Do you consume all of your allotted calories?

Hi! I'm new too. I also find it hard to eat all the calories I'm supposed to! My goal is 1200 a day, plus all the extra that come from exercising. I'm trying really hard to eat healthy low calorie foods, so it feels like I'm always eating and not getting enough calories!

The concept of not eating all the calories I'm allowed doesn't even occur to me. The only reason I leave <5 on the table is because I haven't found anything that's 1 calorie.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm a pig.

this. i do my best to eat almost every single calorie i'm allowed. matter of fact, i prefer to see my number a little in the red rather then under my goal.

people get into diet mode and think all they can eat are egg whites and veggies. your body needs more then that. toast with peanut butter, almonds, dried fruit like raisins, and chicken, are all excellent foods to eat, that have plenty of healthy calories.

The concept of not eating all the calories I'm allowed doesn't even occur to me. The only reason I leave <5 on the table is because I haven't found anything that's 1 calorie.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm a pig.

This exactly! LOL

I eat at or under goal, I find *personally* (wish I could bold this!) that if I eat all my exercise calories back my weight just stays the same. Sometimes I eat into them a little bit, but not all the time. Basically I just let my stomach guide me. If I'm comfortable/full, I stop. I hate that feeling when you've ate too much and you just feel completely stuffed. But if I'm starving I do eat.

I eat as many of the calories it gives me as I can because, hey, MFP is smart and listening to it worked for me. Oh, and I love food, so that helps me want to meet my calorie goals, too.

The concept of not eating all the calories I'm allowed doesn't even occur to me...

^ Well put. Actually the pig part applies to me as well, I'm sorry to say.

It depends. I have my calories set up at 1350 calories but I usually end up eating round 1100-1250 calories. I thought 1200 calories was set too low, but i end up usually eating under my set goal anyways.

Most days I'm pretty close, some days I consume more, sometimes less. I don't usually eat less on days I don't exercise, but my daily calories vary. If you averaged it out over time I think it would come out close to what MFP recommends.

What? Did we suddenly forget how to eat?:laugh:
Just eat.
If you are like me, you did not get fat not knowing how to eat.
So, yes, eat your calories.
MFP calculates our total daily calorie intake WITHOUT exercise to lose 1 pound or so per week.
And after we log exercises, our daily calorie limit increases.
Why?
Because MFP telling us to eat our exercise calories in addition to our daily calorie goals.
Eating a McD cheeseburger is better than not eating to goal, because you will stifle progress not eating enough.
Large deficits are unhealthy, because while you will lose weight, what's the quality of the weight loss?
In many cases you'll lose lean body mass - MUSCLE - which LOWERS your metabolic rate, making weight loss harder.
These crash diets work well for a season -- and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so
few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories
more slowly -- and you gain weight.:noway:
Be smart.
Exercise well both cardio and resistance, and eat back the calories.
The exercise will RAISE your metabolism and burn more fat at rest.

I am fairly new to this as well. I have 1200 calories plus whatever exercise calories I generate, which is usually around 300 a day. I try to overestimate my calories a little and underestimate my exercise a little. Most days I eat all my calories (allotted plus exercise) but some days I am not as hungry and don't. I have been doing this for about a month and have lost around 5 lbs. I am ok with that rate.