Something Most People Don't Seem To Know...

AngelaAbbott391

Okay, so this is it.

Does anyone know the order that your body burns things? This is what most people struggling with their weight seem to not know. I used to know this in full scale, but I'm just going to give you a summary.
Your body burns things in this order:

-Your food intake
-Your fat
-Your muscle (as in proteins.)

Guess what this means, people!
You have to burn everything that you have ate for the day in order to begin burning your fat. So if you do a lot of exercise and then "celebrate" by eating a lot, or think "oh, I burn xxx calories today, so I can treat myself" (something along those lines, you get it..) Than you have virtually gotten nowhere. Sure, you'll loose weight by exercising and improving your eating habits, and lifestyle in general, but REAL (as in it stays, and you don't just go back to your weight soon after) effective and fast weight loss is when you burn more calories than you have taken in.

Now I am not telling you that you need to go exercise off every calorie you have burned, because your body naturally burns calories just by sitting still. But the good part about exercising a lot is that your metabolism boots and you burn more calories just by sitting!

(When I decided to loose weight for good, this speech clicked into my head. My middle school health teacher took a whole class preaching about it, and it was one speech that I never forgot. Just so you know where I'm getting this all from )

Now one more tip! Does anyone here know how little it takes to keep the human body running? 2-3 small meals a day. I usually eat a granola bar or 2 for breakfast, maybe a cup of yogurt or two for lunch, maybe 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs for dinner. The average American eats WAY more than they should, so when you switch to how much you should eat right away, you'll probably be very hungry because your body is used to a much larger intake.
One more thing: Drink lots of water! Loosing water weight is so easy, but you have to keep drinking water for it to stay.

Hope this helps!

Heather75

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

BarbelleBaby

So you think your body will burn ONLY fat until it has all gone? And have you forgotten about glycogen stores (energy in the form of carbs)?

Your body breaks down glycogen, fat AND protein for use ALL the time. It is the RATIO of the 'fuels' that changes, depending on needs.

tlynnweb

Oh my, you eat 500 calories a day ??? Do you eat fruits or veggies? All I see tracked is KFC and granola bars!

stefvance32

you're not eating enough honey....you can't get by on granola, yogurt, and hard boiled eggs. That is serious starvation mode. You need greens, healthy fats, more carbs. More everything.

chevy88grl

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

I'm going to continue to eat my exercise calories just like I have been.
I'm going to continue allowing myself a treat just like I have been.
I'm going to continue eating as many calories as I am just like I have been.

I've lost almost 60lbs doing it the way I am - so I'm doing something right.

FearAnLoathing

*sigh*

rockthehourglass

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

That's what I was thinking as I read that. It's farrr more complicated in fact!

nuimproved

Hey Angela,

While it's true most people do eat more than they need this is often not the only issue. Your description of what you eat in a day scared me a little--seriously a granola bar, some yogurt and a couple of boiled eggs. I took a look at your diary and saw you have set your goal to 500 cals a day. Please consult a nutritionist and/or a doctor. It is extremely difficult for your body to get enough nutrients with that little food intake. If you are concerned with eating lo-cal add some fruit and veggies to your diet--most are low in calories but high in fibre and other nutrients. Good luck on your journey.

iamstaceywood

Not for nothing, and I don't debunk your opinion entierly but, wow. I bet you believe it. And I bet you will lose a ton of weight. Till you eat normally. Starving yourself makes your pants lose but, its temporary.
Also, at 1 lb lost, you are in no position to be handing out crap information.

papastu

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

Im sure this applies if you have done a 10 mile run, doesnt really apply to burning off 300 cals a day at the gym

Christine1110

What you are doing is a FAD diet...we have all tried them and they DON"T work! That is why this site is so wonderful....you must log your HEALTHY & BALANCED foods in everyday to have it work for you!

Yes eating very little you will lose weight.....BUT you will never keep it off! and that is are goal on here. You can not live on such a small amount of calories forever....and when you starting eating normal (about 1200 calories) your body is going to keep everything it can..... Just eat HEALTHY veggies & fruit, nuts and whole grains the weight will come off....and you will KEEP IT OFF! that is what we all strive to do. Not lose it in a month and gain double by the end of the year!!

jbucci1186

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

I'm going to continue to eat my exercise calories just like I have been.
I'm going to continue allowing myself a treat just like I have been.
I'm going to continue eating as many calories as I am just like I have been.

I've lost almost 60lbs doing it the way I am - so I'm doing something right.

well said. i agree completely. (congrats on the weight loss btw!)

pauljsolie

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

I'm going to continue to eat my exercise calories just like I have been.
I'm going to continue allowing myself a treat just like I have been.
I'm going to continue eating as many calories as I am just like I have been.

I've lost almost 60lbs doing it the way I am - so I'm doing something right.

I agree. Our bodies need a BALANCED amount of fuel to burn during the day depending on what activities are being performed. One reason the low carb diets are questionable is that they force the body to burn fat when glycogen would be a better more efficient option. Sure you can lose weight that way but at what cost, your normal liver function? Gaining it back when you try to re-enter the normal eating world? I'm going to continue to do what I've done and what Chevy88grl has done. If it works and it ain't broke, why fix it?

Barelmy

We know this. The calories MFP gives are based on how many you will burn in a day, minus a healthy deficit for weight-loss.

You're not saying anything wrong or inaccurate, but your post is misleading, and the lack of specific info means that it can very easily be read as instructions for starving oneself.

Edit: Which it seems like you're doing. Please start eating healthily, and treating your body right.

rockthehourglass

Yes eating very little you will lose weight.....BUT you will never keep it off! and that is are goal on here. You can not live on such a small amount of calories forever....and when you starting eating normal (about 1200 calories) your body is going to keep everything it can..... Just eat HEALTHY veggies & fruit, nuts and whole grains the weight will come off....and you will KEEP IT OFF! that is what we all strive to do. Not lose it in a month and gain double by the end of the year!!

Not to mention...crash dieting WILL really screw with your metabolism and self esteem. If you start this nonsense at age 18, chances are you will be a hot mess by 38 (says the 38 year old hot mess ).

eeeekie

and when you stop losing weight, your body is no longer strong and you lose muscle mass...don't forget that MFP tried to help you by giving you a deficit and a certain amount of calories that you should consume (all). good luck with that crazy, unhealthy way of looking at it.

Heather75

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

Im sure this applies if you have done a 10 mile run, doesnt really apply to burning off 300 cals a day at the gym

I disagree.

pauljsolie

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

Im sure this applies if you have done a 10 mile run, doesnt really apply to burning off 300 cals a day at the gym

I disagree.

I'm dumb, see below

pauljsolie

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

Im sure this applies if you have done a 10 mile run, doesnt really apply to burning off 300 cals a day at the gym

I disagree.

I agree with the above disagreement. MFP calculates my calorie goal for a 2 pound loss per week WHICH IS HEALTHY. When I burn additional calories at the gym and I don't eat them back, sure I'll lose pounds faster but I cannot keep that up long term because my body needs to be FUELED REGULARLY to function properly. I believe not eating back the majority of exercise calories are one reason we hit plateaus. Our bodies need time to readjust to the wacky eating habits we are trying out. Stay around your calorie goal and a nice steady loss will occur. This I want to lose it all now thinking is our biggest hurdle to get over.

Brownaiey

I dont agree with your methods I am losing weight following the 1200 calorie schedule with 5 days a wk workouts is working wonders for me I have never felt better in my life its like a blast of energy. Everything is just marvelous I am loving some me I never wanted to do diets just have control of what and how much I ate daily. My fitnesspal has helped me tremendously including my friends, family and coworkers, I have learned you need to eat to fuel the body with the right foods so it does have something to burn and the body does not go into starvation mode. You are not giving your body the fuel it needs to survive I feel sorry for your insides. Eat some food Please!

ladyhawk00

You are somewhat correct in some of your ideas, but you're leaving out some important details in this post.

First, while the body does use energy sources in a kind of "order", it's not a linear process and is dependent on a LOT of factors. As in, even someone with a LOT of fat stores (ie 100+ lbs to lose) will still burn muscle along with fat. It's a small percentage of muscle, but the body cannot access all of the fat stores immediately. And, as those fat stores diminish, it becomes much more difficult for the body to access them quickly for energy purposes. So, more muscle is burned with the fat, because muscle is easier/faster to metabolize in the short term.

And yes, you have to eat less than you burn. However, you have to take into account ALL of the energy your body uses on a daily basis.

BMR is basal metabolic rate, the amount of energy your body requires to maintain basic functions such as breathing and circulation, as if in a coma. Most women have a BMR of at least 1350, up to 1600-1700 for someone who is tall.

Daily activity level is the amount of calories your body burns just doing normal daily activities, such as brushing your teeth, watching tv, cooking dinner, your job, etc. This does not include purposeful exercise. This typically adds AT LEAST 300 calories to BMR (for sedentary.)

These two numbers together represent maintenance calories, what you would eat to maintain your current weight (again, with no purposeful exercise, when using MFP's calculations.) This is the number from which your deficit is created. So, for an average woman, it looks like this (just as an example, with generic numbers):

BMR 1400
Daily Activity 400
Maintenance calories 1800
Moderate deficit for weight loss of about 500
Daily calorie requirements for weight loss - ~1300

If this woman exercises, she requires more calories, because some of those calories she ate were used to provide fuel for the exercise, and those were not accounted for in her daily requirements yet. Her TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is higher than if she didn't exercise, and her intake must increase, or her deficit will be higher.

Now, your example of intake is sorely inadequate. Even a decent protein bar has only ~200 cals. A cup of plain yogurt is around 150 cals, flavored/sweetened around 200. We'll go with the higher one. 3 hard boiled eggs is about 233 cals. So, total.....

633 cals for the day. This is called a starvation diet and will result in malnutrition, decreased metabolism, loss of lean mass (muscle) and a host of other issues. This provides less than half of the calories required for basic functions like breathing (I don't know about you, but I don't consider breathing optional or a luxury.)

Providing enough fuel is essential. Yes, the average overweight/obese person eats too much. But large deficits, improper and insufficient nutrition, and a starvation diet, are not safe or healthy.

It may help to read these threads that explain how MFP works, metabolism, and why it is important to fuel the body properly.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

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

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works

Brownaiey

I agree well said good job!

suzycreamcheese

*rolls eyes*

you'll learn

chevy88grl

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

I'm going to continue to eat my exercise calories just like I have been.
I'm going to continue allowing myself a treat just like I have been.
I'm going to continue eating as many calories as I am just like I have been.

I've lost almost 60lbs doing it the way I am - so I'm doing something right.

well said. i agree completely. (congrats on the weight loss btw!)

Thanks!

tezarozaboza

OMG - I'd feel like death if thats all I ate.

Surely this is just a fad diet and if in any way you mange to maintain it you'll put all the weight back on once you start eating right again.

Please follow the plan MFP has given you, it works, you only have to see peoples tickers to know that.

Terri xx

chevy88grl

*sigh*

Because this website has a built in calorie deficit, it is important to eat back most of your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. The MINIMUM number of calories you should be consuming is 1200 per day.

*sigh*

Im sure this applies if you have done a 10 mile run, doesnt really apply to burning off 300 cals a day at the gym

I disagree.

I agree with the above disagreement. MFP calculates my calorie goal for a 2 pound loss per week WHICH IS HEALTHY. When I burn additional calories at the gym and I don't eat them back, sure I'll lose pounds faster but I cannot keep that up long term because my body needs to be FUELED REGULARLY to function properly. I believe not eating back the majority of exercise calories are one reason we hit plateaus. Our bodies need time to readjust to the wacky eating habits we are trying out. Stay around your calorie goal and a nice steady loss will occur. This I want to lose it all now thinking is our biggest hurdle to get over.

I agree with this post! When I wasn't eating enough - I plateaued for months (Sept 2010 to May 2011). Started eating more and what do you know? Off came more weight! Eat to lose. Eat to lose. EAT TO LOSE! (And no, this isn't the green light to consume all of your calories in one sitting -- it is the green light to eat a healthy, balanced diet that consists of all the food groups out there and even a treat now and then).

Tinan76

sounds like the crap they spew on pro ana web sites. Ana is not your friend.

kelseyk14

This is NOT TRUE. My degree is Nutrition and Exercise Science going into a Doc. Your body uses different forms of energy depending on whether or not you are aerobic or anaerobic state. Which refers to the presence and absence of oxygen, respectively. Most of our cells prefer to get their energy by using oxygen to fuel metabolism. During exercise with adequate fuel and oxygen (i.e., aerobic), muscle cells can contract repeatedly without fatigue. During anaerobic or non-oxygen conditions (i.e., higher intensity exercise), muscle cells must rely on other reactions that do not require oxygen to fuel muscle contraction. This anaerobic metabolism in the cells produces waste molecules that can impair muscle contractions.

Your heart rate/oxygen intake determines what kind of energy you burn at first its fat then when you reach a high heart rate you can into anaerobic (with out oxygen).

You are in danger of burning off you muscle eating so few calories. This is NOT the way to treat your body much less lose weight. You need to eat a healthy amount of whole foods to lose weight, not to much not to little. PLEASE do not pass off information that is false leave the teaching to the professionals PLEASE it can seriously make people very sick.

Cherilea

I think the way our bodies work is slightly more complicated than the original post states.

I'm going to continue to eat my exercise calories just like I have been.
I'm going to continue allowing myself a treat just like I have been.
I'm going to continue eating as many calories as I am just like I have been.

I've lost almost 60lbs doing it the way I am - so I'm doing something right.

well said. i agree completely. (congrats on the weight loss btw!)

Thanks!

AMEN!!!!! I hope the OP reads these responses!

LeeKetty1176

you are not eating.......

1......enough
2..... the right thing !


you need to get some help and get fresh veg and fruit in......................plus and this might upset some..... meat to !

the set up on this site is done so it works out how much you would burn just to stay alive then tell it how much you want to lose and how fast !

Sorry........... but what you are doing is not going to help you and i urge you to stop and think about it, and also ask people not to follow this plan.