Acceptable Overage

SenoraMacias
SenoraMacias Posts: 305 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if anyone has an "acceptable overage" that they allow themselves on calories. We all have days we can't make it to the gym, and go over our calories, but do you have a number that you allow and don't feel bad about? For instance, "if I go over by 100 cals or less, that's okay".

Tell me your thoughts!

Replies

  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    I honestly don't think you can be accurate to within 100 cals anyway. No matter how carefully you weigh your foods and no matter how pricey and high end your HRM, your metabolism is such a complex system you're bound to be off by a little. I try not to make a habit of it, but yeah if I'm over by 100 I still figure I hit the ballpark.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    I don't have a set number. I don't feel bad about my food diary as lomg as I have tracked everything even if the number isn't my goal. As long as I have tracked, been brutally honest and learned how to fix the issues I feel good.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    I also try to slightly overestimate calories eaten and underestimate calories burned. Like the other poster said, it isn't an exact science so some miscalculations will be done along the way.
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
    Bump! I want to see other people's responses...I always feel a twinge of guilt whenever I go over no matter how much it is.
  • bpurc22
    bpurc22 Posts: 180 Member
    Going over by 100, with the deficit some people create on here, will still have you on a hefty deficit. People on my fl go crazy whem they go a few calories over, yet the calories burned is much higher still than the calories they consumed for the day. My "over" day, once per week i am, is 100-500 cals over tdee, or 500-1000 cals over my mfp value. I then have two additional days per week above mfp value but below tdee, socaround 100-400 overmy mfp value
  • bms34b
    bms34b Posts: 401 Member
    Before I hit maintenance, I usually was okay with myself as long as I was between my goal of 1300 and about 1800. Since I wasn't looking to lose weight super fast, I didn't mind as long as I would still be making some progress.
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Allowing myself extras got me to a point where I was very unhappy with myself.
    Being strict with myself and sticking to my daily allotment of calories (+exercise calories) helped me drop a bunch of weight. Allowing myself some flexibility, and "this little bit won't hurt," and "I'll just work out harder tomorrow", helped me regain seven pounds I really didn't want to see again...

    so I'm not good enough at mentally managing myself yet to allow latitude. I've got to fully adopt the hard limit as my hard limit and work harder at the gym if I want to eat more. After more than a year and a half, I know this about myself.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
    I try to stay withing 500 of my net calories for overages.... and I try to only do that 1 x a week when Hubbilicious and i have date night.

    I also try to eat HEALTHY choices when I go over.

    Nope. not eating a cupcake right now. Totally not. Nope nope noeweref.

    That's not frosting on my chin.
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    I don't yet limit myself for the most part, but I do try to make up for overages with treadmill time (much easier now that I bought my own). OTOH, there are certain events where I know I'll go over. I don't worry about it. I guess I'll worry about it when I stop losing weight.

    I avoid the "just one" and "a little taste won't hurt" because for me it DOES! Just one taste and the next thing I know, I've eaten the whole box!
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