eating 1200 cals AND exercising?

FitBridget

I've only been at this for a week, and I've done my best to stick to the 1200 calories per day (usually going over by about 50 or so, and I didn't log on the weekend). I lost 2 lbs this week, so I know it's working for me, but my question is: how can I eat 1200 calories per day AND exercise?? I rarely eat any junk food, sticking mostly with cereal, milk and espresso for breakfast, carrots for a snack, a salad with boiled egg and low-fat cheese and dressing (or a lean cuisine and an apple) for lunch (taking me to around 600-650 cals), and then save the rest (~550 cals) for supper. My problem is, I eat breakfast at 8:00am, lunch at noon, and supper at 7:30 at the earliest. I want to go to the gym from 4:30pm to 5:30pm, but I haven't had the energy all week - I'm weak, tired, and can barely focus by 3:30. Should I increase my calories to allow for a protein-rich snack in the afternoon (cottage cheese or greek yogurt), so I can go to the gym, or should I just stick with the 1200 calories and not exercise?

NovemberJune

It sounds to me like you need more. Everyone's needs are different but I rarely eat only 1200 calories. Usually more like 1500-1700. Looking forward to reading better informed replies

good luck!

Melanie12081

If you start exercising, you'll need to eat back most, if not all, of your exercise calories so that your net equals your goal. This should allow for a pretty decent snack before your workout.

TeaBea

You can lose weight by dieting alone. Many people go this route. But for most the weight comes back.

Exercise is recommended for a number of reasons. You want to make sure you are AT LEAST maintaining your existing muscle mass. You don't want to lose both fat & muscle. Exercise helps you build & keep muscle. Also, after you have lost the weight, there is a maintenance phase (ie: the rest of your life). Regular exercise will allow you to eat more calories - thus maintenance is more likely.

idcatiej22

i know i have issues with this because i'm around the same calorie goal, and you definitely need to eat more when you add exercise to the equation. mfp allows for this. log in your exercise for that day, and it'll add the amount of calories you just burned with exercise to your daily allotment. also, super foods can help. my favorites are raw almonds, bananas, and avocado. raw almonds are high in protein and "good" fats. bananas are loaded with potassium and they aren't super starchy - a perfect snack for before you hit the gym. avocados are good for your heart, and when eaten with certain foods, they help to absorb certain nutrients from other foods better - so maybe try adding avocado to your salad. also try to make your meals smaller to allow for snacks during the day. it'll boost your metabolism, you'll keep your blood sugar stable (which can be very important for those of us who have blood sugar issues), and you'll avoid extreme hunger (you know, those days when you get to dinner and you just about want to eat the legs off the table). so try making your meals smaller, but allowing yourself to have some healthy snacks throughout the day.

FitBridget

Thanks for the replies! I do want to exercise, I was exercising regularly before trying to stick to the 1200 cals.

Question: I was just looking over my food history (for the week), and I notice I'm always over on protein, and under on carbs. What are some healthy carb snacks that could help balance me out a bit? Except for breakfast cereal, and a dinner carb, I tend to avoid them because I can't think of anything that isn't bread or sweets, and I'm not fond of plain bread, and don't want to add sweets to my regular diet.

heathersmilez

Thanks for the replies! I do want to exercise, I was exercising regularly before trying to stick to the 1200 cals.

Question: I was just looking over my food history (for the week), and I notice I'm always over on protein, and under on carbs. What are some healthy carb snacks that could help balance me out a bit? Except for breakfast cereal, and a dinner carb, I tend to avoid them because I can't think of anything that isn't bread or sweets, and I'm not fond of plain bread, and don't want to add sweets to my regular diet.

I believe this was said but to confirm, exercising adds calories back to your total to properly fuel your body so no, you don't have to stick to 1200 calories when exercising.

Please, please change your protein goal! MFP sets it way too low at 15%. 30-40% is recommended otherwise stated as minimum 50g a day for an adult woman and much more if you workout.

As for afternoon carb snacks I personally love Granny Smith apples. Natural, portable, affordable and a great 3:00pm carb snack for me to make it to dinner time at 7:00 pm and has been an absolute saver on the days I run to my spinning class right from work. Carbs are necessary before a workout and protein helps you recover afterwards. Fruit is a great source of natural carbs and don't panic if you go over on your daily sugar allowance b/c MFP doesn't separate natural from processed sugars. That being said it's still best to keep your daily fruit intake to 2 servings a day to keep carbs and sugar in control.