I need some advice please.

jarelary4
jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
I am having difficulty with eating my exercise calories on the days I work cleaning houses. On those particular days I burn between 800 - 1200 calories. My problem is I usually have 1000 or so calories at the end of the day and if I eat those calories for dinner I end up with an extra pound or two the next day and I have to work that off. I eat a pretty good breakfast of about 500 - 600 calories on those days and I take a snack. I'm just usually to tired to eat a big enough lunch or I'm just working through lunch to finish. Is it better to eat more before I go to work and burn off my breakfast calories while I work> I just don't know the best way to go about this. I only work like this about 3 days a week. Can anyone else give me ideas on how they handle big exercise days.

Replies

  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    I am having difficulty with eating my exercise calories on the days I work cleaning houses. On those particular days I burn between 800 - 1200 calories. My problem is I usually have 1000 or so calories at the end of the day and if I eat those calories for dinner I end up with an extra pound or two the next day and I have to work that off. I eat a pretty good breakfast of about 500 - 600 calories on those days and I take a snack. I'm just usually to tired to eat a big enough lunch or I'm just working through lunch to finish. Is it better to eat more before I go to work and burn off my breakfast calories while I work> I just don't know the best way to go about this. I only work like this about 3 days a week. Can anyone else give me ideas on how they handle big exercise days.
  • jennlos
    jennlos Posts: 200
    When you started your goals for myfitnesspal they ask you what kind of work you do to set up the calories that you are goin to need for normal daily activities. I am not sure that you should be entering in the calories burned for you job. Someone may have a better explaination then me but thats my opinion.
  • CLRacer2912
    CLRacer2912 Posts: 5
    you need to be eating throughout the day! When I first started losing weight, I relied heavily on quick snacks (processed & packaged) so if you're finding it difficult to get snacks in, this might be a good place for you to start as well. Throw a Pria bar in your purse or Kashi granola bars or baggie of carrots. All are decent options around 100-150 calories and can last in your purse for the few hrs after you leave home. If you can't find time or are too tired for lunch, a lunch box full of little items (things you can throw in a baggie) can be easier to eat than a sandwich or something like that.

    Hope this helps!
  • aprilvet
    aprilvet Posts: 724 Member
    So, you clean for a living? If that is the case, don't count this as exercise. Just figure your Active Metabolic Rate for an active person on those days and for a lightly active person on your non-cleaning days. This might up your base calories from 1200 to 1600, as an example. Then, if you do true exercise- conscious calorie-burning activity- you'll add those calories to the base. If you don't do any exercise on your cleaning days, then you'll just eat your 1600 cals, not 2000-2400!!!!!

    Does this make sense??:smile:
  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    on my normal days i eat about 1230 cals before any exercise, when i set my goals i set them for being only somewhat active because i work at the most 3 days in a week but mostly only 1 day a week. and i work only 4 hours max per day. I wear a heart rate monitor and track my HR as i work. i also do n other exercise on those days. i clean pretty vigorously so i know i am getting a good workout. as for my goals i anticipated exercising 1 hour a day for about 450 extra cals to consume. I am losig pretty quickly and steadily, but i guess i just can't leave so many cals for the und of the day. thanks for suggesting i take small snack to eat throughout the day. i'll try that. I do like the kashi granola bars and almonds. thanks for responding!
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    If you can't eat lunch- than try a protein shake- They are suprisingly filling- and super fast to make-- Also if you have a smoothie king near you- you can use one of there high protein smoothies as a lunch- thats what I did today for myself I had a High Protein Almond Mocha yummmy 266 calories (cause I made it skinny which allows you to subtract 100 calories) plus there was 30g of protein.-

    **Also it would be a good idea to break your meals up through the day 5-6 meals a day wth your larger meals such as breakfast lunch and dinner around the same amount of calories 200,300,400 just an example--


    Out of curiousity were you cleaning house before you came to MFP to lose weight? Im just asking because I personally wouldn't count it even though you are using a HRM- for the simple fact that you were doing it before- As for your other workouts I would count that.
  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    aprilvet, thanks! i think i understand where you're going. I'm going to try eating an extra 400 cals on my work days by snacking on granola bars, almonds and high protein things and just not consider this as my exercise. I never thooght of doing it this way, but after talking to my DH it finally amkes sense to me. So thanks again for the advise!!!:happy: :flowerforyou: :bigsmile:
  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    I've been cleaning for 2 years now, i just would grab 2 double cheeseburgers, large fry and large soda from mc'd's after work ( i wonder how i gained so much weight:embarassed: )
  • rndalsn
    rndalsn Posts: 26
    I agree. I would not count the housecleaning as exercise. Congratulations on your progress! You're doing great!:happy:
  • rndalsn
    rndalsn Posts: 26
    I agree. I would not count the housecleaning as exercise. Congratulations on your progress! You're doing great!:happy:
  • aprilvet
    aprilvet Posts: 724 Member
    I've been cleaning for 2 years now, i just would grab 2 double cheeseburgers, large fry and large soda from mc'd's after work ( i wonder how i gained so much weight:embarassed: )

    LOL:laugh: :laugh: Isn't it funny how surprised we are when looking back on our old habits? It's like a different person doing those things! Good for you to change those bad habits!!!:flowerforyou:
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