have a quick question

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Ok this is only my second day on here and I have been charting everything i eat as i eat my meals. At the end of the day when i am done and go to log myresults it is showing that i am eating to few of calories?? i was under my calories by 326 today.
s my question is should i try and eat more snacks to use them up i am trying to get away from nite time eating. i want to get the most wieght lose i realistically can. anyone got any suggestion s=for me?

Replies

  • 8JamieLeigh8
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    When mine are no more than 500 too low I consider it a good day. That is just me. If you are hungry then eat a healthy snack if not then just cut your losses! pun intended :)
  • teachparents
    teachparents Posts: 225 Member
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    i would try more calories at breakfast.. you need the energy to get through the day and work them off. and then lunch. make the left over calories based on your dinner meal.

    for example if i log in breakfast and lunch, then i see i have 490 left for dinner, i plan a dinner that will come in at just above 490.

    i try to eat dinner as late as i can, like 6pm but before 7 so i am less likely to snack after dinner or before bed.


    hope that helps!
  • slowe2523
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    Hey I am fairly new to this site myself, but have found some good info from another post. I have attached the link to it. This guy, (Banks) seems to really know his stuff. I have been going to low on my calorie intake myself and I am struggling to get it right. Anyway, look at this post and see if it helps you. :) Good luck and hang in there.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits?hl=guide+to+calorie+deficits
  • tashajasmine
    tashajasmine Posts: 37 Member
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    If I eat meals during the day and snack when I'm hungry, and at the end of the day I am under my calorie goal, I don't worry about it. Don't let yourself go hungry but I wouldn't try to fill up calories for no reason either.
  • arbragg
    arbragg Posts: 73 Member
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    As long as you are eating 1200 net calories, ( food eaten minus exercise) then you are good. Dont go below 1200 calories a day, puts your body into starvation mode. Good luck on the weightloss journey - this website is awesome!!
  • usmcpatience
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    Well, it depends. You need to make sure you eat and MAINTAIN at least 1200 calories a day. If you do not, then your body will go into starvation mode, your metabolism will slow WAY down, and you won't lose weight...you'll also risk getting sick. Someone once explained the calories and earned calories from MFP this way, and it makes a lot of sense:

    Let's say your calorie goal is 1200 calories a day. Okay, now let's say you burn 600 calories that day doing various exercises. Now, if you do not eat back those 600 calories you burned, your body will be trying to run off of only 600 calories...that's NOT healthy...it can make you sick as well as inhibit you from losing weight. Now, let's say you are supposed to eat 1800 calories a day. You burned 600 off...As long as you eat enough calories to bring you back up to 1200 you should be okay. You shouldn't have to force yourself to eat until you get back up to 1800 calories, but you do need to make sure you get 1200 calories minimum a day!

    Does that help at all?

    Good luck, and welcome to MFP!
  • Greyc
    Greyc Posts: 12
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    thank you guys for all the great information I just looked at my calorie intake for today and it is only like 1065 and with exercising today i have 362 calories left to eat. so do i have a my late nite snack tonight to ue some up or just chalk up the day as a learing experience and start fresh tomorrow?
    I am now starting to understand why before i had children i dropped 45 lbs with out trying i was eating anything i wanted but spent 10-12 hours a day dancing to the radio at work.
  • peteyTwang
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    Hi! i'm pretty new here too, but will jump in with my 2¢ worth :) I'm not even sure exactly how MFP's designed to work but would simply say if you're trying to lose weight and you're not hungry then don't eat any more :) Once you discover what combination of food makes you feel fully satisfied and content [like you're not _sacrificing_ anything!] and can manage consistently staying within or even better _under_ your goal you will definitely succeed at achieving your weight loss goals...guaranteed.
    There are other arguments against eating less too-- that you should not "starve" yourself etc. because even more likely than making yourself sick it will force you to start binge eating later to compensate but if you're honestly keeping on track (which can be difficult even with the terrific tools available on site) and are truly satisfied then I can't really see any harm in it personally, mostly because in my case, it can be all too easy to underestimate how much we actually eat and/or overestimate how many calories we burn- even when we are very diligently writing it all down -- so running a little under is just grrrreat! :)
  • dwarfer22
    dwarfer22 Posts: 358 Member
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    What works for me is meal planning. Then I log my main meals that I will eat in the day, see what I have left over, and plan snacks throughout the day accordingly. You can plan the night before or when you make a grocery list or once a month, whatever. Maybe will work for u.
  • MaddyBrah
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    I would suggest snacking on something healthy every two or three hours to keep your metabolism going. Try yoplait no fat yoghurt or fruit. As long as youre not letting yourself go hungry, then dont worry too much about being under 1200, especially if youre burning it off.