Up days and down days for calories

What does your weekly average look like? Are you under on a weekly basis?

JBashkoff wrote: »

Some days I get very busy or am just not as hungry or just don't want to worry about thinking about healthy eating so I eat a lot less and some days I am much more hungry and eat more. On day I am less hungry I can be way under calorie target and days I am hungry I can be a bit over. On all the days I do try to keep it healthy and balanced and I take vitamins every day. Is this bad?

You can look at your calorie needs on a weekly basis rather than daily. As long as you are not under-shooting your calorie goal weekly, what is going on daily is personal preference.

Having said that, pay specific attention to your energy levels and focus on your low days. If we are just talking about 100 cals here or there it's probably immaterial, but if you are eating very low on your low days it can affect your blood sugar. I get lightheaded and lethargic if I accidentally don't eat much, but other people can eat really low on some days and not have a problem.

Think about it for a second...most people don't calorie count and most people don't eat the same number of calories everyday. I don't count and I can guarantee you that I have higher and lower calorie days...most of the world's population does...how could that be bad?

Energy balance happens on a continuum...you don't reset at midnight every night.

JBashkoff wrote: »

I am under on average and I am losing. I think I was more concerned that being under the minimum might hurt my blood sugar or metabolism overall. I do have a significant amount of weight to lose but I want to make sure I am feeding my body nutritionally as well. That is good advice to pay attention to being sluggish or lethargic on the down days. I'll try noting it in the journal here. Thank you!

If you do not have a medical condition such as being a diabetic you should be ok. If you are a diabetic then not eating what you are supposed to could be more of an issue, more so if you are on medications.

JBashkoff wrote: »

I am under on average and I am losing. I think I was more concerned that being under the minimum might hurt my blood sugar or metabolism overall. I do have a significant amount of weight to lose but I want to make sure I am feeding my body nutritionally as well. That is good advice to pay attention to being sluggish or lethargic on the down days. I'll try noting it in the journal here. Thank you!

Given that goal, I'd encourage you not to let your multivitamins become a security blanket that lulls you into down-playing improving nutrition. (You can certainly chip away at improving nutrition gradually, to make it manageable/practical.)

There's nothing wrong with a multi-vitamin as a bit of an insurance policy, but I hear too many people say things like "I don't eat many vegetables, but I take a multivitamin so that's OK". But veggies and fruits have fiber and antioxidants and other micronutrients that our bodies need, that aren't all in the supplements. In general, food > supplements. Research continues to bear that out.

Over the course of my lifetime (63rd birthday coming up), a pretty big number of essential or beneficial nutrients have been discovered. Once they're discovered, they may be added to some of the supplements, but they were in food all along. I'm betting there are more yet to be discovered. A varied, balanced diet is evolution-tested!

So, bottom line, take that multi, but keep an eye on excellent nutrition as well.

Calories for weight management + a well-balanced way of eating for nutrition + exercise for fitness = best odds of long-term continuing good health

Best wishes for much success!