Eating for the sake of calorie intake?

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Woooolywool
Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay, so previously, I had an intake on here of 1,200kcals to meet, and even then I struggled to meet that (yeah, bad, I know), but after all the hype on consuming a minimum of your BMR...I thought best to increase my calorie intake to 1,400kcals as a minimum.
And I admit, it's a struggle.
I've recently become pescetarian too (personal moral issues)...which isn't too challenging for me so far.
And it's great that I'm consuming at least the 1,200 calories daily..but I've noticed that the days when I consume the 1,400kcals, or close to it, I feel so bloated, unwell, and almost too full. I've also gained some weight...which is to be expected. And I suppose it's my body's way of getting used to it too.
The past few weeks I was going almost daily for 60mins a time to the gym...and the past week and this week? Not so great.
I've done a lot of walking throughout the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday...but apart from that, I've felt quite stressed trying to get some work done for my project at university, and on top of that I've had digestion problems making me feel unwell...so I haven't done any actual exercise lately. :/

Due to feeling so unwell...I thought to maybe have this trial of going without wheat products for a week, see if it has an affect upon me and my digestion...so I guess that cuts out a large amount of calories.

I'm at the stage now where I have to basically force myself to eat more, just to meet my minimum BMR calorie allowance, even when I feel quite content.

So, here's the ACTUAL question; Should I stop eating when I feel full enough, OR have myself eat more to meet my calorie intake allowance, even though if I don't feel like it...?

Eating for the sake of calories, YAY, or NAY? (Btw, I try to eat as healthy and wholesome as possible.)

Thanks

Replies

  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
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    I just won't do it. I know everyone says eat your exercise calories, don't go below xxx cals, but I do not want to feel uncomfortable eating just to hit a calorie number. I have a hard time hitting calorie goals when I'm eating clean. So I eat more if I'm hungry and if I'm not I don't.

    But then again, it's easy for me to go way above calories once a week with my pizza day, so I feel like i all evens out at the end of the week. I've already hit my weight loss goal too, and am looking pretty good.
  • FrancesOReilly
    FrancesOReilly Posts: 23 Member
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    I would recommend eating your minimum daily cals but anything earned from exercise etc is optional really..
    I've come to cal counting as when I was doing Weight Watchers ProPoints I was eating for the sake of making up ProPoints to use my min daily allowance.. Apparently you "have to" eat them to lose.. I, like you, felt bloated n sluggish when forcing myself.. Now that I'm doing cal counting I find it much easier and am eating allot healthier..
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    "So, here's the ACTUAL question; Should I stop eating when I feel full enough, OR have myself eat more to meet my calorie intake allowance, even though if I don't feel like it...?"

    -It depends on your goals (assuming your calorie calculations are correct). To retain lean body mass, eat. To simply be thinner, no eat.

    "Eating for the sake of calories, YAY, or NAY?"

    - It's not eating just to eat. It's refueling your body from the workout. Necessary for fitness.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I'm trying to eat more and get close to my BMR, like most people say, but I get full at 1500 or thereabouts. I'm in the downspin of this atm - gaining weight and depressed. I'm also a person who ate out of boredom and never knew what "hungry" and "full" meant. After 3 months, I've got them down and I can't eat close to my BMR without feeling like Mr. Creosote from Meaning of Life.

    My advice is if you're full, don't force yourself eat for the sake of meeting your BMR.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    I do think it's important to get enough calories if you're spending 60 minutes daily at the gym. I know, though, that I would burn out really quickly if I did that every single day.

    If you don't make your recommended kcal for a period of time, I wouldn't sweat it, BUT, if you can't eat enough, then I would not be forcing yourself to do a high intensity workout. You are right that your digestive system needs to adjust to a new diet and that may take a few weeks.
  • lrnpage
    lrnpage Posts: 27
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    my bmr is something close to 1800 calories and i NEVER get to that point unless i binge on processed crap with high calories or i eat greasy takeaways so no i dont think you should eat a minimum of your bmr if you dont want to- eat what you feel comfortable with just
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    You don't have to eat more necessarily. You can always just choose higher calorie options. Put some avocado on your sandwich. Use some more olive oil. Eat some peanut butter with that banana or apple. Etc.
  • triadvocate
    triadvocate Posts: 15 Member
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    My coach drills this into me " You;re not eating enough." I have to eat for calorie intake and actually meeting my caleries has been the hardest thing...I mean I feel like i'm eating ALL THE TIME. Her explanation is that if you don't eat you deplete other systems. One the days that I'm not at the gym it is still imparative that i hit all my counts...without going over on the carbs and fat. Feel free to look at my diary, my notes from my coach are in the notes section.

    p.s. I'm also a traithlete and it's also almost racing season in ALaska. I am signed up for a Half Iron in Augusta in September. Just in case anybody wonders why I'm working out like a fiend.
  • triadvocate
    triadvocate Posts: 15 Member
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    One last thing. It's what you eat that makes you feel sluggish. Try and aviod processed foods, sugar, and soda's ( diet and reg) and definately stay away from the energy drinks. They are total crap or what I like to call " crack in a can."
  • Woooolywool
    Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
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    One last thing. It's what you eat that makes you feel sluggish. Try and aviod processed foods, sugar, and soda's ( diet and reg) and definately stay away from the energy drinks. They are total crap or what I like to call " crack in a can."

    Thank you for your advice...though I literally don't touch any of that stuff anymore. And I do feel so much more better for it...yet, I still get bloated. Ugh.
  • Woooolywool
    Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your comments! I really appreciate them! :)
    x
  • chrisb75
    chrisb75 Posts: 395 Member
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    You don't have to eat more necessarily. You can always just choose higher calorie options. Put some avocado on your sandwich. Use some more olive oil. Eat some peanut butter with that banana or apple. Etc.
    Seconded!
  • Emellon
    Emellon Posts: 36 Member
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    You don't have to eat more necessarily. You can always just choose higher calorie options. Put some avocado on your sandwich. Use some more olive oil. Eat some peanut butter with that banana or apple. Etc.

    That's so simple yet so genius! Still getting your calories without feeling gross *and* sticking to healthier foods instead of processed stuff. I love these threads, I'm learning so much!
  • Sarahmeridith
    Sarahmeridith Posts: 298 Member
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    I would stop eating if you are full and it makes you feel bad. Maybe just try adding full fat foods into your diet instead of lite foods. For example 2% milk instead of skim. regular cheese instead of fat free ect.. then it may be easier to reach your goal by eatung the same amount of food.
  • boggsmeister
    boggsmeister Posts: 292 Member
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    Eat more fat. Hit your calories. Don't make your body eat your muscle and bones to feed it's basic needs.
  • Justine13
    Justine13 Posts: 78 Member
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    I personally eat under 1200cal per day, and I don't eat back my work out calories either.
    My mom doesn't eat wheat because it hurts her stomach and messes up her digestive track as well.
    I think that as long as you feel healthy you should be ok if you are eating less calories than that. If you get bloated from eating too much that's not good for your insides, just make sure to get your body the nutrients it needs. I take quiet a few different vitamins myself to make sure that i don't get deficiencies.
    I also eat quiet a few eggs. they are good for protein and don't make me feel too full or bloated.
    Feel free to add me if you have anymore questions :0)
    Justine

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