Advice regarding Exercise and Calorie intake

no311e

Hi Guys,

Im pretty new to this MFP as a serious measure of dieting. I have been using it for about 2 weeks now on the 2lbs a week projected weight loss settings.

I have been sticking to it, sometimes I am above by a few calories sometimes below.

I have started using the C25K app also in conjuction with dieting but I am not sure what to do with the calories that are burnt off.

For example;

If I am supposed to eat 1200 calories, and I go for a run and burn 200 calories- should I still be eating 1200 calories or 1400?

Im finding that when I complete the app and it tell me the end of the day projected weight loss in 5 weeks it tells me that I am not eating enough calories.

Im worried because I've lost 8 lbs in these two weeks and although this is great news for me I think its probably not good in the long run.

Hope to get some advice!

Thanks in advance

emalethmoon

If you're only eating 1200 calories a day, I would personally eat back those exercise calories.

Have you taken a look at your TDEE? Just to make sure you're eating enough and not being too aggressive.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

no311e

Thanks for the response Emalethmoon! Ive had a look at that website and I am 2060 and 2341 depending on if i choose no exercise and light 2-3pw exercise.

What does it mean?

Im not feeling hungry or lethargic although on sunday I noticed that I was about to complete the day with 700 calories left to consume, so went to the kitchen and grabbed some stuff to fill those 700 calories.

Hope to hear back from you, thanks once again

If you're only eating 1200 calories a day, I would personally eat back those exercise calories.

Have you taken a look at your TDEE? Just to make sure you're eating enough and not being too aggressive.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

joanna_82

They say that MFP overestimates excersise calories. I tend to eat back some of mine, usually up to half. So my goal is 1620, if I run and burn 400 cals then I will eat about 1800 in total.

Also be aware that in the first few weeks you do lose a bit more than usual- I lost 3 lbs in my first week but then its been pretty much 0.5lbs a week since then.

Sounds like you are doing well, keep it up!

no311e

Thanks for info! Will probably eat back some of the calories but not all. Makes sense!

They say that MFP overestimates excersise calories. I tend to eat back some of mine, usually up to half. So my goal is 1620, if I run and burn 400 cals then I will eat about 1800 in total.

Also be aware that in the first few weeks you do lose a bit more than usual- I lost 3 lbs in my first week but then its been pretty much 0.5lbs a week since then.

Sounds like you are doing well, keep it up!

rsoice

I try to eat back about half my workout calories. You have to listen to your body. If you aren't feeling hungry then don't eat to make a number. My target is 1,500 calories per day for now but I'm about 10 pounds from going into maintenance so I've been wondering the same thing.

rsclause

I use a app for running (Runtastic) and a fitbit activity tracker to keep up with my exercise burn. After my deficit was calculated I would eat back most if not all of my exercise calories. If I was even to 400 calories under I felt great, below that I suffered. Keep an eye on the scale if it is moving in the right direction, and not too fast, you're good. I also would eat a snack of tree nuts or an apple about every two hours or so. I would feel like I was tricking my body into thinking it had an endless supply of food coming so it would keep burning fuel. Go to heavy on the deficit and starving makes your body conserve fuel. This is not science but how I perceive my body reacting to my routine. I also found that I lost more when stayed close to my calorie goal but didn't lose as much when i went way under. I was also doing a lot of cardio, running 35 miles a week, weight lifting and ab work. It gave me about 1000 extra calories to play with. Good luck

W31RD0

Thanks for the response Emalethmoon! Ive had a look at that website and I am 2060 and 2341 depending on if i choose no exercise and light 2-3pw exercise.

What does it mean?

Im not feeling hungry or lethargic although on sunday I noticed that I was about to complete the day with 700 calories left to consume, so went to the kitchen and grabbed some stuff to fill those 700 calories.

Hope to hear back from you, thanks once again

Do you mean 700 short from 1200 or from your TDEE?

no311e

700 short from daily intake allowance on MFP

Thanks for the response Emalethmoon! Ive had a look at that website and I am 2060 and 2341 depending on if i choose no exercise and light 2-3pw exercise.

What does it mean?

Im not feeling hungry or lethargic although on sunday I noticed that I was about to complete the day with 700 calories left to consume, so went to the kitchen and grabbed some stuff to fill those 700 calories.

Hope to hear back from you, thanks once again

Do you mean 700 short from 1200 or from your TDEE?

TavistockToad

trying to lose 2lb per week when you only have 40 odd pounds to lose is a little aggressive IMO.

Patttience

I would agree with Toad. You might not be hungry now but its better to lose weight more slowly. Its more sustainable. Work on improving the nutrition quality of your food and coming up with a way of eating you can sustain into the long distant future.

Shropshire1959

It's really tricky because this is not an exact science.... nearly all of the numbers and thus the maths are based upon estimates (and often High Ones!!) ...... You can 'sort of'' rely on your measurements (are you cloths getting loser) and Blood work (if you have them done) - but even your weight can confuse matters, as it will fluctuate based on .. um cycles!, your bodies water content etc.. etc...

If you go to different sites .. you'll see them give different BMR figures for you (I found a wide range!!)

So my advice is ... fix your self up a plan and stick to it for 2 to 4 weeks then reassess (if you are losing then the plan is working .. if not, it isn't)... fix another one and repeat.......

Measure and record everything.... and use it as a YARD Stick not a micrometer! - By that I mean don't take much notice of smaller 'apparent' changes... look more at the Averages and Trends over weeks and months NOT Days.