under or meet calorie goal

wordstern
wordstern Posts: 2 Member
edited December 2024 in Getting Started
I'm 30 days in of tracing calories/exercise (and down 12 lbs already, which seems crazy!). I'm consistently under my calorie goal by a few hundred calories. I attribute this to the extra I get from my exercise. Is this good? Is this going to be problematic?

Does one want to hit their calorie goal for the day, or aim to be a bit under? how much under is too much?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Eat back your exercise calories
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited March 2019
    no you want to eat all the calories PLUS exercise calories.

    the calories MFP gives you is what to eat TO LOSE AT THE SELECTED RATE (not including purposeful exercise). under eating regularly from that increases the rate of loss (which is not necessarily good, losing too fast can have harmful impacts on body).

    and eat the exercise calories.

    so you want to be close to the number on average. sure some days will be a bit under, others a bit over. look at the average.
  • wordstern
    wordstern Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you! I"m surprised how under I am. For instance, today I have 600 calories left over, which seems crazy. time to make a big sweet potato!
  • BamaSix4
    BamaSix4 Posts: 8 Member
    I also have wondered about this also. Daily I am under my goal, usually by about 700-800 but sometimes lots more.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    Glat to hear you will be adding more food.

    undereating can have major health consequences. the initial exitemetn of a new diet and loss can tide you over and you will "feel life" until you don't.
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1

  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    As others have said, eating back your calories is important. So is eating around your calorie goal. It's okay to be under a bit sometimes, and over a bit other times. But you shouldn't be consistently under by a measurable amount.
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