Should I try to be UNDER calories or to hit the goal number of calories?

[skinnymocha]

As I exercise throughout the day, the number of calories I have left to eat increases.  Is my goal to eat the calories fitbit allows for me?  Or is my goal to always remain under, or in the yellow area?

I am confused, as weight loss is a goal of mine, but you're not supposed to cut too many calories, or your body will begin to hold onto fat.  Advice is so helpful, Thanks!!

[Odyssey13]

@skinnymocha   Read this thread and see what Haybales had to say.

Welcome to the forums.

[reuel]

those "starvation and slows down metabolism" theories are blown way out of proportion. sure, it is true, but only in extreme circumstances, like a guy like me eating only 1,000 calories a day (or even then, that might not be true).

my belief is that a huge part of logging in calories and exercises has an unknown error % - depending on the individual's biases and temperament, so it is better to UNDER eat calories as long as you are NOT HUNGRY.

in short, just eat when you are hungry, do not force yourself to eat more just to make the calorie meter in the green.

[Heybales]

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@skinnymocha wrote:

As I exercise throughout the day, the number of calories I have left to eat increases.  Is my goal to eat the calories fitbit allows for me?  Or is my goal to always remain under, or in the yellow area?

I am confused, as weight loss is a goal of mine, but you're not supposed to cut too many calories, or your body will begin to hold onto fat.  Advice is so helpful, Thanks!!

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The body doesn't hold on to fat even if you cause it to suppress to the max. Unless actually starving, as in not eating.

What does happen though with a reduced maintenance level and therefore reduced eating level - is it's easier to binge and actually eat over your maintenance - a smaller window of deficit you might say.

Eating in surplus is now adding on fat when done.

But difference reason.

But, you want to lose weight eating as much as you can, and get great benefits from exercise and max body transformation, and have great energy levels?

Or do you want to lose weight eating as little as you can, and having less energy, and exercise not doing much benefit to the body?

Many usually find after a while the rate of loss has slowed down so much on the latter method, they might as well have done the former and had a better relationship with food and not gotten so stressed out.

A goal is something to meet, not miss.

You willing to miss your goal weight by some % and say that's close enough?

You actually may if exercise is transforming your body a great amount and the inches make it look like you are lighter than you really are - and stronger.

So as long as you put in a reasonable weight loss goal loss for amount to lose, you can just lose fat and inches to the max.

Make it unreasonable and lose muscle mass too, lowering that metabolism even more causing you to have to eat even less than possible.

[Heybales]

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@reuel wrote:

those "starvation and slows down metabolism" theories are blown way out of proportion. sure, it is true, but only in extreme circumstances, like a guy like me eating only 1,000 calories a day (or even then, that might not be true).

my belief is that a huge part of logging in calories and exercises has an unknown error % - depending on the individual's biases and temperament, so it is better to UNDER eat calories as long as you are NOT HUNGRY.

in short, just eat when you are hungry, do not force yourself to eat more just to make the calorie meter in the green.

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Would you believe it's possible eating at a mere 25% deficit to a lab measured daily TDEE burn?

And not doing the right exercise to keep it?

And many people through all their "playing it safe" obtain close to 50% deficits, and even the right exercise then will have trouble saving you.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales/view/reduced-metabolism-tdee-beyond-expected-from-weight-l...

That's not extreme level to get it. Then again, keep eating less and less and you will still slowly keep losing weight.

But as successfully as eating more and losing the same amount?

Evidenced by how many fail in maintenance, I'd suggest the vast majority would prefer to eat more and be successful, than stress out over eating so little to get and maintain a goal weight, and suffer some negative along the way.