Do I HAVE to eat my exercise calories??

04ward

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MeganAnne89

1200 is what MFP tells you when you go so aggressive in your requested pounds lost per week that MFP bottoms out (it refuses to go below 1200 as it considers below 1200 to be unsafe for pretty much anyone). Truth is though 1200 is pretty unsafe/unsustainable for most people and unless you are a 70 year old 4 foot tall sedentary woman 1200 calories is likely not enough for you, 1460 sounded much more reasonable as an amount to NET (meaning after you eat back calories burned from exercise).

While it is true that 1200 isn't enough for some people, it is enough for other people that I do know, including myself. And no, I'm not a 70 year old 4 foot tall sedentary woman. I'm a 5'3'' 25 year old woman with an office job who exercises about 4 times a week.

I'm not saying that 1200 what my goal is - my goal right now is to maintain at about 1760 per day, however, I have protein in every meal and that keeps me full. I have days where I only hit about 1200 and I'm still full. I don't want to just eat when I'm full because then I feel sick.

Everyone's different. Just saying.

LivingtheLeanDream

A lot of good advice here, I eat half of mine back approx..(unless I'm not hungry)
since I worked out my BMR and my TDEE (and have a Fitbit) I know what I can safely eat at to maintain (1900) and to lose (1500)
(I'm 5ft 2"/136lbs and very active)
Its about finding that number you can eat at and still lose

sbarella

A goal is a goal, its what you should be trying to hit. If your goal is 1460 calories that means you should NET 1460 calories every day that you can. If you eat 1460 and then burn 300 you net 1160 and therefore you are missing your goal. Undershooting your goal is not additional success, it is failing to meet your goal.

We should get this put in big bold letters at the top of the MFP page. It's the most common mistake people make here.

Exactly.

lavendah

I don't think it's MANDATORY to do that,but I feel that anything below 1300 is too low of a net caloric intake (1200 feels almost chronically low to me).I'd say maintain a net of 1300 or 1200 atleast.Also,do pay attention to macros,especially proteins.

Moreover,going a little slower will ensure that negative impacts of weight loss,such as muscle loss,metabolic slowdown etc are minimized - so I'd suggest add a little of something nutritious like maybe nuts to your diet.

Lexluthor

What a fabulous question. I never thought about. I am frequently surprised by how little I know but I'm learning! Thank you everyone!

DeliriumCanBeFun

I'm 5'3" and currently 144. My goal is 1400 and I eat ALL my exercise calories back, except sometimes when I burn over 2,000 because I just don't want to eat any more. I have consistently lost 1lb/week average since the end of last year. I have a desk job but am very active (not counting exercise) when I'm off, but my goals are also custom set. Your BMR has got to be much higher than mine though, just based on height and weight. There is absolutely no reason to eat so little (unless your current weight is causing medical emergencies). You will cause yourself to lose even more good, fat burning muscle, and you will be much more likely to not stick with it.

akaMrsmojo

I have not been eating my exercise calories and haven't lost in over a week! I stupidly thought that if I eat less and workout more, I would just lose but that's not the case. I am changing strategy this week and eating my exercise calories!

Have you tried weighing your food?

DeliriumCanBeFun

Exactly. When you don't accurately log or even log at all, you are only hurting yourself. Weighing high calorie things like peanut butter and granola is crucial if you want accuracy, but even things like fruit will be way off if you log it as one piece or one cup instead of by its weigh. It all adds up.