I never meet my goals!

Fertilegrounds5

Good morning
Can someone help me understand how this works? I am supposed to have 1200 calories a day. That's hard enough for me but when I exercise am I really supposed to make up those calories? If so how will that aid in me losing weight? It seems like I would maintain that way.:huh:

BigBoneSista

I just sent you a friend request because I can't view your diary. 1200 calories isn't very hard to reach so I'm thinking you are eating a lot of lo-cal items or you are not eating enough times during your day.

Rupeedoo

1200 calories and no exercise would still lose you weight, but not so healthily and probably not in the long term. By eating what you exercise off you're mainting the 1200 calories, so you'll still lose weight, but you'll feel better, look healthier and get thinner whilst eating more than if you sat on a couch. win, win!

petchonka82

Yes you should make up the calories otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and begin to store everything you eat as fat and your metabolism will slow down. Remember eating small meals frequently during the day helps. I feel like I'm always snacking on something (fruits, yogurt, sugar free pudding, dry cereal..)

ladyhawk00

Here are some threads that explain how MFP works, metabolism and why it's important to eat enough to fuel your body.
MUST READS!!

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

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

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

Good luck to you!

AmeMahoney

If you're exercising you probably need more like 1500-1700 calories per day to lose weight. Too few and your metabolism slows down too much so you hold on to the extra pounds. You body will burn close to 1200 calories a day just functioning.

You might want to change your post topics as well. You are what you say, after all. How about, I am learning to meet my goals or I will meet my goals now or something a little more upbeat?

BigBoneSista

Brain Fart lol excuse me. :bigsmile:

miriamcpweg

You should be eating at least 1200 calories day, not less. If you exercise it is that much more important to reach at least 1200 calories so that your body is fueled to burn the calories.

timidtyger

that question has been on my mind as well. the 1200 calories, i think, is the recommended for you to lose 2 lbs a week. and when you exercise it gives you more calories so your body will not go into starvation mode (thats my opinion though)

FitFeden

I'm no expert/doctor/dietitian, but my understanding of the program is this: You put your goals in for weight loss, as well as your current weight/height and activity level. If that is all true, then recommended calories, etc, are calculated for you to make that goal. That means that you should aim to eat your calorie limit or around that area. If you exercise, you should eat back those calories. This is so that your body can function as it should and your metabolism will work at a normal pace. There is apparently something called "starvation mode" in which your metabolism will slow down when your body is not getting enough calories. This will not aid your weight loss. From what I have experienced and what I hear others say, the most important thing is to eat nutrient rich foods (super foods), so that your calories all count for something. Potato chips and fruit may each have calories, but the calorie/nutrient ratio is very, very different. Good luck.

kristie874

It seems like eating the exercise calories doesn't make any sense but, as ladyhawk says, those posts will really explain it and help you understand. When I first started I lost for the first few weeks then quickly plateaued. Then I added my exercise calories and started dropping 3-4 pounds a week regularly! Even if the idea of eating those calories makes you nervous, give it a try for 2-3 weeks and see what happens. You'll be surprised. Good luck!

Enigmatica

The combination of the 1200 calories and the exercise calories is still several hundred calories BELOW what you would need to maintain your current weight, so yes you should lose it slowly but surely. If you cut calories too far below what your body needs to maintain you can screw up your metabolism so that you don't lose weight even when you should, and you can have other health problems. For example, I lost hair and my nails got brittle because I got too carried away! Stay with a balanced diet and close to your calorie goal as much as possible.

sarahtroupe

Yes u are supposed to eat ur exercise calories as well... I have been told if u dont ur body will go into starvation mode... I was on 1200 cal a day also... i usually exercise everyday and my calories then becomes 1900 it sounds like alot of food huh??? But if i didnt eat that 1900 cal i would b starving because of all the calories I burned off... Good Luck!!!!

peadarorodaigh

When you initially set your type of lifestyle ( eg. "sedentary") and initial goal, say, to lose 1 pound per week, your calories per day are calculated at about 500 less than what it would take to maintain your weight. So, even if you did no exercise and just stuck to your calorie limit, you would still be burning more calories per day than what you eat. So, you should lose weight.

You dont HAVE to eat all of the calories you earn from exercise, but it might be a good idea to do so at first - particularly if you already find yourself hungry a lot. It will take your body a while to adapt to the lower calorie intake, so give yourself every break you can and eat as much as possible without going over your limit :-)

erickirb

Try eating food that is more calorie dense, you don't have to eat more in quantity just make different choices such as:
Instead of skim milk drink 1 or 2%, eat nuts, seeds and/or dehydrated fruit as a snack, eat full fat versions of foods (sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, salad dressing) add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Have a glass of juice in place of 1 glass of water.

dannyburks

If you want to send me a friend request and allow me to view what you are eating. You need to eat at least five meals a day. Eat about every two hours - small amounts. If you body thinks it's going to have to wait for food it will store the previous food in the form of fat. Think about this - bears eat huge amounts of food at one time to hibernate and they have a lot of fat. A horse, on the other hand, grazes all day long but a horse is almost all muscle.

Fertilegrounds5

Apparently I am in starvation mode! LOL! I have 5 kids and full time job. So it is very easy for me to go through the day and forget (neglect to take a moment to eat). And the thing is I don't feel hungry. I do exercise. I was trying to make sure I was actually supposed to make those calories back up. Thanks

Fertilegrounds5

So are you calling me a bear. LOL! I would much rather be a horse. I think :laugh: