Extra calories ~ Use or lose?
 

Okay, I am unsure what is best to do here (and I am sure it may just depend on our own bodies), but I am curious to see what others do. (I actually have a few questions :D)

1. I have been eating good fats, good carbs, protein etc. and fitting it into my 3 meals at appx 400 each, and 2 snacks at appx 200 each for my dialy calorie intake of 1600. Since I am eating more fiber, protein, etc. I am finding myself less hungry during the day, and not eating one of my snacks.

~ Does anyone else experience this fuller feeling with your food changes that makes you not want to eat a snack? If so, are you still eating your snack to get in your calories? (Which leads me to the next question).

2. When I skip a snack due to a filling breakfast or lunch, that opens up some calories that I can use somewhere else. Normally, I assign these calories to dinner. So my 400 calorie dinner, can now have 600 calories.

~ Should I still stick with my 400 calorie meal, and just not use the 200 calories? Or should I increase the protein or vegetable I am eating to consume those extra calories?

3. Does all this mean I should maybe lower my daily calorie intake?

Sorry, for all the questions, I am just trying to figure out if the fuller feeling more is due to the fact that the foods I am eating are satisfying enough to lower my calories.

I work out between an hour and half to two hours five - six days a week.

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

If you are still loosing weight eating 1,600 cal, I would not lower as you will potentially have to do that in case your weight loss stops. I am just now eating 1,500 cal and still losing.

I am still losing with 1600, along with the exercise. I have lost over 5 pounds in the last two weeks.

And you make a very good point! Don't fix what isn't broke yet!

I wouldn't feel compelled to "make up" any calories. You will have days where you are more hungry than others. Consequently, you will have your higher calorie days and lower calorie days. What matters is the weekly total really. So, to answer your questions...I'll take a stab at it:;)

1. Yes, higher fiber definitely helps carry me over to the next meal with much less hunger.

2. Yes and No. Depends on whether you are hungrier at dinner time. If your regular 400 calorie meal will suffice, I wouldn't force another 200 calories...but it IS nice to know its there if you need it!;)

3. No, it doesn't mean you need to lower your intake. We are woman...hormonal woman..haha! What I mean by that is we are all over the place with our caloric needs. As said earlier, your body may NEED more calories one day, while it may need less the next day. When you stop losing weight for more than 2 weeks in a row, that is when you MAY need to reduce your daily calories and/or rev up or change your exercise program.:)

I agree with joyfulloser, the calorie count over the entire week is really what matters. I plan a cheat day (so I don't go crazy and binge) with the calories left at the end of the week. It works for me. :)

I'm going to steal that idea LTs girl. Using the leftover calories to plan for a cheat day is genius!

Yep, I think Joyful pegged it. :)

Like you, I notice that some days, I just plain don't want all the calories I've allotted myself (1500 a day for me). I now consider 1500 a day my average, not my hard and fast rule. Some days, that means eating 1300 if that's all I want; other days, it's 1600 or so because I worked out hard or because dinner just tastes extra-good.

Since you're losing weight and feeling really satisfied, it sounds like you're doing everything right already. Everything you're doing, just keep doing it. :D

Thanks all! You've been really helpful. I just didn't know if my body was trying to tell me something! Until I plateau for more then 2 weeks, I will stick with what I am doing.

I LOVE the "cheat day" rule LTs girl! I allow Sunday's to be that for me, but monitored intake of calories. Usually more then allowed (1600) but no more than (2000). That way those "extra" calories through the week, will actually benefit my cheat day! Superb idea!