HELP!!!! When to eat calories ????

CatarinaF
CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, guys!

Now, I'm really "worried" about this...:frown:
My life is pretty hectic (even though I'm not married and I don't have kids), and sometimes I don't know whether I'm going to go to the gym until... 8 or 9 PM (!)

Meaning..., it's pretty dificult to plan my day ahead, specially when it comes to eat my calories...

I'm on 1200 calories per day, but I always try to go to the gym to burn AT LEAST 400 calories (sometimes up to 600 calories...).

What happens it that when I get back home, I have a huge deficit of calories (like today, I'm still have to eat at least 600 calories and it's 10.30 PM...)

Is it true that you shouldn't eat a lot of calories later in the day (in this case, night...) ?
Why?

And if this is true... can someone PLEASE (!!!!!!!) help me?

Thank you!! :smooched:
Cat
:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • CatarinaF
    CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
    Hi, guys!

    Now, I'm really "worried" about this...:frown:
    My life is pretty hectic (even though I'm not married and I don't have kids), and sometimes I don't know whether I'm going to go to the gym until... 8 or 9 PM (!)

    Meaning..., it's pretty dificult to plan my day ahead, specially when it comes to eat my calories...

    I'm on 1200 calories per day, but I always try to go to the gym to burn AT LEAST 400 calories (sometimes up to 600 calories...).

    What happens it that when I get back home, I have a huge deficit of calories (like today, I'm still have to eat at least 600 calories and it's 10.30 PM...)

    Is it true that you shouldn't eat a lot of calories later in the day (in this case, night...) ?
    Why?

    And if this is true... can someone PLEASE (!!!!!!!) help me?

    Thank you!! :smooched:
    Cat
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • CatarinaF
    CatarinaF Posts: 34 Member
    .... oh, I' so sorry.... a lot of typos in there... :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed:

    """What happens *** IS *** that when I get back home, I have a huge deficit of calories (like today, *** I *** still have to eat at least 600 calories and it's 10.30 PM...)

    sorry about that...
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • Chellekk
    Chellekk Posts: 421 Member
    If you ALWAYS try to go to the gym, then you probably know ahead of time that you will be able to eat more and should calculate that in to your meal plan early in the day.

    Sometimes I guess as to how many calories I'll burn (under estimate) and then eat those, then I go play my sport, enter it and find I'm pretty dang close or under, but not by 500! I'm only under 200 or so and that's easy to eat.
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
    A calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it. Contrary to popular belief, how late you eat has absolutely no bearing on whether or not you will lose weight. As long as you are within your calorie range you are okay.

    I would recommend planning your menu the night before, then packing it and keeping it with you througout the day (get one of those little cooler things). The bottom line is that if you do not eat, it will affect your success as much as if you eat too much. There is very little wiggle room for this.

    Do you have a fridge at work? If yes, then stock it like you would your fridge at home. If not - bring what you can for your desk.

    I hope this helps.
  • Chellekk
    Chellekk Posts: 421 Member
    If you ALWAYS try to go to the gym, then you probably know ahead of time that you will be able to eat more and should calculate that in to your meal plan early in the day.

    Sometimes I guess as to how many calories I'll burn (under estimate) and then eat those, then I go play my sport, enter it and find I'm pretty dang close or under, but not by 500! I'm only under 200 or so and that's easy to eat.

    Oh...now that you edited...I make so sense. :grumble: BUT...you can always take a protein bar along with you. Eat a few bites prior to the gym, a few bites during, and a few bites after. Next thing you know...you have downed the 300-400 calories to make up a good portion!

    OR...a handful of nuts before you go to the gym will get your calories in, give you energy during your work out and not fill you up and make you feel stuffed.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Take snacks with you even if you need to get a small cooler because your on the go. Pack things like fresh veggies and fruits,nuts even sandwiches if you need. I wouldnt eat so much late at night because you may not sleep so well and could possibly wake up bloated which isnt good for people who weigh in the morning.
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
    A protein shake can help also.........does not mean you have to eat a full blown meal to consume those cals......just get them in somehow. I wish I had your problem :( I do not burn near enough calories in a day on purpose.......

    GO GREEN!
  • sunshine92
    sunshine92 Posts: 228 Member
    so it really doesnt matter if you eat late at night? i've always heard that you shouldnt eat carbs before bed because your metabolism is at its slowest while your sleeping...?????...im not arguing with anyone, just making sure...:smile:
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
    so it really doesnt matter if you eat late at night? i've always heard that you shouldnt eat carbs before bed because your metabolism is at its slowest while your sleeping...?????...im not arguing with anyone, just making sure...:smile:

    But if you listen to the knowledgeable people on this site (and there are a lot), your body needs a certain amount and burns a certain amount of calories every day. If you are giving it the right amount that it needs and uses, why would it matter when you feed it. It still needs that many. (oops forgot my happy face :laugh: )
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    A knowledgable trainer told me it doesnt matter when you eat, but it does matter what.

    Eat the bulk of your carbs earlier in the day, and try to eat good protein later on. She suggested meat and veggies for dinner and nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios but no salt!) for a snack.

    She also said that you need carbs to sleep! So to make my afternoon snack a complex carb and lighter protein.

    Jeez so much to learn!! I will never get this all right!! :laugh: :laugh:
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
    A knowledgable trainer told me it doesnt matter when you eat, but it does matter what.

    Eat the bulk of your carbs earlier in the day, and try to eat good protein later on. She suggested meat and veggies for dinner and nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios but no salt!) for a snack.

    She also said that you need carbs to sleep! So to make my afternoon snack a complex carb and lighter protein.

    Jeez so much to learn!! I will never get this all right!! :laugh: :laugh:
    I feel like that too, I wonder why it matters when you eat. I have to have logic in my thinking :smile:
  • RKJR925
    RKJR925 Posts: 254
    If eating late at night made people gain weight they would feed starving people all over the world lat at night.

    Eating late often helps me with those late night cravings
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
    also...remember that the time from your last meal at night to the first meal in the morning is usually the longest time between eating. Your body is essentially going into starvation mode during this time. It's a hard myth to break away from especially since we have been told this since we were kids. It is just as difficult to realize that if you want to lose weight, you have to eat.

    Hope this helps reassure you.
  • timetoembrace
    timetoembrace Posts: 77
    also...remember that the time from your last meal at night to the first meal in the morning is usually the longest time between eating. Your body is essentially going into starvation mode during this time. It's a hard myth to break away from especially since we have been told this since we were kids. It is just as difficult to realize that if you want to lose weight, you have to eat.

    Hope this helps reassure you.


    that makes perfectly good sense...wonder what happened to common sense all the years we were growing up...:laugh: :laugh:
  • timetoembrace
    timetoembrace Posts: 77
    also...remember that the time from your last meal at night to the first meal in the morning is usually the longest time between eating. Your body is essentially going into starvation mode during this time. It's a hard myth to break away from especially since we have been told this since we were kids. It is just as difficult to realize that if you want to lose weight, you have to eat.

    Hope this helps reassure you.


    that makes perfectly good sense...wonder what happened to common sense all the years we were growing up...:laugh: :laugh:
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