i read the prereq sticky posts about eating your exercise .

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_snw_
_snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
... calories and I understand that, but I have a probable very stupid question about the calories themselves."

(and possibly the longest subject line ever)

Before I went to work out, I had ~350 calories available for dinner. Would have been more but that chocolate covered granola bar from hell took over my will power for evil. But that's besides the point.

Now, after working out, I'm ready for a late dinner. And I've got 770 calories to get down my gullet.

So, my question is .... do the TYPES of calories matter? My brain is screaming YES! OF COURSE THEY MATTER DUMBASS!! But then I have that little smidgen of doubt (or maybe hope) that says, eat a reasonable dinner and follow it up with two wonderful chocolate covered peanut butter cups and we'll make that 770 calories dead on.

Please, I need someone to tell me that little piece of doubt is whispering lies to me and I need to figure out 770 of so called "nutritious" calories to eat. Confirm to me I have not found a loophole for candy bars.

Replies

  • bjfmade
    bjfmade Posts: 543 Member
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    I would leave a small cushion in calories if you don't have a HRM for counting exercise calories that you burned, just to be on the safe side.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    If all you're worried about is the weight loss, I'm pretty sure you can have the sweets. But I'm new here, maybe someone has a convincing argument against treats that don't put you over your calories for the day. If so, I'm going to close my eyes, stick my fingers in my ears, and sing la la la la until they finish explaining to you and go away.

    I'd be homicidal without chocolate.

    Okay, not homicidal, but definitely really, really cranky.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    The biggest problem I'd have with the peanut butter cups is that I'd have a hard time stopping at two.
  • kiwianjel
    kiwianjel Posts: 80 Member
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    my answer to this is we are all here to improve our eating habits and lifestyle .. but being happy and healthy doesnt mean giving up all your treats .. i havent ! I try to save calories for these treats but i guess you need to watch the fat/carbs elements too. I would also go mental without chocolate sometimes :)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    As long as you hit your nutrition goals, there's absolutely nothing wrong with dessert. I eat dessert almost every day, hasn't hurt my weight loss at all.
  • jvan1957
    jvan1957 Posts: 114
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    Keep in mind a calorie is a calorie.
  • justmary4cm
    justmary4cm Posts: 29
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    Technically, a calorie is a calorie. However, that being said, some calories are worse than others. HUH? Eating that much sugar (peanut butter cup!) will feel good now but in a little while you will feel like you need a pick me up, something to take you back to the high sugar gives you. So you are more likely to slip quietly back to the kitchen for a little something sweet or starchy. For me refined foods give me rebound hunger and mood swings so I really try to avoid them even if I am not watching my weight.

    Here's the thing, kiddo. GET RID OF THE CANDY BARS, GRANOLA BARS AND ALL OTHER TEMPTATIONS in your house. It makes it so much easier to avoid them and to give your body what it needs - good carbs, protein and little fat and some veggies. You will not regret this decision. If you really want something and you have to go to the store to get it, you will have to put some effort into going out to buy it. It will give you time to look in the mirror and see those size ?? jeans and to be proud of your accomplishment!

    Good job for going to the gym and even better job for asking this question before chowing down.

    M.
  • Megan2Project
    Megan2Project Posts: 351 Member
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    I make room for AT LEAST one treat a day! I try to use the 90/10 rule, although sometimes its more like 70/30. Eat healthy 90% of the time and have treats 10%. If you would have them within your calories, it doesn't make a difference if the cals are from exercise or in your daily amount.

    I am a firm believer and using exercise cals to help get treats.... The day I run 10, I'm going to go have my favorite burger... MMM 1000cals of gooey greesy yumminess. To me, being successful is all about balance, so when I am at my goal weight, if I want to go out and splurge on something I want to get in the habit of balancing it all into my calories, or burning it off. :)
  • bonnt
    bonnt Posts: 172 Member
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    The types of calories do matter, in the grand scheme of things. But honestly, if you look at a lot of websites, they list dark chocolate as an okay 'snack'. If you do it every once in a while, no big deal. In fact, I was eating chocolate every day (about 90 cals).
  • alecta337
    alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
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    IMHO, if you don't allow yourself snacks, you won't stick to any type of healthy eating plan because you are depriving yourself of every single thing that you want.

    Give yourself a treat every once in a while, especially if it fits within your calorie goal!
  • kimberg75
    kimberg75 Posts: 412 Member
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    I saw have the peanut butter cups! As long as it's not something you are eating every day then you deserve that sweet treat...especially since you had the calories left for them. Little indulgences on occasion will help you stick w/ this...they say if you are constantly depriving yourself then you can get burned out more easily and also it will lead to the big time pig out days where your body screams CHOCOLATE and LOTS of it!!! :laugh:
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    IMHO, if you don't allow yourself snacks, you won't stick to any type of healthy eating plan because you are depriving yourself of every single thing that you want.

    Give yourself a treat every once in a while, especially if it fits within your calorie goal!


    I totally agree with snacks in moderation. my brain, though, is trying to get me to believe in the everyday candy loophole! :)
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    Here's the thing, kiddo. GET RID OF THE CANDY BARS, GRANOLA BARS AND ALL OTHER TEMPTATIONS in your house. It makes it so much easier to avoid them and to give your body what it needs - good carbs, protein and little fat and some veggies. You will not regret this decision. If you really want something and you have to go to the store to get it, you will have to put some effort into going out to buy it.

    Halloween killed us. I have three kids and they brought home so much damned candy. I should just throw it out, but eh, they don't eat a lot and I'd feel bad. As for the granola bars, again - it's the kids. They have to bring 2 snacks a day at school (1st and 2nd graders) and while 1 snack has to be healthy (my rule), I do allow the other snack to be a granola bar, fruit rollup, etc.
  • mauigyrl
    mauigyrl Posts: 86 Member
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    In my last weight loss a few years before I got pregnant with my daughter I bought alot of the Atkins candy sweets. They helped in replacing all my junk foods. They have a peanut butter cups which to me taste really good. After a while you get used to that type of chocolate. But in splurging in a couple of them a few times a day for my sweet tooth gave me no guilt.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    ... calories and I understand that, but I have a probable very stupid question about the calories themselves."

    (and possibly the longest subject line ever)

    Before I went to work out, I had ~350 calories available for dinner. Would have been more but that chocolate covered granola bar from hell took over my will power for evil. But that's besides the point.

    Now, after working out, I'm ready for a late dinner. And I've got 770 calories to get down my gullet.

    So, my question is .... do the TYPES of calories matter? My brain is screaming YES! OF COURSE THEY MATTER DUMBASS!! But then I have that little smidgen of doubt (or maybe hope) that says, eat a reasonable dinner and follow it up with two wonderful chocolate covered peanut butter cups and we'll make that 770 calories dead on.

    Please, I need someone to tell me that little piece of doubt is whispering lies to me and I need to figure out 770 of so called "nutritious" calories to eat. Confirm to me I have not found a loophole for candy bars.

    Calorie is a calorie, however it is in your best interest to choose more nutritious foods.

    BUT, it's not bad to have candy (or whatever "guilt food") once in a while. In fact, I eat whatever fits my calories and macros. Do you expect to never have candy post weight loss? Its best to learn now how to incorporate them into your diet now so you know how to handle it.

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