Don't understand! HELP!!!

reddcat

Hi fellow MFPers. I need your help. About in tears here! I have been at this since Jan 1 and am disappointed with the results so far. Don't know how to eat.....never have. I am making healthy food choices and exercising....both did not happen prior to Jan 1. What I am not getting is the calorie thing...with and without exercise.
I am to have 1200 calories a day. Do I have to eat all of them?? Won't I lose weight if I get close....but not over??
What about the exercise days?? I do Zumba three times a week and try to do a walking tape when I can. On those days, my calories allotted can jump to 1600. Am I supposed to eat all of those???
So, one day I am eating 1200 and one day 1600??? I just don't understand how this works. Since Jan 1, I have lost 6 pounds (first week)....but NOTHING in the last three weeks. So discouraged....but I am plugging along.
PLEASE tell me what I am supposed to be doing!!!!! Thanks!!

sexylonglegs

I am to have 1200 calories a day. Do I have to eat all of them?? Won't I lose weight if I get close....but not over??

YES - all of them

What about the exercise days?? I do Zumba three times a week and try to do a walking tape when I can. On those days, my calories allotted can jump to 1600. Am I supposed to eat all of those???
So, one day I am eating 1200 and one day 1600??? I just don't understand how this works.

YES, eat all 1600.

♥_Ellybean_♥

Your body needs the minimum of 1200 calories a day just to do it's daily activity... if you are exercising your body needs more fuel to keep going.... so if your eating 1200 calories and burning 500 then essentially you are only eating 700 calories, so you need to eat those extra calories back up.

allehp

Sounds like you are doing all the right things! Of course you don't have to eat all your calories, but make sure you're having three healthy meals a day! And on the days you work out, you can eat all of the calories you burn if you want to maintain your weight, but the theory behind calorie counting is to burn more calories than you're taking in. So keep doing what you're doing, and don't force yourself to eat all of the calories MFP gives you- just eat when you're hungry and make healthy choices!

Thomasm198

The basic answer is: yes. Eat those calories. You shouldn't drop below the 1,200 calorie level. Drop below that and it makes a mess of your metabolism. There are lots if posts about this.

ashley0616

At the top of this forum, you will see many sticky posts that are very helpful to newbies.

If you aren't eating enough, you will NOT lose weight. How tall are you? What is your starting weight? How much do you want to lose a week? Is it a reasonable goal? If you have say 15lbs to lose and you are aiming for 2 a week, it's not reasonable and you will be disappointed. Hell I have 70 to go and I am happy when I lose 1 a week!

You should eat some of your exercise calories. Start with 1/4-1/2 and see if that helps. You should also take a good look at what you are eating. High protein, low fat, moderate carb will get you where you want to be the fastest and healthiest. Watch your sodium and water intake as well. It is normal to eat different amounts each day, and it is good to eat different things each day. You don't want your body getting comfortable. To shock it, try a higher calorie day, a different work out, new food. That will all help with the weight loss.

Lastly, KEEP WITH IT! You won't lose any weight at all if you give up. If you keep trying, you will lose, even if it is slowly. Good luck to you!

PS Making your diary public will allow people to help you in a more specific way. Just a thought.

xHelloQuincyx

i do not eat my extra calories (unless I am hungry) and I have lost 9lbs in 3 weeks

Smays1208

I'm am supposed to have 1200 calories per day as well, but when I working out I make sure add those calories into the exercise portion just as I would my food. If I burn 300 during my workout I have to eat those calories back.

So depending on how much you work out your food caloric intake will change daily.

goingwithgrace

It's important to eat probably every 3-5 hours, it keeps your metabolism going. Snacks are good - almonds, fruit, 100 calorie items.

If you're hungry a lot like me, the excercise calories are a motivator because I eat up to my calories and want something else! HA! Or if you want to have a splurge, then execercise is needed.

Your daily calories by MFP are already 500 calories in deficit each day (if you said you want to lose a pound a week). So eat the 1200 (or as close as you can get). If you go over the 1200 but have no exercise, all is not lost, just you're cutting into your 500 deficit when means slower weight loss.

I went through a stuck phase in the beginning. I had to self adjust my carbs down and protein up. That helped. Also, do more to build muscle. Just cardio won't help kickstart/keep your metabolism going. You need muscle mass.

Finally - don't know what to eat? Get some books! Biggest Loser has great recipe and planning books.

:flowerforyou:

amycakes812

OK, take a deep breath! It sounds like you are on a huge learning curve here if you have made all of these changes at the beginning of the year. Go read the tagged posts at the top of the general comments section. That will explain a lot about not just how, but also, why this process works. You should be proud of yourself for turning your life around, and congratulations on the 1st 6 pounds lost!
You should try to eat at least 1200 calories a day....consistently eating less WILL slow your metabolism down and you WON"T lose weight. When you exercise, you burn through those calories you are eating, netting a lower calorie amount, you should eat back most of those calories. (Some people here differ on opinion on this one, this is what worked for me). Look at your food diary, are you making good food choices, how is your sodium intake? Also, as counter productive as it sounds, you may need MORE than 1200 calories a day. Slowly increase by 50 calories for a week, hold for a couple to see if there is a difference, if not, add another 50 calories.

Stick with it! You will see results. Depending on what your habits were before Jan 1st, it may take some time for your body to adjust! There are some people out there that actually gain weight at first as their bodies adjust, then they start to lose. When I first started, my metabolism was very sluggish. It adapted, and I started losing.
If you aren't already, *kitten* some weight training to your workouts. The more muscle you develop, the more fat you will burn.

I hope this helps/ makes sense!! Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions!

Amy

Smays1208

Very Helpful info!

marciml

Sounds like you are doing all the right things! Of course you don't have to eat all your calories, but make sure you're having three healthy meals a day! And on the days you work out, you can eat all of the calories you burn if you want to maintain your weight, but the theory behind calorie counting is to burn more calories than you're taking in. So keep doing what you're doing, and don't force yourself to eat all of the calories MFP gives you- just eat when you're hungry and make healthy choices!

MFP already counts you in at a 500 calorie deficit. If it is telling you that you need 1200 cals to fuel your body for basic daily functions, its really means it takes you 1700 (1200 + the 500 deficit). If you are eating all of the calories MFP gives you + darn close to most of the calories you earn back by exercising, you are giving your body fresh fuel to keep it burning along and not storing for fear of not getting enough food. You must have fuel to burn calories. Calories = Fuel.

You need to eat your calories. Best of luck hun!

mrslondon

Your body is just getting used to the new changes, I have only lost 5lbs and then nothing since either. I get very discouraged very easily too. There is a huge community of fantastic people on here for days like this. Im not 100% sure about the calorie thing. Ive been eating my 1200 calories that i have everyday and then if i work out and "earn" more calories back, i only eat half of them. The idea when losing weight is too make sure you are eating enough calories to stay healthy and to have enough energy to carry on and then to workout and to try and burn as much calories as possible,but the main thing is to make sure you are eating enough. If you dont eat enough, your body will store all the calories that you take in and hold on to them because it doesnt know when it i going to get food again. Congratulations on losing the 6lbs though, dont get discouraged, your doing great, keep it up! Add me as a friend if you need to talk at anytime :happy:

ladyhawk00

Here are some of the threads that explain how MFP calculates calories, metabolism, and why it's important to eat to lose. MUST READS!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

Good luck to you!

FearAnLoathing

I eat my 1200 a day but I dont eat my exercise calories very often.it works for me im just not a big eater and get sick if i eat when im not hungry.I say play around with it and see what works for you.Try eating half you exercise calories,see how that works.If not eat all.Everybodys body works diffrent so its hard to say what will work great for you.
good luck and just stick with it!

jram70

I was on a 1 1/2 lb a week reduction when I started. I lost about 8 lbs quickly but then kind of stalled for a month by just staying at the same weight despite exercising a lot. I always was eating a little less than my suggested calories, even when factoring in exercise calories. I changed to 1 lb a week and made sure I ate all of my calories (including exercise) and now my weight loss has started again even though I am eating more calories per day than I was. I think if you do not eat your calories you may be hurting yourself (i.e. the mythical starvation mode). Also, do not be afraid to tinker with the settings a bit. Everyone is so different that you almost have to have a trial and error to see what works for you regardless of how good MFP is.

reddcat

Wow! I can't believe the responses. THANK YOU all SOOO much!!!! I have just not been getting it....but all this helps more than you know. I have been typically under ever day and I think that is half my problem. Thanks for the advice and support. I did not even know about the must reads at the top. You guys are the greatest!!

gidzgirl06

Very encouraging words by all!