Exercise calories.. 1200+ left for DINNER?!

RattieLove

Okay okay, I know there's a LOT of confusion on here about exercise calories, and I've gathered that I should eat at least 70-80% of my exercise calories to keep fueling my body and lose weight healthily. I burned 840 today with line dancing for 90 minutes and circuit training for 60. HOW in the WORLD am I supposed to eat 1200 for dinner tonight and lose weight!? It just seems unrealistic to me... What happened to PORTION SIZES!? My problem used to be eating a lot.., I joined MFP to make sure I cut that down and watched what I ate.
--I eat good, clean food, so I'm NOT asking whether it's okay to just snack on processed foods until my calorie limit is up--
What do I do?! Help!


Thanks so much!
Mae

chridow

i'd recommend you eat what you would normally eat for dinner. if you're still hungry maybe eat another 200-300 calories. if you don't make up the whole 1200, it won't be the end of the world. i'm pretty new here but have found that some days i'm over and some days i'm under (usually exercise days). things will balance out. just make sure you're drinking enough water to stay hydrated.

your body will tell you if you're full :-)

karlichelle18

Listening to your body trumps all, in my opinion. I've honestly had days where I'm under by that much and days I'm over by that much *usually weekend days when i'm over haha* .....but I'm sure as heck not going to make myself eat food for the sake of eating.

crazywheaten

That would be a sure sign I should order Lou Malnatis for dinner if it were me... lol

HoopFire5602

Agreed on doing what you can and leaving a deficit if you have to. I didn't eat back all mine yesterday...I had a 600 cal deficit but I felt fine. I just didn't want to eat for the sake of using up all my cals.

RattieLove

Okay, thanks:) Phew lol, I don't want to binge!!

So eating like a 500-600 calorie dinner won't kill me right? I'm just trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and not get used to eating a lot, like I used to do. Bad habits die hard and I know if I binge on dinner again, my floodgates will open and I'll eat well over 1200! ^^; how embarrassing! lol.

sammys1girly

If I burn off alot in a day, I usually enjoy some extra snacks, but am happy when there are a couple hundred calories left. Shouldn't hurt your weight loss.

aippolito1

Yes, your problem was eating...but you weren't exercising. That's the difference. You burn through a LOT of energy when you work out - a calorie is energy. You just spent a LOT of energy, now you have to repay it! Would you run your car without gas? Or try to use an electronic without a charge or without batteries? You don't have to eat ALL the calories, but enough to where you feel okay physically... if you're hungry at the end of the day and have tons of calories, hello, eat more!

CodyD18

I think you should just eat what you would normally eat and then eat a little more later if you're hungry. Don't worry about getting your calories. I'd recommend eating 5 or 6 meals throughout the day so that it's easier to get enough. You should also eat a big breakfast (maybe 500-600 calories). 2300 calories is A LOT of healthy food but only like 1 trip to McDonalds. Isn't it funny how that works? :P

pammilou

I think the others are right. I got this one time free counseling from a weight loss nutritionist earlier this year and she said that once in a while of not eating enough isn't going to immediately cause your body issues, it's just if that's your regular habit. But I would perhaps plan on a bit more food during the day when you know you'll be working out later? That will help your workout be awesome too

RattieLove

That's really true about the fact that I wasn't exercising either, arielle0489 And CodyD18, you're so right about healthy food and junk food.. you can eat so much more with healthy clean food, but with junk, you just get one meal and feel sick afterwards!!

I feel a lot better now, thanks everybody!
Oh and pammilou, yeah that's true too haha, a reason that I'm usually not a morning workout person.. no fuel in my tank yet!

emmalene1984

agree with the others, listen to your body, maybe have a normal 500-600 cal dinner and then an hour later or so have some desert, like greek yoghurt and honey, or some fruit. thats what i do to keep my calories up as i am also trying to eat only clean, natural, good foods :-)

good luck.

RattieLove

Sounds delicious, thanks

knapowell

I know it doesn't always work for everyone, but I log my exercise in the morning (if I'm working out in the afternoon or evening). That way I can more evenly distribute my calories throughout the day. It also makes me more accountable for getting that late workout in - don't want to have had all of those extra calories with no workout.