Too many calories left over?

jsjlandy
jsjlandy Posts: 41 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
How am I supposed to keep up with calories burned?!? If I'm not hungry at all and eat a balanced diet of 1600/cal per day, but exercise about 600+ cals per day, do I HAVE to eat those cals? I don't want to consume too few, but I'm hoping for a real response that helps me out!

Thanks!

Replies

  • dawn454
    dawn454 Posts: 42 Member
    Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this one. Myself ,personally, if I'm hungry I eat them and if I'm not I don't !!! :smile:
  • kacoats
    kacoats Posts: 2
    It is confusing because I've read that if you don't eat enough calories you can't lose weight too. :heart:
  • GonnaDoItJenn
    GonnaDoItJenn Posts: 131 Member
    I agree with Dawn that there are several different opinions on this. I have a hard time eating some of my calories at times and then at times wish I had those extra calories to eat. LOL! I think that if you are doing well on eating your food groups and have them balanced for the day then you should be just fine.
  • togden
    togden Posts: 324 Member
    Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this one. Myself ,personally, if I'm hungry I eat them and if I'm not I don't !!! :smile:

    I agree ... Just figure out what works for you ... I have 2100 calories to eat a day before I exercise then when I exercise I end up with another 100 to 700 to eat back ... I very very rarely eat back my cals but im still losing weight
  • Lefriedline
    Lefriedline Posts: 61 Member
    I agree. If you are not hungry, I wouldn't worry about it. I have the same problem some days and have read as well that by consuming too few calories you can put yourself into "starvation mode" and actually make it harder to lose. But I think your body knows and if it isn't hungry, I wouldn't worry!
  • KickassYas
    KickassYas Posts: 397 Member
    after reading like every topic on this and having this same exact problem last night I've decided to up my calorie intake during the day in anticipation to my workout at night. if i know i'm goin to burn a specific amount of cals or close, i'm gonna try to eat just under that.
  • SuzanneRogers
    SuzanneRogers Posts: 250 Member
    As long as you are not eating less than 1200 calories a day you should be ok, so if you eat 1600 and you burn 600 you are only at 1000 for the day, so eat back 200 snack to bring you up to 1200 to prevent your body from thinking it is starving..

    If you eat when you are hungry, you waited too long to eat. If at the end of the day you have 400 left to eat and you are not hungry then leave them, it you don't see your weight go down, then find a way to add 100 calories during the day as snacks.

    Good Luck.
  • danibabs
    danibabs Posts: 298 Member
    I try to eat at least within 200 calories of them, just because I found that if I don't I'm ravenous the whole next day, which makes me feel both icky and grumpy. Try little steps to reach the goal calories. Have a glass of wine with an ounce of cheese and some italian bread. That can easily come up to 300-400 calories. Peanut butter on anything, like toast or crackers, also makes up alot. Another good healthy high cal snack is nuts in general, and the ones with cinnamon or dark chocolate or other roasted varieties are so tasty!
  • DianaPowerUp
    DianaPowerUp Posts: 518 Member
    I have days like that too, where I'll burn 500-700 cal, and by the end of today (like today, for ex. My diary is open), I've got hundreds of cal. left. If I'm hungry, I eat. If I'm not hungry, I don't. I listen to my body more than what some # says to me. It seems to be working out ok so far!
  • ronchap
    ronchap Posts: 60
    I keep some high cal snacks around like almonds or the protein bars that I got the recipe for from the recipe section or just some natural peanut butter. It don't take much for a couple hundred extra calories.
  • WonderNoodle
    WonderNoodle Posts: 549
    i agree with suzanne...keep your NET CALORIES at or above 1,200. your net is visible at the top of your home page. :drinker:
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I eat them all because I know that my body needs them. Other people get by just fine without eating them and it doesn't seem to have a negative effect on them. It really just depends on what your body needs. Relying on your own hunger signals isn't always the best way to judge what your body needs, so experiment a little bit to figure out just how much your body needs.
  • darling_nickie
    darling_nickie Posts: 117 Member
    I agree with alot of what's been said...eat if you're hungry, don't eat if you really feel you don't need too...but also don't make it a habit to be way under all of the time. I would a 1200 net is good all around...if once in a while you're a little under or a little over, its fine :)
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    If you don't own a heart rate monitor (which I never did while losing)--then I would suggest being intuitive to a point. Eat them when you are hungry for them. I would also suggest eating at least a portion of them so that you do not slow your metabolism--it needs food to keep humming! If you find you are well below your calorie level everyday--then you need to think about adding high calorie and high nutrient foods like nuts or dried fruit. Also, it's a good idea to make sure you are actually eating the number of calories that you think you are by measuring and weighing your food. Hope this helps.
  • FitJoani
    FitJoani Posts: 2,173 Member
    I think 1200 not matter which way you look at it keeps your body functioning. you already got the fuel and nutrients you needed...i have heard that from nutritionist. anything below is when it can get dicey she said
  • shadyman
    shadyman Posts: 15
    It is how good you feel..I never eat all calories, now working out in the morning swiming , track, and weights. If I eat all the extra calories I think I would not lose any, again it is how you feel...............
  • FlashBang
    FlashBang Posts: 136
    Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this one. Myself ,personally, if I'm hungry I eat them and if I'm not I don't !!! :smile:

    I like it!
  • mandysjourney
    mandysjourney Posts: 260 Member
    I read a topic on here last night that was talking about calorie deficits and it was saying the higher your BMI the more deficit you can have I think it was above a BMI of 32 and you could have up to a 1000 cal deficit but as your BMI comes down less of a deficit.

    I generally dont eat back my exercise cals but have only started out a few weeks back. I am sure as my cal allowance comes down I may start eating some back
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