under daily calorie intake

healthyeating555
healthyeating555 Posts: 115
edited January 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to this . 3 days into the program. I was wondering if being 8 or 900 calories under your daily intake works against you or for you? I also burn 5 to 600 calories per day doing cardio which i notice are my bonus points added on. Also am i able to save or carry over calories like minutes saved on a smart phone ?

Replies

  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Short answer - not providing your body the fuel it needs to function is not beneficial.
  • oX_Vanessa_Xo
    oX_Vanessa_Xo Posts: 478
    I was gonna ask the same. Yesterday I ate more than I usually do because I'm trying so hard to count calories now, but I still had about 400 calories left. I could of had something to add to it but my last entry was a green tea at 10 30 pm and I dont want to eat after 7 pm :S
  • LisaGNV
    LisaGNV Posts: 159 Member
    You aren't doing yourself any favors by eating less than your base calories. For me - if I plan out my day's food the night before, I am more successful in getting in what I need to.
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    Eating less every now and again is fine, eating at too much of a caloric deficit is not a good idea over a long period of time.
  • oX_Vanessa_Xo
    oX_Vanessa_Xo Posts: 478
    Just to add, you should use your first week to see how you're doing then look through your diary for next week and decide for yourself that ok, I should have a little more for that snack, or more for lunch. Im sure its going to take some getting use to for us to meet the calorie requirements. Just use the first week to see where you are at!
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    It kind of depends on what your calorie goal is. if your goal is only 1200 calories and you're 4-500 under that every day, not so good. if your goal is 2500 calories it's not as big of a deal. Still, it's not the best idea to do it all the time but every once in a while it is probably ok.
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
    I am new to this . 3 days into the program. I was wondering if being 8 or 900 calories under your daily intake works against you or for you? I also burn 5 to 600 calories per day doing cardio which i notice are my bonus points added on. Also am i able to save or carry over calories like minutes saved on a smart phone ?

    The best way IMO is use a TDEE calculator and eat at between -5% to -20% (depending on how much you have to lose - the closer to your goal weight the closer to your TDEE you eat). The simplest TDEE calculation to use is one that doesn't factor in extra excercise so you can track it on MFP and then eat exercise calories back. This way if you don't exercise the scale should still move downwards. Don't forget every 5 to 10 pound lost to recalculate your TDEE.

    On a regular basis I wouldn't go below my BMR, on occasion it's fine. As for saving up calories - IMO you can - some people have weekly calorie goals instead of daily. It doesnt' effect their weight loss so if you want to eat lower through the week so you can have more calories on the weekends - go for it. However, I find that doing it this way hard on days I eat less because I'm trying to save up for something.... I am way more likely to binge or cheat, but if you can do it, go for it.

    Heres the BMR and TDEE calculator I use:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • ilmb87
    ilmb87 Posts: 216 Member
    I'd look at weekly average more than day to day. I'm usually under between 200-400 calories for four days out of the week, but I make up those calories during the weekend + some Fridays.
  • healthyeating555
    healthyeating555 Posts: 115
    I think i need to pig out one day this week to make up for the leftover calories? How bout a nice pizza pie or some big portions of chinese food ?
  • healthyeating555
    healthyeating555 Posts: 115
    Yeah i just checked . i have 3,349 unused calories in the first three days i started program .My daily caloric intake is set at 2500 . Wow i have a lot of eating to catch up on right? LOL
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
    So it's pizza and pop tonight, then ice cream cake for dessert!
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    Pay attention to your weekly average intake on calories. That helps me out a lot bc i have days i dont eat but 700 calories, but then the next day ill consume 1600. Its all about balance...

    yes you can 'roll' over your earned calories for a cheat day like on weekends or when yo ugo out to eat!
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    Solution: Give me all your extra calories and I will eat them for you. Problem solved.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
    I don't think you need to "catch up". Having a big deficit for 3 days will not do you any harm. Having that big of a deficit consistently will.

    Try to eat at or close to your set calories from here on in. There will inevitably be days you will slip up and go over, and there will be days where you go under. As long as overall you're at or around your calories you should see consistent loss.
  • freelancejouster
    freelancejouster Posts: 478 Member
    If you can, try and figure out your BMR and assure that your net is no lower than that daily. The wiggle room between that and the amount you're set at is where you should be hitting every day. I try and net no lower than 300 under the amount I'm set at on any given day, and it's usually more like 50 under and 150 under on workout days.

    That being said, going drastically under once (or at the very most, twice) a week as you have mentioned is not going to harm you too much in the long run, just as going drastically over once or twice a week isn't going to hurt your progress.
  • auria17
    auria17 Posts: 94 Member
    I work with a weekly calorie goal, this allows me to eat up some days like on heavy lifting days and eat less on others, or if you know you are going to a big event you can adjust your calorie intake for that, as long as you don't surpass your weekly calorie limit at the end of the week it seems to work well for me.
  • mmctaw
    mmctaw Posts: 30 Member
    I think i need to pig out one day this week to make up for the leftover calories? How bout a nice pizza pie or some big portions of chinese food ?

    Two of my favorite options for scheduled binges haha.

    I second paying attention to the weekly averages more than the day-to-day. @tricksee is right that long term deficits can be pretty bad for you in that your body starts eating into muscle mass and not fat. I'd recommend focusing on making sure you are logging the correct things including ingredients and portions, especially if you're not feeling hungry. If you can measure your food, great. If not, in your case probably better to err on the side of over estimating since you're trying to lose weight and make your ex jealous :)
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