Calories

crosslife15

So I'm a little new to the calories thing so I need to ask. So the goal is 1200 and I ate 1188 and I'm left with 12 calories. So do I work out to make the calories even less, do I sleep on it, or do i eat something that has 12 calories or more and then work out?

NorthCascades

Calorie counting is like horseshoes, close enough is fine.

MichelleSilverleaf

You never want to work out to make the calories less, you want to net 1200cal at the very least. But yeah I wouldn't worry about 12 cal

TrishSeren

Even if you eat 1212 calories you'll still be in a deficit because anything below your maintaining calories is a deficit. For example, if you maintain on 1,500 and eat 1,300 you'll still lose fat because it's still a deficit.

paperpudding

You should eat 3.75 medium grapes to make it exactly 1200.

Joking.

Serious answer........

Even if you are tracking incredibly tightly, it is still not entirely accurate - 1188 could be 1200, could be 1150, does not really matter to that degree.

And every single day will not be the exact same amount of calories anyway, either in real life or on paper.

Aim to be around the mark - so around 1200 NET if that is right calorie level for you ( are you sure it needs to be that low? )

Panini911

What are your stats? (height, current weight, goal weight)?

1200 is the minimum you should eat daily. it is the minimum required for the average female to get enough nutrition to sustain just living. It's ok to be 12 calories under as you may be 12 calories over the next day.

if you exercise MFP is set up for you to EAT BACK the exercise calories. the 1200 is what to eat to achieve the requested rate of loss WITHOUT exercise. so exercise would increase your deficit (bigger is not better).
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1