How over IS over or UNDER?

feliciapeters
feliciapeters Posts: 525
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
It's IMPOSSIBLE to eat exactly 1200 (or any other amt) of calories with all your other stuff being exact too. (carbs, fat etc)
We all KNOW that, so if I go over 1200 calories by 50, 100. 200, how bad would it be? same for under?


I did a good workout and took the kids bowling, and yes I cheated at the bowling alley with some of the kids fries. but I have 200 calories left for the day. I'll have chicken tonite (140) (evryone else is having ribs) and a salad -(minimal) and a corn muffin

So yes I'll be over, my estimate is by about 100ish calories. I was under yesterday. I was under between 90 - 250ish calories every day for the last 4 days. Could that be why every few days I feel like I'm starving?

Doesnt it balance out somehow? I hate going over but somedays I'm STARVING all day no matter what I eat & I feel if my body didnt need food I wouldnt be THAT hungry. I'm really good on carbs (although this past week or so all my food has been a little off)

So at what point is over too much over & at what point is under too much under?

Replies

  • Imthatg1rl
    Imthatg1rl Posts: 109
    Being exact isn't important, being consistent is.
    Perhaps increase your calorie intake to 1400, you will still lose weight at that amount. And it leaves a little more play in your calorie count.
  • bachooka
    bachooka Posts: 719 Member
    I go by my weekly more than my daily! Especially with kids and a hubby... there will be times where you eat something you werent planning for. At the end of the week, it seems that it always balances out for me!
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    I'd say 100 under or over is fine. :) I put my goal at 1250 on my low calorie days (I do calorie shifting now that it's harder for me to lose weight). I say a goal of 1200 is a trap. Go under and MFP says you're starving yourself. Go over and you get those horrible red numbers!! :( 1200-1250 is easy for me. You might want to raise your calorie goal to 1300 or 1350, and just make sure you don't go below 1200.
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
    im ususally under my 1200 cxalories, but every few day sor so, I cant seem to be satisfied.

    Im wondering if 3 or 4 days of less than my calories (including exercise) my body just says to my brain :"ell her to eat some more"
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    If you're withing 50 under or 100-200 over you'll be fine. But, it really depends on your body and metabolism. If I get under 1400 I stop losing weight pretty much immediately.
  • TiDinzeo
    TiDinzeo Posts: 309
    MFP allows I think 250 calories per day for every 1/2 lbs of weight loss a week.

    I don't know if that helps any.
  • nbauwens
    nbauwens Posts: 14
    What I have learned is eating consistently and several times during each day keeps you away from the highs and lows of feeling too full and starving.
  • faerybun
    faerybun Posts: 65
    Actually, changing up your net intake (Say, Mon 1200, Tues 1300, Weds, 1100, Thurs 1500...) can wake your metabolism up. I think as long as you avoid as much high fat, sodium and generally processed foods, you shouldn't worry about being too exact. And remember, if you find yourself in a rut, change what and how much of what you're eating! Your body gets used to things quickly and will resist weightloss at all costs if it can. Good luck xo!
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    When I started, I set my calories to maintenance, then to 2lb/week weight loss. That gave me a range to aim for. As long as I stay near that range, I figure I will be ok.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    I just took a look at your diary for the last couple of days and it looks like you need a lot more fiber! It will help keep you full longer - and high fiber, high volume foods will also make you feel less deprived.

    I cycle my calories/intermittant fast, so my intake is really more an average over the week than it is daily.

    :happy:
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    It dawned on me that it's not hitting a number exactly, but falling within a range consistently...
    So, I went to the goals section and kept playing with the data I input. to get the following info
    You can figure out yours, but here's the idea...


    To lose 1lb/week I get 1240 cal (target)

    To lose 1/2lb/week I get 1470 cal

    To maintain my GOAL weight I get 1670 cal
    ....unless I consistently go over my target by 400 cal
    I should still lose (maybe a little more slowly, but no reason to throw in the towel).

    To maintain my CURRENT weight I get 1720 cal
    ....unless I consistently go over my target goal 500 cal
    I should not gain. So I'm not losing any ground. (I can take a break and then pick-up where I left off)

    Even if I am not hitting every goal dead on I'm still doing much than I was before MFP.
    which, for me, is reason enough to stick with it.

    Remember, it's not about being perfect it's about doing better.
    No matter where you start from it's all about taking baby steps.
    Later you look back and realize that all those baby steps add up to something substantial.

    Also recently read a couple of articles, one said that one factor in successful weight loss is having measurable goals.
    I think this site is great for that. The other said that the slower you lose weight the more likely you are to keep it off.

    Good Luck! Keep at it!
    and
    BE KIND TO YOUR SELF
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
    What I have learned is eating consistently and several times during each day keeps you away from the highs and lows of feeling too full and starving.

    i eat at least every 3 hours and some days even that doesnt seem to be enough
  • marielenrdz
    marielenrdz Posts: 52 Member
    Actually, changing up your net intake (Say, Mon 1200, Tues 1300, Weds, 1100, Thurs 1500...) can wake your metabolism up. I think as long as you avoid as much high fat, sodium and generally processed foods, you shouldn't worry about being too exact. And remember, if you find yourself in a rut, change what and how much of what you're eating! Your body gets used to things quickly and will resist weightloss at all costs if it can. Good luck xo!

    I totally agree with this post! This seems to work well for me. The average is what counts, and I can allow for some "cheat" days without actually cheating. And when I hit a wall and stop losing. I maintain for a week and then get back into the game.
  • Dom_m
    Dom_m Posts: 336 Member
    How close you are to your target is less important than how much of a deficit you still you have. If your target leaves you with a 500 calorie deficit, then going over by 200 still leaves you with a decent deficit. It'll slow down your weight loss buy you'll still be loosing. If your target already gives a very large deficit, you probably don't want to go under your target at all. If your target only gives you 250 calorie deficit, then consistently going over it is going to seriously impact your weight loss.

    Going over by 50 calories once or twice is not going to have any measurable impact whatsoever.
  • sceck
    sceck Posts: 219
    Glad to hear all the advice. Ate a whole avocado today on a salad, so of course I went over on the fats (but not by much).
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Glad to hear all the advice. Ate a whole avocado today on a salad, so of course I went over on the fats (but not by much).

    But Avocado are healthy fats which are good for you!!!! I would watch SATURATED FAT & CHOLESTEROL. The MUFA's and PUFA's help ward off diabetes, are good for Nerve healthy and brain function and other stuff.

    So I wouldn't worry about it so much.
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