I can't seem to eat the calories i need....

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lizzieann2010
lizzieann2010 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
i try so hard to eat the amount of calories i need. i do exercise so that gives me extra calories. today I had 582 calories left over. is it bad that i don't eat those calories?

Replies

  • tulaniq
    tulaniq Posts: 46 Member
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    I personally am of the mind that you should eat as many of your exercise calories as you want: if you're hungry, go for it, but I don't think it makes any sense to eat when you're not hungry!
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Give it some time and see how it fares for you. I do not eat all my exercise calories - just a few as I feel hungry on some days. Don't drop below 1200 a day as a habit. Good luck!
  • valmaebel
    valmaebel Posts: 1,045 Member
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    sometimes it takes a bit for your metabolism to level out after exercising. You may find the days you exercise you're not hungry, but hungry a day or so after. it's not like your body has a reset button that's hit at midnight. Eat when you're hungry, eat healthy options for extra snacks and see where it takes you. If you're still not sure or not losing weight, then check with a dietitian to see what they think.
  • johnthefatman
    johnthefatman Posts: 205
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    My method is eat most of my base allowance and then some of the exercise addon if I feel I need it or sometimes to help when eating out. - Remember we are all different - see how it goes over a month and then review it. Do not go hungry with calories in the bank and do not make the mistake of trying to force the pace by undercutting your base calories.
  • vickiele1
    vickiele1 Posts: 394 Member
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    I, personally, don't ever eat my exercise calories - the concept doesn't make sense to me - so, I just choose not to. I think that you have to figure out what works for you. Be healthy, eat healthy, exercise, and listen to your body. If you aren't hungry, then don't eat. If you are hungry, then eat healthy.

    Vickie
  • Brat3073
    Brat3073 Posts: 160
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    i had a hard time with this also. so i upped my snack calories....a serving (12) of almonds is 170 calories. or 1/4 cup roasted soybeans is 140.......this makes it easier to hit that cal mark youre aiming for.
  • hallswan
    hallswan Posts: 90
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    Hi,

    How long have you been on your journey - I have found over time (I have been at this for about 9 months) it gets alot easier - don't get me wrong there are days that I don't eat all of my calories - esp if I work out - but when I do eat at least half of them, I notice the difference then next day - I find I am less hungry - which means less of the munchies which can be anyone's down fall if done too often!

    What worked for me was I kept a bag of nuts in the house and I will have those when I am well under - or some fruit - that way you are not stuffing yourself when you are not hungry!

    Hope this helps
  • swintmf
    swintmf Posts: 5
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    I've been undecided about eating all the calories myself, but agree, if not hungry then don't eat them. Just remember to eat the minimum.
  • jaded_rose
    jaded_rose Posts: 298 Member
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    I personally try to eat back some of my exercise calories because at 1200 its not enough for me. I'm starving and am usually benging so if your hungry try to find something healthy to eat. If you have a huge amount left, then treat yourself.
  • nubreeze33
    nubreeze33 Posts: 270
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    To me it's like this fun game, I eat some of the excess calories, sometimes I don't even finish my daily allowance, and some days I am right on target. When I do eat I just make healthy choices, an apple instead of chips, a spinach salad instead of a burger. This way i'm still wayyyyy under my calorie goals but I have eaten no doubt about that. I find it so funny that i'm losing weight and eat wayyyyyyyyyyy more than I ever did at my highest weight. Now that I understand metabolism it has turned my world around. But don't feel like it's a 'have to' project because you have extra calories to eat and you're not hungry. Be good to yourself.
  • jjustjo
    jjustjo Posts: 285 Member
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    I struggle with this issue also. I've hit a wall and can't seem to break thru. (17 days and 1lb lost which I keep gaining back and losing and so on) I feel like I am eating all the time. Much more food and many more times during the day than I did when I wasn't dieting. Yet I rarely make my 1200 calorie goal. After advice to eat more, I did, but like mentioned above, one night I was stuffing in sugar free pudding and graham crackers just to make my 1200 calories. I wasn't hungry and I wasn't craving sweets. In my book that is stupid. I am not doing that again. I am now trying to eat more @ lunch and less for supper. I seem to be more hungry at lunch and I exercise between 2pm and 3pm so I have plenty of energy. I remain stuck still, but hopefully the next couple of days will bring me success....I really need it right now. I never eat my exercise calories...I just don't want them.
  • swanny320
    swanny320 Posts: 169 Member
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    Well, I think in the past, we've eaten TOO many calories because the food we ate was terrible for us and left us unsatisfied. Now that we are trying to eat healthy, we are choosing items that aren't generally as high in calories AND leave us more satisfied. As a result,w e're not eating our goal. I'm with you...some days it's hard and I agree with another poster in that I don't think I should be eating just to meet a calorie goal. I will listen to my body. If it's not hungry then it's not hungry.

    I also DO NOT eat the calories I burned from exercise. It doesn't make sense. 3500 calories = one pound so why wouldn't I want to go into a bit of a deficit (I'm not talking about starvation mode)>

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