If I go over my allowed calorie goal for the day.....

1917Ashley
1917Ashley Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
does that necessarily mean I will gain weight? I am still new to all this! I only have one teeny calorie left to spare for the day after my work out and all logged foods. Not that I am going to eat/drink more tonight (other than water)--it's just for future reference!

Thanks guys!! :D

:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • Cherp18
    Cherp18 Posts: 224 Member
    it's a mathamatical calculation. if you go over, you'll gain.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    lol nope! unless you ate like 5000 over you will not gain any fat (weight maybe due to hormones, water, etc)


    remember: to gain ONE pound of FAT (exclude water, etc) you must eat 3500 cals over your TDEE which is much higher than the deficit you are on :)
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    Not one day, but if you go over more days than you are under? then, yes. I look at my calorie goals on an average.
  • momofthreesons
    momofthreesons Posts: 162 Member
    Nope just dont do it more than once a week to still show a loss but dont go crazy that one day and mess up the whole weeks progress !!!
  • schell81
    schell81 Posts: 187 Member
    You will lose less weight in the long run. But really, if you go over by 100 calories once in awhile, and end up under 100 once in awhile, it'll all even out.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    I do that on a normal basis. I might go over a 100 or 200 one day but have tons of calories left from another day. It balances out. It does depend a little bit on our accurate are exercise calories that we put down.
  • rubix08
    rubix08 Posts: 33 Member
    Depends on how far you plan to go over. In general, no. Going over, say 200 calories, one day will not overall make you gain weight. If you weigh yourself everyday then you may see a gain but it's not actual weight gain. Now if you went over by something like 5,000 calories then yes, you may put on a pound or two.

    You really don't want to go over too often since this site sets up a good deficit based on activity level and your personal stats but if throughout the course of the day you find yourself a bit over I wouldn't stress about it, especially if you were eating clean most of the day.
  • 1ocean1girl
    1ocean1girl Posts: 197 Member
    I agree, I think it depends on how much over you go. But after you enter your food and exercise for the day you can click on the "complete this entry" button and it will tell you if youll lose or gain
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    to my understanding, the goal is calculated based on TDEE ('total daily energy expenditure' (or something like that))--which is what your body burns per day just to survive and produce hair, blood flow, etc--and what your goal loss per week is (1 pound, 1.5, etc).

    so if your body burns 3000 calories just sitting around in a chair, and your goal is to lose a pound per week, it might suggest you eat 2200 calories a day (800 calorie deficit) which means you theoretically will lose that pound per week. however, that 800 calorie difference is still there, which allows wiggle room, and thus you might only lose .8 pounds that week--based solely on the math


    long post short, no, going over within your wiggle room is fine, and won't make you gain weight
  • CassiopeiaJazzy
    CassiopeiaJazzy Posts: 2
    No, it does not necessarily mean that you will gain weight. To lose weight, you are creating a deficit amount of calories between what you are consuming and what you burn every day. Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number that tells you how many calories you burn at COMPLETE rest (just lying in bed not moving, to sustain your body). Now, let's say you have a 1700 BMR (calculated with sedentary activity levels), In that case, then if you eat exactly 1700 calories then you will not lose or gain any weight. You would be maintaining. Now, let's say you eat 200 less than your BMR. Then you will lose weight because your body will use your fat stores for energy (i.e losing weight). MFP sets your goal depending on how much weight you want to lose and how fast. So, let's say your goal is 1200 a day and you ate 1201 and your BMR is 1700. That does not mean you gain weight - it means that instead of burning 500 calories that day, you will burn 499 calories.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    to my understanding, the goal is calculated based on TDEE ('total daily energy expenditure' (or something like that))--which is what your body burns per day just to survive and produce hair, blood flow, etc--and what your goal loss per week is (1 pound, 1.5, etc).

    so if your body burns 3000 calories just sitting around in a chair, and your goal is to lose a pound per week, it might suggest you eat 2200 calories a day (800 calorie deficit) which means you theoretically will lose that pound per week. however, that 800 calorie difference is still there, which allows wiggle room, and thus you might only lose .8 pounds that week--based solely on the math


    long post short, no, going over within your wiggle room is fine, and won't make you gain weight

    Right idea, wrong numbers :) It's BMR (basal metabolic rate) you are talking about. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure, what it takes to MAINTAIN current body weight. (this is what you need to go over to gain any "real" weight aka fat). and it is 3500 calories per pound of weight
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    No, it does not necessarily mean that you will gain weight. To lose weight, you are creating a deficit amount of calories between what you are consuming and what you burn every day. Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number that tells you how many calories you burn at COMPLETE rest (just lying in bed not moving, to sustain your body). Now, let's say you have a 1700 BMR (calculated with sedentary activity levels), In that case, then if you eat exactly 1700 calories then you will not lose or gain any weight. You would be maintaining. Now, let's say you eat 200 less than your BMR. Then you will lose weight because your body will use your fat stores for energy (i.e losing weight). MFP sets your goal depending on how much weight you want to lose and how fast. So, let's say your goal is 1200 a day and you ate 1201 and your BMR is 1700. That does not mean you gain weight - it means that instead of burning 500 calories that day, you will burn 499 calories.
    you still lose at BMR, all it maintains is bodily functions if you were, say, in a coma. Doesn't account for the slightest bit of movement/activity (including sedentary)
  • 1917Ashley
    1917Ashley Posts: 100 Member
    I definitely appreciate everyone's wise words of advice!! I have been on this site for about 4 months now but foolishly stopped for 3. I have been back at it full swing for about 2 weeks now! And I have yet to go over in calories. Thank you all so very much! :flowerforyou:
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
    You won't necessarily gain. The calorie goal is to keep you losing weight at the rate you want to lose. If you've said you want to lose 2 lbs a week, for example, it will give you a daily calorie goal that will have you losing 2 lbs a week. If you go slightly over, you may only lose 1.5 lbs a week, or 1 lb a week. There have been days that I've gone over and it says, "If every day were like today, in 5 weeks you'd weigh..." and it's a number that's lower than where I am now, but probably not as low as I'd like to be by that time.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    does that necessarily mean I will gain weight? I am still new to all this! I only have one teeny calorie left to spare for the day after my work out and all logged foods. Not that I am going to eat/drink more tonight (other than water)--it's just for future reference!

    Thanks guys!! :D

    :flowerforyou:

    if you go over your allowance, it means the end of the world!! LOL..

    only kidding...going over a day here and there won't do you any real harm :-)
  • toriaenator
    toriaenator Posts: 423 Member
    no, MFP automatically has a deficit in anways. do you know your TDEE? as long as you dont go over this you are golden. and even if you do go over, it takes 3500 cals to gain a pound. i think youll be fine :)
  • NaughtyForties
    NaughtyForties Posts: 69
    The short answer is NO.

    Weight loss is all about trending your calories, for example we put on weight because our trend is to eat more than we burn. Aka Calories in +++, Calories out ---, so once you've got that concept it easy to understand if you eat 100 cals more today but are 100 under tomorrow you net effect is zero. However should your daily, weekly, monthly trend be 100+ or more every day, over time yes you will put on weight.

    I work on weekly totals this gives me flexibility not to worry about 'one day over or one day under', typically I'm under but if one day I'm not I don't care as I know my trend for the week is under, therefore I'm still in a good place. Don't get hung up on one day and as long as you're working out cardio and strength training you'll need to eat. Some days I'm really hungry so I eat, my body needs fuel and I respond in kind.

    When I check my numbers weekly, surprise, surprise I'm under and that equals weight loss. Good luck with it all.

    Happy days.....
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    One day over will not impact on your progress. Keep in mind that not every day is perfect and there may be days where you go over, as long as you are not consistently over then it's fine. Keep in mind that the calorie goal set is at a deficit anyway, it depends on how much over you go. An important number to know is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). For weight loss, you need to eat under your TDEE. Good luck!
  • paulaviki
    paulaviki Posts: 678 Member
    I go over most days but rarely by more than 50-100 calories and I've still lost 20lbs. Not being under my calorie goal does mean my weightloss is slower but I'm not in any rush, I just want to do something that's sustainable in the long run.
  • divacat80
    divacat80 Posts: 299 Member
    Have in mind that if you go over your calories eating healthy lean foods one day you won't necessarily gain weight, but if you do indulge in fatty foods you might notice a change on the scale the following day. that doesn't necessarily mean you have gained fat. It usually goes away after a day or two. It happens to me when i eat a burger with fries or pasta with fatty sauces.
  • rachael52
    rachael52 Posts: 85 Member
    Going over once in a while will happen. But each day is a new day to get back into the swing of it. It's a slow process, but if you keep to your goal as much as possible, you'll certainly lose weight!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you don't want to go too far under your calories either. i see a lot of people that seem to think "oh, well, if 1200 a day will make me lose 2lbs a week, then 600 a day will make me lose twice that!!"

    what that does is that your body starts using energy differently, and it stores more and more energy from food, because it is trying to save itself.

    i'd look up your TDEE and your BMR. Try to never eat under your BMR. that is the minimum that you need to survive. calculate your TDEE based off of a lightly active daily routine. eat 20% less then what they give you.
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
    Nah, one day won't kill your diet...though if you weigh daily, you might see a slight uptick the next morning. But as long as you have a weekly deficit, you should lose weight.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    you don't want to go too far under your calories either. i see a lot of people that seem to think "oh, well, if 1200 a day will make me lose 2lbs a week, then 600 a day will make me lose twice that!!"

    what that does is that your body starts using energy differently, and it stores more and more energy from food, because it is trying to save itself.

    i'd look up your TDEE and your BMR. Try to never eat under your BMR. that is the minimum that you need to survive. calculate your TDEE based off of a lightly active daily routine. eat 20% less then what they give you.

    ^ best answer
  • 1917Ashley
    1917Ashley Posts: 100 Member
    Thanks everyone so much! I can tell you all aren't new to this MFP thing! You all gave very clear answers!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    If you go over, you reduce your deficit. Say you are set to lose 1/2 pound a week, which gives you a 250 a day deficit. Then, if you go over by 100 calories, your deficit is only 150; if you do that every day, your weekly deficit is 1050 instead of 1750, and you will lose that less than 1/2 pound. But you won't be gaining, either. And if you only go over every once in a while, it will be better.

    On the other hand, if you have a "cheat day" once a week and go over by 4000 calories, you've pretty much eaten your whole deficit and you won't lose.

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