Under calories...

satchel2008
satchel2008 Posts: 136 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok so I'm only on day five of this but so far every day Ive come in way under calories.. if it's not gonna affect anything then I don't care but I'm afraid that my body will slow my metabolism down to a point I will stop progress soon. For a little context I have a very crazy schedule! I wake up at 3pm to get ready for work (I work nights) I literally cannot and never have been able to eat when I wake up I find food repulsive until I've been awake for at least 5 hours to the point I almost get sick if I try and make myself. So anyway I get up at 3pm usually have some coffee take a shower and get ready I'm out the door at 4pm. Now prior to this I never ate at work I hate eating at work cause it makes me so tired I work in a cold climate and if I eat at work I just full on go lethargic and my shifts are long and hard and I work with knives so I avoid it. But since starting this I usually bring a banana and some cherrie tomatoes so my first lunch break is at 7pm and I have a banana then second break is at 10pm I have my tomatoes I get off work around 3:30am and home around 4:00 am. When I get home I make dinner I've beenaking grilled chicken with a side of veggies. I'll get in a little work out or do chores or just relax or whatever I need to do before the next day and I'm usually trying to sleep by 7am. And so with the things I eat at work and my dinner I'm coming in super low like to the point mfp won't even let me submit my food diary unless I go through and lie and say I ate more then I did. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to consume a ton of calories before I sleep cause I feel that's what's caused alot of my weight problem already. But I just don't think I can eat at work either without it affecting my job performance and the way I feel. Do you think this could mess up my metabolism to the point I don't loose anything? I'm just not sure what I should do.

Replies

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited January 2022
    Meal timing, i.e. when you eat your calories- whether at work or not, before bed or not- doesn't really matter at all. Eating the right number of calories matters a lot.

    Agree with @cmriverside that you will not "mess up your metabolism" by eating too low, but eating too low has all kinds of other effects you don't want. It really saves a lot of time and effort in the long run to dial in an appropriate calorie goal and to actually eat that amount. In whatever way is most pleasing and satiating to you.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,269 Member
    Include some foods with healthy fats in there, to add calories: Instead of cherry tomatoes, how about some nuts or peanuts? They're quite portable, too. Put a little cheese on your veggies at dinner. Choose a fattier meat/fish than chicken. It sounds like you could be low on protein, with that routine - though of course that depends on quantities, which you didn't mention. If that's true, try to fit in some protein foods. If you like it, maybe some fruity Greek yogurt, full fat version if you need the calories?

    There's no need to eat only "diet foods".

    It's fine to be under calories on the rare day, but being persistently very low is a bad plan, increasing likelihood of health risk, or crash/burn eventually. Close most days is better. Get enough fats, get enough protein - they're important for health. Just keep chipping away at getting where you need to be, you can do it.

    Best wishes!
  • satchel2008
    satchel2008 Posts: 136 Member
    @cwolfman13 prior my eating time were the same only ate once a day and that was when I got home at work about 4am before I went to bed. But I consumed a ton of calories! It was like a binge eating type of thing! Like a whole pizza, soda, maybe candy or cookies or brownies something sweet after. Then I would pass out. I was curious how much so the pizza I usually got was from our Casey's gas station cause there is hardly anything open when I get off work so I looked it up on here and one slice of pepperoni pizza from there is around 350 calories and I was eating prolly 8 of those followed by the soda and sweets then I would just go to sleep. So I think that's where I really put on the lbs.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,269 Member
    satchel2008 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 prior my eating time were the same only ate once a day and that was when I got home at work about 4am before I went to bed. But I consumed a ton of calories! It was like a binge eating type of thing! Like a whole pizza, soda, maybe candy or cookies or brownies something sweet after. Then I would pass out. I was curious how much so the pizza I usually got was from our Casey's gas station cause there is hardly anything open when I get off work so I looked it up on here and one slice of pepperoni pizza from there is around 350 calories and I was eating prolly 8 of those followed by the soda and sweets then I would just go to sleep. So I think that's where I really put on the lbs.

    Do they sell it by the slice? If so, on a day when you're way under calories, pick up a slice on the way home, eat that with your other food. That'd get you 350 calories closer to goal, if you're that far under. Pizza has nutrition, isn't evil or anything like that.
  • satchel2008
    satchel2008 Posts: 136 Member
    @AnnPT77 they do but they never usually have any out when I get off of work. But I was thinking about what you said about the protein and fat thing so I might throw in so peanut or almond butter in with celery or something as a snack
  • Skyler103
    Skyler103 Posts: 121 Member
    I find when I eat carbs for lunch at work it makes me tired too. Try protein and healthy fats instead and add a little at a time. Nuts, cheese, meat, avocado. All those things are fairly high calorie and could be good for your breaks without making you tired.
  • arizzitano
    arizzitano Posts: 1 Member
    I bet you’re tired by the time you get home! Maybe preparing bulk ingredients ahead of time would help with dinner. I like to make a big pot of beans or grains on Sunday, then use them in different meals throughout the week like soups or salads. You could also try high-protein, high-fat snacks during the day. I bet a nut butter packet would go great with your banana, and maybe a string cheese with your tomatoes!
  • janetennet
    janetennet Posts: 143 Member
    Would you be able to handle a smoothie a short while after you wake up? You could use fruit incl. banana's, apples, mango, pineapple, etc., yogurt, mylk or milk, bran/ oats, protein powder or collagen, and nut butters.
    It may be easier to drink rather that eating when you wake, or you could have it as your first snack. A 300/400 calorie smoothie would definitely assist with getting your calorie needs met and provide plenty of nutrients.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    edited January 2022
    satchel2008 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 prior my eating time were the same only ate once a day and that was when I got home at work about 4am before I went to bed. But I consumed a ton of calories! It was like a binge eating type of thing! Like a whole pizza, soda, maybe candy or cookies or brownies something sweet after. Then I would pass out. I was curious how much so the pizza I usually got was from our Casey's gas station cause there is hardly anything open when I get off work so I looked it up on here and one slice of pepperoni pizza from there is around 350 calories and I was eating prolly 8 of those followed by the soda and sweets then I would just go to sleep. So I think that's where I really put on the lbs.



    It'd be exactly the same result (weight gain-wise) if you ate the same things slowly throughout the day as if you ate them at 4 am before you passed out.

    timing really doesn't matter, it's if you consume more caloriesthan you burn over time that causes you to gain weight. But if you were able to eat a bit here and there throughout the day, you might not be so tempted to binge before bed.

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