Going over calories by small amounts

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ajc1309
ajc1309 Posts: 255 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does it really matter too much if you exceed your calories by 20-70 sometimes? I try to stick close to my 1280 cals a day but sometimes go a little over. Will it hurt my progress a lot?

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  • VanVanDiane
    VanVanDiane Posts: 1,381 Member
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    If you're still in a deficit you'll still go down. Look at weekly rather than daily figures - if you're over a bit one day, try to be under on another.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    If you're being accurate, then no - going over by a small amount should not hurt your progress. Personally I think having a range is a lot more sane! So if your goal is 1280, aim for 1250-1310 perhaps. Some days a little low, some a little high.

    Now if you are aiming for weight loss of .5-1 pounds per week (250-500 deficit per day), and estimating your portions, and going over - then you could easily be wiping out your deficit. So if you after 3-4 weeks your weight seems to be stalled, them improve your accuracy.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose 1 lb (an estimate, but seems workable). So, being over 100 calories every day for a week means your weight loss is slowed by 0.2 pounds (again, an average estimate). Being over 50 cals every day is one tenth of a pound per week. If you are set up to lose 1 lb per week, it means you lose .9 lb per week.

    Doesn't strike me as a lot.
  • ajc1309
    ajc1309 Posts: 255 Member
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    I'm being accurate and weighing everything I consume. I also have my activity level set at sedentary even though I'm on my feet at my job for about 6 days a week. I'm aiming for 1lb a week.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Honestly, calorie counting is far less accurate than we'd like it to be. There are simply far too many variables in how food is produced and served. Coming in 50 calories either way is not going to cause you problems. That said, I'd hesitate to always be over (mostly because that would feel too much like I was cheating myself) but if you're sometimes a little over and sometimes a little under it's all going to pretty much be a wash in the end. Even if you were always over by a little you'd still likely be under your maintenance calories and would still lose weight. You just wouldn't lose as quickly.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    You'll be fine.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    ajc1309 wrote: »
    I'm being accurate and weighing everything I consume. I also have my activity level set at sedentary even though I'm on my feet at my job for about 6 days a week. I'm aiming for 1lb a week.

    Keep doing what your are currently doing for a month and see what happens to your weight. If it is coming off at the desired rate, then keep going. If not, then adjust.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
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    When I do that I always tell myself, "Meh."
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
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    the only way it could hurt is if that 20 or 50 cals turns into 100, then 150. It's easy for my will to get eroded when I don't hold myself to the little things (like 20 extra calories).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    ajc1309 wrote: »
    Does it really matter too much if you exceed your calories by 20-70 sometimes? I try to stick close to my 1280 cals a day but sometimes go a little over. Will it hurt my progress a lot?

    Your target is a rather large deficit from maintenance...you would still be in a deficit
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
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    Yesterday I was over by 200, could of beat myself up about it but in today I'll simply ensure I'm under. A lot of factors too, I didn't walk as much as I usually do, I had wine as I was catching up with friends, I over estimated dinner (to be on the safe side) as my friend cooked it.

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