extra calories at the end of the day

Raaneve

I'm regularly under my calorie goals for the day, but really don't worry much about it. Someone had previously mentioned that the numbers tend to "even out" over time for them, and I have found that to be true for me as well. I count myself to be seriously fortunate that I get to use the "calorie goal" numbers as a useful guide, not an oppressive law.

I tend to eat (and actually like!) nutrient dense low calorie foods, so its pretty rare that I'm not getting enough nutrition, which is where I personally start noticing night time hunger/cravings. If I eat nutritionally poor foods, it doesn't seem to matter how many calories I consume... I stay unsatisfied. With proper nutrition and hydration levels I feel strong and energized even when I'm under the "goal" calories for my day.

And @spectralmoon hit a point I use frequently too. Just because I have "extra calories" available doesn't mean I should eat when I'm not hungry without weighing the potential consequences of that "permitted" intake (and the opposite is true too! If I'm really *HUNGRY*, I eat!!). I've got a regular list of things that are available if I need a quick snack, but for me its also about common sense and feeling good, not just hitting the magic numbers.

We've all got different needs and goals, and I personally have found that some serious self-honesty and introspection have been fundamental to making any major life-change last (like weight maintenance). Nobody *really* likes to look at the things that are troublesome and hurtful, but recognizing and TAKING ACTION on the things that make me unhappy on the inside definitely plays a role in helping keep me healthy on the outside too. Time and experience with being intimate with how my body functions best has been a critical key for me... I have taken the time to know and understand my "triggers" (mental *and* physical ones), so I can then hope to figure out what to do that makes *me* feel fit and strong.

And whenever I can I incorporate sensible ideas from others to make that process even better. There are some really brilliant, knowledgeable and inspirational people on MFP, and I am grateful to every one of them for helping and sharing with the rest of us.

EmmaFitzwilliam

We have slightly different definitions of "extra calories".

Your mileage may vary; I aim for the 1200 minimum, regardless.

I have a lot to lose, and have apparently picked a pretty aggressive schedule so my calorie target is not that far from the 1200 mark, anyway.

I'm also fairly sedentary, as a rule, so don't get that many extra exercise calories.

Most importantly, I'm not following MFP until I lose another 60+ pounds; I expect that if I want to maintain at my goal weight, I will need portion control the rest of my life.

In my opinion, that's where diets set us up to fail. They're frequently not sustainable.

Generally, I'm at 1200 by the end of the day. If I've skipped some of my high calorie basics, I might not be.

On a few occasions, I have been under 1200. Those are anomalous. The extra 120-400 beyond that (both from when my limit was higher, and from days when I have a lot of activity), I generally tap into my daily allowance until I'm within 50-100 of my adjusted calorie target for the day.

Sometimes I end the day with <25 calories; sometimes I go over.

I worry about four things: am I making progress, is my trend to be a little low (350-900) for the week, am I happy with the food choices I have been able to make (including my definition of enough "treats" for the day),* and am I concerned about either my general or specific nutrition macros. If I can say yes to the first three and no to the last item, I'm content.

*To be fair, and in the interest of full disclosure, my definition of "treats" is pretty broad. 1/2 cup of blueberries has a pretty negligible calorie count, but if I *want* dessert but have too few calories for a more calorie dense dessert, berries (or other fruit) it is. Dessert can also be a measured portion of Golden Grahams and 1/2 cup of milk. Or a 100 calorie graham cracker and cream cheese sandwich.