Does anyone eat when they aren't hungry to fulfill their cal

theflyingartist
theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Quick intro: I am a MFP success story - lost 25 pounds with the help of this site! I'm now in maintenance mode and have been finding it harder than when I was on a deficit/losing.
Today: I find that I am developing an 'appetite' throughout the day as I watch my calorie intake to fulfill my maintenance calories. However, I'm not always hungry, just eating because it would fill up my calories. I often wonder if that's the reason I overeat now.. I went a day without logging and at the end of the day calculated it up, and was over 500+ cals!!

I'm considering taking a week off of MFP, and just writing down what I eat without looking it up.. has this worked for anyone? I'm afraid (ironically) that I'm eating more to satisfy the 1700 calories I'm given everyday.. and now I've gained 2 pounds back.. :/
Any tips? Advice?
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Replies

  • futurefitgirl88
    futurefitgirl88 Posts: 284
    i don't....I eat only 3 meals and 2 snacks a day....if I'm hungry after dinner! Well then I eat...if not then I don't even if my calories are too low (esp due to exercise. 2300 calories is just too much for someone my height and size!!! I wud baloon!
  • jamielise2
    jamielise2 Posts: 432 Member
    Yes, I frequently eat when I'm not hungry to get myself above 1000 net calories for the day. It sucks, but I don't lose weight if I don't eat.
  • ShannonWinger
    ShannonWinger Posts: 309 Member
    I always wish I had extra calories to eat. If I'm hungry I eat. If not I don't but I'm usually always hungry.
  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
    Don't eat when you're not hungry.

    Really.

    Why do I even have to say that?
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    HELL no. But I workout at least an hour everyday so there's really no time of the day when I'm NOT hungry. I try to keep my net at 1200 but if I'm hungry, I'll eat the calories I have left from exercise just so I don't go to bed hungry but I'm TRYING to make sure I eat something good to keep me fuller for bedtime - that's usually when the munchies hit me, right before bed. Ugh.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    I do it all the time. I know I need the nutrition, I work my *kitten* off and I need to replenish everything I take out of it. I always feel it the next day if I haven't eaten enough the day before, ALWAYS.

    This is when the "listen to your body" thing irks me. Before I started trying to lose weight I would listen to my body and only eat when I was hungry. Which meant i would only eat once or twice a day. I gained a lot of weight doing this. If I only "listened to my body" I'm sure this would happen again. I am in charge now.
  • Panda_Jack
    Panda_Jack Posts: 829 Member
    I'm always hungry...
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    When it's time to eat again I'm usually hungry. On a rare occasion I'm not that hungry, but I still eat, and as I start eating, I realize that I actually was hungry.. And on an extremely rare occasion, I'm so not not-hungry that I go to bed with a significant amount of calories left on the table.


    If I chronically didn't feel hungry when I had a bunch of calories left, I don't know how I would feel. I guess I would be kind of confused. The last time I upped my calories, it took a few days to get used to it. It felt like thanksgiving every day for a few days there. But I got used to it. I guess there's some evidence to suggest that it can potentially take a little time.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    When it's time to eat again I'm usually hungry. On a rare occasion I'm not that hungry, but I still eat, and as I start eating, I realize that I actually was hungry.. And on an extremely rare occasion, I'm so not not-hungry that I go to bed with a significant amount of calories left on the table.

    This is usually exactly what happens to me. I start eating and I'm like, "Wow, I'm really hungry!"
  • FaithsVegWorkout
    FaithsVegWorkout Posts: 471
    I notice when I don't eat enough calories, I'm really hungry in the morning. I can't force myself to eat when I'm not hungry though, but if I'm hungry, I eat.
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
    I'm pretty used to my "schedule" of eating, so I don't really have this problem. If I am a little under for a day, though... I'll be hungrier the next day, so it evens out over time.
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
    Don't eat when you're not hungry.

    Really.

    Why do I even have to say that?

    Yeah, you're right haha. I think it's the number that freaks me out: I have to eat 1700 of those things?! :noway:
    Maybe a MFP vacation will work, to kind of get out of my logical head for a bit.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Sometimes I do. I won't stuff myself but if I've been for a long run and burnt 900 calories then I know I need to get some of those back in my system to help my body recover.
    I don't eat every last calorie that I have available but I like to keep my net cals consistently between 1500 - 1600 so I plan for this and eat accordingly.
    I'm not convinced that "listening to my body" is the best way to get healthy nutrition, it is more likely to say something like "a family sized block of chocolate makes a great lunch" and I that's what got me fat in the first place!
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    If I earned extra calories I struggle sometimes. I don't mind being a couple of hundred under as it allows room for error (I tend to forget cooking oils and sauces)
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    I often have 200-300 spare cals at the end of the day, but if I'm not hungry I don't eat them. Feels wrong. Guess I'll find out...
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
    Actually, since I am trying to build muscle, I am force feeding myself constantly.

    It all depends on your goals. If you are trying to lose weight, only eat when you are hungry, WITHIN REASON. You are changing how you feel about food, and when you need it. It's to be expected that listening to your body isn't a valid indicator of what you actually need.

    After all, for the last few years my body has been telling me I NEEDED to eat fast food 5x a week. I shouldn't have listened then, why would I listen now?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I rarely eat when I'm not hungry. But I might have an extra glass of wine if the calories are just sitting there waiting to be consumed. I'd rather have a buzz than go into the dreaded starvation mode. :drinker:
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    i eat to hit my cal goal all the time. hungry or not. it's easier for me to eat at a deficit as well.
    If you're finding youre going over or what not, i wouldn't suggest stopping tracking to fix it, i would suggest the opposite. better yet, plan your day the day before and just eat what you planned.
  • carrie1128
    carrie1128 Posts: 267 Member
    No I don't eat to fulfill the calories that MPF says I should have but I do eat when I'm not hungry. I take regular snack breaks and eat before I get to the point of feeling hunger. It helps me to eat less over the course of the day (I'm more likely to end up stuffing my face when I'm starving). I try to think of eating as fueling my body and I don't like to wait until the gas light comes on. ;)
  • Tuffjourney
    Tuffjourney Posts: 971
    I always wish I had extra calories to eat. If I'm hungry I eat. If not I don't but I'm usually always hungry.

    Me too....:sad:
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I rarely eat when I'm not hungry. But I might have an extra glass of wine if the calories are just sitting there waiting to be consumed. I'd rather have a buzz than go into the dreaded starvation mode. :drinker:

    Drinking alcohol to prevent a reduction in metabolism is kind of self-defeating...
  • carrie1128
    carrie1128 Posts: 267 Member
    I'm pretty used to my "schedule" of eating, so I don't really have this problem. If I am a little under for a day, though... I'll be hungrier the next day, so it evens out over time.
    Yes, this happens to me. Actually if I'm under, I end up waking up in the middle of the night starving. I have to grab a banana or something so I can go back to sleep.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Don't eat when you're not hungry.

    Really.

    Why do I even have to say that?

    Actually hunger is not a very good indication of nutritional requirements. If you under eat for long enough your stomach will not take as much to get full, but that does not mean your body needs less nutrients. If you have calories left over on a consistent basis, change what you are eating and eat more calorie dense foods, such as nuts and seeds.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Don't eat when you're not hungry.

    Really.

    Why do I even have to say that?

    Actually hunger is not a very good indication of nutritional requirements. If you under eat for long enough your stomach will not take as much to get full, but that does not mean your body needs less nutrients. If you have calories left over on a consistent basis, change what you are eating and eat more calorie dense foods, such as nuts and seeds.

    Well said! My thoughts exactly.
  • darklord48
    darklord48 Posts: 114 Member
    What I would do is make sure you get at least 1200 calories a day. Beyond that, if you are under your maintenance goal, I wouldn't worry about it, unless you are down to the low end of the healthy BMI.
  • alleyag
    alleyag Posts: 142
    Actually, since I am trying to build muscle, I am force feeding myself constantly.

    It all depends on your goals. If you are trying to lose weight, only eat when you are hungry, WITHIN REASON. You are changing how you feel about food, and when you need it. It's to be expected that listening to your body isn't a valid indicator of what you actually need.

    After all, for the last few years my body has been telling me I NEEDED to eat fast food 5x a week. I shouldn't have listened then, why would I listen now?

    I feel you on this one. I'm also gaining at the.moment and sometimes I feel like a bear going into hibernation.4000 calories of healthy wholesome food is no easy task. I've gotten to the point of actually liquifying my meal to get it down. I will not fail. EAT BIG LIFT BIG GET BIG. I'm not complaining though I enjoy this much more than the cut, but it does have its disadvantages.
  • hypergrl
    hypergrl Posts: 188 Member
    I'll eat the calories I have left from exercise just so I don't go to bed hungry but I'm TRYING to make sure I eat something good to keep me fuller for bedtime - that's usually when the munchies hit me, right before bed. Ugh.

    Me too! WTH! The worst possible time!
  • _gwen
    _gwen Posts: 501 Member
    I never eat less than 1200, but I don't always eat my exercise calories.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    I feel you on this one. I'm also gaining at the.moment and sometimes I feel like a bear going into hibernation.4000 calories of healthy wholesome food is no easy task. I've gotten to the point of actually liquifying my meal to get it down. I will not fail. EAT BIG LIFT BIG GET BIG. I'm not complaining though I enjoy this much more than the cut, but it does have its disadvantages.

    LOL bro, use IIFYM. You will be fine eating a few more calorie dense foods to get that 4000 in. =)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I rarely eat when I'm not hungry. But I might have an extra glass of wine if the calories are just sitting there waiting to be consumed. I'd rather have a buzz than go into the dreaded starvation mode. :drinker:

    Drinking alcohol to prevent a reduction in metabolism is kind of self-defeating...

    Did I meniton the buzz??
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