Consuming all the allowed calories

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B12452S
B12452S Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm just starting, How important is it that you eat all the allowed calories for the day. I don't want to cut out too many calories and stop losing weight. I can add more in to get there but I don't want to mess things up. Also do I need to reset my calorie requirements as I lose weight because obviously the intake amounts are going to need to change as I lose.

Replies

  • ctdeanks
    ctdeanks Posts: 29 Member
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    Forum search will be your best friend on this one.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    You'll feel best if you eat all your calories. I would recommend you eat them. I don't think cutting too far back will cause you to suddenly stop except that you probably wont move around much and burn less.
    Yes you should reset your calorie goal now and then, I think MFP prompts you every 5lbs
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    Since a deficit is built into the amount of calories that is recommended here. I would eat up to that amount. But if you eat less you should lose more. I believe that the minimum is 1200 for a female and 1500 for a male. I would not go below these amounts.
  • Clumz27
    Clumz27 Posts: 60 Member
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    The calories reset themselves if you keep track of your weight on here. :) Also yes, you do need to eat the calories given to you. It's ok to be a little under or over, but not by too much... maybe a couple hundred or so... do take my word on that part. The calories you're given by MFP is based on the information you've provided. It's sound.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    I eat half of my exercise calories so I can binge on the weekends because those unused calories carry over. Hence I don't gain from overdoing it on the weekend.
  • cmorris0283
    cmorris0283 Posts: 17 Member
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    Quoting ctdeanks "Forum search will be your best friend on this one. "

    .......Or your worst enemy :) There are so many different viewpoints on this one. Apparently some people say eat them back because MFP already has a calorie deficit set for you in your daily settings. Others don't like to do it.

    My take is if I worked out hard and my body is telling me it needs more fuel, I eat some back. If not, I don't. I think the one thing I've learned through this whole process is to be more in tune with my body telling me what it needs. I know this probably isn't much help. :) But I've lost almost 30 pounds in about 105 days this way.....

    Good luck!

    :Edited to say my advice was more for once you are incorporating exercise :)
  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
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    You need to do what works for you, if adding more calories works, stick with it, if taking some away works, stick with that... Do what works for you, not what works for others.
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
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    Eat all your cals! Mfp has built the defict in for you, no need to go lower.
  • CariBgood
    CariBgood Posts: 88 Member
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    You just opened the can.... There are soooo many different thoughts about this. The best one is to listen to your body. I tried to eat at the max weight loss set up through MFP and I was constantly starving. Once I bumped it down to lose 1lb per week and ate more I started dropping weight. Not fast mind you... but I'm not as hungry anymore so that is what works for me. I'm in this to win it forever so I am making a point of doing things that will stick. If your outlook is to drop as fast as possible and you aren't worried about regaining later cut as much as you like within reason.
  • renehallen
    renehallen Posts: 49 Member
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    Being rather new as well, I don't know the answer to your question, but I usually find myself eating under calories due to the exercise. My opinion is that as long as you don't go too much under I don't think I'd worry about it. As far as resetting your calorie goal as you lose weight, I'm hoping that someone more experienced can answer that. I know they do that with Weight Watchers, but not sure how this site works for that issue.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    Eat those calories and when you exercise, eat at least half of those back as well. There is already a deficit built in and you don't want to eat too little. I think eating too little is one of the hardest things to understand in weight loss.
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
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    Being rather new as well, I don't know the answer to your question, but I usually find myself eating under calories due to the exercise. My opinion is that as long as you don't go too much under I don't think I'd worry about it. As far as resetting your calorie goal as you lose weight, I'm hoping that someone more experienced can answer that. I know they do that with Weight Watchers, but not sure how this site works for that issue.
    It will prompt you to reset in every 10 lbs or so. I recently went from lose 1 lb a week to lose .5 as getting closer and closer I add more and more, I want to be at maintain when I hit goal pretty much.
  • yowza101
    yowza101 Posts: 196 Member
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    My goal is 1,400 a day but when I work out I get more calories added. I know the normal range is 1,800-2,000...but it all depends on what your goal is and how much working out you do. Even with the extra calories that are added, so I try not go over the 2,000.
  • debbiekuhn123
    debbiekuhn123 Posts: 67 Member
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    listen to your body hun,

    i cant consume all of mine & i really do try, i chose foods to keep me fuller for much longer thats why i dont need to eat all of my calories

    I think if you try & eat as much as you can you shouldnt feel hungry & lapse!!

    goodluck :)

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