How Many Calories to Lose Weight!

Nina74

See I am so confused!!! :grumble: If you eat your exercise calories then there is no deficit so where does the weight loss happen? I have been consuming 1850/1900 calories based on what my BMR tells me which is 1900. I burn at least 700 calories daily. So am I supposed to eat 2600 calories!?! :noway: I ask cause I am about to do this because I haven't lost weight in 2 weeks and everyone is telling me to eat up my calories. What to do...:huh:

This is where I get confused. I get the basic principle, but I just don't get the "eat your exercise calories" part. I tend to eat only a little on a light work out day, more if its a really heavy cardio/weight training day (1.5 hours+ working out).

I think there is something in the formula of MFP to already cut the 3500 cals from your daily calories you eat, but, if you don't eat all of your exercise calories, doesn't this just help on the loss front.

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused.

jennylynn84

See I am so confused!!! :grumble: If you eat your exercise calories then there is no deficit so where does the weight loss happen? I have been consuming 1850/1900 calories based on what my BMR tells me which is 1900. I burn at least 700 calories daily. So am I supposed to eat 2600 calories!?! :noway: I ask cause I am about to do this because I haven't lost weight in 2 weeks and everyone is telling me to eat up my calories. What to do...:huh:

This is where I get confused. I get the basic principle, but I just don't get the "eat your exercise calories" part. I tend to eat only a little on a light work out day, more if its a really heavy cardio/weight training day (1.5 hours+ working out).

I think there is something in the formula of MFP to already cut the 3500 cals from your daily calories you eat, but, if you don't eat all of your exercise calories, doesn't this just help on the loss front.

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused.

Basic math would tell us, yes, it would help, because it's a greater deficit, but your body says no. Doctors don't recommend anything greater than a 1000 calorie a day deficit (7000 a week, totaling two pounds) and nothing below 1200 calories. After that you are robbing your body of what it needs to function.

Most people notice a stall or plateau at under 1200 calories as your body begins to attempt to retain whatever it can to live off of, since you are not providing it enough. Obviously if you continue to eat well below 1200 for long enough you do lose weight (anorexics make this an obvious truth), but that is generally because your body begins cannibalizing muscle, including your heart, in order to survive. And I don't think ANY of us want to do it that way. (If they had a warning-looking, finger-pointing smiley, I'd use it here, lol.)

Megooo19

I've been using my gofitwear (similar to a bodybugg) and if I track all the calories I've eaten for the week and all the calories my armband tells me I've burned for the week and as long as there is a 3500 calorie deficit I loose a lb. Its almost crazy how how spot on it is. Last week I only had a 2400 calorie deficit and I only lost .6 a lb. So if you can figure out how much your burning everyday the math is easy. I'm 5'7 and 146 lbs and my on on average I burn about 2200 a day at my desk job and on more active days like say shopping I can burn up to 2900 just walking around. So just dont underestimate your calories burned.

xDeannaGarciax

>>>>BUMP:flowerforyou:

stormieweather

Most people who do NOT eat their exercise calories and still lose weight are either overestimating their calories burned and/or underestimating the calories they're taking in.

MFP is set up to work a certain way, which is eating at a specific deficit, ranging from 1000 calories a day for 2 pound weight loss per week to 250 calories for 1/2 pound. The idea is to maintain that deficit exactly, not increase it by working out. Thus, MFP adds your exercise calories to your goals. Seriously, you need fuel!!

So why exercise? Well, you certainly don't HAVE to, but it gives you extra calories to eat (!!!) and builds endurance and strength. Some studies show that a person's metabolism is faster for a period after cardio (although I've also read that this isn't true.../shrug).


Also, not eating enough can most certainly stall your weight loss. Just ask me.

ciaobella47

The "eating exercise calories" thing can be SO confusing! At first, it seemed to make sense to me, then it didn't, then it did again. LOL For me, it's all in how you do the math.


Let's say your BMR is 1400. In addition, you burn 400 for normal daily activities (just doing dishes, going to the store, etc). Let's also say when you exercise you will burn another 300 calories. Now, look at these two examples:

1800 (bmr + nda) - 500 (cal deficit)= 1300 + 300 (cals burned during exercise)= 1600 (cals to consume)

1800 (bmr+nda) + 300 (cals burned during exericse) = 2100 - 500 (cal deficit) = 1600 (cals to consume)


Even though it adds up the same, I think it's easy to get hung up on the first equation. But not eating those calories burned creates a bigger deficit (in some cases that's fine, in other's it's not- especially if you have a larger deficit to begin with). It made much more sense to me to think of it as total calories I've consumed minus my set caloric deficit. I just hated the thought of eating back the calories I just burned. I don't know why, it just makes it easier for me to think of it this way. Maybe it's just me. :blushing:

jbwegner

To lose a pound a week, a 150-pound person needs to create a 500-calorie deficit from 1,800 calories by either exercising or eating less. Keep in mind this is an approximate scale. Body type and fitness level play a part. It's recommended that the more overweight you are, the bigger the deficit you try and create (meaning: eat less). Just don't go below 1,200 cals /day. As you get into shape, you'll need to eat more to fuel your extra muscle.

YOUR DAILY CALORIE INTAKE TO LOSE 1 LB. PER WEEK:
add a zero to your body weight 150+0=1,500
add 20% for extra daily activity +300
Daily calories a day =1,800
Subtract 500 calories a day -500
By eating 500 calories less
(or by burning 500 calories) =1,300

I hope this helps I copied it from a GUIDEBOOK (Turbo results)

OK, now I am really confused. By this formula (and others I've checked on other sites), I should be eating over 2,200 calories a day to lose two pounds a week. (And this doesn't even take into consideration exercise calories!) I usually eat between 1300-1600. I have lost nothing in three weeks! Should I eat more? If so, why does MFP have my calorie goal set so low? I am scared to eat that much, but I am not losing. Argh! This is so frustrating.

ciaobella47

I just don't think that can be right (adding a zero to your weight). I could be wrong, I'm the first to admit, but it just doesn't seem scientifically sound. I think it'd be better to go do an RMR test. There is a place in Atlanta that does them. I don't know if that's too far but here's the site just in case you're interested.

http://www.gymofbuckhead.net/gob_rmr_test.html#

stormieweather

That formula puts my maintenance at around 2000 less my 500 deficit = 1500 ... exactly what my goals are set for here on MFP