Eating all my calories

anjipage

Hi, I'm new to this and only started on Monday. I've been allocated 1200 calories a day but due to the exercise I do, this increases by anything up to another 1200 calories (just on certain days, not everyday!) Should I be eating all of these calories or not? I normally finish the day with about 700/800 calories in credit.

I'm presuming that if I want to lose weight, I need to burn off more than I'm eating so to have credit at the end of the day is a good thing.

Phoenix_Warrior

You're supposed to net 1200, so you eat back exercise. However, mfp overestimates burns from exercise, so eating back about half would be closer to reality, unless you have a heart rate monitor.

jonnythan

I think it's highly unlikely you're burning an extra 1200 calories from exercise regularly. How are you determining that number?

uconnwinsnc

A 1200 calorie burn is a like playing a full, 40 minute college D1 basketball game. I don't want to doubt the difficulty of your workout, but I think you might be overestimating your calories burned.

MinnieInMaine

You're supposed to net 1200, so you eat back exercise. However, mfp overestimates burns from exercise, so eating back about half would be closer to reality, unless you have a heart rate monitor.

This!

And cute hair!

LogicalReflex

Insanity Burns 1000 Calories if you work hard at it per session.
So I think its possible.

I'm stuck on the same boat too as I have been told I need to eat about 2800 calories to lose weight and 2120 for extreme weight loss which is for people classed as extremely over weight.

My BMI is 31.5 which falls into obesity.

And I'm finding it so hard to do insanity as the week goes on because my legs are still aching from the first day.
I cant do push ups either.

I've been eating weetabix - 2 of them with semi skimmed milk no sugar

Tuna Sandwiches with a pack of cheese and onion crisps. White bread.

And Potato Wedges (Frozen) and Chicken Dippers (Frozen)

Can anyone help me out and tell me if this is an alright diet?

JesterMFP

You're supposed to net 1200, so you eat back exercise. However, mfp overestimates burns from exercise, so eating back about half would be closer to reality, unless you have a heart rate monitor.

^This. You're supposed to hit your goal, not aim to come under it on a regular basis. Your calorie deficit is built into that goal. However, 1200 calories for a workout sounds very high. What are you doing, and for how long? Definitely be wary of eating those calories back, especially if you're using the MFP database to estimate burn. However, you should be eating at least a portion of them back.

anjipage

I am using the mfp info for my exercise burn - Monday was 45 minutes power walking and 50 minute step session with floor exercises afterwards. Yesterday was 90 minutes powerwalking (to work and back) and a 55 minute zumba session last night. Today was 90 minutes power walking carrying a 2kg weight in each hand. I did wonder if the mfp burn was a bit high so I'm probably doing the right thing by not eating all of my calories.

Thanks for the advice

jonnythan

I am using the mfp info for my exercise burn - Monday was 45 minutes power walking and 50 minute step session with floor exercises afterwards. Yesterday was 90 minutes powerwalking (to work and back) and a 55 minute zumba session last night. Today was 90 minutes power walking carrying a 2kg weight in each hand. I did wonder if the mfp burn was a bit high so I'm probably doing the right thing by not eating all of my calories.

Thanks for the advice

Two things:

1) Yes, you should eat all your exercise calories back.
2) MFP seems to be overestimating your calorie burn by a significant margin. I'd knock about a third off your calorie burn estimates.

anjipage

I've just googled a few websites to see what they say about calories burned at a step class or a zumba class and mfp is giving a similar figure. The fact that my weight is morbidly obese means I will burn more calories that somebody who weighs less than me. I'm actually fairly fit for an extremely fat person so can keep up the intensity in the classes - I just need to stop eating so much crap and combine those once a week classes with other stuff!

Orion625

I don't doubt the 1200 exercise figure. Just depends on how long you are doing an activity. I can easily burn 800+ calories in one 35 min run (5-6 miles)

JesterMFP

I've just googled a few websites to see what they say about calories burned at a step class or a zumba class and mfp is giving a similar figure. The fact that my weight is morbidly obese means I will burn more calories that somebody who weighs less than me. I'm actually fairly fit for an extremely fat person so can keep up the intensity in the classes - I just need to stop eating so much crap and combine those once a week classes with other stuff!

It is true that a larger, and less fit person will burn more than a smaller and fitter person. Still be wary though; I'd maybe go for about 2/3 of the amount. Of course, you should be able to tell if it's the right amount over time by whether or not you're losing at the rate you expect to.

If you struggle to get those calories in, you can aim to eat more calorie dense foods like cheese, nuts, seeds, nut butters, full fat dairy, olive oil etc. Alternatively, you could cut back a little on the amount of exercise you're doing.

anjipage

If you struggle to get those calories in, you can aim to eat more calorie dense foods like cheese, nuts, seeds, nut butters, full fat dairy, olive oil etc. Alternatively, you could cut back a little on the amount of exercise you're doing.
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haha I wish I was struggling to get all the calories in - it's quite scary when you see everything listed just how many calories I'm having in milky coffees (skimmed milk), yoghurts, stuff that you think is healthy! This is certainly a good tool though for bringing it home to you.

Arbeidslyst

Hi, I'm new to this and only started on Monday. I've been allocated 1200 calories a day but due to the exercise I do, this increases by anything up to another 1200 calories (just on certain days, not everyday!) Should I be eating all of these calories or not? I normally finish the day with about 700/800 calories in credit.

I'm presuming that if I want to lose weight, I need to burn off more than I'm eating so to have credit at the end of the day is a good thing.

What is your numbers? What is your BMR? How much are you planning on losing a week?

mungowungo

I've been eating weetabix - 2 of them with semi skimmed milk no sugar

Tuna Sandwiches with a pack of cheese and onion crisps. White bread.

And Potato Wedges (Frozen) and Chicken Dippers (Frozen)

Can anyone help me out and tell me if this is an alright diet?

Personally I'd be starving and inclined to binge if this is all I was eating - even if you added a occasional piece of fruit and some vegetables - which add bulk and fibre with relatively few calories it might be easier to stick to. Plus I find if I add some protein to breakfast - like an egg or cheese on toast I dont get the munchies mid morning.

LogicalReflex

I've been eating weetabix - 2 of them with semi skimmed milk no sugar

Tuna Sandwiches with a pack of cheese and onion crisps. White bread.

And Potato Wedges (Frozen) and Chicken Dippers (Frozen)

Can anyone help me out and tell me if this is an alright diet?

Personally I'd be starving and inclined to binge if this is all I was eating - even if you added a occasional piece of fruit and some vegetables - which add bulk and fibre with relatively few calories it might be easier to stick to. Plus I find if I add some protein to breakfast - like an egg or cheese on toast I dont get the munchies mid morning.

apparently the chicken dippers and wedges should be cut out as they are processed but i dont think my diets that bad.
but yeah i am extremely hungry

hastingsmassage

Why 1200? have you decided that 1200? You have 70 lbs to lose, it's a long way. Follow MFP settings and start with 1700 maybe? 1lbs a week...

SuffolkSally

I've been eating weetabix - 2 of them with semi skimmed milk no sugar

Tuna Sandwiches with a pack of cheese and onion crisps. White bread.

And Potato Wedges (Frozen) and Chicken Dippers (Frozen)

Can anyone help me out and tell me if this is an alright diet?

Personally I'd be starving and inclined to binge if this is all I was eating - even if you added a occasional piece of fruit and some vegetables - which add bulk and fibre with relatively few calories it might be easier to stick to. Plus I find if I add some protein to breakfast - like an egg or cheese on toast I dont get the munchies mid morning.

apparently the chicken dippers and wedges should be cut out as they are processed but i dont think my diets that bad.
but yeah i am extremely hungry

If you're seriously eating that, then it's pretty poor nutritionally. I'd set some healthy macro targets for fat, fibre, and protein and work towards them, and consider recommendations for vitamin and mineral intake too. Few people eat perfectly and obsession with food isn't healthy either, but I think you could look after yourself much better with more information and a little effort. The short term bonus is you'll have much more energy and you won't be so hungry!

LogicalReflex

The weetabix is high in fibre according to a few people.
I've been told by some people to add toast too made from brown bread... but would 50/50 work?

And the tuna is high in protein and a really healthy substitute for what I used to eat as I would always eat all microwave stuff.

For the extra things I need like fat etc I get it from chicken/mash etc

I also used to drink fizzy pop non stop. My favorite was DR Pepper and I'd drink 2, 2 litre bottles a day. I now only drink water and the occasional glass of pure orange juice.

staveshabr

i was actually thinking the same thing that you are doing a lot of exercise on the days you are exercising and your not eating enough. 1200 calories is like the bare minium to eat just so you wont go into starvation mode i started at 265 pounds i weigh now 248 pounds eating 1800 to 2200 calories a day and exercising and its only been 3 and a half weeks. girl eAt to live!!!!

mungowungo

The weetabix is high in fibre according to a few people.
I've been told by some people to add toast too made from brown bread... but would 50/50 work?

And the tuna is high in protein and a really healthy substitute for what I used to eat as I would always eat all microwave stuff.

For the extra things I need like fat etc I get it from chicken/mash etc

I also used to drink fizzy pop non stop. My favorite was DR Pepper and I'd drink 2, 2 litre bottles a day. I now only drink water and the occasional glass of pure orange juice.

Yep 2 weetbix will give you 3.8 grams of fibre (according to their website). I'm not sure what you mean by 50/50 do you mean eat one less weetbix and have a bit of toast instead? Or just have two weetbix and two pieces of toast? It's just more of the same sort of food - ie more wheat.

Lots of different foods give you fibre - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-97294/How-fibre-favourite-foods-contain.html

My suggestion would be to have the weetbix and add a piece of fruit (banana or apple or orange whatever) one day and have toast the next day with a boiled egg or cheese and tomato - just mix it up a bit and make it interesting so you don't get bored.

Agreed tuna is a good source of protein and is yummy - you could switch to brown bread for the sandwiches and if you ditch the packet of crisps you could have a fairly large salad or just add the salad to the sandwich and have a piece of fruit as well - more fibre plus vitamins - especially C which apart from an occasional orange juice I didn't see anywhere in your diet. (And to be honest you'd be better off eating an orange than drinking the juice).

For dinner if you must have chicken dippers (I had to google what they were and they seem to be the chicken equivalent of a fish finger with 900 kilojoules per five dippers (88 grams in weight) - a 105 gram piece of lean grilled rump steak has 777 kilojoules and I know which I'd rather be eating) - I'd have them, less of the wedges/mash and have vegetables (peas,carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflower etc whatever you want and frozen is fine and really easy to microwave) instead of some of the potato. You should find that you can eat quite a good quantity of vegetables for the same calorie value of the potatoes and these will fill you up so you are less hungry.

Plus you don't mention how you cook the wedges or dippers if you fry them the calorie count goes way up. On their own 100g of plain potato wedges has about 123 calories whereas if you fry them 10 wedges have 281 calories. If you are frying them you could pop them in the oven instead and use the "spare" calories for vegetables fruits etc.