General Food Diary Questions.

dirtyd89

Questions:

1.) If I meet my calorie goal for the day...Am I still at a calorie deficit to lose weight?
(Current Goal: 1,780 calories/day to lose 2 lbs/week. I'm currently eating 1,300-1,400 calories/day.)

2.) When I get calories earned from working out do you use them by eating more food or just stick to the usual calorie goal for the day?

3.) If I eat more do you raise the chances to lose more weight and keep the muscle you have?

4.) If I go over on my sugar even if I only eat fruit sugar will it still affect my ability to lose weight?

5.) Is the calorie goal the max I'm allowed to have per day or is it the required amount I'm supposed to eat?
(Because I always thought the calorie goal was my max and if I were to have a calorie deficit I would have to eat less.)

6.) On your diet diary...what do you choose to limit the most on?
(In other words do you try to hit the exact target every time and when it says your limit on things like sodium, fats, sugars, etc. do you go over some of those and still lose weight.)

7.) On a rest day...Do you eat a little bit less then your calorie goal or do you still aim for your daily calorie goal?

8.) As long as I eat the right foods does it matter how little or more I eat?

General Info: About me.
23 year old male
Height: 5 ft 8.5 inches
Starting Weight: 260 lbs
Current Weight: 180 lbs
Goal: 170 lbs
Current Body Fat %:
-General: 13.12% (Est. 13%)
-Navy: 16%
I work out an intense 6-7 days/week.
-Body Metabolic Rate: 1,907.3
-Resting Burning Calories (Sleeping): 663 calories (9 hours of sleep.)

I've been eating 1.300-1,400 calories since I started even though the goal was to eat 1,780 calories.
After 82 lbs lost I find myself at a plateau.
I know my work outs are fine I'm just considered if whether or not I'm eating enough.

Any info would be appreciated.

calculustiger

(1) See edit.
(2) You can eat back those calories and still be at a deficit.
(3) I think it depends on what you eat. However, I do not feel I am qualified to answer this question with as much certainty as I'd like.
(4) No, weight loss is strictly dependent on the calorie deficit, not on the quality of the calories consumed.
(5) It is the maximum amount of calories you can consume to meet whatever goal you have set. With respect to meeting your goal "precisely", it is also the required amount you're supposed to eat.
(6) It depends on your personal goals. Protein should generally be much higher than it is automatically set at, sodium should probably not be obscenely high, sugar can be higher than it is automatically set at, etc. These do not affect weight loss, as that is determined strictly by the calorie deficit.
(7) If you are following the preset calorie goal, you eat at your goal on rest days. When you do exercise, you can eat more than the goal (you can eat back those calories).
(8) You should eat at your calorie goal.

To other members: if any of these responses jump out as incorrect, please feel free to correct me. I tried to keep the responses as objective as possible.

Edit: Now that I reread your original post, I think you need to recalculate your "goal". As you have lost a significant amount of weight, I don't think the amount of calories you listed (1,780) to lose 2 lbs per week is accurate. In fact, even at your initial weight, I'm not sure where that number came from, given you are set at losing 2 lbs per week.