Caloric uptake/deficit question

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cprobertson12
cprobertson12 Posts: 90 Member
edited October 2016 in Getting Started
Good Morning all,

I'm just wondering a little here - as I can't wrap my head around this.

This is best explained through example.

Let us take Person "A":
"A" is recommended 2000 calories per day to maintain weight
"A" is recommended 1500 calories per day to lose weight at a particular rate: corresponding to that 500 calorie deficit
"A" then proceeds to eat exactly 1500 calories: meeting her daily recommendation
"A" then does a lot of exercise, and burns 1500 calories.

This means that the net gain of calories for that day is 0: would I be right in saying that this means that 'A' now has a deficit of 2000 calories: and if so, that safe?

Im getting confused over a (possibly wrong) recollection that if I consume the same number of calories as I lose I'll maintain weight - if I consume less than needed to maintain weight, and then exercise that same number of calories, does that mean the exercise was in addition to the existing deficit or is there no net effect?

The reason I ask is because I was planning a short hiking trip at the weekend, and noticed I was in a similar situation to "A" were I to stick to my recommendations! (I'll be taking extra


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  • EdieEd
    EdieEd Posts: 17 Member
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    If the calorie burn is truly that high, meaning you are monitoring it with a HRM, you would have to eat back your calories, at least 75% of them. You don't want your net calories to be too low.
  • cprobertson12
    cprobertson12 Posts: 90 Member
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    Excellent! That's what I thought (though I was unaware of the percentages) - was just wanting to confirm that my calculations were right ;)

    Aye, from past experience I usually hike for 10 hours a day, covering 15-30 miles with a 20kg backpack: and I could quite happily consume 4500 cal/day and still lose weight by the end of the week (usually 1-2kg - a good portion of which will be water mind you!)

    I don't generally count hiking towards my general exercise for that exact reason - it's not an every-day occurrence: it's all planned out in advance, along with my dietary intake - though I usually just use 400cal/day as a rule of thumb, and don't bother worrying about the actual nutrition of it unless I'm away for more than a week (by which point you're sick of looking at carbs and fibre: and soon after that the meat-cravings start ;)).

    Ah, I miss the days where I could find the time to go hiking for a whole week at a time!


    Anyway, the ultimate point is "cool: exercise means I can eat more"

    Thanks very much!

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    cprobertson12 wrote: »
    Anyway, the ultimate point is "cool: exercise means I can eat more"

    you got it :)

  • EdieEd
    EdieEd Posts: 17 Member
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    :D sounds like an excellent weekend. Take care and Enjoy!

    P.S You can also eat 100% of the calories burned and cause no damage to your weight especially if it isn't a daily occurrence. I would assume you would also need the energy to keep going. Some people, like me, don't eat back the calories. Others do and others eat a percentage back. usually 50 or 75%. It usually depends on the excerise

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