Do I need to be eating my exact calorie goal?

missmatalini

if at the end of the day I'm not eating 300'ish calories (not including the ones I burned working out) is that bad? What's a safe number to not eat if your goal is 1600 a day?

RodaRose

Yes, mostly. Eat the calorie goal that MyFitnessPal calculated for you based on the stats you supplied. Get enough protein too.

Klhernandez81

No. A deficit is a deficit. I purposely do not eat back my exercise calories. It's the whole premise of CICO calories in calories out. MFP is a statistical calculation based on the metrics you provide. Only your body can tell you what is really working or not, and you can adjust the macros. For instance, I lift weights and prefer a higher protein percentage. Don't feel that you need to eat more if you are losing weight and not hungry.

elcollins24

Sure some days you'll be 300 under and other days youll be 300 over. Dont worry too much...unless your always one or the other. Its a goal not a rule.

tryclyn

Some people have found it easier to work with a weekly goal rather than fuss with a daily goal.

rachelbouc

You don't have to all the time. If you can figure out your maintenance goal you'll know that you really just need to ne under that to still lose weight. Daily i keep to my goal but i don't sweat birthday parties and such.

rugratz2015

I do the 5:2 and then make sure to balance out the rest of the week, and I don't eat back my exercise calories. I find that there are days I could eat all day and days where I really don't want to eat much, so this works for me.