Stuffing my self to get net calories at 1200

laquita870

Hello Guys and Gals

I have been using MFP since January and have lost 11 pounds. The last two months I have started eating my exercise calories back. Well this month I have began going to a Zumba class were I'm burning about 1100 calories per class. I want to continue working out but I am having to stuff myself when I am not hungry in order to have my net calories at least at 1200. I start with eating a big but healthy breakfast but adding a slim fast to it. I try to eat a large lunch and a large dinner after my workout but by dinner time I can eat anymore and I am literally forcing my self to eat and I am not hungry. Any suggestion on what I can due to get my net calories at 1200 without discontinuing my workout. Possibly higher calorie foods that are lower in fat? Can this eventually make me gain weight. It is still hard to fathom the concept of stuffing myself in order to lose weight.

Helloitsdan

So in essence you are eating about 2000-2200 cals a day?

Shellyyy7928

Ow are you sure you are burning that many calories? I would say unless you wear a hrm then you are really over estimating that.

erickirb

How are you calculating the calories burned from Zumba? there is a good chance you are overestimating the burn.

Dnsnyder

You should eat foods that are calorie/nutrient dense like nuts, nut butters, avacados, etc. If you are currently using "light" versions of foods, you can try replacing some of them with "whole" versions to increase your calorie intake without increasing the amount of food you have to eat to reach your calorie goal. You could also try adding protein shakes/smoothies.

girl_afraid82

Was going to say something similar... the most I have ever burnt from my hour Zumba class was about 650.

CaseRat

1,100 cals burnt for a Zumba class? Seems a bit too excessive unless it's a 2 hour class. How are you counting that?

Foods which may help that aren't low in fat, but they're not bad fats: Avocado, peanut butter, eggs, nuts. Have a glass of milk with your morning meal or before bed. Eat a bit of cheese.

amymrls

lol I would starve to death if I only ate 1200 calories a day..... I am always hungry.

niqua215

I wear a HRM in my Zumba class and I burn between 480-550 calories in an hour. And I'm heavy and tall so you are overestimating your calorie burn. Be careful if you are eating back all of those calories.

Pinkmaddycat

bump

Mabohlale

IMHO ... you should listen to your body's clues and not some computer to tell you how much is enough. If you are not hungry, I don't think you should "stuff yourself" just to achieve some "magic number" on a computer. When I am full, I stop eating ... no matter where I am at for the day.

randomartisrgirl

don't stuff yourself. it might seem bad advice to others, but only eat what you can. i went MONTHS only eating around 1200 cals (NOT net calories, either), and lost really quickly. there's nothing wrong with eating exercise calories, especially if you're hungry and if you need them, but if 1200 is enough, stick with it. and you don't even need to eat ALL the exercise calories! and if you ARE burning that much in a class, eating ALL of your exercise might put you at less of a calorie deficit (or none at all), and you might not lose as much.

grinch031

So in essence you are eating about 2000-2200 cals a day?

I could eat that many calories in one meal and still be hungry.

erickirb

don't stuff yourself. it might seem bad advice to others, but only eat what you can. i went MONTHS only eating around 1200 cals (NOT net calories, either), and lost really quickly. there's nothing wrong with eating exercise calories, especially if you're hungry and if you need them, but if 1200 is enough, stick with it. and you don't even need to eat ALL the exercise calories! and if you ARE burning that much in a class, eating ALL of your exercise might put you at less of a calorie deficit (or none at all), and you might not lose as much.

No 1200 is not enough, if you don't have a lot to lose and don't eat enough a large % of your weight loss will be lean muscle, not fat. So if you want to lose weight 1200 may be okay, if you goal is to lose fat, then no it is not.

talysshade

I think 1200 calories is good even if it's not NET. Some days you'll simply not be hungry, but as long as you eat at least 1200 calories a day, even if you burn some extra you at least get all the nutrients you need. As long as you still have a good bit to lose this won't be a problem and you can always slowly increase it from there.

And otherwise, have a glass of milk or juice. Easily about a 100 calories in a glass, without making you feel super full.

sand666

Hi,
I was a Zumba instructor for about 15 months, a few times i would use a heart rate monitor and the calories burnt were about 1000. As an instructor, i'd need to give my 'absolute all' in the one hour class to burn those calories, as there was no chance i'd be able to take it slightly easier, it would look awful as an instructor if you weren't exaggerating the moves. And thats including shouting, wooping, leading by direction, most of which the class wouldn't do. I would say for people taking part in the class, the calories burnt would be about 500-600.
So back to the original question, eating an extra 500 - 600 calories would be easier - meaning your intake would be about 1700-1800??

dbutorac

I wouldn't do it if I wanted to lose weight. I think the 1200 calorie threshold is bogus. I started in January lost 20 lbs so far. At first I tried to eat 1200 calories, but I realized I would never lose weight on that.

Meganalva

There's no way you're burning that much in a zumba class. I burn about 450 in an hour giving it my all...but I'm fairly slim so maybe that's why...

paulboon4369

i eat between 500 - 1000 calories a day burn bewtween 1000-2000 calories get a bit hungry but water intake over 10 glasses a day

rmmurillo

So how many calories do you eat?

erickirb

I think 1200 calories is good even if it's not NET. Some days you'll simply not be hungry, but as long as you eat at least 1200 calories a day, even if you burn some extra you at least get all the nutrients you need. As long as you still have a good bit to lose this won't be a problem and you can always slowly increase it from there.

And otherwise, have a glass of milk or juice. Easily about a 100 calories in a glass, without making you feel super full.

she doesn't have much to lose, so I would think she should be netting quite a bit more than 1200

laquita870

Yes i wear a HRM and I always burn 1000-1100. I attend a very intense hip hop zumba class. So I am very sure the calorie burned are correct.

erickirb

I wouldn't do it if I wanted to lose weight. I think the 1200 calorie threshold is bogus. I started in January lost 20 lbs so far. At first I tried to eat 1200 calories, but I realized I would never lose weight on that.

That right 1200 cals is too low for most people. Here is a guide for setting weekly goals and on top of this you should eat back what you burn, provided you calculated it correctly:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

bcattoes

Zumba is a great workout but, as others have pointed out, that calorie burn seems high. I don't know what your current weight or fitness level is, but unless you are very heavy 1000 calories for one Zumba class seems too high.

Your diary isn't open, but if your calorie burn is correct, rather than stuff yourself maybe take a look at the types of food you eat. Are you eating enough fat? Fat has more calories per gram so many people avoid when dieting, but it's an essential nutrient and healthy fats (nuts, vegetable oils, avacados) can add healthy calories and make your meals more satiating.

erickirb

Yes i wear a HRM and I always burn 1000-1100. I attend a very intense hip hop zumba class. So I am very sure the calorie burned are correct.

What type of HRM? (some brands tend to over estimate burn, from what I understand Garmin and Polar seem to be the most accurate)
How long is the class? and
Do you back out the cals you would have burned had you not done zumba? What I mean by this is HRM tell you total calories burned, some of those (maintenance cals) are already included in you MFP caloric intake so you should back those out.

So what does this mean, it means that most likely you burn 1.5, cals give or take, while not working out, so if a class is 60 minutes you would have burned 90 had you not worked out and those should be backed out prior to entering the burn into MFP.

laquita870

My class is 60 minutes. I'm not sure of the name of the watch, don't have it with me but it's the watch type not the strap. So, I guess I have been forcing my self to eat calories I didn't need. Wyay more than I needed. I thought I was helping my weight loss by eating those exercise calories! That sucks! I hope i havent gained weight from it! Should I get a different HRM? Any suggestions?

RunHardBeStrong

I wear a HRM in my Zumba class and I burn between 480-550 calories in an hour. And I'm heavy and tall so you are overestimating your calorie burn. Be careful if you are eating back all of those calories.

My thought as well. I'm still in the 190's and in 60 minutes of Zumba I burn 600 cals tops and I'm pushing myself hard to get to the 600.

RunHardBeStrong

My class is 60 minutes. I'm not sure of the name of the watch, don't have it with me but it's the watch type not the strap. So, I guess I have been forcing my self to eat calories I didn't need. Wyay more than I needed. I thought I was helping my weight loss by eating those exercise calories! That sucks! I hope i havent gained weight from it! Should I get a different HRM? Any suggestions?

Yes get a good HRM with a chest strap. Eating those exercise calories isn't worthless, you do need them to fuel yourself especially as much as you workout. You just need to get a HRM that is more accurate so you know how much to eat back. I eat 1800+ cals a day, have lost 103 lbs and still losing so it does work you just have to get the numbers that work for you. Don't beat yourself over it, just re adjust and move on. It's a learning process that even I'm still learning at times. Good luck!

laquita870

Thanks for the positive feedback! Do you guys know of a good HRM?

RunHardBeStrong

Thanks for the positive feedback! Do you guys know of a good HRM?

I love my Polar FT4 it has chest strap and so far it is far more accurate then websites and machines. You can get it for around $90 at Target. I've heard of a few people getting theirs on Amazon.com for around $70.

81Katz

Ohh those wrist watch types are horribly unpredictable and they either read too high or too low. I tried one before I bought a chest strap type HRM (Polar FT4 w/ chest strap) and I was on the treadmill almost 45 minutes and it said I burned 77 calories. Did the same workout for 45 minutes after buying the Polar FT4 and it was around 400 calories.