I ate too many calories

BreatheAshley
BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I ate 54 more calories than I should have. I have it set on here that I need to eat 1200 calories every day so I started tracking my food and exercise yesterday and when I got done with the day, I didn't eat enough calories and it said I was starving myself. I worked harder to eat better today and now I went over. Should I try to exercise the 54 calories off or should I be fine since yesterday I didn't eat enough calories? Thanks guys.

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    54 over is nothing, especially at 1200, which is the lowest recommended for women anyway. You'll be fine.

    Edited it add: Peeked at your diary - if yesterday's entries are correct, then your body is probably thrilled to be 54 over today. :tongue:
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    Try not to be compulsive with the tracking. Those formulas aren't going to be exact for everyone. You need to allow wiggle room for caloric intake and exercise expenditure.

    Otherwise you'll go nuts
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    Thanks guys. :)

    I was jumping in place for 5 minutes to try to burn off some extra calories.
    Couldn't find jumping in place so I choose jumping roping slow because that was the closes thing I could find and have 12 remaining. Not going to worry about it and call it quits for today.
  • FaunalFantasy
    FaunalFantasy Posts: 47 Member
    That's nothing in the long haul. And remember that loosing weight and exercise is a long haul because it takes a long time to loose weight AND you are going to eat healthy and exercising for the REST OF YOUR LIFE! So chill. :)
  • kiwitechgirl
    kiwitechgirl Posts: 145 Member
    In all seriousness, 54 cals is absolutely nothing. Even when weighing food, it's not 100% exact anyway so really don't sweat it.
  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
    Don't obsess over it, you'll drive yourself crazy. 1200 is already low and calorie count/exercise expenditures are just estimates anyway.
  • ekd23
    ekd23 Posts: 89 Member
    Don't beat yourself up. 54 calories is barely a drop in the pool of weight loss...or something like that, lol.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    whats your per week weight loss set at?
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    Thanks everyone.
    You are all so kind.
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    whats your per week weight loss set at?

    I am a little confused what you are asking. I have it set to lose 2 pounds each week if that is what you mean.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    I'm sorry, but it seems really silly to me to be stressing about 54 calories, especially since 1200 calories a day is already REALLY low and incredibly unsustainable in the long run.
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    I am weird like that, what can I say.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    whats your per week weight loss set at?

    I am a little confused what you are asking. I have it set to lose 2 pounds each week if that is what you mean.

    That is what I was asking. First, that's too aggressive for someone your size. 1 lb or even 1/2 lb per week is ideal for someone with 20 lbs left. But even if you had it set to 1 lb per week, as long as you don't eat an additional 3500 calories during the week, you would still lose weight.

    Put another way, your have a TDEE or maintenance calories. For me,it's 3000 calories a day. As long as I don't exceed that, then I will continue to lose. Additionally, 1200 calories isn't a lot of calories for many people (not to necessarily say it applies to you since I don't know your workout routine and stats). As a point of reference the majority of women I know, they eat 1700-2100 calories during a cut/loss.
  • lwkallunki
    lwkallunki Posts: 2
    You'll be fine. Sometimes I actually find that if I go a little over my calorie goal one day, I actually have a weight loss the next day.
    Like others have said, calories are not going to be 100% accurate anyway (does every medium banana have 105 calories - no) so don't get too stressed about it.
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    whats your per week weight loss set at?

    I am a little confused what you are asking. I have it set to lose 2 pounds each week if that is what you mean.

    That is what I was asking. First, that's too aggressive for someone your size. 1 lb or even 1/2 lb per week is ideal for someone with 20 lbs left. But even if you had it set to 1 lb per week, as long as you don't eat an additional 3500 calories during the week, you would still lose weight.

    Put another way, your have a TDEE or maintenance calories. For me,it's 3000 calories a day. As long as I don't exceed that, then I will continue to lose. Additionally, 1200 calories isn't a lot of calories for many people (not to necessarily say it applies to you since I don't know your workout routine and stats). As a point of reference the majority of women I know, they eat 1700-2100 calories during a cut/loss.

    So are you saying I am pushing myself too hard? I just really want my friends to see my weight loss when I go back home this summer. I want to wow them.
  • BrittanyJewellSmith
    BrittanyJewellSmith Posts: 12 Member
    I think you're doing great. You don't have to work so hard to wow your friends. I'm sure when you get home they'll be so excited to see you that "wow" you're looking for will be the least on their minds. Besides, you should do this for you, not for anyone else's sake. You're doing a fantastic job. Keep it up!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Talk to me when you go over by 1,000 like I did yestetday. 54 is nothing. Within a margin of error
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator

    So are you saying I am pushing myself too hard? I just really want my friends to see my weight loss when I go back home this summer. I want to wow them.

    Personally, I don't think you are looking at the whole picture. If you want to see visible results, it's not just about weight loss.. it's about fat loss and overall caloric intake & exercise routine. For visible results, it would be ideal to work on muscle retention. You do this with adequate levels of protein (1g of protein per lb of lean body mass or about 75% of your weight in grams of protein) and do resistance training (lifting heavy things) as well as using a food scale to ensure accuracy.

    I assume you are going home in May or June?
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    I think you're doing great. You don't have to work so hard to wow your friends. I'm sure when you get home they'll be so excited to see you that "wow" you're looking for will be the least on their minds. Besides, you should do this for you, not for anyone else's sake. You're doing a fantastic job. Keep it up!

    Thank you so much.
    I am doing it mostly for me but I meant I would like to see their reaction. You know?
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member

    So are you saying I am pushing myself too hard? I just really want my friends to see my weight loss when I go back home this summer. I want to wow them.

    Personally, I don't think you are looking at the whole picture. If you want to see visible results, it's not just about weight loss.. it's about fat loss and overall caloric intake & exercise routine. For visible results, it would be ideal to work on muscle retention. You do this with adequate levels of protein (1g of protein per lb of lean body mass or about 75% of your weight in grams of protein) and do resistance training (lifting heavy things) as well as using a food scale to ensure accuracy.

    I assume you are going home in May or June?

    I don't have an exact date set of when I am visiting, I just know that summer will be here before I know it and I don't want to waste any time doing this.

    I have been lifting weights. Heavier weights on my legs than my arms but my arms are weaker.
    I do Body Combat on Tuesdays and I do Zumba on Fridays (today).
  • mxmkenney
    mxmkenney Posts: 486 Member
    Talk to me when you go over by 1,000 like I did yestetday. 54 is nothing. Within a margin of error

    Phew! I'm not the only one who screws up from time to time. :) Today was one of those days. I wish I only went over 54 calories.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I don't have an exact date set of when I am visiting, I just know that summer will be here before I know it and I don't want to waste any time doing this.

    I have been lifting weights. Heavier weights on my legs than my arms but my arms are weaker.
    I do Body Combat on Tuesdays and I do Zumba on Fridays (today).

    Great, that is a good start. Do you use a food scale? Or does school make that difficult?
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    I don't have an exact date set of when I am visiting, I just know that summer will be here before I know it and I don't want to waste any time doing this.

    I have been lifting weights. Heavier weights on my legs than my arms but my arms are weaker.
    I do Body Combat on Tuesdays and I do Zumba on Fridays (today).

    Great, that is a good start. Do you use a food scale? Or does school make that difficult?

    I don't have a food scale and I am not in school at the moment. :(
    I wish I was to be honest.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I don't have an exact date set of when I am visiting, I just know that summer will be here before I know it and I don't want to waste any time doing this.

    I have been lifting weights. Heavier weights on my legs than my arms but my arms are weaker.
    I do Body Combat on Tuesdays and I do Zumba on Fridays (today).

    Great, that is a good start. Do you use a food scale? Or does school make that difficult?

    I don't have a food scale and I am not in school at the moment. :(
    I wish I was to be honest.

    Sorry, it wasn't meant to be insulting. What I was asking is if you had control over your calories. I would highly suggest picking up a food scale (found on amazon for $20 - i like my ozeri). Food scales are important for accuracy of caloric consumption. Without one, it's easy to undercount as much as 400 calories or so.
  • BreatheAshley
    BreatheAshley Posts: 130 Member
    I don't have an exact date set of when I am visiting, I just know that summer will be here before I know it and I don't want to waste any time doing this.

    I have been lifting weights. Heavier weights on my legs than my arms but my arms are weaker.
    I do Body Combat on Tuesdays and I do Zumba on Fridays (today).

    Great, that is a good start. Do you use a food scale? Or does school make that difficult?

    I don't have a food scale and I am not in school at the moment. :(
    I wish I was to be honest.

    Sorry, it wasn't meant to be insulting. What I was asking is if you had control over your calories. I would highly suggest picking up a food scale (found on amazon for $20 - i like my ozeri). Food scales are important for accuracy of caloric consumption. Without one, it's easy to undercount as much as 400 calories or so.

    You are fine. I will when I can get the money for it. Right now I really can't get one.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Two points: (1) As others have said, 54 calories is nothing to worry about. If you went over your target by 54 calories every day, you would lose only about 0.1 lb. less per week than your goal, which is negligible.

    (2) It's healthier anyway to think of your daily goal as an average for the week. Some days you'll eat a little more; some days, a little less. I actually set my goal to be pretty aggressive, and often go over it by a bit, especially on weekends. But I'm losing weight at a rate that's OK for me, so I don't sweat it.

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