I think I get it? Eating all the Calories.

ranhound

The reason one must stay close to their calorie goal for the weight they want to be is to get the body to sustain on that many calories for that weight. If I go over the calories allotted, the calories will be stored as fat. If I go under the calories allotted, the body's self protective starvation defense is activated, and the body works to keep the weight as it is. It is this slow process that will cause the body to adapt and lose weight. A drastic reduction of caloric intake will only trigger this defense mode and cause the body to endure these "dieting" periods and actually cause the body to become a better fuel (fat) storer for when the next caloric drop comes. The carb, fat, protein, fibre counting helps to keep a balanced diet so that I am getting enough nutrients.

Is this right or close? Can anyone verify this? Thanks.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

ranhound

The reason one must stay close to their calorie goal for the weight they want to be is to get the body to sustain on that many calories for that weight. If I go over the calories allotted, the calories will be stored as fat. If I go under the calories allotted, the body's self protective starvation defense is activated, and the body works to keep the weight as it is. It is this slow process that will cause the body to adapt and lose weight. A drastic reduction of caloric intake will only trigger this defense mode and cause the body to endure these "dieting" periods and actually cause the body to become a better fuel (fat) storer for when the next caloric drop comes. The carb, fat, protein, fibre counting helps to keep a balanced diet so that I am getting enough nutrients.

Is this right or close? Can anyone verify this? Thanks.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Jackie_W

Sounds about right to me :drinker:
I used to worry about every last calorie I'd gone over, but I've since learnt that as long as I am within 100 calories either side of my allowance, I'll be just fine :drinker:
After all, we don't want to go through all this and lose tons in one go just to gain it all back double quick :flowerforyou:

kerrilucko

Sounds good except for the first part. If you go over the calories alloted they won't be stored as fat... unless you go WAY over. Remember that those settings include a deficit or 500-1000 calories so you'd have to be over in calories by that much to maintain and over by even more to gain weight. If fyou have a 500 cal deficit and you overeat by 100 or so calories you'll simply have a 400cal deficit for that day. :flowerforyou: Hope that made sense!

ranhound

I don't understand that deficit part. So I can go up to 1000 calories over one day and not gain weight? (which I did today because it was my girlfriend's birthday- I indulged in too much food and cake)

cmriverside

I don't understand that deficit part. So I can go up to 1000 calories over one day and not gain weight? (which I did today because it was my girlfriend's birthday- I indulged in too much food and cake)

ranhound,

Please go to this link and read through the posts I have listed there. This is a common confusion.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

You'll get it! In GENERAL:
3500 calories=1 pound.
You are set up to lose (say) one pound per week based on the "Goals" section you completed when you signed up here on this website. You are given a 500 calories "deficit" per day by myfitnesspal in order to lose 3500 calories in a week. (500 calories deficit a day times 7 days equals 3500 calories.)
If you eat those 3500 calories that you shouldn't have in that week, you will MAINTAIN your current weight. You won't gain unless you go over those maintenance calories. And the amount you gain will depend on how many calories you go "over" the amount YOUR body needs to maintain its current weight. This is not a black-and-white-one-size-fits-all process. There is much "tweaking" to be done for each of us. What works for me may not work for you......so.........

Read through the posts, you'll start to understand.

Welcome and good luck! :flowerforyou:

kerrilucko

I don't understand that deficit part. So I can go up to 1000 calories over one day and not gain weight? (which I did today because it was my girlfriend's birthday- I indulged in too much food and cake)

yep, that's right. If you're set to lose 2 lbs a week (a 1000 calorie a day deficit) then even if you overeat by 1000 calories you shouldn't gain anything... but you won't lose anything either. In the case of overeating by 1000 in a day, you've simply eaten your maintenance calories (to maintain your current weight for that day)