Calories burnt vs 1200

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shazzafly
shazzafly Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
If I burn loads of calories at the gym and eat below or around 1200 calories a day will I lose weight effectively.

I'm confused as when I put in calories burnt it obviously says I still have those to eat ? Should I eat more to actually consume 1200 + the extra I earned at gym.

Today I did 800 at gym and only actually ate 1100 ?? Should I have eaten 1200 + 800 ??

I'm working my nuts off in gym and denying myself all the bad things I normally eat.

My head is in the right place for once and I'm very determined to get to my goal weight.

All help and advice appreciated.

Replies

  • ticiaelizabeth
    ticiaelizabeth Posts: 139 Member
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    I would always strive for over 1200, even on your non workout days. Anything under that is not healthy. I tend to eat back 1200 plus approximately half of my exercise calories, this keeps me going and is far more sustainable
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    You "burn" calories just being alive...in fact, just being alive you most likely burn more than those 1200 calories. You don't have to exercise every friggin' calorie away...

    1200 is for sedentary...you're supposed to eat more if you workout...you do realize that your calorie GOAL has a massive deficit from maintenance already right?

    What you are doing is in no way healthy or safe.
  • shazzafly
    shazzafly Posts: 23 Member
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    Thanks already I was starting to wonder
  • shazzafly
    shazzafly Posts: 23 Member
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    Thanks thats really usefull
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Keep in mind that the daily goal here on MFP, no matter if you chose the goal of losing .5lb a week or 2lbs a week, your daily goal already has the daily deficit built in. Meaning eat TO GOAL every single day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. When you burn off more cals through exercise, you're creating a much larger deficit, too large, and that can backfire on ya in the long run.

    This is why the exercise cals are added back into your daily goal - you are supposed to eat them back (at least a good portion of them, depending on what method you're using to calculate calorie burn - heart rate monitor, what the machine says, or MFP's estimates). Your daily net calories should be at or near goal each day. Food is fuel!
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Always "eat back" those calories you've burned. Your body needs them to keep you moving and healthy. Remember no matter the reason it, you are still exercising, and you're going to run your body into the ground if you are both starving it and making it work harder. Not to mention doing both will also cause your metabolism to slow down

    A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your "net calories" listed in MFP never dips below 1,200. On days when you exercise, you get to eat a bit more.

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