Eating Over Target

Terytha

So, if I get this right, MFP has given me a 1000 calorie deficit. So if I eat an extra 500 calories I'm still in deficit just smaller, and if I eat an extra 1000 I'm at maintenance? Will one day of that cause a major delay in my weight loss?

We're having a big meal tonight that is gonna put me over for sure but I don't want to screw myself too much.

PAV8888

First of all, 1000 Cal is a LARGE deficit, probably only suited to people who are well over 200lbs and have energy reserves compatible to being classified as obese.

Your math is right.

It will delay your eventual weight by.... however many calories and however many days it takes you to re-create that deficit

(Technically there are a couple of fudge factors where overfeeding might cause some positive in your case hormonal uptick and other fudge factors so your 1000 Cal overage may operate as an 800 overage, but then again your 1000 Cal deficits also have similar fudge factors in reverse.... oops, rambling)

It's just a day. It matters 1/365 as compared to the rest of your year

cmriverside

At the worst, it delays you by one day, right?

No way to judge, since you're in weight-loss mode but I did that all throughout my weight loss and I still lost weight at the scheduled rate. Life happens, you have to have a little flexibility. Log it and move on. You will be eating one day this week at maintenance or a little above. Not a biggie.

RelCanonical

If you ate 1000 calories over goal, you'd be at. maintenance and basically end up at "par" for the day. No gain, no loss. It would only cause a delay of 1 day.

But keep in mind that if MFP is giving you a goal of 1,200 calories, you may not have that 1000 calorie deficit. MFP will not go below 1,200 calories per day for women, so if your actual maintenance is 1,900 and you try to set your goal for 2lbs a week (1000 calorie deficit), it will still give you 1,200, which is a 700 calorie deficit, and eating 1000 over would put you over maintenance.

If MFP sets your calories above 1,200, though, then you don't have to worry about that. It should be a 1000 calorie deficit and your math would apply.

Edit: Just to add that either way, one meal is not going to derail you very much at all in the long run, so I wouldn't worry about it either way.

MikePTY

I eat at 500 calories over maintenance at least once or twice a month. It does not put me significantly behind my progress. One day here and there cannot derail you, so try not to worry about it too much.

amy19355

One of the best tips I've gotten from MFP is to accept daily weight fluctuations and just monitor my loss over a month at a time. I weigh every day, but I don't sweat any variance , as long as my month by month trend continues to go down. And it is, slowly but surely.

Terytha

I am well over 200 lbs.
My daily target is just under 1700.

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid because it's been going so well (14 lbs in 33 days) and I don't want to wreck all that because I was craving burgers for dinner on a day I ate a donut.

RelCanonical

Terytha wrote: »

I am well over 200 lbs.
My daily target is just under 1700.

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid because it's been going so well (14 lbs in 33 days) and I don't want to wreck all that because I was craving burgers for dinner on a day I ate a donut.

Nah, it's important to learn how to include days like this if you want them to be a part of your life after entering maintenance. You can't get too caught up in them. Keep in mind that if you're a daily weigher, added food weight and salt intake can create a false high on the scale due to the actual weight of food digesting and water weight, respectively. Don't let it mess with your brain, it's temporary. Only look at trends when it comes to weight loss.

OooohToast

RelCanonical wrote: »

Terytha wrote: »

I am well over 200 lbs.
My daily target is just under 1700.

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid because it's been going so well (14 lbs in 33 days) and I don't want to wreck all that because I was craving burgers for dinner on a day I ate a donut.

Nah, it's important to learn how to include days like this if you want them to be a part of your life after entering maintenance. You can't get too caught up in them. Keep in mind that if you're a daily weigher, added food weight and salt intake can create a false high on the scale due to the actual weight of food digesting and water weight, respectively. Don't let it mess with your brain, it's temporary. Only look at trends when it comes to weight loss.

This !

PAV8888

Who's going to mention the weight trend apps and websites?!?!

amy19355

Terytha wrote: »

I am well over 200 lbs.
My daily target is just under 1700.

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid because it's been going so well (14 lbs in 33 days) and I don't want to wreck all that because I was craving burgers for dinner on a day I ate a donut.

Lifestyle changes are not easy, but, taking it one day at a time will get you there.
I'm 8 months into a plan to lose a total of 60 pounds. the first 20 came off FAST, the next 10 took afew months, and I'm expecting it could be another 8 months or more to get the remaining 30 off.

I recalculated my goals today, with a 1/2 poind a week loss goal. That puts me at about 1400 calories a day and don't find it hard to stay on track.

good luck to you!

emmamcgarity

My view is that special events are meant to be celebrated. These events are fairly infrequent for me so I try to be mindful of my choices but often end up logging more than 1000 calories over my daily target. (Sometimes more). Looking at the weekly stats on calories helps me emotionally grasp that one day does not undo the work I put in. It also helps me plan for how to work these events into my daily life once at maintainence. That sometimes means I have a slight gain before losing again.

If special events happened on a weekly basis or more often I’d have to employ different strategies to make sure I’m meeting my goals. (I.e. eat less on other days).

AnnPT77

Terytha wrote: »

I am well over 200 lbs.
My daily target is just under 1700.

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid because it's been going so well (14 lbs in 33 days) and I don't want to wreck all that because I was craving burgers for dinner on a day I ate a donut.

Unless a bunch of that was water weight in the first week or so, you may even be losing too fast for your current size, so cravings might be the result, and eating a bit more might be a good thing. (14 pounds in 33 days sounds like 2.9 pounds a week, suitable if you're over 300 pounds, assuming that's your ongoing loss rate, and it's not just distorted by initial water shedding).

MFP is capable of underestimating a few people's calorie needs for a given weight loss rate, which isn't necessarily a healthy route to be on. (MFP underestimated my calorie requirements by 25-30%. It wasn't a good thing. I felt great, until I didn't . . . the weakness and fatigue kicked in, and it took several weeks to recover normal energy and strength.)

If you're set at 2 pounds a week, and losing almost 3, then you certainly have room to eat a bit more.

Be aware that anytime you eat more than usual (even if under maintenance) you may see a water weight + digestive contents jump on the scale. It isn't fat gain, so don't worry about it. It'll settle out in a few days.