How important is the daily 'line'?

enini · July 2013

Hi,

I'm using MFP since a month and lost ~4 kg so far, but am a bit unsure on this exact daily calories number.

I used the 'guided setting' and 'sendentary' since I don't work out and work on the Computer pretty much all day. I bike to work (not daily, though) and do short daily walks, but I don't log those. So, MFP has set me to 1200 cal/day.

Now, I don't always reach the 1200 exactly but I'm close underneath, or, more often, I end up in the range of 1400~1600 cal/day. I notice that I lose weight but very slowly, that's okay. I also noticed I feel best if I eat around ~1500.

What I don't really understand: if I permanently keep such a calories log, how close do I need to eat towards the daily "line" to have a stable longterm effect?

MFP complains when I close my log and haven't reached the 1200, okay. So how far below is still healthy? It's really hot right now, so I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, and drink a lot of water over the day instead of full meals. This will balance back when the weather gets cooler again.

And on the other hand: how far "above" is still okay? Is +300 on 3-4 days/week a "bad number" when the others are in line/underneath?

In general: How important is this daily/24h count in the first place? Doesn't it balance a bit over a few days? That happens when a party day with lots of food is balanced out with a low cal day before/after, no? Is that a myth? x_X

I have to say, I don't feel like 1200 is enough on some days. I really crave more food then. On others, I have trouble even getting that high. I'm really just afraid that this "day jumping" in calories count is not helping in the long run.

Soo... I'm not a native speaker. Am I understandable? ^^;
Tips? ._.

~eni

PunkinSpice79 · July 2013

Great question! I'm wondering the same thing. I tend to go over some days, and then under to make up for it. I feel like as long as I'm reaching my goals, it's okay.

TavistockToad · July 2013

If you are set as sedentary why do you not log exercise?

astartig · July 2013

find out your bmr and the daily calories you need to maintain. eating below maintenance you'll still lose weight.

I think a little over and a little under can be no harm (as long as your maintenance rate isn't like 2300 or so because then you're under 1000 calorie deficit which they warn about for some reason)

they say the variance in calories keeps your metabolism humming along at a steady pace. It's supposed to fool it from stalls. (no idea how much of that is wives tales and how much is true but it can't hurt... )

the lower limit of 1200 is chosen for everyone because that is the lowest level they are confident you're getting all the vitamins minerals et all that you need daily. to be at a thousand deficit quite a few of us would go a lot lower than that number. My maintence at goal weight will be about 1500 with out exercise. that would mean to be at 1000 deficit I'd have to eat 500 calories a day. that isn't reasonable. that's why they set a 1200 limit. but it also makes losing a lot slower for a shorter person and it means you have to exercise a lot more than someone who is taller to effect the same weightloss.

for that reason I am also not eating back my exercise calories for the most part. I could go to a deficit of 700 calories from 1200 and I am eating the 1200 calories a day to get my nutrition (and I am not eating junk so the nutrition should definitely be there)

onyxgirl17 · July 2013

First of all:

How quickly did you tell MFP you wanted to lose weight? 2 pounds a week? 1 pound a week? That changes the number that MFP gives you but it will never suggest lower than 1200 calories.

Second of all:

Because MFP suggestion is already a cut from how many calories you "expend" in a day, if you average the amount that MFP suggests you WILL lose weight. Even if you go under some days and over other days.

Third of all:

You have to eat ~3500 calories less than your eat to lose each pound of fat. Therefore, if you know how many calories you need in a day to maintain (we call that TDEE Total Daily Expenditure around here) then you can cut modestly to figure out how quickly you want to lose weight. For example: I know that my body uses ~1700 calories a day. I eat 1450 a day. That's a 250 cal deficit per day. I lose about a pound every 2 weeks. If I wanted to increase how quickly I lost weight I would eat a little less than 1450 cals a day. I would never suggest going under 1200 though...

enini · July 2013

Because I don't see it as an exercise. It doesn't exhaust me in the least and is so irregularly and short that it should balance itself out with the days where I'm not biking at all. Plus, I think I'm sitting a lot more and longer still than what the program may calculates for the average "desk working" person, TavistockToad

morticia16 · July 2013

Perhaps it will be easier if you work with a weekly overview of calories and then establish your correct/desired net.

enini · July 2013

The TDEE calculator at iifym gives me a basal metabolism rate of 1576 calories. I've set MFP to wanting to lose 0,5kg/week (so 1 lb, if Google is correct). I have time and don't want to be too fast.

My main reason for starting with MFP is to get an overview and a "feeling" for what I eat daily. Since I started, I changed a lot of my habits. As example, I was a bit shocked to see how much calories bread has and how little a slice of salami. Usually I would be savy on the salami and have a bigger slice of bread instead (I do it the other way around now and actually save calories >_>). Or, I finally managed to eat breakfast. I was always thinking that when I cut on breakfast, I can eat a lot in the evening. Now I split my meals better. I think this is what brought the 4 kg down so far. It's also just great to go to the supermarket and have a "feeling" for what to preferable buy for snacking and meals. I didn't cut my snacks completely, but I changed my daily eating habit so much around that I can very well enjoy a chocolate bar snce I see that all the numbers are still "green". I love that

But I jump so much. One day it's 1000, 1200, the next day it's 1300, 1500. So, basically, I should try to always stick above 1200 but seeing my TDEE, it is no trouble to be occasionally up to 1600, do I see this correct? I should probably eat around 1350~1400?

enini · July 2013

Yes, morticia. I have a bit of trouble with the daily limits (irregular days, changing shifts and places, traveling, ect). Weekly would be easier for me, but I'm unsure if my body registers that correctly ._.

mammakat0830 · July 2013

The body will register the calories correctly becasue it is not a day thing, more a overall change and long term changes. I monitor my calorie intake weekly as well as daily. I make sure I eat at or over 1200 a day (usually 1300) but not going over my weekly goal (I use the graph with the line). When I do this method (calorie cycling), I can have days that I go over and dont feel so horribly about it. Try it and see if it works for you.

Seesawboomerang · July 2013

I work to a weekly average. Some days I don't feel like eating so much, some days I want to pig out.

Long-term, ideally you want to listen to your body more than count numbers but we all take our time getting there in our own ways.

If you focus on exercising regularly, paying attention to eating nutritionally balanced meals (if not meals, then same with your foods across each day), you will achieve good results.

Sticking to the 'line' as you put it is really helpful if you have trouble controlling your impulses, and makes you a little more accountable. It worked for me for a while, but then it got obsessive, so I like to be a bit more flexible now. And it works.

How important is the daily 'line'?

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