This is why people can't eat all of their calories...

Fast Food makes it easy to go over normal calories you should have! The extra sodas, beers, and sugars are no good.

Beer is no good???

OMG what a thing to say, there is no need to insult beer.

I'm wondering which fast food joint is serving beer; the Wendy's around here has yet to install a kegerator.

Starbucks is starting to sell wine and beer in the evenings >>

What about milkshakes at 8-9pm?

NO BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE BAD! MILKSHAKES ARE BAD! 8-9 PM IS BAD!

What about a frappuchino? Or a frosty? Please tell me frosty's are okay after 9pm!

Now you're complicating things.

You need to ask OP, who knows about this stuff

I have noticed a lot of folks are saying they have trouble eating low amounts of calories required of their diet structure. At first glance, this doesn't make a lick of sense. How in the world could someone end up so fat, usually eating 2 meals and snacking late at night, and then claim they aren't capable of eating a much smaller amount while enjoying 3 meals a day plus a snack? How is that possible? They're lying! They must be!

Not exactly. The original problem, becoming fat, is that you didn't keep up with your calories to begin with. You had no idea what was going into your body but now it is painfully obvious that it was to much. Now you are trying to eat healthy. Grilled meats instead of fried, wheat breads (and a lot less of it), veggies, rather than mac and cheese, that sort of thing. The biggest thing is that you've also kicked the soft drinks, and worst of all, sweet tea (the sweet, sweet nectar of the gods) That's where all of the calories went.

I'm a pretty big guy. I was 260 when I started and I am still quite a bit over weight at 207 and I can "throweth tha **** down" on an all-you-can-eat. But its all in the way you arrange it. Yes, I can eat 16oz of chicken, an entire can of green beans, and a large potato with deli mustard and greek yogurt for dinner, but who does that? And more over, who wants to consistently spend the money on that? When you cut out the unhealthy foods, the high calorie dishes are replaced with low calorie dishes. It's not practical or cost effect to make a half a cup of mac and cheese or exactly 9 french fries. When I make dinner I grill a big piece of chicken, I eat a half a can of green beans (as my wife eats the other half) and a potato with greek yogurt and deli mustard, sometimes even cheese. After all that, my whole meal was 500-700 calories. Meaning I would have had to have eatin that or more for breakfast and lunch, again. who does that, and more over, who can afford to do that daily?

This is why everyone is always wondering why they can't eat the amount of calories they are supposed to. It's easy to eat 1000 calories in a day, its easy to eat 3000 calories in a day. It is not east to eat 2000 calories in a day.

TL;DR: This reads like a blog post. The fact that I don't have the same responses to food that you do (I guess?) completely invalidates the post for me, which contributed to making it difficult to understand in the first place. Additionally, there's a strong use of style and voice, but I wouldn't necessarily call it effective because it leaves your point to meander along in strange ways.

Longer version:

It took me several times reading the post to figure out what you were saying as well. First you claim that people get fat due, in part, to nutrient timing and frequency. Then you claim (I think) that the problem is that people aren't monitoring their intake. The problem there is that nutrient timing and frequency are largely irrelevant as long as whatever pattern one chooses makes it possibly/easier for that person to maintain a deficit--assuming weight loss is the goal. Lots of people lose weight eating 2 meals with late night snacks, and they're perfectly healthy doing so.

And then there's far too much time spent talking about what seems to be a discussion of calorie quality as it relates to satiety and the resulting effect on hitting daily calorie goals. Most of my problem there is that you make a lot of assumptions about people. Your statements/question about wondering "who does that?" and "who can afford to do that daily?" are pretty easily answered. Lots of people do that, and it works for them, both in terms of fitting food into their schedules and their finances. It doesn't have to work for you, but I can't say that I care, nor would I expect you to care if any particular strategy works for me.

Your last sentence also seems to presume too much about your audience. It is not easy for me to 1000 calories in a day, regardless of quality. In fact, it would probably kill me. My blood sugar would drop out, and I would become so annoying to be around that my co workers would conspire against me. I'd be found several days later washed up on a beach somewhere. It's also not particularly easy for me to eat 2000 calories per day, regardless of quality. It's closer, to be sure. My sweet spot for tolerable satiety seems to be around 2100-2250ish. I still wouldn't call it easy, though. 3k calories per day? Yes, that I can do, and it doesn't matter if it's "healthy" or "unhealthy." And I'm sure we have different views on what falls under those categories as well.

Fast Food makes it easy to go over normal calories you should have! The extra sodas, beers, and sugars are no good.

Beer is no good???

OMG what a thing to say, there is no need to insult beer.

I'm wondering which fast food joint is serving beer; the Wendy's around here has yet to install a kegerator.

Starbucks is starting to sell wine and beer in the evenings >>

What about milkshakes at 8-9pm?

What if they are boozy milkshakes? What then?

I think this thread has established that beer is bad, wine is good, and no comment yet on hard liquor. It's tough to keep up, though. Almost as hard as eating 2,000 calories.

Fast Food makes it easy to go over normal calories you should have! The extra sodas, beers, and sugars are no good.

Beer is no good???

OMG what a thing to say, there is no need to insult beer.

I'm wondering which fast food joint is serving beer; the Wendy's around here has yet to install a kegerator.

Starbucks is starting to sell wine and beer in the evenings >>

What about milkshakes at 8-9pm?

What if they are boozy milkshakes? What then?

I think this thread has established that beer is bad, wine is good, and no comment yet on hard liquor. It's tough to keep up, though. Almost as hard as eating 2,000 calories.

See....I was going to stay out - but there we go demonizing beer again. What did beer ever do to you? There's always room in my calories for beer - daily I might add - has it's own category it does. :drinker:

Fast Food makes it easy to go over normal calories you should have! The extra sodas, beers, and sugars are no good.

Beer is no good???

OMG what a thing to say, there is no need to insult beer.

I'm wondering which fast food joint is serving beer; the Wendy's around here has yet to install a kegerator.

Starbucks is starting to sell wine and beer in the evenings >>

What about milkshakes at 8-9pm?

What if they are boozy milkshakes? What then?

I think this thread has established that beer is bad, wine is good, and no comment yet on hard liquor. It's tough to keep up, though. Almost as hard as eating 2,000 calories.

The twinkie and vodka diet is fine.

I don't eat in a vacuum.......I don't look up from the computer after logging and realize " OMG I only ate 689 calories, how did that come about " ?. It also does not happen that I realize " oh, I ate 3415 calories without realizing how that happened ". Why,? because I plan my food, I know now that a person of my height and age cannot consistently eat more than 1200 calories if they want to lose some weight. And I plan accordingly. Not down to last last calories, but within a 100 or so and that includes for example half a pound of strawberries with cream & sugar. I follow some people who are really successful and who I admire for all they have done to shed weight and become healthy and fit.....and they all plan before hand. No one eats " just because there are calories left " and I agree with you....it's not a good idea.
I am no one special, possess no special powers and am of average intelligence......and I manage. So what is so difficult for others? That's what I don't understand and the fact that " This is why people can't eat all of their calories " is a blanket statement that does not apply to many if not most people... And I realized right away that the post was in English and understand that part just fine, even though English is my fourth language.......jejeje.

While I agree with some of what you said, the bolded part I disagree with. People who have specific fitness goals find that their performance suffers if they are not eating ALL of their calories. These people do eat more when they have calories left.

Same here. I eat mostly ad libitum during the day and then at the end of the day if I have more calories left I eat something. (I have never ever pre-planned beyond the meal I'm preparing to eat.)

This happens a lot when I am bulking. Because I get used to eating about 2400 calories a day and suddenly change my goal to add an extra 1000-1500 per day.

Years ago when I still lived in my home country ( Germany ) I developed a very nasty double sided kidney infection and ended up in the hospital. I was given a beer with lunch and another one with dinner, because beer in moderation supposedly promotes kidney health. I still believe that beer is one of the best medicines around....lol.
If I had the choice only between commercial juice, soft drinks or beer, I would always chose beer, because it is more nutritious and plain healthier....in moderation of course....:o).

I wonder why, because it makes you pee a lot? That would be important for keeping the kidneys working.

What about a frappuchino? Or a frosty? Please tell me frosty's are okay after 9pm!

So long as it's not a milkshake.
/end thread

If you jump on a mini-tramp while drinking the milkshake, it negates the syntheticness of the sugars.

What about a frappuchino? Or a frosty? Please tell me frosty's are okay after 9pm!

So long as it's not a milkshake.
/end thread

If you jump on a mini-tramp while drinking the milkshake, it negates the syntheticness of the sugars.

Okay, this is getting complicated. What if I add raspberry ketones? Can I skip the trampoline?

This is why everyone is always wondering why they can't eat the amount of calories they are supposed to. It's easy to eat 1000 calories in a day, its easy to eat 3000 calories in a day. It is not east to eat 2000 calories in a day.

I find it easy to eat 2000 calories in a day. About 1750 in breakfast lunch and dinner, with a bowl of ice cream on top.

Id be interested in seeing your diary. Some days I have trouble eating enough without eating something bad for me.

And if I go and burn a few hundred at the gym like I do four nights a week, I am supposed to replenish those calories I "earned"!?!?!

yes at least some of them...

I'm having that problem too.... I find eating 1200 easy but every time I do maintentance I end up eating way more, because I try to reach goal with 'healthy' foods (including oils). But then it's not enough, so I end up eating 1 cookie, 2 cookies and then it turns into 20 cookies and I surpass my goal hahaha!!! I have no self-control ):

same with me. I actually just realized that I don't perform well at odd number like 1500 calories or 2000 calories. I always feel restricted and tend to over eat. Strange I know. Then if I just don't think of calories for a day, eat when I feel hungry, by the end of the day, I usually ended up at a better place. But that's just me...

I am a bit odd myself...my goal is 1700 which is TDEE-15% but my diary is set to 1600 so I feel like I have that leeway...I was going to just set it at 1700 but my husband reminded me of my "mind set"...well he said "mental issues" but anyway...so I leave it at 1600 and average 1700 a day....:bigsmile:

ETA: I think I am one of the few here who likes seeing their diary in red.....

This is why everyone is always wondering why they can't eat the amount of calories they are supposed to. It's easy to eat 1000 calories in a day, its easy to eat 3000 calories in a day. It is not east to eat 2000 calories in a day.

I find it easy to eat 2000 calories in a day. About 1750 in breakfast lunch and dinner, with a bowl of ice cream on top.

Id be interested in seeing your diary. Some days I have trouble eating enough without eating something bad for me.

And if I go and burn a few hundred at the gym like I do four nights a week, I am supposed to replenish those calories I "earned"!?!?!

You plan for it and eat more that day. If you have a regular routine and you know you typically go those 4 nights, then you know about how much you are going to need that day.

It is not east to eat 2000 calories in a day.

This is just an example of when I was losing and eating roughly 2200 calories per day...

Breakfast: 450 Calories

- 1 egg and 1 egg white (from carton) scrambled with 1 gram of finely shredded sharp cheddar (for extra flavor punch) & 2 grams coconut oil in non-stick.
- 1 serving Coach's Oats w/tsp brown sugar
- 50 grams of blueberries
- 11.5 oz low sodium V8 juice

Lunch: 675 Calories

- 1 cup of my homemade charro beans
- 4 grams sharp white cheddar
- 1 fresh homemade tortilla
- 1 chicken leg
- 1/2 avocado

Afternoon snack: 206 calories

- 200 grams assorted vegetables w/60 grams roasted red pepper hummus

Pre workout: 266 calories

- 165 grams fuji apple
- 28 grams raw almonds

Post workout: 140 calories

- Cytosport Whey Protein

Dinner: 600 calories

- 2 oz dried Gorafalo spaghetti
- 1/2 Cup marinara
- 85 grams roasted brussels sprouts and onions in olive oil
- 4 ounces grilled boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 sessions beer

Total calories 2,217

I will forever refuse to believe that this is in any way difficult, and there's really not even any junk food in that day save for my end of the day brew.

Hey, stop showing off, how dare you LOSE weight on calories that are more than my maintenance!!

and worst of all, sweet tea (the sweet, sweet nectar of the gods) That's where all of the calories went.

You named my arch nemesis disguised as my best friend! I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I got sooooo fat over the summer! I was drinking a giant cup of sweet tea everyday! That and my salted caramel lattes! LOL! I have switched to Chai (tea bag not concentrate!) with some homemade creamer~ half n half and agave. I am getting my craving satisfied without loads of sugar or calories!

So the lesson is that teabagging satisfies cravings?

I suppose it YOU are into that sort of thing, who am I to judge.

Hmm. After reading 6 pages, my takeaway from this thread is such:

If someone has a problem, and offers a lengthy explanation of said problem, including detailed examples ... the best thing to do is smugly explain to him why he's wrong and how much better we are at eating than he is, and then routinely make comments about him not making any sense.

Dear OP,

You're not alone. Some people are *great* at this. Others have trouble eating all their calories, and others have difficulties balancing their caloric intake against their macros. Same days are more difficult than others no matter how much you plan. For some people, no days are difficult and because those people exist, people like you and I (and the very few other folks that seemed to understand where you're coming from) are 100% fundamentally wrong--according to them.

At the risk of coming off like a total **** ... the level of superiority in this thread is overwhelming.

The guy had a legit concern and tried to explain it. Can we not act like he's some kind of moron and we're all saints of great health?

I saw numerous people giving advice on how it could be done, yet having that advice shot down as unreasonable, unhealthy, etc etc.