Going over on calories

ghudson92
ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I have a question for you guys. When you go over your calories what do you do? Do you burn it off? Do you just write it off and move on? Do you deduct some the next day? I'm 102 calories over today and I was just wondering if it was worth scheduling an extra gym session to make up for it.

Replies

  • theman900
    theman900 Posts: 48 Member
    Yeah what everyone else says 100 kals wont hurt at all thinking of calories in and out on a weekly basis not daily can help as well
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    It largely just depends on what you want to do. All of those options are acceptable.

    just a side note:
    100 cals isn't to bad to shift around, but if it is something larger and you really want to make up for it consider spreading it across a few days (so to make up for being 500 calories over you may opt to eat 100 calories fewer for 5 days). This will help you from getting overly hungry on make up days and then falling into a binge cycle.

  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    Generally speaking, I write it off. I keep track of goals by week and month, and try to keep those goals very modest. So long as they are trending downwards, I'm happy. And as others have said, 100 kcal is really quite small in the grand scheme of things - I suspect the majority of people tracking calories are off at least 100 kcal a day. I try to generally compensate for that and be as accurate as I can, but but mainly I just watch the larger trends instead of the smaller ones.
  • Benjaminjosephreed
    Benjaminjosephreed Posts: 1 Member
    Going over on calories is not the end if the world.
    I would say just make sure you are getting your exercise in every day. Although the amount of calories you burn from them with apps like this are not even close to accurate keeping your metabism up is more important than the total.
    If you are not exercising, then there is an issue.
    Another thing i do is try to find alternatives when you are hungry. You can save a lot of calories by substituting breads and vegies :)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Benjaminjosephreed wrote: »
    Going over on calories is not the end if the world.
    I would say just make sure you are getting your exercise in every day. Although the amount of calories you burn from them with apps like this are not even close to accurate keeping your metabism up is more important than the total.
    If you are not exercising, then there is an issue.
    Another thing i do is try to find alternatives when you are hungry. You can save a lot of calories by substituting breads and vegies :)

    While exercise is great for health, it isn't necessary for weight loss.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Benjaminjosephreed wrote: »
    Going over on calories is not the end if the world.
    I would say just make sure you are getting your exercise in every day. Although the amount of calories you burn from them with apps like this are not even close to accurate keeping your metabism up is more important than the total.
    If you are not exercising, then there is an issue.
    Another thing i do is try to find alternatives when you are hungry. You can save a lot of calories by substituting breads and vegies :)

    While exercise is great for health, it isn't necessary for weight loss.

    Nor does it need to be done every day
  • jordandills
    jordandills Posts: 103 Member
    Log it and move on. If you're aiming to lose and using MFP calorie goals to do it, your deficit is going to be at least 250 calories a day (based on 0.5 lbs a week loss, bigger deficit for more loss). So eating over that goal by a little bit still has you at a deficit, just a smaller deficit. If you're consistently going over your goal, evaluate if it's too aggressive of a goal, or if you need to change your eating habits.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    I'm playing the long game here. I don't give a second thought to the occasional day over my goal.

    Now if it becomes a frequent thing I will reassess my goals and make changes where I need to always keeping my eye on the long run. Keep me from over thinking it.
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    I shrug it off and try not to make a habit of it :)
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    I just move on... I don't usually go over by much more than 1000 which works out to be that day's deficit and tomorrow's. 2 days is pretty fair for being able to eat a Domino's or whatever I did lol
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I'm kind of obsessive - if it were me I'd be pedaling my rear off for six minutes or so to earn 100 calories. I know myself and if I give myself permission to go over, it will happen more and more. So I try not to let it happen.

    However, this is not necessarily the healthiest way to deal with it! If you can relax and go on with your life, it isn't the end of the world.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    I'd just chalk that up to having a normal life and move on. Sometimes I end up logging 100 calories under my goal, so it evens out.
  • LotusCass
    LotusCass Posts: 145 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I just move on and balance it out within the context of the week.

    This.
  • girlgeeklula
    girlgeeklula Posts: 85 Member
    It depends on what my time schedule looks like and how many I'm over by. If it's less than 250, I generally move on. I may try to walk more around the house or do some busy work, but it's not worth trying to get out and put a run in. Over that, and I'll probably schedule a bit more time either that day or in the morning to get a higher burn.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    I wouldn't sweat it, even if you have your settings at half a pound loss a week you'll still be under maintenance calories and be at a deficit for the day.
  • MTMiller5782
    MTMiller5782 Posts: 2 Member
    Its just an average. Move on and do better the next day.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    georgyporcupine wrote: »
    Hi, I have a question for you guys. When you go over your calories what do you do? Do you burn it off? Do you just write it off and move on? Do you deduct some the next day? I'm 102 calories over today and I was just wondering if it was worth scheduling an extra gym session to make up for it.


    Short answer? I log it. That's it.






    Know why? Because there are more days that I go 100 or more under goal than over and I don't sweat those days. I rarely eat right at goal. I don't sweat it because this is a long-haul thing. If I'm eating at a deficit and getting healthy and more fit, that's all that matters...as long as I'm in control...
  • tofiggy
    tofiggy Posts: 44 Member
    I try to make up for it the next day or that day. But I've started trying to log after everything I eat so this doesn't happen as i really want to lose weight.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
    It largely just depends on what you want to do. All of those options are acceptable.

    just a side note:
    100 cals isn't to bad to shift around, but if it is something larger and you really want to make up for it consider spreading it across a few days (so to make up for being 500 calories over you may opt to eat 100 calories fewer for 5 days). This will help you from getting overly hungry on make up days and then falling into a binge cycle.

    Or not even bother. If your goal is 1 pound a week weight loss 500 calories over just means one extra day before you reach your goal. Just keep it in perspective and you realise it is nothing to fret over, or go hungry because of it.
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    Thanks everyone, it's always interesting and useful to read what other people are doing in their weight loss stories. I actually ended up going over by about 300 yesterday in the end. So today and tomorrow I'm going to eat a little bit less and spend a bit longer in the gym.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    I really don't sweat it, I have days when I go over a little and rarer days when I go over a lot, but there again I have plenty of days where I'm under (I struggle to eat the full 3500 Calories on active days) and everything evens out in the end and I'm still losing weight.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    If it's just to the tune of 100cal, I might go for a walk. If it's more than that, I draw a line under it and treat it as a learning experience.

    But like others, I go for a weekly average, not day by day, so I wait and see how the whole week pans out.

    I do not, however, hold myself to any goal of 'undoing' damage by starving myself or exercising. That's not really healthy and it can be counterproductive (makes me frustrated so that I end up eating more out of pique).
  • ezekielsherrard205735
    ezekielsherrard205735 Posts: 42 Member
    everybody has bad days. I would just move on and do better for the rest of the week ;)t626t6y52y2gd23.jpg

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