Calorie goal changes!

Options
Does anyone adjust their goals from day to day? On days where I’m hungrier I have been changing my goal to .5lb loss a week & days my hunger is moderate I keep it at 1.0lbs a week, Some weekends I’ll set it to maintenance if I want some freedom socially! Has anyone else done this? Pros? cons?

Replies

  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,313 Member
    edited February 2019
    Options
    You shouldn't..

    I only update mine when I reached my goal..(yesterday).. added another 10lbs to loose.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Options
    I calorie cycle but I don't actually change my goal on here. When I was tracking I just kept protein and fat around the same and mentally adjusted carbs.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Options
    It's perfectly fine to move your calorie goal around daily. Flexibility will allow you to be comfortable which will help with sticking with your plan over the long haul. Weight loss will come from an overall calorie deficit over time.
  • witchaywoman81
    witchaywoman81 Posts: 280 Member
    Options
    seska422 wrote: »
    It's perfectly fine to move your calorie goal around daily. Flexibility will allow you to be comfortable which will help with sticking with your plan over the long haul. Weight loss will come from an overall calorie deficit over time.


    This. I don’t purposely adjust my calorie goal day to day, though I think it’s fine to do if it works for you. Right now I have my profile set to lose 1.5 pounds a week. Some days I don’t meet my calorie goal, whereas other days I might go over. I’m not too fussy if I’m a little over or under for the week, as long as I’m in a deficit overall.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,231 Member
    edited February 2019
    Options
    I don’t change my goal unless I intend to change it for at least a week.

    That’s because I eat to my weekly goal - some days higher, some lower but coming in wherever I should be for the week.

    Mfp’s weekly goal chart shows based on whatever your goal was when the week started. So I only change my goal if I am aiming for something different for at least a week.

    Otherwise, I allow for days that are higher/lower/on target because that’s how life generally works.

    But whatever works for you is what you should do. There’s no harm in changing your goal daily-that’s just more involved than I’m willing to be.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,740 Member
    Options
    When I was losing rapidly and afraid of the red (a state sometimes caused by large deficits), I might have done single day changes to my goal setting to avoid dreadful colors.

    While maintaining, and having recognized that I LIKE maximizing my intake, I deliberately set myself at a deficit and use the increasingly large red number as a signal to stop.

    Neither option affects your total intake vs total expenditure vs weight trend calculation that ought to be done periodically in order to adjust one's goal setting.

    Only your own brain hamsters will tell you whether doing one or the other is more beneficial for long term compliance that is what will ultimately help you achieve your goals.

  • whatalazyidiot
    whatalazyidiot Posts: 343 Member
    Options
    seska422 wrote: »
    It's perfectly fine to move your calorie goal around daily. Flexibility will allow you to be comfortable which will help with sticking with your plan over the long haul. Weight loss will come from an overall calorie deficit over time.


    This. I don’t purposely adjust my calorie goal day to day, though I think it’s fine to do if it works for you. Right now I have my profile set to lose 1.5 pounds a week. Some days I don’t meet my calorie goal, whereas other days I might go over. I’m not too fussy if I’m a little over or under for the week, as long as I’m in a deficit overall.

    Ditto. I have been working more with a weekly deficit since every day is different.
  • Samantharavenclaw84
    Options
    I don't change mine on here but on Saturdays and Sundays I allow myself to increase my calories slightly. I keep my weekly calorie goal and intake in mind.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    Options
    I think MFP has the option to go by a weekly goal to help you adjust on a daily basis. I don't actually adjust it, but I will sometimes eat like 100 calories over or under on some days just because I'm either a little more hungry than usual or less hungry. It evens out in the end.