If we're too low on calories, should we eat even if we're full?
malioumba
Posts: 132 Member
Some people say they eat even if they're not hungry in order to get nutrition in, some people say, "don't eat if you're not hungry - 'cause that's how you gained weight in the first place!"
In a situation where someone would like to lose more weight (a good 35lbs), but sometimes... some days, they really just aren't very hungry (for whatever reason, feeling sick, stressed, too busy), and by dinner time, they're still under 1000 calories, should we force ourselves to finish a good, healthy consumption of calories? I do worry about adaptive thermogenesis - as I understand that to be a combination of the body getting accustomed to net calories and net physical expenditure. But what if you just ain't hungry that night?
On the days I don't feel hungry, I do like to take advantage of that to consume extra healthy fatty oils (I have a bunch of bottles refrigerated). But sometimes, even that isn't enough to meet a safe net of calories.
So should we just...force it down? Or perhaps it is okay if we just let the night go?
In a situation where someone would like to lose more weight (a good 35lbs), but sometimes... some days, they really just aren't very hungry (for whatever reason, feeling sick, stressed, too busy), and by dinner time, they're still under 1000 calories, should we force ourselves to finish a good, healthy consumption of calories? I do worry about adaptive thermogenesis - as I understand that to be a combination of the body getting accustomed to net calories and net physical expenditure. But what if you just ain't hungry that night?
On the days I don't feel hungry, I do like to take advantage of that to consume extra healthy fatty oils (I have a bunch of bottles refrigerated). But sometimes, even that isn't enough to meet a safe net of calories.
So should we just...force it down? Or perhaps it is okay if we just let the night go?
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Replies
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Once in awhile is going to be no big deal. It's when you habitually under eat that you have to worry about negative repercussions.0
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If under 1000 is a very rare occurrence, it's not that important, but if it is fairly regular, I'd figure out a way to incorporate more nutrient rich food to fuel your body correctly. I don't see how it's possible to be so low unless all you are eating is steamed veggies. Something is definitely wrong if you have to force yourself to eat up to 1200 calories.0
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As long as it's not happening frequently, it's probably not a big deal. You could save the calories to go out to eat later in the week or something. You could find that a couple days down the road your hungrier than normal in which case you could then eat the calories that you didn't eat a few days prior.
I personally like to balance by the week. This allows me to go over some days and be under on others. As long as the average works out to be right around what I'm aiming for, I lose or maintain as expected.
You also have the option of eating something high calorie that isn't very filling. Ice cream or chocolate come to mind.0 -
SherryTeach wrote: »If under 1000 is a very rare occurrence, it's not that important, but if it is fairly regular, I'd figure out a way to incorporate more nutrient rich food to fuel your body correctly. I don't see how it's possible to be so low unless all you are eating is steamed veggies. Something is definitely wrong if you have to force yourself to eat up to 1200 calories.
It's not as rare as I'd like it to be. No, it's not that I don't like mah food, I do, i love it, but I'm a student in university and money is super tight so I do not buy anything "on-the-go", and only shop bulk in Costco for ALL my food. So I prepare everything. Some days, I wake up rushed, or worried about an exam that I don't bother packing up all my food for my backpack - and campus is far from home (2hrs one way, 2 hrs back), so if I don't bring my lunch/dinner for campus...that's it. Even though some days I'm a ravenous beast, I can't buy expensive campus food like their delicious 3.14" Pi (Pizza) T.T
So that's it till the transit back home at night...unless campus gives away free ramen noodles in campus which sometimes happens!
So that's occurrence #1
-Don't pack the backpack with food, then despite being hungry, I wait till I'm home and my calories are low. But that's my fault and I know how to fix THAT occurrence.
Occurrence #2
-Even if I DO pack a bag, sometimes I'm just stressed and don't feel like eating (which is the scenario I was explaining above - as my initial question) - the one I don't know how to resolve - whether I should just eat till I reach a healthy number or leave it as is.
So is it rare? I'd say 1 times a week due to a combination of occurrence #1 and #20 -
But that's true, I can just have a few things that are very high in calories readily to go in the backpack - like individual packets of peanut/almond butter....or....or....
What are some very dense calorie "to-go" items I could carry?0 -
Some people stick to the calorie goals very strictly, others follow their hunger more often. How you choose to do it is up to you. I'd try to stick with the calorie goal for a month, give or take a week, when one begins, then make some choices about going over or under on different days, but always watch your weekly totals to see how you're doing.
High calorie to-go stuff - peanut butter, cookies, nuts, dried fruit, juice boxes and all manner of snarky junk food (candy, chips, etc.)0 -
Eat more for breakfast? Your body still needs fuel. Especially going to school, your brain needs easy accessible calories to function. ALSO when you're losing weight, you lose muscle mass. And your heart is a muscle. Don't want to lose weight too fast and risk your health!0
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protein bars. fiber crispy choc mint by premier protein and caramel choc peanut nougat bar by atkins are my favs along with unsalted almonds. i keep at least 1 of these in my purse at all times and it saved me0
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"Safe net calories" is a B.S. Term. It is a CYA statement made so somebody doesn't get sued when you claim to have a eating disorder based on their advise.
As long as you are getting your RDA of micros I wouldn't fret over being under calorie on occasion.0 -
I don't worry if it's a one-off during the week... Sometimes it happens to me if a workout gets bigger than I anticipated (harder hike, longer ride). If I'm hungry the next day I eat a few of those leftover calories. But I never condone eating under bmr or 1200 calories, period. If you're not planning to meet those basic caloric needs I would say see an ED specialist.0
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"Safe net calories" is a B.S. Term. It is a CYA statement made so somebody doesn't get sued when you claim to have a eating disorder based on their advise.
As long as you are getting your RDA of micros I wouldn't fret over being under calorie on occasion.
No, I am not meeting the RDA on some days. You can call it "safe net", "RDA" - all general terms for a more or less same idea.
Not gonna worry too much about it though. Thanks tho =D0 -
why not go off by how you feel? are you tired?0
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If you are weighing all of your food, then I would continue to eat. If you are not weighing your food, then I wouldn't.
2 basic questions. Do you weigh your food? What rate are you losing at?0 -
buy ice cream0
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I can't base my eating off of my hunger signals, that's how I got fat in the first place.
I try to hit my goal everyday. If I'm under a little every once in a while, its ok. But I really do try to hit it every day.
Consistency is the key to habit building. Habits are what will keep you going in the long run.0 -
If you don't hit your calories and macros one day, make up for it the next. Try to make sure that your weekly totals are about correct.0
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there are a few factors
your height, shorties typically need less calories
frequency, every once in awhile is no big deal. but don't do it too often
quality, make sure you are also eating for nutrition for school. you need your brain. peanut butter is great with the protein and fat.0 -
I wouldn't just fill-in-the-calories with junk food. If you want as snack, have it--of course. But instead, consider picking more calorie dense foods to your meals throughout the day. For examples, seeds, nuts, avocado, olive oil, cheese even trail mix.
You can add seeds, avocado, some cheese and an olive oil based dressing to a plain salad and you will increase the nutritional and caloric value of that mean without eating a ton more volume-wise.0 -
Peanut butter will always do it for me... if i still need calories my go to will be cereal or ice cream...0
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Some people, especially those with fAmilies, do meal prep once a week so everything is ready to go when they need it. You might consider this approach. You can even package up your daily meals and snacks so you just have one or 2 bags to grab as you head out the door (1 frig, 1 dry). You do need to fuel your body & mind. Nourishment might help decrease your stress too.0
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If you're habitually eating under 1000 calories, I would look into eating more calorie dense food to avoid the feeling of being too full... but if you have a healthy relationship with food, and you simply aren't hungry, don't force feed yourself.
Your body will determine it's own needs if you listen to it. So today's not a hungry day? Maybe tomorrow you'll feel like eating more.0 -
Once in awhile is going to be no big deal. It's when you habitually under eat that you have to worry about negative repercussions.
This ^^
Personally, I don't eat when I'm not hungry even if I know I'm undereating for the day, because I also know that there will come a day when the opposite is true (I want more even though I know it means overeating for the day). On those days I can overeat without overeating, so to speak, because I underate on another day.
But as noted in the post I quoted, habitually undereating can be problematic.0
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