Need good opinion on my exercise cals

hsnider29

Just some background...I am 30 years old 5'0" and currently 129lbs. To date I have lost a total of 34 lbs since last May. I originally had my weight loss goal set to 2 lbs per week and my cals have always been 1200. I have pretty consistently lost 1-2 lbs a week but sometimes I only eat 1000-1200 calories. I consider myself lightly active and my BMR is 1232. I work 30 hours a week but 90% is sitting. I don't always exercise consistently. MFP currently has my weightloss at 0.9 lbs per week and I had reached a little of a plateau but finally lost a pound this past week.

I know it is recommended that everyone should eat their exercise calories and definately net 1200 calories but my question is am I really going to go into starvation mode if I net 1000-1200 calories? I would like to have more of a deficit but it is nearly impossible with my size. I have started lifting weights with my boyfriend and am going to try my best to get in 30 min of cardio 3 times a week.

Even if I change my goal my calories still stay at 1200 and I eat when I am hungry but I want to do this in a healthy way and don't want to be skinny fat. Does anyone of similar size or more knowledge have any advice?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

aeckels616

You will not go into starvation mode for eating less than 1200 calories. Starvation mode exists when people eat less than 50% of their daily needed calories, which for you (and me) is much less than other taller people. I have my daily calorie goal set at 1100.

The real issue is getting enough nutrition on less than 1200 calories. I am on supplements to be sure I'm getting all the vitamins, minerals, etc. that I need. If you're not taking supplements, you have to be very careful about the types of food you're eating to be sure you're feeding your body what it needs.

The other thing to be aware of if you're eating your exercise calories is to be sure you're not over-logging what you burn exercising. MFP will calculate total calories burned, but you should be logging NET calories burned, because MFP already assumed you've burned SOME calories for that period of the day you spent exercising. Subtract the calories you would have burned if you spent that hour doing normal daily activity intead of exercising. Otherwise, you're double-entering those calories and can easily overeat if you eat them all back.

Sometimes it's tough being short, eh?

hsnider29

I take a multivitamin, b12 and milk thistle daily. I try to get as much protein as I can. Today I felt like I ate super healthy, some days I snack more and eat more processed foods like sf jello pudding. Occasionally I have a burger or chick-fil-a but I always try to stay within my calorie goal.

I'm scared to eat my exercise calories because then I feel like I won't have a deficit at all. The most I burn is usually 200-400 calories and sometimes it is even less than that. Thanks for the advice.

missbeezy

I do know for a fact that before you reach or when you reach starvation mode you will be losing hair or loss of menstrual cycles and many many other symptoms. You can Google for more info.

Everyone is different and you can speak to your Dr for more help. Just make sure you get your vitamins and calcium in and are eating when hungry. . People like to throw out the words starvation mode just because on this site. go with what a professional says. (I was told I was going thru it when I'm over 200 lbs and no Where near starving) so I quit taking advicecfrom this site and just use it only for support which is great. Best of luck!

papastu

the good old question about exercise and calories, go and talk to your Doctor and you will be amazed by what a professional tells you




Stu

hsnider29

I'm not trying to be snarky but I'm a nurse and I have spoken with doctor's regarding this issue and I have never been told to eat back exercise calories. I'm not even sure a regular family physician or internist would be the best person for me to ask maybe a nutritionist? I know that the doctors I worked for didn't seem to have a vast knowledge about nutrition.

hsnider29

I actually want to add that I'm not asking for a PROFESSIONAL opinion. I do know that there are people on this site that are very educated in this area and I was asking for their opinion.

papastu

i never eat back my exercise cals after advice, works fine for me , just hate imposing opinions on others

hsnider29

Thanks!