Eating my calories and exercise calories?

LETIN1

Hi,

I am kind of confused. I read one of the topics regarding eating all your calories inorder to lose weight. So if I eat all my 1200 then I should see the difference. I have lost 3 pounds but don't seem to lose any more. I exercise and try to eat my 1200. Sometimes I eat under 1200. So, that's a mistake. Right? 2nd Question: when I exercise my calories intake increases, does that mean I have to eat more.


Please advise.
Thks:happy:

tlblood

You should always eat your 1200. When you work out, especially if you work out a lot/hard, you should also eat at least some of the calories burned in your work out. This is the best way to ensure that you're eating enough for your body to function and to fuel your workouts. If you've stopped losing weight, it sounds like it's possible you're not eating enough if you don't always get to 1200.

happybrooke

I agree. I used to not eat enough calories, thinking that would help. It usually stalled my progress as my body reacted opposite as I thought it would. I eat my 1200 calories at least. When I work out, I try to eat most of those also (although I admit its hard sometimes!) This system has kept me losing about 2 lbs a week for about a month now, since I started using this site and trying to do it right. I am really happy with the consistancy of my weight loss.

ramonad

ok so i am going to ask just to clarify......... my goal is 1800 calories a day. 3 days a week i do zumba and burn about 1000 calories. so i have to eat 2800 calories? i think that seems high but i have hit a stand still and just can not figure out what i am doing wrong. i may be building muscle, my waist has went down 2.5 inches but it is really dragging me down not seeing the scales go down! any advice?

stella_star

2800 does seem a lot - how accurate is your Zumba burn? I maybe burn approx. 500 cals in a one hour spin class - measured with a heart rate monitor.
You definitely should eat all your calories and some of the extra earned from exercise - I aim to eat half of the extra.

And I know it's hard, but get off the scales! Measure yourself instead and go by your size and shape not the number on scales. Does it matter if the number on the scales stays the same when you've got 2.5 inches off your waist? Better that then 2lb off the scales on zero off your waist!

Derm94

I wonder the same thing. I have lost 20 lbs as of last weigh in and stepped on the scale today just to check it and I was still the same weight. I feel like 1200 calories is so little that this weight should just be dripping off but it isn't. I work out 4-6 days a week walking/running on the treadmill and sometimes riding the bike. I don't burn many calories doing that (maybe 150 or so) but I do try to add the calories so I eat about 1350 a day. I am getting frustrated because I hate plateaus.
Good luck.
Jennifer

KatWood

ok so i am going to ask just to clarify......... my goal is 1800 calories a day. 3 days a week i do zumba and burn about 1000 calories. so i have to eat 2800 calories? i think that seems high but i have hit a stand still and just can not figure out what i am doing wrong. i may be building muscle, my waist has went down 2.5 inches but it is really dragging me down not seeing the scales go down! any advice?

1000 calories burned from a 1hr Zumba class seems really high. How are you calculating the calories you have burned?
I would have expected it to be closer to 500-600 calories. And yes you should eat at least some of the calories you burned back. So if you goal is 1800 you should probably be eating closer to 1800+500=2300.

chanstriste13

i would suggest upping your calories. someone once described metabolism as a fire, and in order to burn, it needs a healthy supply of fuel, which food supplies. i loved that analogy, and i'm always suprised at how much i can eat and lose weight - if i don't eat, my fire stalls out. it's weird, but it made a lot of sense for me and really works with my body. best of luck!

stella_star

I wonder the same thing. I have lost 20 lbs as of last weigh in and stepped on the scale today just to check it and I was still the same weight. I feel like 1200 calories is so little that this weight should just be dripping off but it isn't. I work out 4-6 days a week walking/running on the treadmill and sometimes riding the bike. I don't burn many calories doing that (maybe 150 or so) but I do try to add the calories so I eat about 1350 a day. I am getting frustrated because I hate plateaus.
Good luck.
Jennifer

Sounds like you should try eating more - but more good whoele/natural foods. Change up what you eat and play around with your exercise a bit - do something your body isn't expecting - do you do any interval training with your running? It's great for fat loss!

I started to plateau after my first 15lbs but started eating more - set my rate of loss to 0.5lb per week, started interval training and weight training and continued losing at pretty much the same rate as before.

KatWood

I wonder the same thing. I have lost 20 lbs as of last weigh in and stepped on the scale today just to check it and I was still the same weight. I feel like 1200 calories is so little that this weight should just be dripping off but it isn't. I work out 4-6 days a week walking/running on the treadmill and sometimes riding the bike. I don't burn many calories doing that (maybe 150 or so) but I do try to add the calories so I eat about 1350 a day. I am getting frustrated because I hate plateaus.
Good luck.
Jennifer

How long are you usually on the treadmill or bike for? Also, have you tried adding weights to your workouts?

cehrenhaus

When first started running I started to gain weight. I gained about 5 pounds in a month! But I was building muscle in my legs and hips, which were getting bigger but leaner. Muscle is heavier than fats, so do not get discouraged! Your waist is getting smaller after all.
I say keep working out, it seems to be working!