must stay above 1,200 calories, net - why work out?

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thewalrusisfree
thewalrusisfree Posts: 55
in Health and Weight Loss
Team -
I just recently realized (thanks to some super smart people on the forums) that I have to stay at 1,200 NET calories a day. For some reason I thought that as long as i consumer 1,200 calories (and then burned 4-500 at the gym) i was okay.

Most days when I'm serious about being on track foodwise I have a hard time coming in over 1,200 so I've really lost motivation to go to the gym. Especially because i don't see how it'll lead to any more/quicker weight loss since mathematically I'll be the same if I either

A.) Eat 2,000 calories and burn 800 at the gym
or
B.) Just eat 1,200 calories and sit on my butt the rest of the day

anyone out there have motivation? besides the obvious "working out makes you healthier" stuff - of course i get that, and that is important but i want to lose more weight, quicker, through the help of working out.
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Replies

  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
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    Exercise may not always lead to quicker weight loss. It helps to preserve your muscles so you don't end up skinny fat.

    Exercise can also help your muscle mass increase and lead to more fat loss.
  • thewalrusisfree
    thewalrusisfree Posts: 55
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    yeah i get that but i've still really lost a lot of motivation since i heard this.

    not sure how to get it back.
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
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    There is a huge difference between say 130 with a ton of muscle and 130 with no muscle. It all depends I guess then. Do you want your clothes to fit better? Do you want to be toned? Do you want to feel better physically?

    If none of the above, then just watch your calories. If yes, then you have to work at it.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Personally, I like the way I feel a LOT better when I get some exercise. My stamina is better, I have a better outlook on life, and the bonus to me is that I get to eat more food - and exercise calories taste THE BEST! But the extra calories I'm allowed is my "immediate" bonus. The REAL bonus is the health benefits.

    Yes, you can lose weight by simply eating your target calories and not working out. But there's going to be no muscle toning or stamina increase to go along with that, so your body fat percentage (a far better measure of health) is going to be higher, and you'll miss out on some of the health benefits of being skinnier.
  • AmberCHM
    AmberCHM Posts: 430 Member
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    Maybe just don't burn quite as many calories when you go to the gym? I always hear that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Another popular one is "abs are made in the kitchen". Also, I won't get too far into it because I'm no expert, but I'm eating 1700+ calories daily and steadily losing weight. If you're burning that many calories, you need to fuel your body. Here's a great post on how to find out how many calories you should be eating, if you want to check it out... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • nightsrainfall
    nightsrainfall Posts: 244 Member
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    It's more of a "if you don't use it, you lose it". Sadly our bodies will actually try to break down the muscle over fat many times because it's actually easier to break down than fat. Exercise isn't for losing 'weight', it's for gaining and keeping muscle, which also generally means you'll increase your overall health (and sometimes you will increase your bmr, since muscle needs calories to rebuild & be healthy).

    You don't have to exercise, it's true. I don't have mfp set up to exercise, but I still 'exercise' to keep my current strength or to improve myself.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    On paper, eating 1000 cals is the same as eating 1500 and burning off 500 BUT........

    You have more chance of getting all the nutrition your body needs from a higher amount of food. Getting all your protein, vitamins etc on a small calorie goal is pretty hard to do.

    Exercise also builds / maintains muscle so you lose more inches, and muscle burns more cals than fat. Losing with no exercise means you will also lose muscle and end up thin but flabby, and totally unfit.

    You get to eat CAKE!!!!

    MFP already includes a 500 cal per lb deficit so by not eating your cals back you are increasing this to a potentially unhealthy level which can affect your loss. If you don't want to eat back exercise, eat at maintenance and use exercise to create your deficit.

    and finally if that wasnt enough................
    skinny fat which is what you get vs no exercise, vs healthy & toned with exercise
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat
  • etepler
    etepler Posts: 2
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    I'm a personal trainer. I work out a heck of a lot but here's a dirty secret a lot of workouters won't tell you: It hurts, it's hard and even worse, a lot of people don't and never will enjoy it. Now, some people will tell you that they love running and love the burn. What I tell my clients is: yes, it's uncomfortable, yes I get cramps and yes, in terms of physical feeling in that moment, I'd rather be on the couch with cheetos. So, why do it if we can just be skinny by eating less?

    Well, would you stop brushing your teeth? Perhaps you would consider missing a brush one day, but would you ever brush only once a week or not at all? I'm hoping the answer is no. We brush our teeth because we don't want nasty breath and cavities. We work out because we don't want to look bad and get heart disease.

    Getting thin without exercise is like not brushing and deciding to wear veneers.

    Good luck.
  • sophiesummerdiet
    sophiesummerdiet Posts: 84 Member
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    I have this problem today too. I had a complete blow out at the weekend and wanted to do a really great workout today. I ate 1200 calories today but I burnt off 900 at the gym so my net is really low. Not sure if I should eat some more tonight to increase my net?!
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    I am motivated to workout bc I found workouts that I really enjoy. I never "have" to go to my workout classes I WANT to!
    I think that is the best motivator. I do jazzercise and fitness boot camp and it is so fun and I like the other people at the classes
    so I go and I look forward to it. Plus I see myself getting stronger, and I love that, love the changes in my muscles, that also motives me.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    I have this problem today too. I had a complete blow out at the weekend and wanted to do a really great workout today. I ate 1200 calories today but I burnt off 900 at the gym so my net is really low. Not sure if I should eat some more tonight to increase my net?!

    If you truly burned 900 at the gym then YES you need to eat much more. You have to fuel your body.
  • sophiesummerdiet
    sophiesummerdiet Posts: 84 Member
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    Well I was there almost two hours doing cardio. And set the machines up correctly with my weight etc so think its pretty accurate. Not really that hungry now!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Simple - Exercise is fitness and diet is weight loss. You dont' need to exercise to lose weight. But you exercise to improve the health of your heart, to reduce the amount of muscle loss and to accelerate fat loss (if you are weight training).
  • desert_rhino
    desert_rhino Posts: 104 Member
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    You should really be eating more like 1500 plus calories, unless you're really trying to crash diet (which it kind of sounds like). I have a hard time getting my numbers right, but I'm set up in MFP to lose 2 pounds per week, just by hitting my NET properly.

    If you're not trying to change your lifestyle and get to a place where you can STAY fit and at your goal weight, then by all means, sit on the couch. If you really want to have a long-term change, get out to the gym WHILE you lose the weight, so you're used to it when you're just maintaining.

    Also, lost muscle due to sedentary habit and decreased intake is going to fight against you the whole way, with a decreased basal metabolic rate.
  • nishsuz
    nishsuz Posts: 55
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    On paper, eating 1000 cals is the same as eating 1500 and burning off 500 BUT........

    You have more chance of getting all the nutrition your body needs from a higher amount of food. Getting all your protein, vitamins etc on a small calorie goal is pretty hard to do.

    Exercise also builds / maintains muscle so you lose more inches, and muscle burns more cals than fat. Losing with no exercise means you will also lose muscle and end up thin but flabby, and totally unfit.

    You get to eat CAKE!!!!

    MFP already includes a 500 cal per lb deficit so by not eating your cals back you are increasing this to a potentially unhealthy level which can affect your loss. If you don't want to eat back exercise, eat at maintenance and use exercise to create your deficit.

    and finally if that wasnt enough................
    skinny fat which is what you get vs no exercise, vs healthy & toned with exercise
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

    Wow - I love your answer. You have really hit the nail on the head!
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Don't listen to anyone, seriously. Working out was working for you so you should stick with it. You should be motivated to be healthy and lose weight for you not for someone who said on some random post that working out isn't necessary. Eat, work out, have patience, lose weight. Do it for you and do what works.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Do you want to lose weight, but end up flabby and unconditioned? That 's the possible result if you drop all exercise.

    Exercise is a habit. it's best to develop it as you're losing weight.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    Motivation? So you don't have to live off of 1200 measly calories a day. 1200? Oh. My. Goooosh. Not enough fooooooood!:noway:
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Well I was there almost two hours doing cardio. And set the machines up correctly with my weight etc so think its pretty accurate. Not really that hungry now!

    Machines tend to over exercise, but yes you should eat more. You need to give your body fuel to workout, and you want to lose fat, not muscle so eat healthy calories!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    The ability to eat a lot more is motivation enough for me. Eat spartan and be lazy, or bust my *kitten* and eat what I want? I'll bust it.

    Even better, since I never trained my body to get by with minimal calories, now that I'm on maintenance, I'm able to eat like a hungry man.

    I feel better physically and emotionally when I get regular exercise, so that's a couple more big, huge plus marks. I'm not as prone to accidents and injuries now that I'm stronger. I used to wrench my back all the time, and haven't had single episode since I started exercising regularly. I'm also loose-jointed, and my hips, knees, ankles and elbows used to pop out of joint at inopportune times (not that there's ever a good time!). No problems with them, either, since becoming active. My muscles keep the wonky ligaments and tendons in line.

    And it turned my bum from saggy and droopy to perky and cute. Nothing better than being just shy of your 40th birthday and being told you have the tush of a 19 year old. :blushing:

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