help! my calories?

Connie_Wynne
Connie_Wynne Posts: 14
in Food and Nutrition
i have a number of questions that are random and don't really link but I'm confused and any replies would be greatly appreciated.
mfp says i should be eating at around 1500 calories a day. However i feel guilty and like i have eaten way to much if i even come close to this number. is this normal? i know is really healthy to eat under your goal but I'm just wondering. I know i should have a normal calorie intake but I'm scared to damaging the progress I've already made if i start to meet it daily.

I never really been over my target calorie goal but if i come close to meeting it i feel like i will put on a load of weight. will i?

How can i keep this weight? have i got to just keep doing what I'm doing? if i stop exercising, will this mean i will put on weight even though i alway eat under my calorie goal?
does it matter what your calories consist of if you keep within it? (i.e junk food,)

Is there any foods that are good to keep the calorie in take low and maintain or even lose while I'm not exercising fully for a little while?

Replies

  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    The calorie goal that MFP sets for you is lower than the calories necessary to maintain your weight; in other words, your MFP calorie goal has a calorie goal built in to it. You should not put on weight eating your daily calorie goal. If you've been eating below it, then your weight loss may slow a bit.

    If you want to maintain your weight (not lose or gain) eat at your maintenance calories.

    You can eat whatever you want and lose weight if you stay at your calorie goal. Personally, I wouldn't do that as you won't get good nutrition and may not feel full.
  • Connie_Wynne
    Connie_Wynne Posts: 14
    thank you, does this mean i can have unhealthy treats as regularly as i please as long as it in my calorie goal and not gain weight?
  • seehowyousoar
    seehowyousoar Posts: 60 Member
    Stop obsessing so much over this. It'll be fine.

    1500 calories a day is a perfectly reasonable target. Don't feel guilty for meeting 1500 calories. Make sure to get your macros in as well though, not just calories. Don't be scared :)

    You won't gain a bunch of weight right away if you go over your calorie goal. In fact, if you're below your TDEE, you will still lose, just at a slower rate. If you go over your TDEE, then yeah, you could gain, but don't worry about it either! 1 day of going over won't make you gain a bunch of weight right away, anyway. Remember that 1 pound of fat is 3500 calories... so unless you eat 3500 calories OVER your tdee (so around 5500 cals), you won't gain even 1 pound in 1 day.

    What you could gain is water weight. Water weight makes your scale go up when you've been eating a lot of carbs, sodium and etc. Don't worry about this either, as it does go off. :)

    How do you keep this weight? Eat at your TDEE calorie goal. That way you will not lose or gain.
    If you stop exercising, you will not start gaining weight, so long as you're under your calorie goal. Losing weight is strictly calories in vs calories out. Exercise does help, but it's not the key factor, calories are. Also, no, for weight loss, it doesn't matter what your calories consist of. For health and overall feeling better, it does.

    As far as low calories foods, there's a bunch. I like soup, tuna canned in water, cottage cheese, chicken breast, fruits and vegetables.

    Now, stop obsessing and being so scared about your weight. It's a lifestyle change. Do this for your health and not just for weight loss and trust me, you'll be happier. Don't panic if the scale goes up, or if it stops going down for a bit. Just take it easy.

    TLDR:
    -1500 calories is fine
    -if you go over your calories a bit nothing bad will happen immediately
    -you maintain weight by eating at your TDEE level
    -if you stop exercising but keep eating below calorie goal, you will not gain weight
    -for weight loss it doesn't matter whta your calories consist of, for health it does
    -many good low cal foods, google is your friend
  • PennyVonDread
    PennyVonDread Posts: 432 Member
    thank you, does this mean i can have unhealthy treats as regularly as i please as long as it in my calorie goal and not gain weight?

    Yes. Any foods, even junk food, within your calorie goal will make you lose weight. Feel free to snoop my diary, it's open. I've been eating ice cream, jelly beans, and junk food every day and losing steadily. Just log accurately and be honest with yourself about your intake and exercise.
  • Connie_Wynne
    Connie_Wynne Posts: 14
    thank you very much, you helped a lot

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