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What do I do with leftover calories?

Bohbren
Bohbren Posts: 13 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So I have been doing really well with my diet for a few weeks now. Lean steaks, chicken breasts, limited bread ect.. But i have been ending a lot of days with something like 1000 to 1500 calories left. I can say that before the diet on some days I would probably eat up to 4-5000 calories. I'm not starving or anything but do I NEED to try and get the calories in?

The calories leftover are from my I think.. 2200 calorie limit from this app.

I'm 6'4 235 pounds, what do you guys think?

Thanks,
Brendan

Replies

  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    edited January 2017
    Eat them. You don't have to go all lean everything. Your body needs fat. Carbs are fuel.

    As a man, you should eat no less than 1500. As a man of your size? Eat all the calories, all 2200 of them. You will lose more healthily, you'll have more energy and it will be far more sustainable.

    ETA: You risk losing excessive muscle by not fueling your body with enough calories. You want to keep that muscle!
  • Bohbren
    Bohbren Posts: 13 Member
    2080* not 2200
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  • ashleyylo
    ashleyylo Posts: 101 Member
    That seems like a whooooole lot of leftover calories.

    If you truly (ie if you've been logging accurately) have that many left over I think you should try to eat at least some of those leftovers, or "save" them for when you go to a special occasion or something and are bound to eat more.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,885 Member
    Let me get my head around the math ...

    You're supposed to eat 2200 calories according to MFP ...
    But you're ending up with 1000-1500 calories left over ...

    So in other words, you're only eating 700-1200 calories ...
    And you're a tall male who should not be going under 1500 calories a day.

    Is that correct?
  • Bohbren
    Bohbren Posts: 13 Member
    ashleyylo wrote: »
    That seems like a whooooole lot of leftover calories.

    If you truly (ie if you've been logging accurately) have that many left over I think you should try to eat at least some of those leftovers, or "save" them for when you go to a special occasion or something and are bound to eat more.

    I know that it seems like a lot. I don't have the time in the day to eat "5 small meals a day" or even the 3. I generally have a lunch break at work and have a good sized dinner. So my main caloric intake is from dinner.
  • daniellockridge
    daniellockridge Posts: 9 Member
    Are you in the gym?
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  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    Add more butter, eat the bread, have the pasta. Your calorie setting by MFP is a "goal", you should strive to reach that to lose weight healthily.
  • Bohbren
    Bohbren Posts: 13 Member
    daniellockridge wrote: »
    Are you in the gym?

    Yes. I work out 5 to 6 days a week. It's been a couple months now
  • daniellockridge
    daniellockridge Posts: 9 Member
    Bohbren wrote: »
    daniellockridge wrote: »
    Are you in the gym?

    Yes. I work out 5 to 6 days a week. It's been a couple months now

    I personally use a low cal shake before my workout then a shake with loaded cals after. I suggest myoplex protein shakes for post and pure protein before. The myoplex shake has 300cals and 42 grams of protein so I think it's great for a post and it keeps me from being hungry for a while after that as well as fills a calorie gap in my food diary.
  • EricaCraigie
    EricaCraigie Posts: 1,396 Member
    Consistency !
This discussion has been closed.

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