Help me please re: calories v exercise

Peaches2k

HI all,

I'm relatively new to calorie couting but have always been a keen exerciser.

I recently been lazy and put on a bit of weight that I am trying to get rid of. About a stone.

My question is this:

I am recording my meals as accurately as I can, however, when I work out it of course reduces my daily intake by as much as 500-600 calories. This then means that I am way under my calorie intake for the day.

I do not usually eat more again to get back up to the recommended calorie daily intake and so I get the warnings to say that I haven't eaten enough.

By not eating more food to make up fpr my workouts, does this mean that I am putting my body into starvation mode? I workout on average 3 - 4 times a week .

I feel like I am overeating when I try to wat more to get up to my recommended calorie intake.

Any useful comments welcomed.

Thanks in advance

deksgrl

Plan ahead for what you normally burn and break up your calories throughout the day.

I know I need to eat about 1800 calories, so I eat breakfast about 400 cals, lunch about 500 cals, dinner about 900 cals. I don't wait until the end of the day and see how much more I need.

You can easily add calories with calorie dense foods which are not a lot of volume of food. Cook in Olive Oil or add it to your salad. A handful of raw almonds is 200-300 calories. A tablespoon of peanut butter. etc etc.

Plan and pre-log what you are going to eat so you can hit your goals.

Peaches2k

Thank you. That is helpful.

I will try to do that. What I find though is sometimes I go to the gym spur of the moment so inadvertently end up with too little calories but I will try your approach.

deksgrl

If you work out in the morning, you can easily get your extra calories in spread throughout the day.

If you work out before dinner, then you can make your portions a little larger for dinner. Use full fat dairy instead of low fat, or figure out a few add on things to boost the calories.

If you work out after dinner, then plan an after workout snack, a protein shake maybe, or nuts, peanut butter.

R_Queenie

I think that you are only getting the "starvation mode" warning when you are below 12000 (minimum recommended daily calorie intake). Like even if you are 3 calories below ...you will get that warning. (See if this explains your message.)

As for exercise calories - i have never received the "starving" message when I didn't eat those calories back. I have read much debate on this website about do you eat them or not eat them.

I suggest you eat them if you are hungry / feel that you need them, or want to eat them (splurge). If you are doing good, feeling good, and feeling satisfied - leave them on the table. :bigsmile:

xampx

You dont have to eat all of the extra calories, but its a good idea to eat some of them to help fuel your workout.

You can always eat them back the next day.

Peaches2k

@Regshelton.

Thanks for your post.

I tend to work out quite hard and so my workout deducts a good 500+cals from my net calories taking me waaaayyy under 1200 so I ALWAYS get the starving message, lol.

It seems the general consensus is to try to eat back some of the calories at least.

@xampz - if I eat back the exercise calories the next day surely I will just be overeating the next day....

Determined82

Starvation mode is just a myth. If you go below 50% of your BMR then sure your metabolism will slow down but you'll still continue to lose weight. I personally never eat back the calories I burned simply because I don't want to eat if I'm not hungry. After all, that's how I got overweight in the first place! LOL

deksgrl

How many "pounds per week" are you set to lose at? 1200 is quite low for many people, especially if you exercise hard. It may not be the best setting for you.

Peaches2k

Thanks determined 82 - I do not usually feel hungry which is why I don't eat lots more after working out but I have found that I am tired and it's difficult to muster the energy to get to the gym to actually do the workouts but I'm fine once I am in there.


Deks - My weight loss goal is set at 1.65 pounds a week. I currently weigh about 149 pounds and want to weigh about 130 pounds

deksgrl

That is probably too aggressive a goal if you only need to lose about 20 pounds. I would set it to somewhere between half a pound and 1 pound a week.

Peaches2k

Ok, thanks.

I will reduce it.

Classic case of I want my old body back NOW, lool.

megsmom2

You're being overly aggressive. Slow down...its healthier and more likely to be sustainable. Eat back at least some of your burn.

broox80

I tend to calorie cycle. My net calories are usually 200-500 lower than my goal which is already at a really high deficit. Then on the weeked when we go out to eat, I eat what I want. I dont allow myself to binge all day, but put those spicy wings in my belly!!! So this may be an idea to bump a few cals up??

Peaches2k

I changed my goal to show 1.1 pound a week weight loss and it still gives me 1200 calories a day goal!

Grr, I am going to try a combination of all of this advice.

I will eat back some of my burn on days that I workout so that I am not eating say only 650 calories a day and see how I do.

Thank you everyone for your comments.

HollieDollieeeex

You need to comncentrate on your net and eat more

3laine75

if you are struggling to hit 1200 now why would you want to up your cals?

we don't even know what height you are - far too many people jump on the 'eat more' bandwagon here. i'm guessing you might be on the smallish side if changing your weekly weight loss goal has still left you with 1200 (minimum amount mfp will recommend).

if you are hungry or weak, eat some of your excercise cals, but it won't do you any harm to leave them.

Peaches2k

Hi 3laine.

Thanks for your post.

I am 163 cms or 5'4.5ish" not quite 5'5" in height. So I'm not very tall.

Yes, most of the time I'me not too hungry really, it's more greed or seeing the calorie counter say that I am not eating enough that makes me think I should eat more.

But recently the weight loss has been very stubborn so thought I should seek out some advice here.