Calories

flutterbug123

MFP says to eat 1200 cal and other websites say I should be eating 1400 cal AHHHHHHH!! I just don't know. HELP
I've been on MFP for almost 3 months. I never go over my cal for the day. I have not lost any weight, if anything I've gained

I'm 5'2
I weigh 129 my goal weight is 115
I work out 6 days for at least 45 min to 60min and burn any where from 700 to 1000 cal

JessyJ03

Eat more food. Seriously. MFP is designed for you to be eating back your exercise calories. Are you doing this?

flutterbug123

Eat more food. Seriously. MFP is designed for you to be eating back your exercise calories. Are you doing this?

I'm not sure as to why i would want to eat back my exercised cal.
That would mean i worked my *kitten* off for nothing. RIGHT?

oliviamariex

I have found what works best is greatly varying my caloric intake day by day...like 800 cals one day, 1200 cals another day, 1000 cals the next, 1500 cals the next, etc etc. And exercise

kylawelsh

When I hit a plateau, I have to re-mix up what I do. Different exercise, different eating patterns.... our bodies get use to certain things and maintain. Mix it up and see what happens.

meggonkgonk

Seriously, there are a bunch of introductory threads that MFP recommends before you start. Go read them. They explain your calorie goal, why you should eat your exercise calories, and why you should eat more to lose healthy.

resilience1908

I'm surprised you are able to function considering the amount you eat. EAT MORE, keep the exercise regimen (make sure you are actually burning what you think you are burning), and make the food good and nutritious. I almost would say you can exercise less (burn fewer calories) and still see results. At the end of the day you are leaving yourself with 100-500 calories to live the rest of each day. Yeah...that doesn't really work long term and it's not healthy.

JessyJ03

Eat more food. Seriously. MFP is designed for you to be eating back your exercise calories. Are you doing this?

I'm not sure as to why i would want to eat back my exercised cal.
That would mean i worked my *kitten* off for nothing. RIGHT?

No. You don't need to exercise to lose weight. It's about a calorie deficit. That deficit is built into your plan. The exercise is for overall health and body composition. You need to eat those back. You don't have much weight to lose as it is and can actually gain weight from eating too little (yes that really happens).

psuLemon

You will need even more than 1400 calories if you are active. With 11 lbs to lose, you can't aim for much per week. Set your account to 1/2 lb per week and eat back 50% of your exercise calories. Diet is weight loss and exercise is fitness. Exercise isn't what makes you lose the weight, it's the calorie deficit that does. Now you can create a deficit from exercise but exercise alone will not make you lose weight. BTW, what are you doing to burn 700-1000 calories per hour. I am twice your size and even doing insanity, i don't burn that much. More than likely, you are burning a lot less than that.

Kminor67

I'm not sure as to why i would want to eat back my exercised cal.
That would mean i worked my *kitten* off for nothing. RIGHT?

Your body needs 1200 calories a day to survive in a coma. That being said, if you are not eating at least 1200 calories PLUS your exercise calories, your body is going into starvation mode and holding on to every morsel you eat. Try eating at least half of your exercise calories, and see if you start losing. Hope this helps!

jharb2

MFP has you eating at a huge deficit already - you need a minimum (1200 per MFP) to lose weight efficiently so yes you need to eat your excercise calories in order to meet the minimum. Excercise is for fitness and health. If you don't eat a good portion of them back then you are in a constant deficit and your body will hold onto fluid/weight and not lose. Plus its unlealthy to be in such a deficit for a period of time.

now_or_never13

What do you have your weekly weight loss goal set at?

It should be set for no more than 1lb per week... if you have less than 20lbs to lose it should be 0.5lb which gives a bit more calories.

And when you exercise eat them back (or half of them if you are going on MFP numbers) because a deficit is already built in to the calories you have.

lasmit4477

You will need even more than 1400 calories if you are active. With 11 lbs to lose, you can't aim for much per week. Set your account to 1/2 lb per week and eat back 50% of your exercise calories. Diet is weight loss and exercise is fitness. Exercise isn't what makes you lose the weight, it's the calorie deficit that does. Now you can create a deficit from exercise but exercise alone will not make you lose weight. BTW, what are you doing to burn 700-1000 calories per hour. I am twice your size and even doing insanity, i don't burn that much. More than likely, you are burning a lot less than that.

^This

llkilgore

Eat more food. Seriously. MFP is designed for you to be eating back your exercise calories. Are you doing this?

I'm not sure as to why i would want to eat back my exercised cal.
That would mean i worked my *kitten* off for nothing. RIGHT?

If you aren't losing then what are you working your *kitten* off for now?

flutterbug123

Eat more food. Seriously. MFP is designed for you to be eating back your exercise calories. Are you doing this?

I'm not sure as to why i would want to eat back my exercised cal.
That would mean i worked my *kitten* off for nothing. RIGHT?

If you aren't losing then what are you working your *kitten* off for now?


True that