Got tons of calories to eat, but not hungry to eat them!

SpecialKwest
SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Every day I'm left with tons of calories that I can consume. Today, out of my 1,490 with an added 200+ from exercise, I'm left with 600+ calories. I can't eat all of that, no matter what I try! I even though "oh, well I'm having a hot dog on a bun (I'm trying not to eat tons of bread/pasta/etc), some coleslaw, and potato wedges. (I haven't eaten potatoes in awhile, since they're not awesome to eat on a daily basis, for me at least.) I figured this would give me tons of calories, and while it filled me up, I'm still left with all of those calories.

Any ideas of what I should do? I'm getting tired of MFP telling me I'm starving myself. But I don't want to force myself to eat when I'm just not hungry, since that was the problem in the first place! (Boredom, stress/eating my emotions, and eating because everyone else is/I feel like I should eat even if I'm not hungry is why I gained weight/lost my healthy self.)

Replies

  • moneil21
    moneil21 Posts: 20
    i was just thinking the exact same thing....not hungry, and dont wanna eat more. Today im under by 300. :-(
  • SpecialKwest
    SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member
    Right now, I'm feeling a little hungry, but I never know if I'm thirsty or if I'm hungry, so I usually drink tons and tons of water. Which maybe hinders me actually eating? I dunno, but I certainly feel your pain moneil! I got nervous when I realized that I am actually starving myself, but I don't feel hungry since I'm eating more veggies/meats/etc. Good foods!

    So I'm wondering if I am starving myself, or what's going on. Should I talk to a doctor about this? I'm so lost!
  • jpalmer7384
    jpalmer7384 Posts: 23
    As long as you are consuming at least 1200 calories a day you should be ok, we don't have to eat back our exercise calories, I generally don't. I have lost 14lbs in 4 weeks.
  • sharonus
    sharonus Posts: 102
    If I have a lot of calories left, I usually have a beer and some Planter's peanuts. The Planters I eat are 160 calories for 39 pieces. I'm not sure if a 'piece' is a whole or a half, so I just count whatever rolls out as one piece. I also might have a truffle. It's amazing how fast those calories add up. I'm petrified of not losing weight because I'm eating too few calories. What a waste that would be! So, I treat myself with those extra calories.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/231636-the-eating-when-you-re-not-hungry-dilemma
  • SusiB60
    SusiB60 Posts: 104 Member
    OIly fish is high cals, low carbs, and very good for you. ie smoked mackerel.
  • mpfand
    mpfand Posts: 98 Member
    I have the same problem. I'm left with almost 600 calories and the most I'll probably eat this evening is popcorn. I've finally trained myself to only eat when I'm hungry so now it's really hard to force myself to eat when I'm just not hungry.
  • Abigailblue39
    Abigailblue39 Posts: 212 Member
    I wish I had that problem. I'm always hungry.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    I've been speaking with my doctor about this. everyone is different, but if I have eaten well throughout the day, meaning I've gotten plenty of fruit and veg and protein, as long as I am over 1200 and it doesn't occur everyday, we aren't worrying about it. One thing we have noticed is that these days seem to happen more often on non gym days. It appears that when I work out I have more of an appetite.
  • SpecialKwest
    SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member
    Haha, I wish I could legally kick back with a beer! (Not 21 yet, if you can't tell by my picture!) I'm leery about peanuts since I'm allergic to tree nuts, severely allergic, and am terrified to have cross-contamination. I've had a horrible scare with it once, and I do NOT want to have a repeat. Though, some peanuts I'll eat, like the non-salted, non shelled ones my dad will buy.

    I'm pretty sure I'm not eating 1,200 calories... Well, not lately. I went through a really emotional event and I'm sick right now, so my appetite is non-existent. I feel like I'm just making excuses why I'm not eating enough, but at the same time, I feel like it makes sense. Do I just not have much of an appetite in general?
  • alsnipes
    alsnipes Posts: 34 Member
    Don't forget your stomach is constantly resizing itself. Of you're not hungry, don't guilt yourself into eating because "in theory" you haven't consummed enough nutrition. Your body is a wonderful machine that we all forget to stay in tune with. For example, cravings usually come from the body having a deficiency, but we sometimes reach for conveinient over nourishment. That said, you'll have days were you may blow through your calories without even thinking about it and other days you'll have 300 to share with you MFP friends. It's a balance your body knows, not your mind. If you are seriously concerned, start looking for malnurtition warning signs: hairloss, nails discoloring, skin color change, dark under eye circles, etc. Your doc will more than likely do testing to see where the deficiency is.
    Can i buy some calories from you? :)
  • SpecialKwest
    SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member
    Haha, yes! Alsnipes, please take them! It makes me feel so bad that I might be starving my body. I'm trying to be healthy, not skinny, and I don't want to hurt my body thinking it's going to be good for me! Thanks for the malnutrition signs to look for.

    I've talked to my boyfriend about this, whose completely supportive of me getting in shape, healthy, and changing my lifestyle, and he could kinda tell how I was stressing over this finding. I'm not intentionally doing this to myself, but I feel like I am, if that makes any sense? Like I could be trying harder or something. I just don't know how to add on some of the extra calories. It could be because I don't really get up early anymore, so I don't eat much of a breakfast. (Gotta love summer vacation!) But I try to eat a decent lunch and dinner to make up for it.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    1 cup of almonds = 600 calories.
  • NoWeighJose74
    NoWeighJose74 Posts: 581 Member
    I wish I had that problem. I'm always hungry.

    ^^^ In the same boat :ohwell:
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    peanut butter! Also, if you know you are going to work out, you can pre-eat the calories so you're not left with a huge number at the end of the day.

    If you undereat once in a while, no problemo. If you undereat consistently, your progress can stall out. Don't let that happen. :flowerforyou:
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    Haha, I wish I could legally kick back with a beer! (Not 21 yet, if you can't tell by my picture!) I'm leery about peanuts since I'm allergic to tree nuts, severely allergic, and am terrified to have cross-contamination. I've had a horrible scare with it once, and I do NOT want to have a repeat. Though, some peanuts I'll eat, like the non-salted, non shelled ones my dad will buy.

    I'm pretty sure I'm not eating 1,200 calories... Well, not lately. I went through a really emotional event and I'm sick right now, so my appetite is non-existent. I feel like I'm just making excuses why I'm not eating enough, but at the same time, I feel like it makes sense. Do I just not have much of an appetite in general?
    What;s a typical food day like for you? it helps to open up your food diary so people can give more practical suggestions
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    Haha, yes! Alsnipes, please take them! It makes me feel so bad that I might be starving my body. I'm trying to be healthy, not skinny, and I don't want to hurt my body thinking it's going to be good for me! Thanks for the malnutrition signs to look for.

    I've talked to my boyfriend about this, whose completely supportive of me getting in shape, healthy, and changing my lifestyle, and he could kinda tell how I was stressing over this finding. I'm not intentionally doing this to myself, but I feel like I am, if that makes any sense? Like I could be trying harder or something. I just don't know how to add on some of the extra calories. It could be because I don't really get up early anymore, so I don't eat much of a breakfast. (Gotta love summer vacation!) But I try to eat a decent lunch and dinner to make up for it.
    Start your day according to when you wake and go to bed, not the clock on the wall. A good rule of thumb is to eat your first meal within an hour of waking and try to eat every 2-3 hours, So if you get up at 10a, breakfast is no later than 11. A mid morning snack could be a piece of string cheese. This is also a good signal to drink water. Lunch is 2- 3 hours later. 2nd snack could be a piece of fruit., then dinner. Just try not to eat after 9pm
  • Missy123556
    Missy123556 Posts: 80
    hey girl, tradesies with me! It only wants me to eat 1200 calories!
  • fudie
    fudie Posts: 45 Member
    i had a big problem with always being under 1200 but i just couldnt eat anymore. so what i try to do now is eating heathy higher calorie snacks. and that seems to help me.
  • SpecialKwest
    SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member
    1 cup of almonds = 600 calories.

    I'd love to be able to eat nuts, I know they're high in calories/good fats, but I'm terribly allergic. :(
  • SpecialKwest
    SpecialKwest Posts: 18 Member

    Start your day according to when you wake and go to bed, not the clock on the wall. A good rule of thumb is to eat your first meal within an hour of waking and try to eat every 2-3 hours, So if you get up at 10a, breakfast is no later than 11. A mid morning snack could be a piece of string cheese. This is also a good signal to drink water. Lunch is 2- 3 hours later. 2nd snack could be a piece of fruit., then dinner. Just try not to eat after 9pm

    Thanks so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. And the tip of opening up my food diary, that's probably going to help more and get better feedback for me. I had no idea you could make it public.

    Similarly I'd like to thank whoever suggested I eat before working out, (can't find your name while I write this) but I don't really like doing that, as it makes me sick. Perhaps protein shakes/peanut butter fruit smoothies might help?
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    This is not by any means advice. I have a hard time hitting 1200 calories alot of the time during the week, so on the weekends I often will not log and not concern myself with calories. It hasn't seemed to stall my progress. I have weeks where I lose nothing, but thats pretty normal for anyone.
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