MFP might be making me eat more?

Options
april979
april979 Posts: 39
in Health and Weight Loss
Sometimes I worry that MFP is making me obsessed with food. Is that possible? Sometimes I think im just eating because I have calories left and not because im actually hungry. I feel like I never let myself get hungry. My daily calories are 1200. I know I probably shouldn't eat less than that and I never eat back my excerise calories. im sooo busy during the day and I eat a lot of small meals thru day but I usually still have 400 or 500 calories left at like 8pm and I eat them all before bed! Anyone else having issues with eating because you have calories left instead of because your hungry?

Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    Your profile says you used to be a personal trainer, you should know you need to fuel your body properly. Eating 700-800 calories a day plus not eating your exercise calories is NOT healthy.
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
    Options
    I know what you mean. I don't have the problem of eating just because I have calories left (I always want to eat) but I think being on MFP all the time is making me think more about food.
  • dollforlife
    dollforlife Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    I'm faced with that dilemma everyday. I always wonder if I should be eating back my exercise calories because that's what MFP asks of me. I wonder if I'm sabotaging my progress by NOT eating them. Most often (open diary take a look) I finish under. I would love to hear if your progress improves. You can friend me if you like.
  • april979
    april979 Posts: 39
    Options
    I guess I shouldn't say eat more but I almost feel like its making me lose my hunger cues because im checking to see how many calories I have left and eating just because I have calories left not cause im hungry
  • kenthepainter
    kenthepainter Posts: 195 Member
    Options
    I've read in the forums where folks eat back half of the calories burned by exercise. The calorie burns calculated by MFP seem quite high.
  • april979
    april979 Posts: 39
    Options
    I agree that mfp does calculate calories burned too high. I usually always meet my calorie goal but find I eat a lot before bed.
  • redzgal
    redzgal Posts: 255 Member
    Options
    You just have to keep in mind that MFP is just an aid..a tool to help you get the results you want. It certainly isn't the end all be all. This is just a guideline..just like the calories burned. It estimates way too high which is why I don't eat back burned calories. Doesn't matter if you have calories left or not..if you're not hungry, don't eat.

    Try to find something else to occupy your time before you go to bed. :-) Good luck!
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,006 Member
    Options
    I agree somewhat...I eat more good foods. So instead of a 250 or higher chocolate bar I can and do have so much more real food. You could say I am lucky that my body rarely ever feels actual hunger. So at the end of the day I usually do have calories left over.
    So yes I see where you are coming from...I dont eat back my exercise calories.
  • april979
    april979 Posts: 39
    Options
    I never said im only eating 700/800 cals a day. I usually meet or come close to the 1200 that MFP calculated but find I eat 40% before bed.
  • rosnz
    rosnz Posts: 91 Member
    Options
    There are plenty of more accurate sites to check calorie burn with exercise - ones that take into account your body weight or exact distance swum / walked a minute etc etc. I have also found a big discrepancy with the MFP burns given so I just always double (or triple check) several sites and enter a more accurate number. Perhaps try that?
  • tmaryam
    tmaryam Posts: 289 Member
    Options
    I always eat less when I stop counting calories because keeping track forces me to think about food and meal planning way more than I normally would.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Options
    I never said im only eating 700/800 cals a day. I usually meet or come close to the 1200 that MFP calculated but find I eat 40% before bed.

    That's not necessarily a problem. I eat over 50% of my calories between 7 pm and bed, because I have a light breakfast and lunch, and then a cocktail and snack around 7 pm followed by dinner around 8 pm. It hasn't affected my weight loss, nor has it interfered with my long bike rides, though I do eat during the ride if it's longer than 40 miles.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    I never said im only eating 700/800 cals a day. I usually meet or come close to the 1200 that MFP calculated but find I eat 40% before bed.

    So you're following MFP recommendations, coming in under goal and never hungry? Wait, is this the success stories forum?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Options
    Sometimes I worry that MFP is making me obsessed with food. Is that possible? Sometimes I think im just eating because I have calories left and not because im actually hungry. I feel like I never let myself get hungry. My daily calories are 1200. I know I probably shouldn't eat less than that and I never eat back my excerise calories. im sooo busy during the day and I eat a lot of small meals thru day but I usually still have 400 or 500 calories left at like 8pm and I eat them all before bed! Anyone else having issues with eating because you have calories left instead of because your hungry?
    Have you tried to pre-log your food? If you do this, you will be able to better portion your meals and snacks throughout the day and will not leave you with 800 calories to eat at night.

Categories