Somebody help me out with this one....

harebearva
harebearva Posts: 216 Member
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
OK, so i'm checking out a few members food diaries and I'm noticing that a fair number of people are changing their daily goal macronutrient numbers....DAILY, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. One day 1800, then next 2450, the next 4270, then 2375 and so on and so on. I can understand having to tweak your goals as you gain or lose weight and as you're trying to nail down your maintenance, but to change it daily? Am I missing something or have I been doing it wrong?

Once I set my goal numbers, I hit them as close as I can each day and don't change them unless I am not seeing the desired affect, and in my opinion, it's impossible to find this out on a daily basis, it should take a week or two to properly gauge if you are actually losing or gaining.

Any ideas?

Replies

  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
    Some people like to calorie cycle. That means eating lower calories one day, then higher the next, and back low the next, etc. A lot of times this helps if you hit a plateau. It basically keeps your body "guessing" and the higher calorie days jump starts your metabolism.
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
    Some people like to calorie cycle. That means eating lower calories one day, then higher the next, and back low the next, etc. A lot of times this helps if you hit a plateau. It basically keeps your body "guessing" and the higher calorie days jump starts your metabolism.

    This^^^^^^. Ive calorie and carb cycled before. It works.
  • tinana_RN
    tinana_RN Posts: 541 Member
    Is that taking into account their exercise calories?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Once you enter exercise your goal increases by the amount you burn to ensure your deficit is the same each day. Other cycle calories and have low and high days, and others just eat different amounts everyday.
  • natalienovella88
    natalienovella88 Posts: 29
    I have also noticed that some people just like to eat back all of their exercise calories and so sometimes they only are allowed 1800 cals that day but then the next day they get a 90 min hardcore workout in and out of nowhere their required cals jumps to 2500.
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
    Don't know. I only change mine when I plan on changing my fitness regimen or after each 5 pounds of weight lost. This generally means about once a month or so.
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    I use a Bodymedia Fit to determine my daily goals. It changes daily.
  • amymrls
    amymrls Posts: 1,673 Member
    Some people like to calorie cycle. That means eating lower calories one day, then higher the next, and back low the next, etc. A lot of times this helps if you hit a plateau. It basically keeps your body "guessing" and the higher calorie days jump starts your metabolism.
    ^^^ This it works great
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    Ah that makes sense. So goals are adjusted automatically according to the exercise thats entered for the day? I don't log exercise so I don;t actually know how that part of MFP works. I just thought it was crazy to see someone, (one person I can think of in particular) to have goals go from 1200 one day to over 4000 the next. I mean I know about partitioning and carbing up all the other diet manupulation, but I never realized that you could have a difference of as much as 2-3 thousand calories from one day to the next.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Ah that makes sense. So goals are adjusted automatically according to the exercise thats entered for the day? I don't log exercise so I don;t actually know how that part of MFP works. I just thought it was crazy to see someone, (one person I can think of in particular) to have goals go from 1200 one day to over 4000 the next. I mean I know about partitioning and carbing up all the other diet manupulation, but I never realized that you could have a difference of as much as 2-3 thousand calories from one day to the next.

    If you follow MFP caloric intakes the goals they give you assumes no exercise. So that is what you need to eat to lose your goals amount of weight with no exercise. Once you exercise you increase your caloric needs by the exact amount you burn. But wow if someone goes from 1200 -4000 that is a lot of exercise in one day.
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    Ah that makes sense. So goals are adjusted automatically according to the exercise thats entered for the day? I don't log exercise so I don;t actually know how that part of MFP works. I just thought it was crazy to see someone, (one person I can think of in particular) to have goals go from 1200 one day to over 4000 the next. I mean I know about partitioning and carbing up all the other diet manupulation, but I never realized that you could have a difference of as much as 2-3 thousand calories from one day to the next.

    If you follow MFP caloric intakes the goals they give you assumes no exercise. So that is what you need to eat to lose your goals amount of weight with no exercise. Once you exercise you increase your caloric needs by the exact amount you burn. But wow if someone goes from 1200 -4000 that is a lot of exercise in one day.
    That's what I thought as well, but this person was listing 3-4 hours of various exercises daily, so albeit extreme, i suppose it's possible.
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    Thanks for the clarification everbody. This just goes to prove my theory that no matter how much I think I know, I learn something new everyday, LOL
  • Slimntrim90
    Slimntrim90 Posts: 41
    I have been on MFP for over a year (I think) and I have changed my calorie goal ONCE. When I realized that I was no longer losing weight at the numbers that were preset for me, I lowered the goal. So far, I have maintained most of my weight loss, but haven't managed to get back to my low number as of yet. I think some people have to tweak the numbers just a bit, but I am thinking that doing that daily, weekly or possibly monthly is defeating the purpose, which is supposed to be healthy weight loss with adequate nutrition!??!?!?!?
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
    Is that taking into account their exercise calories?

    This!!
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