so what if I go over my daily goal!

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2

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  • bainsworth1a
    bainsworth1a Posts: 313 Member
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    using myself as an example. My MFP calorie goal daily is 1280 calories to lose 2 lbs a week. I almost never hit that number exactly and I don't beat myself up over it but I track what i eat every day and try to be as honest as I can be with weighing and measuring. If I stay under 1500 calories on a day I am still happy with myself and I still lose but slower than 2 lbs a week. when I save my diary at the end of the day mfp even tells me if I continue to eat at the daily calorie level I entered i can expect to weigh 5 lbs less in 5 weeks. One day I was way over on calories like 2400 and it told me I would weigh 5 lbs more in 5 weeks if I ate that many calories every day.
    I am also fairly sedentary so I do not mess with exercise calories burned


    what does mfp say about what you are logging in your diary?
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I think what OP is saying is that she is still under maintenance, though is eating more than her calorie goal so has a smaller deficit.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    My reading is fine, thank you. This statement is very unclear.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    If I'm not losing then common sense tells me I'm not eating at a deficit and/or not logging my food correctly.

    I weigh and log everything. My 100 to 200 calories over each day are my chips or chocolate treat. I do eat a combined 5 fruits/veggies each day. No soda, no fast foods and I am set to eat 1760 per day but I eat at the most 1960. I'm 236 lbs so there's no way I'm not eating at least a 300 cal deficit being this weight you know

    Your 'treats' should be fitting into your calorie goal while maintaining your deficit.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    That might not be much of a deficit, even if you are logging perfectly. (In fact, either it's not much of a deficit OR you aren't logging perfectly, because a deficit simply refers to how much you are below your own personal maintenance level and you seem to be about 125 below maintenance.)

    First, TDEEs are going to vary by person--some people are going to be below the calculator estimates and some above them. If you are below the estimate MFP uses, that's a bummer, but totally possible.

    Second, the most accurate calculator is the one that includes body fat percentage, and the others often overestimate calories for maintenance if you are overweight, since fat doesn't really require much in the way of extra calories--it's lean mass that does.

    I don't know your age (but it doesn't matter too much), but putting in 35 and then 45% for BF%, I get a maintenance of about 1973 for sedentary and 2261 for exercise 3x/week.

    That suggests to me that your deficit could be lower than 1 lb/week before going over and then going over could easily kick it down enough to be about a quarter lb/week, as you said, especially given that logging is always somewhat imprecise.

    The fact is that you have results that indicate that you are just barely eating below maintenance whether it's because you are eating more than you think or that your maintenance is simply less than you calculated (or than MFP calculated).
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
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    It's not an exact method, just the best estimates that are practical. Food labels aren't always 100% accurate, your energy expenditure can change a bit day-to-day, and not everyone's body is EXACTLY the same and some people might not burn calories exactly in line with the formula (which is just a tool of estimation, after all, based on your height/weight/age/activity level.) You have a very narrow deficit, so these factors are easily enough to slow your loss from the predicted a bit (and it's still pretty darn close given you are going over.)

    If you want to lose faster, you need to exercise more and/or eat fewer calories.
  • mom2ava07
    mom2ava07 Posts: 186 Member
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    Well if you are losing, even if not as quickly as you would like, it seems you should either lower your calories or be happy with a slower loss. Despite your size, that sounds like quite a bit of daily calories to be losing more than a half pound every week or two.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I think what OP is saying is that she is still under maintenance, though is eating more than her calorie goal so has a smaller deficit.

    Yeah, that's how I'm reading it. Sometimes it's hard to articulate what you mean in writing. I'm hopeless at it lol
  • Khukhullatus
    Khukhullatus Posts: 361 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    My reading is fine, thank you. This statement is very unclear.

    Agreed, there are much better ways to have said it.
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
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    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    Too far into it... you're cutting it too fine - small estimate errors aggregated over the week are wiping out your deficit. Bear in mind that every food and exercise entry is an estimate. Even packaged foods can vary from the totals listed on the label.

    Whatever the number of calories you think you're eating, the actual number is bigger or you'd still be losing. You'll need to cut back your calories or add some exercise to get back into a deficit - it's all trial and error - you'll figure it out.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    If you are not happy losing 0.5lbs every 2 weeks you need to eat less


    That's the simple truth
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Honestly why reinvent the wheel rabbit explained what the OP was attempting to say back at 9:41pm.

    Op your eating more than you think which means that 500 calorie deficit is diminished bt you going over and underestimating what you eat.

    Eat less or move more if you want to lose weight at a faster rate.
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
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    Even if we log perfectly there is a margin of error on nutrition labels (one article I read said 8%-18%). The calorie estimates (what we need to eat to create a deficit) are averages, your body may not follow the average. In my opinion you have 3 options
    1) be happy with your current loss
    2) eat less to create a larger deficit
    3) burn more calories to create a larger deficit.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Try achieving your calorie goal more often, and see if that moves the scale.
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
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    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    If I'm not losing then common sense tells me I'm not eating at a deficit and/or not logging my food correctly.

    I weigh and log everything. My 100 to 200 calories over each day are my chips or chocolate treat. I do eat a combined 5 fruits/veggies each day. No soda, no fast foods and I am set to eat 1760 per day but I eat at the most 1960. I'm 236 lbs so there's no way I'm not eating at least a 300 cal deficit being this weight you know

    You're losing .25lbs/week according to your observations so you're averaging a daily deficit of 125calories. Something is off in your tracking. You're eating more than you think you are or you are overestimating exercise burns.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    cavia wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    If I'm not losing then common sense tells me I'm not eating at a deficit and/or not logging my food correctly.

    I weigh and log everything. My 100 to 200 calories over each day are my chips or chocolate treat. I do eat a combined 5 fruits/veggies each day. No soda, no fast foods and I am set to eat 1760 per day but I eat at the most 1960. I'm 236 lbs so there's no way I'm not eating at least a 300 cal deficit being this weight you know

    You're losing .25lbs/week according to your observations so you're averaging a daily deficit of 125calories. Something is off in your tracking. You're eating more than you think you are or you are overestimating exercise burns.

    This is it. Sweet and simple. It's all estimates. Even when I stay under my calories every day, I may not lose the 1.5-2 lbs I should that week, but it may come off the next week, or later.
  • SexyHealthyFit175
    SexyHealthyFit175 Posts: 64 Member
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    aribeiro659 wrote: »
    Even if we log perfectly there is a margin of error on nutrition labels (one article I read said 8%-18%). The calorie estimates (what we need to eat to create a deficit) are averages, your body may not follow the average. In my opinion you have 3 options
    1) be happy with your current loss
    2) eat less to create a larger deficit
    3) burn more calories to create a larger deficit.

    Hmmmm, ok thanks! Something to think about
  • SexyHealthyFit175
    SexyHealthyFit175 Posts: 64 Member
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    JM1481 wrote: »
    Try sticking to the number you've been given instead of going over and see what that does for you. 1760 is a good daily amount, you should be able to get all you need in there as well as snacks. The other option would be to be more aggressive with your goal and go to 2lbs per week. This would not be too aggressive for your stats either.

    I know you want to continue eating what you are eating, but it's not working for you. Time to adjust. Good luck!


    The reason I do eat 100 to 200 more is because I walk an hour each day and I don't count it so I just eat 100 to 200 or more over my daily goal since I have no idea what I'm burning. I'm just not going to eat the extra calories each day, and thanks for the replies!!
  • SexyHealthyFit175
    SexyHealthyFit175 Posts: 64 Member
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    FoCoAlphaNerd wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    My reading is fine, thank you. This statement is very unclear.

    Agreed, there are much better ways to have said it.

    why don't you try it then?? School me please...my 2 degrees must mean nothing....refund me please university!!!!!! :) I asked for help not negativity but thanks for the unhelpful feedback anways!

  • SexyHealthyFit175
    SexyHealthyFit175 Posts: 64 Member
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    bennettinfinity wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    Too far into it... you're cutting it too fine - small estimate errors aggregated over the week are wiping out your deficit. Bear in mind that every food and exercise entry is an estimate. Even packaged foods can vary from the totals listed on the label.

    Whatever the number of calories you think you're eating, the actual number is bigger or you'd still be losing. You'll need to cut back your calories or add some exercise to get back into a deficit - it's all trial and error - you'll figure it out.
    bennettinfinity wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    SexyHealthyFit175 wrote: »
    My thing is I've been here almost 85 days. Majority days I go over by 100-250 calories per day. I'm way within my calorie deficit
    Thanks!

    Huh??? You are over or are not?

    If you can read...yes, but I'm still within my 500 cal deficit. Thanks! I'm not exceeding the 500 I'm still within it. :)

    Too far into it... you're cutting it too fine - small estimate errors aggregated over the week are wiping out your deficit. Bear in mind that every food and exercise entry is an estimate. Even packaged foods can vary from the totals listed on the label.

    Whatever the number of calories you think you're eating, the actual number is bigger or you'd still be losing. You'll need to cut back your calories or add some exercise to get back into a deficit - it's all trial and error - you'll figure it out.

    Thanks!! I see.

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