Calories....calories! Help!

nikilincoln

I need some advice....I am consuming 1240-1300 calories a day right now. I am also burning anywhere from 350-500 or more calories at the gym 6 days a week as well. Do you recommend consuming more calories than I am now because I am excercising or continuing with the 1240-1300?

keith0373

I do a bit of each. Some days I try to eat most of my exercise calories others I go way negative. It keeps the body guessing!

StarryEyedGirl

zip zag calorie counting works just as Keith mentioned! I seem to do it not even realizing I am doing it. Keep a close eye, if you think you need more one day then have it and if your are content at your daily allowance without the exercise calories then you don't need it that day. In May I ate my exercise calories everyday and I went up 3 pounds in 2 weeks- so needless to say I can't eat them everyday... just keep a watch...

Aeriel

I follow the guidelines that the program set for me for calories and then usually eat about 1/2 of my exercise calories. Right now I am at 1440 calories a day, and try to burn between 300 and 600 every day doing various things. If I don't eat something extra, I am starving and more prone to give in to my cravings ()high calories, low nutrition)

kimmie0627

I try to eat some of my exercise calories.

karenmi

I eat all of my exercise calories, all of the MFP daily allotment and often 100 or so more and have lost 29 lbs since February 9th, so it works well for me. I also wear a heart rate monitor when I exercise so I know exactly how many calories I've burned and can eat. I find that the MFP calorie estimate & the ones on the treadmill are usually out by 20-30% over what I actually burn, which can really add up in a month.

nikilincoln

Thank you so much for all of the helpful advice!

kdiamond

What are your stats? I would use the site http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm - I think it is a little more accurate and shows you how to zig zag your calories. For example I am 5'3" and 107 pounds and I need 1700 for maintenance (which is what I am at now) and 1350 to lose a pound a week...my guess is that you set your goals at lose 2 pounds a week. I think they pretty much put everyone at 1200 calories and that is a little low for someone who works out a few times a week IMO. I would change it up a bit.