What Do You Do When You Eat All Your Calories Too Early?

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GreatDepression
GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Today, I had some rather calorie-dense food around lunch time and used up my calorie allowance. I'm not over if I stop here but I still have most of the day to go through. What should I do when I get very hungry later tonight? I have a feeling most of you will say to just drink water. I already drink a lot of water and that doesn't help with hunger or cravings at all. I guess it'll just have to come down to self-control and remember that I already got all my nutrition for the day and it was my mistake for not budgeting my calories better.

The back-story is that my job had a surprise late lunch catering of Panda Express for the memorial weekend. There was no notice about the food so I had already eaten a rather filling meal for lunch (Greek yogurt and veg smoothie). I suffer from binge eating and Panda Express is one of my trigger foods. I tried my best to not eat it once I saw it but I gave in and ate a plate. I was very conscience of portion sizes and unfortunately, even tiny portions of orange chicken and walnut shrimp adds to A LOT of calories. There are still a bunch of left overs in the room right next to me and I hear it calling my name over and over. Gosh, I wish food addiction wasn't my vice.
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Replies

  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    You should eat, preferably a reasonable portion of something NOT terribly calorie dense. You'll probably go over on calories but you have to remember a few things:

    ~ It's a process
    ~ 1 day over is not going to harm your progress in the long run
    ~ depriving yourself tonight could set you up for binge eating when tomorrow rolls around

    It's a day. It happens. Log it, and move ahead.
  • Sobus76
    Sobus76 Posts: 242 Member
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    I do 2 things, exercise some to get calories back or dont eat. thats if im logging that day. if im away for a weekend and eating out a lot and not logging, i dont worry about it and just go back to normal logging when i get home.
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
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    If you think it might be a reaccuring theme, you could
    start a flipped plan. I sort of eat my larger meals
    by early afternoon and my normal dinner time is
    a mere light selection. Like a cucumber+apple+
    source of protein (I like nuts).

    I researched a long time ago and read that eating
    heavier in the Am/early hours was best for metabolism. :)
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I'd still have a tasty low cal dinner - not eating for the rest of the day would lead to me landing face first in a cheeseburger.

    If I have the time and opportunity, I'd do some exercise and earn some calories, or I'd just go over, not go nuts but have something light and filling so I'm still at or under maintenance.

    I calorie cycle anyway (netting 1200 to 1300 week days, 1800 - 2200 weekends) so I'm quite adept at shuffling my weeks calories so it all comes out in the wash.
  • eustaciavye
    eustaciavye Posts: 27 Member
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    Personally, I would probably try to forgive myself, eat a satisfying dinner, probably on the light side, and move on the next day. Hope you have a great day!
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    If I am not feeling hungry, then I do not eat. If I have reached my goals already but I am still genuinely hungry, I'll eat a snack. I can always eat a few calories less over the next couple of days or just not worry about it and move on.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    If your hungry later on, eat! :-) one meal won't ruin all your hard work. Just like one salad won't make someone skinny.
    So if you feel hungry, eat and just be over your limit for one day.
    You could do a workout and try to earn a few more calories, but either way, one day won't hurt
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    I've started logging by the TDEE method, so I don't include exercise calories at all thru MFP.

    When I eat over, I simply distribute the meal that caused me to go over over the next 3-5 days so I'm forced to eat slightly less (like 100 cals less per day) thru the week and it all evens out.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I eat more food if I get hungry later, shrug it off, and get back to it the next day.
  • laciemn
    laciemn Posts: 77 Member
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    Try to refrain, eat some celery or steamed veggies, maybe steamed fish. Very low fat / low carb dinner!
  • Groovyca2022
    Groovyca2022 Posts: 21,378 Member
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    Eat
  • ErinMcMom
    ErinMcMom Posts: 228 Member
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    I'd put in an evening run to earn a few more calories and have a light dinner or snack if I was hungry later. If you're over by a bit, you're over, but putting in a workout might help you to think twice next time about how much hard work goes into burning off that Panda Express! ;)
  • skyfall91
    skyfall91 Posts: 74
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    Id exercise to earn some cals back or if I had enough Id have a big bowl of mixed veg with some cous cous and soy sause or a flavoured stock cube to add flavour.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I eat more food if I get hungry later, shrug it off, and get back to it the next day.

    +1
  • mncdk
    mncdk Posts: 30 Member
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    lettuce + cucumber + tomatoes.... Dice and slice and eat. It's usually wet enough that you don't actually _need_ dressing, and 2 pounds of this stuff is like 150-200 kcal. :)
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
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    I exercise to help it and I also try and cover for it in the rest of the week, I never look at my calories as a day-to-day thing but a week overall.
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
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    I normally break out the sugar free gum and water for the rest of the day. If I reach my calories goal for the day I stop.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    Today, I had some rather calorie-dense food around lunch time and used up my calorie allowance. I'm not over if I stop here but I still have most of the day to go through. What should I do when I get very hungry later tonight? I have a feeling most of you will say to just drink water. I already drink a lot of water and that doesn't help with hunger or cravings at all. I guess it'll just have to come down to self-control and remember that I already got all my nutrition for the day and it was my mistake for not budgeting my calories better.

    The back-story is that my job had a surprise late lunch catering of Panda Express for the memorial weekend. There was no notice about the food so I had already eaten a rather filling meal for lunch (Greek yogurt and veg smoothie). I suffer from binge eating and Panda Express is one of my trigger foods. I tried my best to not eat it once I saw it but I gave in and ate a plate. I was very conscience of portion sizes and unfortunately, even tiny portions of orange chicken and walnut shrimp adds to A LOT of calories. There are still a bunch of left overs in the room right next to me and I hear it calling my name over and over. Gosh, I wish food addiction wasn't my vice.

    No problems. Just burn some calories through exercise after work, and have some greens/veggies or a soup broth and some veggies for your evening meal.

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