What Should I Do When Calories For The Day Are Lower?

dpr73 · April 2014

So I am slowly moving calories back up into maintenance. I have been trying for an average of around 2000-2100 calories for the past two weeks (and will evaluate where I am from there). My question is, what should I do on days (like today for example) when my calories just don't add up high enough? I feel satisfied and don't want to force myself into eating something that I don't REALLY want...just for the sake of eating those extra calories. So what do you all do? Do you eat them anyway even if you don't want them or do you just log, forget it, and move on the next day?

trogalicious · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

ETA: Give it longer than 2 weeks. 6 weeks at a particular intake level is a good start, THEN adjust.

luvinmomx2 · April 2014

i would think just log and wait for tomorrow i would be afraid eating when you really dont want would get you use to it and then make you want to eat more and more just my opinion

CJ_Holmes · April 2014

I'm not quite in maintenance yet, but I would definitley say don't eat them if you don't feel like it! If it becomes a pattern, and you lose weight without wanting to, then you may need to find ways to boost your intake, like adding more fats. You may want to focus more on your weekly average calories- you may have some overage days, and some under, and that's fine if it's all averaging out to what you want.

dpr73 · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

eelamme · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

There's a HUGE calorie difference between a small/medium/large banana...100 I think.

_Resolve_ · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose or maintain weight.

dpr73 · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose weight.

Again I am not trying to be losing weight. Didn't weigh while losing either...I lost more than 60lbs by logging bananas/apples/pears/other fruit servings as 100 calories how many more calories can 1 banana be? also, how off could a tablespoon of peanut butter be? I don't pack it down or anything in fact I level it off extremely carefully. But come on...weighing my peanut butter and morning yogurt?

dpr73 · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

There's a HUGE calorie difference between a small/medium/large banana...100 I think.

Well what does it matter? I logged and was losing weight when I was eating the same kinds of bananas and logging them at 100, so what? Then I have been maintaining at ~2300 calories these past 2 weeks rather than 2100 calories. In the end, I am still maintaining. If I am losing weight than I still need to add more but what does it matter if my banana that I have been eating EVERY DAY is 200 or 100 calories if the results are constant?

Momjogger · April 2014

Don't worry about it. Think of the calories in more of a weekly frame. What if you go out and order dessert tomorrow? You'l be happy you ate less today anyway. As long as it doesn't become a <can't stop losing> problem, I wouldn't worry about it.

trogalicious · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose weight.

Again I am not trying to be losing weight. Didn't weigh while losing either...I lost more than 60lbs by logging bananas/apples/pears/other fruit servings as 100 calories how many more calories can 1 banana be? also, how off could a tablespoon of peanut butter be? I don't pack it down or anything in fact I level it off extremely carefully. But come on...weighing my peanut butter and morning yogurt?

Just sound advice, dude. Take it or leave it. No sense in getting upset over how much a banana weighs.

Thing is, you're stressing about calories "being low" when they may not be. If you ask a question like this, you're gonna have some people that may come in and just say "just eat more."

so let's say you do that.

then you gain. Well, you're gonna be basing your decisions moving forward on inaccurate data. So you'll think...
"Hey dpr73, you gained weight when you were eating 1900 for two weeks, better eat less."

Give yourself the most accurate data that you can, otherwise, what's the point?

FortWildernessLoopy · April 2014

I agree. If you complicate it too much, you're setting yourself up to fail and let's be honest...who is here because they ate too many bananas?!? As far as your intake, I am consistently under because I won't eat just to 'make up' calories. I eat 3 meals a day and several snacks scattered out so my metabolism keeps running. If you're getting your vitamins and nutrition and don't feel hungry, don't sweat it! At least in my opinion.

_Resolve_ · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose weight.

Again I am not trying to be losing weight. Didn't weigh while losing either...I lost more than 60lbs by logging bananas/apples/pears/other fruit servings as 100 calories how many more calories can 1 banana be? also, how off could a tablespoon of peanut butter be? I don't pack it down or anything in fact I level it off extremely carefully. But come on...weighing my peanut butter and morning yogurt?

Well, I stopped counting completely once I hit maintenance and tried to just go with what I learned and see if I can do it without fussing about anything. Maybe try that? I mean, if you aren't worried about measuring something as calorie dense as peanut butter I wouldn't worry about being low for the day in the first place. Maybe just eat when hungry, eat until satisfied and trust that after 60 lbs (congrats by the way) you know exactly what to do and just do it!

dpr73 · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose weight.

Again I am not trying to be losing weight. Didn't weigh while losing either...I lost more than 60lbs by logging bananas/apples/pears/other fruit servings as 100 calories how many more calories can 1 banana be? also, how off could a tablespoon of peanut butter be? I don't pack it down or anything in fact I level it off extremely carefully. But come on...weighing my peanut butter and morning yogurt?

Just sound advice, dude. Take it or leave it. No sense in getting upset over how much a banana weighs.

Thing is, you're stressing about calories "being low" when they may not be. If you ask a question like this, you're gonna have some people that may come in and just say "just eat more."

so let's say you do that.

then you gain. Well, you're gonna be basing your decisions moving forward on inaccurate data. So you'll think...
"Hey dpr73, you gained weight when you were eating 1900 for two weeks, better eat less."

Give yourself the most accurate data that you can, otherwise, what's the point?

This day was lower Calorically than usual. No matter what that's true. But I still don't see how I could be off THAT terribly if I don't weigh but instead use cups and tablespoons estimate my fruits...

GertrudeHorse · April 2014

I'm not quite in maintenance yet, but I would definitley say don't eat them if you don't feel like it! If it becomes a pattern, and you lose weight without wanting to, then you may need to find ways to boost your intake, like adding more fats. You may want to focus more on your weekly average calories- you may have some overage days, and some under, and that's fine if it's all averaging out to what you want.

What this person said.

trogalicious · April 2014

first off...

I'm not sure how many grams "1 medium banana" is. I'd recommend using gram weight. You may already be eating more than you think. Until you're legitimately weighing your food, you're not gonna know how much you're eating anyway.

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

A food scale is going to be the best investment you make while trying to lose weight.

Again I am not trying to be losing weight. Didn't weigh while losing either...I lost more than 60lbs by logging bananas/apples/pears/other fruit servings as 100 calories how many more calories can 1 banana be? also, how off could a tablespoon of peanut butter be? I don't pack it down or anything in fact I level it off extremely carefully. But come on...weighing my peanut butter and morning yogurt?

Just sound advice, dude. Take it or leave it. No sense in getting upset over how much a banana weighs.

Thing is, you're stressing about calories "being low" when they may not be. If you ask a question like this, you're gonna have some people that may come in and just say "just eat more."

so let's say you do that.

then you gain. Well, you're gonna be basing your decisions moving forward on inaccurate data. So you'll think...
"Hey dpr73, you gained weight when you were eating 1900 for two weeks, better eat less."

Give yourself the most accurate data that you can, otherwise, what's the point?

This day was lower Calorically than usual. No matter what that's true. But I still don't see how I could be off THAT terribly if I don't weigh but instead use cups and tablespoons estimate my fruits...

so you're lower one day, are you instantly going to lose weight tomorrow? If no, then don't worry about it.

dpr73 · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Apocalypz · April 2014

I don't weigh. I measure out cups and tbsps. But why would I weigh a banana? I feel like that's more worrying then necessary. How many more calories can a normal sized banana be? Possibly 50? Same goes with apples...don't get why id fuss.

I'm the same way, yet I'm still managing to head towards my goal. As long as you're heading in the right direction, then don't worry yourself terribly.

Agreed with a previous poster: Go off your weekly average, not your daily. You'd bother yourself to death if you constantly focused on 2200 exactly. Silly.

_Resolve_ · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

If my memory is correct 30g of peanut butter is 190 calories... thats about 1 tbs. So yea, 1 tbs can easily turn into 2 (cause I love peanut butter)

dpr73 · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

If my memory is correct 30g of peanut butter is 190 calories... thats about 1 tbs. So yea, 1 tbs can easily turn into 2 (cause I love peanut butter)

Interesting... so how is it legally permissible for the container to list 2tbs as 32g? I am seriously asking out of curiosity, that sounds like a huge issue.

trogalicious · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

If my memory is correct 30g of peanut butter is 190 calories... thats about 1 tbs. So yea, 1 tbs can easily turn into 2 (cause I love peanut butter)

Interesting... so how is it legally permissible for the container to list 2tbs as 32g? I am seriously asking out of curiosity, that sounds like a huge issue.

...because it's an approximation. 32 g is gonna be the 200 calories listed. "2 tbsp" may not be AS accurate as 32 grams would be.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

If my memory is correct 30g of peanut butter is 190 calories... thats about 1 tbs. So yea, 1 tbs can easily turn into 2 (cause I love peanut butter)

Interesting... so how is it legally permissible for the container to list 2tbs as 32g? I am seriously asking out of curiosity, that sounds like a huge issue.

The volume measurement is an approximation.

_Resolve_ · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

If my memory is correct 30g of peanut butter is 190 calories... thats about 1 tbs. So yea, 1 tbs can easily turn into 2 (cause I love peanut butter)

Interesting... so how is it legally permissible for the container to list 2tbs as 32g? I am seriously asking out of curiosity, that sounds like a huge issue.

Like I said it was from memory.. I didn't run to my cabinet to check.

dpr73 · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

You guys are seriously making me rethink even counting anymore! If all my numbers are that far off then what's the point? I should just stick with this regiment which has been working without even logging, right?

trogalicious · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

You guys are seriously making me rethink even counting anymore! If all my numbers are that far off then what's the point? I should just stick with this regiment which has been working without even logging, right?

then stop counting.

or... you could just keep up the same thing you've been doing already.. since it's working.

...and then you could weigh your stuff out for a week or two to give you a more accurate number, so that if you ever find that you're gaining/losing, you'd know how much to tweak your numbers.

or not.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

You guys are seriously making me rethink even counting anymore! If all my numbers are that far off then what's the point? I should just stick with this regiment which has been working without even logging, right?

So if it's not perfect then it's completely useless? I completely disagree.

That's like saying rounding off the numbers when you balance your checkbook isn't perfect so you might as well not keep track of expenses at all and just spend whatever you feel like.

_Resolve_ · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

You guys are seriously making me rethink even counting anymore! If all my numbers are that far off then what's the point? I should just stick with this regiment which has been working without even logging, right?

maybe... how close to goal are you? Like I said 3 posts ago, trust yourself to make the right choices and eat when hungry.

dpr73 · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Studies show that the average woman underestimates by more than 400 calories and even dieticians underestimate by more than 200. And since both groups were women that means their intended calorie goal is lower than yours, so the amount you're likely off is larger.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160

That said, I don't think weighing is always necessary. I recommend it at least for awhile, until people get an idea of portion sizes, but if you don't want to weigh then just gauge by your actual results.

You guys are seriously making me rethink even counting anymore! If all my numbers are that far off then what's the point? I should just stick with this regiment which has been working without even logging, right?

maybe... how close to goal are you? Like I said 3 posts ago, trust yourself to make the right choices and eat when hungry.

i am past goal (still looking for my maintenance number i have been slowly dropping weight so needed to add more)

eslcity · April 2014

While I am not a purest like so many MFP when it comes to adding up calories... I normally just check my weight daily see what is happening.. i figure if i go down or up a little no biggy... I set limits on how much is too much and how much is too much each week and adjust my next week according to that... extra walking or an extra half hour on the bike... if i go over the limit..

However, if i lose too much I normally delete a walk during work breaks... I try not to mess with the food intake too much... because I know I’m eating healthy... but I may add some homemade trail mix into the daily snack pack..

Trying to limit my weight lost to .5kg a week.... so i can gradually enter into the maintance phase of my diet.

It may not be the best method... but for me it has worked...

AlysonG2 · April 2014

But how far off could one tablespoon of peanut butter be? Would weighing be that much more specific?

Absolutely. I thought I was measuring out "2 tbsp" of PB every morning before work. Bought a food scale and realized I was ACTUALLY eating 4 tbsp of PB. That's an easy 200 calories right there. Although I'm not sure I'd buy one if I was already in maintenance.

What Should I Do When Calories For The Day Are Lower?

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