Should I eat back calories on 1,000 calorie diet?

nakayla2000

I am a 19-year-old female who is 5'2 and weighs 157. I usually have no issues getting to 1,000 calories a day but I burn 200 almost every day by doing cardio for about an hour. So i'm at 800 at the end of the day really. Should I eat back those calories? Should I increase to 1,200 calories a day so i'm at 1,000 after working out? Thanks!

L1zardQueen

YES

apullum

You should not be on a 1000 calorie diet in the first place.

Put your stats into MFP. Consistently eat the number of calories it gives you. Eat your exercise calories.

thanos5

sigh. no woo button. eat more.

LyndaBSS

How many calories did mfp allot to you when you put in your stats?

How much did you choose for weight loss per week?

What you are doing is very dangerous.

TeaBea

What are your goals? Fat loss or merely moving the number on the scale?

An aggressive weekly weight goal + cardio to increase the deficit even more means you are more at risk for lean muscle loss. Google skinny-fat. This is not a good look.

Eat at least 1200 calories + a reasonable estimate of exercise calories. Add strength training to help keep the lean muscle you already have. Healthy weight loss helps you lower your body fat %.

kshama2001

First of all, you shouldn't be eating less than 1200 calories in the first place. And then, yes, you are supposed to eat back exercise calories.

If you use MFP to set your calorie goal, exercise, but don't eat back any exercise calories, you are not using MFP the way it was designed.

Unlike other sites which use TDEE calculators, MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated for them and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.

This woman felt fine on low calories like yours...until her heart gave out and she almost died: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/p1

MikePTY

Follow the goals that MFP sets for you, which is a minimum of 1200, plus a reasonable estimate of exercise calories. You will be thankful that you did down the road. Not only will eating at a reasonable amount of calories help prevent a whole host of negative side effects such as hair loss and disruption of the menstrual cycle, it will also help your weight loss because you will be more likely to stick consistent with it and not fall off or binge.

AnnPT77

At about your weight, 1200 calories plus exercise was a bad plan for me: I got weak and fatigued, even though I corrected as soon as I realized I was losing too fast. It took several weeks to recover normal strength and energy level. I was lucky: Much worse consequences are possible.

Eat what MFP says you'd need to eat to lose a pound a week, and eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories. Monitor for 4-6 weeks. If you're losing too fast, eat a little more. If you're losing more slowly than targeted, on average, after that time period, and feel good, adjust to lose a little faster.

Try to think of the weight loss process as practice for maintaining your healthy goal weight permanently. Take your time, and make it a learning process. Please stay healthy!

Hannahwalksfar

You shouldn’t be on a 1000 cal diet at all so yes, eat back those plus more. Check with mfp to see your daily cal goal

annabellemayh95

Hi lovely, I’ve been where you are in terms of trying to restrict myself to a very low calories diet. It can make you feel empowered at first and of course your body will begin to lose weight because you’re at a calorie deficit. Everyone is telling you it can be dangerous, which is true, but I know when you’re desperate to lose the weight you will take risks and as long as you get results you will continue. HOWEVER having been where you are multiple times when I was younger I can tell you it is NOT sustainable, you’ll lose steam, become demotivated and the weight WILL come back on.

The only thing that worked for me properly and meant I kept the weight off for three years was doing it the MFP way, slowly and steadily. What you burn then is also more likely to be fat rather than water or muscle mass.

1200 calories is still extreme for some bodies but it is fine and you will lose weight healthily as long as you follow MFP and DO eat all of those 1200 calories and eat back any exercise calories.

Also if you are exercising/ doing cardio for an hour at your weight... you are burning way more than 200 calories. Double that and you’re probably at a closer estimate. So yay! More food AND sustainable, noticeable weight loss! What’s not to love?

Feel free to add me

Annie

callsitlikeiseeit

you should be eating more than 1000 cals a day anyways.

unless you like diminished brain function and your hair falling out and organ failure.

your choice.

VioletRojo

You should really be eating more. Here's an interesting thread https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/

missysippy930

Minimum calories for a female is 1200.
Eat more!

duskyjewel

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

you should be eating more than 1000 cals a day anyways.

unless you like diminished brain function and your hair falling out and organ failure.

your choice.

Savage. I like you.

WinoGelato

Others already covered the fact you’re already eating below the bare minimum cals for women at 1000 so doing that and exercising is dangerous.

With that said, are you logging your intake accurately? Using a food scale? 1000 cals isn’t much at all and if you think you’re eating that much and not gnawing your arm off, there’s a chance you’re already eating more than you think.

How long have you been doing this and what have your results been?

For what it’s with I’m the same height and started at about 153, I lost ~35 lbs eating b/w 1600-1900 total calories so 1400-1700 net cals when I was losing.

Cat_A_89

Im 5'2 and am eating 1400 minimum and losing. I am 186 atm but still 1000 is not enough especially if youre exercising