Calorie Intake and Exercise question...PLEASE HELP!!!

shortee75

Okay, so how many of you actually eat the calories you burn from exercise on top of what MFP says you should be eating daily? My goal is 1200/day and depending on what day it is I can easily burn 500+ in exercise. Here is my exercise routine for the week as of last Thursday:

Monday: 30 Day Shred and Body Pump (30-45 minutes)
Tuesday: 30 Day Shred and Zumba twice (total of 90 minutes)
Wednesday: 30 Day Shred and 1 hour Step Aerobics
Thursday: 30-day Shred and Zumba twice (total of 90 minutes)
Friday: 30 Day Shred and possibly Body Pump (1 hour)
Saturday: 30 Day Shred and Step Aerobics (1 hour)
Sunday: 30 Day Shred

Should I only try to eat the 1200/day to see if I lose weight or should I try adding in 1/2 of what I burn in exercise? I seem to be on a downward spiral with losing weight and I'm not ready to give up because I feel better, I'm just not seeing it on the scale. I'm even doing WW and I'm losing less than 1/2 lb per week :-(

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/opinions.

~Angie~

aneumany

considering u only have about 20 lbs to lose id suggest eating more now.. especially since u are working out so much, and u should probably start giving urself a day off, ur body needs to recover from all that exercise ull be surprised wat some rest will do for ya!...

fab50G

With all that exercise, especially anthing that's building lean muscle, you probably do need to eat more calories. I ususally use some of my exercise calories, but I try not to use them all.

melbhall

I've always been told to eat them back. If you take in 1200 and burn 500 you're only really getting 700 a day. Although I don't think you should force yourself to eat anything, and eating back 500 calories worth of fried junk probably isn't the way to go either (although I have been known to use exercise calories for wine...yikes). I say you can eat up to the amount of your exericse calories just try to make good choices, and if that seems like too much to eat, maybe eat something that's good for you but higher in calories like pb and celery, or cottage cheese and fruit or something. If you are in a slump right now anyway, why not try it out and see what happens!

BJC78

Wow! Everything I've been reading has been saying to try to NET at least your 1200...which I am struggling with! So im interested once again in what others say...also if any one has any suggestions on things to eat to boost back up your calories....

1horsetown

Make every effort to eat ALL your exercise calories.

I lost about 30 # and then my weight loss stopped. I upped my base calories by 300 and continue to eat at least most of my exercise calories and the weight is starting to come off again.

Your body has adapted to the work level, now you need to switch it up. Eat MORE not less.

alliebe

I am glad you posted this because I have the same question.
I try to eat 1200 - 1300 on a daily basis I usually burn an additional 500-800 calories.
I am not currently eating more than 1300 something. I have lost 10 pounds in two weeks though - it is the beginning and weight loss is always quicker in the beginning. I am doing P90X and couch to 5k program, so I work out 9 times a week with only one day of rest. I am also on the P90X eating plan which is only one serving of carb per day.

skinnyinnotime

Hi there, I haven't got any amazing advice i'm afraid but wanted to say it seems you're doing everything and then some! It's bloody hard work losing weight, i'm also on 1200 cals and it's tough sticking to it.

Maybe with all the exercise you're doing you should eat some more, seems like you're exercising so much on so few calories.

Even though it's not much, you're still losing something, stay positive, you will reach your goal...and hopefully someone with better advice will be along soon!

Gloworm2791

I agree with the previous comment. You do need to rest every other day. Also, it seems like you are eating too little therefore your body has kicked into starvation mode and is saving all you eat rather that burning calories, which is why you're not losing anymore weight. Eating too little is just as bad as overeaten in a sense. Hope this helps

raza78

In order to lose weight you need to be creating a deficit in your calories that you are taking in! So my advice is yes, stick with the 1200 cal diet to keep losing! It does get harder to lose the weight the closer you are to being to your goal! How long have you been doing this same workout routine? It could be that your body is used to what you are doing and has adapted to it! You may need to shake things up and try something different to confuse your body and make it let go! Make sure that you are not going UNDER the 1200 a day! Good luck!

mama2pax

I was at a 1200 calorie goal, and I did not eat my exercise calories. I was burning 300 - 500 calories a day, easily. I did lose weight quickly, but I started having dizzy spells, shakiness, and almost passing out a few times a week. My doctor said I wasn't eating enough calories for my activity level. I would recommend you eat more calories if you continue to exercise at that level.

BECav0602

I can't see your diary but if your calorie limit is 1200 and you burn 500 you are only getting 700 NET calories a day. So, you need to eat them back. I would actually up your calorie intake a little bit and then eat back your exercise calories or at least half of them. If you consistently go below 1200 NET calories your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto fat. Remember that MFP alreaady factors in the calorie deficit needed to lose the amount you set per week. So, losing 1lb a week is a 500 calorie deficit from maintaining per day. Remember that you will actually have to eat more once you get closer to your goal, especially since you are exercising so much. Hope this helps and good luck!

lovemyhellokitty

I eat most of my exercise calories back.

I don't know if YOU should eat your exercise calories back or not BUT if my workout schedule was like yours and I only ate 1200 calories, I would be stealing my kids food because I would be starving

BECav0602

In order to lose weight you need to be creating a deficit in your calories that you are taking in! So my advice is yes, stick with the 1200 cal diet to keep losing! It does get harder to lose the weight the closer you are to being to your goal! How long have you been doing this same workout routine? It could be that your body is used to what you are doing and has adapted to it! You may need to shake things up and try something different to confuse your body and make it let go! Make sure that you are not going UNDER the 1200 a day! Good luck!

MFP already factors in a deficit according to the goal you set. So, if you put lose 1lb a week MFP already factors in the 500 calorie deficit. That is why they encourage you to eat back some of your exercise calories if not all of them.

Losing2Live69

This is probably the most talked about subject here on MFP. Search "exercise calories" at the search tab and you will find an abundance of information. The answer is YES. Some people will disagree. This is the way I look at it. Our metabolism is like a fire. The more we exercise, the hotter the fire burns. What do you to keep a hot fire burning? You fuel it! There is no way for your metabolism to stay in the mode of burning fat if you don't take in enough calories. Don't fuel the fire...eventually, the fire will fizzle out. Don't eat enough calories, eventually you are going to plateau or stop losing all together. Also, if you don't already have one, invest in a HRM. It is one of the most valuable tools in diet and exercise. You can't always depend on the figures in the exercise database to be accurate. To truly know how much you are burning you need a HRM. I hope this helps!

championnfl

Should never go lower then 1200 calories. So need to eat "all" your exercise calories also. If you go below 1200 cals. body will do the opposite of what your trying to do. Google, exercise, starvation mode,& other losing weight topics,will be amazed at what you read! Knowledge is power!!!! Good Luck...

P.S. LOWER your expectations, weight wasn't put on in a short time & will take time to lose it and keep it off. 5lbs should be the max you lose a month or about 1lb a week, this comes out to 52 lbs a year.[big picture]. Eat as you would when you reach your goal. Body knows what going on when changes occur! Quit using scale as your barometer, use clothes,pictures & comments by others....

kylakesgal

I try to eat as many back as I can. It takes careful planning sometimes to get that many calories in a day especially on big burn days but it works much better if you eat them. If you are at 1200 calories and burn 500, you should try to eat 1700 calories a day. I've tried it both ways and eating them back works!! Try adding in some protein shakes, greek yogurt, almonds and good healthy snacks to increase your calories. I recently upped my calories because I was at a plateau. I increased from 1200 to 1380 and started losing again:) I know it's a little scarey at first to eat more but try it, I think you will be pleased with the results:) Good luck!

CowgirlSRS

You should definitely make up for at least some of the calories you burn. 1200 is awfully low to begin with, and if you're not making up the 500+ that you're burning you will actually have a harder time shedding pounds - your body will burn more effectively if it has the fuel to do it. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but it works! Good luck!

Losing2Live69

I was at a 1200 calorie goal, and I did not eat my exercise calories. I was burning 300 - 500 calories a day, easily. I did lose weight quickly, but I started having dizzy spells, shakiness, and almost passing out a few times a week. My doctor said I wasn't eating enough calories for my activity level. I would recommend you eat more calories if you continue to exercise at that level.

The same exact thing happened to me!! I got really sick...almost ended up in the hospital!

Losing2Live69

I am glad you posted this because I have the same question.
I try to eat 1200 - 1300 on a daily basis I usually burn an additional 500-800 calories.
I am not currently eating more than 1300 something. I have lost 10 pounds in two weeks though - it is the beginning and weight loss is always quicker in the beginning. I am doing P90X and couch to 5k program, so I work out 9 times a week with only one day of rest. I am also on the P90X eating plan which is only one serving of carb per day.

One serving of carbs a day is not healthy. It can actually cause kidney damage if you are upping your protein too much. Google "ketoacidosis and RDA of nutrients". They say you should eat 45% or so of your calories in carbs a day for a reason. As soon as you go back to eating "normal" you will gain weight back. I don't think it is realistic to stick to a "one carb a day" diet for the reset of your life. That is why this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. A diet is temporary, a lifestyle change is for life!

shortee75

P.S. LOWER your expectations, weight wasn't put on in a short time & will take time to lose it and keep it off. 5lbs should be the max you lose a month or about 1lb a week, this comes out to 52 lbs a year.[big picture]. Eat as you would when you reach your goal. Body knows what going on when changes occur! Quit using scale as your barometer, use clothes,pictures & comments by others....

Thank you for your response. I find it funny that you mentioned to stop using the scale because I have several friends that tell me the same thing...LOL! They keep saying that they can see the difference in my shape, etc. I am trying to get to that mindset, just not quite there yet!

I want to thank everyone else for their responses as well - you all have helped tremendously.

cmbneeley

all your exercises need healthy fueled muscle to keep working and to burn fat. if you're eating at only 1200 and burning 500, then your body is going to get used to the routine and start getting the energy it needs to function from your muscles instead of burning fat. you're body knows that it takes more energy (calories) to maintain muscle that it does to maintain fat, so if you're constantly at a huge calorie deficit then your body will begin to lose lean body mass instead of fat (that's what people mean when your body "holds onto fat"). you need to eat back at least some of your exercise calories to keep your muscles fueled so that you can burn the fat. it may seem like weight loss on the scale is slower, but the health improvements from properly fueling your body are so great, and it will help you keep the weight off in the long run instead of gaining it back when you reach your goal and start maintenance.