Frustrated consuming all of my calories!!! Too many?

Missevanston

I have really got to get eating these extra calories back. I find this to be very difficult. It is not like I haven't eaten today, or the last several. I feel like it is too much. Given the never-ending strong opinions on this topic I am conflicted. When I first started MFP I wasn't quite as obsessed, and I think I was eating more calories. Now, I am so much more thoughtful and diligent, and eat less. The last week, I have been consistently under cals, or not at my goal net. I am not feeling lighter either. HHRRRUMMPH. My initial response is 'I must work out like crazy'...but if I do, then that means I need to eat more! This is getting to be a vicious circle. Presently, I am at 1486 consumed, -1116 exercise, and 370 net. I shouldn't have to do so much math just to lose weight!!!!!
How can I better balance this? I need a solution

westcoastSW

Given all the information on this site that advocates eating exercise calories and netting at LEAST 1200 calories per day, it appears that you are netting far too few calories. This could be hindering your weight loss efforts. If eating more calories is difficult, why not cut back on exercise a little? You shouldn't have to do the math, MFP calculates everything -- just follow along

wewon

LOL!

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm training for a 1/2 marathon and trying to lose weight, I feel like I'm eating all the time now just to aquire my calories.

Its like it's turning into a game of "can I get my calories today?"

david081

Anybody that thinks eating more and exercising less is a key to weight loss will remain fat

Aetarac

I have the same problem. Am trying to eat several small meals and increasing calories in current meals. Like adding baked chicken or black beans to a salad or drinking a protein shake and a carb source after a work out. Just make sure you try to add nutrient dense food as opposed to just calorie filled foods.

ksloop00

I have a system I do. I eat breakfast, workout and burn the calories I ate, then do the same thing for lunch and dinner. If I have any snacks I workout after eating those too. I never eat the extra calories. Afterall, I burn them to lose them, I don't want them back, lol. I don't know why people on this site say to eat your exercise calories, it doesn't make sense.
Kim

westcoastSW

Clearly there are divided opinions on what to do
If you're interested further, I recommend reading some of the "sticky" notes and reading various people's perspectives, and making informed choices for yourself.
Good luck to you with however you proceed

ChessRonin

You're burning over 1100 calories per day and only eating 300 more than that? Wow, why? How? Aren't you hungry?

Start getting some gatorade in the mix and drink some calories. Get a protein powder and blend some calories into a shake. Liquid calories are easier to take in that solid ones, and when you're working out (or about to or just finished) they are more or less ideal.

Mads1997

I have a system I do. I eat breakfast, workout and burn the calories I ate, then do the same thing for lunch and dinner. If I have any snacks I workout after eating those too. I never eat the extra calories. Afterall, I burn them to lose them, I don't want them back, lol. I don't know why people on this site say to eat your exercise calories, it doesn't make sense.
Kim

Wrong it makes perfect sense to eat back your exercise calories. If you take the time go into your goals area on the right hand side you will see your BMR and the deficit that MFP has already assigned to you on the information you gave them. So you are already running at a deficit and that will cause you to lose weight alone even if you did no exercise.

Fat2FitChick

bump

cnjbarry

I have seen the amount of cals you burn in a day lady and it is a ton! Im just wondering if you are using a Heart rate monitor or if you are going by what MFP estimates. The differences are pretty intence. I biught a HRM a little while ago and I have found that MFP's estimates are a little exagerated ( some workouts are a difference of upto 350 cals ) but that is just in my case.

Fat2FitChick

They do it because it works. I wish you would stop going to each post telling people that eating their exercise calories are stupid because it doesn't help the OP find a solution and also offends the people who have been eating their exercise calories back since day one and dropping weight like crazy.

I have a system I do. I eat breakfast, workout and burn the calories I ate, then do the same thing for lunch and dinner. If I have any snacks I workout after eating those too. I never eat the extra calories. Afterall, I burn them to lose them, I don't want them back, lol. I don't know why people on this site say to eat your exercise calories, it doesn't make sense.
Kim

grneyety

You have to eat in order to fuel your body to be able to exercise. Definitely look into some protein powders (preferably whey) and start having a shake as a snack. You need the calories just make sure you make good decisions with them instead of just fillers. Don't be afraid to eat.

jrt9999

One thing that helped me was to learn/realize the exercise is only to gain fitness only in both cardio and strength. I eat to only gain or lose weight via fat or muscle. I lose 1.5 to 2 pounds constantly each week weather I exercise or not. So with that said I developed my goals around that. Some examples of my goals would be: lowering my resting heart rate. I may do treadmill running daily and check my resting heart rate...After a week or two of that the RHR got much better. Next goal, build some quality muscle. To do this I workout with free weights on a regular basis and eat more protein, to help build muscle. The nice thing is that by sticking to the plan MFP set me on, there is no math involved, just follow along. The planning however is needed throughout the day with WHAT you eat to either gain or lose fat or muscle depending on the workout goals you are following.

I think some folks get caught up in the calories they eat and the working out they do with the only goal being to lose weight.

Hope that makes sense. Good luck!

Just1forMe

Anybody that thinks eating more and exercising less is a key to weight loss will remain fat

Wow. Really?? If someone is not taking in enough calories and they are exercising way too much, then yes, they should be eating more and exercising less in order to remain healthy and keep their metabolism burning at optimum levels.

westcoastSW

I have a system I do. I eat breakfast, workout and burn the calories I ate, then do the same thing for lunch and dinner. If I have any snacks I workout after eating those too. I never eat the extra calories. Afterall, I burn them to lose them, I don't want them back, lol. I don't know why people on this site say to eat your exercise calories, it doesn't make sense.
Kim

In my understanding/opinion, it makes sense because our bodies are not simply bank accounts of calories, where the more you put out and the less you put in yields greater weight loss. Clearly, this is true to some degree, since we all gained weight by putting in more than we used up. But our bodies are living, functioning organisms that need nutrients to survive. Just as eating too much food was not healthy, which we have all acknowledged since we're here, neither is eating too little food.

I'll stop there, as I'm well aware that this is a heated issue on these boards and everyone and their mother has opinions and success stories. So if what you're doing is working and you're happy and healthy, then keep doing it. If what you're doing is not leading you where you want, feel free to look around for other advice and recommendations.

Missevanston

You're burning over 1100 calories per day and only eating 300 more than that? Wow, why? How? Aren't you hungry?

Start getting some gatorade in the mix and drink some calories. Get a protein powder and blend some calories into a shake. Liquid calories are easier to take in that solid ones, and when you're working out (or about to or just finished) they are more or less ideal.

Hi! Thanks for the good sense comments! I do drink a protein shake now and then, and I have gotten into the habit of drinking a Gatorade recovery once finished at the gym. But no, I am not really hungry. I am usually famished after working out and will eat tuna or chicken for lunch within the hour. I do drink more lattes than I should. Today was a bad example, because I had more than I might usually, but I was feeling grumpy about needing to consume something, so like an addict I went for old habits.

I had a decent breakfast and lunch, just not that hungry.

tahoemads

The science behind eating your exercise calories is just that - science!! It is proven to work. It's not necessarily up for debate, but is the biggest issue of contention on this site because it completely depends on your activity level and BMR. Here is the deal:

MFP calculates your deficit by your BMR and activity level. I'll use myself as an example: let's say my BMR+activity level = 1700. To lose one pound a week, I need a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day. 7 days x 500 calorie deficit = 1 pound, 3500 calories. (This is where it's up for debate. Some people believe in a 1000 calorie deficit a day. I don't.) So that leaves my daily intake at 1200 calories. Get it?

Now throw in exercise. If I exercise 300-500 calories a day, and I DON'T eat those calories, what happens? I just created a larger deficit for my body. Which sounds great, but sometimes it's too low of a deficit for the amount my body is burning and basically, calories = energy. To have a healthy weight loss, and not shock my body into holding onto weight, I keep my caloric intake at 1200 everyday.

It's all about tricking your body with caloric expenditure. It is pure mathematics. Everyone has different bodies, environmental and genetic factors, so although it's unique to each person, there is a reason why MFP encourages you to eat your calories.

jmo325

I have a system I do. I eat breakfast, workout and burn the calories I ate, then do the same thing for lunch and dinner. If I have any snacks I workout after eating those too. I never eat the extra calories. Afterall, I burn them to lose them, I don't want them back, lol. I don't know why people on this site say to eat your exercise calories, it doesn't make sense.
Kim

In my understanding/opinion, it makes sense because our bodies are not simply bank accounts of calories, where the more you put out and the less you put in yields greater weight loss. Clearly, this is true to some degree, since we all gained weight by putting in more than we used up. But our bodies are living, functioning organisms that need nutrients to survive. Just as eating too much food was not healthy, which we have all acknowledged since we're here, neither is eating too little food.

I'll stop there, as I'm well aware that this is a heated issue on these boards and everyone and their mother has opinions and success stories. So if what you're doing is working and you're happy and healthy, then keep doing it. If what you're doing is not leading you where you want, feel free to look around for other advice and recommendations.

I very much agree with this. It is a heated issue. I didn't eat back my exercise calories for a while and I hit a plateau until I started eating them again. Calories are energy and your body needs a certain amount to function. Starving your body of that may result in weight loss, but it will only be temporary. Once you start putting food back into your body, it will hold onto everything as if you were about to hibernate for the winter.

Also, when I take advice from people on the forums, I generally look at their profiles so I can make sure it's not some know-it-all that hasn't lost any weight trying to tell me how.

Missevanston

I have seen the amount of cals you burn in a day lady and it is a ton! Im just wondering if you are using a Heart rate monitor or if you are going by what MFP estimates. The differences are pretty intence. I biught a HRM a little while ago and I have found that MFP's estimates are a little exagerated ( some workouts are a difference of upto 350 cals ) but that is just in my case.

Yes! I have a New Balance HRT+FIT. It is a pedometer (for all the walking I do at work, usually 6-10 miles in a morning before I get to the gym). I can monitor my Heart rate, miles walked, calories burned, etc. It is great. At the gym, I will usually use the reading on the Precor AMT or the Elliptical. A few times I used both, just to compare the two, and they are always within 10-15 of each other for calories and notably, the heart rate is always the same. Typical morning at the gym I will burn 740-780 cals. Typical day at work I will burn 300-600 calories just doing my job. My rate is set to active. I think my cals are set too high. Godd question! Thanks!

cnjbarry

I was just wondering one more thing, are you adding the cals you burn at work as well?

westcoastSW

Yes! I have a New Balance HRT+FIT. It is a pedometer (for all the walking I do at work, usually 6-10 miles in a morning before I get to the gym). I can monitor my Heart rate, miles walked, calories burned, etc. It is great. At the gym, I will usually use the reading on the Precor AMT or the Elliptical. A few times I used both, just to compare the two, and they are always within 10-15 of each other for calories and notably, the heart rate is always the same. Typical morning at the gym I will burn 740-780 cals. Typical day at work I will burn 300-600 calories just doing my job. My rate is set to active. I think my cals are set too high. Godd question! Thanks!

As a side note, if you set your rate to "active" due to having an active job and also count your exercise calories from work in your daily exercise log, you're actually counting them twice! Correcting this will help you -- you're getting double credit for them right now. I would suggest doing one of two things: either (1) set your rate to "sedentary" and continue to log calories from working, or (2) set your rate to "active" and then log ONLY calories burned from the gym or other deliberate workouts. This will be more accurate and your food diary won't show that you have quite so many calories left to eat.

jmo325

Also- you might be hungrier if you cut out some of the lattés. Just one tends to make me less hungry, much less 3.

Mads1997

ksloop00 Just wondering how much weight you have lost in a month following your own program? I may have to change to yours if it works so well.

runningneo122

Anybody that thinks eating more and exercising less is a key to weight loss will remain fat

Wow. Really?? If someone is not taking in enough calories and they are exercising way too much, then yes, they should be eating more and exercising less in order to remain healthy and keep their metabolism burning at optimum levels.

I just went through this last month and wrote about it in my blog.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/runningneo122

Too much exercise + not enough food = plateau.

Missevanston

I was just wondering one more thing, are you adding the cals you burn at work as well?

yes I am. I don't know if our exercise diaries are open too but, I do add calories burned at work each day.

amber_hanners

I have seen the amount of cals you burn in a day lady and it is a ton! Im just wondering if you are using a Heart rate monitor or if you are going by what MFP estimates. The differences are pretty intence. I biught a HRM a little while ago and I have found that MFP's estimates are a little exagerated ( some workouts are a difference of upto 350 cals ) but that is just in my case.

Yes! I have a New Balance HRT+FIT. It is a pedometer (for all the walking I do at work, usually 6-10 miles in a morning before I get to the gym). I can monitor my Heart rate, miles walked, calories burned, etc. It is great. At the gym, I will usually use the reading on the Precor AMT or the Elliptical. A few times I used both, just to compare the two, and they are always within 10-15 of each other for calories and notably, the heart rate is always the same. Typical morning at the gym I will burn 740-780 cals. Typical day at work I will burn 300-600 calories just doing my job. My rate is set to active. I think my cals are set too high. Godd question! Thanks!

amber_hanners

ugggghh well im not getting the quote thing but my question is if u already have your lifestyle rate set to active then are you actually supposed to count the calories from working??? my understanding is that the active rate already takes that in account therefore you only need to log what you do at the gym and that should give you alot less calories to have to eat back. dont quote me on this as i havent been here long and im not positive but its something to look into

Missevanston

One thing that helped me was to learn/realize the exercise is only to gain fitness only in both cardio and strength. I eat to only gain or lose weight via fat or muscle. I lose 1.5 to 2 pounds constantly each week weather I exercise or not. So with that said I developed my goals around that. Some examples of my goals would be: lowering my resting heart rate. I may do treadmill running daily and check my resting heart rate...After a week or two of that the RHR got much better. Next goal, build some quality muscle. To do this I workout with free weights on a regular basis and eat more protein, to help build muscle. The nice thing is that by sticking to the plan MFP set me on, there is no math involved, just follow along. The planning however is needed throughout the day with WHAT you eat to either gain or lose fat or muscle depending on the workout goals you are following.

I think some folks get caught up in the calories they eat and the working out they do with the only goal being to lose weight.

Hope that makes sense. Good luck!

Yes, it does make good sense. I appreciate your level headed approach. As I said, I realize this is hotly debated. My intention really was not to debate the science so to speak, but to figure out how to deal with the need to eat more. I never have been the best veggie eater, or the 'cleanest' eater, that is how I got here. I have done well so far, I have lost inches and pounds, and I have built stamina for exercise (which I had formerly). I am doing cardio 6 days and strength 3 days. I was so excited to finally 'get' the concept of calories in - calories out. Now, I think you are right. I have become so focused on calories and not thinking about fitness just weight loss. Thanks for the perspective!

Missevanston

ugggghh well im not getting the quote thing but my question is if u already have your lifestyle rate set to active then are you actually supposed to count the calories from working??? my understanding is that the active rate already takes that in account therefore you only need to log what you do at the gym and that should give you alot less calories to have to eat back. dont quote me on this as i havent been here long and im not positive but its something to look into

Just hit the quote button on the bottom right and then respond under the person's comment. You can do it!
Regarding what you said, THAT could be the issue! I don't really know the answer to this question, but again I appreciate it, and maybe I should not include them and see how that goes or change my activity level. Either change would have the same affect, right?

Mads1997

If you are set to active and you are including your work cals as exercise then you are doubling up. Try setting yourself to sedentary and still include your work cals drop yourself to lightly active and leave the walking at work out