How many calories do you try to have remaining?

mish24canada
mish24canada Posts: 152 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I was just wondering incase of error how many calories do you try to have remaining at the end of the day?
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Replies

  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    I usually try to leave 100 calorie buffer just in case I'm off on a measurement or have a late-night munchie attack.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Zero... I love to eat...
  • khannickwechanged
    khannickwechanged Posts: 77 Member
    My ultimate goal is to have none remaining. But of course, it's usually slightly off and not exact. I figure any error isn't significant enough to matter. Especially since the foods I eat can easily be calculated, and I input a lot of homemade custom recipes for accuracy vs going with a "generic" listing.
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    I'm quite happy to go over 1200 when I've exercised and I know I can but even so if I have got my calories wrong I know it won't be by too much so it doesn't worry me.
  • n3verlettingmyselfgo
    n3verlettingmyselfgo Posts: 266 Member
    i always have around 500 remaining :/
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    i always have around 500 remaining :/

    I am sorry to hear that. If I could take them from you I would. But if you want to solve it, grab a peanut butter jar or some ice cream. You will use it up fairly quickly. That is what I do.
  • StephIntrepid
    StephIntrepid Posts: 34 Member
    I never really like having less than 200 remaining...I guess that's why a food diary works well for me - I just don't like seeing the numbers like that. With that being said, if I want to eat something that I know will put me close or over, I just make sure to get enough exercise to "buy" me more calories.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Hi I was just wondering incase of error how many calories do you try to have remaining at the end of the day?

    Calories...remaining? I...I don't understand this concept.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    0
  • SJVZEE
    SJVZEE Posts: 451 Member
    I try to never have any leftover-I'd rather go over a bit, than come in under.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    None because that is how this website works.
  • jhandur
    jhandur Posts: 19 Member
    None or less than 100. My food calculator is already set on a deficit of 1 lb a week so I eat every calorie and all of my exercise calories.
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
    I intentionally eat my full TDEE or a little above (negative calories!) on lifting days and try to leave 200 or so on rest days, but that doesn't always happen. Love to eat! :blushing:
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I like to go over by 1 calorie...
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    I try to get to zero. I will not let any calorie go to waste if I can help it.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
    Hi I was just wondering incase of error how many calories do you try to have remaining at the end of the day?

    Calories...remaining? I...I don't understand this concept.

    ^^
  • cutchro
    cutchro Posts: 396 Member
    I get as close as I can to my goal. Right now goal is 1809 yesterday i ate/drank 1823.... I guesstimate high on eaten calories so no concerns with eating too many "accidently"
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    Zero. When I was actively losing, I was weighing and measuring everything. So there was no need for a margin of error. The reality is there was still probably some error, but as long as I was losing consistently, I didn't change my intake any from the "goal" amount. Unless I went over of course. :)
  • suibhne
    suibhne Posts: 17
    Why would you intentionally leave calories on the table every day? I get doing it to even out other days and shoot for a good multi-day average, or doing it to compensate for light- vs. heavy-activity days (only if you're using the TDEE method, not MFP default)...but as an ongoing policy, it seems to defeat the point of MFP. And if you leave a buffer because you're worried that you're habitually underestimating your intake, what makes you so confident you're not overestimating it? ;)
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
    It's a goal, not a limit. Goals are meant to be achieved. I try to get to within about 5% (over or under), but I focus more on the macros than the calorie count.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    I try to have at least 50 remaining and no more than 150 remaining. I have once or twice had between 10 and 20 remaining. I have on heavy run days had more than 300 remaining but that's not very often either. I am much more concerned and not going over than coming under but I try to make sure I eat most of my NET. My net is 1500 calories but I exercise 6-7 days a week so I eat much more and in fact I am now forcing the one rest day a week I'm supposed to take on my 1/2 marathon training schedule and I just plan for lower calorie foods that day.
  • itsscottwilder
    itsscottwilder Posts: 317
    Zero. And I also stop eating 3 hours before bed time.
  • My0WNinspiration
    My0WNinspiration Posts: 1,146 Member
    0
  • shortie32
    shortie32 Posts: 8
    i find it hard just to get over 1200 each day its even harder when i exercise too. by the end of the day i am full but still have about 200 left on some occasions i am spot on but most days i am not eating enough. i eat 5 times a day but all my portions are small. should i put more on my plate?
  • hzliiz
    hzliiz Posts: 166 Member
    I will often leave 100 - 200 per day but ONLY because I eat over my calories once a week on date night by about 600 - 1000 calories. By the end of the week I don't want any calories left over. Cause I get how MFP and math work.
  • ivinzi
    ivinzi Posts: 10
    i always ended up having around 700-1200 remaining but i also excersise 1000 calories a day.. however i've hit a plateau and haven't lost anything for about 2-3 weeks i'm hoping for now its just water retention and not anything else lol.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    i find it hard just to get over 1200 each day its even harder when i exercise too. by the end of the day i am full but still have about 200 left on some occasions i am spot on but most days i am not eating enough. i eat 5 times a day but all my portions are small. should i put more on my plate?

    Eat higher calorie foods... that will help add calories.
  • pwnderosa
    pwnderosa Posts: 280 Member
    I leave 50-250 on weekdays (depending on how hungry I am) and gobble them up on Saturday and Sunday! :drinker:
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Ideally, I'd be within 100 or so one way or the other at the end of the day.

    However, in real life, it doesn't always happen. Some days I go over. Some days I have a really good workout and/or I feel stuffed on less than my goal and so I'm decently under. Too many more "over" days than "under" days lately, sadly :embarassed:, but for the most part if my weekly graph bar on the app is close to my net goal at the end of the week (within, say, 500 or so calories for the entire week), I'm a happy camper.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    I like to be 200 under as a safety margin since I do not weigh all of my food all of the time.

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