Eating your calories burned...please help me!

Options
I have read a few posts and even the post for Newbies and I'm still not getting it when someone says to eat your calories burned. I played sports in highschool, but never really exercised till now....so Weight loss and healthy eating and yes even calorie 101 I am not too sure on.

My daily is 1370 calories, today I ate 1244 of those calories and I burned 381 with exercise. So in order to keep my body from entering starvation mode and ultimately not losing weight I need to go eat 381 more calories?

Oh my goodness! It's 11pm and I could not imagine putting anymore food in my mouth =(

So days that I know I will be working out, I should eat more snacks, just make sure that they are still healthy with a lot of nutrients? I don't want to be that far behind on calories.

Please don't be mean lol...I am just a bit slow on all of this, but I want to learn so I can get healthy and stay healthy.

Replies

  • joanneeee
    joanneeee Posts: 311 Member
    Options
    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/

    If it's 11pm and you are literally stuffed to the brim, just start eating back your exercise calories from tomorrow and onwards.
  • idream2bgwen
    idream2bgwen Posts: 424 Member
    Options
    It is hard and I may not do everything to everybody else's liking but I hardly ever eat back my calories. I may eat 100-300 back but for my body it works best not to eat them all back. I am getting closer to my goal weight and this may have to start happening more for me. That is where I sat. You will find what fits your body and get in a routine. It'll come. Good luck!!! :)
  • vzepol
    vzepol Posts: 131 Member
    Options
    Don't get caught up in the posts that will follow. If you are hungry eat, if not don't. Obviously if you are not feeling well start eating more during the day so that you keep your energy up and continue to get to your goal.

    V.
  • GypsyRose25
    GypsyRose25 Posts: 407
    Options
    And you don't need to eat ALL of them back. Basically, you want to eat about 1200 calories a day net. So if you eat 1244 and burn 381, your total net calorie intake is 863. To give your body enough energy to function properly, you would have wanted to eat another 337 calories or so. BUT since it is so late at night, I wouldn't worry about it!
  • kirstyfromscotland
    kirstyfromscotland Posts: 555 Member
    Options
    i eat more during the day knowing that i will burn min 300 cals, it also makes u workout more if u know u have 2 burn a certain amount off, good luck.x
  • nwkarin
    nwkarin Posts: 16
    Options
    This is helpful, as...this is only day 2 for me, and I have not "eaten calories burned". I think I am afraid to, as...I really want to lose these stubborn pounds. But today, I got a warning when I finished my food journal, saying I'm eating too low, and I may be slowing down my metabolism. Typically, when I diet on my own, I may scrimp on calories for a few days, then end up binging. I am hoping the accountability of a food journal prevents me from doing that. Thank you for sharing your experience. :)
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    Options
    Dont' worry about it tonight, but do try to NET 1200 calories per day. Don't be afraid to add things to your diet which will help up your calories (chopped nuts, avocado or some cheese on a salad, olive oil to sautee something, etc.) It easiest if you try to plan your meals ahead of time so you can tweak it where you need to. Nuts are a good snack (Blue diamond has some awesome oven roasted almonds - butter toffee are my favorite, but they also have mint dark chocolate, cocoa dusted, plain, etc.)
  • Mmcourt
    Mmcourt Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I was just thinking about starting the same thread when I saw your post. I'm glad to hear someone else is struggling with this. My daily net calorie goal is 1200, but I am currently doing a lot of walking as I get ready for the Portland to Coast relay. At the end of the day when I track all of my food and exercise I will sometimes end the day at 1200 or more net calories.

    What do you do with this? While a big bowl of ice cream sometimes calls my name it doesn't wipe out the whole 1200 calories and it's not something I want to do on a regular basis.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
    Options
    I don't subscribe to eating the calories back....if you are eating every couple hours you are fueling your body as your body is burning it.

    If you are hungry eat....if not....don't.

    I've usually "Netted" like 800-900 calories here, except for a few days....and I'm consistently losing weight at 2lbs a week...my belief is that starvation mode is a myth...at least for me....there's too much fat to go into starvation mode LOL, so chomp chomp away!
  • YellowStrawberry
    YellowStrawberry Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    I try to keep my Net calories between 1100 and 1300 ( when you look at your home page, it will show calories eaten, calories burned= net calories) at the very top. I know that 1000 is not alot, but there are days where I do eat back most, that I can! So, if you want to eat something that may not be as good, you know to get in a little harder workout to get those extra calories! :D
  • sicklittle
    sicklittle Posts: 21
    Options
    Thank you all for the responses....it's making much more sense now.

    I enjoy pistachios and a I will eat a handful with some grapes or Veggies (Raw Snap peas are my go to veggie) I've been reading posts on healthy snacks that will help me stay full and keep up my energy so hopefully I can get this down.

    I was just so happy that I was close to my calorie intake for the day and I was so happy that I have been doing my workouts everyday that I was ignoring the net calories at the end...It doesn't take much to take me from high spirits to feeling like ive done it all wrong. I'm working on that lol