Left Over Calories

meg0112
meg0112 Posts: 344
in Fitness and Exercise
So I keep reading stuff about people frantically trying to eat the calories they have left at the end of the day-whats up with that? I consider it a good day if I have left over calories. I lost 40 lbs keeping my own food journal before joining mfp. I did 1200 calories a day, regardless of workouts and took every oppurtunity to go under. Since joining I've gained some weight and I was no where near an unhealthy weight or "starvation mode" From my experience, I'm staying under. Today I have 500 left :)

Replies

  • meg0112
    meg0112 Posts: 344
    So I keep reading stuff about people frantically trying to eat the calories they have left at the end of the day-whats up with that? I consider it a good day if I have left over calories. I lost 40 lbs keeping my own food journal before joining mfp. I did 1200 calories a day, regardless of workouts and took every oppurtunity to go under. Since joining I've gained some weight and I was no where near an unhealthy weight or "starvation mode" From my experience, I'm staying under. Today I have 500 left :)
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Ah, you simply have misinterpreted the MFP calorie system. :smile: MFP builds in a caloric deficit of 500 calories or 1000 calories depending on your weekly loss goal (1-2 lbs), so when we eat all of our calories, we're still 500 under. You can always create your own nutrition goals under the 'Goals' tab by choosing 'Custom.' Since I have had my BMR tested in a facility, I have a very accurate estimation of that, and I use my HRM to determine my calories burned during exercise and normal activity, so I create my own basis.
  • kobrie17
    kobrie17 Posts: 106 Member
    500 under 1200..thats a little much. but i do the same in that i stay under but i base it around workouts. i get 1220 calories a day and eat 1100 on days i burn 300 calories on the elliptical. probably the reason that you've gained weight is because like me you started your weightloss eating less than the reccommened and now..i think we're stuck with it. i plan on SLOWWWWLLLYY building up my calories when im done losing, because any jump of more than 300 calories a day for a week has caused me to gain weight. i think that if we had started out eating the reccommended amount..it would have worked the same, maybe better. but if your comfortable, eating every couple hours then i agree..going under is a good thing..but 500 (if u mean 500 under 1200) is something u shouldnt do regularly!!!

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