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.

lin7604

thanks for asking this question, i have been trying to figure out the answer too. i was on 1200 cals a days and just upped it to 1310 as i haven't lost nothing in a month. i noticed that when i ate less then 1200 cals it stated that i was eating too few calories when i'm not exercising but when i exercise it doesn't say anything when i net under 1200??? eg) yesterday i was set at 1310, ate 1554 and then burned 380 with exercise. so i netted 1147. i didn't know if i should always be 1200 no matter what or if it's ok to be under on the days i exercise as it doesn't tell me to fuel up more? so confusing.... 1200 cals in general or new 1200 cals?

tenquilts

I don't eat back my excess calories, generally speaking. There are days when I have over 1200 and I figure it will all come out in the wash.

For the most part, my eating is for fuel and nutrition. I have excess fat to burn. I'm no expert but what I've read about the science of weight loss is that you consume fewer calories than you burn and you lose weight. Well, I have a very sedentary lifestyle - behind a computer or sewing machine most days - and I make time to run a few times a week. My goal is to eat what I would burn through normal everyday stuff - that 1200 calories - and let anything extra I do go to burning fat. I know the rule of thumb is that you need to burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities in order to lose one pound of fat. Well, that is NOT going to be easy to do with a desk job and 1200 calorie diet. Especially since I don't have any idea other than general guides how many calories I actually burn.

Obviously, when I'm done losing weight and want to sustain, I'll have a different approach.

snaus70

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.

^^ Agree

tinalatina

I have to eat back my calories....I would have no energy if I didnt.

RNmomto4

I agree with what a lot of others posted. I dont always eat back my exercise cals. It's worked for me so far, but my weight loss has slowed now that I am closer to goal, so I know I am going to have to play with my calories and start eating a bit more.

I know not everyone is the same way, so just remember that when you start noticing a slow weight loss or stall, that you may need to consider boosting your calories.

I also eat pretty clean, so most of my foods tend to be lower calorie. I am thinking of adding in some nuts and avacodos to get the added cals, but still have a healthy diet.

amybreckenridge

my personal trainer recommends that i do not eat back my exercise calories. i try to eat 1350 calories a day regardless of whether or not i exercise and i have been losing one pound a week.

RNmomto4

Also-research intermittent fasting. It's pretty interesting.

wells0707

I eat back the majority of my calories. The only reason I try not to eat them all is to allow room for error in calculating excercise and calories in.

AlmostFamous29

I have a similar problem/question. I started at 1500 cal a day and as I lost weight it has slowly gone down to 1200 cal a day. As soon as I hit the 1200 cal a day, I haven't lost any weight. I am exercising the same, but trying to incorporate different work outs and more strength training. Literally a few pounds away from my goal and I completely stalled out. In fact, I gained back the 2 lbs I lost.

llkilgore

I know the rule of thumb is that you need to burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities in order to lose one pound of fat. Well, that is NOT going to be easy to do with a desk job and 1200 calorie diet. Especially since I don't have any idea other than general guides how many calories I actually burn.

The rule of thumb is that you need to burn approximately 500 more calories a day than you take in, on average, to lose a pound a week. From a weight loss prospective it doesn't matter whether any given calorie is burned by running or simply to keep your heart beating. You exercise - not to create a deficit (as MFP is set up) or maximize this week's weight loss - but for your health, for your looks, and to maintain a higher metabolic rate that will help you to head off a plateau and make it easier to keep the weight off.

And unless you are tiny, have set the program to maintenance, or have already messed up your metabolism by under eating, that 1200 calorie diet already includes a deficit. Exercise above and beyond your daily activities shouldn't be required for weight loss.