Does your calorie target change daily/weekly?

So last couple of weeks I've been fairly relaxed about my calorie counts. I've been making sure to eat above the 1200 min, and below the 1700 that seems to be my max for slow loss. It seems that this way I've been losing more than with a constant goal of ~1500. If I average my weekly calories, I still end up at 1500ish, but day-to-day, I've been eating random ranges.

Any experiences with varying calorie targets? I'm not sure if this is a fluke or if there's some method to the madness.

Replies

  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    My target is around 1600, and if I workout, which I nearly always do, I get about 600 to 1500 more to eat. I just go by MFP and it is working very well.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    If I do a monster workout with a huge burn, I do not eat all 3000 calories, though. It is just too much compared to what I have been eating on a regular basis.
  • jennfranklin
    jennfranklin Posts: 434 Member
    Every fourth day I up my calorie intake a bit!
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    About once a week I'm 200 over, the rest about 100 over or under (save my free day, which is always waaaay over.) It has not stalled my weight loss any and oddly seems to be helping it.
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    I did well on a zig/zag method.
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    About once a week I'm 200 over, the rest about 100 over or under (save my free day, which is always waaaay over.) It has not stalled my weight loss any and oddly seems to be helping it.

    this is about how my week goes too...strange how it works but it does!
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    It ought to work. If you have it set to lose 1lb/wk then it will give you a 500/day calorie deficite, and if you have it set for 2lb/wk it will put you at 1000/day deficit.
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    I change my settings around between 1330 and 1430, every other week or so.
    And when there's a party, or any kind of celebration, I set it to maintenance.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    My target is around 1600, and if I workout, which I nearly always do, I get about 600 to 1500 more to eat. I just go by MFP and it is working very well.
    ^^^^^
    THIS
    I love the net calorie concept. It is the same every day, but the sliding variable is any exercise which allows me to eat more or offset a big meal or unplanned indulgence.
    I like this flexibility.
  • Thank you for your responses, everyone!

    I also think if my target is a bit more flexible, I eat more intuitively. If 1200 vs 1500 doesn't matter, I seem to be more likely to stop when I'm actually full. Three cheers for recognizing hunger/satiety cues :)
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    My target is around 1600, and if I workout, which I nearly always do, I get about 600 to 1500 more to eat. I just go by MFP and it is working very well.
    ^^^^^
    THIS
    I love the net calorie concept. It is the same every day, but the sliding variable is any exercise which allows me to eat more or offset a big meal or unplanned indulgence.
    I like this flexibility.
    Oh man! I am so thankfull for this concept!! It was people here that made me ok with it. I thought it wa ssome crazy BS that the calculator was shoving out to me. It makes so much sense now. I used to do like an hour and a half cardio (when I was vegetarian, ***qwaaaa,, thooo**** (spits). I am now sure that the reason for the weight retention at that time, and even some gains, was do to starvation. I just didn't know I was starving. That was years ago, and I just learned that recently!! I am consistently losing weight this way!!!