Just want to clear something up.

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Oompa_Loompa
Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So is it true that I can go over my daily calorie goal??? I'm set at 1200 calories a day. And I almost never ever go over..im always a little under. But now I'm hearing that it is ok if you go over and Im confused? I'm so carefull of what I eat during the day. I actually try to save my enough calories so I can have a snack at night. And everytime I enter in what I eat during the day I just think oh no Im down to 700 calories now. I gotta be carefull what I eat.
Im just a little confused. Help!

Replies

  • mhooker
    mhooker Posts: 8
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    You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day and try not to go under that. Your body will go into starvation mode and it will be harder for you to lose weight. Do you exercise? If so, you get extra calories added that you can eat.
  • LongMom
    LongMom Posts: 408 Member
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    I don't understand your concern...."is it true that I can go over my daily calorie goal?" Who determines if you CAN go over your calorie goal???

    Of course you CAN...no one can stop ya :) It's your CHOICE to go over it or not.

    Perhaps what you are referring to is people who are under one day and "carry over" their calories to the next day. This is a common practice and does "work" (but again, people define "work" differently!).
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    My trainer had me doing 900 calories a day and I wasn't losing weight so I started following the MFP guideline and now I'm losing weight again! EAT WOMAN - EAT!!!
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
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    You don't' want to stay under 1200 for too long. And "too long" varies from person to person and from how stressed your body is etc... Most people agree it takes more than 2 or 3 days to switch your metabolism into starvation mode - but no one really knows for sure!

    I keep a spreadsheet and look at my five day average for both net calories (calories - exercise) and for my weight. I like to see my five day average net calories stay under 1300 calories (right now it's at 1356).

    How are you doing? If you're losing 1 to 2 pounds a week keep on doing it! I am losing about 1.75 pounds a week - I'm pretty happy with that and by flexing my calories a little I can adjust to my life easier!

    Exercise gives you a nice pad to eat too!

    Good luck!
  • mirandam1076
    mirandam1076 Posts: 39
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    Eat 1200 AT LEAST! I am using this site as a guide not the bible. If I go over one day I a remind myself that when i wasn't logging my food I must have gone WAY over 1200. As long as the quality of the food you eat is good than dont fret!:flowerforyou: Exercise as much as possible too.
  • mandylwilson
    mandylwilson Posts: 9 Member
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    I totally get what your saying. I try so hard to be under 1200, because it's never possable to be exactly at 1200. I guess according to this thing it's better to go over by a bit than be too far under. BUT if that is true, then why do they give you a limit of 1200? I don't get it either. Good luck anyways!
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition


    Please, please, please go to this link and read the information there!
  • sdirks
    sdirks Posts: 223 Member
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    Try going to "TOOLS" and calculating your BMR.

    When generating a BMR, remember that "age" is relative. I'm in my early 20's, but I don't go dancing every night like a college student. I have the desk job, metabolism and health problems of a woman in her mid-30's. Use the BMR as a guideline.
  • Bevgreen1
    Bevgreen1 Posts: 11 Member
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    I started seeing a nutritionist last week.
    I told her about this site saying I needed to be at 1200 calories.
    She didn't agree with it. She thought I needed to be at 1500.
    I was a little confused too, but think I will try to stay between the two.
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition


    Please, please, please go to this link and read the information there!

    very good info there.
  • sweetteacher123
    sweetteacher123 Posts: 178
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    Bottom line: if you want to lose weight you need to eat enough calories to keep your body from going into starvation mode, but cut enough calories to lose weight. MFP does that work for you with your calorie deficits, so you should be just barely under or right at the amount of calories it tells you in a day. I know that keeping track and going under one day to go over the next day is a common practice (I do it myself), but even I wouldn't get into the habit of doing that every day. I also like the answer to your question from mstahl about looking at five days of net calories. But if you really are trying hard to lose weight, stay at your 1200.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day and try not to go under that. Your body will go into starvation mode and it will be harder for you to lose weight. Do you exercise? If so, you get extra calories added that you can eat.

    agree 100%

    1200 cals = min
    if u workout and burn 300cals, u can eat those extra 300 cals.

    so when u log ur exercise cals, ur food diary shud change accordingly and it will tell u how many extra cals u have earned for the day. Checkout my food/exercise diary.....
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    My trainer had me doing 900 calories a day and I wasn't losing weight so I started following the MFP guideline and now I'm losing weight again! EAT WOMAN - EAT!!!

    what kind of trainer wud tell u such a thing!?
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
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    My trainer had me doing 900 calories a day and I wasn't losing weight so I started following the MFP guideline and now I'm losing weight again! EAT WOMAN - EAT!!!

    what kind of trainer wud tell u such a thing!?

    Yeah, I hope you fired that trainer!
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    Try going to "TOOLS" and calculating your BMR.

    When generating a BMR, remember that "age" is relative. I'm in my early 20's, but I don't go dancing every night like a college student. I have the desk job, metabolism and health problems of a woman in her mid-30's. Use the BMR as a guideline.

    I just did it and it said like 1232
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    Options
    Try going to "TOOLS" and calculating your BMR.

    When generating a BMR, remember that "age" is relative. I'm in my early 20's, but I don't go dancing every night like a college student. I have the desk job, metabolism and health problems of a woman in her mid-30's. Use the BMR as a guideline.

    I just did it and it said like 1232

    So, did you read the post and links I copied here for you?

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