How many of you..

ErinMarie25
ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
Purposely stay below on your calorie intake a day and how many of you actually will end up with 0 calories left for the day?

Replies

  • themostbeautifullies
    themostbeautifullies Posts: 96 Member
    I normaly dont eat much and now that I changed high calorie foods for the lower ones it seems I always end up staying below on my calorie intake.
  • MrBuckeye
    MrBuckeye Posts: 52
    I try to eat close to my goal. I do not eat earned calories from exercising.
  • cjkasseckert
    cjkasseckert Posts: 53 Member
    I purposely target below my calorie goal. Any exercise calories are over and above that as well.
  • Thooper
    Thooper Posts: 15
    I try to leave about 200 calories a day for underestimating food, or the extra bite or two there. That is whether I just have my daily calorie limit or I have my added exercise calories.
  • Tabs_A
    Tabs_A Posts: 69 Member
    I always try to stay a little under my calorie goal to make up for any possible over/under calculations with my food. And to make up for me tasting food while cooking etc. Some days I'm not under by much and some days its a bit more, it really depends on how hungry you are and what types of food you are eating.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I try to keep it close, but always under. You figure you are estimating the calories you are eating anyway. Just because MFP gives you a calorie count on something does not make it 100% accurate. Neither does the label on a package.
  • BughaBear
    BughaBear Posts: 201
    I dont leave calories on purpose but i always have alot left but the other things r always close but I have never went over anything yet that is lol.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I am always under, but I try to get fairly close - I don't like leaving more than a 200-250 calorie deficit.
  • sweetbn
    sweetbn Posts: 318
    I think twice since February I hit my cals dead on. :)

    I try to be under since my loss per week is set low. That way I can lose slightly more than is built in. :)
  • rmkorama
    rmkorama Posts: 232 Member
    Funny thing I learned is that the MFP little update message does not say you met calorie goal when you end up with 0 left in your diary. It just says you completed your food diary. Man, was I annoyed with that the first time it happened, because from what I can tell, 0 means I didn't go over. :laugh:

    Anyhow, I usually get very close to goal, sometimes within a few calories. I do eat my exercise calories. First of all, it's great motivation to exercise more, plus if I don't I sometimes feel like I might have to start snacking on my fingers because I get so hungry. [Yes, I eat breakfast, regular meals, and try to manage my snack time to keep my blood sugar from plunging too much, but if my calorie goal is pretty low, then I still get hungry sometimes.]
  • ChubbieTubbie
    ChubbieTubbie Posts: 481 Member
    I try to stay within 50 calories of my goal, sometimes more sometimes less.
  • Charlie001
    Charlie001 Posts: 354
    I consume maintenence cals but not exercise cals. Should run 500 -800 deficit a day.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    I find that If I eat my required carbs/fats/protein I am always UNDER my calorie goal (like at 1000 for the day) which leaves me hungry and so when I add additional food to get to that caloric goal my nutritional recommendations go severely over :(

    I've played with the goal as well whether it be 40/30/30 or an increased 50/30/20 I'm still under and even allowing myself an apple a day to curb snacking at night causes carbs to hit the roof!

    I ensure all my foods are wholesome and highly recommended over and over again here on MFP (almonds, vegetables, only 1 fruit a day usually b/c of carbs which isn’t necessarily a good rule, some whole wheat rice, chicken etc.) but haven't found that perfect balance yet. It makes me doubt MFP and pushes me towards going back to WW points despite my continuous comments that MFP is better than WW simply b/c it helps with essential nutritional requirements (and doesn't focus on just cals and fiber).
  • binary_jester
    binary_jester Posts: 3,311 Member
    I "try" to net 1700 calories a day.
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,304 Member
    I aim for right around my calories. I try not to go more than 200 over and generally never try to go under. I'm already at a decent deficit and my body doesn't like it when I eat less than what my goal is.
  • tarapin
    tarapin Posts: 169
    I try and stay under to accommodate to "incidentals" as a bit under or over on measuring a bit or for calorie accuracy here on MFP but can run anywhere from 200-800 under with exercise.
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
    I purposely stay under, but not too much under. At least 50 left. I don't eat my exercise cals, I don't even log exercise. The extra 50 is for the random bite here and there of whatever.
  • emott84
    emott84 Posts: 108
    Like many people, I try to stay a bit under just for miscalculations and stuff like that.
    If I exercise that day, I eat back some of the calories, but most of the time, not all of them. I try to make sure that I'm eating at least 1200 calories a day so I know I'm operating on a full tank! :)
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    I eat my exercise cals and give myself leeway of 100 cals +/-. I try to go over (with healthy foods) at least 1x a week.
  • nubreeze33
    nubreeze33 Posts: 270
    I try to always be under my goals, but because I work out alot I always have those extra calories as well. As a rule I eat when i'm hungry and log what i've eaten, if i'm dangerously close to being on target or over i'll jump on the treadmill lol. those extra calories are like a savings account for me.
  • strongerthanb4
    strongerthanb4 Posts: 61
    I try to stay under my calories for the day and very rarely eat my exercise calories, and it works for me. But everone is different and sometimes you have to play with it to figure out what works best for you!
  • NotAllWhoWanderAreLost
    NotAllWhoWanderAreLost Posts: 615 Member
    I am first and foremost for hitting my protein goal --- this was always a deficit of mine, so i have to be sure that i work to hit it. Although, it has become easier over time! Second, i try to stay at least at 1200 cals and at most, my goal (which is around 1400 cals). I sometimes eat SOME of my exercise calories, especially when i am doing something intense that lasts more than 45 minutes. Third thing on my radar is limiting my sodium. I have found it to be pretty easy to watch carbs if i am really concentrating on getting in my protein. HOWEVER, i am almost ALWAYS waaaaay under on fats. Not sure what to do in that regard?

    Anyhoo, you asked if we aim to go under or right at target and my answer is: for protein- on target, for cals - under by 50 or more!
  • Wileyjoe
    Wileyjoe Posts: 282
    I try for + or - 100 calories and I do eat the majority of my exercise cals.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I am first and foremost for hitting my protein goal --- this was always a deficit of mine, so i have to be sure that i work to hit it. Although, it has become easier over time! Second, i try to stay at least at 1200 cals and at most, my goal (which is around 1400 cals). I sometimes eat SOME of my exercise calories, especially when i am doing something intense that lasts more than 45 minutes. Third thing on my radar is limiting my sodium. I have found it to be pretty easy to watch carbs if i am really concentrating on getting in my protein. HOWEVER, i am almost ALWAYS waaaaay under on fats. Not sure what to do in that regard?

    Anyhoo, you asked if we aim to go under or right at target and my answer is: for protein- on target, for cals - under by 50 or more!

    Peanut butter or almond butter (actually, nuts in general) will get your protein AND your fats up. You obviously don't want too much fat, but you do need some.
  • nursevee
    nursevee Posts: 344 Member
    On my "rest" days I eat as close to (without going over) my cal's as possible and on my exercise days I eat back 50% of my exercise cal's. The goal is not to go over but if I do, it's usually a really long overdue cheat day and I enjoy every minute of it!
  • last25
    last25 Posts: 83
    It's harder for me not to go over on my rest days but sometimes I also end with the exact amount or with 10 so calories left. But the days that I workout I always (for the most part) come in way below my calorie goal. I always try and leave a little over 200 calories per day to account for anything I might have underestimated or a bite of this or that here and there (for ex. tasting food while I'm cooking it). It's harder to leave that 200 calories on rest days though, lol.
  • MrsVerhaeghe
    MrsVerhaeghe Posts: 46 Member
    I try to stay under my calorie goal and I never eat my exercise calories unless Im starving. Then ill use a few of them. But I try to never use them.
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