How low is too low? Net cals.

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VulcanLover
VulcanLover Posts: 53
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay. Hi everyone. I am new to MFP as of August 1st. I am not a stranger to weight loss, but new to this site and community.

I have been up well over 300 pounds in the past. I have lost 120 pounds in the past as well. I have gained back some, but not even half of what I had lost. I totally own that. My mother had taken ill, I was caring for two households, holding down my own, job, caring for a special needs child, etc. I stopped caring about myself and was taking care of everyone else as well as comfort eating. I didn't care how many calories were in the homeade macaroni and cheese or the lasagna...I was scared my mother was going to die--food made me feel a bit better.

So now...my mom is up and around and I am ready to really dedicate myself to dropping the pounds I gained back.

I have been logging my food and my exercise. I have read a bit about eating back exercise cals or not, etc. I am under the impression that when you have a lot to lose, as I do, that eating back exercise calories is not as important,but when you are clooser to your goal and leaner--it becomes important to prevent "starvation mode". Apparently when you are more overweight you are not as likely to enter "starvation mode" because you have ample fat stores that the body goes to first. But here is my question....how many net cals is too few?

I know I am working toward creating a deficit of calories by eating less and moving more.; I also know that to lose a pound that deficit must be 3500 calories. But is there a point where my net cals are too low? For example, my net cals have not exceeded 300 this week. Monday I ingested just shy of 1200 cals, Tuesday I was like 1290 (ish). Today I know I need to eat a bit more because my cals only stand at 830-something right now....and I know I want to get at least 1200. But with my exercise....my net cals are low. Help a girl out with some good info, would you? THANK YOU!!!

Replies

  • notvoldy
    notvoldy Posts: 16
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com
  • Beijos
    Beijos Posts: 22 Member
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    bump
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    money
  • jessicahelene
    jessicahelene Posts: 77 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    ^^ Yes. I feel a little like the pot or the kettle here because I struggle to eat my calories back on big workout days, but I agree 100%.
  • hether22
    hether22 Posts: 63
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    I spoke to a nurse at my work about this question. She told me to try to keep my food intake calorie limit to 1200. Do not eat the exercise calories, otherwise you are just voiding the work you just did.
    Not sure how accurate it is, but it made sense to me. Good luck!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Yeah, you should try to net at least 1200.
  • lifeinpink09
    lifeinpink09 Posts: 87 Member
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    I like to keep my net cals very low sometimes in the negatives....just to make sure I'm losing...but I'll eat well too. For example today I ate 1449 cals, but I burned 1548. So I DID eat well, and my cals were negative while I got an EXCELLENT cardio workout.
  • gardenimp
    gardenimp Posts: 185 Member
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    You need to start with you basic BMR. You can do the calculation yourself ...Heres the formula 655+(4.35Xyour weight in pounds) + (4.7Xyour height in inches) - (4.7Xyour age in years) So for examplel say you are 5' 6" (or 66 inches), 160 lbs and 30 years old...it would be 655+696+310.2-141=1,520.2 calories to maintain that weight if you are in a coma.
    Then you take that number and multiply it by 1.2 for sedetary job, 1.375 for active job (mostly standing/walking) and 1.55 for a very physically active job. So again lets say you have a job where you stand and/or walk most of the day your calories would be 2,090 day to maintain your current weight.
    Now if you want to lose a pound a week, you should reduce that by 500 calories a day (or 3,500 calories a week) or 1590/day.

    There is a great debate here about "eating your exercise calories". I have tried both eating and not eating my calories, and personally my weight loss is more consistant if I do eat some of my calories back. But my best advice is try both to see what gives you more consistant results...
  • dustyhockeymom
    dustyhockeymom Posts: 537 Member
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    I started here at 300 pounds and so far have lost 58 in just over 5 months. Sometimes I have a hard time getting all the my calories in on days when I exercise a lot or have a really crazy day at work. However, I have noticed in this time that if I have more than a day or two where my net is lower than 1000 my weight loss slows down. My body needs a few more calories to work effectively.
  • VulcanLover
    VulcanLover Posts: 53
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    Bump for more opinions.

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