Calorie counting works great for me, but I have noticed that if I eat particularly well during meal times, I tend to want to take advantage of the calories I have left over for the day and use them up on snacks, even if I'm not especially hungry. I can't be the only one… I hope? :P

I feel like I should try to combat this. I can get away with it now when my weight is still high and still manage to lose, but I'm sure it would go more quickly and it would be a better habit to not let those extra calories tempt me all the time.

Do others struggle with this, and if so, how do you deal with it?

My calorie level is pretty low because I'm short, not very active, and I'm still trying to lose (though I mainly maintain ).

I'm a planner, so I usually don't have any calories leftover unless I skipped a meal or snack. If I do, sometimes I eat it back later, but I don't force myself. I do try not to skip meals and snacks regularly because it puts me into too low of a calorie count.

When I was losing—unless I was going to wind up under 1200—I wouldn't eat those extra calories if I wasn't hungry.

Now that I'm maintaining I do, because as soon as I dip below a certain level I start losing again.

Maybe figuring out a calorie plan that includes the snacks may help. I always build in the snacks into my calorie budget for the day. I cannot live with out snacks...I feel too deprived! While I try to keep them healthy, I do build in room for something to satisfy my sweet tooth like fat free/sugar free pudding or 1 ghiradelli dark choc. square which is 50 cal. I usually budget around 250 for breakfast, 350 for lunch, 450 for dinner and 200 for snacks.

Thanks for the input. I too usually plan out the day in the morning, but even once I figure out what I am likely to want for meals and snacks, I sometimes end up with unused calories. My problem is not that I don't plan for snacks; it's that sometimes even with planning I have calories left over, and then I tend to spend them when I'm not actually hungry. I see them in my budget and want to use them just because they're there.

This may be in part because I am starting at a slower pace than I have in the past - 1 lb. a week rather than 1.5 lb. Maybe I should simply decrease my calorie budget a little bit to prevent the temptation?

I aim for a weekly calorie goal rather than a daily one, and I cycle my calories. I know that I always eat more on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so any unused calories from Mon. - Thurs. get eaten on those other days. I did this the entire time I was losing and since I've been maintaining (which started in Nov. 2011). It works well for me. I never have any leftoever weekly calories . I know what you mean about establishing good habits, i.e., not just eating because you can. I haven't been able to get that mindset yet, but I would like to.

I'm not a snacker really, but if I have left over calories in my range I don't eat them. I found when I did Weight Watcher I would eat the max points I could for the day, but I use Sparkpeople now. When I've finished my meals, I check to see that I've hit my ranges for fiber and protein (if carb and fat are a little low that's fine) and then I close the kitchen. And if I'm not hungry, I close the kitchen.

I also have zero tasty snacks in my house, so that helps, too.

I second the motion for a weekly calorie goal. I have high days and low days, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as I stay within my weekly calorie range.

If I have calories not used at the end of the day, I generally don't use them. I just have to be careful to not have a large amount left too often as I tend too go to low with daily calories while I'm trying to lose.

I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but sometimes it happens that I get to my evening snacks and I'm not particularly hungry for them. I usually do have them because they're sweet snacks and I have a sweet tooth . But I also know I'll feel deprived if I don't get the sweet stuff in.

I do sometimes not have my mid-morning snack if I'm busy or out and about, but I usually don't try to replace it with anything. Occasionally, I might, but I try to keep the replacement at the same calorie level.

I've just found for myself that I lean towards playing the "how low can I go" game (i.e., missing snacks to see how low I can go with my calories that day) and always end up binging at some point, so it's just not worth it for me. Even if I'm not hungry but feel like something I have in my plan, I'll have it.

Tam

I only have a 1200 calorie allowance. I'll always make sure I end between 1150 and 1200, even if that means having a small snack or something. I don't bank calories, though--if I miss calories on Monday, I won't make them up on Tuesday.

I calerie cycle with a weekly budget and still play the "how low can you go" game with my week. I am constantly asking my self if I really need the yogurt or chocolate after dinner. For now, the answer is yes. Most of the time I do. So generally, I only go to 1200 once a week.

In order for me to be successful at long term maintenance, I need to be able to average about 1200 to 1300 a day. My average is closer to1500 to 1600.....SOO...I have some work to do.

I could have written this post. I just decreased my weightloos plan per week to 1 pound from 1.5 so I could have more in my budget.