Lots of calories left at end of the day :/

It will not have a negative effect on your weight loss, quite the opposite. However, it may have a negative effect on you; people who are not eating enough tend to feel run down and grumpy. If it happens once in a while then oh well, if you are doing it consistantly then you probably should think about trying to increase your intake. Tryt o incorperate some calorie dense foods into your meals and start early in the day if you know you are going to exercise later, you do not have ot wait until after you have burned the calories off to start making up for them (as long as you don't punk out of your workout!). Some ideas: eat a little peanut butter, add some avacado to sandwiches or salads, eat some nuts with your snacks, use full fat dairy products, use a little oil or butter in your cooking.

Exercise equipment and gadgets tend to record calories burn on the high end. Eat back about half and see if it works for you. If you don't eat enough, your body will not get the proper amount of nutrients and over time your workouts and metabolism will suffer. Aim for hitting your macros (carbs, fat, protein). It also might help you to focus on meeting your calories by the week instead of the day.

hunger is a terrible indicator of when/how much to eat anyway.

Isn't that like the only indicator? Not trying to be snarky or anything, just wondering if you can explain what you mean.

not always, if I go for a long run it can take me several hours to get hungry sometimes but I can feel my body running out of energy before that and know I need to eat something

hunger is a terrible indicator of when/how much to eat anyway.

Isn't that like the only indicator? Not trying to be snarky or anything, just wondering if you can explain what you mean.

hunger is basically all mental, your body becomes accustomed to how much/when to eat based off of your previous eating habits. plus there is also the fact of calorie density of certain foods. you could eat 500 calories of broccoli and be completely stuffed, or like 4 tablespoons of peanut butter for the same calorie count which is hardly a meal and still be starving

what the above poster mentioned, the feeling of low energy, is the real indicator, but it usually comes after long periods of not eating/eating too little

hunger is a terrible indicator of when/how much to eat anyway.

Isn't that like the only indicator? Not trying to be snarky or anything, just wondering if you can explain what you mean.

The hormones that control our hunger signals can be knocked out of whack by a lot of factors (including exercise and prolonged undereating). You have to also look at things like mood, energy levels, gym performance, healthy skin, nails, and hair, etc.

hunger is a terrible indicator of when/how much to eat anyway.

Isn't that like the only indicator? Not trying to be snarky or anything, just wondering if you can explain what you mean.

I was a bit confused by that too. If you're nor hungry, why eat? Hunger is the body's signal that you are running low on fuel.

Like he said a few posts up... If you're chronically undereating, your hunger signals will become out of whack. Better to go off of whether you feel drained or not.

Wow, thanks for all the replies. How does one know when they can rely on their natural hunger signals?

I ask because I've recently given up grains, refined sugars, and all processed foods. Generally, I feel really well. Lots of energy, skin looks way better. But, I'm never hungry. I run daily and haven't hit 1200 in over a week now.

I will likely add some grains back in, but wanted to see how removing them affected my body.

FYI, my diary is closed because I don't want unsolicited messages that I'm eating too little.

ETA: I mean 1200 gross, let alone net. So I'm concerned. But I feel fine. I'm 5'2" and currently 134 lbs

If you are not hungry, than I question the accuracy of your numbers. Do you weigh your food? Use measuring cups and spoons? Your exercise calories look high too. How are you estimating them?

Wow, thanks for all the replies. How does one know when they can rely on their natural hunger signals?

I ask because I've recently given up grains, refined sugars, and all processed foods. Generally, I feel really well. Lots of energy, skin looks way better. But, I'm never hungry. I run daily and haven't hit 1200 in over a week now.

I will likely add some grains back in, but wanted to see how removing them affected my body.

FYI, my diary is closed because I don't want unsolicited messages that I'm eating too little.

ETA: I mean 1200 gross, let alone net. So I'm concerned. But I feel fine. I'm 5'2" and currently 134 lbs

The answer is that you really won't know whether or not you can trust your hunger signals until after it comes back to bite you (if it does).

I went a couple of months exercising on 1200-1400 calories a day and not eating exercise calories back. I told everyone who asked that I was "fine" and I really did believe that I was okay. But I was hangry, moody, depressed, stressed out, phoning in my workouts, and just generally not okay. But I couldn't see it until finally my weight was doing weird things and I switched to a plan that increased my calories (and found MFP with these great message boards).

Is 1200 calories okay for some people? Yes. But I would really encourage anyone to take a look at their macros (are you hitting your protein and fat goals?) and their micros (getting enough calclum, iron, potassium, vitamins, etc?) and make sure they're eating enough BEFORE you get to the point where it starts to affect you.

If it's just one day, I wouldn't worry about it. Saturday I was under 1200 calories and way under my calories goal. (I was working on a project and didn't stop to eat lunch) After supper I wasn't hungry and didn't force myself to eat anything. Yesterday I was over my 1600 calories goal by a large amount. (It was my birthday and a fellowship at church) Between the two days the balance out.

If it were consistent in lots of calories left, I would look at higher calorie foods to eat.

If you are not hungry, than I question the accuracy of your numbers. Do you weigh your food? Use measuring cups and spoons? Your exercise calories look high too. How are you estimating them?

This. Before leaving for a bike ride that will burn 600 or 700 calories, I set out a snack for myself on the counter. Otherwise, I will just shove the first random food that I see into my face when I get back. I'm amazed that people claim not to eat back (substantial) exercise calories.

One of my friends calls this the "Bermuda Triangle," aka the mysterious, now-difficult-to-eat calories that were so obvious/easy before MFP hahahaha

Thanks for the replies.

I don't usually have that many calories at the end of the day, but it does happen occasionally when my evening meal is a low calories. I was just after some opinions really.

My eaten calorie estimation is as close as I can get them and so are my exercise calories. (without a HRM).


I am currently 188llbs.

I have my calories set at 1300 a day

30 day shred burns about 225
cycle to and from work (50 minutes in total at moderate pace) = 400
Then I sometime go for a walk which can burn between 50-100 calories depending on where I go.

So I don't think I am overestimating my calories burnt.

I do save some of my calories for a Sunday treat as well. But overall over the week I am still just under my calorie goal. I am losing between 1-2lbs per week, so it seems to be working for me.

Sorry, what was the issue again? :explode: :noway: