Not hungry/not eating enough

0305bp
0305bp Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I would like to lose 30-lbs, but more importantly want to reduce body fat and increase fitness. I started a new workout program, easing into it about 3 weeks ago with this being the first week of ramping up to 5 workouts. This is also my first week of no refined sugar/processed foods/alcohol. Layer onto that, it’s been a busy week at work so I have been walking a lot more on top of my workouts.

So I burned a lot of calories and because I’m eating better food/less junk not eating as many calories. I haven’t been quite meeting my TDEE calories pre-workout, let alone eating back the workout calories. I’m not hungry, and hesitant to force myself to eat. Today is my rest day and I’m mildly anxious about it being bingy since I don’t have those surplus exercise calories in the bank.

So what is the difference between balancing calories daily and weekly? Can I cut myself some slack and not worry about eating enough when I’m not hungry as long as I don’t eat too little over the week? Not being hungry is a new feeling for me, I’m enjoying it, and a little afraid of those cravings (and calories) coming back. Thoughts?

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    I only care about my weakly average. Yes, you can bank calories for, say, the weekend.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Not being hungry when you're excited about a new exercise and diet regimen and eager to lose weight, is not a guarantee you're getting sufficient nutrition. Hunger will sneak up on you with dramatic force.

    But if you truly aren't hungry, chances are you're eating more than you think. How are your logging routines? How long have you been eating like you are now? Are you losing weight as expected?

    If you want to lose weight, you have to eat below your TDEE, on average, but you can bank calories through the week and spend in the weekend.

    If you reduce body fat, you also lose weight and increase fitness.

    We have to process most of our foods to make them edible. Even chewing is processing.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    If you aren't allergic, nuts or nut butter are an easy way to get extra calories (and fast!). No preparation required.
  • 0305bp
    0305bp Posts: 20 Member
    I’m not weighing food when I eat it, so I wasn’t too worried about the first low day (early in the week), that shows 750 calories. At the same time, I know I made a lb of ground beef/ a bag of cauliflower and ate it over a few days so they do even out over that time. I’m eating the right things and until I’m no longer full and I feel good and can complete my workouts (don’t feel tired/dragging). But yesterday I looked back and even if I’m a little off, it’s a pretty big deficit for the week. So yesterday I made an effort to eat some higher calorie stuff (almonds and avocado pudding sweetened with stevia). But you are right, I wouldn’t be posting if I wasn’t concerned about it and developing an unhealthy habit.

    Part of the challenge is, I’m used to eating a lot of my daily calories is a few high calorie items, beer/dessert/dairy, and since I cut those out completely the healthy stuff just doesn’t pick up the slack.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    But you don't know how many calories you're getting if you don't log properly. There are no right things to eat. There are only more or less healthy diets. A healthy diet is balanced and varied.
  • 0305bp
    0305bp Posts: 20 Member
    edited January 2018
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    . How are your logging routines? How long have you been eating like you are now? Are you losing weight as expected? .

    I’m a week in. I don’t weight food when I eat it, but I’m prepping everything at home so it should even out over the week (ie the bag of cauliflower stir fry has 200 calories and it’s split between two days, a lb of ground beef over three, etc). I am losing weight, and once again a lot of that is probably water weight from cutting out sugar/dairy/alcohol.

    It’s probably a good idea to grab a food scale so I have a better idea of serving sizes moving forward.

    lucerorojo wrote: »
    If you aren't allergic, nuts or nut butter are an easy way to get extra calories (and fast!). No preparation required.

    That’s what I did yesterday! I have some snack sized bags of almonds, which are easy and I don’t have to worry about figuring out what a “serving” is.
  • mabearof6
    mabearof6 Posts: 684 Member
    If you don't have a food scale, get one. They are really eye opening. Weigh everything! That includes pre-packaged foods too. (even single serve packaged items)
  • 0305bp
    0305bp Posts: 20 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    But you don't know how many calories you're getting if you don't log properly. There are no right things to eat. There are only more or less healthy diets. A healthy diet is balanced and varied.

    My “right” I mean I am eating fairly nutrient rich foods, which should help with ensuring proper nutrition over calorie dense but nutrient poor options.

  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    The consensus is that unless you are weighing and logging accurately, your questions are unanswerable.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    MelanieCN77 wrote: »
    The consensus is that unless you are weighing and logging accurately, your questions are unanswerable.

    And with good reason. Example, I had a small deep dish pizza as part of dinner last night. According to the package 1 such pizza was 155g. It actually weighed out to 176g.

    If you're not weighing your food you have no idea how much you're eating. And while it can be easier to get away with that with, say, most veggies, you certainly won't be so lucky with your meats and fruits and pre-packaged stuff.

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