I GET IT!!!! And I am disgusted:(

ObviousIndigo

K so last week I posted a thread that I had hit this plateau and I didn't know what to do and a number of REALLY great people replied and tried to explain to me how this works. I need to eat more they all said. I was confused... like really confused. I couldn't figure it out. I was like, I am eating 1200 - 1300 cals a day and thats what it is set for. right??? WRONG!!!! I FINALLY noticed on my home page the NET CALORIES (duh) and its telling me what I actually consumed. I went back in my food diary and let me tell you, I am disgusted with myself. Here I have been all "I am eating healthy." and "I am being good to my body for a change" What a load of crap that was!!! I was consuming net - 300 - 400 calories a day on some days. The highest I consumed was 800!!! I was burning 5 - 600 calories a day in exercise alone! Man, I am mad at myself!! Thank you so much everyone who knows how this works and was willing to explain this to me in the plainest way possible! I get it now! Eat more, lose more!

MissAnjy

i never have net calories even close to 1200. My net calories are always 500-600. I don't eat back my exercise calories though.

pilotgirl2007

I had the same light bulb go off not too long ago. On some days I burn A LOT of calories and though I was eating more it was in no way making up for it. I wasn't paying attention to my net calories.

Not to mention we all struggle with the idea of eating more to lose weight : )

tpycha126

I just figured that out the other day to. I lost everytime I weighed in and then bam I had gained +07. I was really confused on why. Then I was sitting there looking at my food diary and realized that I was taking in way less than I thought I had eaten. I felt like such a dork that I hadn't noticed before. Oh well, now that I know what I was doing wrong I can remedy it.

Mindful_Trent

Congrats for "getting it" !! Don't be disgusted with yourself - MANY people make this mistake. Just be glad you've realized what you need to do to properly fuel your body - learn from your mistakes and make the changes that you need to make. :flowerforyou:

nursevee

Oh love.. Don't be disgusted. Many many many pople make the same mistake. I did WW years ago and consistently lost weight and couldn't for thelife of me figure it out until I tallied up my food diary from back then and saw that I was eating about 1800 cal's per day!!! Like I've nevereven gotten close to that on here! It's crazy right???

So just go with it. Take it on board as new information and carry that with you. You'll do well!!!

MzBug

Just wait until your mind wraps around the concept of having your cake and eatting it too! And still lose weight! :happy:

edorice

Well, it's a journey. We all have to go through the trial and error stage.

ironmule2042

I was happy when I figured this out myself. It meant that after a long day of hiking or a good few hours of racquetball I could have pizza and not feel guilty. :-)

RDTaylor13

don't feel bad about it. lots of people make the same mistake. Some don't have the sense to ask why it isn't working. hope the adivce you were given works for you.

ObviousIndigo

Just wait until your mind wraps around the concept of having your cake and eatting it too! And still lose weight! :happy:

I know, Right? That part still baffles my mind!! The craziness of constantly thinking about what I was doing wrong for a month almost drove me into a depression thinking I was never going to lose this weight. Then to find out I need to eat MORE!!! Craziness!! LOL Our Bodies are amazingly crazy things!!

fuhrmeister

Ok, Now I need some one to explainthis to me too. I want make sure i'm doing this right. My current calorie goal is 1790. I am eatting between 1500 -1800 every day. I also exercise at lease 4 days a week to burn 1770 calories a week. I try not to eat the calories I earn during exercise off. Am I doing everythign right?

MyViolet

Am I reading this right? My net should be close to my goal? I thought I was supposed to eat the 1200 per day not including extra exercise calories earned?

Rynatat

I am glad you figured it out, too Dannie. It took me a couple weeks, but luckily one of my family members explained to me what I needed to do, and it was up to me "how" to do it.

The key to weight loss is to eat, although in moderation & make good choices (hi protein/hi fiber work for me, but everyone is different, so you have to find your niche). I exercise at least 6days p/wk & I almost ALWAYS eat back every little bit and then some. On most days I'm over, however I don't just eat, eat, eat nonstop or eat HUGE meals in 1 sitting. I eat about 5-6 (sometimes 7 if I really worked out hard :happy: ) small meals per day: averaging about every 2-3hours. When I don't eat enough, I plateau or start gaining back. When I eat more, I feel better, look healthier and lose: plus I'm working on toning/firming & building muscle a little so I'm tightening and while the scale doesn't always "show" the loss, my tape measure & the way my clothes fit display it better than the silly scale And yes, I eat back my exercise calories, there is no way I can live on 1200 calories and feel good So, if I want to eat more, I workout a little more. If we're doing something special or I know I'll be going someplace where I will be eating more than usual, I workout harder & longer to "earn" my calories

I have asked for an HRM for the Holidays since I'm ball-parking my exercising, but since I add extra resistance with wrist & ankle weights, I may be burning more which is why I get more hungry and eat "over" my calories most days.

Anyways: good luck to all of you on your Journey: I'm travelling right along side and while there is a lot of trial and error, remember that this is 4-Life :flowerforyou:

ObviousIndigo

Am I reading this right? My net should be close to my goal? I thought I was supposed to eat the 1200 per day not including extra exercise calories earned?

You should make sure that your net is at least the 1200 calories a day after your exercise calories have been subtracted from your daily caloic intake. Make sense? If it doesn't feel free to message me. I will explain in better detail.

Mindful_Trent

Am I reading this right? My net should be close to my goal? I thought I was supposed to eat the 1200 per day not including extra exercise calories earned?

Net calories should be close to your goal. People disagree about how important it is to eat exercise calories back, but if you're only eating 1200 calories before exercise, it's definitely important to eat *some* back - you need to keep your body properly fueled, and you can't do that if you're consistently netting low calorie totals (ex. 400, 600, even 1000 is "low"). The only exception to this might be if you're VERY short/petite and don't have much to lose - you won't need to eat as many calories as most people to keep your body going.

MFP builds your weight loss goal into your recommended daily calories, so anything you burn in exercise pushes your deficit beyond what you need to lose your goal. Generally, a deficit over 1000 calories/day isn't considered safe unless you're under strict doctor's supervision.

In case there's any confusion, NET calories is what you eat minus what you burn in exercise. If i eat 1600 but burn 900 in exercise, my net is only 700 - I need to eat more to properly fuel my body.

On days you know you'll be exercising, try to eat a good higher calorie breakfast and/or lunch so you're not stuck with a ton of calories at the end of the day to eat.

edorice

Net calories should be close to your goal. People disagree about how important it is to eat exercise calories back, but if you're only eating 1200 calories before exercise, it's definitely important to eat *some* back - you need to keep your body properly fueled, and you can't do that if you're consistently netting low calorie totals (ex. 400, 600, even 1000 is "low"). The only exception to this might be if you're VERY short/petite and don't have much to lose - you won't need to eat as many calories as most people to keep your body going.

MFP builds your weight loss goal into your recommended daily calories, so anything you burn in exercise pushes your deficit beyond what you need to lose your goal. Generally, a deficit over 1000 calories/day isn't considered safe unless you're under strict doctor's supervision.

In case there's any confusion, NET calories is what you eat minus what you burn in exercise. If i eat 1600 but burn 900 in exercise, my net is only 700 - I need to eat more to properly fuel my body.

On days you know you'll be exercising, try to eat a good higher calorie breakfast and/or lunch so you're not stuck with a ton of calories at the end of the day to eat.

Yep, what he said. Net, it's like your take home pay.

fuhrmeister

Am I reading this right? My net should be close to my goal? I thought I was supposed to eat the 1200 per day not including extra exercise calories earned?

Net calories should be close to your goal. People disagree about how important it is to eat exercise calories back, but if you're only eating 1200 calories before exercise, it's definitely important to eat *some* back - you need to keep your body properly fueled, and you can't do that if you're consistently netting low calorie totals (ex. 400, 600, even 1000 is "low"). The only exception to this might be if you're VERY short/petite and don't have much to lose - you won't need to eat as many calories as most people to keep your body going.

MFP builds your weight loss goal into your recommended daily calories, so anything you burn in exercise pushes your deficit beyond what you need to lose your goal. Generally, a deficit over 1000 calories/day isn't considered safe unless you're under strict doctor's supervision.

In case there's any confusion, NET calories is what you eat minus what you burn in exercise. If i eat 1600 but burn 900 in exercise, my net is only 700 - I need to eat more to properly fuel my body.

On days you know you'll be exercising, try to eat a good higher calorie breakfast and/or lunch so you're not stuck with a ton of calories at the end of the day to eat.

Thanks so much for explination. I thought this was built in to MFP. I think I'm doing pretty well. I uasually eat close to my goal and if I work out big I eat some back. When I just get in a short walk I try not to eat those calories. I have almost 100lbs to lose. I'm sure the net will be even more importatn as I get closer to my goal.

alantin

There is a friggin glaring cat sized number on the home page and a "CALORIES REMAINING" after it. Why don't people see it?! :noway:

It took me a long while before I got what the net calories were but I never cared. I just ate all my "calories remaining" and everything has gone as it should from the beginning.

MyViolet

Oh boy! Well I guess I can eat a bit more on Christmas day. I have tried to log my exercise at the end of the day to make sure I got my 1200.

dlcam61

Listen to your body. The days I burn more (or start new routines) are the days I tend to eat more because I feel more hungry. The lighter days, say rest days or just a yoga day, I usually stick to my base of 1200 cals & never eat my exercise calories. I can tell if I've been too restrictive, I get more tired. You do eat healthy & you are really active. Just tweak the numbers a bit. Try adding in a small portion a day of your exercise calories and see if that helps You're doing fantastic Dannie! Keep up the great work! :flowerforyou: