How bad is it to go over?

ElizabethRoad
ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
edited October 5 in Motivation and Support
I went over my calories by 290 yesterday. (And I was over by 230 for the week.) If I saw someone else post this, I would say it's not a big deal, and they should just keep going and not worry about a couple hundred over. While I believe that is true, it's hard to take my own advice. Can you give me some perspective? I know it probably hasn't had much of an effect but I need to hear it from others.

Replies

  • beccalucy
    beccalucy Posts: 250 Member
    I wouldn't worry about it, the week's net is whats improtant and 230 is honestly not a massive amount. Maybe take an extra walk this week or do some other form of exercise and try to stay close to goal. Don't panic and keep going!
  • shedoos
    shedoos Posts: 446 Member
    You said it yourself - no big deal. 230 calories? That's nothing...

    Now, if you said 23000 calories, maybe we would be talking!
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
    290 calories is fine. It's okay to go over once in a while, as it confuses your body a smidge. Just don't do it every day. Just say to yourself... "it's OKAY".
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    Don't forget the net goal already represents a significant calorie deficit, so a couple of hundred over is not a big deal in the scheme of things. If you were 230 over for the week, that suggests that you were slightly under or just on the mark every other day for the week, so don't worry about it. If it does bug you, just gradually balance it out over the coming week, and it won't have any effect. 230 over is the equivalent of a brisk 30-minute walk for me, so if you're really worried, maybe fit a walk into your week. Hope that helps - I know what you mean about losing perspective when it's yourself!:flowerforyou:
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    Don't forget the net goal already represents a significant calorie deficit, so a couple of hundred over is not a big deal in the scheme of things. If you were 230 over for the week, that suggests that you were slightly under or just on the mark every other day for the week, so don't worry about it. If it does bug you, just gradually balance it out over the coming week, and it won't have any effect. 230 over is the equivalent of a brisk 30-minute walk for me, so if you're really worried, maybe fit a walk into your week. Hope that helps - I know what you mean about losing perspective when it's yourself!:flowerforyou:
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    all that means is you should lose 0.07 lbs less than your weekly goal as 230 is only 6.5% of 3500 cals goal. So if your goal was 1 lb/week you should have lose 0.93 instead of 1.
  • janeitg
    janeitg Posts: 33 Member
    You probably broke even and didn't lose or gain. I always console myself that if I hadn't begun this journey I would still be gaining.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    So instead of a 3500 cal deficit this week you had a 3270 cal deficit... Doesn't sound like something worth worrying about.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    How big a deal it is depends on what your deficit is. If you're set to lose a pound a week that is a little over half of your days deficit. If it's 2 pounds a week then it's a shade over a quarter of your daily deficit... IE you're STILL in your deficit by being over by only that amount. If you're actually looking to maintain weight ... well it's still only 1/5 of a lb worth of extra calories, knock if back off via exercise.
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
    Do you know what your daily defecit is? Many people on here have MPF set to give them a daily defecit of 500 cals, so even going over the goal by 300 calories still puts you at a caloric defecit.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    going over will happen to all of us. its not bad or good. it takes 3500 cals to make a pound. going over a few now and then isnt a big deal. if it happens every day, then you might want to look at it more closely. keep going. what else are we going to do?
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    You never know exactly how many calories you burn, so there's really no point in worrying about the exact amount of calories you eat.
  • krnlcsf
    krnlcsf Posts: 310
    I wouldn't be concerned with 230 over for the week... when you average it out, its only +33 for each day, which is really nothing! MFP is merely an estimate of what is happening in your life, and is not an exact science! Don't get down if you go over sometimes... there will be other times when you feel like you can't eat enough to reach your calorie estimate.

    1 day, or even 1 week does not make or break your overall outcome... believe me, you'll have ups and downs, and its not easy. Learn from it, do better because of it, but certainly don't beat yourself up over it! :flowerforyou:
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    It's not a big deal. You probably were still in the deficit range, there's a good chance you'll still lose some weight for the week, though maybe not hit your goal of a pound a week or whatever. Not a big deal though. This happens to me fairly frequently too.
  • TNFirefly
    TNFirefly Posts: 169 Member
    Stay aware, it's progress not perfection. You will be just fine. Remember what you would say to anyone else and try to let it apply to you.:flowerforyou:
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
    As generalized as MFP is that 230 cals may not even be 230 anyways. You have to remember unless you track EVERY calorie in and out then it's just a generalization and if you are only 230 over then you are perfectly fine!
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    Don't forget the net goal already represents a significant calorie deficit, so a couple of hundred over is not a big deal in the scheme of things. If you were 230 over for the week, that suggests that you were slightly under or just on the mark every other day for the week, so don't worry about it. If it does bug you, just gradually balance it out over the coming week, and it won't have any effect. 230 over is the equivalent of a brisk 30-minute walk for me, so if you're really worried, maybe fit a walk into your week. Hope that helps - I know what you mean about losing perspective when it's yourself!:flowerforyou:

    I agree with this completely. It's a bump in the road. And when you think about it exactly how accurate is our food intake and exercise output anyway? Unless you are part of a clinical study we are all doing our best guesses. I forgot to add 3 crackers that probably put me over the other day not by much, but it still bugs me. And last night while I counted the shortrib meat that I ate, I didn't count the juice and the few little veggies that were also probably soaked in the meat fat juices.

    I used to panic over every little detail when I first joined because my body wasn't going along at first. You just joined in October it looks like so I am confident that after a few more weeks you will get into the groove of it all and realize that it was one meal on one day and whoops! Sometimes that happens! You did not go off the rails, you did not binge, you simply miscalculated or figured it out after you ate it. Soon you'll be able to relax about it all and let it slide right off of you. Thanksgiving is coming up and I know I won't even attempt to count the calories I am eating. It is the old fashioned TG food, so I'll load up on veggies first and the "bad" stuff last. I'll get on the scale the next day and take my lumps and get back to work!

    Enjoy your holiday, keep it moderate, and you'll be fine!
  • Soccer_chick916
    Soccer_chick916 Posts: 159 Member
    Its not that bad. I end up going over quite a few time. Just log your food and eat only when you are really hungry. You will get there. If you keep logging you will probably notice some days you are more hungry than others, so some days you will eat more than others. Your body will naturally do this because when you limit your calories to 1200 it is very hard to get your complete nutrition. (make sure you are taking vitamins). Just keep exercising and eat making sure you are full with healthy food. You will still lose!!!
  • nycko20
    nycko20 Posts: 31
    I personally wouldn't worry too much. You should be allowed on cheat meal a week and 200-300 calories over for the week is not terrible. Do an extra 10 minutes of cardio this week or don't....either way, I think you are ok!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Thanks for the motivation everyone! My daily deficit is 500, so yeah, it was still a deficit for the day, and definitely for the week. I seem to be fighting off a cold at the moment so maybe I even needed a little extra for that. But it really helps to hear it from others!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    You never know exactly how many calories you burn, so there's really no point in worrying about the exact amount of calories you eat.
    Good point!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Perspective:

    1. It's doubtful anyone on this site actually gets counts of calories in or out accurate to within 230 on any given day
    2. You'd have to go over by that much (230) for more than 15 weeks to meet the 3500 calories required to gain 1 lb.
  • Pollywog39
    Pollywog39 Posts: 1,730 Member
    I look at this this way - before I started MFP, I never cared that much how many calories or fat grams or CRAP I was putting in my body...............and I looked it.

    So, if I go a few hundred over, or have a CHEAT day, it's absolutely NOTHING like what I was doing before.......and I'm still losing weight, and I feel great, and life will go on!

    Don't obsess over such a small amount - not worth your time :happy: :happy:
  • dreamshadows
    dreamshadows Posts: 734 Member
    As generalized as MFP is that 230 cals may not even be 230 anyways. You have to remember unless you track EVERY calorie in and out then it's just a generalization and if you are only 230 over then you are perfectly fine!

    This is why Dr. Mirkin and my weight loss Doc, both say the big part is writing down what you eat. Counting calories is a pain and something you wont stick to the rest of your life.

    There is no "cheat" days, just plan on 19 health meals, and 2 for yourself without going overboard.
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