Maybe I'm just paranoid :/

Hi guys! just started this for about a week now and I exercise 4 times a week :) I do calorie counting and tbh I love it and to see how I track! however am I the only ones that feels a little guilty when you eat slightly over your goal? Today's the day I went 138 calories over my daily goal of 1200. Please help me because I feel in the only one haha

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,836 Member
    I'm going to assume that there's are others who might feel bad going over their calories. But not me!

    Since 1200 is the lowest calorie goal MFP will give women (to ensure adequate nutrition), I'm going to assume you've chosen a high rather of loss as your goal. So some math to reassure you: if you have set your goal at 2lbs weight loss per week, you are aiming for a calorie deficit of 1000 calories per day (1000 calories under what you need for weight maintenance). So going over your goal by 138 calories still leaves a deficit of 862 calories, equivalent to losing 1.724lbs per week.

    (Furthermore, if you're using MFP as intended, exercise is not included in your activity level and should be added separately, therefore giving you more calories to eat, so you might still be on track for your chosen weight loss rate off you exercised)

    So I hope you're reassured 🙂 consistency is way more important that hitting your goal perfectly every day. And many people find 1200 to low to be sustainable, so don't hesitate to choose a lower weight loss rate if you find it too hard.

    Both suffering AND guilt are optional and even unhelpful for sustainable weight loss IMHO. So:
    - I intentionally chose a slower rate of loss (I gained it slowly too, losing it slowly is fine by me. 50+ lbs down so far, so it's working)
    - I never feel guilty about what I eat. Not about the nature of the food - I eat foods I like and that includes treats daily. And not about the quantities either: I aim for a certain deficit, but I look at the weekly average mostly. As long as I'm under my maintenance calorie level, I'm making progress. And even going over once in a while isn't dramatic, it just slows my progress by a few days.
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 831 Member
    When I first started I used to feel bad, but now I just think oh that’s okay, maybe I’ll lose .4 this week instead of .5 😊 even if you don’t lose as fast as you want too you are still healthier for it
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Even if you picked the slowest rate of weight loss (very unlikely given your 1200 goal) you will see have been in a calorie deficit and progressing towards your ultimate goal. Sounds like a positive day to me.

    One of the things to avoid with a long term project is making it so hard and so miserable that you give up completely. That's just one of the reasons you need to think carefully about choosing an aggressive / fastest rate of weight loss if that's what you have done.

    BTW - hope you realise your daily goal is plus exercise calories?
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited January 2021
    All good comments above. I'll just say that it takes awhile to get used to things and track well and accurately. There's a lot of trail and error. A week is too short. Keep trying. However, if you find yourself always having trouble keeping to your calorie goal, go back and raise it to lose less a week. This is going to take a long time, you'll need patience. Also, as mentioned, if you are exercising plug that into MFP and it will give you more calories for the day. 1200 cals is the minimum MFP will let you eat a day.
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    How tall are you? how much do you weigh? Chances are you can eat more and still lose.
  • Fit_Happens_2021
    Fit_Happens_2021 Posts: 303 Member
    1200 would be before taking exercise into account. So if you do, for example, 300 cals worth of exercise you should be eating 1500 that day and still on track. All numbers are an estimate, even with a fitness watch it isn't 100% accurate how many calories you burn, but it is a guide.