Daily Calorie Goal

Rumik

Hi everyone,

been a member of the site for a few years but only just started tracking things again. Just wanted an answer to a quick question is all.

The daily calorie goal - is it right that I should try and consume my target every day, or my body may go into starvation mode?
I remember last time I was counting calories I would try to keep below that target and I wouldn't lose much weight, but I spent 4 months running 3 times a week last year and lost about 10lb, but I haven't been exercising since December but have been able to maintain my weight while knowing I'm consuming more calories.

Any light shed on the subject would be appreciated

Cheers

childofbodom123

You should try and consume your daily goal yes. You should also eat the extra calories from exercise.

Doing this means you are setting a pattern for your metabolism, gradually introducing it to weight loss. Diets that make you lose weight really quick do not give your metabolism a chance to understand you are becoming a smaller person and you can't eat as much as before, where as fitness pal allows your metabolism that chance!

It depends on how much weight you have to lose so be careful with your weekly weight loss target. I would say if you are trying to lose less than 30 pounds set your weight loss goal on either 1/2 a pound per week or 1 pound per week. This will make your weight loss gradual and much better in the long run as your metabolism has time to understand you will be 30lbs lighter!

But always eat as close to your goal as you can and remember to eat the extra calories from exercise!

gin_gin

I'm confused with this also I was actually coming under my calorie range of 1200 but i lost and I was told to up my calories to prevent the starvation mode so i upped them to 1300 and i've gained 2 lbs back that i lost so idk maybe it works different for different people I'm lowering my cals again.

crystal8208

Everyone's different. I try to stay under my goal of 1490. If I'm under by 1 awesome. This site is designed to give you a deficit even if you don't exercise, so I'd be careful being too far under goal. On nights I do Zumba, I'm always around 1200 net because I just can't/won't eat the extra calories. I'm just not hungry at 8PM when I'm done with class. Each must find their own way. But in reply to gin_gin, I was told you have to stick with the change for a few weeks to see the difference. So I'd try the 1300 for 2-3 weeks. If you don't lose go back down. But I don't know that one week is long enough to determine positive or negative outcome. IMO. :ohwell:

Rumik

I would say if you are trying to lose less than 30 pounds set your weight loss goal on either 1/2 a pound per week or 1 pound per week. This will make your weight loss gradual and much better in the long run as your metabolism has time to understand you will be 30lbs lighter!

If I set my weekly weight loss goal to less than 2lb there's no way I'll be able to consume that many calories! Not unless I start stuffing my face with cake every night lol

Thank you all for the tips

Rumik

Can I jus ask why its important to eat the extra calories I earn from exercise?

Rumik

Bump

ladyraven68

Can I jus ask why its important to eat the extra calories I earn from exercise?

you have already set your target deficit to 1000 calories which is the maximum recommended - if you exercise you are making the deficit even bigger, so you need to eat back those burnt to maintain the same deficit.

CindyCountingCalories

Bump

Di3012

Hi everyone,

been a member of the site for a few years but only just started tracking things again. Just wanted an answer to a quick question is all.

The daily calorie goal - is it right that I should try and consume my target every day, or my body may go into starvation mode?
I remember last time I was counting calories I would try to keep below that target and I wouldn't lose much weight, but I spent 4 months running 3 times a week last year and lost about 10lb, but I haven't been exercising since December but have been able to maintain my weight while knowing I'm consuming more calories.

Any light shed on the subject would be appreciated

Cheers

I am on 1200 calories per day, I am usually under by 30(ish). I ignore that starvation mode bit I get when I complete for the day and haven't stalled in weightloss since I started on 1st January 2012.

I run as exercise three times per week and burn approx 550 calories per session.

Rumik

so you need to eat back those burnt to maintain the same deficit.

That's just led me to the same question why?

ladyraven68

so you need to eat back those burnt to maintain the same deficit.

That's just led me to the same question why?

Well, you're the one who chose the defict.

It all depends on the deficit you chose - if you chose 500 to lose 1lb a week, MFP assumes you actually meant you wanted to lose 1lb a week, no more, and no less, so it tries to maintain the defict at 500 calories by telling you to eat the exercise calories.

If you don't like the eating back of exercise calories find out your TDEE including exercise and just deduct 20% from that, so that your calorie intake remains the same every day.

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

Rumik

Okay, I think I understand, thanks Losing weight steadily at what looks like the right pace, so I'm happy to keep doing what I'm doing!