1200 cal a day people please answer this...

MrsStacie

Question for the people who exercise - do you net 1200 calories a day or do you eat 1200 calories but then don't eat back your exercise calories? (Meaning you net less than 1200 calories a day.)

I'm currently trying to net 1200 calories a day and would like to hear what others are doing and if you are being successful. Thanks!

monharri

I don't eat back my exercise calories. I just try to make sure I get 1200 calories. Not sure if that's the way to go but I have been slowly and surely averaging a 2 pound weight lost every week. Hope this helps.

katcod1522

I eat when Im hungry. I always net 1100-1200.

lizard053

You're going to get answers all over the place for this. Personally, I don't eat back exercise calories. I don't lose weight if I do. What you may want to do is slowly add more calories back in until you find the right proportion to maximize your weight loss.

Technically, you should never net under 1200 a day. Looks like you're successful so far, but to stave off the dreaded plateau, you may want to eat some back if you're not already!

mmarcy11

I make sure my net calories are at least 1200, most days they are over a small amount like 1207 or 1209. I have been very successful with eating my excess calories back. 2 weeks ago before I started tracking my food on here I started burning 600 calories a day at the gym but I know I wasn't eating even 1,000 calories. That week I actually gained .05 of a pound and I was so mad. I came on here for help and was told I was supposed to eat my excess calories. I realized that I was only netting 600-800 calories per day. These past 2 weeks I have lost 4 pounds so far making sure my net calories do not fall below 1200. Some days I will eat 1800 calories but then I will make sure that I burn my 600 calories at the gym, making my net 1200. Sundays I don't work out and so I just make sure I don't eat as much and I will only eat 1200 that day. Good luck!!

MrsStacie

Thanks for the comments!!

nickyherg

I try to not eat back my exercise calories unless I am just starving.

Onesnap

I reached my goals in September.

Here's why:

I workout most days and I need to NET 1260 to lose 1 pound per week or 1460 to lose .5/week.

If I DID NOT EAT BACK MY EXERCISE CALORIES I would be FUELING MY BODY with...wait for it...760 calories.

Show me a healthy 35 year old woman that lives HEALTHY on 760.

Onesnap

Here's the backup:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-1200-Calories-Day-Important-When-Dieting-13080864

CookieCatCatcher

At first, I didn't eat them back. And then I hit a hard core plateau. So I said, what the duck, I'll just eat them back and see what happens. The weight flew off. I mean, at least a pound a week - but usually closer to 2. If you haven't done it yet, invest in a HRM. (Polar FT4 - 60$ online or at Target - cheap, easy to use, and comfortable.) This way you'll have a much more accurate picture of what you are actually burning. I swear, the HRM has been the best little gadget ever.

Moral of the story, if not eating them back is working for you - then great. But, chances are that you are actually over estimating you calorie burn during workouts - so, in reality if you are losing weight then you are probably eating more calories then you realize. If you stop losing, start eating them back. The closer you get to your goal weight, the harder finding that balance is.

Onesnap

I try to not eat back my exercise calories unless I am just starving.

So you are suggesting I fuel my very healthy 35 year old active body with 760 calories/day. Because I think that's what you are advising based on your comment. If I did not eat back my workout cals I'd be fueling my body with 760. How is that possible?

mbmorse1011

I am on 1210 a day, I eat back some of my exercise calories but not all.

At the beginning I didn't but then I wasn't exercising as much. I burn more than 600 calories a day exercising. I'm still losing weight.

redheadedberry

I eat back a good chunk on my exercise calories but usually not all of them. It also varies day to day depending on when I exercise. Basically when you exercise you are taking those calories away from your body if you do not eat a decent amount after exercising you can go into starvation mode. The 1200 calories a day is already a very low number and doing less then that is not overly healthy.

pullipgirl

I try to net 1200 calories a day, I eat back some of my exercise calories not all because I might be underestimating the amount of calories I eat in a day

vweavers

I try to make sure I get my 1300 (my recommended), or close to it. If I exercise, and am still feeling hungry, I'll eat a few more- but that hasn't been often. I'm looking at a loss of 15lbs in 4 weeks, without suffering.

Onesnap

I am on 1210 a day, I eat back some of my exercise calories but not all.

At the beginning I didn't but then I wasn't exercising as much. I burn more than 600 calories a day exercising. I'm still losing weight.

And when you stop, *boom* the weight will slam back on your body. What you are doing, fueling your body with below 1200 is not sustainable long term.

traceyjolli

I make sure I eat my 1200 calories net. any exercise is not eaten back... unless im hungry! then I eat a bit more.

I know you burn off calories naturally on a daily basis, your goal page will tell you what yours is and how much you would lose if you only ate your goal calorie and didnt have additional exercise added in. mine is something like 400 extra per day.

So If I wanted to lose 2lb a week i.e. 7000 calories deficit per week (3500 = 1lb) I would need to have a deficit calorie intake of 600 each day on top of what I naturally have burned (the 400). So that means I have to eat 1200 calories goal and exercise 600 extra calories a day to lose two pound a week.

I think thats correct in how I've worked it out.. feel free to tell me otherwise, cos it can get a bit confusing!!

Onesnap

So If I wanted to lose 2lb a week i.e. 7000 calories deficit per week (3500 = 1lb) I would need to have a deficit calorie intake of 600 each day on top of what I naturally have burned (the 400). So that means I have to eat 1200 calories goal and exercise 600 extra calories a day to lose two pound a week.

I think thats correct in how I've worked it out.. feel free to tell me otherwise, cos it can get a bit confusing!!

I think you're confusing things. That would be 1200 + 600 total food taken in for the day, with a 600 calorie workout to NET 1200. Plus, no one should lose more than 1lb/week unless supervised by a doctor.

giantsfaninvt

I try to not eat back my exercise calories unless I am just starving.

So you are suggesting I fuel my very healthy 35 year old active body with 760 calories/day. Because I think that's what you are advising based on your comment. If I did not eat back my workout cals I'd be fueling my body with 760. How is that possible?

It doesn't sound like that is what she is suggesting at all. She was saying what works for her, not what anyone else should do.

Runningirl7284

It is HEALTHIEST and you are less likely to reach a long plateau if you do it the right way as suggested and eat back your exercise calories. I have lost 10 pounds in the last 5 weeks doing this.

Carebear530

I eat all of them back most days & at least half back and/or until I feel full on larger burn days. But I'm at a higher calorie count than 1200 to begin with. I look at it as 1200 is the least amount you should net to have healthy weightloss. This already takes into account a negative amount for weightloss. Go below that & you aren't fueling your body properly. The result could be slowed down burning. Now if you were eating closer to your maintaining amount I would say don't eat them back. It is different for each person but most won't lose as much if you go that low.