Too little calories...

soursequence

I'm new to this whole "eating right" thing and I've been exercising for about an hour each day. I eat enough to feel full throughout the day but after I add my exercise, my calories are wayyy too low (about 300-500 a day).
I saw something about how you're supposed to eat back the calories you exercised off but how does that make sense?
Please help!

ETA: I usually wake up around 1pm which may contribute because then I only eat 2 meals...

jrich1

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

ashlinmarie

You're body is going to go into starvation mode eating that amount of calories. You need to consume at least 1200 a day, and that's not including exercise. I know it seems counter productive, but MFP sets you at deficit to your BMR (basic metabolic rate) depending on how active you are and how much you want to lose per week. I set mine to 2 lbs and am lightly active without exercise which is about a 900 calorie deficit. If you go below that, your body will begin to store fat because it is not getting enough fuel to function. It will also eat away at your muscle before fat. Try to get 3-4 small meals in per day as opposed to just two and that should help as well.

Barelmy

MFP has the deficit built in. If you eat at the (net) calories given, theoretically you will lose the amount of weight you specified. Any other calories you burn, outside of your normal daily activity, are on top of that.

There is some debate over this; some people find they don't lose weight at all without eating their exercise calories back, and some find they're fine without them. If you're working out that hard, I would suggest eating at least some of them.

annacataldo

eat higher calorie healthy food---rice, potatoes, raisins, banana, beans, NUTS, PEANUTBUTTER, prunes, etc r all high calorie healthy foods.. if your really under you could combine these items---raisins in your rice for sweet rice, peanutbutter on banana for dessert, beans and rice for dinner... all of these options are healthy, natural and clean foods. If your having some low calorie snack, trade it for a high calorie snack like nuts, and if your eating a salad for dinner with some huge amounts of veggies, still have veggies but not as many then add in nuts, raisins, cheese, maybe even beans to salads to increase calories... if your eating a cup of strawberries as a snack thats only 40calories eat a 100calorie banana instead.

liveyourlifex

yeah, just eat high caloric foods if you cant intake too much
try dried fruit instead of fresh fruit, bagels, peanut butter, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, any nuts for that matter, pastas, and theres a lot more but i just cant think of any if you type in high caloric foods on google, im sure there would be a lot of ideas for you

kanonxbou47

eat higher calorie healthy food---rice, potatoes, raisins, banana, beans, NUTS, PEANUTBUTTER, prunes, etc r all high calorie healthy foods.. if your really under you could combine these items---raisins in your rice for sweet rice, peanutbutter on banana for dessert, beans and rice for dinner... all of these options are healthy, natural and clean foods. If your having some low calorie snack, trade it for a high calorie snack like nuts, and if your eating a salad for dinner with some huge amounts of veggies, still have veggies but not as many then add in nuts, raisins, cheese, maybe even beans to salads to increase calories... if your eating a cup of strawberries as a snack thats only 40calories eat a 100calorie banana instead.

That's good advice.