Better to be slightly over or under

ViJenine
ViJenine Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone. Eating healthy trying to lose 20+ pounds. However I seem to be under my daily goal by a lot for Calories, Carbs, Fat and Protein (-2 for sugar).

So it's got me thinking is it better to be under your goals, or slightly over?

Replies

  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    I prefer to be slightly under as long as I'm still above my BMR (Basal metabolic rate). If I'm slightly over I am OCD enough to feel like I must go burn it off, LOL. Seriously, I'll go get on the treadmill at this time of night if my calories are over...
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    It would help to answer this better if your food diary was open, but I'm a strong believer that the goal is meant to be met, not meant to be under and not meant to be over - met! Obviously you aren't going to get smack dab on the calories every day but you should aim to be within 100 calories either way of the goal if possible.

    Since you just started, I'm guessing you aren't putting a ton of effort into upping your protein or anything like that, so I wouldn't worry too much about your carb, fat and protein goals. (If anything, aim to go over on protein and under on carbs because I believe MFP sets your carbs high and your protein low). If this is something that does concern you, you have to be pretty particular about what you log. A lot of the food in the system only has calories recorded because it is the only thing required, but it will mess up your carb/fat/protein goals if that is something you aim to meet.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    If it's going to be close for me, I'd rather be a few calories under than a few calories over for the sake of my sanity. Having said that, I am regularly both over and under by several hundred calories and I look at it as more of a weekly affair than a daily count.
  • jgcurry3
    jgcurry3 Posts: 172 Member
    Depends on goal, Id rather be over then under, but Im trying to gain weight. Mix it up, some weekends I destroy my nutrition and eat way over or way under depending on what I'm doing.
  • UsernameStillLoading
    UsernameStillLoading Posts: 299 Member
    I'm a bit different. I prefer to be over protein (in case I calculated it wrong)...under carbs (although that is hard to do)...under fat (which I've actually been better at achieving) and calories I'm a bit flexible. Usually I want to be under but there are days where I want to be over (because I work the night shift; because I strength trained intensely...etc)

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