How Close Do you Go on Allowed Calories?

It's a calorie GOAL, it's what you SHOULD be aiming for, not aim to be under that

I always try to get as close to my base goal as possible because of this reason ^^. However I did try and stay under my goal when working on net calories based on MFP exercise calories because of the amount of posts claiming they are over estimates. I eat more back now that I am using a HRM but still stay a little low if I can

I try to reach my minimum goal at least, but I'm usually 200-300 under. With exercise calories I'm usually more like 500 under. It kind of sucks, but I'm struggling with time/energy constraints right now.

I tend to aim to undershoot my calorie goal. This is because I'm quite paranoid of underestimating my calorie intake and overestimating my exercise effects!

My daily limit before exercise is about 1200, I have been doing a minimum of around 200-400cal exercise each day and I try to aim for around 1300 calories. But when I eat my full calories (I have never overshot though, always under by at least 50!) I am not too bothered - when I know I'm going to come very close I make sure to use my leftover days calories on something like fish or a big veg stir fry .

I don't even get close to the allotted calorie count. I also don't really trust the exercise amounts so I try to have at least a 100 to 200 deficit at night.

I am never but NEVER close to my stated calories. I also never eat BACK the exercise calories. What is the point--you are doing this to lose weight!

Because MFP already puts your daily goal at a deficit, so you should eat some, if not all of those exercise calories back, otherwise you're not eating enough to sustain your weight loss and working out.

I am never but NEVER close to my stated calories. I also never eat BACK the exercise calories. What is the point--you are doing this to lose weight!

You are risking to lose more muscle this way.

I stay within 50 calories of either direction whenever possible. This variance makes it SLIGHTLY more flexible, but you need to be consistent to REALLY see how these calorie numbers are affecting your body and if you need to change things up you have an educated CONSISTENT average to work with.

I don't go off of what MFP says because I use a bodymedia armband that tells me exactly how many calories I burned vs consumed.

The bodymedia is doing guesstimate calculations, just like MFP.

No, it doesn't guess at what calories you burn, that is false information. The whole point of it is that it counts your calories burn.

I am never but NEVER close to my stated calories. I also never eat BACK the exercise calories. What is the point--you are doing this to lose weight!

Ummmm...MFP gives you a calorie GOAL that includes a HUGE wieght loss deficit from maintenance built right in. If you set your activity level up properly, you did NOT include exercise in your daily activity...just your day to day hum drum...therefore exercise becomes extra activity that needs to be logged and then fueled.

I would sugges grabbing a dictionary and looking up the word GOAL for starters...then doing a little more research on how to properly use this tool. Would you use a hammer to drive screws? Huge calorie deficits combined with making them even bigger with a bunch of exercise can and ultimately are dangerous.

I try to stay -100/+300 because I set a reasonable goal, not a flaming limbo bar to go under.

I am never but NEVER close to my stated calories. I also never eat BACK the exercise calories. What is the point--you are doing this to lose weight!

Hmmm. I'm doing this to be healthy and as something I can sustain forever and ever. Eating like a rabbit doesn't fit that plan. More power to you of course, but I'm already at a deficit when I hit my target (and actually I'm still in a deficit for a fair bit over my target). Eating too little makes me very grouchy. I hope you have better luck sustaining.

Me too - I just don't get the starvation brigade at all :ohwell:

If you eat too few calories your body really does go into starvation mode and lock down. I know it sounds illogical but you have to eat to lose weight. When you excercise you burn calories and up your metabolisum. When you excercise and eat after your body is so pleased with itself that it continues to burn at that more efficent level for a longer time in general.

Just as if you do the opposite and excercise but do NOT eat after your body goes into panic mode and starts slowing down the amount of calories it uses to do that work out. Your metabolisum slows. You have to think of your body as a being with a seperate mind from your own. It has its own reasoning. It is trying to survive and is ever ready for a huge winter storm when you might need its stored fat to surive.

Look at it this way. If you have a ton of cash coming in and you have no worries about replacing something...you use it. You use as much as you want! You are just throwing stuff away! But if you suddenly find you have a new responsibilty and money won't come as freely...you are very careful where it goes, how fast, and on what.

Your body does the same thing with food.

Eatting doesn't make you fat. Eatting poorly does, empty calories, sugar, salt, artificle anything is all just junk.
If you fill your plate with healthy food, and live an active life style chances are you are going to lose weight .

Infact one of the weirdest tips I ever got LOL and I fought it. I just did NOT want to believe...was eat fat before you work out. Healthy fat mind you but FAT. Flax, was the suggested food...and it worked. I burned more calories. I felt better. I lost more weight.

I bet you are doing amazing! You must have some serious will power to resist eatting after excercise, but studies show a healthy snack is a good idea

Just my 2 cents. I am not a dietition. I am not a body builder. I work with a lot of both LOL but what I offer is hear say It just happens to have worked for me.

*Applause I hear that sister! LOL

If you eat too few calories your body really does go into starvation mode and lock down. I know it sounds illogical but you have to eat to lose weight. When you excercise you burn calories and up your metabolisum. When you excercise and eat after your body is so pleased with itself that it continues to burn at that more efficent level for a longer time in general.

Just as if you do the opposite and excercise but do NOT eat after your body goes into panic mode and starts slowing down the amount of calories it uses to do that work out. Your metabolisum slows. You have to think of your body as a being with a seperate mind from your own. It has its own reasoning. It is trying to survive and is ever ready for a huge winter storm when you might need its stored fat to surive.

Look at it this way. If you have a ton of cash coming in and you have no worries about replacing something...you use it. You use as much as you want! You are just throwing stuff away! But if you suddenly find you have a new responsibilty and money won't come as freely...you are very careful where it goes, how fast, and on what.

Your body does the same thing with food.

Eatting doesn't make you fat. Eatting poorly does, empty calories, sugar, salt, artificle anything is all just junk.
If you fill your plate with healthy food, and live an active life style chances are you are going to lose weight .

Infact one of the weirdest tips I ever got LOL and I fought it. I just did NOT want to believe...was eat fat before you work out. Healthy fat mind you but FAT. Flax, was the suggested food...and it worked. I burned more calories. I felt better. I lost more weight.

I bet you are doing amazing! You must have some serious will power to resist eatting after excercise, but studies show a healthy snack is a good idea

Just my 2 cents. I am not a dietition. I am not a body builder. I work with a lot of both LOL but what I offer is hear say It just happens to have worked for me.

Wrong.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761810-the-starvation-mode-myth-again

I treat it like "The Price is Right" - closest without going over.