Eat TO or UNDER your goal?

Rachifloon

Out of everyone on my friends list that have open diaries, I think maybe only 3 eat to their goal (and one of them is bulking) but everyone else tends to eat a few hundred (or more) calories under. I'm a little confused as to what is best. Today I changed from MFP (1490) to TDEE (1670)** and am wondering if I should eat to that goal or under. I would like some advice as I really don't want to mess up and put the weight back on. Thanks to all in advance. c:


**As TDEE includes daily exercise, I'll mention that here to give a bit more information:
30 minutes pilates 6x a week.
30-60 minutes walking 3-3.5mph 5x a week.
Cleaning 4 hours a day 5x a week. (this is pretty low intensity cleaning but moving for a good 3.5 hours of that)

SezxyStef

I eat up to as close to my goal as I can...without going over...often.

I try not to be to far under but it does happen.

I use TDEE as well...

I am more inclined to be "over" than under actually...on occassion tho depending on the week I could be under as much as 800 for the week...so about 150 a day...but I make up for that on the weekends.

dougii

It should be all relative if you average out for the week. You will need to experiment a bit here to find what is right for you. I would track all calories religiously and try to eat right at your number for a few weeks or so; weigh each week on the same day at the same time and monitor your results. Adjust based on the outcome either up or down slightly and continue to monitor until you find the right place for you.

gieshagirl

I eat up to as close to my goal as I can...without going over...often.

I try not to be to far under but it does happen.

I use TDEE as well...

I am more inclined to be "over" than under actually...on occassion tho depending on the week I could be under as much as 800 for the week...so about 150 a day...but I make up for that on the weekends.

she knows whats what! she has made total sense and was right about mine!

MinnieInMaine

Assuming you set up as TDEE minus a % deficit (5, 10, 20%), then yes, you should eat to goal. People that go under don't understand that a deficit is already included whether they go with the standard MFP method or the TDEE-% method. NO need to eat less.

sculli123

I ate under my goal yesterday. But most of the time I eat at my goal or slightly above. But my goal is pretty aggressive for me already at 2K. Eating under it doesn't happen often these days. On my refeed days (usually once a week), I tend to have a better chance of eating under my goal of 2650.

TavistockToad

i eat under my goal about 5 times a week and over it 2 times so that i hit my weekly goal.

SingRunTing

I try to eat as close to goal without going over as possible. I track my exercise calories using a HRM instead of the MFP exercises and eat back all my calories. My calorie goal is pretty low (set to 2lbs a week because I have over 75lbs to lose), so even if my exercise calories are off a bit, I'm still at a deficit. I also walk 10k steps a day (tracked with a FitBit), but I don't log those calories (meaning my FitBit isn't link to MFP). I use it as a buffer for overcalculated exercise, undercalculated food, and to justify my "lightly active" setting.

sculli123

i eat under my goal about 5 times a week and over it 2 times so that i hit my weekly goal.

In practice that probably works out similar to what I do. Only I change my target goal on my refeed days and then back to my regular goal on the rest of the days.

serindipte

I look at the averages. I'm usually under, then have a day or two that I go over.

floatingnomad

I've been eating under because what MFP recommended is hundreds of calories higher than what my doctor recommended.

TavistockToad

I've been eating under because what MFP recommended is hundreds of calories higher than what my doctor recommended.

why not just change the settings if you're doing what your doctor recommended?!

kbeckley11

I think it depends on how much a person has to lose. I have 119 pounds to lose, but I only set up MFP to lose 1.5/week. I could easily lose 2/week at this point, but wanted to be able to eat a little more everyday, so I don't end up binging. That being said, I don't feel as hungry some days. So if I am 250 calories under, I don't worry about it, because if I had it set to 2/week, I wouldn't be eating those 250 calories anyway.

AmykinsCatfood

I do TDEE - 20% and I eat up to my goal. I don't worry if I'm like 100 or so below it, but I try to get close to it at least.

cheripugh1

Out of everyone on my friends list that have open diaries, I think maybe only 3 eat to their goal (and one of them is bulking) but everyone else tends to eat a few hundred (or more) calories under. I'm a little confused as to what is best. Today I changed from MFP (1490) to TDEE (1670)** and am wondering if I should eat to that goal or under. I would like some advice as I really don't want to mess up and put the weight back on. Thanks to all in advance. c:


**As TDEE includes daily exercise, I'll mention that here to give a bit more information:
30 minutes pilates 6x a week.
30-60 minutes walking 3-3.5mph 5x a week.
Cleaning 4 hours a day 5x a week. (this is pretty low intensity cleaning but moving for a good 3.5 hours of that)

I saw so many ending their day 'under their calorie goal' that I finally raised mine to 1490 and I stay under it typically about 1200 otherwise I was always stressing to stay UNDER 1200 to be like everyone else. This works for me.

mabelbabel1

I have my calorie goal set to a typical non exercise day.
I have a fitbit, which I do not sync and go by my TDEE, therefore I always go over my goal......Red numbers don't scare me because I know what I'm doing....My goal is just that....a minimum goal. I use MFP as a tool and use it in a way which suits me.

970Mikaela1

Right exactly to it. some days I get more ice cream than others.

mabelbabel1

Ooops double post! Just ignore me..........:grumble:

seltzermint555

For the first year here, when I was losing 1.5 lb per week, I got to a point that my daily calories were pretty low (~1300) so I tried to eat exactly or right up within like 50 calories of the daily goal.

Now I am nearing my goal and losing 1 lb per week and my calories are closer to 1500 (not counting exercise) so I don't feel quite as obligated to eat all of them. I always hit at least 1300 though.

ruthejp13

I agree with most people that most days I go under to compensate for the couple days that I go over. The other factor is exercise. I only eat back about half my exercise calories which ends up eating under my goal.

SingRunTing

Out of everyone on my friends list that have open diaries, I think maybe only 3 eat to their goal (and one of them is bulking) but everyone else tends to eat a few hundred (or more) calories under. I'm a little confused as to what is best. Today I changed from MFP (1490) to TDEE (1670)** and am wondering if I should eat to that goal or under. I would like some advice as I really don't want to mess up and put the weight back on. Thanks to all in advance. c:


**As TDEE includes daily exercise, I'll mention that here to give a bit more information:
30 minutes pilates 6x a week.
30-60 minutes walking 3-3.5mph 5x a week.
Cleaning 4 hours a day 5x a week. (this is pretty low intensity cleaning but moving for a good 3.5 hours of that)

I saw so many ending their day 'under their calorie goal' that I finally raised mine to 1490 and I stay under it typically about 1200 otherwise I was always stressing to stay UNDER 1200 to be like everyone else. This works for me.

It says that you're under your calorie goal even if you were 1 calorie under. Stop comparing yourself to others, it will only make you miserable. Just do what is working for you and keep on keeping on.