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I went over on my calories yesterday and I'm OK with it
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obeaner2
Posts: 10 Member
Last time I tried this journey I was a stickler for not going over my calorie allotment (1200) for the day. It ended up causing me a lot of stress and sent my anxiety haywire. This time I am being a lot kinder to myself. I have upped my calories from what MFP suggested - 1200 - to my TDEE minus 500 - 1400. And I'm flexible on that. If I go 50-75 over a day, no big deal. There are days I am 50 or so under, so to me it is close enough to balancing out. Also, I typically don't eat all of my exercise calories back so I have a little buffer room there as well.
Last night I got a major sweet tooth craving. I tried to put it out of my mind as I knew I did not need any more food for the day, but it wouldn't go away. That dang box of Girl Scout Cookies (Samoas, my favorite) were screaming from the freezer. So I did it, I ate a few. And they were delicious. I added them to my diary which, of course, sent me a few hundred calories over my goal for the day, but I was still under my TDEE. I am happy I ate those cookies and in the right place now mentally to not beat myself up over it.
Last night I got a major sweet tooth craving. I tried to put it out of my mind as I knew I did not need any more food for the day, but it wouldn't go away. That dang box of Girl Scout Cookies (Samoas, my favorite) were screaming from the freezer. So I did it, I ate a few. And they were delicious. I added them to my diary which, of course, sent me a few hundred calories over my goal for the day, but I was still under my TDEE. I am happy I ate those cookies and in the right place now mentally to not beat myself up over it.
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Replies
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Knowing my maintenance calories (TDEE) was a game-changer for me. It really saved me from self-destructing when I'd go over my calorie target a bit because I realized I was still in a deficit, just a smaller one.
Good for you!6 -
Life is too short to worry so much about every single calorie. And life is also too short to not allow yourself to have treats! Great attitude about it!0
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Oh man, girl scout cookies. I haven't had the opportunity to come across a child yet who will sell them to me. Now that the weather is warming up, I hope they'll be at the local grocery store.
But on topic, I tend to go over my goal quite a lot. I just stay below maintenance, and understand that I may lose slower, but I won't gain. It's worked very, very well for my mental health.6 -
It is important to know when to take your foot off the gas. I have had some things going on last week and my weight loss mojo is not up to normal this week so I just rolling with it. I am still confident I will lose something this week even if it is not my normal target.
I attribute this attitude as one of the things that has helped me stick with it for a prolonged period this time and one of the reasons I failed in the past. All or nothing might work for some people but when you are facing a multi-year weight loss situation it is a hard way to live and impossible for me.
ETA: I don't get the GS cookie love. I know we all have different ideas of what is good but they are just so terrible to me.0 -
I never go over my calories*.
*My calories = whatever I decide I want to eat, bearing in mind my activity, weight and mood at the time.3 -
I did a maintenance day yesterday! Not purposely. My husband surprised me with a dinner date at a Chinese buffet. If my eyeballing was close to spot on, I am in the clear.... But if not, then I will survive and move on. It also helps that I did somewhere over 2 miles in walking and some serious time I. The garden.😁 Just keep moving foward!0
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You can also track weekly calories instead or in addition to daily. You can track it using the Nutrition tab in your diary. I think it is only available on the app FYI. Learning this was a game changer and big comfort for me.
Sounds like you're in a great head space! If (when) you have an off day where you start to question things, you should totally come back and read this post as a reminder to yourself2
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