Do you eat at end of day to get the rest of your calories?

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marysidneyherbert
marysidneyherbert Posts: 69
in Health and Weight Loss
This is another question for some of you knowledgeable folks who understand about how we're supposed to eat all our allotted calories. I'm wondering about this because sometimes I can't exercise until the end of the day. Or, I exercise early in the day and then again late in the evening. I can't be sure ahead of time that I'm actually going to do the exercise, so I don't want to "pre-eat" my calories. But then again, we have all heard the warnings about how bad it is to eat at the end of the day. So ... if I've eaten all my calories for the day, and then from 11 p.m. til midnight I fit in another hour of exercise, should I eat something just to get my calories? And what if I'm not really that hungry (because of the way the exercise suppressed my appetite, maybe, and I just feel like I'm ready to get into bed)?

Replies

  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Just eat 'em tomorrow when you're hungry and actually want them. Your body isn't on a 24 hour schedule.
  • niftyafterfifty
    niftyafterfifty Posts: 338 Member
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    No, I don't eat just to get rid of calories. But, if I have room for a snack and want it, I have it.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    Just eat 'em tomorrow when you're hungry and actually want them. Your body isn't on a 24 hour schedule.
    This. If you exercise really late and can't possibly eat another bite, add them to tomorrow's exercise diary.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    eventually you will know what each meal and snack needs to be to meet your calorie goals and macros without much effort. I usually end up with 50 +/- calories at the end of the day.
  • jenniball91
    jenniball91 Posts: 5
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    It's much healthier to eat a large breakfast the next morning than to stock up on calories late. Stop eating a couple of hours before you go to bed and splurge on a delicious meal in the morning. Listen to your body; if you're not hungry, don't eat!
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    I do, but that's because I like eating at night and am glad I have calories leftover for it, lol.
  • itsscottwilder
    itsscottwilder Posts: 317
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    I think looking at your calorie trends week to week is probably gonna be more beneficial than agonizing over them day to day. One day of going under or over a little is not gonna make or break you as long as over time you're consistent.
  • sumeetg37
    sumeetg37 Posts: 108 Member
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    I do all the time. I think in another post I mentioned that for me there is zero "are you full?". The answer is always "I could eat" soooooo while I make sure to eat through the day I sometimes do find myself with a few hundred cal's at the end of the day which I happily consume in whichever food group I want that fits with my sugar/salt goals...

    Put another way I don't really listen to my body, it's what got me in trouble in the first place I eat till MFP tells me to stop :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
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    It's much healthier to eat a large breakfast the next morning than to stock up on calories late. Stop eating a couple of hours before you go to bed and splurge on a delicious meal in the morning. Listen to your body; if you're not hungry, don't eat!

    It's not unhealthy to eat a stock pile of calories before you go to bed. Your body will metabolize them the same if you eat right before bed or when you first get up.


    OP, overall, it's up to you. If you dont' eat them after the workout, just eat more the next day. But I like to have a protein shake after workout (not that is necessary). I frequently workout late at night too.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    The only calorie/carb timing stuff I've run across and found useful was the stuff aimed at diabetics, some of which I've used to troubleshoot my own energy issues. If I eat a ton of food in the front half of a day, I'm probably either paying the piper for something stupid or going to be. Or it's Sunday when I work day shift at a pizza joint and have enough exercise calories it doesn't even matter.
  • Cheeky_0102
    Cheeky_0102 Posts: 408 Member
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    if it happens occasionally, i decide on a case by case basis... will i wake up hungry? if so, then a scoop of peanut butter or some yogurt is a great way to keep full overnight...

    if it's happening often, then i re-evaluate what I'm doing during the day. I try to eat around 400 calories per meal, since i have been at this a while, I'm having more trouble keeping it under than getting it up to it... practice makes perfect
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    Only if I'm actually hungry.
  • l0vedim0
    l0vedim0 Posts: 42 Member
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    If I have calories left at the end of the day I just leave it alone if I am not starving because there is going to be a day where I go over my calories and after a month or so it all evens out.
  • wjack459
    wjack459 Posts: 17
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    do what works for you+++ to each their own!!! some can eat 5 to 6 meal a day and two snack. but i love the three square and two snack.. i love to work out in the morning on a empty stomach but that's me!!! i walk for 150 to 200 min for six days a week plus i just added weightlifting ( cause muscles burns fat-- hrs after the workout)!!

    i change my eating habit may 20 2013 ( thiis is my 73th day) i have lost 23lb, i try to stay away from mirror and the scale ( they just burst ur bubble) i only weight myself every 5 weeks ( my next one is aug 18th , which is my 91st day!!!

    so i tell anyone , what works for me might not work for you!! but i have read a lot of pros and cons!!!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Depends if I'm hungry or not, and if I feel like having a snack or not. Most days I have 100-200 calories left at the end of the day.
  • marysidneyherbert
    marysidneyherbert Posts: 69
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    Thanks to everyone for your responses. They are very helpful!

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