1400 calories to eat- how much to burn?

MrsAnderson_GettingHealthy
MrsAnderson_GettingHealthy Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is anyone else eating 1400 calories a day? How many calories do you try to burn daily?

I have 90 more pounds to go until I hit my goal weight and I am really looking forward to working out, I think that it will help me out to see results. I just am un aware of how many calories I should be burning to lose the weight quickly- I also shouldn't eat those back, right? I guess my confusion is more in depth than I thought it was!

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • happypopmelon
    happypopmelon Posts: 39
    i don't know how many you should be burning or even if what i am doing is right but i don't eat back the calories i have burnt. I just stick to the 1200 i am allowed a day. I feel that if i eat back what i have burnt then i am just maintaining my weight. hope that helps x
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    I'm at 1400 and I burn *through exercise*, maybe an average of of 100-200 calories a day. It's important to NET enough calories to reach your calorie goal. MFP already builds in a dietary deficit - go too far below that and you'll wind hungry, improperly fueled, and later struggling against a stall. Many DON'T eat back their exercise calories - but these people are at higher calorie goals and already count exercise as part of the burn.

    In other words, at lower calorie eating plans, your body needs the calories. You won't be maintaining if you eat those calories back - there's already a loss of calories built into your plan. So there will be a loss. Your body burns calories just by living - exercising is a step towards increasing internal health and changing your muscle tone. It can help you lose weight, but it won't be the sole source of cutting back calories.

    Diet loses the weight, exercise changes the body composition.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    i don't know how many you should be burning or even if what i am doing is right but i don't eat back the calories i have burnt. I just stick to the 1200 i am allowed a day. I feel that if i eat back what i have burnt then i am just maintaining my weight. hope that helps x

    no.

    At 1200 you are already at a calorie deficit..in fact i think 1200 is too low, but anyway... you need to eat those exercise calories back to avoid too large a deficit.
  • ScarlettVamp
    ScarlettVamp Posts: 828 Member
    I'm at 1400 and I burn *through exercise*, maybe an average of of 100-200 calories a day. It's important to NET enough calories to reach your calorie goal. MFP already builds in a dietary deficit - go too far below that and you'll wind hungry, improperly fueled, and later struggling against a stall. Many DON'T eat back their exercise calories - but these people are at higher calorie goals and already count exercise as part of the burn.

    In other words, at lower calorie eating plans, your body needs the calories. You won't be maintaining if you eat those calories back - there's already a loss of calories built into your plan. So there will be a loss. Your body burns calories just by living - exercising is a step towards increasing internal health and changing your muscle tone. It can help you lose weight, but it won't be the sole source of cutting back calories.

    Diet loses the weight, exercise changes the body composition.

    ^^^This. Well said!
  • KristinD1977
    KristinD1977 Posts: 100 Member
    i don't know how many you should be burning or even if what i am doing is right but i don't eat back the calories i have burnt. I just stick to the 1200 i am allowed a day. I feel that if i eat back what i have burnt then i am just maintaining my weight. hope that helps x


    You should be eating back all of your exercise calories to net out at 1200. The 1200 figure already has the weight loss deficit factored in.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    Does no one read how MFP is set up???? Ever???? This is like the 1000 thread on this in the last 10 days.

    ETA: The answer is eat your exercise cals if you want to be healthy.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    well. If I ate 1400 calories a day. The answer would be I want to burn 1600 calories a day, to be at a calorie deficit. I think you have given us a trick question. If I worked out, I'd want to burn those on top of that.

    If I ate 1400 calories and I wanted to be at maintenance. I'd want to burn 1400 calories a day. See?
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    well. If I ate 1400 calories a day. The answer would be I want to burn 1600 calories a day, to be at a calorie deficit. I think you have given us a trick question. If I worked out, I'd want to burn those on top of that.

    If I ate 1400 calories and I wanted to be at maintenance. I'd want to burn 1400 calories a day. See?

    This is such a confusing subject. I think we all know what she is asking and you are making the waters muddier. :noway:
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    well. If I ate 1400 calories a day. The answer would be I want to burn 1600 calories a day, to be at a calorie deficit. I think you have given us a trick question. If I worked out, I'd want to burn those on top of that.

    If I ate 1400 calories and I wanted to be at maintenance. I'd want to burn 1400 calories a day. See?

    :angry:
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Your right :) she worded to make me go way to deep.

    OK simple answer Go to food diary, if the number is green, eat.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    There is no right amount to burn.. whatever you burn, you burn.

    I generally workout for between 30-45 minutes... and I could burn anywhere from 200-800 calories depending on what I'm doing.

    Whatever you do burn, you need to eat at least some of those back.. otherwise your deficit will be too big, and you'll be hungry/tired.
  • happypopmelon
    happypopmelon Posts: 39
    mfp told me i should only have 1200 a day. so if i burn 600 calories at the gym i have to end up eating 1800 calories in that day?! i find that impossible unless i eat pizza! i've been feeling healthy and not hungry at all with what i'm doing and i have read all about this so obviously it's not very clear to people including myself exactly what is right for us.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    mfp told me i should only have 1200 a day. so if i burn 600 calories at the gym i have to end up eating 1800 calories in that day?! i find that impossible unless i eat pizza! i've been feeling healthy and not hungry at all with what i'm doing and i have read all about this so obviously it's not very clear to people including myself exactly what is right for us.

    Yes you'll eat 1800, but it's taking off the 600, so it's like eating 1200... Make sense?

    When you only eat 1200 and burn 600, you are taking in 600 calories total.. and does that sound healthy? Uh no.

    Plus, a little bit of junk never killed anyone.. or eat more calorie dense foods and bigger meals... It's not hard to eat more then 1200+.
  • happypopmelon
    happypopmelon Posts: 39
    Ok, i get it now, thanks everyone x
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    that helps explain it all.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    mfp told me i should only have 1200 a day. so if i burn 600 calories at the gym i have to end up eating 1800 calories in that day?! i find that impossible unless i eat pizza! i've been feeling healthy and not hungry at all with what i'm doing and i have read all about this so obviously it's not very clear to people including myself exactly what is right for us.

    Eat pizza! Its a win win
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    mfp told me i should only have 1200 a day. so if i burn 600 calories at the gym i have to end up eating 1800 calories in that day?! i find that impossible unless i eat pizza! i've been feeling healthy and not hungry at all with what i'm doing and i have read all about this so obviously it's not very clear to people including myself exactly what is right for us.

    also remember calorie burns are estimated...so if the machine says 600, or MFP then eating 300 or 400 back is fine if you want to make sure it wasnt over estimated.

    i myself dont think anyone should be at 1200...whether MFP says it or not.
  • pinguwing
    pinguwing Posts: 9
    I'm at 1400 and my exercise level varies hugely. The most important thing is that I'm enjoying it and I mix it up a lot. Don't go by the numbers, go by how you feel. If you constantly exhaust yourself at the gym you will stop going. Go jogging, go for a walk, a cycle ride, a swim, go dancing, go climbing, see new things and make new memories.


    Some weeks I will burn 3000 cals + others I will burn 500 cals. I lose steadily each week. There is no magic number, you just need to find a fun way of moving. If I'm hungrier after exercise I will eat, if I'm not, I won't.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    I eat 1400 and I try to burn 200 at the most and I try to eat at least half of my exercise calories.
  • NeonRainbow83
    NeonRainbow83 Posts: 118 Member
    I had gotten confused about all this too, for the last 2 weeks I have been eating 1200 calories but burning 400-700 calories a day in exercise and not eating them back. I have lost a grand total of 0lb.

    This site has some great posts around if you do a little search there is some easy to read yet well informed posts that helped me, but the general idea is your net calories, this week I am trying to get my NET calories between 1200 and 1500, and nothing under. I feel better already just eating more, it's hard to get my head around putting more calories in my body to lose weight but I've realised where I was barely satisfied before now I am well and truly satisfied and I think about food much less!

    Hopefully it works, you just have to find your balance I think :)

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