Calories.....

lovemyhoney

I have only been on MFP for two weeks.....I've stayed under my calorie goal every day except for one. Some days I have as many as 700 calories left.....so my question is this "Should I consume almost all of the recommended calories a day or is it okay to have several hundred left at the end of the day?"

I'm sorry if this has been asked before or seems silly......I'm completely new to the watching calories club! Thanks for all the advice!!

ladybg81

What is your minimum? Open up your diary

cartern1

I'm sure lots of people will give you the correct answer but my view is that the calorie goal is just that.

It is a goal, you should be aiming for this not under it.

BECav0602

Don't go under 1200 NET calories. Doing so on a regular basis will put your body into starvation mode and it will hang on to fat. MFP already calculates the calorie deficit you need when you put in your goals. As a rule I generally try to eat back at least half of my exercise calories.

Pril2000

Most people, including me, will say that as long as your NET calorie intake is at least 1200, then you will be fine. You should never be eating less than 1200 consistently. I don't like to be under more than a couple hundred, and only then it's usually because of exercise and not because I didn't eat enough.

You should find what works for you. Some people have more trouble losing weight if they eat too little. Some people have to eat a little less, but the goal that MFP gives you is what you should be eating. I would try to stay close to it.

sarshooter

If I ever eat under my calorie goal I receive a message that says I should be consuming at least "1200" calories (or whatever it may be for my fitness goals). By not consuming the minimum your body could potentially go into "starvation" mode and your metabolism will slow, thus slowing the body from processing fat. I struggle to meet my calorie goal each day, especially once I add my exercise for the day, however I always shoot for that "minimum" that the program tells me I should be eating. Hang in there!

thisisme33

I agree with cartern1. MFP gives you a specific calorie goal based on your weight/age/etc and how much you're going to be working out a week. If you put it that you're going to be working out 5 hrs a day 7 days a week, you will need to ingest more calories. If you're like me and are lazy as hell, it would have given you a lower calorie goal for each day. The lower the calories you take in, the more likely you are to putting your body into starvation mode which will cause your body to do the exact opposite of what you want: it will start storing calories because it will think you are starving it.