Goal, Food, Exercise, Net, Remaining calories???

MikeHankins

I have never been so successful on a diet. It’s never been so effortless. In fact do to my schedule being so busy during March, April and beginning of May I decided to just start eating better until finals were over and I've lost 14lbs in 6 weeks. Now I'm able to work out with my wife and kids, we bike ride allot and it is by no means leisure. With the hills I really burn the calories. So on to my question. I am so use to the calories being low now I'm not really hungry. When I workout my exercise adds to my calories remaining. For instance today’s looks like this.

Goal Food Exercise Net Remaining
1360 1716 900 816 544


I'm not hungry and I don’t feel like I need to take in the remaining calories since I have alread taken in my goal calories of the day. But will it help my weight loss if I do? The thing I like about this program is it’s not really a diet. It’s a life style change. But sometimes what you don’t know, CAN hurt you! My guess is that I will continue to lose weight but more than likely start to bonk and lose energy. However, I could be wrong. I just started biking about a week or so ago. Just want to make sure I don't slow my progress. I’m really not sure if I’m burning food calories of fat calories when I’m exercising. Anyway, feel me in guys. Let me know what you think and if I was clear.

SheilaSisco

It will stall out your weight loss if you do that regularly. MFP calculates a calorie deficit for you, so for the BEST results you should be netting at least 1500 calories daily. That is the minimum for a male for his body to function fully and properly. I bet you see better losses if you up them...

precious71701

This is a question that several people want to know the answer to....I just burned 825 calories...all the food I ate today...no way I'm about to eat another 1200...Waiting to hear what people have to say...Sorry I could not help...

xcountrymom2

Being new myself, I have had the same questions. What I like to do is to put different scenarios in and hit the green button at the bottom and it will tell you what you will weigh if every day was like that day. Even if you don't feel hungry, add something to the diary for that day that you might eat and then hit the green button again. How much did it change in that weight loss? My husband and I have both been exercising but we have not been using most of our extra (exercise) calories that we earned. For instance, I must stay at 1200 calories to lose 1.6 pounds per week and my husband must stay at 2000 calories. Even though I will get between 300 and 600 calories extra that I could eat for my work outs, we normally don't take them. I have lost 2.5 lbs per week the last two weeks doing this and my husband 8 lbs in 3 weeks. I don't know if this helps you much....good luck/good health/good eating!

Rinny_D

if your not hungry, don't eat. You might get day's where you are starving though, and it's probably your bodies way of catching up, just like occasionally you might need a sleep in so your body can catch up it's rest.

I think that as long as your eating a healthy, well balanced diet and drinking plenty of water, you are heading in the right direction.

Listen to your body. It knows itself best.

Good luck.

lgreenawalt1

Hi , I am also new... About the calories in and exercise question... Dont the fitness guru's always say, eat least and move more? I think that MFP is just an average. Every person is different in their needs.. esp when your only 5 feet 1 inch like myself. I cant fathom eating 1200 calories in a day especially when I exercise and it wants me to eat even more... I dont exercise like a fool, I might burn 325 a day on the average but my theory is," the quality of food your eating not quantity".. I can have scrambled eggs with peppers, onions and tomatoes for breakfast, then I usually eat my fiber cereal w strawberries, blueberries and skim milk for lunch, might have another piece of fruit for snack before dinner and then have salad with grilled chicken breast or turkey with steamed vegies on side for supper... that is still less than 1000 cal a day, but in all actuality its a lot of food. So I think its fine even if you dont eat your total 1200/2000 calories a day allowance. I am a firm believer in the "eat less and move more theory"..

Hope this shines some light for you...

Laura g

alishathiel

The more weight you have to lose the less exercise calories you need to consume. As you get closer to your goal weight you will need to change things up. Good luck!

MikeHankins

I think that your rite. I have always been fit and never had much problems with cutting up. Until my schedule got busy and obviously I'm getting older so my body metabolism is slowing. Im only trying to lose another 10lbs. The last 10lbs are always the hardest. If Im hungry I normal eat. I just look at my nutrients for the day to gage what I need more of... Fats, Carbs or Protein. Or what I have the most of. Thanks.

connieholiday

all i know is that i have talked to many people on here and have looked into it a bit, what i have learned is that you want to eat those calories or you will go into starvation mode and your body will go into the fight or flight mode. It will store every calorie you eat, and you will quit losing weight. As well you will start losing muscle mass. This is all i know....hope it helped!

NAMsMommy

I just know what has worked for ME! Keep in mind, I am not a professional, nor can I guarantee that what worked for me will work for you.

On the days I know I am going to work out hard-core, I eat a bigger breakfast. I also have a couple higher calorie- good fat snacks (ie avocado or almonds) Those two snacks help with the calorie intake.

I also try to "pre-plan" what I am going to eat, so that I know where I might need to make adjustments.

Personally, when I "net" (food - exercise calories burned) around 1200-1300 I am losing. I have been doing really great this month.

MikeHankins

Its no wonder women are so successful at reaching goals. You ladies put a side the childish pride that leads most men i know to never getting results because they are to prideful to ask questions and admit that they dont know everything. Well, I believe I found an answer to the question. I already knew the answer. I just seem to question myself. I starting med school soon and still sometimes have a problem with letting the numbers be what they are and trusting the programs such as MFP. Well for the those that would like more info on the subject. Please read the post on the link below

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

Cburns72

if your not hungry, don't eat. You might get day's where you are starving though, and it's probably your bodies way of catching up, just like occasionally you might need a sleep in so your body can catch up it's rest.

I think that as long as your eating a healthy, well balanced diet and drinking plenty of water, you are heading in the right direction.

Listen to your body. It knows itself best.

Good luck.

MikeHankins

Here's the thing. I listen to my body. I have been doing this long enough to know that if I’m hungry to drink water 1st and wait for 10-15mins. If I’m still hungry I eat. The signal that is sent from your stomach to your brain is received and interpreted the same for hunger and thirst. One of the main reasons that people gain weight and that water is pushed so much. Very good rule of thumb for eating less. it’s about a 50/50 with me. Sometimes I’m starving and drink water and I’m fine. Other times I’m still starving. Its interesting. I don’t go long without eating. But when i get hungry its like intense. anyway, I’ve been eating my calories. I think its best. I didn’t eat enough or like i should when doing P90X last year and my weight lose was minimal and results nothing like I expected. I got to that point were i was afraid to eat. Well, I’m nothing like that now. Love food. But I also love this program and want to give it a real chance to train myself. In a years time i should be fine without it and eating the rite amounts and rite foods will be second nature to me hopefully. Until then I log everything... And I mean everything. I have been doing so for 7 weeks. I am 15lbs down.