1200 calories and not eating back exercise calories, how do

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cassblue21
cassblue21 Posts: 207
in Food and Nutrition
I just reset MFP settings and it put me at 1200 calories a day. I am currently on month 4 of staying around the same weight and thought maybe eating fewer calories and not eating back my exercise calories would work. I am STARVING right now and I just ate lunch and only have 310 calories left for the day. I would like to know if there is anyone that can help me out here. Should I be eating my calories back since I do exercise everyday? Should I not eat them back like I am trying to do or is that ridiculous thinking since I burn around 800 calories a day?

I have lost 80 lbs total and had finally broke out of a number I had been at 4 months ago but since then I have been stuck again. I have 20-30 lbs left to go and would like to lose them by summer but the scale won't move! Help me!
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Replies

  • jrditt
    jrditt Posts: 239 Member
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    You need to eat more!! at least your BMR
  • Iamkim73
    Iamkim73 Posts: 924 Member
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    You should eat more on the days you work out. Your body needs fuel. I'm having the same trouble with the stupid number on the scale..... I'm eating more and it is helping! I actually feel a lot better too.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I was doing that. I lost weight for awhile but then platued for a long time. I bumped it up to 1400 calories or so a day and I started losing again.
  • RockaholicMama
    RockaholicMama Posts: 786 Member
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    The dietitian told me to ALWAYS eat back the calories that I burn off during workouts. In 8 weeks I shed 21lbs just before I got pregnant. Now that I've just had my baby, I went back to the same dietitian and she reminded me the same, ALWAYS eat back the calories you burn off.
  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566
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    If you are starving you need to eat. Eat them back.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    I think you know the answer. You shouldn't be starving while losing weight.
    Eat
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
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    "...thought maybe eating fewer calories and not eating back my exercise calories would work. I am STARVING right now..."

    Of course, because you are. Low cal diets are not appropriate for one who excersises. It's all about balance. The diet must be sufficient to support the excersize/lifestyle, and of course rest is important also.

    Remember the old story about the tortise and the hare? The hair took off all fast and had to stop for gas at the 7-11. The tortise, who took it easy, slashed the hares tires while he was inside paying for 5 Hour Energy Shots. Be like the tortise.
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 888 Member
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    I just learned 2 weeks ago that I need to eat what I burn and I have lost 4 more lbs!!

    Maybe up your calories even more than you burn for a couple of weeks (have your Net 1400 calories) and then drop them back down (again, still eating what you burn).
  • lammy13
    lammy13 Posts: 7
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    hey people i have been using my app religously for the last month and have dramatically changed my diet and excercise! i am eating 1,200 calories a day and excercising about 4-5 times a week burning around 600 calories at a time and my weight is not changing :( im so disheartened, how long untill it will start budging!! has anyone else had this?? i thought i would have shifted the first few pounds quite quickly??? help me xx btw i just read above that u say to eat back the calories but i work out in the evening after dinner and thats an awful lot of extra calories to consume :/
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
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    When the weight loss stops coming off, chances are you need to *increase* your calorie consumption. Chances are that you've built some muscle through your exercise and that extra muscle needs *more* fuel, not less in order to keep burning off the fat. I'd try bumping up your calories and eating back at least a portion of your exercise calories back to boot in order to keep your metabolism burning hot so your body doesn't resort to starting to 'eat' muscle instead of fat.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,130 Member
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    Oh, for Pete sake.....you have to EAT MORE now that you are closer to your goal, not less.

    Set your goal at "Lose 1/2 pound a week." You can't lose any faster than that with as little weight as you have left to lose.

    No wonder you are so hungry!






    Why make it harder on yourself? I don't understand this.
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member
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    Remember the old story about the tortise and the hare? The hair took off all fast and had to stop for gas at the 7-11. The tortise, who took it easy, slashed the hares tires while he was inside paying for 5 Hour Energy Shots. Be like the tortise.

    Win! :drinker:

    And weight isn't everything... I just, happily, posted on my feed: "Well, I gained 0.4 lbs this month, but my bodyfat DROPPED 0.7%"... this is an overall win. It's the fat we want to lose, after all.

    p.s. Eat more. Our bodies are machines and food is fuel.
  • kkrondon
    kkrondon Posts: 46 Member
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    You definitely need to eat more calories particularly on the days you workout. Also, think about getting more protein or fiber in your diet if you find that you feel hungry on a normal basis.
  • irishseven
    irishseven Posts: 35 Member
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    WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY...eat protein..I've lost 84 pounds and run every day too..I never eat back calories..I eat when I'm hungry...lot's of cottage cheese..stay fit!!
  • lawmama_
    lawmama_ Posts: 103 Member
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    you need to eat back at least SOME of your exercise calories, if not all! if you're starving, your'e doing something wrong!
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
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    help me xx btw i just read above that u say to eat back the calories but i work out in the evening after dinner and thats an awful lot of extra calories to consume :/

    If you've been at this for a while, you should have at least a rough idea of how many calories you burn when you exercise. Distribute those calories throughout your whole day. Don't just try to eat them all back after you work out. Also look for more calorie dense foods (nuts, eggs, meat). Don't let "but I'm not hungry" be your excuse.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    Your body is starving and refusing to let go of any extra weight, because it needs fuel (because you are not giving it fuel)

    This sounds harsh - but you aren't doing your body any favors, and you are setting yourself up to fail. You really need to figure this out.

    To get through your plateau - eat MORE calories, and eat back your exercise calories (or at least a good portion of them). It sounds odd, but it works.

    More calories will allow your body to build some lean muscle, which will help you burn even more calories.

    Plus you won't be so darn hungry.
  • lawmama_
    lawmama_ Posts: 103 Member
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    hey people i have been using my app religously for the last month and have dramatically changed my diet and excercise! i am eating 1,200 calories a day and excercising about 4-5 times a week burning around 600 calories at a time and my weight is not changing :( im so disheartened, how long untill it will start budging!! has anyone else had this?? i thought i would have shifted the first few pounds quite quickly??? help me xx btw i just read above that u say to eat back the calories but i work out in the evening after dinner and thats an awful lot of extra calories to consume :/

    you have to make sure you drink a lot of water, to flush out any water weight that you're carrying. trust me, it sounds weird, but it works. drink MORE water to flush out water weight. lower your sodium intake also. and make sure you eat back AT LEAST SOME (not necessarily all) of your exercise calories, because if you don't, your body will cling on to those 1200 calories you DO eat and your metabolism might be heading into starvation mode - slowing down so much that you won't lose any weight because.
  • ambermc98
    ambermc98 Posts: 1
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    You should definitely eat back most of your workout calories. Your body needs the extra fuel. If you do not consume enough calories your body will start storing fat. Also, have you done your measurements??? That always helped me when I didn't see any movement on the scale. You should see improvements in your measurements.
  • cassblue21
    cassblue21 Posts: 207
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    This is my first day of trying to do 1200 calories and not eating back so it is rough. I have been doing 1400 calories a day for 2 months and eating back most if not all my exercise calories with no change so that is why I am so discouraged.

    It is definitely a slow race to the finish for sure! :) Thank you everyone! I will re-adjust the settings and try eating more. That will make my tummy happy for sure! :)

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