Do you eat ALL of your allotted calories?

ixiHemlock
ixiHemlock Posts: 83 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been really good today, and I have almost 400 calories left of my 1200. Do you think I should eat the rest or no? I just had the soup and salad for dinner...If so, what should I eat? Here's my day so far:

Yogurt - Yoplait Light Flavors, 1 container (6oz) 90
Progresso Light - Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken Soup (Net Carbs), 1 container (2 cups ea.) 160
Vegetables - Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, 3 oz. (85g/about2 Cups) 15
Kraft - Light Creamy Caesar - Reduced Fat Dressing, 3 tbsp 53
Sabra - Classic Hummus - Singles, 1 serving 150
Kroger - Bouillon Cubes, 1 cube 5
Starbucks - Coffee Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee - Venti, 1 serving(s) (24oz.) 160
Taco Bell - Crunchy Taco - Beef (Website), 1 Taco (78 g) 170
Taco Bell - Border Sauce - Mild , 1 packet 0
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Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    At 1200, YES, you should absolutely eat to goal. After all, that's what goal means, right - something to achieve, go for, meet? Not something to fall well short of. Especially when you're set at the bare minimum.

    My goal is 1900 and I usually meet it, no problem. I lost most of my fat while eating 1800-2000 cals a day.
  • ixiHemlock
    ixiHemlock Posts: 83 Member
    At 1200, YES, you should absolutely eat to goal. After all, that's what goal means, right - something to achieve, go for, meet? Not something to fall well short of. Especially when you're set at the bare minimum.

    My goal is 1900 and I usually meet it, no problem. I lost most of my fat while eating 1800-2000 cals a day.

    I'm so confused, I hear a thousand different things...won't more of a deficit mean more weight loss?
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    You'll lose weight at a higher deficit, but not necessarily more efficiently or pleasantly.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    At 1200, YES, you should absolutely eat to goal. After all, that's what goal means, right - something to achieve, go for, meet? Not something to fall well short of. Especially when you're set at the bare minimum.

    My goal is 1900 and I usually meet it, no problem. I lost most of my fat while eating 1800-2000 cals a day.

    I'm so confused, I hear a thousand different things...won't more of a deficit mean more weight loss?
    Your daily goal already has your deficit built in - meaning eat all the way to goal every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. That's how MFP works, and why your exercise cals are added back into your goal when you log them - staying way under, or not eating back exercise cals leaves you with a HUGE deficit, which is not good, and can do you far more harm than good over time.

    If you search the boards here for 1200, you'll find countless threads from people eating below 1200 asking for help and advice because they are grouchy, hungry, exhausted, hair is falling out, and so on. Will you lose weight eating less than 1200 a day? Probably. Will you feel great, and have that firm fit body you're hoping for? Probably not.

    Eat your calories, drink water, exercise, take rest days, get good sleep, repeat. And have patience. It works, but it takes time, and it's totally worth it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    At 1200, YES, you should absolutely eat to goal. After all, that's what goal means, right - something to achieve, go for, meet? Not something to fall well short of. Especially when you're set at the bare minimum.

    My goal is 1900 and I usually meet it, no problem. I lost most of my fat while eating 1800-2000 cals a day.

    I'm so confused, I hear a thousand different things...won't more of a deficit mean more weight loss?

    Yes, bigger deficit means bigger weight loss.

    That's not the only consideration, however. Routinely going below a certain level of caloric intake will make it hard to maintain the body in a healthy state. The number of calories for that is different for everyone, "1200" is used as a catch-all proxy, although it is clear many people, especially women, can do just fine on less if they pay close attention to their macros and micronutrient levels.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Eat! Your body needs food! Looking at this as a race to the bottom is foolish and ultimately makes you fail. Eat!
  • Messier108
    Messier108 Posts: 23
    Not always, but at the moment I'm falling short by about only 50cal of my 600 daily.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Sometimes, I like to play a little game where I see how close I can get to my goal calories without going over. I mostly can hit it within 20 or so.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    why do you think the number 1200 was picked? It wasn't to annoy people, but it is a number by which one can be reasonably sure that you are getting all your nutrients that you need (protein, vitamins, minerals etc.etc). Unless you are taking a multivitamin there is no way you got all your vitamins from what you listed.

    I think the real question is though whether you actually have weight to lose. If your profile picture is you, then you look pretty slim already. If you are trying to change the shape of your body, perhaps check out how to tone your body with a weights workout.
  • TheDoctor_13
    TheDoctor_13 Posts: 21 Member
    I went over 150-ish for my first 2 days, now I am usually 300-500 under. I could eat some more but might not be enough to reach it. How do you do it, just eat a lot when you don't feel like it?

    Also MFP goal or TDEE?
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    Not always, but at the moment I'm falling short by about only 50cal of my 600 daily.

    you eat 600 calories a day??? Really???
  • Wooly_I_am
    Wooly_I_am Posts: 109
    You really shouldn't eat less than your BMR because this is the amount you need to survive. In saying that I eat all of my calories because I'm always hungry. And I sometimes eat my exercise calories :)

    If you've already set your calories low enough to lose weight than why eat less than that?
  • Messier108
    Messier108 Posts: 23
    I'm not doing it for very long.
  • Wooly_I_am
    Wooly_I_am Posts: 109
    Also check what you are low on...eg fat, protein. You could eat something high in one of these to meet your macros if you haven't done so already.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    EAT!
    Consistently way under 1200, it will effect your bone density, hair, nails, teeth, and organs.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    I couldn't possibly :laugh:
    By the time my fitbit gets through conspiring with MFP, my calorie allotment is like 2500 calories :sick:
    I couldn't possibly eat that much and I quit trying.

    I don't worry about it.
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member


    I'm so confused, I hear a thousand different things...won't more of a deficit mean more weight loss?

    Moderate deficit means safe, effective weight loss. Excessive deficit means not enough fuel for your body. Eat to goal.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I'm not doing it for very long.

    You shouldn't do it at all.
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  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
    I'm not doing it for very long.

    It has already been too long. Eat food.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    I couldn't possibly :laugh:
    By the time my fitbit gets through conspiring with MFP, my calorie allotment is like 2500 calories :sick:
    I couldn't possibly eat that much and I quit trying.

    I don't worry about it.
    By BMF tells MFP that too, but I CAN eat that, no problem... and often do. :devil: :drinker: :laugh:
  • Swotie
    Swotie Posts: 3
    600 calories is scary.
  • DawnOBRN
    DawnOBRN Posts: 290 Member
    YES!!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Not always, but at the moment I'm falling short by about only 50cal of my 600 daily.

    I hope I'm misunderstanding you. It looks like you eat only 600 calories a day. Is that accurate?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I'm not doing it for very long.

    I see my question has been answered.

    Please eat. You should not be eating that little at all. You could get very sick.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Not always, but at the moment I'm falling short by about only 50cal of my 600 daily.

    I hope I'm misunderstanding you. It looks like you eat only 600 calories a day. Is that accurate?

    No, I think she's saying she only eats 550 calories a day (50 short of a 600 target she has set herself).
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    I'm not doing it for very long.

    I see my question has been answered.

    Please eat. You should not be eating that little at all. You could get very sick.

    Not to mention, you'll likely put it all back on plus some once you stop.
  • Vorenus85
    Vorenus85 Posts: 112 Member
    I'm not doing it for very long.

    No time length can justify eating that low.
  • hollyannewood
    hollyannewood Posts: 7 Member
    if you're not hungry, DON'T EAT, 'calorie goal' be damned. that's what learning to have a healthy relationship with food is all about, learning when to stop eating and when you need to. if you're very very active, have a very active job like a waitress, army, any work place where you burn a lot or are doing a whole **** ton of exercise you should make sure you're eating a bit more, but if not and you're not hungry being in a deficit is fine in my opinion.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    At 1200 calories, you should eat all of them. Heck you should probably eat way more than 1200 in the first place.

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