understanding net calories / starvation theory

denisegarrettbullard

Feel like a dummy but what the heck can't no everything and this is probably half my problem. I understand I have a goal number of calories to meet. I have worked hard at meeting that goal. I also understand that I need to exercise (which I do love). Mathematically the exercise provides me with more calories. Although I have met the goal calories for the day I keep getting the message that I am in starvation mode. What am I doing wrong and if I need to eat more food how do I get the more food?

JennsLosing

eat back some of those exercise calories. MFP has already made a deficit for you to lose weight, thats why it lets you eat those calories back.

Rae6503

MFP give you a calorie deficit based on your weekly weight loss goal without exercise.

So say you burn 2000 a day when you don't exercise, MFP tells you to eat 1500 calories to lose a pound a week.

There IS such a thing as too big of a calorie deficit. Such a deficit is hard to maintain and your body might start to fight the weight loss by adjusting so that it is only burning what you give it and not burning any stored fat. Some people call this "starvation mode" which is kind of misleading because you aren't starving.

IF you exercise you are supposed to eat those calories so that your deficit remains where MFP sets it to be.

You burn the 2000 + 500 extra yet still eat 1500, suddenly your body is getting 1000 instead of 1500.

kao708

The basic goal is to make sure that your net calories for the day don't fall below 1200 for women. Net = Calories eaten - Calories burned

If you eat 1200 but burn 500 you've only actually taken in 700 calories for the day and your body may need more fuel than that to keep running well.

Play around with how many of them you eat back. It's not the same for everyone so you have to find what works for you! Good luck!

Larius

You need to eat back those exercise Calories. Basically you are forcing your body to burn too much fat to perform life-sustaining functions such as beating your heart and breathing. When that happens the body thinks it's starving and conserves energy (burns less Calories). You can end up gaining weight because of this. See my blog for more details.

billsica

Are you loosing weight with what your doing?
If yes, why change.

So search around the forums. The best I can sum up is: If you increase your metabolism you burn more and loose more. So by eating you give your body more to do that with. Larger muscles will help with that too.

Its more about metabolism. The starvation mode and stuff just is a shorthand way of thinking. So I think either works.