Staying under calories when up very early?

wonderbolt_in_training · February 2014

This was always an issue for me. Now I get up even earlier and exercise + pound water first thing in the morning. I can usually snack on some nuts & fruit mid-day and get a really satisfying dinner when I get home - I think the exercise helps suppress my appetite

hittingitonemoretime · February 2014

I usually train fasted and eat half of my calories after my workout. That leaves me satiated for the remainder of the day, so I can pick and choose really when I want to eat the rest of my calories from then till when I go to sleep.

This....

I wake up at 3:30 a.m. and am in the gym by 4:00 a.m., I usually have a protein shake or eggs after the gym and then I eat every couple of hours.

cwolfman13 · February 2014

how about getting out of the cycle of going to bed early and then getting up early because you went to bed early...then you wouldn't have to worry about staying under calories when you are up very early.

or maybe just go workout when you're up early and train fasted...

also, if you're hungrier in the evening, save those calories for the evening and eat them rather than going to bed early...you don't turn into a gremlin if you eat after 6. meal timing is completely irrelevant. most of my calorie intake comes between 4PM and 9 PM.

knra_grl · February 2014

sorry OP I should have looked at your ticker - you obviously know what you are doing :flowerforyou:

eddiesmith1 · February 2014

I'm up at 5:45 on work days, I get up shower let the dog out and feed him, have my vitamins (and glucosamine getting old sucks) drink 3 glasses of water and have a lighter breakfast (some blueberries yogurt and granola 230 -240 calories. Or I have oatmeal. out the door by 645. during the morning i will have black tea and more water, I eat lunch around 11-12 usually 4-500 calories (salad and a protein most days depends on whats available at work and 3 glasses water) I eat an apple late afternoon along with more water and tea, walk 7km home and dinner in the 6-7pm range (always 6-8 oz protein and green veg (either raw or cooked) usually falls in the 5-550 calorie range) sometimes a few nuts when i get home always more water. between home and bed I will drink another 4-6 glasses of water and probably one more tea. I've been averaging 12-14 glasses of water a day. I'm rarely really hungry .but I always make sure to have enough calories available for small snacks by eating smaller meals and filling in waith snacks.

CC_Maam · February 2014

I agree that I do better when I exercise prior to breakfast . . . afterwards I usually have bran cereal mixed a container of Greek Yogurt and a couple glasses of water. (I think I might be a Greek Yogurt addict)

The workout at home added to the circuit and laps at the pool I usually have a great deal of calories to work with. I also know I don't want to eat up my exercise calories ... that would be so counter productive! But it does give me more to 'play with' when it comes to food.

I think that sometimes we get 'food obsessed' by food in general and then by what we might not be eating. I think that if we do that it maximizes the risk for long term failure. Why? Because all you can think about is food ...the thing that we, at one time, we either consumed to much of or didn't exercise enough to metabolize what we have eaten.

I have come to look at food with a different eye ... ie if I want a piece of pie at O'Charley's on 'Free Pie Wednesday' I know I will be jogging in place for 6 10 minute segments. Hmmm I then ask myself ... is this piece of pie worth an hour of joggiing? Most of the time it isn't but there are times I think it just might be so I do what I call the "Eat and Run"! (eat the darn pie and run the 6 10 minute segments) Sometimes things are just that good or I have been craving them for a while and then I eat them. I refuse to deny myself what I want or what is the point. I LOVE food but for the most part I have come to adjust to the things that I love (for me ice cream is way to sweet and yogurt is now my go to snack for nearly everything!)

SLLRunner · February 2014

Also, I've found drinking a glass of green tea every hour works wonders for boosting my metabolism and keeping something in my stomach. Can't beat that!

While green tea is delicious, it's does not boost metabolism.

if you have concrete scientific evidence showing otherwise, please share.

ScientificExplorerGirl · February 2014

My routine usually works pretty well for me:

I'm up most morning at about 4:30 and have a cup of tea first thing.
I then do my workout and shower. By the time I'm dressed I'm ready for my breakfast and its about 7:00 or so.
Breakfast is high protein and high fiber.
I generally have a coffee with 1/2 scoop of chocolate whey protein before lunch and then lunch at about 12:30.
Dinner when home from work and then another coffee with 1/2 scoop of chocolate whey protein.
Green/herbal tea if I need something in between times (or just to keep warm)

Feel free to look at my diary, I think it is open. If not FR me.

Good Luck!!

GothyFaery · February 2014

Not sure why you're problem is focused around what time it is. If you wake up early and go to bed early, you have the same hours in between no matter what time label you put on them. I'm up at 4:15 every day and most week days I'm in bed by 7/7:30 and asleep by 8. If I shifted everything 4 hours, I would still be awake for the same amount of time I would just wake up at 8 and go to bed at 12.

But to answer your question, I'm up at 4, have my tea at 6, eat cereal at 7:30, grapes around 9:30/10, lunch at noon, and dinner at 4. If I have room, I'll have a snack at 6.

ETA: I can't spell :embarassed:

Francl27 · February 2014

Thanks for all the advice... I definitely need to figure out a pairing of veggies and protein that I like for snacks.... I don't mind veggies, but I've found that if I have too many of them I have a hard time getting to my protein goal (and still have a treat.. that's why I have Greek yogurt or protein bars so often, I got to have my sweets, lol!). But I definitely need to figure out how to make veggie soups. I don't really like nuts... I typically only eat them when I get my Graze boxes.

About my deficit, yeah it could probably be smaller, but I tend to go over some days, so I figured I'd stick to a bigger deficit so I can be more lenient (mostly I never know how much oil or butter hubby puts in stuff sometimes, just that it's 'not much') and it's not a big deal if I go over (which I tend to do quite a bit). I'm not really sure what my activity level is, so it's hard to figure out my TDEE (I walk 3 miles 5 days a week and lift weights for 15-20 minutes 3x a week, but mostly sit the rest of the time). I don't eat back exercise calories, just following TDEE (deficit is either 20% or 15%, depending on what my activity level really is. I'm clueless).

I drink all day... easily 2 liters a day. I have green tea too, but I need a splash of milk or it makes me nauseous/hungry, so I typically count those calories too (maybe I'm a bit anal to log the 5 calories of milk every time).

I can't workout in the morning, I mean I could lift my weights, but typically otherwise I just walk, and it's either too cold or dark (not enough light outside to walk in the dark, I found out the hard way, lol), and I have to be here when the kids get up anyway, so I can't go to the gym either.

I'm typically not hungrier in the evening though, it's just tough to hold out for that 6pm meal, but it's when hubby gets home unfortunately. Sometimes I don't wait for him but it's annoying as I want to have family meals with the kids too. Major pain in the butt.

But yes... eat more veggies. Groan.

Mav3rick54 · February 2014

Smaller frequent meals? I tried the intermittent fasting thing, but couldn't do it. I like to eat all day...I eat my 1500 to 2000 calories in 6 to 8 meals. Try a glass of water before each meal, too.

^^ This

I am up at 4:00, gym by 5:00, work by 6:30 and in bed around 9:00 -9:30. I eat a protein bar before I go to the gym and then take my breakfast, lunch and two snacks with me to work. I try to eat something every 2-3 hours and I rarely feel hungry. I keep some almonds or similar snack handy in case I do get hungry.

xmysterix · February 2014

A banana in the early hours does wonders for me. Balances my blood sugar and keeps me going until my oddly snoozey preschooler decides to wake up for her unbelievably late breakfasts.

PrettyPearl88 · February 2014

How do you do it? I'm still struggling with this! I tend to go to bed early (sometimes hungry, and it's part of the reason I go to bed early), unfortunately it means I'm often up early too (like 5am), and often hungry by 6am. So, I eat. Then I'm hungry for lunch at 10.30am... After that it's a struggle all day to leave enough calories for dinner (hubby doesn't get home until 6pm).

Of course it doesn't help when it's one of those days when I'm just hungry anyway, but still... man I can't wait for maintenance!

First thing I was going to say right off the bat was more fiber and protein. But I just looked at your diary and you seem to be getting enough of those. You can even afford to lower the protein a bit if you want. You're doing a good job with fiber and protein.

I think your problem is that you're not spreading your calories out evenly enough. If having one big meal and the rest tiny little meals works for you, great, do that then. But it seems to NOT be working for you. So if I were you, I'd try smaller main meals and eating more snacks so that you're eating something every 2-3 hours. You could try something like this:

5:00 am -- Wake up
5:30 am -- Breakfast: 250 cals
7:30 am -- Snack 1: 100 cals
10:00 am -- Snack 2: 100 cals
12:30 pm -- Lunch: 350 cals
3:30 pm -- Snack 3: 200 cals
6:00 pm -- Dinner: 400 cals
8:30 pm -- Dessert: 100 cals
10:00 pm -- Sleep

kbmnurse · February 2014

I eat 5-6 smaller meals daily..

Examples

pre workout 6AM 1/2 whole wheat bagel with either PB, cream cheese or butter/jelly. workout for about 40 -45 min
snack 9AM greek plain yogurt with berries and almonds or Special k cereal on top for crunch
lunch noon 1/2 tuna sandwich usually on wheat toast and 14 stix pretzels or salad with protein (shrimp, tuna or chicken)
snack 2-3PM salt free rice cake with PB or cup of tea with homemade biscotti or 1/2 serving of almonds (14)
dinner 5-6Pm whatever we are having measuring/weighing correct portions
snack-maybe 16 chocolate animal crackers or skinny cow ice cream sandwich

I never let myself get hungry if I do you better nail down the fridge.

I almost always stay under my calories for the day.

Francl27 · February 2014

How do you do it? I'm still struggling with this! I tend to go to bed early (sometimes hungry, and it's part of the reason I go to bed early), unfortunately it means I'm often up early too (like 5am), and often hungry by 6am. So, I eat. Then I'm hungry for lunch at 10.30am... After that it's a struggle all day to leave enough calories for dinner (hubby doesn't get home until 6pm).

Of course it doesn't help when it's one of those days when I'm just hungry anyway, but still... man I can't wait for maintenance!

First thing I was going to say right off the bat was more fiber and protein. But I just looked at your diary and you seem to be getting enough of those. You can even afford to lower the protein a bit if you want. You're doing a good job with fiber and protein.

I think your problem is that you're not spreading your calories out evenly enough. If having one big meal and the rest tiny little meals works for you, great, do that then. But it seems to NOT be working for you. So if I were you, I'd try smaller main meals and eating more snacks so that you're eating something every 2-3 hours. You could try something like this:

5:00 am -- Wake up
5:30 am -- Breakfast: 250 cals
7:30 am -- Snack 1: 100 cals
10:00 am -- Snack 2: 100 cals
12:30 pm -- Lunch: 350 cals
3:30 pm -- Snack 3: 200 cals
6:00 pm -- Dinner: 400 cals
8:30 pm -- Dessert: 100 cals
10:00 pm -- Sleep

It's what I do a lot really. I just enter things in my diary depending on the time. Like I had lunch at 10.30am today but it was entered already so I didn't bother changing it, then I had the rest 2 hours later, but it was still technically lunch time.

I need to figure out more filling 100 calorie snacks though.

PrettyPearl88 · February 2014

How do you do it? I'm still struggling with this! I tend to go to bed early (sometimes hungry, and it's part of the reason I go to bed early), unfortunately it means I'm often up early too (like 5am), and often hungry by 6am. So, I eat. Then I'm hungry for lunch at 10.30am... After that it's a struggle all day to leave enough calories for dinner (hubby doesn't get home until 6pm).

Of course it doesn't help when it's one of those days when I'm just hungry anyway, but still... man I can't wait for maintenance!

First thing I was going to say right off the bat was more fiber and protein. But I just looked at your diary and you seem to be getting enough of those. You can even afford to lower the protein a bit if you want. You're doing a good job with fiber and protein.

I think your problem is that you're not spreading your calories out evenly enough. If having one big meal and the rest tiny little meals works for you, great, do that then. But it seems to NOT be working for you. So if I were you, I'd try smaller main meals and eating more snacks so that you're eating something every 2-3 hours. You could try something like this:

5:00 am -- Wake up
5:30 am -- Breakfast: 250 cals
7:30 am -- Snack 1: 100 cals
10:00 am -- Snack 2: 100 cals
12:30 pm -- Lunch: 350 cals
3:30 pm -- Snack 3: 200 cals
6:00 pm -- Dinner: 400 cals
8:30 pm -- Dessert: 100 cals
10:00 pm -- Sleep

It's what I do a lot really. I just enter things in my diary depending on the time. Like I had lunch at 10.30am today but it was entered already so I didn't bother changing it, then I had the rest 2 hours later, but it was still technically lunch time.

I need to figure out more filling 100 calorie snacks though.

When I looked at your diary entries during the past 1-2 weeks, I saw large lunches. Most days, your lunches were between 500 and 700 calories and you had only 1 or 2 snacks. If your lunches are 500-700 calories on a regular basis...THAT'S your problem. If you're just listing half of that food under "Lunch" but you're actually eating half of the food you have listed under "Lunch" as snacks throughout the day, then that's good (though not very helpful to other people trying to interpret your diary lol!)

How long has it been since you started eating healthier? Because if you're eating every 2-4 hours and you're eating the right foods (good proportions of protein, fiber, fat, and veggies), you shouldn't be starving unless you're either A) not eating enough, or

you haven't been doing it for very long and you're just going to have to suck it up and deal for a bit until your body adjusts.

Francl27 · February 2014

How do you do it? I'm still struggling with this! I tend to go to bed early (sometimes hungry, and it's part of the reason I go to bed early), unfortunately it means I'm often up early too (like 5am), and often hungry by 6am. So, I eat. Then I'm hungry for lunch at 10.30am... After that it's a struggle all day to leave enough calories for dinner (hubby doesn't get home until 6pm).

Of course it doesn't help when it's one of those days when I'm just hungry anyway, but still... man I can't wait for maintenance!

First thing I was going to say right off the bat was more fiber and protein. But I just looked at your diary and you seem to be getting enough of those. You can even afford to lower the protein a bit if you want. You're doing a good job with fiber and protein.

I think your problem is that you're not spreading your calories out evenly enough. If having one big meal and the rest tiny little meals works for you, great, do that then. But it seems to NOT be working for you. So if I were you, I'd try smaller main meals and eating more snacks so that you're eating something every 2-3 hours. You could try something like this:

5:00 am -- Wake up
5:30 am -- Breakfast: 250 cals
7:30 am -- Snack 1: 100 cals
10:00 am -- Snack 2: 100 cals
12:30 pm -- Lunch: 350 cals
3:30 pm -- Snack 3: 200 cals
6:00 pm -- Dinner: 400 cals
8:30 pm -- Dessert: 100 cals
10:00 pm -- Sleep

It's what I do a lot really. I just enter things in my diary depending on the time. Like I had lunch at 10.30am today but it was entered already so I didn't bother changing it, then I had the rest 2 hours later, but it was still technically lunch time.

I need to figure out more filling 100 calorie snacks though.

When I looked at your diary entries during the past 1-2 weeks, I saw large lunches. Most days, your lunches were between 500 and 700 calories and you had 1 or 2 snacks. If your lunches are 500-700 calories on a regular basis...THAT'S your problem. If you're just listing half of that food under "Lunch" but you're actually eating half of the food you have listed under "Lunch" as snacks throughout the day, then that's good (though not very helpful to people other people trying to interpret your diary lol!)

How long has it been since you started eating healthier? Because if you're eating every 2-4 hours and you're eating the right foods (good proportions of protein, fiber, fat, and veggies), you shouldn't be starving unless you're either A) not eating enough, or you haven't been doing it for very long and you're just going to have to suck it up and deal for a bit until your body adjusts.

I started a year ago. I just have days when I'm hungrier, lol. Yes I split my lunches most of the time. I just don't always bother putting them in the right place when I prelogged and have lunch a bit early, so some afternoon snacks still end up in the lunch category because it's still only 1pm.

sshintaku · February 2014

I keep a similar schedule. What works for me:

Breakfast at 5:30am with coffee (black) usually 200-250 cal. Oatmeal with some nuts or a boiled egg.
More coffee around 8am.
Snack around 9-9:30, usually a Greek yogurt cup 100 cal
Snack around 10:30, a fiber bar or a fruit with hot tea
Lunch 12-12:30 try to keep it around 300-400 cal
Snack around 2 or 3. A fruit, string cheese, cucumber and humus. Usually 100 cal
Dinner around 6, usually around 500-600 cal.

On average I'm doing about 1400-1500 cal, working out daily and loosing .5-1lb a week.

cmriverside · February 2014

About my deficit, yeah it could probably be smaller, but I tend to go over some days, so I figured I'd stick to a bigger deficit so I can be more lenient (mostly I never know how much oil or butter hubby puts in stuff sometimes, just that it's 'not much') and it's not a big deal if I go over (which I tend to do quite a bit). I'm not really sure what my activity level is, so it's hard to figure out my TDEE (I walk 3 miles 5 days a week and lift weights for 15-20 minutes 3x a week, but mostly sit the rest of the time). I don't eat back exercise calories, just following TDEE (deficit is either 20% or 15%, depending on what my activity level really is. I'm clueless).

See, this could be your biggest problem, right here.

You are almost at goal. In many cases that last 10-15 pounds is vanity weight. I'm not implying, I'm just saying. So you are technically probably in a healthy weight range right now, right?

Your deficit should not be more than TDEE-10% at this point. Those extra 200-300 or so calories will make a huge difference.

If you've been logging faithfully along the way, you should know your TDEE by now if you've lost 75 pounds. (Congrats, BTW!)

If you don't know your TDEE, spend the next few weeks trying to figure it out.

Have you read these?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Francl27 · February 2014

About my deficit, yeah it could probably be smaller, but I tend to go over some days, so I figured I'd stick to a bigger deficit so I can be more lenient (mostly I never know how much oil or butter hubby puts in stuff sometimes, just that it's 'not much') and it's not a big deal if I go over (which I tend to do quite a bit). I'm not really sure what my activity level is, so it's hard to figure out my TDEE (I walk 3 miles 5 days a week and lift weights for 15-20 minutes 3x a week, but mostly sit the rest of the time). I don't eat back exercise calories, just following TDEE (deficit is either 20% or 15%, depending on what my activity level really is. I'm clueless).

See, this could be your biggest problem, right here.

You are almost at goal. In many cases that last 10-15 pounds is vanity weight. I'm not implying, I'm just saying. So you are technically probably in a healthy weight range right now, right?

Your deficit should not be more than TDEE-10% at this point. Those extra 200-300 or so calories will make a huge difference.

If you've been logging faithfully along the way, you should know your TDEE by now if you've lost 75 pounds. (Congrats, BTW!)

If you don't know your TDEE, spend the next few weeks trying to figure it out.

Have you read these?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

I'm 12 lbs under the high end of normal weight now. My body fat is 24-25%. It's hard to tell though because I have a lot of loose skin on my belly, so I don't know how much belly fat I have anymore. Ideally though I should probably set my goal 5 lbs lower.

I know I lost 3.5 lb last month eating 1600 a day, but I went over a few times too... and now obviously I'm 3.5 lb lighter. I use scooby but it's always been pretty vague (I mean I do more than 1-3 hours of light exercise, 5-6 hours is about right, but it's hardly moderate intensity, so it doesn't help!).

Staying under calories when up very early?

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