If I have 1200 calories but then I work out do I eat more or

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kelketchum
kelketchum Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am allowed 1200 calories a day. But like today I worked out and it said burned 565 calories. So I just got done with dinner and it says I still have 812 calories to eat. Should I really eat that much more? I have not been hungry most of the day. My profile is kelketchum if you want to look at it.

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  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    yep, eat em :) especially since your goal is so low, youll want to net 1200. some people can get away with not eating as many of their exercise calories, but when your goal is lower, its more important to not eat too little. if you dont eat them, youre basically giving your body 635 calories to live on and thats not enough!
    i use HRM and eat all my exercise calories, i still lose just fine
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    Heck yes... i eat them too! I exercise to be healthy but boy are the extra calories a nice treat!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    MFP is designed for you to eat back the calories you exercise off.

    That being said, sometimes the calorie expenditures can estimate high. Some people write down 2/3 or 1/2 of the time to account for that.
  • MikeG2
    MikeG2 Posts: 97 Member
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    NO I cannot agree! Eat how much you feel like you should be eating, and be reasonable and honest with yourself. What if the exercise calorie estimate was wrong?

    I really believe that you have to teach yourself what being 'full' really feels like, other wise you will just gain it back if you stop counting calories.

    I am supposed to eat 1570 which just changed yesterday (I was on 1640). There are days like Thursday: Food =1760, Exercise=789 Net=971 and Remaining=599. On that kind of day, If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. I did go over my 1640 on that day, but not up to 1640+789.

    Today I had no exercise and butted right up to my (new) 1570 easily.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    I really believe that you have to teach yourself what being 'full' really feels like, other wise you will just gain it back if you stop counting calories.
    with any kind of diet - youll gain back if you stop.
    if you do atkins and then start eating carbs, you gain back.
    if you do low cal and then eat more, you gain back
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 834 Member
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    That's how this plan is designed, yes. The 1200 is supposed to be your net calories AFTER exercise. It's up to you whether you do it or not, but if you're working hard, you need to refuel. A better approach, though, might be for you to plan your meals & snacks ahead of time so you eat more before your workout and aren't facing an 800 calorie shortfall at the end of the day. If you need a little boost, there are some good protein shakes on the market that can fill the gap, too - I like the Bodylogix Natural Vanilla myself, it mixes well with fruit, peanut butter, chocolate.... mmmmm

    I didn't like having all the extra calories left over at the end, so I actually changed my MFP settings to where I wanted my calories to be INCLUDING exercise (b/w 1800-2200 depending on the day), and I just shoot for that but ignore the "net" amount.
  • MikeG2
    MikeG2 Posts: 97 Member
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    I really believe that you have to teach yourself what being 'full' really feels like, other wise you will just gain it back if you stop counting calories.
    with any kind of diet - youll gain back if you stop.
    if you do atkins and then start eating carbs, you gain back.
    if you do low cal and then eat more, you gain back

    But it doesn't have to be that way. If you embrace and learn what you are doing, and continue to change your habits accordingly, hopefully you can teach yourself a new lifestyle. The thought of having to count all my food for the rest of my life is depressing!

    I have never eaten so healthy, and I want to live long, walk my daughter down the aisle, grow old and all that stuff. I am NOT turning back.
  • Perry62
    Perry62 Posts: 6
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    THATS ABOUT RITE BECAUSE WE ARE DESIGNED TO MANIFEST FOOD INTAKE, BUT YOU MUST ALL WAYS GIVE BACK
  • kelketchum
    kelketchum Posts: 15 Member
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    What are the net calories? I am confused on that as well. Should that number be the 1200 also? Because looking back I have never gotten 1200 for a net number. ??? This really can't that damn confusing right??
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    What are the net calories? I am confused on that as well. Should that number be the 1200 also? Because looking back I have never gotten 1200 for a net number. ??? This really can't that damn confusing right??
    net calories are the calories you ate, minus the calories you burned. so if you ate 1200, and burned 500 your net would be 700.
    you want your net to be as close to your original goal as possible, in your case, 1200.

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