read about exercise calories, still have question

apeck422

So I read some newbie posts and they say to eat your exercise calories.

I'm female, 18 years old, 5 foot 1, and around 140 pounds. For over a year now I've been trying different workouts to lose a few pounds, slim down, and mainly lose belly fat. I never ate really badly but recently I've started following a meal plan and eating very carefully. I am consuming around 1500 calories a day and exercising through Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and Focus T25 to burn around 300 calories from exercise a day. I'm drinking a lot of water too.

My Fitness Pal says I should eat around 1400 calories a day. From what I understand that is including subtracting 500 calories? Because I think my BMR is around 1800. However, they don't take into account the fact that I am exercising every day, burning around 300 calories. Does that mean I should be eating 1700 to lose weight?

I haven't seen any results so I'm trying not to obsess about everything but I want to be doing everything I can to succeed.

BigGuy47

I haven't seen any results

How long have you been on your plan? A little patience goes a long way.

Ninkyou

Yes, Whatever exercise calories you burn gets added on top of your 1400 calories. Your deficit is still built into that total.

Mathematically it looks something like this:
1400(base)+300(exercise)= 1700 calories to consume
1700(consumed calories) - 300 (exercise calories)= 1400 calories NET

Your deficit is therefor, still the same.

apeck422

It's just 1700 calories is A LOT to eat. Especially if I'm eating reallyyyy healthily. And I've been working out and eating pretty well for months and months now but I'm in like my 4th week of following a meal plan and stuff.

tigersword

1700 calories is NOT a lot to eat. If you have trouble reaching that, you are being far too restrictive in your food choices. I routinely eat 3000-4000 calories a day.

You aren't arbitrarily labeling foods as good or bad are you? There's no such thing.

Muddy_Yogi

1700 is not a lot to eat. You stated your bmr is 1700...if this is true then you should not eat below that for sure.

Read this for a good start and explanation.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants&page=2#posts-18427313

djxil

I have been here a little over 60 days and I am only now starting to get it. Granted, I lost a lot of weight in a short period of time but it was probably at the expense of my health. A few friends pointed out that I was not taking in enough calories and were quite alarmed at how many exercise calories I was not eating back, some days in the hundreds, others just a little over 1000. They got really concerned when they found out I had an upcoming surgery. I am still learning but start by eating back a few of those exercise calories if you need to build up the trust in the plan, see the results over a few weeks and if positive, eat a few more back. This is one long winding road, you have plenty of time to experiment - definitely eat your base calories. Good luck.

BigGuy47

I'm in like my 4th week of following a meal plan and stuff.

Diet has a far greater impact on weight loss than exercise. Keep your diet under control and you should see progress soon. Give it at least 8 weeks and then re-evaluate.

Exercise for fitness.

Ninkyou

1700 calories is NOT a lot to eat. If you have trouble reaching that, you are being far too restrictive in your food choices. I routinely eat 3000-4000 calories a day.

You aren't arbitrarily labeling foods as good or bad are you? There's no such thing.

I agree, 1700 calories is not alot.

Eat more caloric dense foods and you'll hit your calories pretty easily.

NaomiJFoster

Yep. 1400 is your grand total at the end of the day. It's the number you want to hit after you've added all your consumed calories and subtracted all your burned calories.

So, think of it backwards. If you ate all day long, and consumed 1400 calories, you'd be done and call it a successful day.

But if you then have an exercise session and burn 300, you're taking away some of what you ate.

1400-300= 1100.

You don't want to end the day at 1100 calories.

So you need to 'eat back' approximately 300 calories.

No need to try to be exact about it. But you do want to get closer to your goal number.

Don't be afraid of reaching that 1400 goal. The 1400 is already calculated specifically with your personal stats to put you at a weight-loss area.

apeck422

1700 calories is NOT a lot to eat. If you have trouble reaching that, you are being far too restrictive in your food choices. I routinely eat 3000-4000 calories a day.

You aren't arbitrarily labeling foods as good or bad are you? There's no such thing.

I agree, 1700 calories is not alot.

Eat more caloric dense foods and you'll hit your calories pretty easily.

What's "caloric dense foods"? And I'm eating 3 300 calorie meals a day and 2 200 calorie snacks. Should I just add like a little healthy something to my lunch or something to hit the calorie limit?

bajoyba

1700 calories is NOT a lot to eat. If you have trouble reaching that, you are being far too restrictive in your food choices. I routinely eat 3000-4000 calories a day.

You aren't arbitrarily labeling foods as good or bad are you? There's no such thing.

I agree, 1700 calories is not alot.

Eat more caloric dense foods and you'll hit your calories pretty easily.

What's "caloric dense foods"? And I'm eating 3 300 calorie meals a day and 2 200 calorie snacks. Should I just add like a little healthy something to my lunch or something to hit the calorie limit?

A calorie dense food would be anything that packs a lot of calories into a relatively small amount of volume - nuts/seeds, nut butters, avocado, dairy products, and olive/coconut oil.

apeck422

Gotcha thanks!