It's 8pm and I'm 490 calories short, AGAIN!!!

I keep finding myself looking at the clock around 7:30 or 8:00 and realizing that I am 400-500 calories short for the day!!!  Do I scarf down a mini-meal or dessert that late in the day or what??!!??

I wish I could send you a pint of the homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream my husband just made!  it would do us both a big favor. :)

How much of a total deficit are you going to have if you don't eat that 490?

I sit down at night and decide what I will eat the next day, so that I know if I have it available and can take the time to think it out. Sometimes, I make changes, but I have a good idea how much I have to play with (exchange this for that). 

You might find that if you do that, you won't end up at the end of the day short so many calories. 

Another thought is that I balance my snack/meals out so that I eat 300 calories every 3 hours.  It is a little challenging to figure out what totals 300 calories, but it works for me.

Good luck with whatever method you use.

whenever that happens, either just leave it if you're not really hungry (just don't make it a habit), or if you're up to it, have a snack.

a glass of milk (warm or cold depending on your preference) adds about 150~200cals, and a semi large cookie adds another 150~200cals. Nuts are another good calorie dense snack that won't leave you feeling too full... granola bars too. (about 150~200cals a bar!) it's not too bad to eat after 8... It depends on what sort of eating habits you have. bottom line is still, calories ingested vs. calories expended. you lose weight as long as CI is less than CE.

I was just going to post the same question...I'm about 900 cals under today. I did two workout classes (Lift, Leap, and Lunge; Zumba) this evening and did weights this morning. My heart rate said I burned over 1000 cals for my 2 hr of classes and about 200 from weights this morning. I wasn't going to do 2 classes and weights today. So, it's now 11pm and I'm not hungry (I had a HUGE dinner to try and recoup some cals). But, I'm still 900 under! SO, I guess I should leave it alone and just start fresh tomorrow? I never used to have problems when I was eating junk! But, those classes were SO worth it!

I have a hard time eating all my calories as well.  I have found that if I eat frequently during the day I don't have as much left over at night.  So, I can get by with a banana and some crackers (and my daily single beer, lol) and reach the calorie level I have to be at.  I eat:

a piece of toast in the AM with my coffee and creamer,

an Activia Yogurt,

a 300-400 calorie lunch,

a couple pieces of cheese,

a Slim Fast (this has a burst of calories and some good vitamins in it),

maybe some beef jerky

a Fiber One bar

and that leaves few enough calories in the evening that I don't have to eat much.  Try to eat more often.  That's the key.

I really try to eat things that are calorie dense.  The girls at work laugh at me because I get so tired of eating.  On the weekends I'll splurge on fast food - I LOVE Burger King cheesy tots.  That's like 500 calories and I don't have to eat too much the rest of the day.

I went for many years in starvation mode (health problems took my appetite) and now it's been hard to try to eat.  BUT, the weight is coming off and I have so much more energy.

Do try to eat at least 1200 calories a day.  You will feel so much better.  The weight will not come off if you don't eat enough.

Amy_bama_rn ~ I wish you could send me some of that succulent ice cream, too!!

Alle0299 ~ I have a deficit of just under 900 today.

Thank you all for your suggestions.  I guess I'm going to have to plan a little bit better!

I have the same problem. I burn around 2500+ calories and only take in about 1300, even though I eat every three hours like clockwork and never feel hungry. Today I managed to consume 1412 calories, but after all those years of being told food is the enemy it's going to take a lot of unlearning before I can finally nourish my body properly.

 

I also find it hard some days to eat the minimum 1200 calories, but other days I very easily go over.  I do try to plan out my day at least in my head, but on busy days I often skip snacks.  If I'm under my calories and feel like I could eat something at night, I'll have a piece of fruit or some cereal.  I've read a lot of things that claim the time of day you eat doesn't matter, it's just the total amount you eat for the day.

I find that on days when I workout ALOT, I'm not as hungry, but it catches up to me the next day!  I would suggest making a chart of your daily calories and aiming for a weekly average.  If you are hungry one day, eat more, the next day you won't be so hungry.  I'm not one for eating b/c you're short on calories but not hungry.

eating at night definitely won't hurt you.  you might feel a little bloated depending on when you go to sleep, but i'd say have some milk and nuts, or pb and banana and milk, just something that works for you.  7:30 or 8 really isn't too late to eat, because its not that much about when you eat.  eating something a few hours before bed is good in a way, because it keeps your metabolism pumping.

Check out what you're eating during the day - are you having only low-fat low-cal items that you could switch to the  "real" thing? i.e. whole eggs instead of just egg whites, regular yogurt, using milk in oatmeal instead of water... Just because you're cutting calories doesn't mean you have to have the low-whatever option, especially if you're at a 500cal deficit every day. :) Good luck & enjoy!!

i do wat 'naturalbeauty' does. except i plan my meals in the morning (sometimes while eating breakfast). it really helps, cuz ill c that im low in protein or fat or fiber, vitamins, etc.  so then i can switch some snacks or lunch for a different kind

also, i like 2 have some (organic) peanut butter or a pb sandwich when im low on calories, 1 serving is 200 calories and has a lot of protein, a lot of fat though, but sometimes im low and need it, cuz its good fat, just like olive oil.

If you're hungry, eat something. If not, you're not going to hurt yourself if your defecit is a little bigger for a day. Try to be more conscious of your eating throughout the day starting tomorrow.

If it's late enough go to bed. Don't set yourself up to binge(S!) at midnight or you may start to see stagnating weight loss, even though you ate the calories CC told you to eat.

I never get up to the calories. I am always about 600 - 900 short. I am unable to eat gluten, so things are a little harder. I burn about 3,000 calories a day. My husband says to grab some candy throughout the day or ice cream. I don't want to eat unhealthy things while trying to lose the weight. Plus, with a gluten free menu I am adding a lot of sodium. I am glad I am not the only one having problems with the calories. It makes me feel a lot better.

If you cant eat a meal try drinking full glasses of fruit juice in between meals or whenever ur thirsty. Thats an easy way i add calories to my day.