchen and snacking until I meet my limit, even though I'm not hungry at all.

    Is this that bad? I know that most of you don't like eating at night but it has never bothered me... For one I don't think the time of day calories are eaten is a huge deal anyway, but plus I tend to stay up pretty late and often exercise again right before I go to bed. I still feel guilty about this habit though, but I don't know if that feeling is really warranted. What are your thoughts? Should I restrict myself from this behavior or does it matter? Or is it even good, as it keeps me from starvation mode?

    I go into my exercise calories at time by 100, I burn 700 to 800 calories per exercise session. I have hundreds left at the end of the day. Personally, I have never hit any starvation mode to be honest.

    Be careful you do not overestimate the calories you are burning. MFP can sometimes be a bit on the high side when it comes to logging those calories burned. If you take it as gospel and end up trying to eat all your exercise calories, you could end up eating over the amount you are really burning. Approximately, 100 calories burned for one mile is what I tend to go by, so far, it has worked.

    If you are not hungry, at the end of the day, don't forcefeed yourself.

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