Going over in calories

Options
Jadu786
Jadu786 Posts: 141 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!
Most days I Have been reaching my calorie goals, but a day or two out of the week, I go over.
How do you guys handle going over in calories? I wish there was a way you could know how going over by x amount of days would affect your weight loss...

Replies

  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Options
    How far over?

    It happens, and could slow weight loss depending on how much over and how frequently. Some people look at a weekly goal and eat less on weekdays so they can eat more on weekends.

    It's up to you regarding how happy you are with your rate of loss. If you're going over, but still losing at a rate you are happy with, then it's not really broken.
  • AlainaKayy
    AlainaKayy Posts: 206 Member
    Options
    If you are going over your 'weight loss' calories but staying within your 'maintenance' calories; you should be able to make up for it by the end of the week if it is just a couple days.

    I wouldn't worry about one or two slip ups unless it was 1000 calories over. It's okay to not be spot on all the time; just take it one day at a time. But try not to do it too often or it will mess with your losses.

    If you are having trouble with going over, you could try to pre-log your meals that way you have a plan of what to eat.
  • janalo55
    janalo55 Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    I have gone over my daily calorie goal several times, but when I complete the diary, it still tells me I would lose if I ate like that every day. That tells me that, even though I missed my goal, I was not eating so much that I would gain if I ate like that all the time (and I know that's all theoretic). That sort of gives me 2 goals... if I miss the main one, I will strive to still stay low enough that I wouldn't gain.
  • Jadu786
    Jadu786 Posts: 141 Member
    Options
    mtzlooa8t7nc.png

    This is what my weekly digest looked like last week...
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Options
    If I go over I evaluate. Sometimes I deliberately go over for special occasions, holidays, etc. If this wasn't intentional I review and find out what I could do better and plan out the next day.

    Key point I don't stress over the actions of one day. It's the routine that matters.
  • cdudley628
    cdudley628 Posts: 547 Member
    edited April 2018
    Options
    Jadu786 wrote: »
    mtzlooa8t7nc.png

    This is what my weekly digest looked like last week...

    It looks like you stayed under your weekly calories and have some exercise calories you can eat back. That means that going over your daily calories a couple days isn't hurting you in the long run if you're eating under some days and burning calories with exercise.
  • Jadu786
    Jadu786 Posts: 141 Member
    Options
    Okay that is helpful information.. my goal right now is to try and meet nutritional goals and to stay on task with being able to lift more at the gym. My goals right now are more about gaining strength and becoming tone vs just losing weight on the scale...
  • slotten
    slotten Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    I make sure to track my food when or before I eat it. I will plan my snacks/evening meal based on what is left. If I have lots of calories available, I may have a hamburger and veggies. If I dont, then I will have a grilled chicken breast and low cal veggies. Tracking ahead of time also alerts me if I am on the low end and need to add something.
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
    edited April 2018
    Options
    Jadu786 wrote: »
    Hello everyone!
    Most days I Have been reaching my calorie goals, but a day or two out of the week, I go over.
    How do you guys handle going over in calories? I wish there was a way you could know how going over by x amount of days would affect your weight loss...

    If I only go over by a couple of hundred I am ok with that. I am still in a deficit. But if I go over by a lot A LOT, I customize my calorie goal for the rest of the week. I take my overidge calories and divide them up in the amount of days left of my week and deduct the number with my daily goal which is set at 1500.

    For instance. Let say i eat 3400 calories. I just went over by 1900 calories. Let's pretend I have 3 days left of my week before my weekly weigh in.
    Then I take 1900/3 = 633
    Now my calorie goal for the remaining 3 days become 1500 - 633 = 867.

    However, any calories I get from excersise and activity I am rewarded by mfp I can eat back as well. So that 867 calories may end up being 1500 again in the end...

    lol....i know I have some of you shaking your head right about now.."too much"...!
    But it is fun to me. It keeps me motivated.

    I have logged everyday for 85 days now and have lost about .5-2 pounds a week. In the beginning it was more, now it slowed down to .5 - 1 pound a week.

  • Jadu786
    Jadu786 Posts: 141 Member
    Options
    Kst76 wrote: »
    Jadu786 wrote: »
    Hello everyone!
    Most days I Have been reaching my calorie goals, but a day or two out of the week, I go over.
    How do you guys handle going over in calories? I wish there was a way you could know how going over by x amount of days would affect your weight loss...

    If I only go over by a couple of hundred I am ok with that. I am still in a deficit. But if I go over by a lot A LOT, I customize my calorie goal for the rest of the week. I take my overidge calories and divide them up in the amount of days left of my week and deduct the number with my daily goal which is set at 1500.

    For instance. Let say i eat 3400 calories. I just went over by 1900 calories. Let's pretend I have 3 days left of my week before my weekly weigh in.
    Then I take 1900/3 = 633
    Now my calorie goal for the remaining 3 days become 1500 - 633 = 867.

    However, any calories I get from excersise and activity I am rewarded by mfp I can eat back as well. So that 867 calories may end up being 1500 again in the end...

    lol....i know I have some of you shaking your head right about now.."too much"...!
    But it is fun to me. It keeps me motivated.

    I have logged everyday for 85 days now and have lost about .5-2 pounds a week. In the beginning it was more, now it slowed down to .5 - 1 pound a week.

    That is helpful. I try to do the same thing - If I go over one day, I try to stay under by that much the next day - or I don't eat my exercise calories.

Categories