Difficulty reaching daily calorie goal during the week

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victoriaratcliffe1972
victoriaratcliffe1972 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I'm having difficulty in getting to the allocated calories during the week & wondered if anyone else was having that problem but still losing weight?? My job is field based & getting a healthy lunch is proving tricky and I don't want to make up the deficit in the evening as I'm less active.

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  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Don't worry about the time you eat your calories. Unless it impedes sound sleep, it's not important.
    When you start on a 'health' kick eating more nutrient dense foods it's not uncommon to feel a little more full for a short time. But a lot of the people here who are overweight yet say they are struggling to get down really small amounts of food like 1200-1500 calories day in and day out are probably not logging accurately and eating more than they think.
    Making many low fat/ lite choices throughout the day can have a snowball effect as well. If that's the case try to swap in some of the higher calorie versions of those foods.
    I always look at my overall nutrients each day. I have a specific goal for protein, and then I like to see a good amount of fiber and micronutrients. If I were consistently under calorie limits & repeatedly lacking in one area, that's where I would add.
    Best wishes to you!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    It doesn't matter when you eat.
    If you are covering your nutritional needs, healthy and unhealthy for lunch is irrelevant.
    If more of your preferred food is available in the evening eat in the evening. When you eat matters less than getting enough calories to support your lifestyle.

    Cheers, h.
  • bogwoppt1
    bogwoppt1 Posts: 159 Member
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    How did you manage to gain weight then? I never get these posts.
  • victoriaratcliffe1972
    victoriaratcliffe1972 Posts: 20 Member
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    I'll bear all that in mind thank you. I thought if I ate more in the evenings especially carbs to make up the calories it would add more weight. I gained the weight because I would be having fast food for lunches, cakes & crisps etc things you can eat in the car & don't have to heat up, but now trying to be healthier in my choices and avoiding all that I find the options open to me (I'm not office based) are limited & I'm trying to cut down on bread & with the calorie amount I've been given sometimes if I had that baguette with tuna for lunch it would leave me less calories for dinner. I guess I'm still learning about healthy food & balancing food etc. Thanks for the advice guys, it's much appreciated :)
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    I go to school sub assignments & don't always know what I'll find at new classrooms. I really like wraps for portability and not needing a microwave!
    I use a flour tortilla, which can be a low carb version if you want, and some of my favorite fillings are humus & avocado, turkey & Swiss, curried chicken salad with yogurt, or bacon with tomato and lettuce. And I carry nuts for calorie emergencies when I know I need a few additional calories to get me through the day.
  • Dandelie
    Dandelie Posts: 153 Member
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    I also have issues with this sometimes. On days when I am super active with exercise and life, I cannot make up for the calories I "earn" with exercise. There for a while, I couldn't even make it to my limit. I found that adding a lot of healthy foods means that you have to eat a lot more to get to your calorie limit. I decided that I would make it as far as I could toward my calorie limit. Some days I am at 1400 out of 2000 (I have 230 pounds to lose) and some days I can hit the 2000.

    I suggest that you meal prep and choose packs of nuts and such that have a higher calorie count to take with you. Or you could have a large breakfast and eat what you can for lunch.

    But, the times that you eat do not really matter. It is staying within your calorie limit. Sometimes I eat at 11 p.m. because I am up late at night with my job.
  • victoriaratcliffe1972
    victoriaratcliffe1972 Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions guys, think I'm cutting out what I consider "bad" food when actually they aren't eaten in moderation.

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