What to do when under your goals

kellz4544

Hello all!

I'm on day 1 of my MFP journey and had a question about the goals. If I end the day and am under my goals ( calories, fat, carbs, etc), do I need to eat more for that day or is it ok that I am under my goals? Would consistently being under my goals hinder my weight loss? I wouldn't purposely be under my goals but my work requires me to be on the go a lot and I don't have much time to eat during the day. By the time I get home I don't want to have to eat a huge meal before going to bed. Thanks!!!

lewandt

It is hard to hit your goals exact, i am under a lot (and over too). I guess it would depend on how much under. If it is just a little bit i would not worry about it. But if it is a lot i would say get a bit closer.

SLLRunner

The calorie goal is the most important. Once in a great while I go over my calorie goal, but most of the time I am under because I'm just not "2,000" calorie hungry that day. If I'm under, I might save some up for a day when I know I'm going out to a lunch or dinner. I never cheat and I don't pig out, only because I'm not on a diet, but I do have more than I usually will.

It's the week's average calories that count.

As for the macros, the only one I work hard to pay attention to is the sodium because it makes me retain water like crazy. it generally sheds within a day or two but I don't like that bloated water-logged feeling.

Flab2fitfi

My goal is around 1600 without exercise. If I have done lots that day and have a surplus I tend to try and hit 1200 minimum as I know otherwise I'll have no energy the next day to do stuff. Being under by 100 to 200 everyday is not too bad especially if you are logging exercise and eating the calories back.

cwolfman13

It depends and it can be a slippery slope into disordered thinking and eating. If you're a little under on occasion it's not a big deal...if you're eating 1200 calories and then working off 800 of them, that's going to be a bad thing eventually. Also, the more weight you have to lose the longer you can sustain large calorie deficits...not so much when you're leaner.

Also if you're having difficulty meeting paltry calorie goals for dieting I would suggest that you probably have cut out too much fat from your diet. Dietary fat is essential to proper nutrition and good health...and it's also calorie dense. Cook with some olive oil and easily add tasty calories...eat some nuts...full fat salad dressing, etc.

75in2013

Try to hit your calorie goal.

If you eat too little it can backfire. Keeping a good diet is a marathon not a sprint.

You can add some calorie dense food / snacks during the day. Like nuts.

kellz4544

Thanks everyone for your tips!

retirehappy

I also have a crazy job schedule, so some days, I will be very well under my cals. but when I am off, I will have a few days that might well be over the goal. I have decided that as long as I am meeting my weekly cal. goals I am good. My goal is .5 lbs a week and I am averaging slightly above that, had a couple of weeks with big losses and a couple with small so it has averaged out to about .7 lbs per week.

I eat my exercise cals at some point in the week. Just not necessarily the day I do them. I tried the TDEE -% method and found that the MFP method of adding in the exercise cals worked better for me. YMMV.

Slrajr

Try not to over-think. It's ok to go under. My advice to you would be to look at your daily goal as a weekly goal, then you will find that you can have a treat once in a while to make up for being under during the week.