CALORIE QUESTION...MAY BE STUPID IDK.

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lmmathis86
lmmathis86 Posts: 223 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay so I was wondering after I log all my meals and work out is there a certian number of calories I should be trying to have left over? It seems to vary for me day to day. So if you have an answer great I would love to here it!

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  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Some days you'll be over, others you'll be under. Look at your nutrition for the past 7 days and meet your weekly goal.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    Just get as close to your calorie goal as possible. A few days over mixed with a few days under evens out in the weekly total.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Your calorie goal is meant to be met. Get as close to it as possible.
  • lmmathis86
    lmmathis86 Posts: 223 Member
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    Your calorie goal is meant to be met. Get as close to it as possible.

    Um do you eat back the calories that you work off.
    ..and if you do is it a really bad thing to do?
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
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    Your calorie goal is meant to be met. Get as close to it as possible.

    Um do you eat back the calories that you work off.
    ..and if you do is it a really bad thing to do?

    Yep, eat at least a portion of them back. Definitely not a bad thing - it is how the site is designed. Your deficit is built into your calorie goal so you will still lose when meeting it (but not exceeding it, at least to as great an extent).
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Um do you eat back the calories that you work off.
    ..and if you do is it a really bad thing to do?
    The MFP default calorie goal includes your activity level & deficit, but no exercise. Therefore, you must eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. The calorie counts & burns are estimates, so some people reduce the margin of error by eating back a portion of their exercise calories.

    Srsly, read the Sexypants link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • lmmathis86
    lmmathis86 Posts: 223 Member
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    Um do you eat back the calories that you work off.
    ..and if you do is it a really bad thing to do?
    The MFP default calorie goal includes your activity level & deficit, but no exercise. Therefore, you must eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. The calorie counts & burns are estimates, so some people reduce the margin of error by eating back a portion of their exercise calories.

    Srsly, read the Sexypants link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Read it...was really great information. Thank you all!
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,871 Member
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    You can also bank calories, so if you know you have a special treat coming up, you can cut back on calories for a few days before, a few days after or both. I think it helps to think of your calorie goals as a rolling seven day average, rather than a rigid 24 hour window.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    ^^^That's how I do it.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    Ideally you wouldn't have any left over. The goal is to meet your goal, not be under. But that's not always possible, some days you'll be over and some days under, but as long as your weekly average is met you should be straight.

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