Listen to hunger, or aim for more calories?

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katnoir1
katnoir1 Posts: 128 Member
Hi all,

Someone suggested I ask this question here:
Over the past couple of months I've been slowly aiming to eat more to give my metabolism a bit of a boost and to support my exercise program. Currently I'm eating approximately BMR + exercise calories (so cycling my intake around my training) and averaging about 85% of my TDEE.

My problem is that I often have days where I'm just not that hungry and get to the end of the day with calories to spare. Sometimes this means not making it to my BMR. I'm guessing it's because I have a fairly wholesome diet with lots of vegies and protein.

My question is: do I listen to my body and stop when I feel good, or should I be pushing myself to get all of those calories in?

Replies

  • KickboxDiva
    KickboxDiva Posts: 142 Member
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    Depends what your goals are. Are you happy at your current body fat / lean body ratio? Are you looking to improve your fitness level or maintain? Do you feel full of energy? Food is fuel so if you have goals to reach or aren't feeling like you are recovering well then more fuel may be in order. If you are happy doing what you are doing then maybe you've found balance for now. I did the increase because my happy level of fuel wasn't helping me lose body fat any longer. My system was down regulated to be efficient at that level, after increasing output and decreasing input overtime I had no where else to go and still wasn't losing. So I decided to go up to full tdee, do a metabolism reset, then when my body was maintaining at a high input I started to cut so my body fat could begin to move down again. In the beginning I wasn't hungry either. It's easier to first change away from low fat foods. After eating your healthy balance food it's ok to use some calories for "carbohydrate treats" to meet your calorie increase. If you do, be prepared for the possible gain on the scale to process those carbs.
  • katnoir1
    katnoir1 Posts: 128 Member
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    My goal is to reduce body fat. If I lose a little weight at the same time then great, if not then no big deal - I'm at a healthy weight anyway. I've just started a new weight training program, so definitely looking to improve there. Not sure about the energy levels, as I'm having some other health issues at the moment.

    I do also tend to have one blowout a week where I'm not too concerned with calorie intake. Usually it's just one meal of questionable nutrition - fast food, cake, lollies, you get the idea.
  • KickboxDiva
    KickboxDiva Posts: 142 Member
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    There are two ways to have a lower bodyfat percentage. Lose fat, or increase muscle. From your comment and your profile pic you look pretty lean. You said you started a weight training program so in order to build muscle your body has to make repairs to your muscle, new capillaries, tendon support ect. That happens with calorie intake. Healing after breaking down your muscle (lifitng) = growing muscles. You are in a great spot if you can just concentrate on building muscle and proper recovery. You can eat enough calories to support muscle growth and not worry so much about being in a deficit. I felt SO MUCH BETTER when I ate my full TDEE while lifting. I felt like I recovered and slept better. If that doesn't convince you then consider this.. I'm cutting now and my lifts feel SO HEAVY. I'm pretty tired most days, and never have that same energy I had a couple of months ago. I'm about 4 weeks in so half way there and I never thought I'd say this but I'm so looking forward to ful TDEE again! I can really tell the difference now that I no longer have it.
  • Jennifer_Lynn_1982
    Jennifer_Lynn_1982 Posts: 567 Member
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    Kat, one thing that I thought of is that because you're also starting a new weight training program, you have the advantage of newbie gains, definitely worth increasing the calories to take advantage of that but @KickboxDiva was right about feeling better about lifting when you're actually eating close to TDEE. I have PR's every time I'm in the gym on an exercise or 2. Just a thought :)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Just so you are aware.

    BMR + exercise calories is not possible to be as high as 85% of TDEE.

    You have a bad TDEE estimate. Rest of daily activity is more than 15% of TDEE.

    And that means on non-exercise days you are eating at BMR?

    Shoot - merely eating food burns about 10% of what you eat - so if you ate while you slept (coma) at TDEE (BMR) - you'd be at 90% of TDEE after digestion and processing - you'd lose weight. While it's said BMR calories is what you'd be fed in a coma - it's actually more because of the functions that use calories above BMR level functions.

    But I'm sure you wake up and move around outside of exercise.

    Sedentary on MFP is estimated by research studies to be 25% of BMR, or 1.25 x BMR.

    Sounds like you are eating at 1 x BMR on rest days, and 0.85 x BMR + exercise on workout days.

    Just trying to point out - you have a way bigger deficit than you think probably, unless I'm misunderstanding your comment.
  • katnoir1
    katnoir1 Posts: 128 Member
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    Sorry, I was really unclear in my above statement. I do calorie cycle with exercise. Actually, the TDEE estimate I'm currently using is yours @heybales - it gave me a TDEE of 1782 and a BMR of 1340.

    So my typical week at the moment looks something like:
    Mon (rest) - 1350 cals
    Tues (active) - 1550
    Wed (active) - 1550
    Thurs (rest) - 1350
    Fri (active) - 1550
    Sat (active) - 1850
    Sun (active recovery) - 1450

    Which gives me an average gross daily intake of 1521 cals (~ 85% TDEE). If I subtract my exercise burn (based on MFP estimates or estimates from cardio machines), it gives me an average net intake of 1343 (~BMR).

    Hopefully that clarifies it a bit. If anyone has any other, better suggestions please feel free - I'm always open to suggestions.

    @KickboxDiva Diva - I am hoping over the course of the next year to gradually increase my intake up to TDEE, but at the moment I'm still struggling with the intake for my current plan. Some days it's just really hard to get that extra food in! Which brings me back to my original question - should I trust my body, or my head?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Your head - because there are many reasons your body can fool you.
    Now - reading body with head of knowledge is fine.

    Like get done with hard workout and not hungry for awhile. If you don't eat and that was evening workout - you could actually not feel hungry until bed and go to sleep. And not unusual to feel more tired than.

    But your head knows your body will have NOTHING to repair with, and that is a really bad idea.

    Just like vitamin/mineral deficiencies almost always take awhile to show up as actual effects, outside of a blood workup, you'd never know until you got some negative things going on. Think it's something else and don't check and address it - could do some real harm to body.

    Same with calorie deficit.

    Understand the calorie thing then - that is right on, and shows you have the right TDEE then as your deficit never has you below BMR on average. Considering the exercise calories include BMR burn in them already - you aren't even NET'ing that low actually when you remove exercise.
    So you actually do closer to MFP style then - eat more on days you do more?
  • empressichel
    empressichel Posts: 730 Member
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    If you find it hard to get all of your calories in for the day, there are a couple of things to try.
    Break your meals up into smaller more regular slots so that you are eating smaller more often rather than large meals that fill you up quickly. Don't just listen to your hunger cues. This is what you are aiming for at the end, but if you have not been eating enough up to this point, you need to nudge your metabolism up a gear as it will of adjusted to what you are doing.
    Try adding in more calorie dense foods like avocado, nut butters, seeds, nuts etc. This way you are getting great nutrients, calories and not getting full too fast.
    Also, don't underestimate the importance of being very consistent with hitting the right amount of protein and good progressive weights routine for body recomp.
  • katnoir1
    katnoir1 Posts: 128 Member
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    Yes, eating more when I move more. Some days I eat a little less than I'm supposed to, some days a little more, but over the course of the week the average stays fairly consistent.

    This is all really helpful guys. Much appreciated!!!