what do you do when...

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daisylou
daisylou Posts: 118
in Health and Weight Loss
ok, so what do you do when you don't get the chance to eat your dinner by 8 or 9 at night, and you still have the calories left? Do you go ahead and eat dinner at nine o'clock or just eat something small just to get by? I had my day all figured out and then I didn't have time to eat dinner at work tonight. Sooo... now it's late, I just ate what I had planned, still within my calorie limit, but it's bedtime now!!!! For future reference, what should I do?

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  • daisylou
    daisylou Posts: 118
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    ok, so what do you do when you don't get the chance to eat your dinner by 8 or 9 at night, and you still have the calories left? Do you go ahead and eat dinner at nine o'clock or just eat something small just to get by? I had my day all figured out and then I didn't have time to eat dinner at work tonight. Sooo... now it's late, I just ate what I had planned, still within my calorie limit, but it's bedtime now!!!! For future reference, what should I do?
  • verifire
    verifire Posts: 44
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    it's not ideal to eat before going to bed, but if you're within your cals and it doesn't happen often, i don't think it will hurt. i think it's better to be in the habit of regularly eating your calories - not more not less - than to let a late night break up your plan.
  • weaverc
    weaverc Posts: 158
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    Same thing happened to me today. I ate dinner at 8pm because I didn't have time to eat earlier and I was starving. I figured it was better to eat my planned meal then to risk a binge later from starvation. I try not to let this happen often.
  • purrrr
    purrrr Posts: 1,073
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    if you are hungry - then eat...
    if you are not hungry - then don't...

    supposed a day like this won't happen too often and one day won't make a whole lot of difference in the overall picture, the only thing that i find important is that you don't go to bed hungry but also not bloated from eating a big dinner just before that... it must have been a rough enough day so the last thing you want is to finish it in discomfort... i would suggest fruit, it's tasty and leaves the stomach quickly... i usually just have a cup of hazelnut milk or something like this if it's late and i'm going to bed soon cos actually liquids are the only thing i crave in such a situation (while it's actually caloric)... whatever makes you happy tonight, better dinner calculation on better days! :flowerforyou:
  • scottc
    scottc Posts: 72
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    Why is it suggested that we eat all of our calories? Isn't it true that we lose weight when we burn more than we consume? Just wondering!
  • purrrr
    purrrr Posts: 1,073
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    Why is it suggested that we eat all of our calories? Isn't it true that we lose weight when we burn more than we consume? Just wondering!

    sort of... but not always... just quoted this elsewhere but let's do it again... oh and by the way you are not eating all your calories but all calories bar the deficit MFP presets for you... (which you, being member since June last year, must be aware of... :huh:)
    For example, if an individual needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain weight, reducing intake to 1,500 calories, assuming exercise stays the same, should provide a 1 pound per week weight loss (Note: 1 pound of weight is equivalent to about 3,500 calories). Furthermore, reducing to 1,000 calories should result in a weight-loss of 2 pounds per week and going down to 500 calories a day should result in a weight loss of 3 pounds per week. However, if an individual actually reduces their intake to 500 calories, the weight loss would not likely be a steady 3 pounds per week because of the reduced metabolic rate. It would likely be around 2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds.
  • daisylou
    daisylou Posts: 118
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    I had actually planned on a smart one, but decided against it cause of the salt, so I had a turkey burger instead. I hope that was a better choice:ohwell:
  • scottc
    scottc Posts: 72
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    Why is it suggested that we eat all of our calories? Isn't it true that we lose weight when we burn more than we consume? Just wondering!

    sort of... but not always... just quoted this elsewhere but let's do it again... oh and by the way you are not eating all your calories but all calories bar the deficit MFP presets for you... (which you, being member since June last year, must be aware of... :huh:)
    For example, if an individual needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain weight, reducing intake to 1,500 calories, assuming exercise stays the same, should provide a 1 pound per week weight loss (Note: 1 pound of weight is equivalent to about 3,500 calories). Furthermore, reducing to 1,000 calories should result in a weight-loss of 2 pounds per week and going down to 500 calories a day should result in a weight loss of 3 pounds per week. However, if an individual actually reduces their intake to 500 calories, the weight loss would not likely be a steady 3 pounds per week because of the reduced metabolic rate. It would likely be around 2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds.

    No, sorry I was not aware of that, even though I've been a member since last June. I'm still learning, hence the question. Thanks for the info. :happy:
  • ptrad
    ptrad Posts: 22
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    If you are not hungry, then don't eat. About calories, according to the BMR--how many calories to keep you alive--if the calories are below the BMR, weight will be lost, BUT, eventually the body will slow the metabolism down because the body perceives a famine and will store more fat then it burns. :explode: Does that make sense? Exercise helps to increase the metabolism and thus increase the burning of calories, but also it can help to reset the metabolism with the correct intake of calories over a period of time. Strength training is a very good way to increase the metabolism because the body is building muscle tissue and that takes more calories to maintain than adipose (fat).
    Does that help?
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    If you have a ton of calories left over, eat something higher in cals but still good for you like cheese, glass of milk, nuts. And you can eat after 9pm........my nutritionist told me it is a myth eating after 7....your body will still burn cals. The main reason not to eat after 7 is so that you don't go to bed and give yourself heartburn, acid reflux or tummy ache.....I wouldn't recommend eating a huge meal, but you can still eat if you want something.

    :flowerforyou:
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Why is it suggested that we eat all of our calories? Isn't it true that we lose weight when we burn more than we consume? Just wondering!

    sort of... but not always... just quoted this elsewhere but let's do it again... oh and by the way you are not eating all your calories but all calories bar the deficit MFP presets for you... (which you, being member since June last year, must be aware of... :huh:)
    For example, if an individual needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain weight, reducing intake to 1,500 calories, assuming exercise stays the same, should provide a 1 pound per week weight loss (Note: 1 pound of weight is equivalent to about 3,500 calories). Furthermore, reducing to 1,000 calories should result in a weight-loss of 2 pounds per week and going down to 500 calories a day should result in a weight loss of 3 pounds per week. However, if an individual actually reduces their intake to 500 calories, the weight loss would not likely be a steady 3 pounds per week because of the reduced metabolic rate. It would likely be around 2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds.

    BTW, I started my membership over a year ago, but did not start using MFP until Jan 09....FYI not all of us started when we signed up. :):flowerforyou:

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